Skip to main content

Blog82: Bihar's Muzaffarpur Dealth:Is Litchi the only Culprit?


Litchis are usually a favourite with most, but it's not without its deadly side, literally. Eating unripe litchi on an empty stomach has been linked with outbreaks of high fever followed by seizures and death in young children from poor socio-economic backgrounds in rural Muzaffarpur in Bihar and other litchi-growing regions in India during the harvest season in May and June.
The summer fruit could be rich in Vitamin C but having it on an empty stomach should be a strict no-no. Also, skipping a meal after eating the fruit might not be advisable as unripe litchi contains a toxin, called methylene-cyclo-propyl-glycine (MCPG), which can drastically bring down the blood sugar level, especially in children, making it lethal for them. Malnourishment adds to the fast deterioration of an affected person's health. 
Reports showed that the dangerous combination of eating litchi on an empty stomach and skipping meal could result in acute low blood glucose level and lead to acute encephalopathy syndrome (AES), a condition that altered brain functions, causing convulsions, coma and in some cases, death.
Other Factor Responsible:
  • Malnutrition
  • Heat stroke
  • Unhygienic conditions
Litchi is not the only culprit above factors are also responsible for AES.
Take Away:
  • Eat ripened litchis but avoid the fruit when you’re fasting.
  • Provide ORS to balance the electrolyte levels to those who suffering from AES. Give them plenty of water for hydration.
  • Do not step out in the peak hours or under lazing sun to avoid heat strokes.
  • Drink plenty of water. Instead of having tea or coffee, consume water, lemon water, aam pana and sattu drink.
  • Keep yourself hydrated.
If you like the blog please share with you friends and family. See you in next blog, till then stay happy, healthy and keep reading.. & don't forget to like Second Thought's Facebook Page and follow me on Instagram. 
Also Read: Beat the heat
Thank You!!

Labels

Labels:
Location: Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

Blog67: Good Carbohydrates vs. Bad Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates  are important to fuel source for our body. Cells in our body rely on glucose to carry out their tasks. Nearly 45 to 65 % of our calories are made up of carbs. When daily carbohydrate needs are met, our body stores the extra carbs in the form of glycogen. This helps us stay without food for several hours and at the same time maintain the required blood sugar levels. It is very important to choose the right kind of carbs. Carbs from added sugar are harmful, and one should avoid it, on the other hand, carbs from fruits, vegetables, and other high-fiber sources are good for health. Now have a look at the glycaemic index, some good & bad sources of carbs. What is the glycaemic index? Carbohydrate is an essential part of our diets, but not all carbohydrate foods are equal.  The glycaemic index (GI) is a rating system for foods containing carbohydrates. It shows how quickly each food affects your blood sugar (glucose) level when that food is eaten...
15 comments
Know more »

Blog101: Test Your Knowledge of COVID-19

Welcome Readers, T his time we have taken a step further to spread the awareness of COVID-19 in an interactive way by arranging a small quiz to test your knowledge of COVID-19. Q1: What are the most common symptoms of COVID-19? Dry feces Fever, tiredness and dry cough Rashes Itching on the body Q2: How far away should you stay from a person who is sick? At least 1 meter away Less than 1 meter away  6 meter away There is no need to stay away from any person Q3: Stigma and discrimination may lead to a situation where the coronavirus is Less likely to spread More likely to spread It cannot affect the spread of the virus I don’t know Q4: What will help to stop the spread of the COV...
16 comments
Know more »

Blog91: Desi Protein Powder "Sattu"

It's ironic but there are some foods off our radar because they are easily available and inexpensive. For some reason, health is now an expensive proposition. Or perhaps we expect that we need to pay a lot to be healthy. A case in point is expensive protein powders that we order online when the solution really lies in our backyards. Sattu, a flour made up of roasted Bengal gram (and sometimes a bit of barley), is available around the corner. It's considered "poor man's food" as it is popular among those who do manual labour. One of the biggest benefits of this wonderful food is that it makes you immensely robust. Eating sattu in breakfast gives you a boost of protein before you begin the day. Nutritional Background 60 grams (4 tbsp) of this roasted flour will give you 19.7 grams of high-quality protein along with – Calcium and magnesium (a fantastic combination as magnesium helps calcium get better absorbed into the body). This makes it excellen...
25 comments
Know more »