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There are various reasons to maintain a personal hygiene. The human body can provide places for disease causing germs and parasites to grow and multiply. These places include the skin in and around the openings to the body. If good personal hygiene habits are maintained, there are fewer chances of germs and parasites getting inside the body.
Having good personal hygiene is one of the best ways to protect yourself from getting illnesses such as gastroenteritis and the common cold & flu. Washing hands with soap removes germs that can make you ill. Maintaining good personal hygiene will also help prevent you from spreading diseases to other people as well. Good hygiene is vital because it helps prevent you and your family from getting and spreading infections. In order to make it to the point first we need to see flu closely. The any viral flu is a highly contagious disease, usually prevented by vaccination and treated by managing symptoms. Spread by body fluids from infected people, symptoms include a runny nose and sore throat. Flu can affect anyone but is especially serious for babies and older people. The flu spreads easily through families, workplaces, public spaces, childcare centres and schools. Vaccination is the best protection against the flu. However unfortunately world does not have one against Corona Virus at this point of time. So it is important that we take personal hygiene seriously. Personal hygiene includes (a) cleaning your body every day, (b) washing your hands with soap after going to the toilet, (c) brushing your teeth twice a day, (d) covering your mouth and nose with a tissue (or your sleeve) when sneezing or coughing, (e) washing your hands after handling pets and other animals.
There are various reasons to maintain a personal hygiene. The human body can provide places for disease causing germs and parasites to grow and multiply. These places include the skin in and around the openings to the body. If good personal hygiene habits are maintained, there are fewer chances of germs and parasites getting inside the body. Not only at our home, workplaces like office, health centres, hospitals and manufacturing centres and warehouses should maintain a standard operating procedure on personal hygiene.
Since our childhood, we have already heard a phrase million times – “Pay attention to personal hygiene”. It did seem repeating or boring to us; but the present world pandemic has just compelled us to follow this phrase. There are a lot of things we do not know of COVID-19, but we do know one thing it spreads through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Other individuals may get infected when they touch a surface that has virus particles on it and then touch their own mouth, nose, or eyes. Various researches prove that hand hygiene is the very best weapon in any fight between human and contagious disease.
Hygienic cleaning can be done through various ways. Some common methods are:
- Mechanical removal or cleaning using soap or detergent
- Using a method to inactivate the pathogens; waterless hand sanitizers are best
- Killing the bacteria; laundering of clothing and household linens such as towels and bed linen
Our personal hygiene can be divided into various broad categories. Practicing them carefully can prevent the spread of hygiene-related diseases. Some are narrated here:
Hand Hygiene We perform many activities using our hand. During those activities, high chances are there that many disease causing germs can enter our body through the hand. Washing the hands (above the wrist, in between the fingers and nails) properly with soap after completion of the activity and especially before cooking and eating food helps to prevent many diseases. A hygienic hand washing involves the mechanical removal of microorganisms from contaminated hand surfaces using soap or handwash. One alcohol based hand sanitizer is best option while travelling outside.
Facial Hygiene Facial hygiene is also essential to keep away various troubles. It is recommended to wash your face at least twice a day using a facial cleanser or face wash. Do not use soap, body gel or body scrub on the face as it will strip your skin of essential moisture and upset its natural pH balance, making it irritated and dry. While choosing a face wash you must choose one with all the natural ingredients.
Body Hygiene Skin covers the whole body, protects organs and helps to maintain body temperature. Poor skin hygiene can cause skin infections such as scabies, pimples and ringworms. So a proper and good hygiene is really essential for the whole body. Taking regular baths and showers will help prevent body odor and can remove dirt and sweat. Various natural alternatives like Neem or Turmeric are best to keep the skin healthy and to prevent infections.
Hair Hygiene Poor hair hygiene can cause dandruff and skin infections such as Tinea capitis. Dandruff is dead skin on the scalp that comes off in tiny flakes when sebaceous glands produce too much oil and accumulates on the scalp. Oil, dirt and sweat can grow over scalp and it can make the hair greasy and look dirty. So wash your hair regularly. It is advised to clean them with shampoo and conditioner after swimming and exercise.
Only the above mentioned ways are not adequate. We must take care of Dental Hygiene and Feet Hygiene also to complete a full personal hygiene routine. The present situation has taught us that one of the most effective ways we have to protect ourselves and others from illness is good personal hygiene. This is just like a tool to prevent disease and promote better health condition in individuals, families and communities. The failure to keep up a standard of hygiene may have many implications. Even Slightest neglect may lead to infection or disease. So we must take care of our body’s hygiene as well as our surroundings’ cleanliness to enjoy the life optimally.
