Ayurveda stresses a lot at the role of seasons on the body and advises that we must change our daily routine depending on the seasons. This is known as ritucharya. It helps in preserving the balance of the doshas as the season changes.
1. DISORDERS AND DISEASES DUE TO SUMMER
SUNBURNS
They occur easily on the mountains and near the sea as the cliffs and the water reflect sunlight strongly, especially the ultraviolet beam. Dark people are susceptible to sunburn less frequently than the fairer ones. People, used to exposing themselves to the sun, can withstand sunlight better than those who cannot. The signs of sunburn vary from redness to swelling and blistering. The eyelids may swell if the face is affected. There are certain measures that you can take to avoid sunburn and its after-effects:Sunburn can be minimised with sun-tanning. This is body’s way of protecting the skin against the burning produced by the sun. The more melanin you produce, the darker you get and the better you are protected against burning.Mild sunburn can be treated with cool, wet compresses for 10-15 minutes. Use them three times daily. You might also try soaking in a rub of tepid or cool water for the same period of time.In order to get effective protection from the strong rays of sun, the best natural herbal sunscreens are sandalwood and aloe-vera.In more serious form of sunburn, your ayurvedic physician may prescribe you medicaments such as Satadhouta ghritam, Aaranaalaadi tailam, Chandanaadi tailam for external application.
PRICKLY HEAT (PIDAKA)
It is an uncomfortable rash that develops in those areas of the body where sweat glands have been temporarily blocked. The common accompanying complaints are burning, tingling and itching. External creams may precipitate or aggravate the condition and heavy sweating may also cause pidaka. Persons with pitta constitution are more prone to this problem. There are some remedial measures that you can take to counteract pricklyheat:
• Make a paste by taking equal parts of the powders of sandalwood, coriander seeds, the tubercle of nutgrass (tungamusta) and the roots of khus-khus grass. Mix with rose water and apply on the body to get immediate relief from prickly heat.
• A cold water bath taken after the application of the watery paste of gram flour on the body brings relief.
• The powder of sandalwood used as dust all over the body is very efficacious in bringing relief in prickly heat.
• Chandanabala taila is very good application for prickly heat. It is very efficacious in removing burning and itching sensation of the skin. It is very soothing and tonic to the skin and the nerves.
• Intake of Pravaala pishti in a dose of 500 mg twice a day, with honey, helps both in preventing and curing this problem.
• Saaribaadi paanakam, Draakshaadi kashaayam, Shadanga Kashaayam and Jambeeraadi paanakam are famous ayurvedic medicines used internally to combat excessive heat in the body. You can try these medicines on the advice of an ayurvedic physician.
Some people’s hair becomes dry and discoloured during the summer months because of over-exposure to the sun. But sun damage, unfortunately, can produce even more serious consequences; in frequent and excessive exposure, it can result in skin cancer.
HEAT CRAMPS
If you expose yourself to prolonged period of excessive heat and humidity, then you may develop heat cramps, which are the muscular pains and spasms. Although heat-cramps are the least severe, they are an early signal that your body is having trouble with the heat.
HEAT EXHAUSTION
If you continue to work in humid places where body fluids are lost through heavy sweating, blood flow to the skin increases, causing blood flow to decrease to the vital organs, then this results in heat exhaustion, in which you may feel excessive thirst, profuse sweating, muscle cramps, dizziness, vomiting, fatigue, cold and clammy skin and fainting.
HEAT STROKE
The above condition, if continued, will lead to heatstroke, which can be fatal. Heat-related deaths are especially tragic because they can be prevented. However, excessive heat can impair judgment and cause confusion, so take precautions before you get too hot.
During the heatstroke, the body temperature control system, which produces sweating to cool the body, stops working. (Normally sweating cools the body but if sweat is not allowed to evaporate or if the person has not consumed enough liquids to make up for the loss, the body’s heat production may overwhelm its cooling system). The body temperature can rise so high that brain damage and death may result if the body is not cooled quickly. Symptoms of heat stroke include a fever as high as 105 degrees Fahrenheit with too dry skin, mental confusion, and convulsions. Other signs include rapid pulse and heartbeat, dilated pupils, rapid and shallow breathing, either elevated or lowered blood pressure and unconsciousness.
While waiting for help to arrive, lie down the person in a cool place with elevated legs. Fan the sufferer and, if the person is fully awake, advise him to drink cold water. Loosen tight clothing and remove clothes soaked with perspiration. Apply cool, wet clothes to the skin or ice packs in the armpits, wrists, ankles and grain.
Due to excessive heat, elderly people with chronic heat disease are at high risk of heart attack during summer.
Tips to combat summer heat: There are certain measures that you can take to combat the summer heat and stay cool and comfortable. Follow these guidelines:
• Drink plenty of liquids like coconut water, sugarcane juice, fruit juice, buttermilk or at least 10 glasses of water a day.
• Eat light food—avoid hot, spicy, oily meals and opt for foods high in water content including fruits, salads, soups & buttermilk.
• Lassi made from churned curd, cream & ginger or powder of fried barley dissolved in water acts as a re-hydrating agent in summer.
• A fresh green mango baked in hot ash or raw mango with salt can quench excessive thirst.
• Avoid alcoholic beverages and drinks containing caffeine (tea and coffee), which can make the condition of heat worse.
• Curd rice prepared by adding boiled rice to curdling milk and kept overnight, should be eaten in morning with plenty of raw onions.
• While going out, wear a white handkerchief or use an umbrella to block sunrays.
• Do outdoor work in the early mornings or late evenings.
• Take frequent baths & showers and apply chandana (sandalwood) paste to body for cooling the body.
• Wear light-coloured, loose-fitting cotton clothes, preferably muted colours, such as tan.
• Smoking can constrict blood vessels & impair the ability to acclimatise to heat, so quit it.
• Fans blow hot air and increase the amount of evaporation of sweat. So, air conditioners are better.
• Here is a natural soft drink for you. Add 125 grams of khus (roots of Andropogon muricatus) or sandalwood powder or the powder of saariba root to one litre of water. Keep it aside for 12 hours. Then churn it and filter. To this filtrate, add three kilos of sugar and boil well to make into syrup. You can drink it as and when needed by diluting with water. This drink can be preserved for 15 days without being spoilt.
• Here is an interesting recipe from Rajasthan—Mix barley flour in buttermilk and boil. Keep it aside overnight and drink the next morning.
• Your lunch should consist of boiled rice or roti with watery decoction of pulses or curries with thin gravy. Always end it with buttermilk or curd. Make it a point to drink some fruit juice in the afternoons after lunch. Similarly, the menu of supper should contain enough onions, mint and coriander leaves, in the form of chutney, made salty and sour by adding salt and lemon juice.