In this episode of Health 360, we discuss how to stay healthy during summer by preventing common issues like dehydration, heatstroke, allergies, and gut problems with simple tips and precautions.
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00:00It's summer time already and summer time brings a lot of sun and cheer but along with it brings
00:12a host of problems, skin problems, gut problems and allergies.
00:17So if you are thinking on how you can navigate through all of these problems in this summer
00:22season, look no further, Health360 this week is focusing on summer health.
00:29This is your ultimate summer health guide, I'm Sneha Mordani.
00:59That urge to grab a bottle of chilled water from the refrigerator when you are feeling
01:17thirsty these summers, well if you have that urge, control yourself.
01:23Drinking chilled water has health consequences.
01:26If you are in the habit of doing it, our next report will tell you why you should stop immediately.
01:57Alright, this is something that we all do in the peak summer months.
02:03It's very tempting, just pulling a bottle out, a bottle of chilled water from the fridge
02:08and drink it up immediately.
02:10But remember this is something that you should never be doing.
02:15Drinking chilled water straight from the refrigerator has got some serious health consequences.
02:20We are going to be telling you all about why you should not be doing that, what kind of
02:25problems that it creates.
02:27So start with a cold shock is what your body can get if you pull a bottle straight out
02:33of the fridge, a bottle of chilled water and start to drink it at a go.
02:44It has a deep bearing on your digestion process by constricting blood vessels in the digestive
02:49tract, making it tough for the body to break down food.
02:53When we consume too much of cold water or ice chilled water, then we say our body is
03:01going into cold shock.
03:03That means our digestion is slowing down because the cold water or the ice cold water constricts
03:09our vessels, so which leads to hampering our digestion and slowing down the nutrition absorption
03:15process and we will not be able to absorb all the nutrients from the food which we are
03:21eating.
03:22Plus our body has to work more to regulate the temperature and so our digestion again
03:27slows down.
03:28Drinking absolutely chilled water also reduces your hydration.
03:32The thing is and try this out, you can't drink a lot of chilled water.
03:36We need to increase our water intake.
03:38Our best bet really is water at room temperatures.
03:42Also remember drinking water which is extremely cold will harm your tooth enamel and also
03:48lead to further discomfort and tooth sensitivity.
03:52So drink water at regular room temperatures no matter how tempting that chilled glass
03:57of water may look like at that point in time.
04:09In hot weather, it's best to drink lukewarm or room temperature water, easier for your
04:14body to absorb, it helps maintain your core temperatures and supports better digestion.
04:21So by adding like a small a thin slice of lemon in your water, maybe even some fresh
04:27mint leaves will help you.
04:30Just a little bit of salt, don't overdo it.
04:34This is in fact the best drink ever.
04:36You don't need any processed or any packaged added salt sugar products for example which
04:44are available in the market that claim they will be boosting your hydration and restoring
04:48your electrolyte balance.
04:50All of that is not required.
04:52Simple stuff will actually do.
04:54If you feel like, refrigerate this a little but do not drink it directly from the fridge.
05:01Avoid stuff which is available in the market that talks about how they hydrate you during
05:06peak summer months, these products are only loaded with sugar.
05:10All of this found in our nature is just good enough.
05:18What about your skin health guide in these summers?
05:22Are you washing your face and applying sunscreen and are you just doing just that?
05:27Well if yes is the answer, then you should know that you should be doing much more than
05:33just washing your face and applying sunscreen.
05:36We're telling you what else you should be doing to take care of your skin during summers
05:41and the common mistakes that you must avoid.
05:52Sun exposure.
05:58Tricky weather.
06:04Summer skin care can be tricky and that is why we're telling you all about the common
06:09mistakes we make during summers.
06:15A lot of people don't know actually how to apply sunscreen and don't do it often.
06:20Now think about it, when you're drinking water all through the day, you drink it all through
06:24the day, don't you?
06:26So why apply sunscreen just once?
06:28It actually has to be applied even when you're indoors and not in direct sun exposure and
06:35repeat applying it at least within two hours.
06:39Using sunscreen at a time when you are swimming is extremely important.
06:42Reapplying it and using a good quality broad spectrum sunscreen that gives full coverage
06:47is extremely important.
06:49Most importantly, using it once and not applying it after that is a big mistake that all of
06:55us tend to make.
06:56We just forget about it.
06:57That is something that should not be done.
