Beat the heat with a perfect summer diet

The extreme heat gas disrupted our everyday lives. All sorts of physical and health complications can arise in summer. Many suffer from dehydration, diarrhoea, dysentery, constipation, skin problems, allergies, sleep disturbance and exhaustion during this season.

On top of that, Eid-ul-Azha is just over. People ate a lot of red meat, oily food, deep fried food and processed food during Eid. Such food increases the heat. Excessive meat intake can create various intestinal problems including digestive issues and acidity.

Therefore to remain fit in summer, a proper diet has to be followed. Food that is easily digested and with high water content is best at this time.

· Drink at least three litres of water a day in this heat. Drink fruit juice, coconut water, lemonade, oral saline and glucose with little or no sugar. This will replace the water lost through through sweat.

· Eat more vegetables, especially gourd, jhinga (luffa), snake gourd, potol (pointed gourd), dundul (sponge gourd) and green papaya. These have high water content.

· Seasonal and juicy fruits are available in abundance now. Mango, java plum, ripe papaya, watermelon and palm kernel can be eaten. However, eating more than four to five pods of jackfruit would not be wise. That could lead to flatulence or digestive problems. It is better to eat jackfruit in the mornings.

· Yogurt mixed with flattened rice (doi-cheera) can be eaten for breakfast instead of flat breads like ruti or paratha. Rice with fish, vegetable, lentils and salad can be eaten for lunch. Don’t forget to add cucumber as salad because it contains a lot of water. Fruits, lassi or yogurt can be your tea-time snacks.

It is better to keep the dinner as light as possible. Soup with vegetables and chicken can be eaten along with salad or raita (a salad-yoghurt side dish). This would help you get a better sleep at night. The heavier the dinner, the more it will hamper the sleep in this heat.

· Do not eat deep fried, oily food in this scorching heat.

· Eat less meat and more fish. Eat vegetables.

· Instead of soft drinks, drink freshly made fruit juice, sharbat or smoothies.

· Don’t drink tea or coffee more than twice a day. Tea and coffee cause dehydration.

* Umme Salma Tamanna is a nutrition specialist at Ibn Sina Consultation Centre, Badda.