Some Remedies To Beat The Heat

Summer season is the hottest in most parts of India. Hot winds and scorching Sun are two inseparable constituents of Indian summer. For the past few days Delhi and many parts of India have been reeling under a heat wave with the temperature shooting beyond 46 degrees C. There are reports of people dying due to heat stroke in several parts of our country. Heat or sunstroke is the most common ailment of the season.

Let us know the facts and remedies of heat stroke

■             Our body is conditioned in such a way that it can face the heat produced due to changes in the environment. But due to the excessive exposure to the sun one gets tired and loses the strength to fight against the heat of the sun.

■             Heat stroke happens when the body’s mechanism for controlling temperature fail. It can kill or cause damage to the brain and other organs of the body. It is life threatening and needs immediate medical treatment. Many people fall sick and faint because of severe heat wave conditions.

■             Over exertion or some physical activity in the hot sun without drinking enough fluids can lead to heat stroke. We lose large amounts of body fluid in the form of sweat. Then the water level in the body is reduced and the body’s core temperature shoots up and cells start dying. In such cases the temperature rises up to 40 degrees C, Blood pressure too shoots up leading to nose bleed in some cases and the person may feel dizziness.

■             Suppose a person is travelling in the hot sun and his body stops sweating (this happens due to failure in heat control system), skin becomes dry; feels muscle cramps, headache or nausea he should realise that the sun is affecting adversely on him. One should not neglect these symptoms.

■             If you happen to give him first aid then he should be moved to the shade, loosen his clothes, remove socks, shoe, tie and extra clothing that he is wearing.

■             The first and foremost thing is to control fever by washing his hands, legs and face with chilled water. If possible pour little water on his head or wipe with a hanky dipped in cold water. No medicine should be administered to reduce fever.

■             Give him lemon water added with salt and sugar and ask him to sip slowly. Wait for half an hour. If he does not recover or show any signs of improvement in his condition and develop high fever, rapid breathing and high pulse rate, then immediately shift him to hospital.

■             The most common symptoms of heat stroke are high blood pressure, irritability, high pulse rate, sweating, breathlessness, severe shooting headache and high temperature.

Here are some precautions to beat the heat

• Wear loose cotton clothes so that they can absorb the sweat from the body.
• If you have to go out in the hot sun, carry plain water or glucose water with you. Cover your head with a cap or take an umbrella.
• Cut onion to half, keep it in a thin muslin cloth and keep in your pocket.
• Add one spoon sugar, half spoon salt, crushed ginger and little curry patta to diluted butter milk (chhach). Drinking this gives relief from the heat stroke.
• Drink at least five to six bottles of liquid including plain water, fruits juices and coconut water to stay hydrated.
• Drink mango fruit juice without adding ice one glass daily, which gives relief from heat stroke.
• Sugar cane juice can be taken with lemon and ginger added to it.
• Take 10g of tamarind, crush it in a glass of fresh water, filter add sugar and drink daily in the morning. This prevents you from sunstroke.

Avoid the following

►           As soon as you get back home from hot sun don’t drink chilled water.

►           Avoid alcohol, coffee. No medicines for fever as they are harmful during sunstroke.

►           Avoid eating meat, ghee, butter as these tend to heat up your body from inside.

By Nibhanapudi Suguna