With heatwave conditions scorching several parts of the country, the government has stepped in with a sweeping public health advisory that combines mainstream medical guidance with traditional Indian wellness practices. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare recently issued a detailed advisory in coordination with the Ministry of Ayush.
The advisory is addressed to a wide audience, from ordinary citizens, outdoor workers, employers, and even organisers of mass gatherings and sports events.
Here is a gist of the main points: Stay hydrated, avoid the sun between noon and 3 pm, dress in loose, light-coloured cotton, and eat fruits and vegetables with high water content, such as watermelon, musk melon, cucumber, and grapes.
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The advisory also highlights high-risk individuals. Infants, pregnant women, the elderly, outdoor labourers, and those with pre-existing conditions such as heart disease and high blood pressure are especially vulnerable and need extra monitoring. Employers have been specifically asked to provide workers with shaded rest areas, drinking water every 20 minutes, and a gradual acclimatisation schedule, particularly for those new to working in the heat.
The advisory also had a detailed "Ayush" addendum drawing on Ayurveda, Siddha, Yoga, and Unani disciplines. The Ayurveda section offers recipes for traditional cooling drinks: Nimbukaphala Panaka (lemon-based), Amra Prapanaka (raw mango), and Chincha Panaka (tamarind). The Siddha section recommends Nannari Paanagam and Nelli Mor (buttermilk with gooseberry).
Yoga practitioners are advised to practise Sheetali Pranayama to cool the body through controlled breathing.
The advisory identifies heatstroke as a medical emergency. If someone is found unconscious, confused, or has stopped sweating alongside a high body temperature, citizens are asked to immediately call emergency helplines 108 or 102.
Guidelines by the Centre
Here is a list of precautions published by the Centre:
• Elderly or sick people living alone should be supervised and their health monitored on a daily basis.
• Keep your home cool, use curtains, shutters or sunshade, and open windows at night.
• Try to remain on lower floors during the day.
• Use fan, spray bottles, damp cloths, ice towels to cool down body.
• Immersing feet in 20°C water above ankle provides rapid cooling by reducing dehydration and thermal discomfort.
• Avoid getting out in the sun, especially between 12.00 noon and 03.00 pm.
• Avoid strenuous activities when outside in the afternoon.
• Do not go out barefoot.
• Avoid cooking during peak summer hours. Open doors and windows to ventilate cooking area adequately.
• Avoid alcohol, tea, coffee and carbonated soft drinks or drinks with large amount of sugar, as these lead to loss of more body fluid or may cause stomach cramps.
• Avoid high-protein food and do not eat stale food.
• Do not leave children or pets in parked vehicle. Temperature inside a vehicle could get dangerous.