Summer is a time when a lot of people fall prey to the rising heat, which may lead to a number of problems. Summer health problems may be as benign as headaches and nausea or as severe as a heat stroke, de-hydration, constipation and diarrhoea. This is why people are advised to take special care of their health, primarily through diet and fitness. Your diet, in particular, can aggravate or alleviate your health problems during summer. What you eat is crucial for a healthy mind and body, as well as for keeping the levels of energy up during the long summer days. But not a lot of people realise how important nutrition is during summers.

Your body's nutritional requirements are different for every season, and for summers you must make sure that you include foods in your daily diet that are light and easy on the stomach. Additionally, these foods and drinks must be able to protect you against dehydration, as well as maintain optimal levels of energy.

If you're falling sick more often during summers, here's a helpful list of nutrition mistakes that you may be making:
1. Drinking chilled water after a day out in the Sun

We've all been reprimanded by elders and parents for reaching out for that chilled bottle of water, straight after reaching home from a day out in the Sun. These concerns are not without reason. Drinking chilled water after a day out in the Sun may shock your system and result in sore throat as well as digestive troubles.

2. Drinking too much caffeine

Caffeine dehydrates you due to its diuretic property. So drinking too much coffee or tea during summers may give you headaches and make you feel dehydrated.

3. Loading up on sugary cold drinks and juices

Most chilled packaged juices and cold drinks contain excessive amounts of sugar, which may increase your energy temporarily, but may result in an energy crash after a few days. So lay off those cold liquid calories and drink only fresh fruit juices with natural sugars in them.

4. Going on 'crash diets'

A lot of people feel an intense pressure to sport a particular body type during the summers. A lot of people talk about 'summer body' and slimming down for the summers. This may push a lot of people to take up fad diets that have dubious credentials but promise 'quick results.' Crash dieting may lead to sluggishness, headaches, nausea and diarrhoea. Reject this pressure to attain a particular body type and instead eat healthy to feel energetic and fresh.

5. Avoiding eggs, fish and chicken

There is a misconception that eggs, fish and chicken generate excessive heat in the body and, hence, must be avoided during summers. This is not true. All three foods are rich in lean protein, which is also important for maintaining a healthy weight during summers. You may, however, want to reduce portions of fattier meats like mutton, beef and pork during summers.

No matter what your expectations are from the summers, it's important to build healthy eating habits for a sharp and alert mind and a healthy body.

The joy of gushing down a tall glass of chilled lassi on a hot and summery day is above all. If this sounds relatable to you, then we are here to give you some exciting and flavourful options of lassi that you can easily prepare at home with just few basic ingredients. There is no denying the fact that lassi makes you feel all refreshed and charged up. But did you know that it can fill you up nutritionally as well? Yes, you read that right. Lassi is one summer cooler, which is brimming with nutrition. Thanks to the presence of yogurt in it that also happens to be its base ingredient. Yogurt is replete with gut-healing properties and contains healthy bacteria that play a vital role in maintaining digestive health.

According to the book, 'Healing Foods' by DK Publishing House, "Gut health is inseparable from the health of the rest of the body. Live cultures in yogurt can improve the microflora of the gut, which in turn helps ease symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease and lowers the incidence of ulcers." If you are bored of having the regular old lassi and wish to add new flavours to it, then you can add in the goodness of some seasonal fruits in it.


Here's A List Of 3 Yogurt Lassis That Are Unique And Refreshing:

Mango Lassi


If you happen to be a mango lover, then you are sure to love this version of lassi as well. Made with pulpy mango and loads of ice, mango lassi makes for a perfect summer beverage. You can even add few strands of kesar to the lassi to make it even more flavourful.

Mint Lassi

Lassi with the freshness with mint is one refreshing beverage that you are going to love this summer. Mint, or pudina, not only adds a zing to the lassi but also helps in promoting digestion. So, if you have had a heavy greasy lunch, wash it down with a glass of mint lassi to digest all that greasy food.


Rose Lassi

What makes this lassi different from the classic lassi is the addition of rose sharbat in it. The sweet and rosy flavour of the sharbat complements well with the yogurt. Here is how you can make rose lassi in the comforts of your kitchen.

All the yogurt lassi varieties mentioned above are made using refreshing ingredients that will help you stay well-hydrated. Try these and beat the summer heat.

It is summer, and that nice, tall drink of iced water is so tempting. But wait! Yes, cold water is refreshing, but have you ever wondered what it does to your body? You may already know that when you wash your face with hot/warm water, it opens up your pores and loosens your skin. On the other hand, washing your face with cold water closes the pores and tightens the skin. Now imagine this tightness in your digestive tract. Feels unpleasant, doesn’t it?

Here are more reasons as to why you should avoid drinking cold water:
1. When you drink cold water, or any other chilled beverage, it hinders your hydration, restricts your digestion and shrinks your blood vessels.
2. Drinking cold water changes your body’s internal temperature. Your body now uses the energy stored to regulate your temperature instead of digesting food and absorbing nutrients to produce energy.
3. Excessive mucus is created when you drink cold water after a meal. This leads to a decline in the function of your immune system, which makes you prone to catch illness and colds.

