As the country gears up for the UAE National Day weekend, with offers, events, and food exploration, one thing that everyone must take care of is their overall health and well-being. It’s peak tourism time in the UAE, and scores of people are set to flock to their favorite destinations to make the most of the holiday season. So, as you gear up for festive cheer, here’s what you should also consider.
Dr. Zeynep Zehra Gümüş, M.D., Internal Medicine Specialist at Aster Royal Clinic, Springs Souk, shares a few tips to take care of overall well-being during the UAE National Day weekend and in general. She explains that even if the immune system is functioning well, people are not so ‘vulnerable’ to many viruses and bacteria.
We asked about the rising trend of mask-wearing, and she said, “So it’s not necessary to wear a mask. We can handshake, but now, we are all mostly indoors, the carriers of cold cases rise due to conditioning; it is quite important.”
Dr. Zeynep highlighted a few aspects that one must look at: “So maybe they can choose to socialize outdoors, or engage in other activities. Vitamin D is quite important, but in Dubai, many people are deficient of the same, so it’s better to check vitamin D levels first and get better. Because there are some supplements that we need to visit the doctor before taking, like vitamin D. And also, they can take *vitamin C 1000 mg if they want to boost their immunity. A minimum of 10 to 15 milligrams of zinc will also help. Many people are already taking supplements, so they should be more careful about the milligrams.”
We also asked about the rising cough cases, likely due to the dropping temperatures, to which, Dr. Zehra responded, “It can be an allergy, or it can be a cold caused by viruses and bacteria. The weather change is affecting people, and lots of travel contributes to more common flu symptoms.”
Here’s her recommendation: “Maybe choose other activities rather than staying inside. If they must be indoors, they should make sure there are open windows, and they should be careful about the humidity. If the weather is too dry, they can use air humidifiers. If someone is sick, it’s better to avoid socializing. Social activities should be limited because usually, most of the cases are contagious for five days. So, if they have these symptoms, it’s better to avoid social events for five days.”
Dr. Zeynep highlighted a few aspects that one must look at: “So maybe they can choose to socialize outdoors, or engage in other activities. Vitamin D is quite important, but in Dubai, many people are deficient of the same, so it’s better to check vitamin D levels first and get better. Because there are some supplements that we need to visit the doctor before taking, like vitamin D. And also, they can take *vitamin C 1000 mg if they want to boost their immunity. A minimum of 10 to 15 milligrams of zinc will also help. Many people are already taking supplements, so they should be more careful about the milligrams.”