07:00This is a product that requires reapplication for the maximum benefits.
07:12Using the same skin care routine as in winter is a big concern.
07:17Your winter skin care products may be too heavy for summer leading to clogged pores,
07:22breakouts or greasy skin.
07:25So what should you do?
07:29In summers you should be using lightweight gel based moisturisers.
07:33The need of the moisturiser, the frequency of application depends on how your skin is.
07:37If you have dry skin you need to use it more frequently but if you have oily skin you need
07:41to put it less frequently.
07:44So your moisturiser, your choice of ingredients, your choice of products change according to
07:49that and sometimes you need to use different products at different times of the day.
07:53When you are sitting inside, when you are sitting in AC your product is different, when
07:56you are going outside, when you are doing outdoor activities, when you are sweating
08:00more your product is different.
08:04Over exfoliation is also a big mistake.
08:09During summer we need to be cautious about not over exfoliating the skin because when
08:17we over exfoliate the skin is more sensitized for up to 24 hours to sun damage.
08:23So tend to exfoliate just once, maximum 2 times a week for the oilier skin types.
08:28For all other skin types once a week and after exfoliation ensure that you moisturise and
08:34hydrate the skin so that you repair that skin barrier and use sunscreen on a daily basis.
08:44Sweating a lot in the summer can leave your skin dehydrated.
08:47People often forget to hydrate their skin and just focus on cooling it down.
08:51Drink plenty of water and use a hydrating serum or mist to keep your skin moisturised.
08:58Look for products with higher Luronic Acid for optimal hydration.
09:05Hyaluronic Acid is basically a glycosaminoglycan, it's a natural ingredient, it's a natural
09:12component of your skin, of your elastic tissue, connective tissue, of your neural tissue
09:18also.
09:19It hydrates your skin well and by hydrating your skin well by absorbing the moisture it
09:25decreases all of your photo aging thing.
09:27So it decreases your fine lines, it decreases your little bit of wrinkling and it has very
09:33good hydration effect.
09:34That's why you should always be using Hyaluronic Acid based moisturisers.
09:41Always use a broad spectrum sunscreen.
09:43Remember it's not just about your face but also the rest of your body which is exposed.
09:47So wearing clothes which have full sleeves like this one will help in protecting your
09:52skin.
09:53Also, it's not just about your face and your skin, it's also about your eyes and the region
09:59around your eyes.
10:01Remember that you have to invest in a good pair of sunglasses and wear it, put it into
10:06good use especially when the exposure to the sun is very harsh.
10:10If at all there is a sunburn, use aloe vera gel or any other type of cooling gel to help
10:16get relief from the symptoms of sunburn.
10:19There is UV radiation, there is UVA, there is UVB.
10:24UVA causes more of photo aging and your photodyschromia which is uneven tone of the skin while UVB
10:32is more prone for causing your non-melanoma skin cancers.
10:37So using a broad spectrum sunscreen which is giving you protection from both UVA as
10:41well as UVB radiation is very essential nowadays because of the ozone layer depletion, our
10:47exposure is more, the pollution is more.
10:50Many skip antioxidant serums which help to protect against free radicals caused by sun
10:55exposure, pollution and environmental stresses.
11:00If your sunscreen has a built-in antioxidant like vitamin C, even better because it improves
11:06and strengthens the protection against UV radiation.
11:10So this is what you must do about sunscreen.
11:14While applying sunscreen the most common mistake that people make is ignore the nape area and
11:18the neck area.
11:19Even the back of your ears actually become important while using sunscreen.
11:23So when you do it, ensure that you are not ignoring these places, covering them up with
11:28the sunscreen, even the behind of your ears for an even skin tone, the nape which is also
11:34very prone to sun exposure and tanning is extremely important.
11:38So apart from your face, these are the places that you should not be neglecting.
11:46Sun spots and hyperpigmentation can worsen in the summer if you don't take steps to protect
11:51or treat them.
11:55Indians generally are prone to hyperpigmentation because of our natural skin color and melanin
12:00content.
12:0190% of women and over 20% of men are prone to hyperpigmentation in some time of their
12:08life in India.
12:10This can be prevented by using the right skincare and the right sun protection.
12:15One can have photomelanosis, they can have just long tanning, they can have melasma and
12:21melasma is very difficult to treat.
12:24Restarting your AC this season and cleaning your vents out is absolutely essential.
