BEAT THE MONSOON BLUES

The monsoon not only dampens your immunity but along with it also exposes you to many diseases. Monsoon is the time when diseases of the digestive system are rampant. The cool monsoon climate tempts you to binge on those bhajiyas and sweets. But give in to that hearty appetite with a bit of caution.

The monsoons reduce our immunity making us susceptible to many diseases which are commonly associated with this season (Malaria, Jaundice and gastrointestinal infections like typhoid, cholera and viral infections like cold and cough). While we do take the regular precautions, here are a few tips that will help you to eat well, increase your power of digestion and strengthen the digestive system during the rains.

ü  Drink boiled water.

ü  Avoid street foods or foods made in bulk.

ü  Do not over eat or eat when not hungry as the digestion is weak during the monsoons and will invite indigestion and the accompanied illnesses.

ü  Eat moderate quantities of food as our digestive power is a bit low during this season.

ü  Drink warm beverages like a ginger and mint tea or clear soups.

ü  Include foods like tamarind, tomato, kokum, lime or fresh buttermilk in your diet.

ü  Mong dal is the easiest to digest of all the dals. A hot moong dal soup would do wonders for a vegetarian.

ü  Cereals like rice, millets and corn or oats are also easy to digest.

ü  Pepper, methi (fenugreek seeds), garlic, ginger, dry ginger powder (soonth), jeera, basil leaves (tulsi leaves), tamarind (haldi), asafetida (hing) added to foods help increase the digestion and thus immunity.

ü  Seasonal vegetables like gourd vegetables (doodhi, karela, padwal), ladyfinger (bhindi), suran (elephant’s foot) and brinjal (baingan) are good in this season.

ü  Pomegranates, chickoos, bananas are best utilized in this season.

ü  Non vegetarian foods should be taken in moderate amounts and in the form of light stews or soups and not rich gravies.

ü  Eating a few dates, raisins, almonds, cashew nuts and peanuts will help improve iron intake apart from other vital nutrients.

ü  Eat foods as fresh as possible. In case eating or storing leftover foods try to be careful to see that the foods are cooked well and heat it well when removed from the refrigerator.

ü  Have plenty of water even if you are not thirsty. Dehydration is possible even during the monsoons.

Other tips:

Ø  Have a glass of warm water with a teaspoon of honey early in the morning to help flush out the system of toxins.

Ø  Have a teaspoon of honey and fresh ginger juice/ dry ginger powder twice a day.

Ø  Amla and citrus fruits will help improve immunity.

Ø  Avoid aerated/ alcoholic/ caffeinated drinks. Drinking herbal tea is a better option.

Ø  Avoid very greasy and spicy foods.

Ø  Avoid foods that are not cooked especially outside foods like raw salads or chutneys.

Ø  Avoid highly salted foods.

Ø  Food poisoning from E- coli, salmonella or other contaminants are common in this season. Eat only well-cooked and hot food. Throw out food, which has a strange odour or mould.

Ø  Avoid sea foods and half cooked/ raw eggs in this season.

Ø  Keep yourself warm as the low temperatures help the infectious organisms to thrive.

So, keep your body resistant against diseases by boosting your immunity and taking precautions against the diseases common during this season.

 

REMEDIES TO COMBAT CONSTIPATION

What goes in must come out.  You proved this by, sitting on the toilet this morning. Well, didn’t you?

Constipation is no fun. Sometimes it can be painful. But the cause of your sluggish bowels is often easy to find. It may be a lack of fiber in the diet, insufficient liquid intake, stress medications, lack of exercise and bad bowel habits.

Below are ways to remedy the situation.

·         Are you really constipated? You think you have a problem, but do you really? Like all of us, you have been bombarded by laxative advertisements that try to give you the impression that a daily bowel movement is essential to good health, and this just isn’t so. The need to pass stools varies greatly from person to person. For some, a bowel movement three times a day may be considered normal, for others three times a week may suffice.

·         Are you getting enough fluids? The foremost menu items for battling constipation are dietary fiber and liquids. Lots of both are essential to keep stools soft and help it pass through the colon. A minimum of six to eight glasses of liquid should be a part of every adult’s diet. While any fluid will do the trick, “the best fluid is water”.

·         Eat lots more fiber. A daily consumption of 20-35 grams of dietary fiber is needed for all adults and at least 30 grams for those who suffer from constipation. You can get your fiber (complex fiber) from whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Top among the list are dried beans, peas, prunes, dried figs, raisins, popcorn/ makhana, oatmeal, pears, bananas, and nuts.

·         Make pure ghee an integral part of your diet. (Most of our weight loss “diets” tend to cut out all fats from our meals; even the healthy fats).

·         Avoid adding fiber to foods in the bid to increase the fiber content of your meals. Try and eat fiber rich home-made foods and avoid junk foods.

·         Avoid tea or coffee post sunrise in order to help bowel movement and also post sunset.

·         Take time to go to the gym. Yes, exercise is good for the bowels too. Exercise helps the movement of the foods faster through the bowels.

·         Take a walk. Walking is particularly helpful especially for pregnant women who often face the problem of constipation.

·         Toilet train yourself. Many of us condition ourselves to go to the bathroom not when nature calls but when we feel it is convenient. Ignoring the urge to defecate, however, can lead to constipation in the long run. But it’s never too late to improve your habits. The most natural time to go to the toilet is after a meal. Everyday follow a routine and sit on the toilet for ten minutes. In time you will condition your colon to act as it naturally should.

·         Slow down and take it easy. When you are stressed, tensed or frightened the bowels stop up just like our mouth dries or heart beats faster. It’s a simple part of the flight and fight mechanism. If you feel at the bottom of your constipation, the underlying causes is tension then take time to relax before you go to the toilet.

·          Reconsider laxative medications. Commercial laxatives may do their job but at the same time they are also addictive. Habitual intake can make your bowels get used to them, and your constipation worse.

·         Consider natural laxatives (only when needed and not as a rule). Laxatives marked “vegetable” or “natural”, whose main ingredient is psyllium seeds, flax and oats are nonaddictive and generally safe. But be sure that these are taken with lots of water, or they can gum up your insides.

·         Be cautious when using herbal remedies like Aloe Vera juice, senna rhubarb, dandelion root or plantain seeds.

·         Review your supplements and medications. Medications like certain antacids (containing aluminum or calcium), antihistamines, anti-parkinsonism drugs, calcium supplements, iron supplements, diuretics, sedatives and antidepressants can bring about or exacerbate constipation.

·        Beware of certain foods. Some foods may constipate an individual but not necessary everyone. Milk, for instance, can be constipating for one but cause diarrhea to another. Gas forming foods like cabbage, cauliflower, beans, whole pulses should be avoided by persons with a weak colon.

·        Have frequent intake of water of about 3 liters or more per day.

·         Eat smaller meals. Larger meals can distend the digestive tract, thus worsening constipation. Let your last meal be at least 2 hours before you sleep.

·         Do not strain. Huffing and puffing your way out of constipation is not wise as it may lead to problems like hemorrhoids and anal fissures. Straining can also raise your blood pressure and lower your heartbeat. This is especially dangerous for elderly or cardiac patients.