Mercury soars in Lucknow: Stay hydrated, cover-up!

It’s still April but the mercury has already started soaring above 40-degree Celsius. The Meteorological Department has issued a yellow alert for the coming days in the state capital. The actual “feel like” temperature is two degrees above and with the temperature likely to rise, experts have advised to “avoid unnecessary venturing out”.
CMO’s advisory
Chief medical officer, Lucknow, Dr Manoj Agrawal in his advisory has urged people to stay hydrated and protect themselves from direct sunlight. “Use ORS, home-made beverages like lassi, lemon water, buttermilk, etc. so that the lack of water in the body can be compensated. Use seasonal fruits and vegetables with high water content like watermelon, melon, orange, grapes, pineapple, cucumber and lettuce,” reads the advisory.
Say yes to sunscreen
City-based cosmologist Shweta Rastogi explains, “Of course, UV rays do wreak havoc on our skin. If unattended, UV-related skin disorders include premature aging, actinic keratoses (scaly spots or patches) along with many more problems arise in no time. So, we suggest you do not leave home without a layer of suitable sunscreen on the exposed area of your skin.”
She adds, “One should make a pick as per his or her skin type. You can go for a broad-spectrum range including mineral SPF 50 sunscreen that takes less than five minutes to absorb and you are good to go. And don’t forget to repeat the application if you’re out for longer hours,” she informs.
Feeling hot-hot!
Media professional Diksha Bajpai finds her job-related outing a challenge. “How to protect yourself from the blazing sun is a big task. I usually use sunscreen and wrap myself. Commuting on a two-wheeler makes it exceptionally difficult for me. One thing that keeps me going is the freshly home-made lemonade that I always carry in a big bottle and consume at small intervals along with regular water.”
For undergraduate student Sanaya Chauhan summer is a tough season. “Schools and colleges do not close for summer break till mid-May and till then struggling with everyday commuting and outings is punishing. In college, the timetable is not fixed, so we must attend classes as required. Cabs get reduced during the daytime and not all routes are metro lanes so it gets a bit problematic for us to shuttle. There is no respite for now, I feel.”