Dos and don’ts for a healthy monsoon

Stay hydrated

The cool of a rainy day can be deceptive. High humidity levels leach the water from your system more slowly than high temperatures, but cause dehydration nonetheless. So don’t wait till you feel thirsty to drink water, and be sure to get your minimum of eight glasses a day.

Boost your immunity

Raise your Vitamin C intake to boost immunity against cold and flu. Also load up on repellent plants like citronella and essential oils that can help keep bugs away. Clear away any stagnant water in and around your living spaces, to lower risk of dengue and malaria infections.

Focus on your feet

Your feet bear the real brunt of the monsoon, and are exposed to possible infections from everyday muck as well as leptospirosis-causing contaminated water in puddles. So focus on feet hygiene in the rains. And ensure your feet and footwear are dry as far as possible, to keep fungal infections at bay.

Avoid fish and non-seasonal vegetables

Leafy vegetables like spinach, cabbage and cauliflower are harder to clean when they’re harvested in the churned, wet earth of the monsoon; they also rot more easily in this weather. So opt instead for seasonal vegetables like bitter gourd or tinda. Monsoon is also breeding season for many fish species, so keep away and let nature replenish its reserves.

Iron all your clothes

Damp clothes can become breeding grounds for fungus when you fold them and put them in your cupboard. Make sure you iron all your clothes before you put them away, to avoid mold. You can also add a few neem leaves to the water while washing clothes, for a natural mold-repellent.