SUMMER TIPS

good reasons not to reach out for these seasonal staples-
That ice-cold mug of beer to quench your thirst:
A cold bottle of beer may seem like elixir when your mouth is parched—the first few sips of the amber liquid may even make you believe that your thirst is gone—but don’t be fooled by the alcohol, warns Dr Pari, consultant urologist. When a person feels thirsty, it is a sign that he is already dehydrated. Guzzling a beer instead of water at such a time will confuse the kidneys into producing urine and expelling water, instead of keeping water in the body’s circulation, where it is most needed.
Ice cream and cold cuts: The routine power cuts have made our favorite summer treat—ice cream—off limits this year. “The frequent power outages make it dangerous to eat ice cream as it is the best medium for bacterial contamination. When the power is out and the temperature goes up, bacteria start acting on the sugar, milk and moisture.
The worst part is that you cannot make out if an ice cream has gone bad as it freezes up again,” says Dr Dharini Krishnan. “Frozen Meat, sausages and cold cuts are even more problematic during summer, as they start rotting faster. Even ready-to-eat snacks that need to be taken out of the fridge and popped into the microwave are unsafe,” Dr Dharini adds.
Talcum powder: Contrary to popular belief, coating yourself with a layer of talcum powder before you head outdoors will not prevent prickly heat; it will make it much worse. DR G R Ratnavel, dermatologist and cosmetologist at Apollo Hospitals explains that prickly heat occurs because the sweat ducts get blocked with dirt and bacteria.
Sprinkling talcum powder on your skin further blocks sweat ducts, causing the body temperature to go up, resulting in angry red rashes and pustular prickly heat. “I treat so many cases of ‘Talc granuloma’, which occurs when talcum powder enters the skin and causes and allergic reaction and infected lesions under the skin surface,” he says, adding that wearing loose cotton clothes and having at least three baths a day can ward off skin problems during the summer.
Paati’s summer treats: vathals, vadaams, more mologa, mango pickle: While summer might be a great time to pickle mangoes and lime to accompany your Thayir Saadam, doctors warn you to go easy on these salty goodies.
“Pickles made at home with seasonal fruits are usually healthy, but the high salt and spice content is not a good addition to your diet. The best solution is to make pickles that can be eaten within a day or two, with less salt and oil,” suggests Dr Dharini Krishnan. Consumption of deep fried papads, varthals and more molaga should also be kept to a minimum.