Holi, an annually celebrated ‘festival of colors’ to be celebrated on the 17th & 18th of March this year in India and across the world. As Holi is just a few days, all of us must have started our preparations for the festival by stocking colors and water balloons. To keep your Holi celebration health-friendly, here are some of safety tips from Kailash Hospital !
The Holi festival comes when we are pulling ourselves out of the third wave of the COVID-19 and gearing up to face economic and geopolitical fluctuations. The pandemic has inflicted several humanitarian challenges in front of us but it has also taught several healthy lessons. Alongside in India, the spring season has started, signifying changes in weather due to which many of us are feared of getting a viral fever and cold. Amidst festivities many of us forget about the precautionary steps that we should keep in mind. So we need to be more careful about our health keeping in mind that viral diseases remain unseen. Further, it is our responsibility to make people aware of the environmental impacts of celebrating Holi and encourage people to celebrate it in a health-friendly manner.
Know what to avoid this Holi-
- Non-organic fire material (plastics & tire tubes) during Holika fire
- Use of chemically toxic colors & powders
- Use of excessive water and mud water
- Using sprays and balloons
- Consuming sugar & other dietary items in access
- Eye exposure to chemical substances
- Using chemical colors post skin treatment
During Holi celebrations, colors are dispersed on each other but, over the time throwing of chemical color has become a hallmark that causes several risks to our health, especially to the eyes, skin, and respiratory system. Modern versions of colors especially powder color and impure water not only cause skin problems but also affect eyesight if pass through. Using potentially toxic powders also causes respiratory problems. So in order to cater to these challenges, everyone has to develop a habit of playing a safe & health-friendly Holi with natural colors and happiness.
What Unique You Can do?
Before going to play Holi, we can rub almond oil on the entire body including face and neck. This works as a barrier layer on our skin and helps in reducing the harmful effect of toxic colors on our skin. Further, the oil can also be used on hairs from lengths to the roots. Tying hairs in a knot is also helpful to reduce the amount of contact with color. A broad spectrum & preferably feasible sunscreen can also be used on the skin. For the safety of lips we can use petroleum containing balm and for nails dark color nail paint can be preferred. In addition, wearing full-sleeves and dark color clothes made up of Cotton or Lenin are also advised to avoid the chemicals exposure to the skin.
After playing Holi, we should use gentle and foaming washers along with detergent based soaps to depose color from clothes. Taking bath and again moisturizing our skin are also important. In case of extensive skin redness, itching and burning you may consult a Dermatologist at Kailash Hospital.
Make this Holi Colourful & Health-Friendly:
In order to celebrate Holi in an eco-friendly manner, you can make your own Herbal Colors, can make Pichkari from used Plastic bottles, and avoid excessive use of water. Natural colors are traditionally made of Neem, Kumkum, Haldi, Mehndi, Bilva, and other medicinal herbs prescribed by Ayurvedic experts.
It is found that herbal colors are mixed with the soil and water; they do not consist of any toxic substance, so it doesn’t harm the myriad life that lives in water and soil. Apart from this, herbal colors do not cause any irritation, skin allergy, respiratory problem, or any other kind of health problem. Additionally, to avoid any type of hazardous effect on the skin, doctors have suggested using natural or herbal Gulal over the chemically-toxic powder.
Herbal Colors an alternative of Chemical Powders–
- Mix Haldi powder with besan for lovely yellow color.
- For an orange-red paste, dry Henna (Mehndi) leaves, crush them to make powdered. Then mixed with water it can be used as another natural color.
- Boil dried fruits of Amla in iron vessels and leave them overnight. Next, dilute them with water and use them as light-green colors.
Wishing You A Health-Friendly Holi !