JOIN USHealthy lifestyle need of the hour
The weather is playing the guessing game these days with rains in the morning and humidity levels at its peak during the day.
This is giving rise to a spate of illnesses. Metrolife spoke to medical practitioners and others to understand the prevailing scenario.
Seema Meenakshi Shah, a student who has been in the City for three years, says that the climate patterns change every year.
“Bangalore used to have a steady climate earlier but now, people have to be prepared to face the heat, protect themselves from getting drenched and carry a pullover for the chill, all in a day,” she says.
Seema, who has been suffering from regular cold and cough for the last few weeks, adds that she has been consuming fruits and vegetables on a daily basis to stay strong.
Dr Sudha Menon, consultant physician with Fortis Hospitals, says that viral infections are maximum during this period.
“When suffering from a viral infection like a cold, one must cover one’s mouth when in public and wash hands regularly,” she says.
Sudha adds that there have been many cases of dengue during this period too. “I have about two to three dengue patients everyday.
The intermittent rains add to this as they lead to puddles, which are a breeding ground for mosquitoes,” says Sudha.
Eating right has a lot to do with staying healthy and Ranjani Raman, a nutritionist, says that consuming vitamin-enriched foods like fruits and vegetables help increase a person’s immunity.
“These are known as protective foods. Every meal should include fruits like oranges, guavas and tomatoes, which help fight infections. Drinking green tea and consuming food that is rich in anti-oxidants are also helpful,” says Ranjani.
Doctors also advise people to stay away from hotels and eat home-cooked food. “Many cases of diarrhoea can be seen during this season. Also, fevers and body aches are the other common ailments,” says Dr Chandil Kumar Gunashekhara, a general physician.
He says that wholesome sleep and hydrating one’s body continuously are important.
Chandil also points out that even a slight body ache is an alarm that one is not healthy and many tend to ignore such symptoms. “Thus the condition of the person worsens. The most commonly seen ailments of the season are sore throat and viral fever,” he states.
A young professional with the telecommunications industry, Rimi Joseph has been suffering from regular headaches for the last few weeks. “I try my best to relax at work. But it doesn’t seem to be helping. I can’t take a long leave to relax at the moment but I have been trying to take it slow at work,” she says.
Often, just getting wet in the rain can cause a slight fever and varying external temperatures can trigger other ailments like sinusitis infection and even headache.
Dr NK Venkataramanaa, the director of Global Institute of Neurosciences and vice-chairman of BGS Global Hospitals, says that this change in climate regularly increases the chance of a migraine and sinusitis infection.
“Doing steam inhalation and proper breathing exercises will help to an extent. Also eating regular meals and planning one’s day helps,” says Venkataramanaa.
He adds that certain foods like banana, cheese and fried items should be avoided by people who are prone to such headaches. “Balanced sleep is a requisite,” he concludes.