It’s tempting to spend a dreary day curled up under the covers or camped out on the couch. But if you’re trying to stay active or shed some pounds, you gotta get up. Take advantage of the less than ideal spring weather and tackle a nagging project or try a new indoor activity. At the end of the day, you’ll be tuckered out and entitled to a spot on the sofa.
Food like dal grains, soup, pasta, that is supposed to be served hot must be served Piping Hot. Often pasta is served lukewarm, which makes it an ideal environment for bacterial growth. When placing your order, specify that you want it very hot.
Frozen foods like ice-cream must be served “Completely Frozen”. At home make sure you do not refreeze melted ice-cream as it becomes a good environment for bacterial growth. This could lead to food poisoning. Avoid eating raw food in the form of salads; you never know if they have been washed, cleaned and stored well at the right temperature before being served to you. You can enjoy fresh salads at home instead but avoid if you are eating out. Chutneys and sauces are usually allowed to stand at room temperature for several hours in restaurants and are loaded with harmful microorganisms. Avoid if possible. Coconut chutney should be avoided because it has a lot of nutrients which aid the growth of bacteria. Avoid milk products, especially sweets, if the restaurant or outlet you are buying them from does not store/ display them at controlled temperatures. This is because the high sugar content and the milk together provide a suitable environment for bacterial growth. Avoid eating at roadside eateries esp. those serving pani puri or bhel puri as the chutney may lack hygiene and could be the cause of an upset stomach or even food poisoning.
Tips that people can do on a rainy day
- De-clutter/Organise
While not the same as cleaning, organising your house is a great way to clean up and know where everything is. This time of year is a perfect time as well, as it is the new year and it would be nice to de-clutter the place, especially after Christmas. - Start (or better yet complete) a project
If you have had a project lying around and haven’t been able to finish it, give it another go on a rainy day. It is not like there is much else (bar what is on this list to try) and then you have the satisfaction of completing it, and having a free day when it is sunny again. - Catch up on your email/projects/tasks
Not many people I know have a clean Inbox at home (or at work for that matter ;p), or they have a number of things on their To-Do list that have not had a chance to be crossed off. Well now is the perfect time to get it all in order. Catch up on correspondence, email people you have been meaning to email, clear out the stuff in your Inbox and decide what you are going to do with the To Dos and maybe do some of them. - Socialise/Have a friend/s over
While it is not fun to drive around in the wet, it might be a day to go visit someone you havent seen for awhile, or better yet have them come over to your place. You could even have a bit of a roster between a group of friends of whom to visit when it is raining. - Cook
If you like to cook, a rainy day is the perfect time to cook a bunch of your favourite recipes or try new ones. Of course while it is tempting to eat all that food for yourself, especially when raining, it might be advisable for your waistline to only have some of the food and share it around. - Movie marathon
Who doesn’t like watching their favourite movies or tv series? So why not spend the day on the coach and watch your favourite shows/movies. Of course you can combine it with socialising and cooking to make it a hell of a day, instead of a boring, dreary rainy one. - Monsoon also brings in hair care problems like stickiness and dandruff, which leads to hair falling.
Wash your hair regularly and when you use shampoo, take care that you use a mild one. After every wash use conditioner. - Game Day
Pull out those old board games or a pack of cards, and have fun the ol’ fashion way. Of course if you want to be more advanced you might try some of the new, fang dangled board games, or even play online. - Read a good book
Nothing beats curling up on a coach, perhaps with the fire on or the heat turned up, covered with a doona, and getting into a good book. Perhaps you have a few books you have been meaning to read and just haven’t gotten around to yet, or want to re-read a favourite. Now is the perfect time. Don’t forget the warm food as well. - The number one way to spend a rainy day is – relax
How often have you pushed yourself to do things? When have you had a chance to unwind and recharge. You may spend the rainy day doing one of the above items to help you relax, but which ever way you do it, spend a rainy day recharging your batteries. There is nothing better.
