Monsoon health myths: Are these fact or fiction?

Do you catch cold if you get soaked in the rain? Should you avoid eating fish in the wet season? We examine the truth behind all these monsoon health tips.

Monsoon marks the end of sweltering dry and hot weather. It is the time when you go cham-cham in the rains; eat garam bhujiyas and drink adrak wali chai (ginger tea) and show off your photography skills.

It is the season when we sometimes love getting wet and feeling every raindrop fall from the sky.

And, of course, children love getting out in the rain and playing in the puddles.

But the sudden change from dry climate to a wet one also reduces the immunity, making us vulnerable to many diseases which are commonly associated with the season. As a result, there are many myths that float around regarding the monsoons. So let's separate the myth from science -- move on to the following pages to learn more about them!

This must likely have happened to you sometime, so it's is not entirely false. But there is something more to it.

You catch a cold not because you get wet (hey, you get wet every morning when taking a bath), but because you get exposed to the cold virus in the slush and mud created by rain. There are more than 100 viruses which can result in a cold, and they can live for weeks in the cold, damp slush.

Also, some theories suggest that staying out in the rain for extended periods of time can drop your body temperature, leading to a weakened immune system. This can also make you more susceptible to cold viruses.

This, sadly, is true. If you like street food, the rainy season isn't the time to indulge.

The water pollution, coupled with unhygienic environmental factors makes the monsoon the best breeding season for bacteria and germs. It's best to steer clear of eating street food during the rains.

Stick to freshly cooked, home-made food and make sure you wash all vegetables thoroughly. You can even store cooked food in the fridge, but heat it up before eating.

Delightfully, this is very true. Ginger is the best known warming spice and is especially beneficial in the monsoons, when the outside temperatures are very low.

Ginger also has antiseptic properties and anti-inflammatory properties, and is very effective in combating various respiratory problems such as cold, cough, flu and asthma.

To add a bit of sweetness, you can add honey to your tea. Honey helps protect against cough because of the soothing effect it has on the throat.

The dirty water from the pool deck can get mixed with the pool water, making it a breeding ground for bacteria. When you swim in this contaminated water, you become more susceptible to catching a bacterial infection on account of the water entering your mouth.

Also, the local beaches becomes polluted owing to overflow of sewage drainage and therefore, they are not a safer option when it comes to swimming either.

This is partially true, but it is not necessary to take a cold shower -- you can take a hot shower too. The primary reason behind bathing is to get rid of all the dirt that sticks to your body when you get wet in the rain.

This is not true. The primary reason behind this myth is that in the monsoons, fishermen avoid going out to sea. So a majority of the stock comes from frozen fish, which is not fresh. But if you have access to fresh fish, don't worry and indulge by all means.

Again, not true! It is not the air conditioner's fault. It's the sudden decrease in temperature, coupled with the drop in your body temperature as moisture evaporates that causes your immunity to decline. This may or may not cause fever. But it has nothing to do with air conditioning.

Make sure you dry yourself properly using a towel before sitting under the fan or AC. However, sitting in an air conditioned room can increase the likelihood of you catching a cold, because an enclosed space is ideal for the contagious cold virus to spread.