Every year rains in India start a debate on the pros and cons of the most heard and the most followed monsoon beliefs or as some call them monsoon myths! Here’s a quick look at some ‘myths’, most of us follow quite blindly in the rainy season.
Don’t eat curd in the rain – Remember your mom always telling you not to have ‘dahi in saavan’? Many believe, having curd in the monsoon season could prove to be harmful for the body because of the cool nature of the food, as mentioned in Ayurveda (khaanekipravitti or nature of the food). And so it is believed that foods that are warm in nature (for eg: turmeric milk or ginger tea) work best for the immune system in the monsoon months. But here’s a secret: Did you know curd helps majorly in improving the digestive system, absorbing nutrients and increasing the immunity. It is this very curd that works as the most effective home remedy, in case you are suffering from diarrhea or food poisoning, a most common complaint in the rains.
No swimming in the rains– While most swimming pools shut in the monsoon months, there are some that still do good business, simply for the fact that the owners are weather wise! Surprised? Hear this.. We are all told to avoid swimming during the rainy season, because the dirty water from the pool deck gets mixed with the pool water, contaminating the pool and making us susceptible to water borne diseases. But now, for the first time, swimming academy owners are using weather info about rain or no rain in their area for the entire monsoon period so that they do not lose out on business. Jadgish Sahwarat, the owner of Asian Aquatic Academy in Noida, shared how the information of below normal rain in Delhi/NCR in this month of September has helped him hold all swimming batches. Students are informed beforehand about the weather on a particular day and pools open accordingly. So next time you crave to go swimming in the monsoon season, just check the weather info on skymetweather.com for the latest rain updates in your city.
Get drenched and you’ll fall sick– Are you tired of hearing you will fall sick if you get wet in the rain.. Are you bored of just looking at the rain and not stepping out to enjoy it.. Know the facts – More than just the rain, it is the fluctuation in your surrounding temperatures that leads to your developing a cold. Experts say, barring days of continuous rain, which leads to a considerable dip in the mercury, most places in India are blessed with hot and humid weather in the monsoons. Therefore getting drenched on a day of light rain and hot and muggy weather, won’t make you fall sick. Besides if you wish to step out in heavy rains, be sure your immune system is already as strong as a Hercules!
An extension to this myth is not sitting in the AC after one’s drenched…But you could debate this one too.It is not the air conditioner's fault. It's the sudden decrease in temperature, coupled with the drop in your body temperature as moisture evaporates that causes your immunity to decline. This may or may not cause fever. But it has nothing to do with an air conditioner.
Avoid Fish; It gets contaminated in the rains- Says who?!!? All fish lovers can safely discard this one.. It is true that fishing is banned in the monsoon months, because it gets contaminated in some areas, but gone are times when you couldn’t find fish at all in the rains. Times have changed and technology has progressed. No matter where you live now, you can enjoy your favourite fish curry and rice, even on days of torrential rains as fish are bred by local fishermen and vendors to suit the needs of fish lovers all over the country. Needless to say, these fish are clean and safe to eat.
It is true that imagination is stronger than knowledge but a myth is a myth is a myth afterall!!
Photo by Medicareadvocacy.
