How to make the summer a fun?

It is that time of the year when the sun is at its hottest best. Yes, summer is here. With global warming resulting in hot temperatures, going out in the hot summer sun is something that everyone just shies away from. Sitting indoors, however seems to be too boring an option. Here are a few things that we can do during the summer and beat the heat at the same time.

• Start a herb garden: This is much easier than maintaining a normal garden and you don't need anything to start off except a pot ,a few herbal seeds and an area that gets both the sun and the shade. Once you have picked the perfect spot, decide on what herbs you will like to grow. Parsely, basil, orengano and rosemary are great options .
• Throw a theme party : A great way to get all your friends together would be to throw a theme party. You could do a movie theme or a cartoon and have your friends come dressed up as different characters. Serve summer favorite drinks and snacks or finger food .
• Make a scrap book : Make a scrap book for someone you love . It could include pictures , sketches, and ancedotes and just about anything related to that person. These make excellent , highly personalised birthday presents too and will be a creative way to spend hot, sunny afternoons.
• Have a water balloon fight : Gather all your friends together, get some water, some balloons and have a water balloon fight . There is no better way to beat the heat and you will have a whale of a time .
• Play board games :Remember Monopoly. Uno and scrabble ? No, not the ones on social networking sites , but the traditional ones played on the board . Indulge in an evening of board games and hot chocolate with friends and family and see how time flies.
• Learn something new : You don't have to actually go any place to do this . You could take up a variety of courses online! So what are you waiting for ? Go ahead and learn a new language or how to play the guitar or even cook up a storm .
• Become a bookworm : Read a book. Set a goal as to how many books you want to finish , in the summer , before you start reading.Better still would be to read books of a genre that you don't normally read -biographies, scifi, history .
• Make snow slushies : There is nothing like beating the heat with cool drinks. Try out different combinations of your favorite cold drinks with crushed ice and some soda with a dash of lemon and viola ! You have a delicious summer drink to cool you off.

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Stay cool this summer

Scorching summer is nothing new for us. Now when the skin feels like melting some action is required from us. Here are a few tips to beat the sun.
DIET MATTERS:

• Include cereals, rice, wheat and vegetables in your menu. Eat moderately as stomach disorders are high during hot months.
• Consume foods with high water content such as watermelons, cucumber, oranges, carrots and spinach.
• Drink as much water as you can.
  
• Have lot of coconut water, butter milk and lemon juice minus the sugar. This will help to balance the water level of the body.

AVOID:

• Food with unrequired fat and sodium content. Sodium causes water retention, further dehydrating the body.
• Salty peanuts, chips and oily stuff are bad too.

KIDDIES:

• If your kids complain of loss of appetite give them compact meals, stuffed parathas, vegetables wrapped in chappatis, curd rice or raita khichdi.
• Give them lots of coconut water, lemon juice or mixed fruit juice.

SKIN CARE:
A line of infections and diseases that your skin is likely to suffer from...

• Prickly heat: An itchy infection mainly caused due to blockage of sweat glands. Combat this by taking a shower twice a day.
• Fungal skin infections: caused due to excessive perspiration and lack of air circulation. Avoid closed shoes, synthetic fabric and tight clothes.
• Sun burns: Over exposure to the sun can make your skin tanned and burnt. The result is black skin patches that peel off. Moisture this area - Do not pull the peeling skin. General hygiene and skin care can go a long way in avoiding these.
• Shower immediately after exercise.
• Wear open shoes to allow air circulation.
• Always wear a sun block lotion.

SICK OF SUMMER:
Summer ailments are mostly caused by poor hygiene, water infection and dehydration. The common ones are:

• Gastroenteritis: Common among those who rely on precooked meals. During summer, the food tends to spoil faster than in other seasons. If consumed, it leads to vomitting, food poisoning etc... The solution is have freshly cooked meals and boiled water and closed fruits like oranges, bananas, sweet limes.
• Summer coughs and cold: Fluctuating temperatures between the heat on the street and your AC office results in coughs and cold. Excessive consumption of iced water and cold foods are also the causes. The remedy is maintain your AC temperature between 20 and 25 degrees. Consume less cold foods and beverages.
• Dehydration: Over exposure to the sun takes away essential hydration from the body which then needs to be replenished with water. Giddiness, head aches, fainting and fever are some of its symptoms. The solution is to have liquids regularly during the day and wear a cap while out in the sun.