Dr. Sheetal Agarwal

Aren't you scared of summer heat, skin eruptions, sweat and thirst? 
Overcome all summer problems with these cool solutions offered by ayurveda. Get acquainted with ayurveda and beat the summer heat before it beats you.

The heat of the summer seeps into our system, saps away our strength and leaves us dehydrated. Ancient indian scriptures advice an ayurvedic regimen for all, which helps to avoid dehydration and to maintain vitality.

What to avoid during summer months:

• Strenuous exercises
• Going out in afternoons when the heat is at its peak
• Pungent, sour and salty foods
• Foods that produce heat within the body
• Alcohol

Technology might help you to stay cool inside your home or office but you will eventually have to face the heat outside. According to ayurveda, the ancient science of natural health,
When things are heating up outside, the key to balance is to find ways to cool down inside i.e. physically, mentally and emotionally.

Tips to maintain balance between mind and body during summer:

1. Cooling baths
A cooling bath is the best way to start a'cool' day. This is the first thing that you do in the morning, so make the best of it. Bathe with cold water.

2. Cooling beverages
Fresh fruit juices and nectars, blended and stored at room temperature, are recommended.

3. Cooling diet
A cooling ayurvedic diet in summer includes a lot of fruits and vegetables that are sweet, juicy, bitter and astringent in nature.

4. Cooling exercise
Swimming is a healthy and wonderful exercise for summer - it's not only cooling and soothing for the body but also helps in toning and strengthening body muscles.

5. Cooling lifestyle
Stress and overwork aggravates the symptoms and overheating effects of summer.

6. Protect yourself from the sun 
You should protect yourself from the sun and refrain from outdoor activities during the hottest part of the day.

It is very important to keep the essential oils of your skin intact. Use warm water for bathing to preserve those oils because hot water will make your skin devoid of those oils and leave it dry.

Otoplasty is a cosmetic surgery which corrects the deformities or absence of the external ear. Otoplasty originated in ancient India during 800 BC.

When should you opt for an otoplasty?

1. Cagot ear: This is a defect where there is no ear lobe attached to the ear.
2. Cat’s ear: In this condition the outer side of the ear is pulled forward. It gives the person a more feline appearance.
3. Cauliflower ear: This generally occurs when your ear looks like a cauliflower. This is also caused due to hematoma that occurs because of severe trauma.
4. Cleft earlobe: In this condition, there is a notch on the fleshy part of the earlobe and can be corrected by otoplasty.
5. Constricted ear: In this condition, some of the cartilage is discarded by surgery and a new one is reconstructed.
6. Cryptotia: An incision is made and the upper part of the ear is exposed by contraction.
7. Darwinian ear: This occurs when the rim cartilage of the conchal bone (hollow next to the ear canal) is flat and not folded outwards. The term ‘Darwinian ear’ is derived from the British biologist Charles Darwin.
8. Lop ear: People who have lop ear generally have a protruding ear with a central depression, producing a more ‘cup ear’ appearance. The helix is enlarged after surgery.
9. Macrotia: In this situation the ear of the patient is very big as compared to his head. So the surgeon makes incisions on the lateral surface of the pinna (outer ear).
10. Microtia: In this condition the pinna is extremely small and the whole ear seems much smaller.
11. Question mark ear: This is a rare defect. There is an indentation between the cartilage and the ear lobe rim. This is also known as Cosman ear.
12. Scroll ear: The outer edge of the ear protrudes forward in such a condition.
13. Stahl’s ear deformity: In this condition the outer skin and cartilage folds abnormally giving an ‘elf’ kind of appearance.

Otoplasty is usually done to improve the appearance of the ear in severe cases and it is important to get a recommendation from more than one doctor or more than one ENT specialist before going forward with this procedure.

Menopause is the time in a woman's life when the menstruation ceases, bringing an end to a woman's childbearing years. There are a number of symptoms that mark this stage, including hot flashes, which are very commonly experienced in such cases. Hot flashes are like a feeling of a red hot flush that may wash over the body and lead to excessive sweating. It occurs in the blood vessels that are closest to the surface of the skin. Yet, menopause is not the only reason why one may experience these hot flashes.

Here are some of the reasons that may trigger these hot flashes:

1. Carcinoid syndrome: This is a disease that may cause hot flashes as a symptom. In this condition, a tumour will usually release varied chemicals into the body, which can create varied symptoms that seem like hot flashes.

2. Hyperthyroidism: Overheating of the body and the system from within is something that many patients suffering from hyperthyroidism may experience. This usually happens when the thyroid glands end up producing too much of the thyroid hormone that brings about many symptoms ranging from depression to weight loss and even hot flashes. In hyperthyroidism, the body goes into a hyper mode, which usually leads to overheating of the same. This gives rise to frequent and often severe hot flashes.

3. Hormonal changes: There are many hormonal changes that may affect various men and women from time to time. A drop in the level of the estrogen hormone is something that many women go through on a regular basis. This may happen due to pregnancy as well. Also, this condition usually brings about symptoms like hot flashes.

4. Eating disorders: The way we eat and nurture our body is the way the body reacts. When there is a case of an eating disorder like dyslexia or bulimia, it may lead to varied symptoms, including hot flashes. This is due to the fact that the body's hormonal levels as well as the nutritional level plunge to an all-time low. In many such cases, hot flashes are the body's way of demanding better nutrition. These disorders can also give rise to related conditions like the hypothalamus disorder.

5. Hypothalamus disorder: Hypothalamus disorder may also cause hot flashes. This is a condition that is caused due to poor eating habits. This disorder is characterised by a major drop in one's nutrition levels and also leads to many hormonal changes. These changes often lead to symptoms like hot flashes and other related complications.