Choosing a Multi-Vitamin

Our bodies need their fill of over 40 nutrients each and every day to perform at their best. Are you hitting all those quotas? Most of us don’t manage to get our fill on all of them on our own. Where our day-to-day diets fall short, a multivitamin can help pick up the slack.

The Center for Disease and Control (CDC) reports that about 40 percent of adults in America follow this advice and take a multi-vitamin daily. And yet, a 2010 Consumer Reports study indicated that 56 percent of adults expressed concerns about what was in their multi-vitamin.

With so many multi-vitamin options out there, how do you choose the one that’s right for you? Don’t leave your health to guesswork—consider these factors when choosing a multi-vitamin.

Needs differ by sex
There are some significant differences in men and women’s health needs, particularly from 18 to 50 years old. Women in their child-bearing years require more iron and folic acid than others. Men, on the other hand, need higher doses of several vitamins and minerals, but significantly less iron. For this reason, a mult-vitamin specific for your sex is best.

Don’t hide your age
Many multi-vitamins are designated by age group—kids, adults, and seniors. Be sure to take a multi-vitamin designed for your age group, as our bodies need different things at different stages of life. Kids’ growing bodies need lots of vitamin A, B, C and D, as well as calcium and iron. After 50, the body’s ability to absorb vitamins D and B12 slows down, something multi-vitamins for seniors can help address. 

Check the ingredients
A multi-vitamin doesn’t hold much value if it’s missing the nutrients you need. Always check the label to make sure it’s got high levels of everything your body needs.

Don’t go overboard
Go for a multi-vitamin with 100 percent of your daily recommended intake of as many nutrients as possible (some nutrients like calcium and magnesium rarely include 100 percent because it would make the pill too large). But never go for a multi-vitamin that goes beyond the daily recommended intake amounts—in large doses, some nutrients can become toxic. 

Consider diets and conditions
Individuals on a diet that cuts out entire food groups (such as vegetarian or carb-free) are more likely to be deficient in certain nutrients, as are those on a diet limited to 1,200 calories a day or fewer. Certain health conditions can also cause your body to have an increased need for certain nutrients, including cancer, diabetes, pancreatitis and others. Be aware of any special needs your body has.

Check the source
Vitamins derived from whole foods are better for the body than synthetic ones. How can you tell? Just look at the ingredients list for phrases like “derived from citrus fruits.”

Unlike food, a longer list of ingredients is better for a multivitamin, indicating a wider range of nutrient sources. If you want to take your multivitamin purity an extra mile, look for vitamins derived from organic and raw foods. 

The Best Source of Nutrients is Food

Always remember, the best source of nutrients is always natural ones—your food. Don’t use a multi-vitamin as a crutch; use it to fill the gaps where a balanced diet falls short. Follow these steps and you can take a multi-vitamin with confidence that your body’s needs are being met.

The Physical Effects of the Winter Blues

Many people struggle in the winter months with feelings of sadness or depression. For some, this is a simple case of the winter blue. But for three percent of the population, it’s a serious clinical condition called seasonable affective disorder (SAD). Even others already diagnosed with clinical depression experience more severe symptoms at this time of year.

Whether simply a seasonal drop in mood or a serious clinical condition, this trend seems to come from a common trigger: the reduced exposure to sunlight that is inevitable during this darker season.

But it’s more than a feeling—this condition can take a real physical toll on the body, to varying degrees of severity. Physical symptoms of winter blues and SAD include:

  • Fatigue: It may become difficult to get out of bed in the morning and you may feel more tired throughout the day.
  • Difficulty focusing: You may struggle to concentrate on normal everyday tasks, or to think creatively.
  • Cravings: You may experience cravings for high carb foods like chocolate, bread and soda.
  • Weight gain: Fluctuations to weight are not uncommon with the winter blues.
  • Disengagement: You may lose interest in activities you usually find enjoyable, such as going out with friends.

Brightening the Season

Typical winter blues will improve on their own as the days get longer and the sun comes out more. In the meantime, exercise, make time for activities you enjoy, and try to stick to a normal sleep schedule.

But if you experience exaggerated symptoms of clinical depression, suicidal thoughts, or other strong symptoms that make you suspect your winter blues may be more than just a mood, talk to a doctor right away.

