Stay Healthy During The Monsoon: Essential Tips To Protect Yourself From Illness

Cloudy skies, lush green foliage, earthy scent, and the chill—ah, how enchanting the monsoon season is! After setting the mood, we're sorry to puncture it with a statutory warning—the monsoon air is also brimming with microscopic infectious germs. These germs are known to infect us with diseases such as malaria, dengue, typhoid, cholera, jaundice, and of course the common cold and flu.

Children are particularly vulnerable to such infections during the monsoons because their immune system is still developing.

Watch what you eat and drink

The rainy season is a sensitive time for the gut. The weather conditions slow down the digestion process. The risk of contamination of food and water is also high. So, we must be extra careful about what we eat and drink.

Eat light, nourishing food

• Opt for home-cooked meals, so you can cook under hygienic conditions. Steer clear of street food.
• Give your child fibre-rich food to aid in better digestion and bowel movement. Remember to keep the portion size light, yet filling.
• Sneak in probiotics such as yogurt and buttermilk and prebiotics such as oatmeal and bananas during snack time. This will facilitate the growth of good bacteria in your child's gut.
• Provide nutritious snack options such as roasted nuts, dry fruits, fruit chat, homemade chiwda or bhel puri, and boiled chickpeas (or other lentils).
• Encourage your child to have food rich in Vitamin C, such as berries and citrus fruits, kiwi, cabbage, broccoli, and bell peppers. These are known to fight common infections such as cold and flu.
• It is best to have freshly grown, locally available seasonal fruits and vegetables.

Make smart food choices

• Avoid eating seafood. They are more likely to be contaminated during the monsoons.
• Avoid fried food. They are hard to digest and can result in acidity or heartburn. Use lighter oils such as olive or sunflower oils for cooking.
• Do not have raw, uncooked food such as salads and shop-bought sprouts. Avoid pre-cut fruits and vegetables too. Remember, cooking makes veggies safer to eat.
• Do not encourage fizzy drinks. They could make you feel gassy and bloated and will cause belching. The sugar content of aerated beverages promotes the growth of harmful bacteria in your stomach and oral cavity. Choose freshly squeezed homemade fruit juices or warm drinks instead. Grown-ups can switch to refreshing herbal teas such as chamomile and ginger-lemon, which aid digestion and boost immunity.

Ensure hygiene

During the monsoons, household pests are likely to find themselves a damp haven. Under such circumstances, it is important to keep food and water clean and safe.

• Wash your hands thoroughly before preparing and while handling food.
• Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly before use. You could even use an acidic solution such as vinegar to wash off impurities. Be particularly careful while washing leafy vegetables such as spinach.
• Wipe the kitchen counter and dining area clean before and after meals.
• Make sure no food particles are lying about to attract mosquitoes, flies, and cockroaches.
• Keep food in covered containers. Do not expose perishable food to moisture.
• Boil drinking water regularly and drink it warm. You can carry a flask with you when you step out.

Keep mosquitoes at bay

Mosquitoes love the monsoons as there are puddles of water in every nook and corner. They breed in stagnant water and the season gives them a special invitation to do so. Mosquitoes transmit some of the deadliest vector-borne diseases.

Don't give mosquitoes a chance to breed

• Monitor and clean out the things and places around the house where rainwater can collect, potted plants, troughs or dips in the yard or terrace, open containers lying around, open drains or gutters, and waste tyres.
• Cooperate with the municipality workers when they come to inspect your premises and spray larvicide.
• If you don't have a continuous water supply, store water in containers that can be closed tightly. Take care to replace the lid properly after use.
• Dispose of non-biodegradable waste in sealed bags so that they don't gather rainwater and attract mosquitoes. Strictly follow the waste segregation norms.
• If you have a compost pile at home, keep it in a closed container. Do not add too much water to the scraps, and keep turning the pile regularly.

Prevent exposure to mosquito bites

• Consider fitting nets to doors and windows. Cover your bed with a mosquito net while sleeping.
• Encourage your child to cover themselves well. Wearing light-colored, long-sleeved clothes works best against mosquitoes.
• Use approved and tested insect repellents. If you are not comfortable applying these directly on your child's skin, you can spray/apply some to their clothing.
• Mosquito sprays and plug-in vaporizers can be used indoors to fend off mosquitoes.

The unholy trinity of diseases transmitted by mosquitoes:

• Malaria
• Dengue
• Chikungunya

In addition, Zika virus is also transmitted by mosquitoes.

Keep yourself and your surroundings clean and dry

Unsanitary living conditions and poor personal hygiene can make you quite sick during the rainy season. They are the root cause of most illnesses that break out during the season. They can exacerbate pre-existing conditions such as asthma and eczema and also lead to more severe health conditions such as scabies and leptospirosis.

• Air out the rooms of your home during the day. Keep doors and windows open. You could even leave the dishwasher and washing machine open to prevent a dank smell.
• Wash your hands and legs properly when you return home.
• Keep the bathroom floor clean and dry.
• If your socks or footwear are soaked when you get drenched in rain or due to water-logging, remove them immediately. Keep your feet dry to prevent fungal infections.
• Do not sit in an air-conditioned room with wet hair.

Take care while going out

The rainy season is the peak time for air-borne infections such as the common cold, viral fever, and flu.

• Stay away from people with, colds and coughs, and wear a mask when you step out.
• Carry a hand sanitizer while going out.
• Carry an umbrella or raincoat with you whenever you step out.
• Dress warm in clothes that fully cover your arms and legs.
• If you get wet in the rain, wipe yourself dry and change into dry clothes at the earliest. If possible, take a shower first.
• The irresistible urge to step into puddles or dirty water puts children at risk of developing leptospirosis, especially when they have open wounds.
• Avoid getting splashed with dirty water by passing vehicles, although this might not be entirely in your control.

Leptospirosis

Also known as Weil's syndrome, leptospirosis is a bacterial infection caused when the skin comes in contact with water or soil contaminated by animal urine. Symptoms include fever, chills, body pain, nausea, diarrhea, jaundice and rashes. Leptospirosis can be quite serious if left untreated.

In addition to the above precautions, indoor exercise, and vaccination are also crucial to monsoon healthcare.

• Exercise will keep the joints in good condition, apart from boosting immunity. Make this a fun family activity. Skipping, dancing, lunges, squats, stretches, and yoga options are plenty!
• Vaccination is the first line of defense against major viral and bacterial diseases.

The health threats of monsoons are easy to beat when we take precautions and make healthy choices. Many of these lifestyle decisions can be extended to life well beyond the rains, to keep good health.