As summer approaches, the most important thing that everyone should start doing is staying hydrated. Extreme heat can make one feel dry and dizzy, so it’s important to drink plenty of water and eat foods that help your body retain water and keep you refreshed.

Fruits such as watermelon and cucumber are considered summer favourites. It is good for your body and also has many skin benefits. Dr. Priya Padmasini, a general practitioner, in Tamil Nadu, recently spoke with Local 18 and shared some tips on how to keep your body cool.

Drink Water: During the summer, our bodies naturally sweat to cool themselves, which can lead to dehydration. This makes it important that we drink more water, as a lack of water in the body can lead to a variety of ailments. Apart from water, we should drink, buttermilk, tender coconut, watermelon juice, and others to compensate for the salt nutrients lost through sweat due to heat. Furthermore, drinking more water during the summer can help prevent dehydration, regulate body temperature, aid digestion, maintain healthy skin, and prevent kidney stones.

Fruits and Vegetables: Summer fruits and vegetables are not only delicious, but they also provide our body with essential nutrients. Summer produce is high in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, all of which are essential for good health. Furthermore, seasonal fruits and vegetables are generally less expensive than out-of-season alternatives. Try and incorporate cucumbers, watermelon, papaya, and grapes into your diet. So, stocking up on summer produce is an excellent way to save money while eating healthily.

Electrolytes play an important role: If you exercise, go for long walks, or have a physically demanding job, you should invest in electrolytes. Electrolytes can be obtained from either solid foods or liquids. Special sports drinks contain all of the electrolytes, including sodium, chlorine, and potassium, pre-mixed. Bananas and coconut water have a lot of electrolytes and are high in potassium. There are Oral Rehydration Formula (ORS) solutions available for severe dehydration based on the WHO formula.

Light Cotton Clothes: Cotton absorbs sweat easily from the body. Cotton clothing has fine threads that allow air to pass through more easily than woollen clothing. With more air flowing through the clothes, sweat from the body and clothes evaporates more easily, leaving behind a cooling effect.

Avoid Non-Vegetarian Food: It is best to avoid foods that produce excessive body heat during the summer, such as red meat, mutton, and beef. Furthermore, meat becomes easily contaminated in the summer if it is not properly frozen, making it a common cause of food poisoning during this season. However, one should include easily digestible vegetables and greens.

Dr. Padmasini also advised the public that it is good to apply sunscreen and use an umbrella outside during the hot season.