Holi Hai! Stay Extra Safe With These Health Tips And Top Health Tests

Holi, the festival of colors, is just around the corner. Everyone, from children to adults to elderly adults, enjoys this festival of colors, Gujiyas, Malpuas, and other delicacies. While the festival promises sheer delight, it also brings potential health concerns for you and your loved ones.

Holi and Health Concerns - how are they even related???

It is hard to believe that a festival that is so vibrant can even pose any health risks.

Dig in to find what problems it brings and how to tackle them for a happy and Healthy Holi.

Besides being loaded with vibrant colors, it comes loaded with:

Skin Allergies -

The Problem:

Nowadays, the colors available on the market contain many chemicals, industrial dyes, and other components that can trigger skin irritation and allergies, leading to rashes, redness, acne, and itching. Overexposure can also cause serious skin problems.

The Solution:

• Choose natural colors that are gentle on your skin and don’t cause any potential harm to it.
• Avoid playing with synthetic colors containing compounds hazardous to the skin.
• Massage your skin with a generous amount of coconut oil before stepping out or applying even a pinch of color.
• If you feel burning, wash the area or wipe using a wet wipe immediately.

Respiratory Issues:

The Problem:

Chemicals in colors are not just cause problem for your skin but for your respiratory health as well. Color pollutants can aggravate asthma, bronchitis, and COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), resulting in coughing, mucus production, and more. Individuals with asthma or other respiratory illnesses should be extra protective to prevent the hazards.

The Solution:

• If you have asthma or other respiratory problems, try to stay indoors. The pollutants in the air can aggravate the symptoms, leading to complications.
• If you are a Holi-lover and can’t resist the festival fun, using safe colors and keeping an inhaler or other protectors like masks is always advisable.
• Dampen the colors before playing to reduce the dispersion of fine particles in the air.
• Lastly, if you experience any unusual behavior, like breathing trouble or too much coughing, just leave everything aside and take the necessary precautions.

Eye Injuries:

The Problem:

Your eyes are the most sensitive, and exposure to color can lead to a range of allergies and even injuries. The colors available in the market these days contain toxic chemicals, which can lead to redness, pain, and watery eyes, which can sometimes cause severe irritation and inflammation.

The Solution:

• Consider wearing sunglasses or protective eyewear to keep your eyes protected.
• Avoid colors near the eyes to prevent accidental injuries or eye allergies.
• Do not use toxic colors that can fill your Holi celebration with discomfort or tears.

Common Cold And Influenza:

The Problem:

Besides using toxic colors, drinking water during the festival can cause colds, coughs, and bouts of flu. Therefore, after playing Holi, almost every second person complains of a cold and cough, which is common but can be prevented with the right choices.

The Solution:

• Avoid the use of water. Play only with natural colors.
• Change your wet clothes immediately.

Stomach Infections:

The Problem:

Holi is not just about colors or water balloons but also about scrumptious delicacies that no one can say no to, especially one someone offers: hot and sweet Gujiyas, pakoras, and more. Eating them occasionally is fine, but how they are eaten brings stomach troubles. Most of the time, people don’t care about hygiene and eat anything with colors and bacteria-laden hands, which triggers several stomach infections.

The Solution:

• Wash your hands before eating anything.
• Kick-start your celebration with a glass of fruit juice that energizes you.
• Avoid eating heavy, oily, or fried foods, which can be heavy on the stomach.

No, the aim is not to kill your mood and love for food or festivals but to ensure that you enjoy most of the festival without hurting your health.

Besides choosing the right colors, making the right food choices during the celebrations is essential to stomach discomfort and other health issues the next day.

So, what’s the deal? What should you do during Holi to keep your health intact?

Eat Light:

• While in most homes, the celebration of Holi starts with Gujiyas, Pakoras, or other heavy or fried food items, it is essential to avoid their intake early in the morning. It can be heavy on your stomach, leading to discomfort all day. Add more fiber and digestive foods to your diet to cleanse your body.
• Opt for a light breakfast that will keep you full for a long time and is light enough to be digested easily.
• Reduce the intake of sugar and sweets to keep your energy levels in balance.

