It will soon be that part of the year when the roads get flooded, and the showers bring in a wave of respite amidst the scorching heat of the summer. Although monsoons bring relief and a cool breeze, they are also hotspots for seasonal diseases. Increased humidity, colder temperatures, and stagnant water can create an atmosphere and be the breeding ground for several diseases. Monsoons are a time when the incidence of catching the flu increases. Understanding which diseases are common in the monsoons and learning methods to prevent and treat them can help one remain healthy during this season.
In this blog, we will look into some monsoon diseases and ways you can stay healthy this monsoon season with some monsoon flu prevention methods and monsoon health tips.
Stay Healthy This Monsoon
To stay healthy this monsoon season, you must follow good dietary practices, make lifestyle adjustments, and keep your hygiene practices in check. The following are some monsoon health tips.
- Eat More Vegetables:
The first of the monsoon health tips is to include many different types of vegetables in your diet. Vegetables are filled with various nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that can boost your immune system and help it fight infections and diseases. Green leafy vegetables and root vegetables are a must. Always thoroughly wash the vegetables before consumption.
- Drink Safe Water:
Drinking or consuming contaminated water is one of the leading causes of monsoon diseases in the season. Make sure you drink boiled or filtered clean water. If you are outside and don’t have access to filtered water, make sure you choose bottled water.
- Avoid Street Foods:
Even if it seems delicious, street food might be unhealthy during the monsoon. One of the best monsoon health tips is maintaining good hygiene and food habits. Bad hygiene habits raise the risk of contracting waterborne illnesses like cholera and typhoid. Limit your diet to food prepared at home or from clean, reliable sources.
- Keeping Mosquitoes at Bay:
Mosquito-borne illnesses like dengue, malaria, and chikungunya are quite common monsoon diseases. Put screens on windows, apply insect repellents, and sleep under mosquito nets. To stop mosquitoes from reproducing, keep the area surrounding your house free of stagnant water.
- Have Bitter Foods:
Bitter foods like neem, fenugreek, bitter gourd, can boost immunity and detoxify the body. They have antimicrobial properties that can help fight monsoon diseases.
- Have More Probiotics:
Consuming more probiotics like yogurt and fermented foods enhance gut health and the immune system. Probiotics can help maintain a proper balance of bacteria in your intestines which is crucial for good health and monsoon flu prevention.
- Eat in Moderation:
Digestion problems are frequent during the monsoon season, and overeating might contribute to them. Eat more often and in smaller portions rather than large ones. This helps with digestion and keeps gas and bloating at bay.
- Keep your Feet Dry:
Athlete’s foot and fungal diseases can result from wet feet. These are also some monsoon diseases. Make sure the spaces between your toes are dry. Put on water-resistant shoes and be sure you quickly change out of damp socks and shoes.
- Have Herbal Tea:
Herbal teas with properties such as ginger, mint, and chamomile can help with digestion and immunity. Additionally, they contain calming qualities that might help counteract the monsoon’s cold .
- Exercise Regularly:
Exercise helps keep you in shape and can strengthen your immune system. You may stay active indoors without going outside by doing yoga, stretching, or utilizing home gym equipment.
What Causes a Cold or the Flu? Precautions to Consider
The sudden change in weather can weaken the immune system and cause different kinds of monsoon diseases like the flu and cold.
Here are some monsoon health tips and hygiene methods you can adopt and follow to keep yourself healthy this monsoon.
Wash your Hands and Maintain Hygiene:
Frequently cleaning your hands with soap and water helps stop viruses from spreading. When washing isn’t an option, keep hand sanitizer at hand.
Stay Hydrated:
To keep your body hydrated, be sure to drink a lot of water. Soups, warm water with lemon, and herbal teas can all help you stay hydrated and help in monsoon flu prevention.
Stay Warm:
Your body temperature might drop in the chilly, wet weather, increasing your vulnerability to colds. Wear layers to be warm, especially in the early morning and night hours.
Sleep Well:
Sufficient sleep is necessary for a healthy immune system. Aim for 7-8 hours of well-rested sleep per night to strengthen your immune system against monsoon diseases.
Build your Immune System:
Increase your immunity by eating foods high in zinc, vitamins C and E, and other nutrients.
Monsoons and Flu: The Great Impact
Increased Transmission:
Humidity during the monsoons and crowded indoor spaces can be a conducive environment for the transmission of flu. When people stay indoors, close contact with people can lead to increased transmission and risk of monsoon diseases like flu.
Weakened Immunity:
Damp conditions can weaken immunity during the monsoons. Having a strong immune system is the key to having a healthy body during the monsoons.
Overburdened Healthcare System:
During the monsoons, healthcare systems can get flooded due to the increasing illnesses among people, leading to more people coming for health check-ups. This can lead to delays in treatment and increase complications.
FAQs
- How to avoid the flu during the rainy season?
Maintaining good hygiene practices, eating foods that can increase immunity, drinking clean water, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can help avoid monsoon diseases during the season.
- What are common monsoon diseases?
Common cold, cough, flu, typhoid, dengue, malaria, influenza, cholera, hepatitis A, etc are some common monsoon diseases.
- What are the symptoms of dengue fever?
Dengue fever symptoms include high fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pain, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, rash, mild bleeding, and swollen glands. Severe cases can cause intense abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, significant bleeding, fluid accumulation, difficulty breathing, and shock. Immediate medical attention is crucial for severe symptoms.