12:31If you've done that already, it's great, well if you haven't, know that you have to
12:36clean your vents each time you restart your AC in the new summer season.
12:42A dirty vent is the reason behind your allergies, your cough, your sneezing.
12:47We're going to be telling you more in this report on why cleaning your AC vents out is
12:52essential and also why you must be keeping a humidifier handy.
13:07Do you also have like a runny nose, sometimes a dry nose, cough that refuses to go away,
13:13sneezing that just won't stop and you just don't know what the reason is.
13:17It happens all the time.
13:19Guess what, the culprit here could be your air conditioner.
13:26As the summer starts, there is increase or abundance of pollen grains in the environment
13:31and this is the reason why most of the people in this season start having allergies.
13:36While you enter into a room with an AC, in this air conditioner, there is a lot of recirculation
13:43of air.
13:44Because of this, the pollen grains, house dust, dust mites, so all of this gets circulated
13:50in the air in more abundance.
13:53This causes those people who are allergic to have more sneezing, allergies, nose stuffiness.
14:12Turning up the air conditioner on a hot summer day can be a relief.
14:17But after a while, you might find yourself sniffing, sneezing or dealing with a scratchy
14:22throat.
14:24Alright, so having a humidifier like this one in a room where the air conditioner is
14:32on is extremely helpful.
14:33Remember, the air conditioner essentially dries out your skin and dries up your airways
14:40and this humidifier is going to naturally help in restoring that much needed moisture
14:46balance which is absolutely essential for you to not feel dry in your nose and not feel
14:53dry in your throat.
14:55A humidifier in that sense is an absolute essential.
15:00It also helps in dealing with indoor air pollution that many of us don't talk about but it is
15:06very much a problem.
15:08So something like this is a very good thing to have in the room wherever the air conditioner
15:14is on.
15:15How does the AC work is basically it sucks the air, takes out the moisture and cools
15:23the air.
15:24So then it becomes dry.
15:26You can consider keeping a humidifier which is not a very costly device and try to keep
15:33the humidity level between 45-50% in your room.
15:41So what exactly does an AC do and why using it without a humidifier is problematic?
15:49Air conditioning also dries the air because the function of it is by cooling the air and
15:56sucking the moisture.
15:58So this will also irritate the airways, decrease the secretions and dry the secretions of the
16:02airways.
16:03So this is the second way then you will have nasal allergies and nasal stuffiness.
16:12Many people experience headaches, worsened allergies and breathing difficulties in air
16:17conditioned rooms, especially if the unit is not regularly cleaned.
16:25Some people who are not allergic, they may get a condition called vasomotor rhinitis.
16:31This condition occurs when there is a sudden temperature change, like you are coming from
16:36a hot temperature outside and then you suddenly enter a cold temperature.
16:41This makes the nose and the nose mucosa react badly and it just swells up and causes a nasal
16:46congestion.
16:50Apart from improving respiratory health, a humidifier can also keep your skin and hair
16:56healthy.
16:59Dry indoor air can strip moisture from the skin, leading to irritation, redness and even
17:05premature aging.
17:09So leaving a jar full of water open in a room where you are sleeping with AC on helps to
17:13decrease the dryness in the room and that's why your trans-epidermal water loss decreases
17:18and that's how it helps your skin.
17:20This is an advice which we give even to atopic children which have dry skin and lot of eczemas.
17:27So humidifier is an essential addition to your personal space if you want to deal with
17:34dry airways, stuffy nose often which has bleeding issues as well.
17:40This is an important health addition to your space wherever the air conditioner is switched
17:46on, be it your home or your office.
17:50Summertime can be extremely difficult and hard on your body and that's the reason why
17:54hydration is a key.
17:56The organ to get most affected because of dehydration is your kidney.
18:01Here's how you can take care.
18:03Remember that you should increase your water intake.
18:05Up to 12 glasses a day is great.
18:08Electrolyte imbalance is something that you must keep in check.
18:12Certainly avoid excessive salt and excessive sugar which is equal to processed foods.
18:19Also avoid eating out.
18:21Remember eating light is your best bet at these times.
18:26Avoid excessive pressure on your muscles and also avoid excessive use of OTC medicines.
18:33So we asked nephrologist on kidney disease and how it can strike silently.
18:38Listen in.
18:39Our kidney diseases are usually called as silent killers because till the time 50-60%
18:45of the kidney gets damaged, the GFR goes below 60 or sometimes 50, the usually symptoms do
18:52not come.
