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During the monsoon, there is an increased chance of getting a cold or other gastrointestinal infections, particularly for pregnant women. You should take steps to ensure that your food is taken care of in addition to the standard precautions like frequently washing your hands and avoiding contact with ill people. The following advice can help you stay healthy throughout the monsoon season. Home Cooked Food As the weather cools down and the rains begin, our appetites change and we start craving comfort food. However, for pregnant women, it's important to be careful about what they eat during this time. While there are many tempting options available, home-cooked food is always the best choice for a pregnant woman's diet during monsoon. Not only is it more nutritious, but it's also less likely to contain harmful bacteria that can cause food poisoning. Instead of reaching for deep fried snacks or fast food from outside, you can enjoy tasty and nutritious quick meals that are cooked at home. For example, roughly diced boiled potatoes that are seasoned with some salt and pepper work perfectly, these could even work great when mixed with some curds and sprinkled with just a little bit of sev for some crunch. Staying Hydrated Pregnant women must take care of hydration, this is especially true during the monsoon season as we do tend to consume less water due to the wet and humid climate. Dehydration, however, is a dangerous condition to have during pregnancy as it can can lead to complications such as urinary tract infections, preeclampsia, and preterm labour, and hence, must be avoided at all costs. While water is always the best choice for staying hydrated, pregnant women can also opt for homemade fruit juices, coconut water, and buttermilk. It is important to avoid sugary drinks, caffeine, and alcohol, as these can actually worsen dehydration. Pregnant women should also consume fibre-rich food, which will help to regulate digestion and prevent constipation, which is a common problem during pregnancy. By following these simple tips, pregnant women can stay healthy and comfortable throughout the monsoon season. Eating Fresh Food During pregnancy, pregnant women frequently experience cravings for specific meals, but it's crucial to make sure that these cravings are healthful. Prepackaged sugary or fried foods may appeal to some women's cravings, but they also raise the risk of gestational diabetes, excessive weight gain, thyroid problems, and other metabolic diseases. Instead, women should concentrate on eating nutrient-dense fresh fruits and vegetables, which are crucial for preserving pregnancy wellness. They also aid in blood sugar regulation, which helps lessen cravings for sweet meals. During the monsoon season, there is an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables that are easily available. Oranges, berries, spinach, sweet limes, cabbage, grapefruits and many more such fruits and veggies are rich in nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Pregnant women should take advantage of this by including them in their diet. This will not only help them to stay healthy, but it will also ensure that their baby gets the nutrients it needs. As a precaution, pregnant women are advised to avoid consuming raw foods during the monsoon season. Generally, raw foods can contain bacteria and microorganisms that cause food poisoning. Therefore, pregnant women should eat cooked food instead of raw food during the monsoon season. While monsoons are refreshing, it is advisable to take safety measures to avoid contracting any food-borne infections or other health dangers. The health of the mother and unborn child is extremely vulnerable during pregnancy, and it is crucial to ensure the ideal growth of the child. Expectant moms should take enough protein, calcium, iron, vitamins, folic acid, and iodine in their meals in addition to maintaining a healthy diet and nutrition. A healthy and safe pregnancy will be ensured by taking all of these additional safety measures throughout the monsoon season. (Rohit Shelatkar, VP at Vitabitotics, Fitness & Nutrition Expert) Read More► Simple Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Fat Loss Journey

Vitiligo is a chronic skin condition that causes pale white patches to appear on the skin. A lack of Melanin, which is a pigment found in the skin causes Vitiligo. Although vitiligo can affect any part of the skin, it is most common on the face, neck, hands, and skin creases. It can also begin in the lips, tips of fingers, and genital areas. Vitiligo affects people of all skin colours, but it may be more visible in people with dark skin. This disorder is not fatal or infectious, and while it is classified as an autoimmune disorder, it is rarely associated with problems in other endocrine organs such as the thyroid or adrenal glands. The appearance of vitiligo, on the other hand, can cause stress and low self-esteem. It's difficult to predict how this disease will progress. Without treatment, the patches may stop forming. In most cases, pigment loss spreads to cover the majority of the skin. In rare cases, the skin regains its colour. Signs and Symptoms of Vitiligo The symptoms of vitiligo can appear at any phase of life. The signs include: Loss of skin colour in patches, usually seen first on your face, hands, arms, legs, and feet Early paling of your body hair, including hair on the lashes brows and face if the areas are involved. Mostly it is asymptomatic and there are no symptoms like itching or pain. Thyroid and Adrenal gland problems. Detection of Vitiligo Following a skin examination, a dermatologist will be able to detect vitiligo. In order to rule out other skin conditions, the doctor will look for symptoms associated with them, such as other hypopigmentary disorders like common eczemas or healing psoriasis lesions. The doctor will most likely examine every area of your skin to determine which type of vitiligo you have based on where the patches appear. Patches are easy to spot on dark skin. However, because there is less distinction between affected and unaffected skin in lighter-skinned people, the doctor may use a tool called a Wood lamp (which emits ultraviolet light). Under this type of light, vitiligo skin will appear different. The application can also be used to differentiate between loss of pigment and reduction in colour. The appearance of lightened patches and the patient's medical history are sufficient to diagnose vitiligo. Doctors may, however, recommend additional tests for confirmation. A skin biopsy, for example, will reveal whether or not melanocytes are present. The absence of melanocytes can be used to confirm a vitiligo diagnosis. A skin biopsy can also reveal whether the patient has hypopigmented cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, a type of skin cancer. A blood test is frequently recommended by doctors to determine whether the vitiligo is caused by an underlying autoimmune disease, such as anaemia or type 1 diabetes. Because of the association with other autoimmune diseases and endocrinopathies, patients with suggestive signs or symptoms may require additional testing to rule out an underlying condition. Thyroid disease, diabetes mellitus, pernicious anaemia, Addison disease, and alopecia areata have all been linked to vitiligo. Although there is no cure for vitiligo, proper treatment can halt or slow the discoloration process and restore some colour to the skin. The procedures' goal is to achieve an even skin tone by either restoring colour (repigmentation) or removing the remaining colour (depigmentation). Some of the most common treatments for vitiligo include camouflage therapy, repigmentation therapy, light therapy, and surgery. (Dr. Sunil Prabhu, MBBS, MD, DNB Dermatologist, Venereologist and Aesthetic Physician) Read More► Health Concerns Men Should Keep A track Of