4. If you drink cold water with a meal or after it, fats in your food become solidified due to the low water temperature. The body now struggles to digest the nonessential fats from your body.

Some people claim that drinking cold water can burn calories better by making your digestive system work harder. However, this is not the correct way to burn calories! You don’t need to make your digestive system work harder. There are many other ways to burn calories. So, ditch that glass of cold water. Health experts vehemently agree that warm, or room temperature, water is best for the body.
Some benefits of warm water include:
1. Increased and faster hydration
2. Digestion is improved due to stimulation of natural digestive enzymes
3. Food is broken down with more ease
4. Better bowel movement, especially if you put lemon juice in warm water
5. Blood is purified and your body is naturally detoxified via your lymphatic system, kidney and skin

So the next time you sit down for a meal, grab that glass of room temperature water instead.

During the summer season, the refreshing coconut water comes as a saviour, for we can beat the scorching heat and cool our body by savouring it. Coconut water not only quenches our thirst but also helps in keeping our body hydrated. It is considered as one of the healthiest drink and also promotes many health benefits.

Here are some health benefits of coconut water:

Treats dehydration
Coconut water contains high water content and also rich in nutrients that help in preventing and treating dehydration. It also helps replenish the body.


Lowers blood pressure
This super drink contains rich amount of vitamin C, magnesium and potassium that help lower blood-pressure levels. People suffering from high blood pressure should consume coconut water every day.

Helps with diabetes
Coconut water is an excellent drink for diabetic people as it helps them keep their sugar levels in control.

Aids digestion
Coconut water is considered good for digestion because it contains rich amount of fiber which is essential for our digestive system to function properly.

Reduces bloating
Drinking coconut water helps in reducing bloating which is caused due to high sodium intake as it contains a high amount of potassium that helps counteract the effects of sodium. It is considered as one of the most amazing drink for weight loss as it doesn't have a high sugar content, and is a good source of dietary fibre.

Prevents urinary tract infections
Coconut water contains diuretic properties that help prevent urinary tract infections by flushing out bacteria from the urinary tract.

Mint or pudina is a common feature in Indian drinks and dishes during summers. The cooling properties of the bright green leaves are very well known. Mint leaves are also added to teas, for a soothing elixir. The leaves of the plant are packed with a number of health benefits, from boosting digestion to keeping bad breath away. No wonder it finds its way into a range of cocktails, mocktails, dips and even desserts. But did you know that mint or pudina is very beneficial for the skin as well? When applied on the skin, mint paste can help soothe the skin and keep acne away.

Mint is rich in menthol and also has anti-bacterial properties. Summer is the season when we tend to face a number of skin problems, like frequent acne and pimple breakouts, sun burns and rashes and mint is one ingredient, you can count upon to come to your rescue. From cleansing to toning and hydrating your skin, mint performs a number of functions in a summer face pack.
Here are some mint face packs to try out this summer:

1. Mint and cucumber face pack
Mint and cucumber are both amazing for the skin during summers, for their powerful cooling and hydrating properties. All you need to do for this face pack is take a few fresh pudina leaves and a few slices of cucumber, along with some honey and put them all in a mixer to form a smooth paste. Apply this face pack for about 15 minutes and rinse off with cold water. This removes blemishes and calms inflammation on the skin.

2. Mint and Fuller's Earth (Multani Mitti) face pack
Fuller's earth or multani mitti is great for the skin. Add mint leaves to the mix to enhance its cleansing and oil control properties. All you have to do to make this face pack is mix a little bit of multani mitti with honey and curd and throw in some crushed mint leaves. Apply this face pack and leave it on for 20 minutes, or until the pack has completely dried. This face pack is great for cleansing out pores, regulating oily skin and restoring the moisture of the skin.

3.Mint and rosewater face pack
Rosewater is important for maintaining the skin's pH balance and also controls excess oil. It is also anti-inflammatory. Add mint and honey to a little bit of rose water and apply it to your face for some time. Rinse it off after some time for an even toned, hydrated and soft skin.

4. Mint and turmeric face pack
Turmeric face mask can act on acne and may help reduce the pimples. Because of anti-inflammatory properties, the spice acts on acne scars and can also clear the face. Grind a few fresh and clean mint leaves, with a little bit of water and add just a dash of turmeric to the mix. Apply this face pack on your skin and leave it on for about 15 minutes, before washing it off.

5. Mint, oats and cucumber face scrub
When the skin tends to collect a lot of dirt and oil, bring this face scrub to your rescue. All you need for this cleansing and hydrating scrub is some mint leaves, some unsweetened oats, a few cucumber slices, honey and some milk. Oats are known for their exfoliating action on the skin and can effectively remove dead skin cells from the face. To make this face scrub, mix milk and oats in a bowl, add honey, grated cucumber and crushed mint leaves to it. Mix it all thoroughly and apply the scrub on your face in a gentle circular motion. Once done, rinse off your face and gently dab it with the towel to dry it.