18:54So especially in our country where regular health checkups are not very common, people
18:58usually go when they have symptoms.
19:00What can we do to keep our kidneys healthy in summers?
19:05During summers as we are all aware, the environment is less humidified.
19:11So if you are not well hydrated, if you are unable to hydrate yourself regularly, you
19:16will end up in dehydration which can eventually lead to pre-renal sort of kidney failure if
19:22you have any vulnerability.
19:23For example, if you are diabetic, if you are hypertensive, you are on medications or you
19:28have vomiting or you have loose motions and especially during summers, so you are already
19:33on a dehydrated state and if you go into this kind of illnesses, your chances of getting
19:38a kidney injury is far more as compared to a normal person.
19:41We also asked why are our kidneys the most pressurized organs when it comes to dehydration
19:48and what are the kind of challenges that this vital organ would face during peak summers?
19:54During summers, the most important aspect is keeping yourself hydrated and well electrolytes
19:59also should get maintained.
20:00So what you can do in your daily activity is try to take up one fruit daily, try to
20:05take a good amount of green leafy vegetables and keep yourself hydrated.
20:09If you are in an average weight of 60 to 80 kgs like most of us are, you should be drinking
20:13around 2.5 to 3 liters if you are a person of sedentary lifestyle.
20:17Here's how you can keep an eye on the onset of early kidney disease.
20:21First of all, the color of your urine, if it looks dark all the time, not just in the
20:27mornings and that is a big problem.
20:29It would be foul smelling, there could be foaming, burning sensation, lower back pain
20:34also associated with kidney disease, sudden anemia which is being seen in you would be
20:40a sign of kidney disease.
20:43Looking around your eyes, that's a big sign of a problem with your kidneys.
20:47Watch out for these signs and symptoms.
20:50Our experts are answering your frequently asked questions around summer health.
20:55Everyone wants to know what exactly is electrolyte imbalance?
21:00How can you prevent it?
21:02What about summer headaches?
21:03Why is it so common when the temperatures soar up, isn't it?
21:08Body is a very good machine.
21:10It tries to lose heat through sweating.
21:14Once you sweat, you actually lose a lot of electrolytes in the sweat, which actually
21:18includes sodium, potassium and there can also be loss of or less quantity of calcium and
21:25magnesium.
21:26Now, these electrolytes are very important to maintain bodily function, muscle functions
21:32and nerve functions.
21:33If there are a lot of loss or if there's an imbalance in the electrolytes, they cause
21:38fatigue, muscle cramps, tiredness and if it is extreme, they can even lead to loss
21:44of consciousness.
21:45So, you should keep yourself hydrated well.
21:49Take electrolyte containing solutions.
21:50All these artificial solutions are not right.
21:53Why are nose bleeds so common during summers?
21:57What can you do to avoid them?
21:59So whenever there is a dilatation of the vessel and changes of pressure, there is a tendency
22:03to bleed more.
22:04So that vasodilatation along with dehydration, because this heat can cause dehydration.
22:09So the nasal mucosa, the mucosa, the lining between the nose can become dry and it can
22:14bleed.
22:15The other one is allergies.
22:17The allergies that happen during the summers can again make it itchy and dry.
22:22That again exposes a person to more nose bleeds.
22:25So once we take care of this, like humidify ourself, take a lot of hydration, avoid dry
22:33air exposure to the nose.
22:34If these can be done, then the nose bleed frequency can be reduced in extreme of summers.
22:40What are hot foods?
22:41What are cold foods?
22:43What are the kinds of foods that we must avoid during summers?
22:47Listen in.
22:48We consider the foods in categories of hot and cold foods.
22:55Some foods are heating, which can aggravate the heat in our body.
23:00So in summers, we need to avoid those.
23:03Like we need to avoid too many spices, we need to avoid too many chillies, we can avoid
23:07excess of tulsi or cinnamon because they will increase the heat in our body.
23:13Cooling foods, they will be helpful for us in these summers.
23:16These can be fruits, these can be salads like cucumbers or these can be green leafy vegetables
23:22because they cool down our body and they help in better digestion.
23:28Well that brings us to the end of this edition of Healthy 60.
23:32We hope you enjoyed watching the show as much as we did, putting it together for you.
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24:00Thank you so much for watching, take very good care of yourself, bye for now.