ProWriters Hub Week 5: Personal Hygiene: How It Has Helped Me Live A Healthy Life 11/8/2022

Preface

Personal hygiene isn't just what one learns in school, although at some point it's taught, rather the learning starts from the home right from childhood, and anyone who fails to learn and practice it from then will likely have a problem at adulthood
Having said that, let's see what hygiene is all about.

What Is Hygiene?

Hygiene is simply a practice, method or process of keeping oneself and their surroundings, environment clean and tidy, free from any harm.
Hygiene is so important because it is one of the most effective ways used to protect oneself and others from sickness. It promotes better health and well-being.

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There are various types of hygiene, and they are;

• Personal hygiene: This simply involves keeping the one's body clean, healthy and mentally stable through having proper living habits, resting, exercising, eating healthy, putting on clean clothes etc.
• Environmental hygiene: This simply involves disinfection activities aimed at controlling the harmful organisms and bacteria that threaten human health including fumigation against rodents, mosquitoes etc.
• Domestic hygiene: This has to do with all activities carried out to keep the home, kitchen, toilet, bathroom, clothing clean and tidy.
• Food hygiene: This simply means ways of keeping food safe from contamination, preparing and storing them safely.
  The purpose of this post is mainly on personal hygiene.

Some Of My Daily Personal Hygiene Routine

As it is personal hygiene, everyone has his or her own way of maintaining personal hygiene. These are some of the ways I maintain personal hygiene;

• Bathing:

Bathing is one of the ways to maintain personal hygiene as it helps to wash away dead skin cells and dirt that may have clogged on the body. Since I learnt this, I always make sure I take my bath twice a day, sometimes three whenever I can. This practice has been with me right from childhood and its such that if I do not bathe especially at night, I will not be able to sleep.

• Frequent Washing of Hands

This practice is as important as life is as it is one of the ways to reduce the spread of diseases. As we all know, our hands are the most used part of our body, we use it to touch so may surfaces, carry things, give money, etc so they can easily contact germs therefore, it is advisable for one to always wash hands properly with soap and running water after which you dry it off with a clean towel, handkerchief or hot air dryer. Alcohol based hand sanitizers can be used as an alternative in a case where water is not readily available.
If frequent washing of hands was to be a hobby, I would say it's one of my hobbies 😂. Whenever I feel a heaviness on my palms, it's a sign that my hands are dirty and I will not be comfortable until I have washed them or applied hand sanitizer. Even before the event of Covid 19, I have been using hand sanitizers such that it wasn't a new thing to me again.
I remember when I was in tertiary institution my best friend said to me one day "Nneh, the way you wash your hands don't wash off your destiny oo" 😂, we laughed over it but that didn't deter me because I know how important it is for my general well-being. The good thing is that she eventually learnt that habit from me.

• Putting On Clean Clothing:

Wearing of clean and tidy clothes is very important to maintain good personal hygiene. Unclean, untidy and smelly clothes harbor bacteria that may cause body odor, skin rashes or irritation.
Every weekend, I wash all the clothing that I wore within the week, I equally iron them so they look neat, and wear nice perfume too.

• Teeth Hygiene:

Having fresh oral breath gives one confidence. I brush my teeth two times a day, morning and before going to bed. Also I usually have minty chewing minty gum handy so I can chew especially after eating something. I have a colleague who likes to ask me for gum each time she sees me chewing it.

• Getting Restful Sleep:

This is key to maintaining healthy well-being. As recommended, night sleep should be between six to eight hours, this I try as much as possible to do. Also during the day, I try to take a little nap whenever I feel tired as it helps my body to bounce back to life.
Another aspect of rest is taking a break from work, business and going for leave, vacation etc.
I do not joke with my annual leave, I try as much as possible to also rest on weekends.

• Seeking Medical Help:

I always endeavor to visit a healthcare provider or a diagnostic center each time I have a health concern, and when drugs are prescribed for me, I stick to it to finish.

• Hair Maintenance:

I keep my hair neat, clean and tidy by washing it, retouching or braiding it when necessary and packing it very well. Also I apply hair cream to give it a shiny look.

• Nail Maintenance:

I clean, trim and apply nail polish to my nails when necessary, to make them look neat and beautiful

• Eating Healthy Foods

I try as much as I can to eat nutritious healthy foods including fruits and vegetables.

In What Ways Do People Neglect Personal Hygiene?

There are various ways people neglect taking care of themselves or living unhealthy lifestyle, some of which are;

• Not bathing properly thereby leading to body odour, skin rashes and making them look unkempt.
• Improper oral hygiene or brushing of teeth.
• Putting on dirty and smelly clothes.
• Leaving the hair bushy and unkempt.

What Can Happen As A Result Of Poor Personal Hygiene?

Poor personal hygiene has so many negative effects on the individual concerned, people around him or her and the society at large. Some of them are;

• Increased Health Risks
  Poor personal cleanliness exposes one to increased risk of illness or disease such as skin irritation, rashes, body odor, mouth odor, etc.
• Poor Physical Appearance
  Poor personal hygiene opens door for untidy looks or poor physical appearance. When one leaves his or her hair unkempt, wears dirty and rumpled clothes plus footwear, the person will look unpresentable and may be seen as mentally deranged, people will avoid being around such person.
• Low Self-Esteem
  This is another resultant effect of poor physical appearance. When people begin to avoid and disassociate themselves from such a person at work, church, or social settings, this may make him or her develop low self esteem. Furthermore, when the person starts having the feelings of isolation from the society, it may lead to mental disorder, depression etc.
• Loss Of Work
  No company would want to have a worker who has a poor personal hygiene, so to protect the integrity of the organization, the person may be laid off.
• Loss of Relationship
  We all are social being and at one point in our lives, we desire to have someone close to us. No one would want to be in a relationship with one who has a poor personal hygiene.
  I, for one cannot stand someone who oozes with body and mouth odour and I'm quite sure you can't too. 😉

End

The importance of good personal hygiene cannot be overlooked, it is very essential for a healthy well-being as it reduces the risk of one getting ill. It increases self esteem, makes one confident and approachable in the society, improved work life and relationships.
Learning how to maintain a good personal hygiene should start from the homes, children should be taught at an early age the importance of hygiene, so that as they grow, it becomes part of them. I love my child no be for mouth, teach him or her good personal hygiene to avoid had I know in the future
Thank you for visiting my blog and reading my post.

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