During summers laboureres, workers employed on furnaces and students when return home in the afternoon, they suffer with heat stroke. Intake of water should be increased in summers. It should be drunk with addition of a little salt.
In Pakistan, June is the hottest month of summers. During this month, as the sun is at the extreme temperature position, its heat increases. At times, high velocity winds cause sand storms. Or sometimes due to low pressure, humidity increases and causes difficulty in breathing.
During this month, the dominance of phlegm and blood subsides and biliarytract infection becomes common. Since this infection’s characteristics are dry and hot, its increase causes thirstiness amongst people. A person doesn’t get satisfied by drinking just a glass of water and is forced to drink water again and again. The taste in mouth remains bitter, tongue remains dry and the throat feels itchy. Those who remain in shade, their skin turns pale and people who work in sunlight, their skin gets darker depending on the increase or reduction of pigment fluid. Diet reduces. Sweating increases due to excess of heat and it intensifies if physical activities are augmented which also cause salts to expel thereby causing their deficiency in the body.
Precautions
Instructions for drinking: During summers thirst intensifies and people adopt various methods to eliminate their thirst. Sometimes they resort to drinking chilled water and at times consume soft drinks and colas. But thirst keep on increasing. To control thirst, ice should not be added to water. Instead, the water container or a glass of water may be placed in ice for cooling. Consuming water by this method is beneficial. Or else, place a bottle of water in refrigerator and drink it once cooled. Excessive use of ice is harmful for stomach and liver. Large quantity of water should not be taken in one go. By doing so, stomach and liver gets weakened. Water should not be taken after immediate exposure in sun. It should rather be taken after rest for while and in small sips. This is beneficial. Water cooled in a clay pot or container gives satisfaction in thirst. Carbonated beverages causes harm instead of benefit. Therefore light lassi (butter milk), raw lassi (cooled milk after being boiled and diluted with water), natural beverages made from syrups like sandal (sandalwood), neelofar (morning glory), bazoory (mixture of various herbs and fruit seeds), Falsa (Grewia) and lemonade etc. are highly effective. Tea should not be taken in excess of a cup or two.
Instructions concerning food:
Great precaution is necessary with respect to food during summers. Even slight negligence can be harmful for human health. Easily digestible meals should be taken in summer. Foods containing high quantity of fats and starch like meat, ghee, sweets, eggplant etc. should be avoided. Body temperature rises due to such foods. In summer season consume fresh vegetables and fruits and with food must take onion, vinegar, lemon and mint etc. However, do not take vinegar with rice. Stale things should not be eaten. Do not take much of bread. Also do not drink large quantity of cold water with food. Vegetables having cold characteristics like bottle gourd, pumpkin, apple gourd, spinach and dish cloth gourd are very favorable. In this season, cucumber, Armenian cucumber, watermelon and louquat are very helpful and effective to bring high temperatures to normal. In addition jambolan, mango, grapes and melon are also best fruits of this season. However, drinking lassi (buttermilk) after eating mangoes is of great benefit.
Instructions for dressing:
Clean, loose and comfortable dresses made of cotton should especially be worn during summer season. Warm clothes should be avoided. In summers, white clothes protects from sunlight. In addition light colored clothing is also advantageous. However, black clothes should not be worn during this season. It is better to change clothes on daily basis during summers. However clothes must be changed necessarily after at the most two days.
Instructions regarding exposure in sun:
In summers, do not go out in blazing sunlight. If it is inevitable to go out, then cover the head, neck and backbone with a white cloth or a towel or use umbrella. Put on sunglasses when going out. Drink water prior leaving home and do not leave with empty stomach. Putting on thin clothes is very harmful therefore put on thick cotton clothes when going out or else there are chances of damage to be caused to skin.
Instructions for people suffering from sunstroke: Some people cannot endure high temperatures or cannot bear sunstroke and faint. Such effected people should immediately be lied down in a cool and ventilated place. Sprinkle cold water on their face. Carry out sponging of the body with a wet towel or a thick cloth soaked in cold water. When the patient gains consciousness, give him cold water, lemonade or sandalwood syrup to drink. Giving ORS dissolved in water is also effective.
Precautions: Usually those people are effected by heatstroke who are exposed or work in extreme high temperatures. During summers laboureres, workers employed on furnaces and students when return home in the afternoon, they suffer with heat stroke. Intake of water should be increased in summers. It should be drunk with addition of a little salt. Drink cold beverages, lemonade, drink made of brown sugar and Sattoo (roasted and grinded wheat or barley), bazoori and lassi. Do not go out in sun unnecessarily. If unavoidable, go out with head covered. Dark colored clothes, especially black clothes should not be worn as they cause absorption of heat in the skin. On the contrary use light colored cotton clothes which are mostly useful. Students while returning home should keep a wet cloth on their head. Wear appropriate shoes. Do not eat substandard fried items, stale stuff and food containing high starch quantities. Take more of seasonal vegetables and fruits. Increase the consumption of Falsa (Grewia), cucumber and watermelon whereas plum is also effective in this ailment.
