Maintaining good health and hygiene

             HEALTH AND HYGIENE

The year 2020 was a learning year for the world. Humanity was taken back to the basic principles of  healthy living . The simple act of washing our hands was crucial in saving millions of lives as it prevented the spread of the deadly Wuhan virus. A stark reminder of how important hygiene is to a healthy life. 

Hygiene refers to good practices that prevent disease and lead to good health, especially cleanliness, proper disposal of wastewater and drinking water supply. It refers to all the activities that are done to improve and preserve, maintain good health. 

Personal hygiene is important for both health and social reasons. It entails; keeping your hands, head and body clean so as to stop the spread of germs and illnesses. Your personal hygiene benefits your own health and impacts the lives of those around you, too.

What does a good personal hygiene routine look like?

1.Hand  washing

The simplest way to a good proper hygiene is by washing your hands. We use our hands for a variety of purposes from typing in our laptops , playing outside in the dirt, touching garbage while cleaning, playing with animals to the normal greetings . Thus our hands are the biggest germ carriers and as such we should tend to them regularly.

You should wash your hands:

Before eating or cooking food

Before picking up a baby

After visiting the toilet

After coughing or sneezing, or being in contact with someone who is ill

After being in contact with animals

2. Dental care

We should take care of our teeth to avoid hazards that may come if we neglect them . These include gum disease, bad breath, tooth decay and infections. Remember to always:

Make sure you and your family brushes their teeth twice a day – after breakfast, and before bed

Floss the teeth daily

Store your tooth brush in a clean, dry place and replace it after three months.

3. Bathingt

Keeping our bodies clean is also an important part of hygiene. One will not only feel confident with a clean body but will also feel easier to approach and converse with. Daily bathing is an integral part of personal hygiene because:

Bathing daily with soap and warm water prevents body odour because it kills the odour-causing bacteria.

Skin infections such as Athlete’s Foot can be reduced by carefully washing and drying the affected areas daily.

Shampoo and condition your hair at least once a week to keep the scalp clean and prevent head lice.

After being out all day or being caught in an unexpected downpour, get home and take a warm shower.

In these tough times we have been reminded that a simple act such as washing your hands goes along way in ensuring your well being. Many diseases are easily preventable by just maintaining proper hygiene . If 2020 could be summed up in a slogan it would be  "Wash Hands and Save Lives". Good hygiene good health.