May 02, 2003 12:51 PM
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(Updated May 02, 2003 12:51 PM)
Dear friends . Just a few points to enable you to beat the heat!
Caps and parasols, cottons and sunglasses are all very well, but as the sun glares down with unrelenting ferocity, take these steps too:
Prevent dehydration. Drink plenty of water before stepping out in the open, even if you are not thirsty. And carry a bottle of drinking water with you. If you feel even slightly unwell or dizzy, get into the shade at once and sip on water, fruit juice or a cold drink.
Block ultra-violet radiation. Use a sunblock or sunscreen(at least 30 SPF), especially between 1000 and 1400 hours, when the sun's ultra-violet(UV) rays inflict the most damage. Make sure your sunglasses offer full UV protection.
Use oils. Bathe frequently. After a bath, take a damp cloth sprinkled with a few drops of the essential oils of peppermint or lavender and rub yourself all over. Keep a 500 ml bottle of water mixed with 10 drops of lavender oil in the fridge to soothe sunburn and prickly heat. Coconut oil and olive oil baths, too, keep you refreshingly cool.
Eat smart. Avoid very spicy and oily foods. Eat fresh salads, lightly steamed dishes and fruit. While cooking, use ingredients like kokum(garcinia), curds and tender neem leaves as well as the age-old coolers: sabja and saunf(fennel) seeds, gulkhand and mint.
P. S. A similar article written by me has been published in this fortnightly magazine called'The Competitive Master', January 2003 edition. You can check it out there too .
