HEALTHY TIPS FOR MONSOONS

The rainy season may have its charms but it has dangers as well, primarily in the form of diseases  such as food poisoning, cholera, cold, cough, flu, poor digestion, jaundice, typhoid and dysentery.

There are simple precautions we can take to stay in peak health condition during this tricky season. Here are some tips..

Wash Your Hands. 

Most cold and flu viruses are spread by direct contact. Someone who has the flu sneezes onto his or her hand and then touches the telephone, the keyboard, a kitchen glass. The germs can live for hours only to be picked up by the next person who touches the same object. So wash your hands often. If you can’t get to a sink, rub an alcohol-based hand sanitizer onto your hands.

Don’t Touch Your Face. 

Cold and flu viruses enter your body through the eyes, nose, or mouth. Touching their faces is the major way children catch colds and a key way they pass colds on to their parents.

Keep yourself hydrated.

In monsoon, sweat does not evaporate quickly as the humidity levels are high and this prevents the body from releasing heat. Therefore, keeping a bottle of water handy is always advisable. Avoid carbonated drinks as they reduce mineral levels which stop the enzymes from functioning efficiently resulting in indigestion. Instead drink warm beverages such as ginger tea. Always drink boiled and cooled water.

Eat clean, fresh food.

Make sure that you wash all your fruits and vegetables before consuming them, especially leafy vegetables. Steam the leafy vegetables and your cauliflower in order to kill the germs.Eating freshly cooked food is recommended. Soups and stews are helpful, as they are light and nutritious, but filling. Try and eat cooked food instead of uncooked vegetables and salads, unless they are organic.Contaminated food might lead to illnesses such as jaundice.Avoid eating street food or food served in an un-hygienic place.Snacks like chaat, sandwiches, fried items, golas, juices and kulfis are very tempting during monsoon. However, they may contain bacteria which cause indigestion. Cut fruits sold on the road side are the main cause for food poisoning and should be avoided.

Balanced Diet.

It is important to note that your body immunity is weak during rainy season, and it is important to eat a balanced diet. Take vitamin-C supplements or fruits containing Vitamin-C , Since Vitamin-C helps in fighting against viral and bacterial diseases.Garlic, pepper, ginger, asafoetida (hing), jeera powder, turmeric and coriander help enhance digestion and improve immunity.

Avoid walking in the dirty water during the rains.

The dirty water is a breeding ground for various viral and bacterial infections. Keep your shoes and socks clean.Keep antiseptic liquids like dettol or savlon handy and use for washing off mud or dirt that usually gets splashed around. Don't just wash your hands but also your feet to avoid itching, rashes and skin infections.Diabetics must take special care of their feet. Always keep your feet dry and clean. 

Avoid Mosquito bites.

Most of us take precautions against mosquito bites after dusk but mosquitoes bite both during day and night; mosquitoes that bite in the day are responsible for Dengue and after dusk for Malaria. Preventing mosquito bites during day time is as important as in the night.

Exercise.

Exercise is an important part of your monsoon health care regime and it’s very essential to look at different option to regulate the exercise to stay active, fit and healthy. There are multiple exercise options you can try, if you’re comfortable working out indoors.

Vaccines.

Vaccinations for kids against cholera, typhoid and jaundice (Hepatitis A) can be taken as a precautionary measure as this season is prone to epidemics.

Elderly beware.

Special attention during monsoon are required for the elderly. Avoiding walks in the parks immediately after a downpour or in places where rainwater forms puddles is advisable. This might lead to falls on slippery areas leading to serious injuries. Also, try and stock medicines for at least a fortnight, just in case you cannot step out of the house due to rain.

So enjoy the monsoon but with care.

ROAD ACCIDENTS...WHAT TO DO?

Chances are at some point in your life you will witness an accident. While most accidents are minor and not life-threatening, major accidents occur every day. Unlike in other western countries where proper procedures are set to take the accident victim to the medical emergency care, in India there is lot of confusion and myths in this regard.In India, there is no dedicated emergency medical services, so in case of accidents, it is the general public or bystanders who come to the rescue of the accident victims. At some time, they do things which are contrary to the principle of trauma care, although unintentionally.

India, leads in road accidents in the world and most of these accidents are caused due to the driver’s error. Majority of the accidents take place in night and during early morning. Drunk driving is one of the main causes of majority of the night accidents.

The fact remains that most of these accident victims may have been rescued if timely medical help is provided and this often occurs due to passer- by neglecting the victim to avoid further trouble and harassment by authorities which is not true in today’s context. Things have changed and now you can admit the victim to any nearby hospital and no medical practitioner can deny to admit the victim or wait for the police to register the case.

What can we do?

*Call authorities or emergency services immediately if you believe someone to be seriously injured. If you are the only person on the scene, try to establish breathing in the patient before calling for help. Do not leave the victim alone for an extensive amount of time.

*Avoid another collision by parking your car beyond the accident. Turn on your emergency flashers and make sure it’s safe to approach the scene. Look for hazards such as downed power lines and spilled gasoline. If you do come across a dangerous area, alert the emergency operator and avoid the area.

*Caring for someone who has just gone through serious trauma includes both physical treatment and emotional support. Remember to stay calm and try to be reassuring; let the person know that help is on its way and that everything will be alright.

*Bandaging wounds, attempting to splint broken bones, or using more advanced first-aid techniques, especially if professional help is on the way, isn't generally recommended. If an injury is obviously life threatening, and waiting for help would endanger a life, then necessary action probably should be taken.

*Use a clean cloth as a compress to stop the flow of blood from a serious wound. In the case of head wounds use as light a pressure as possible because he could have a fractured skull. 

*if a victim has stopped breathing, mouth-to-mouth resuscitation or CPR (if you're trained in it) becomes vital. If, on the other hand, the person merely lapsed into unconsciousness but is still breathing normally, heroic measures probably aren't warranted.

* Many car accidents inflict neck or spine injuries to the victim and movement could make injuries worse. If the victim is in imminent danger (like a car fire), and you can move the victim without causing injury to yourself, do so while avoiding unnecessary bending or twisting the neck, body or limbs. For example, if you find the victim with legs crossed, move him with his legs crossed. The sharp edges of broken bones can cause internal damage if they’re moved around. Dragging the victim is better than trying to lift him or her by yourself. The best way to drag the victim is by his or her clothes above the shoulders or by the ankles. 

*Shock, often caused a loss of blood flow to the body, frequently follows physical and occasionally psychological trauma. A person in shock will frequently have cool, clammy skin, be agitated or have an altered mental status, and have pale color to the skin around the face and lips. Untreated, shock can be fatal. Anyone who has suffered a severe injury or life-threatening situation is at risk for shock. 

*If a victim appears to be in shock, have him or her lie down and elevate the feet if you can do so without causing further injury to the neck, back or wound.Do not move the victim if you believe there might be a spinal injury. In cool weather, place blankets or coats under and around the victim to conserve body heat. Reassure the victim. Gentleness, kindness and understanding play an important role in the treatment of shock.

Please Note

Traffic accidents are terrible things. They can be traumatic for victims and bystanders alike. Still, if you ever have to "take charge" at the scene of an accident, keep in mind that your primary job is to help protect the victims until professional help arrives--not treat their injuries.

In emergency medicine, the golden hour is the time lasting from a few minutes to several hours following traumatic injury during which there is the highest likelihood that prompt medical treatment will prevent death. A victim's chances of survival are greatest if they receive care within a short period of time after a severe injury.