The long days of summer
bring us warm, sunny days, vacations, and loads of different fruits and
vegetables. Summers mark the entry of some typical fruits and vegetables including
mangoes, peaches, plums, melons and squashes into our daily eating. Beat the
scorching heat of the sun in summers with nature’s gifts. Here is a list of
foods to be…
Fluids and Electrolytes
Pure water is the best
drink to quench thirst. Our body cannot store water, so one must drink plenty
of it to replenish losses due to dehydration, excessive perspiration or
strenuous exercise during elevated temperatures to maintain healthy function of
body cells. The usual recommended amount of water intake for normal kidney
functions is 6-8 glasses a day, but to make up for the sweat and other losses,
especially during summers, this could mean even double. As much as two litres
of water can be lost due to sweating in humid weather. For those who have a
high threshold for thirst do not go by the thirst factor, make sure you drink
enough water or you are at risk of developing renal stones or urinary tract
infections.
Water losses can also be replenished by fluid
intake through seasonal and fruit juices. Soups and beverages, cold soups like
gazpacho are very refreshing. Beverages like lassi, aam ras, sattoo, jal-jeera,
jamun and phalsa sherbet, nimboo pani, ginger ale, plum, rose sherbets, iced
tea, kokum, plum juice, almond thandai, coconut water, soya milk shakes,
smoothies, yoghurt drinks are useful to meet our increased water requirements
during summers.
Electrolytes are the dissolved minerals present
in our body cells. Potassium, sodium and chloride are the three most important
electrolytes needed by us in right amounts for survival.