When sunlight becomes a luxury and Facebook is flooded with pictures of lightning bolts and sheets of dark clouds, every student at Manipal knows that the monsoon is setting in. Along with the relief from the summer heat, the monsoons bring with it a much darker aspect. It provides the perfect breeding ground for a number of diseases which carry the potential to become raging epidemics.
The period from May to September constitutes the rainy season, here in Manipal. The period from June to July also constitutes the exam season, here in Manipal. Hence, it becomes imperative for students to be in the pink of health so that they are plump and ready for the examiner.
Some of the most common problems faced here are gastric disorders, allergies, typhoid, malaria, dengue, diarrhea and conjunctivitis. As luck would have it, all of these can be avoided by taking some preventive measures and maintaining a healthy regime.
DIET
- Eat fruits like apples, citrus fruits, bananas and pomegranates which boosts your immunity and keeps your body strong.
- Drink lots of water and make sure the water is obtained from a reliable source where it is adequately disinfected.
- Consume Brooke Bond Red Label Chai. It has many amazing properties as shown in the advertisement.
- Wheat, barley, horse gram, green leafy vegetables are very nutritious.
- Avoid eating fish and meat during monsoons because these are easily contaminated during storage.
- Try to avoid salty food and melons. They cause water retention and WILL make one look fat. Remember, sitting and studying the entire day with minimal exercise is already trashing those fitness plans.
GENERAL PRECAUTIONS
- If you get wet, take a shower as soon as possible. The rain water is not what it used to be. This will protect your skin from the acidic properties and help get rid of infectious bacteria.
- Keep your rooms clean and pest free. Avoid letting water stagnate around hostels and notify any such incidence to the caretakers.
- Try to exercise. Marena has an indoor gym and running track.
- Use a powerful insect repellent to keep the mosquitoes at bay.
- Don’t touch your face with dirty hands. This is especially important for the medical students who are already exposed to massive amounts of infection. Keep sanitizing your hands at regular intervals and wash them well, whenever needed. This helps prevent conjunctivitis and flu.
- Increase intake of Vitamin C to help give your immunity a boost.
The first shower and the smell of wet earth, called petrichor, is ecstasy to the senses. However, it is not wise to ignore the hazards that accompany the monsoons. Enjoy the monsoons in Manipal, don’t become prey to them!