Give that cold drink the cold shoulder this summer

Popular ways of beating the heat like soft drinks, ice creams cause spurt in summer ailments, say medicos

Popular ways of beating the heat like soft drinks, ice creams cause spurt in summer ailments, say medicos

As the weather plays the role of a confused artist, varying between cool mornings, scorching afternoons, followed by cooler evenings, doctors across the city say their clinics are flooded with patients with summer ailments.

With a difference in temperature of 20 degrees Celsius -- minimum temperatures averaging around 17 degrees Celsius and maximum hovering around 37 degrees Celsius -- cases of gastrointestinal infections, upper respiratory tract infections and bronchial asthma are on the rise.

Doctors attribute this pattern to the erratic temperatures and unhygienic eating habits. "Usually when the season changes, viruses become more active. As the summer has begun, viral infections are on the rise. Most typical are cases of upper respiratory infections with people complaining about cough, cold, throat infections, tonsillitis, nosebleeds, among others," said physician Dr Avinash Bhondwe.

Doctors say that a temperature variation of more than 20 degrees Celsius in itself can trigger many infections.
"Many problems like asthmatic bronchitis, tonsillitis get aggravated in sudden temperature variations. On top of that, people have a habit of consuming cold liquids as soon as they come in from scorching sun which leads to sudden changes in body thermostat. Immediately, the reaction sets in and the person gets throat problems, cold and blocked nose, and persistent cough," said Dr Anil Bhandwalkar, past president of General Practitioners Association, Pune.

Doctors advise eating out less often, washing vegetables and fruits before eating, drinking safe water and not gulping cold drinks or ice creams to beat the heat. "There is a rise in gastro intestinal infections which happens owing to unhygienic drinking water or food.

In this season, food gets spoiled easily and that's why eating out should be avoided. People should make sure drinking water is safe and avoid ice-golas. People should not eat ice-creams or drink cold drinks to beat the hot sun and all fruits and vegetables should be washed," said Dr Sharad Agharkhedkar, president of Indian Medical Association, Pune.