Play Holi Safely

My Health Guardian brings you an update on ways to celebrate safe Holi with all the fun and minus pain and inconveniences, especially if you have small children at home. Obviously, this sounds a better way of celebrating Holi. Isn’t prevention better than cure?

What meets eye

During Holi eye injuries are on rise, a majority of them are because of balloons hitting an eye. Children go wild in playing with water and dry colours. Obviously this makes them prone to injuries.
Eye traumas arising out of Holi include –
o Direct injury- when a water-filled balloon hits an eye it causes maximum damage and it could result in vision loss of the affected eye.
o Abrasion and problems due to chemical toxicity- Usually sand and mica, glass, talc and starch are mixed in colour. It damages eye, may result in impairment of eyesight. If the coloured water splashes in eyes it can damage the ocular surface and cause temporary visual disability, discomfort and complications that pose a great danger to the vision.

Toxic colours
o Colours appear innocent but they are not. Colours can harbour acids, powdered glass and asbestos, silica, oxides, copper sulphate and mercury sulphite to name a few. The speckled shine in colours comes from silica and mica – substances that can cause skin irritations and even damage your vision.
o If you start feeling nauseous after playing with wet or dry colours see your doctor immediately. Aloe Vera gel and Calamine lotion are good skin soothers post the celebrations.
Play safe
o Dress your child in full-sleeve shirts and trousers, preferably denims.
o Smear her with oil all over including hair.
o If she agrees, make her wear dental caps to protect her teeth from staining.
o Sunglasses can keep her eyes safe.

Still the best way to enjoy Holi minus hassles is to play it naturally. Involve your children in the process and they are going to love it.
o Red Gulal–Just pluck some red hibiscus flowers, shade-dry and powder them to the lovely red colour. You can even add flour to add to its bulk.
o Green Gulal–Shade-dry and powder the Gulmohar leaves for the ‘ever green’ colour.
o Yellow Gulal–Sunny yellow gulal is best made with dry marigold flowers. As usual, grind them to powder after shade drying.

Make water  colours naturally

o Blood red–Lal chandan, a popular beauty cosmetic, can make for the blood red water colour. Add two teaspoonful of chandan to five litres of water and dilute further with twenty litres. As an alternative, you may even try tomato and carrot juices!

o Natural Green–Take spinach, mint leaves, coriander and grind them to paste.

o Royal Magenta– Chop one beetroot down to slices and soak overnight in a litre of water. When you wake up in the morning, your lovely magenta would be ready.

o Patriotic Saffron—This one requires saffron stalks. Though expensive this colour is an eye catcher. soak some saffron stalks for 4-5 hours and grind them to paste. You may dilute it with more of water afterwards.

Let us limit the Holi damage to spoilt clothes and floors and save our skin, eyes and hairs from the after effects.

Related Posts

1. Take Care of Your Eyes
2. Wash Off Colour with Ease This Holi
3. Skin and Hair Care Tips For Holi
4. Celebrate Healthier Holi
5. Detox Post Holi