Stay Hydrated:

• Despite being around so much water, we often forget to drink enough of it, leading to dehydration, poor energy, and other health issues. Therefore, keep yourself hydrated to have fun during the festival.
• Choose healthy fruit drinks to maintain hydration and health instead of sipping on unhealthy sodas or cold beverages.
• After you are done with your Holi celebrations, drink some detoxifying drinks that will hydrate and detoxify your body.

Tweak Your Recipes:

• If skipping all the unhealthy or fried food is not possible, it is essential to tweak the recipe to enjoy them without hurting your health. Instead of frying, bake the Gujiyas, go for low-fat Thandai, Eat Frozen Yogurt, and add Fruit Raita and Ragi Malpuas to enjoy the meal guilt-free.
• Instead of eating oily foods that irritate your digestive system, eat a balanced meal rich in protein, fiber, and complex carbohydrates.

After all this, have plenty of rest to allow your body to rejuvenate itself before you jump into the fray of your everyday life.

Holi is a beautiful celebration of vibrancy, and you can enjoy it healthy by following the above tips and tricks.

Besides all these, remember to get yourself routinely tested for allergies to ensure a happy, Healthy, and Colorful Holi.

Essential Post Holi Tests For Your Good Health:

Diabetes: Holi Hai should not be your excuse to regale in sweets and delicacies and forget about your blood sugar levels, especially if you are diabetic. Besides being mindful of your diet choices, getting yourself tested post the Holi celebration is essential to check fluctuations in your blood sugar levels (if any) and take timely action. The package includes 61 parameters to help diagnose diabetes and monitor ongoing diabetes treatment efficacy.

Lipid Profile: All the fried food you eat during the Holi chaos doesn't just add extra pounds to your waist but elevates your cholesterol levels, too. Therefore, after overindulging in sweet and fried foods, it’s time to get your health back on track by scheduling a Lipid Profile Test. The test helps measure cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood to screen your risk for cardiovascular disease. So, get tested to take control of your health post-celebrations.

Allergy Test: Post Holi, most people complain of skin rashes, redness, itching, or some sort of allergy, necessitating the need for an Allergy Test. The test aims to help determine the underlying cause of any discomfort you may be experiencing post-celebrations. It detects allergens early on, allowing timely intervention, helping alleviate symptoms and prevent potential complications. So, don’t let post-Holi discomfort linger; manage it proactively.

Hair Fall: Another common issue that most people complain of post-Holi celebration is Hair Fall. Holi colors contain a lot of chemicals that cannot just lead to dryness or itchy skin but can also cause excessive hair loss. Therefore, a test most doctors suggest Post Holi is a Hair Fall Screening Package that diagnoses the cause of hair problems & helps doctors suggest treatment.

Gut Health: It is not new that the overconsumption of Holi delicacies can cause several gastric-related issues like indigestion, constipation, and more. Therefore, after the celebration, it is essential to check your Gut health with a Gut Test to curb the ill effects of fried foods and excess sweets.

These are a few common tests that your doctor may suggest post Holi to track your health and suggest appropriate measures for effective management.

Book Allergy Screen Test With Redcliffe Labs Today!

If you experience skin, stomach, or any other allergy symptoms while being exposed to the colors, it is essential not to overlook them and seek immediate medical assistance. Depending on your symptoms, you may be asked to consider an Allergy Test to determine the cause of the allergy and suggest appropriate treatment to manage the condition effectively. Being Healthy India Ki Trusted Lab, Redcliffe Labs’ Allergy Packages start from Rs 599. So, delay no more and book the Allergy Screening Package Essential with us today.

So, what are you waiting for? Go and enjoy. Holi Hai! But remember to play mindfully to make your Holi celebration Happy and Healthy.