Eat for the season and stay healthy. By Madhavi Trivedi

Help your body combat the heat. Use the natural properties of food and choose appropriate cooking tech-niques to cool your insides. Eat in accordance with the cycle of the seasons. Eating the foods Nature provides in a particular season will keep your body in the rhythm of the season and assist its adaptation to changes in weather and lifestyle.

Eat To Beat The Heat
Summer is the time when we naturally reach for fruit juices, salads, curd-rice and buttermilk. Eating these foods makes us feel lighter and less stressed. At the same time, our heart and small intestine are being strengthened with the lowering of cholesterol levels, our muscles relax and we develop a healthy complexion.

Foods To Avoid
During the summer months, avoid foods that are hard to digest in order to reduce acidity and skin problems. These include sweets, fried foods, spicy foods, red meats and heavy gravies. Also, if you feel heavy, avoid the excessive intake of cereals, pulses, root vegetables and dairy products. Avoid colas since they do not hydrate - the caffeine in them actually dehydrates the system! The same goes for other caffeine-containing brews too. Since coffee is fairly heaty, cut down to maintain clear skin. And according to ancient texts, sleeping on a summer day is a no-no!

Foods To Indulge In
Drink plenty of fluids, water especially. Other options include water-based beverages, unsweetened juices and low-sugar drinks like fresh lime in water. Indulge in three to five servings of fruits and vegetables daily. These will not only rehydrate and cool the body but also provide the body with much-needed vitamins and minerals for extra zest.

Choose fruits with high water and electrolyte (sodium, potassium and chloride) content to make up for the loss in sweat. Eat oranges, sweet limes, grapes, watermelons, musk-melons, cantaloupes, rose apple, berries, pineapples, pomegranates, cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, sugarcane juice, coconut water, herbal iced teas and lime juice.

Tropical fruits like bananas, papayas, mangoes, chickoos and guavas will take care of the energy lows. Eat more salads, sprouts, curds and tofu to cool and cleanse the system. In summer, instead of frying, baking and roast-ing, try steaming, boiling or stir-frying foods.