Healthy And Refreshing Diet Recipes For Your Child To Stay Energetic And Healthy In Summers
Abstract
People leaving in the tropical areas always say that changing in the warm wind means that summer is coming. Summer is the season in which people fall sick very easily. Most of the people suffer from conditions like heat stroke, gastroenteritis, dehydration, dryness in the skin, various types of the skin rashes etc. This heat drives us to the junk food such as ice creams, areated drinks. Children should remain hydrated during the summer when the temperature is so high and sun is blazing in the sky. Usually the children lost their appetite during summer and spent more time in taking their food ending up with a lot of frustration and at end they don’t even finish their food. Summer heat just soaked up their energy and their appetite also. Generally children are more active than the elders and often expend more energy. But their loss of appetite and weakness is just cause of the summer heat. It is important to assure that they should take a diet which is useful for the children to stay energetic and healthy in the summers.
Dehydration
Children become easily dehydrated during the summer season due to excessive sweating and improper intake of the fluids.
Dehydration Can Be Caused By
- Severe vomiting
- Severe diarrhea
- Due to high temperature
- Excessive exercise
- Excessive physical activities
- Not drinking and eating enough
Symptoms Of Dehydration In Children Are As Follows
- Having headache
- Feeling of nausea
- Lightheaded or dizziness
- Going to the toilet very less
- Urine color dark yellow or sometimes it may even brown in color
- Dry or coated tough or mouth
Symptoms Of Severe Dehydration In The Children Are As Follows
- Seems lethargic and tired
- Irritated
- Confused
- Extremely thirsty
- While crying there are fewer tears than the usual
- Drowsiness
- Faster breathing than normal
- Faster heart rate
- Face looks pale
- Dark and sunken eyes
Keeping Children Hydrated In Hot Weather
During summer we should make sure that the children should have frequent drinking of water in order to avoid the hydration. If the baby is on braest feeding mother should breastfeed the baby again and again. Mother should also take plenty of the food herself too after every feed. If child is in bottle feed it is medentory to increase the bottle feed in the summer. Aim of water intake should about 1 to 1.5 liter i.e. 1 to 6 glasses a day for children.
Keeping The Children Cool While Sleeping During Summer Season
Children can sleep comfortably during the summer if you let your children sleep in the coolest room. There should be passage or circulation of the air properly in the room. One can hang up the wet clothes over the windows and chairs to make the room cool. You can use fan but its air should not directed at the children. Cover the children with the thick cotton sheets in order to absorb the perspiration and preventing the heat rashes.
Safety Of Children From The Sun
When there is too much exposure to the sun it can cause eye and skin damage, sunburn and in children it can also increase the chances of skin cancer. But too little exposure to the sun light can also cause deficiency of vitamin D in the children which can cause affect on muscles, bones and over all health of the child. But in summers these UV radiations can cause harm to the children. In order to avoid the harm to there child we should follow the following:
- Always try to use the loose clothing as much as possible
- Children should wear a hat we can provide shades to tell child’s face, ears and neck.
- In order to avoid the UV rays to reach to your children one should continue to use sun protection like always seem for shades.
Never Leave Your Children In Cars
On a very hot day one should not leave their children in the card even with the air conditioner it can harm them by causing dehydration, heat stroke, or even death also. Because the temperature in the car quickly climbs up, it can be double with in few minutes as if temperature is 35 degree outside with in few minutes it will become double i.e. 70 degree inside the car. Cars heats up very repedily, leaving the windows a little bit down can effect a very little on the car’s temperature. Cars takes only 5 minutes to heat up after closing and child’s body heats up 3 to 5 times faster than the human adult.
Special Care To The Sick Children
Sick children needs special care in the summer season. The children with minor cold or gastroenteritis need a very special care during the hot season. Because their small health illness can lead them to dehydration by increasing the temperature of body. Proper fluid intake in elder children and in breastfeed baby frequent braest feeding is needly. If babies temperature get increase in can use sponging technique or frequent lukewarm water bath is useful to the children as it lower downs the body temperature.
