Personal Hygiene Tips for Good Health

Personal Hygiene Tips for Good Health

One of the most effective ways you have to protect yourselves and others from illness is good personal hygiene. Good personal hygiene is the first step to good health. Habits such as washing your hands and brushing and flossing your teeth will help keep bacteria, viruses, and illnesses at bay.

Practicing good body hygiene also helps you feel good about yourself, which is important for your mental health. Proper personal hygiene is essential for social interactions and respect in the professional arena as people who have poor hygiene (body odor, bad breath, etc) often are seen as unhealthy and may face discrimination. The steps below will help you improve your personal hygiene:

  

1.       Bathe Daily: A daily shower is a must whether you feel grungy or not. A regular bath (every morning and after all athletic activities) helps in keeping you clean, fresh and odor free. Cleaning your body is also important to ensure your skin rejuvenates itself, as the scrubbing of your arms, legs, and torso will slough off dead, dry skin and help your skin stay healthy and refreshed, and will prevent acne, blemishes and other skin eruptions. Also, do not share your towel and wash them on a regular basis.
2.    Wash your hands: Washing your hands after using the restroom, before making or eating food, after handling dogs or other pets, after handling garbage, and after coughing or sneezing (or if you have been around someone who is coughing or has cold), goes a long way toward preventing the spread of bacteria and viruses. Most infections, especially colds and gastroenteritis, are caught when you put your unwashed hands, which have germs on them, to your mouth. Hands and wrists should be washed with clean soap and water, using a brush if your nails are dirty. Dry your hands with something clean and dry, such as paper towels.
3.   Trim your nails: Keeping your finger and toenails trimmed and in good shape will prevent problems such as hang nails (when a loose strip of dead skin hangs from the edge of a fingernail) and infected nail beds. If possible, trim them weekly and brush them daily with soap so that no dirt or residue remains beneath the nail. Fingernails should be trimmed straight across and slightly rounded at the top whereas toenails should be trimmed straight across. The best time to cut your nails is after bathing when they are soft and easy to trim. It's also a good idea to moisturize nails and cuticles regularly.
4.         Practice good oral hygiene: The mouth is the area of the body most prone to collecting harmful bacteria and generating infections. Recent studies have found a strong link between gum disease and narrowing of the arteries (a process known as atherosclerosis), which can lead to heart attacks and stroke. The researchers believe that the bacteria that causes gum disease can leave people's infected gums and enter the bloodstream, activating the immune system and making their artery walls inflamed and narrowed. Another theory is that the bacteria enter the blood and attach themselves directly to the fatty deposits that are already present in a person's arteries, causing further narrowing.
5.       To minimize the accumulation of bacteria in your mouth (which can cause tooth decay and gum disease), brush your teeth atleast twice a day and floss daily. It will also help to prevent bad breath. Replacing your toothbrush (after 3-4 months or when bristles become out of shape) is also essential to good oral hygiene. A new toothbrush is free from germs and plaque. Try to store your toothbrush in a place where it can easily dry. In order to have and maintain good oral hygiene, it is critical to visit your dentist at least every six months.
6.          Take care of your hair: Washing your hair at least every other day is important to keeping your hair and scalp healthy and in good shape. If you suffer from lice or dandruff, then take necessary action at the earliest. Also, it is critical that you get a hair cut frequently for healthy hair. The longer you wait to get your hair cut, the more frail and brittle your hair can become, especially if it is longer
7.       Wear Clean Clothes: Wear a fresh set of clothes as often as possible. Dirty clothes are a source of contamination and can cause very serious skin disorders if worn over and over without washing them. Also, try wearing a clean pair of socks every day (especially after athletic activities) as this keep your feet dry and not smelly. Wash clothing and linens on a regular basis as the longer it takes you to clean them the smellier they become.

Good hygienic habits are easy to begin and maintain, and are the most effective ways to protect yourselves and others from many illnesses.