ByIANSlife

July 16, 2022 (IANSlife) The season of monsoon brings with it fun and a welcome relief from the scorching summer heat, with steaming cups of chai and delicious pakoras, cool breezes, and muddy puddles to jump over. Monsoons, on the other hand, are a time to be extra cautious with your children. Children are especially vulnerable to seasonal health problems such as cough, cold, flu, diarrhoea, and mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue, malaria, and chikungunya when exposed to rain.

As the monsoon knocks on our doors, Yashna Garg, CMO, Zeon Lifesciences suggests how to make the rains rich in health and nutrients for children:

Drink plenty of purified and boiled water and keep your children hydrated, even if they don't feel thirsty because of the weather. During the monsoon season, children are still at risk of water-borne diseases such as cholera and typhoid. Also, don't let your kids play in the rain because they could come into contact with and ingest bacteria and viruses that aren't visible to the naked eye.

Even if your children crave it, say no to street and junk food. Foods and beverages such as pre-cut fruits, juices, and chaat can contain traces of rainwater and are breeding grounds for germs, in addition to being high in calorific value and low in nutrition. It's also a good idea to avoid oily and spicy foods during the monsoon season. You can make something healthy at home if you want.

Stale food is strictly prohibited. Wash your fruits and vegetables. Eat only cooked foods. This is critical for killing any microorganisms. Fruit such as apples, apricots, bananas, pineapple, peaches, plums, pears, and cherries can also be sautéed. This also improves their flavour and texture.

Load up on Vitamin C. It is an antioxidant that is essential for overall health. One of the best ways to strengthen your child's immune system is to feed them foods high in vitamin C and other nutrients. Citrusy fruits and vegetables, such as kale, apple, guava, and orange, are high in vitamin C.

Choose gourds. During the monsoon, bitter gourd (karela) and bottle gourd (lauki or ghiya) are abundant and high in fibre and vitamins. Yes, we understand that children may dislike them, but it can be enjoyable for parents to get creative in the kitchen with these vegetables. Include simple dietary elements such as turmeric, ginger, cumin, and nuts such as almonds and walnuts in your children's diet.

If your child gets a monsoon illness, it can deplete their nutrients quickly and severely. After consulting with their doctor, consider giving children a safe and tested immunity booster supplement. There are a few good-tasting products on the market for kids that contain 37 essential nutrients such as prebiotics and probiotics, folic acid, zinc, selenium, copper, vitamins A, C, E, and B12, among others.

Here are some non-diet related tips for parents and children for a healthier monsoon:

• Maintain proper hand hygiene and use disinfectants while bathing. Use sanitizers at school.
• Keep water from collecting in and around your place. Use a mosquito repellent cream for children.
• Wear clothing that covers your full hands and legs.
• Try to keep surfaces, clothes and shoes as dry as possible. Do not bring rain-soaked items inside your home, including umbrellas, raincoats and gumboots.
• Cut their nails regularly to avoid pileup of germs and bacteria.
• Use anti-fungal powders to avoid infections due to sweat.
• Get children vaccinated against Covid-19 when they are eligible for the jab.

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