Common Diseases To Be Aware of This Summer and Tips to Stay Safe

May and June are typically the hottest months in India. Your body can suffer damage from the sun's relentless glare. The only way to avoid getting sick during the summer and keep yourself safe is to be aware of the illnesses that the season can bring on.

No matter where one lives, in India, some summer diseases are inevitable. But as a wise man once said, "Prevention is better than cure." Even if you believe you are healthy and fit, you must take the necessary precautions against summertime illnesses.

Here, we enlist some common summer diseases that you must safeguard yourself against.

Food Poisoning

Food-borne diseases are frequently caused by harmful bacteria and parasites. The summer season promotes the growth of bacteria. Cooked food stored outside in the heat creates an ideal environment for bacteria to grow.

Cooked food must be kept in the refrigerator. Consume freshly prepared food whenever possible.

Dehydration

During the summer, we unknowingly lose a lot of water and salts through sweat. This must be replenished in order for the body to function normally. Drinking 2 to 3 liters of water per day ensures that the body replaces lost fluids caused by excessive sweating.

Cutting back on alcohol and caffeine can also help you stay hydrated, as these drinks cause people to urinate more, depleting the body of fluids even more.

Sunburns

When you expose yourself to the sun for an extended period of time, harmful  UV rays can penetrate your delicate skin, resulting in sunburns. This condition is characterized by itchy, dry, and red skin, as well as nausea, fever, or chills.

When the burns are severe, blisters may form, and the skin may peel once the condition has subsided.

Eye Infections

Some of the most common diseases seen during the summer are eye irritation, allergy, and conjunctivitis. Wash your eyes and face with clean water on a regular basis.

Prickly Heat

Children as well as adults can be affected by this condition. The itching and discomfort caused by the red rashes on the skin can be severe.

This problem occurs when a person has excessive perspiration, and their sweaty clothes rub against their skin and cause rashes and itching.

Heat stroke

Heat stroke is a common summer illness that, if left untreated, carries the potential to be fatal. The symptoms of heat stroke include a high internal body temperature, abnormal heartbeat, confusion, arrhythmia, and breathing difficulties.

Headache

Headaches appear to be more common during the summer months due to higher temperatures. Heat-induced headaches are caused by your body's reaction to heat, not by the heat itself.

Tips to Prevent Summer Diseases

The summertime can be a particularly taxing time of year for your body. You can easily fend off diseases and maintain your health if you take a few preventative steps

• Drink plenty of water, coconut water, and fruit juices including fruits like musk melon and watermelon.

• Remain indoors during summer, especially between 12 pm to 3 pm.

• Limit exposure to the sun and exercise in the morning or evening when it is not humid and hot.

• Protect your skin against skin diseases by using sunscreen lotion with SPF 15 or more, 20 – 30 minutes before you step out in the sun.

• Protect your body by wearing light-colored, light-weight and loose clothing.

• Beware of street foods in summer, as they may be unhygienic and the possibility of food spoilage is very common.

• Avoid buying packaged fruits and raw vegetables as they tend to get spoilt due to summer heat.

• Increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables.

• Most summer diseases are caused by viruses that can be eliminated through being clean and following a proper hand washing routine.

• Alcohol and hand sanitizers should be kept handy while traveling.

Summers can cause a variety of health issues due to increased heat and dryness in the air. Follow the prevention tips listed above to protect yourself from such health issues.