THE HOT WEATHER HAS MADE WAY FOR COOL, TEMPEST SHOWERS. WHILE THE SEASON BOASTS PLEASANT DAYS, IT IS ALSO THE TIME FOR BACTERIA TO BREED AND MULTIPLY AT A RAPID RATE, AS A RESULT OF WHICH CHANCES OF CATCHING AN INFECTION ARE HIGH.
PALLAVI GAMBRE LISTS ESSENTIAL TIPS TO SAFEGUARD YOURSELF DURING THE SEASON OF RAIN, ROMANCE AND RAGING BACTERIA!
Domestic hygiene
Kitchen: Because of humidity and ‘hot and cold’ temperatures, kitchens are known to breed the largest number of bacteria in a household. Therefore, make it a point to secure an exhaust fan to vent out heat and dampness in the kitchen. Keep the kitchen surfaces clean and dry. Secure filter nets to the faucets since the tap water contains soil particles and other solid contaminants, especially during monsoons.
Rooms: Dehumidify your living spaces and bathrooms by keeping a bowl of rock salt or room dehumidifier. Use anti-bacterial floor cleaners and air-fresheners to get rid of infection-causing germs. Moisture can deteriorate leather and wooden furniture and you must ensure to keep them dry. Check for leaks to avoid fungal growth on walls and furniture and damp odour.
Laundry: Use anti-bacterial detergents to wash your laundry in order to disinfect your clothes. Machine-dry your clothes and hang them in the bathroom on rainy days. The dampness in the air makes it very difficult for the laundry to dry. Whenever the sky is clear, expose your washed laundry to the sunlight as the sun’s rays are the best natural sterilizers. Make sure that the laundry is thoroughly dried and kept in a dry wardrobe; otherwise, the clothes rot and air-borne germs and bacteria easily breed and feed on them.
Personal hygiene
When you are outdoors during monsoons, avoid touching your eyes without washing your hands thoroughly as there are higher chances of contracting eye infections like conjunctivitis during this season. If your routine involves outdoor activities, your feet are exposed to dirty water and become prone to infections. Use a few drops of Betadine in water to thoroughly clean your feet in order to avoid fungal infections. Apply a little mosquito repellent gel or cream whenever you go out in the evening. Carry a tiny bottle of eucalyptus oil wherever you go. A whiff of it is a slow but guaranteed bacteria-cleanser of the nasal and respiratory tract.
Food and food habits
Since the damp and insect-infested air is full of germs through the rainy season, do not buy cut fruits and vegetables. Avoid buying meat that has been cut for a long time. Avoid thin-skinned fruits because parasites can easily penetrate them. Wash fruits and vegetables (especially root-vegetables and leafy-vegetables) thoroughly before cutting them. Soak them in a solution of either baking soda or unprocessed coarse sea salt and water. After cleaning the meat, apply a paste of turmeric, coarse sea salt and a little water on it and let it stay for 10 minutes, before washing it with clean water. Turmeric and sea salt naturally kill harmful microbes. Buy pasteuriesd milk only and boil it before consumption. Certain foods are natural immunity boosters—lemons, garlic pods, ginger, turmeric, spinach, broccoli, Make sunflower seeds, green tea and almonds part of your diet—you must have at least one of them on a daily basis.
