Tips on how to survive this harmattan season.

Harmattan is a dry and dusty weather which is observed between the end of November and the middle of March. It is usually characterized by a cold, dry, dusty wind in the evenings until the early hours of the morning.

Below are tips that will help you survive the harmattan period

Drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration, at least 1.5 - 2 liters per day. During harmattan there is little amount of water in the atmosphere (low humidity) this increases the spread of infections or diseases. The harmatan has various effects on our health and can trigger a lot of diseases. 

The most common health problems during this season include Common Cold, Asthma, Sickle Cell Crisis, Eye problem (appolo) and catarrh, bronchitis, pneumonia, dry Skin, Tonsillitis, Nose Bleeding, Bronchitis, Burns, Road Traffic Accidents and many other health problems. 

It is good for us to protect ourselves from those infections in the spirit of staying healthy. If we plan to stay healthy during harmattan, the following healthy practices can be adopted to cope with the season viz: 

a. Wear thick cloths to keep you warm especially the children and the elderly. 

b. Wear protective devices on the eyes (spectacles ) and also cover the nose and mouth, possibly with mask.

c. Apply oily creams to the body to keep the skin healthy. Also apply lip balms and oily cream to the soles of the feet, it will help to prevent them from cracking. 

d. If Asthmatic, reduce exposure to dirty and dusty atmosphere and always keep the inhaler or your emergency drug at your beck and call. 

e. Don't underestimate the importance of exercise, no matter how small it is.

f. Wash fruits and vegetables properly before eating to prevent the spread of infections. Finally, to prevent the incidents of burns, switch off all electrical appliances after use and quench naked fire when not in use. 

Culled from social media