10 Ways to Avoid Getting Colds and Flus this Winter

In the winter, the risk for catching a cold or flu skyrockets. With temperatures dropping, stress levels rising and all that extra time hunkered up together indoors, it’s no surprise that we’re all a little more vulnerable.

But with the holidays, celebrations, and all the fun to be had in the snow, winter is no time to catch a cold or flu. Leave those achy, sniffly days behind and stay healthy throughout the winter with these 10 tips to avoid getting a cold or flu this winter.

  1. Wash your hands
    We touch even more things over the course of the day than most of us even realize. From keyboards to doorknobs and more, those germs add up quickly. And that leaves you at risk.

To protect yourself from all those germs, wash your hands frequently, using soap and lathering for at least 20 seconds. Also, keep your hands away from your eyes and nose.

  1. Get vaccinated
    Health experts say getting your flu vaccine is one of the best ways to stay healthy. The good news is, it’s increasingly easy to get your shot—and with minimal discomfort.

Not only can you get your vaccination at just about any neighborhood drug store, but there’s also new ways to receive your vaccination. In addition to the traditional shot, you can now also opt for a nasal spray or a new microinjection option, which uses a needle just 10 percent of the size of the traditional needle.

  1. Exercise
    Nothing makes you want to skip the workout and stay in bed like a cold, dark morning. But as it turns out, winter may be the most important time to hit the gym. In fact, working out helps boost your body’s germ-fighting cells for as long as three hours afterward.

People who work up a sweat at least five days a week have been shown to have 43 percent fewer days with a cold during the chilly months, according to an Appalachian State University study.

But don’t go overboard—extreme exercise (like marathon runners who run over 60 miles a week, according to the study) can counteract the benefits.

  1. Bundle up
    Winter’s cold temperatures can be one of the greatest seasonal factors increasing your risk for illness. Shivering in itself reduces your body’s natural defenses against colds and flues. The cold outside is inevitable, but you don’t have to feel it.

The best defense against low temperatures? Listen to your mom and bundle up before heading out.

  1. Take your vitamins
    In winter, it gets harder to get the vitamin D our bodies need from natural sources like the sun. And that’s only one of many vitamins the body needs to thrive. Vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, and many other nutrients all help your body fight off infections.

Taking a daily vitamin can keep your body full of the nutrients it needs and ready to take on the germs you inevitably come across in your daily life.

  1. Eat well
    This one’s pretty basic, but that doesn’t make it any less important: Eat less junk food and more nutrient-rich fruit and veggies. Getting your greens in is especially important this time of year.

Strengthen your body’s natural defenses against colds and flus by adding green vegetables like spinach, kale, broccoli or Brussels sprouts to at least two meals each day.

  1. Sanitize your space
    While washing your hands is critical, it’s not something you can do constantly. But flu germs can stay alive on surfaces for over two hours, according to Dr. Oz. Sanitizing surfaces can help bridge the gap.

Especially pay attention to frequently touched and shared surfaces like door knobs, remote controls, keyboards, and refrigerator handles.

  1. Get out and have fun
    Curling up under a blanket at home may feel good, but it’s not the best thing for you. A study from Carnegie Mellon University actually showed that people who are more socially active are better at fending off colds. So braving the cold to spend time with friends is a healthier choice. 
  1. Sleep
    Another important way to keep your immune system strong is to make sure you get enough sleep each night. When you don’t get enough sleep, your body’s germ-fighting T-cell count goes down. So do yourself a favor and get your beauty rest.
  1. Drink water
    Water plays an important role in flushing toxins from the body, so don’t skimp on it during the wintry months. When you’re dehydrated, it’s harder for your body to flush out and fight germs.

And if you’ve already caught a cold or flu, keep on sipping—drinking lots of water can help get past an illness faster, too.

Stay healthy all winter

Winter can demand a lot of your immune system. Between the parties, the stress and the frigid temperatures, there’s a lot of ways your body can work against you during the flu and cold season.

But the good news is, there is a lot you can do to keep yourself out of the doctor’s office. These 10 tips will keep your immune system strong all winter so you can reduce your risk of colds and flus, and enjoy the perks of the season.

4 Ways To Lower Your Breast Cancer RIsk

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer for women after skin cancer, according to data from the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

In the United States alone, an estimated 231,840 new cases of invasive breast cancer were expected in women in 2015, and another 62,570 new cases of non-invasive breast cancer.

Among those patients, an estimated 40,290 women died from breast cancer, as well as 440 men.

