Mercury dipping fast in the city is leading to health hazards of its denizens with problems like cough, cold, flu and asthma afflicting them, particularly, the more vulnerable children and the elderly.
While the children complain mostly about cold and flu those in their late 30s say they are having muscular pain. The elderly are suffering from breathing problems and for those who have asthma, matters are compounding.
Mukesh Sundriyal, a senior physician, said the number of patients coming to him is for muscular, skeleton pain and breathing problems. “These are common during the winter. Winter aggravates problems leading to heart attacks. Breathing problems, depression, anxiety and high blood pressure are the things that get acute during this season,” he said.
“It is advisable to have high protein diet and fruits during the winter in order to avoid the body pain. One should keep himself warm and adequately covered. The best way to stave such problems off is by keeping oneself sufficiently immune to such afflictions,” he said.
He further said the changing weather spawns breathing problems and aggravates the problem of stress. “Fog appearing in the morning worsens the suffering of asthma patients. Covering nose and mouth proves effective to reduce the risk,” he added.
PS Rawat, a senior pediatrician, said children mostly suffer from diarrhoea and pneumonia during the winter months. “Naturally, the malnourished children are the most vulnerable. The precaution to be taken is to keep the baby covered and not to give it a bath daily. Bathing it twice in a week is fine. Child above the age of three should be given a variety of diets and the amount of the calories intake should be more in the winter months. Nutritious diet is something which everyone should have, irrespective of age. Fibre and fruits should be added to the diet adequately. Besides, the import of hygiene at home can hardly be over-emphasized. Moreover, we must see to it that the children should develop the habit of oral hygiene and personal hygiene. These factors grow important during the winter months when human bodies turn more vulnerable than the normal times. The infants should be protected from the cold and the milk which is given to the child should not be diluted as the child tends to urinate frequently. This aside, the clothes of the infants should be changed frequently as remaining in wet clothes might make them catch cold easily,” the child specialist said.
He also counselled the adults to cover their faces as much as possible to keep the adverse winter effects at bay. “Besides, one should avoid taking food outside. Oily food should be shunned as far as possible,” he added.
Richa Kukreti Dobhriyal, a dietician, said that it is important that one should pay attention to his or her diet during the winter. “Dry fruits soaked in water or milk should be given daily to the child as it is good to generate energy.
The consumption of green tea and black tea is far better than tea with milk in it. One can add sprouts in one’s diet too with good result. Also seasonal fruits and vegetables, food with high protein and minerals should be taken adequately to keep the immune system robust to fight the germs,” she said.
Asking the people who are fond of consuming strong coffee to refrain from it, she said drinking lukewarm water every time after taking meal and a small amount of jaggery after the dinner would prove good for overall health during the winter season.