Weather the Weather: A seasonal guide to food, fitness, skincare and staying healthy

As festivities bring a nip in the air, out come light layers and away go airy muls — at least in the north. But do your food, fitness and skincare need a wardrobe change too? Start adjusting when the weather shifts. Ayurveda calls this seasonal transition ritu sandhi. Summer brings heat; monsoon, dampness and infections; winter, dry skin and respiratory troubles. Festivities add travel, late nights, rich food, alcohol and pollution. Wait for sunburn, rashes, acidity or exhaustion, and you’re playing catch-up. Gradually adjust meals, movement, sleep and self-care before symptoms arrive. Here’s your ready reckoner to stay ahead of every season.

Before The Heat

When to start: Late February–MarchThe first signs of summer isn’t mercury rising, but thirst, fatigue, oilier skin, more breakouts, headaches or simply discovering that your usual routine suddenly feels too heavy

Food fundas: Put hydration on the menu with coconut water, lime, kokum, cucumber and watermelon. As Dr Shankar Zanwar, gastroenterologist says, after substantial sweating, replenish electrolytes, including sodium. Adjust fluids to heat, activity and sweating rather than a fixed litre count.


Skin signs: Skin responds to heat, humidity and UV, so swap heavy creams for gel or fluid moisturisers. Start daily sunscreen before summer sets in: Choose broad-spectrum SPF 30-50 with PA+++ protection. Use approximately two finger-lengths for the face and neck; reapply every two to three hours outdoors and after heavy sweating or swimming. If you’re prone to melasma or pigmentation, start early

Body basics: Watch for dehydration, heat fatigue, diarrhoea and foodborne infections, alongside sunburn, prickly heat, acne and fungal infections. Pay attention to refrigeration and avoid cooked food left sitting in the heat.

Before The Rains

WHEN TO START: Late May The monsoon changes more than the weather: Skin stays damp, while food and water need extra care.

Food fundas: Unsafe water, contaminated ice, unhygienic raw salads, undercooked food and meals left out for hours can cause gastrointestinal infections. Choose sealed bottled or properly treated water when safety is uncertain. Wash hands before eating.

Skin signs: Humidity slows sweat evaporation, leaving the skin wet, especially in folds, between toes and inside footwear. Ringworm, intertrigo, folliculitis, athlete’s foot and nail-fold infections thrive. Change damp clothes and socks promptly; keep footwear clean and dry.

“Avoid steroid-containing combination creams for unexplained itchy rashes. They can suppress symptoms while fungal infections spread and become harder to treat and recur.”— Dr Mikki Singh, dermatologist

Monsoon kit

-Extra towels

-Cotton clothes

- Quick-dry socks and dry footwear

-Lightweight sunscreen and moisturise

-Antifungal anti-dandruff products, if advised

-Safe drinking water

Pat skin dry after bathing; choose light, non - comedogenic skincare.

- Monsoon isn’t a sunscreen holiday : Clouds don’t eliminate UV exposure.

Before The Cold

WHEN TO START: OctoberWinter calls for protecting skin and, for vulnerable people, respiratory health.Food fundas: Thirst can fade in cold weather, but fluid needs remain. Put hydration on the menu with dal, shorba, soups and broths.

Skin signs: Switch to a richer cream with ceramides, glycerine or hyaluronic acid; apply after bathing while skin is damp. Choose a gentle cleanser and ease off exfoliation and strong actives if skin stings. Keep sunscreen, particularly in the hills.

Body basics: More time indoors and worsening air quality can compound winter’s respiratory risks, particularly for people with asthma, COPD or other chronic lung conditions. Continue prescribed inhalers even when symptoms are controlled. Move exercise indoors when AQI is poor; vulnerable people should avoid enclosed, overcrowded spaces. Reduce viral transmission with hand hygiene, covered coughs and sneezes, ventilation and staying home when feverish.

Not every cough for fever needs an antibiotic. Most seasonal respiratory infections are viral.— Dr Lancelot Pinto, pulmonologist


Winter Kit –

-Rich moisturiser, lip balm, hand and foot cream

-Gentle cleanser - Fibre-rich foods and hydrating soups

-Prescribed medicines and inhalers - Warm layers

-Avoid hot showers: They strip natural oils and can worsen dryness, itching, eczema and psoriasis.

-Changes in air quality, temperature, noise and sunlight can affect sleep and energy. Maintain a consistent routine.

Before the festivities

WHEN TO START: 3-4 weeks before major celebrationsFestivities bring travel, crowds, late nights, rich food, alcohol, makeup and pollution.

Food fundas: Don’t skip meals to “save calories” for a party. Eat regularly, include protein, choose smaller portions, eat slowly and moderate alcohol. High-fat food, overeating and irregular meal timings can leave you with bloating, reflux and indigestion.

Skin signs: A new facial, peel, laser treatment or injectable just before an event? Bad timing. Plan procedures well ahead, allowing recovery time as advised. As Dr Shifa Yadav, dermatologist says, avoid lastminute product experiments; patch-test new makeup 48 hours ahead. Artificial jewellery, kumkum and black henna can trigger contact allergies. However late the night, remove your makeup.

Body basics: Firecracker smoke and poor air quality can trigger symptoms in people with asthma, COPD and other chronic respiratory conditions. As Dr Behram S Pardiwalla, Internal Medicine specialist says, limit smoke exposure, continue prescribed inhalers and check AQI before outdoor exercise. Protect your sleep schedule.

Festive checklist

Skin: No last-minute products procedures

Food: Keep regular meals; prioritise protein.

Gut: Smaller portions, slower eating, moderate alcohol.

Sleep: Make room for rest.

Respiratory health: Keep prescribed medicines ready; watch AQI and limit smoke.

Infections: Practise hand hygiene; prioritise ventilations and safe food and water

Hydration: Don’t let travel, alcohol and late nights displace fluids.

“No fasting, no detoxing and no punishing yourself to compensate. Simply return to normal balanced meals, hydration, sleep and activity” Pooja Makhija, celebrity nutritionist

The 30-Day Idea

What Ayurveda gets right about seasonal changeRitucharya is the Ayurvedic practice of adapting food, activity and daily routine to changing seasons. The most useful concept here is ritu sandhi — the transition between two seasons. Traditionally, it covers the final 15 days of one season and the first 15 days of the next. In practical terms, this means gradually reducing habits suited to the outgoing season and introducing those appropriate to the incoming one rather than making an abrupt switch. It also means accepting that there is no single seasonal routine for everyone. Climate, location, age, digestive capacity, strength, occupation and health all matter.

DON’T…

Self-administer panchakarma. These are therapeutic interventions requiring assessment and supervision. Assume herbal means harmless. Overdo oil therapies. Abhyanga may be recommended in certain seasons, but the oil, frequency and duration should suit the individual. Follow the same seasonal diet regardless of where you live. Winter in north India is not the same as winter down south.

“Eat according to the season and your digestive capacity. Hydrate appropriately. Maintain regular meal and sleep rhythms. Move your body but adjust intensity to the climate. Make changes gradually ”— Dr Jouhar Kanhirala, chief medical officer, CGH Earth Ayurveda / Kalari Kovilakom

NOTE TO SELF

You don’t need a new diet or routine every few months. You need to notice what the weather is asking of you. The point of preparing early isn’t to prevent every illness. It’s to make the predictable problems less likely — and to recognise the unpredictable ones sooner.