PAG-ASA already declared 27 March 2021 the start of the dry season in the country, making summertime official! Taking care of our health and nutrition during summer can help us get through the hottest days of the year, particularly in Cagayan Valley. Fortunately, a lot of in season fresh produce in the region had already been flourishing our local markets. Here are some guides to help us all get through the heat and boosting our immune system to avoid contracting and adverse effects of COVID-19.

• Stay hydrated!

With increase temperature, it is also expected that our body will get dehydrated easily. We can increase our fluid or water intake up to 10 glasses a day to ensure proper hydration. Eating fruits high in moisture content can also help. Pineapples, mangoes, and watermelons are in season now and both have high water content. Other fruits and food items that can make us hydrated are water, tomatoes, cantaloupes, starfruit, strawberries, oranges, and cucumber. Aside from their hydrating properties, these foods will also provide vitamins and minerals needed by our body. They will also provide electrolytes for the body.

• Consider indoor exercises.

With the current community quarantine status of local government units, outdoor exercise and fitness gyms may not be allowed, so indoor exercises and home workouts can be considered. This will also limit the exposure to excessive heat and UV rays from the sun. You can be creative in doing regular indoor exercises. A lot of videos of Zumba, aerobic dances, yoga, and home workouts are available online. You can also enroll in online sessions such as stationary biking and for home workouts.

• Eat healthy snacks.

Staying at home can sometimes be boring, and when all our books and TV shows are finished, we tend to consider eating snacks as an alternative. But snacks should not necessarily be unhealthy. Fruits shakes, particularly those in season like avocadoes, mango, watermelon, and pineapple can be an alternative snack. Nuts and seeds, and dried or even fresh fruits can also be eaten. Nowadays, groceries offer a wide variety of vegetable chips and other dried vegetable products that can be an alternative to your usual high fat, high salt regular chips.

• Enhanced your cooking skills.

With the children spending more time at home due to COVID-19 pandemic, and as their classes are all home-based, we should feed them healthy and nutritious foods to keep them going. During summer, you can involve them in preparing meals and cooking their own foods. You can make their summer vacation worthwhile if you can teach them the importance of nutrients and cooking your own food at home. Tips on how to choose the best fresh produce can also be imparted. You can also take this time to experiment different recipes and enhanced your cooking skills.

• Create or maintain your home food gardens.

A lot of crops thrive during summer season. With the restrictions of COVID-19 pandemic, families are requested to stay at home and avoid unnecessary trips. To avoid boredom, starting or maintaining your home food gardens will be efficient and safe nowadays. These will also make your fruits and vegetables more available in these trying times. Involving children in this activity can make it a family bonding session. Ampalaya, peppers, cucumbers, okra, sweet potatoes, squash, tomatoes, garlic, corn, watermelon, string beans, and even lettuce can be cultivated during summertime. You can ask your local agriculture office if they have seeds or seedlings that you can use.

In the normal set-up, summertime is spent for beaches, hiking, long road trips, and family gatherings, but with the current situation brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, most of us will just stay at home, and do the best that we can to avoid being bored. But today, it is still important to boost our immune system through enough sleep, proper health and nutrition, and avoiding stress. We can still spend more time with our family at home by doing things together, from cleaning your house, preparing your healthy and nutritious foods, to maintaining your home food gardens. We can still gather our whole family and relatives through digital platforms, and hope and have faith together that the next summer will be spent together. -EMArcinue