Summer Food For Children To Keep Them Energetic And Healthy
- Lime Water – Stop giving ready-made juices to your children instead of that try give fresh lime water (Nimbu pani) to your childrenafter they come back to home from play. This is rich in vitamin C which is helpful in building up their immunity and its tangy taste is liked by the children very much. Lemon is useful for digestion and also helpful in cleansing the body from inside.
- Watermelon – Nowadays watermelons are available all over year in supermarkets, but we should always use the fresh ones in summers. Watermelons are made up of approximately 92% water, having great use for hydration and also helpful in cleansing toxins out from the body. These are rich in Vitamin A which is effective in keeping the skin texture and looks good.
- Fennel Seeds – In general we use fennel seeds (Saunf) at the end f our meal just for mouth freshener but it is not only mouth refresher but it is very effective in preventing digestive issues like acid flux and also stimulate our intestinal fluids for proper digestion. When there is proper digestion of for we can live free from any type of disease in every season.
- Barley Water – Barley water digest very easily and it is non-allergenic also, son always make it ideal first food. Put one tablespoon of barley in water and use it. It is very simple and also very nutritious. This barley water is good for babies more than six months age.
- Tomatoes – Do you know that tomatoes are fruits, not a vegetable as scientifically classification? Yeah, this is right. Tomatoes are helpful in prevent skin from tanning and pigmentation, also act as natural sunscreen. We can also make juice of tomato or can also serve its raw slices as a snack or salad.
- Pomegranate Juice – Pomegranates are rich in antioxidants property. It is useful in solving many common children problems such as gastritis, diarrhea, teething pain etc. The juice of pomegranates can also be given to babies after the age of eight months.
- Stewed Apple Punch – Apple is a popular fruit for baby; generally mothers start with this fruit for their babies in form of apple puree. Stewed apple punch is very effective in hydrating the babies with a tasty flavor.
- Cucumber – Cucumber (Kakdi) is used as green salad popularly. Cucumbers are helpful in cooling our body and are rich in fiber which is useful in keeping constipation at a bay. If children are fussy about their food then provide them cucumber and watch the cucumber to just disappear.
- Grape Juice – Grapes are very nutritious and are rich in iron, Vitamin C, antioxidants and copper. As these can’t be given to small babies because these choking hazard but its juice can be given. This juice can be given to the babies with complete six months.
- Yogurt – Children would like to eat yogurt for breakfast, lunch and dinner but don’t give yogurt during night time. Yogurt is a probiotic which is useful for digestion and also helpful in keeping the body cool.
- Carrot Juice – Carrots are rich of iron, beta-carotene, vitamins, and calcium. Carrot juice is good for babies of six months age.
- Mint Leaves – The cooling effect of Mint leave is a perfect antidote to the sun out. Mint leaves are helpful in reducing gastric acids and are also useful in several digestive issues.
- Khas Sharbet – Khas sharbet is helpful in relieve thirst and also the burning sensations. According to Ayurveda, it is very effective in strengthening the digestive system and provides cooling effect on nervous system and mind.
- Onions – Onions have cooling properties when they are eaten as raw. Some children do not like to eat onion as raw; you can make chutney of onion with sneak and mint and sneak.
- Coconut Water – Coconut water taste is liked by the children and this coconut water is rich in electrolytes, potassium, and nutrients. It also keeps body healthy and hydrated. Always try to use fresh coconuts instead of packaged coconut water.
Conclusion
Summer season is not a bad season your children can enjoy this season after taking precautions. Summer season is the season of festivals and holidays. Summer season is also difficult time for everyone but after staying hydrated we can enjoy this season with our children and whole family. We must keep water and food for birds and animals outside our house as well. With the use of above items you can help your child to stay energetic and healthy in the summers.
