Features: Magazine | Literary Review | Life | Metro Plus | Open Page | Education Plus | Book Review | Business | SciTech | Friday Review | Young World | Property Plus | Quest | Folio |

Beat the blues

Don't let the muggy weather get to you. Here are a few dos and don'ts for the season

Singing or romancing in the rains is stuff that celluloid dreams are made of. For lesser mortals like us who are caught in the daily drudgery of home to work (or college) and back home, even lazing in the balcony watching the rains, while gorging on some hot pakoras and chai is a luxury that we can afford only on Sundays. Add to that, monsoon blues can make us sluggish, anxious and at times depressed. Here are things you need to note to be in the pink of health despite the grey weather.

* If you've been drenched in the rains, shampoo your hair when you get back home. The rainwater brings along with it atmospheric pollutants on to your mane.

* Soak your damp feet in a tub of warm water for a few minutes. Add a dash of lime to the water and rinse your feet with soap. Wipe your feet dry with a towel. Damp, dirty feet left unattended can lead to growth of fungus in between your toes.

* Damp homes, too, are a breeding haven for mosquitoes. Open the doors and windows when it's not raining to let some fresh air and warmth in.Similarly, air dry damp clothes.* Wear open-toed shoes that will let the water drain out. Closed shoes and socks that soak in rainwater are a bad bet.

* Clear your balconies off any clogged rainwater.

* It's an oft-repeated advice but let's get this clear one more time. Stay miles away from the street-side chaat bandis and paani puris. If you must gorge on them, choose eateries that serve paani puris with mineral water.

* Wash your vegetables and fruits doubly clean. Vegetables like broccolis and cauliflowers need to be washed in piping hot salted water to remove worms that are common during monsoons.

Wash cherries, plums, jamoons and grapes for a few minutes in lukewarm salted water. This way, you'll cut down risks of common colds and ailments. Watermelons and muskmelons are still doing the rounds at some vendors' but give those water-rich fruits a break.

* Don't leave your raincoats and umbrellas behind while your step out. Wear synthetic clothes so that they dry quickly even if you get drenched.

* Finally, reach out to a fine brew of green tea, ginger tea or lemon tea with a dash of honey to beat the blues.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail