Hot Summers - Know What To Eat And Avoid To Be Healthy!

There are few things more exhausting or more irritating than the four-month-long Indian summer. With soaring temperatures and the sun raging outside, mangoes and lychees don't seem like much of a silver lining.

So, here are 8 health hacks that will make your summer a little better:

1. Replace soft drinks with water-

When you are out on the streets or sweating at home, a sweet fizzy drink does seem tempting but try resisting and have a glass of sparkling water instead. The preservatives and chemicals in the soft drinks do nothing to help your metabolism, which is slowed down by dehydration. Add a bit of lemon juice if only water does not appeal to you.

2. Try yogurt instead of ice cream-

The primary difference between the two is that one contains cream and the other does not. Yogurt is lighter and has lesser fat content. Excess fat consumption during summer actually makes you sweat more.

3. Use honey instead of butter-

Butter, like cream, has a heavy fat content and your metabolism (which is slower in summer to retain water in the body) takes longer to break fat down. So, ditch butter this summer and spread some honey on your crunchy breakfast toast.

4. Stock up on cucumber-

Cucumber is an underrated blessing. You can munch on them anytime you like without worrying about calorie intake or stomach aches. Rubbing some cucumber on your skin can soothe sunburns and itches.

5. Aloe Vera can work wonders-

You must have heard about the boon that aloe vera is when it comes to skincare. It is the best solution to nasty sunburns, especially aloe vera gel frozen in small Ziploc bags, can heal burns and prevent skin peeling and chaffing.

6. Lower the pH value of your skin-

Application of citrus fruit juices like apples and lemons or vinegar can lower the pH value of our skin and prevent the multiplication of bacteria. This keeps both sweat and body odor away much more effectively than deodorants.

7. Make small sacrifices in terms of diet-

Some of your favorite things like coffee, alcohol, spicy food, sugar and cigarettes are best consumed minimally in summer because they all aggravate the functioning of the apocrine glands and cause sweat and body odor. Other alternatives to soft fizzy drinks during this summer are Coconut water, Sugarcane juice and buttermilk. Not only do these drinks quench your thirst and keep you hydrated but they are extremely rich in minerals and vitamins which further help you maintain your electrolyte balance in the hot summers

8. Shower before you workout-

One of the good things about summer might be that you have an excuse to skip work out. But, if you start with a cold shower or a swim, or keep a cold-wet towel around your neck, the workout can be surprisingly refreshing. You can do the same after your workout- it lowers the body temperature and cooling the muscles can heal soreness very quickly.