Monsoon has arrived, avoid street food and eat leafy vegetables

The monsoon has covered the whole of India, and with it comes a string of seasonal illnesses. However, with the right steps, one can stay healthy.

With the arrival of monsoon, dreaded diseases like gastroenteritis, typhoid, jaundice dengue and malaria are already on the rise. But some precautions like following a healthy diet can keep one away from them.

"You should boil water at home and shouldn’t take water from vendors. Also see to it that there is no water accumulation around your house. If so, just clear it off since mosquitoes will breed and all mosquito-borne infections will happen. Food has to be healthy. You have to be exercising. This will take care of your health," says Dr Suranjit Chatterjee, a Senior Consultant for Internal Medicine at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals.

Most of the monsoon diseases are food and water borne and doctors say the first step is carrying your water when you're stepping out. Simple steps like washing your hands frequently and eating the right food can give you immunity and help you stay fit this season.

According to doctors, one should avoid street food, unpackaged water and cut fruits. In fact, one must have plenty of seasonal fruits, leafy vegetables, clean water and herbs.

As of May, there have been over 3,800 dengue cases in the country while the malaria figures stand at a much higher rate, over 1,27,000 cases till April 2015.

With the numbers expected to rise, basic steps like using mosquito nets and repellents when you sleep can go a long way in preventing them.