Doctors’ warning: Diseases hotting up, avoid street food to cool down

Panaji: With temperatures and humidity soaring, it is risky to give in to the temptation of cooling yourself down with lemonade or cut fruits sold by roadside vendors, doctors have warned.

Summer can suffuse such food items with bacteria and water used in drinks can be contaminated.

“Often, we see children brought in with dysentery, vomiting, diarrhoea, and blood in stool,” said paediatrician Dr Sushma Kirtani. “Some ailing children are unable to retain even water. Parents try to hide the fact that they have taken their kids for a treat at a roadside stall.”

She said such cases may rise in the coming weeks after students are done with their exams and have more time to spend outdoors.

“Contaminated water is dangerous and can cause stomach infections, typhoid, hepatitis and cholera,” she said. “Instead of water-based drinks sold by roadside vendors, parents can give their thirsty children plain water.”

Kirtani added, “We need to revive the tradition of making kokum sherbet, aam panna, lassi, and buttermilk at home to beat the heat.”

Carbonated drinks must be avoided as they cause dehydration, she said. “They are also harmful to growing children as well as adults as they have added sugar, coat the teeth causing cavities, and interfere with the absorption of food in the body,” she added.

State epidemiologist Dr Utkarsh Betodkar said aerated drinks are no replacement for water and electrolytes. “Cold drinks and alcohol will act adversely when it comes to dehydration compared to citrus fruits, water, oral rehydration solutions, and fresh juices,” he said.

Hygiene can be a problem with juices and fruit at roadside stalls, Betodkar said. “The Food and Drugs Administration actively monitors these stalls,” he said. “However, if there’s not enough water for cleaning steel plates, it’s advisable to use disposable plates.”

Vendors must ensure that their stalls are clean and check that the fruits are washed well and cut in clean utensils with no flies, he said. “Anyone who falls sick after eating or drinking unhygienic food or water must see a doctor immediately,” he said.

The directorate of health services has advised people to consume more fruits and vegetables in the summer and limit their intake of food with high protein.

“One must stay hydrated, drinking enough water at regular intervals in the day. We have two months to go before the monsoon and people, especially children and senior citizens, must avoid going out between noon and 3pm unless necessary to avoid a heatstroke,” Betodkar said.

He added, “People must plan to carry out their work outdoors early in the morning or late in the evening. If possible, they must carry water and wear light-coloured clothes to avoid heat exhaustion,” he said.

Kirtani said that oily and spicy foods must be avoided during the summer and that seasonal fruits including mango should be chosen. Mango is rich in Vitamin A which helps in building immunity, she said.

She said it is a good idea to stay away from dishes like bhel puri, in which raw onions are used. “It’s advisable to eat properly cooked food and for the vendors to use disposable gloves,” she said.