Top 10 Home Remedies for Sunstroke

The hot sun is really irritating. The sweltering days of summer make your life miserable, heating you up inside and outside. It also ups the body temperature. One of the most disastrous impacts of this unforgiving sun is sunstroke. It is a phenomenon when your body temperature goes beyond its normal level of 37 degrees Celsius. Studies reveal that extensive exposure to the scorching sun could overheat your body, posing danger to your vital organs as well.

So, why does sunstroke happen and could you prevent it? These are two questions many of us ask. Well, the lack of adequate dehydration is one of the primary causes of sustaining sunstroke. Hence, it is very essential to fill yourself with the requisite quantity of fluids for keeping yourself hydrated.

Maintaining your electrolytic balance is the key to shield yourself from sunstroke. Kids are not fond of drinking water. So encourage them to drink fruits and eat fruit-rich veggies and fruits to ensure that they are protected from the deadly sun attack.

Yet, there are times when you fall prey to the scorching sun despite taking adequate precautionary measures. In such cases, you could always rely on one or more of these home remedies to put yourself or the injured person to ease.

Top 10 Home Remedies For Sunstroke

1. Cold Water

Bring down the rising body temperature by giving yourself a soak in cold water. Ensure that the water is cool and not cold as direct contact with cold water after exposure to the sun could bruise your skin. Soak a bathtub with cool water. Add a cup of baking soda to it and soak yourself for 10 minutes to alleviate the body temperature.

2. Keep yourself hydrated with water

Drink water when you are thirsty, but never on an empty stomach as it worsens sunstroke. Make sure you are drinking warm water as soon as you take shelter from the sun. Grandmothers advise that like repels like and hence warm water helps you sweat and prevent the impacts of sunstroke.

3. Raw Mango Juice

Aam Panna, as it is known in India, is one of the best refreshing and tasty ways to eliminate the negative effects of sunstroke. Enriched with a wide array of spices like cumin, black pepper, and rock salt, this raw mango drink has the power to cool your body. It also contains a good dose of potassium and vitamin C that help in restoring the electrolytic balance and eliminate free radicals.

Related Article: Health Benefits of Mango

4. Tamarind

The tangy tamarind is a good source of natural electrolytes as well as various minerals and vitamins that make it a wonderful natural cooler. Soak gooseberry-sized tamarind in warm water for half an hour. Extract the pulp and mix in a little jaggery, cumin seed powder, and black pepper. Allow the mixture to cool. Dilute with necessary water and sip this concoction. This drink also helps in easing dizziness, upset stomach, and nausea caused by sunstroke.

5. Buttermilk

Buttermilk is rich in probiotics that help in replenishing the body with all those essential minerals and vitamins lost due to continuous sweating. Remove the fatty portion and dilute the buttermilk with a sufficient amount of water. Add crushed curry leaves and coriander leaves along with a pinch of rock salt and asafetida to this diluted mixture. Drink as and when necessary!

6. Tender Coconut

Tender coconut is one of the best ways to rejuvenate the tired and fatigued body. Along with bringing down the soaring body temperature, tender coconut also renders all the essential vitamins and minerals. It also restores the pH level of the body, offering quick relief from sunstroke.

7. Mint

The cooling nature of mint along with detoxification properties makes it a powerful home remedy for sunstroke. Crush a handful of mint leaves and add it to cool water. Flavor with a little honey and cumin seeds to ease your uneasiness. A mixture of crushed mint with baking soda can be applied on your skin to heal bruises instilled by the sun.

8. Onions

People of Maharastra keep onions in their hands when they step out in the hot sun to protect themselves from sunstroke. Freshly extracted onion juice can be applied behind your ears and on your chest to ease and ward off the stroke. Inclusion of onions in your diet could also offer relief from the effects of the heatwave. Roast 2 tbsp onions until they turn brown. Mix it with cumin seed powder and half a teaspoon sugar and consume it for immediate relief from sunstroke.

9. Lemons

Lemons are rich in Vitamin C and other powerful antioxidants that help in eliminating the ill-effects of the free radicals induced by the sun. It helps the body to regain its electrolytic balance and promotes detoxification. It also helps in easing nausea and diarrhea induced by sunstroke. Add one teaspoon sugar, 2 pinches salt, and one pinch cooking soda to lemon juice diluted with 300 ml water. Drink this concoction before and after coming into contact with the sun.

10. Fenugreek

The cooling properties of fenugreek seeds and leaves are well-known. Soak a handful of fenugreek seeds in water overnight. Drink this water on an empty stomach in the morning to cool your body and protect yourself from the heat. Crushed fenugreek leaves can be applied on the body to ease and prevent the sores induced by the sun.

Include a good dose of fruits and veggies rich in water like cucumber, oranges, and watermelon in your diet. Stay away from alcohol, caffeine, aerated drinks, and sugar foods. Cut down the intake of sodium. Exercise moderately.

More About Sunstroke

Common Symptoms of Sunstroke

• High body temperature (40 degree centigrade or even higher)
• Skin becoming dry and hot
• Persistent and agonizing headache
• Loss of consciousness
• Muscle contraction and pain
• Speedy breathing
• Rapid heart beats
• Redness of the skin
• Nausea followed vomiting
• Excessive sweating
• Dizziness and fainting
• Palpitations
• Hallucinations

Causes of Sunstroke

• The first important cause is the excessive exposure to high temperature. Like working outdoor for a long time, during the summer
• Drinking too much of alcohol sometimes leads to sunstroke
• Heavy exercise for a long time particularly in the summer can cause sunstroke
• Working while having high fever contributes to sunstroke
• When water and salt (sodium and chloride) become less (dehydration) in the body, sunstroke can attack anytime.
• Even less sweating increases the risks of sunstroke, most of the time

Your opinions on the above home remedies that works great for sunstroke. Remember to contact doctor immediately after trying these remedies as a first aid. Prevention is better than cure. So take care and stay safe!