Kerala's heatwave: How does it affect us and how to stay healthy?

Kottayam: As the harsh sun continues to batter the state, it is important to follow a healthy lifestyle to beat the summer blues. Heat is something that directly affects the human body as well the society as a whole. However, we just tend to discuss incidents like heat strokes or sunburns that affect a person individually. It must be noted that around 14,000 people sought treatment at various hospitals after the Brahmapuram fire breakout last year.

Here is how the heatwave could affect you personally
- The heatwave could cause dangerous dehydration.
- If the body temperature rises above 40 degrees Celsius, it will lead to a condition called hyperthermia. The body will experience burns and may even cause death.
- The body will lose balance if electrolytes like sodium and potassium are lost due to dehydration.

- During summer, you should drink water not just when you are thirsty. You feel thirsty when the body recognises dehydration and sends the message to the brain. But, those who indulge in physical activities under the sun may collapse even before they feel thirsty.
- You could prevent even heat stroke to a certain extent by keeping your body well hydrated.

- Water scarcity is common during summer; moreover, the water sources may become polluted too. Make sure to drink clean and pure water to keep away waterborne diseases.
- Consuming alcohol during summer may not be advisable. Alcohol is a diuretic and can expel water from the body. Alcohol would cause increased functioning of the liver and kidneys to reduce the water in the body. Besides, things might get worse, if a person consumes too much alcohol and collapses under the sun.
- Diabetic patients should be careful during summer and take extra care of their health.
- Patients who are under palliative care too should be careful. Losing water from the body due to sweating may cause sunstroke even if they are inside the house.

These are the social effects of heatwave
- Water shortage may lead to contamination of the water sources which may then lead to waterborne diseases like hepatitis.
- Mosquitoes would surge after the rain showers in summer.
- Insects and viruses prefer a climate that is extremely hot and humid. Monkey fever and malaria may spread during this season. This is also the time when the bats expel viruses.

- Fire breakouts are common during summer. Toxins like dioxins are produced when plastic burns. This may reach the human body through the food chain.
- Around ten persons have died in the last five years due to fire breakouts in rubber orchards.
- Wild animals like elephants are entering populated areas as the rivers have dried up and the meadows have disappeared in the forest.

Note these tips to stay healthy during summer
- Make sure to keep your body hydrated by drinking water at regular intervals.
- Drinking rice water and tender coconut water would replace the electrolytes that are lost through sweating.
- Fresh fruits should be strictly included in the diet.
(Information courtesy: DR. TS Aneesh, Additional Professor, Government Medical College, Manjeri.)