The rainy season brings many benefits: water for the garden, a respite from the excruciating heat and an excuse to stay cuddled in bed or have another cup of coffee.
But it also comes with plenty of health concerns such as cholera, typhoid fever, leptospirosis and water-borne diseases from bacteria and viruses found in unclean drinking and flood water. Vector-borne diseases such as dengue and malaria have been known to cause serious complications and even death.
Good thing there are simply yet effective preventive measures one can take to keep the entire family safe during the wet season.
Live healthier
Whatever the season, investing in one’s health is important. Eating a balanced diet and limiting salty, oily and sugary foods is a good start. Make sure to drink lots of water and incorporate fruits and vegetables in daily meals. Take the WFH or hybrid work or school setup to make your own food at home to monitor salt and sugar intake as well.
Get moving. A 10-minute exercise or meditation is so much better than no exercise at all. Start small — find simple exercise videos on YouTube or walk or run around the neighborhood in the morning. Gradually do longer and more targeted exercises and make sure to keep doing them regularly.
Vitamin supplements, in particular those for boosting the immunity, can help as well. This is especially true for those not able to get their daily nutritional requirements from food.
Keep your home and surroundings clean
Damp indoor areas, especially during sustained rainy days, can trigger allergies. This is why it is important to keep the home clean and hygienic at all times.
With dengue cases in the country rising in recent months, it is even more crucial to make sure all areas in the house — yes, even the backyard and downspout — are clean and will not collect stagnant water where mosquitoes can breed. There are government initiatives preventing further spread of the disease, but maintaining a mosquito-free household should be a priority for everyone.
Discard any existing and potential mosquito-breeding grounds. An old tire, a trash can or old gutters should be routinely checked, drained, cleaned and turned over to prevent them from collecting water. Change curtains regularly and check often overlooked corners to make sure no mosquitos or other insects stay there. Check also areas under the bed, table or cabinets as these, too, are potential hiding places of dengue- and malaria-causing mosquitoes.
Hydrate with clean, safe water
Make sure the family has access to clean drinking water during the rainy season, in particular during typhoons.
The Aqua SmartGuard by Waterlogic, the world’s first COVID-19-secure water dispenser, promises a clean, safe and healthy drinking water every time — rainy season or not. With a revolutionary firewall UVC technology that sanitizes water and removes bacteria, viruses and contaminants, including the COVID-19 virus, not only is the water the family drinks clean and safe, it is also free of bad taste and smell.
The Aqua SmartGuard features carbon filters that clear the water of impurities without removing necessary minerals. Its unit surface, nozzle, tray and dispensing buttons are also protected from bacteria through the BioCote, a premium antimicrobial surface protection. Biocote uses silver ion to repel microbes from the surface in just 15 minutes and reduces up to 99.5 percent of bacteria within 2 hours.
This world-class water dispenser, which has ISO 9001 certification and recognition from the Water Quality Association (WQA), Energy Star and the Water Regulatory Advisory Scheme (WRAS), also features different temperature types — ambient, cold, hot and extra hot — to accommodate various drinking preferences.
The modern and stylish Aqua SmartGuard water dispenser comes with Total Care Service for hassle-free installation and maintenance, including filter and UV lamps replacement, for only P1,490 monthly fee.
With the Philippines facing approximately 20 storms per year, Filipinos have learned many ways to cope with and survive unpredictable weather. But with COVID-19 still around and the flu season bringing it with other illnesses, it pays to be careful and healthy, rain or shine.