Euro Summer is all over the internet and the news. Everyone has been talking about the extreme temperatures and the extreme heat warning. But we are talking about solutions and suggestions that help.
50 degrees is common in India, and not everyone has an AC. It means that India has lived and survived the extreme heat wave without air conditioners for years, and we have some effective tips.
It’s still the heat wave weather here, and so take it from me when I say, the solutions I am about to give you WORK.
DRINK (Immediate Relief) – Aam Panna with Pudina (Raw Mango and Mint Mocktail)
Made with ingredients that quickly cool the body, the drink is safe and excellent for riding the extreme heat wave. This also works as medicine for someone down from the heat wave.
You need the following ingredients:
- Raw mango
- Mishri (Rock sugar or Candy Sugar or best if you can get Palm Candy)
- Fresh Mint Leaves (A lot)
- Black Salt
- Water
Recipe or Process:
- Buy raw mangoes and then keep them dipped in water for a few hours. This is an important step to remove the pesticides, heat inside them, and wash off the sap.
- Soak the mint leaves in water for a while to wash off any dirt or worms, if present.
- Then take one raw mango and peel the skin either with a knife or a peeler. Don’t need to cut or dice the mango.
- Boil the peeled mango in a pressure cooker or a big bowl. It’s similar to boiling a potato. However, don’t do it in the oven as it can dry the mango, so boiling with water is necessary. (The water should drown half the mango, not more, not less)
- While the mango is boiling, grind a cup of mishri into powder using a mixer/grinder and store it separately. This will be the sugar.
- Now, take the leaves, take a lot of them into the grinder, take a bit of ginger if you have, add a teaspoon of black salt and a little water. Grind it into a paste.
- Once the mango is boiled, take it off the heat and let it cool before mashing the mango with the water.
- Separate the mango seed and keep the mash aside.
- Now, if you have a big mixer jar, then you can mix the mint paste with the mashed mango and a full cup of powdered candy sugar, or just pour everything in a bottle and shake it well.
- Store the mix in the fridge. Depending on the amount you have made, a full bottle can make 5-6 glasses.
- Once it’s cold, fill 1/4th of a glass with the mix, add chilled water and lots of ice, stir and drink slowly. You will feel immediate relief.
The three main ingredients raw mango, mint, and candy sugar are magical for surviving a heatwave.
Homemade Cooler for the Heat Wave (NOT FOR ELDERLY PEOPLE)
Soak curtains or bed sheets, then hang them to dry by the windows with the windows closed. You cannot wash them in the machine; you have to soak heavy and big fabrics (preferably cottons) and then hang them by the windows. Keep them as wet as possible to avoid accidents, but the more water, the better.
You may try it with normal clothes; hang wet clothes to dry inside and then switch on the fans. The air inside the room becomes cooler and stays like that for a few hours. The cooling effect lasts longer in the evening but can be extremely helpful during the day when the heat wave is at its peak.
(Warning: Elderly people should not do this, as it is common for the water to drip on the floor and cause accidents, especially for people lacking balance, good eyesight, and with weak bones.)
Sleeping Tips for the Heat Wave(NOT FOR ELDERLY PEOPLE)
Mattresses and carpets store heat, so you can sleep on the floor. Mop the floor with a wet cloth first; it makes the floor cleaner and cooler to sleep on.
(Warning: Elderly people should not do this, as it may cause body aches and getting up from the floor may be difficult for people with joint pain.)
Tip for People Living in Houses (Not apartments)
If you live in a house with a terrace, wash the floor of the terrace with water once the sun goes down. It makes the house cooler.
Avoid eating anything spicy, heavy meals, and anything hot (tea or coffee), as it makes the body temperature go up, causing discomfort during the heat wave weather.
Have LASSI in the Extreme Heat Warning
Another drink that helps is lassi or buttermilk. You simply have to pour yoghurt or curd, water, sugar, and a pinch of salt into the mixer and mix it. Pour it in a glass, add as many ice cubes as you like and drink it slowly. The thicker you make it, the more it acts like a food.
Information: Yoghurt is easy on your gut and thus cools your body. If you can’t make a drink with it, you can even have cold or frozen yoghurt instead of ice cream. It is more helpful than ice cream, which is high in fat and requires the body to work to break it down and create heat in the process.
Cosmetics That Truly HELP for Prickly Heat & Heat Rash
- Dermi Cool: Helps with Prickly Heat and Heat Rashes but also makes you feel cooler. Tip: Use it after taking a shower on a dry body.
(This is selling out fast, and it is an Indian product)
- Himani Navratna Herbal Oil Cool With 9 Active Natural Ingredients: This may be an oil but immediately creates a cooling sensation wherever you put it. You can use it on your head and your body. Use it after taking a shower when the body is still wet.
(Warning: Do not use these cosmetics on your intimate areas for experimentation. These are purely for external use.)
Disclaimer: The links are affiliate; if you buy the products, I will make a profit, but I have not manufactured them. These have been in use in India for a very long time. The links are mainly given to help you recognise the product. You may even buy them at a local store if available, and in that case I won’t earn anything.
Heat Stroke Prevention – VERY IMPORTANT
Heat stroke is real and can be deadly. Especially in such extreme temperatures when your body isn’t acclimatised. Here are the precautions you must take:
- Limit going outside during the day.
- Wear light coloured breathable fabrics like cotton and linens.
- Stay hydrated and drink glucose or ORS from time to time.
- Do not go empty-stomach for a long time.
- Ensure that you never step out of the home on an empty stomach.
- Do not leave kids or the elderly unattended in a parked vehicle even if you think it’s just for a little time.
- If at all you are stepping out, use a big hat or an umbrella and, if possible, both.
- Do not drink ice water or drinks right after coming from outside; let your body temperature adjust first.
- Include summer fruits and vegetables in your diet.
- When outside, park or rest under a tree.
India- A Land of Ayurveda & Superstitions
Since I already gave you the medicines, let me tell you a funny story of superstition. Firstly, there are many superstitions, and the beliefs change with the changing states. For example, it’s said that it rains a lot if a crow or crows get drenched. Then there is the belief that it rains a lot on a frog’s wedding.
Picture taken from KRC Times
Following this superstition, in an Indian village where drought and heat were killing people and crops, people caught two frogs and married them. Soon enough, the floods came, and again there was misery. They found the frogs again to ritually separate them. I can’t find the news article but found this Reddit thread. However, Bhekuli Biya is still followed in Assam. To escape extreme heat warnings and heat waves, people still wed frogs.
India is a land of yoga, medicine, spirituality, and mysticism. How you choose to use the information for your good depends on you.