Fortunately, there are ways you can reduce your risk of getting breast cancer. Here are the top four ways to lower your risk:

Don’t smoke

Breaking this bad habit is already a well-known tactic for avoiding lung cancer, but increasing amounts of evidence link smoking to breast cancer, too. This is especially important for pre-menopausal women.

Manage your weight

Being overweight or obese is another way to increase your risk. To keep your risk in check, maintain a healthy weight. This is even more important after menopause. 

Breast feed

Breast feeding your babies, if you have them, can reduce your risk for breast cancer. The longer you breast feed, the lower your risk. 

Limit hormone therapy

Taking combination hormone therapy for more than three to five years increases the risk of breast cancer. This includes birth control with hormones, too. If you’re on a hormone regimen, use the lowest possible effective dose—or even better, talk to your doctor about alternatives.

 

Factors in your control

There’s no way to completely eliminate all your risk for breast cancer. But, there are certain factors that are in your control. These five ways to reduce your risk is a great place to start—and don’t forget to take care of yourself with regular check-ins with your doctor, too.

The Top Five Christmas Health Risks

The holidays are a season for celebration with loved ones. But if the proper safety precautions aren’t taken, you may find yourself spending your time in the emergency room, rather than around the tree.

Fortunately, there’s a lot you can do to reduce the risk of holiday injuries for yourself and your loved ones. Start by educating yourself on these top five holiday health risks.

  1. Fires
    Those lovely trees people bring into our homes are made of wood, which get even more flammable as the trees dry out. The U.S. Fire Administration reports that from 2009 to 2013, Christmas trees triggered an average 210 home structure fires each year, and compared to other kinds of home fires, those started by Christmas trees led to greater damage and $17.5 million in property damage.

But trees are hardly the only fire risk during the holidays—decorative lighting throughout and outside the home can also lead to fires in the home.

Keep your tree well-watered all season, or even better, get an artificial one. Put out all lights and candles when you go to sleep or leave the house, and check strings of lights for exposed wire before putting them up each year.

  1. Falls
    Getting decorations up can be at least as dangerous as having them out—about 5,800 people are injured in decorating-related falls each holiday season, according to the Electrical Safety Foundation International.

Always use a step ladder when putting decorations up—don’t rely on nearby chairs or other substitutes. When working outside, use a sturdy ladder.

  1. Choking
    Toys can be a serious chocking hazard for children–as many as 251,800 toy choking incidents landed children in the emergency room in 2014, according to the CPSC. Reduce the risk by making sure gifts to children are age-appropriate and paying attention to recall announcements.

But toys aren’t the only choking hazard during the holidays—always keep an eye on children near ornaments, lights, and other seasonal decorations, too.

  1. Heart attacks
    It’s no coincidence there’s a 5 percent increase in heart attack deaths in November and December, according to a 2004 study published in Circulation.

It starts with the increased risk caused by cold weather, which constricts blood vessels and raises blood pressure. Then pile on the stress, overindulgence, lack of sleep, and reduction in physical fitness that so often come with the holiday season, and you’ve got a perfect storm. To top it all, people often ignore the symptoms of a heart attack during the holidays to avoid disrupting the fun.

Reduce your risk by wearing warm clothing and keeping your living space well heated. Take extra care to get your sleep, get your exercise, and stick to any heart mediation regimen you’re on during this busy time. And of course, if you suspect you’re experiencing symptoms of a heart attack, don’t wait—seek medical attention immediately.

  1. Traffic accidents
    There’s also an increase in car crashes during the holiday months. Some of the increased risk is due to the decreased daylight hours on the road. But according to the National Safety Council’s Injury Facts 2015 report, 343 people died in driving accidents on New Year’s Day, 360 on Thanksgiving, and 88 on Christmas in 2013.

To reduce your risk, always have a designated driver if you’re going to drink at a party, and avoid driving on the highest-risk days, when possible.

A Safe Holiday is the Best Holiday

The holidays are a wonderful time of year, but they’re not without they’re perils. But take precautions to keep your festivities safe and protect your loved ones, and the holidays can still be the merry season they’re intended to be.

How to Have a Happy and Healthy Holiday Season

The holidays are a season for family, friends, and fun. But it doesn’t take much for all that packed-in merriment to become overwhelming.

Between all the parties, the travel, the treats, and just plain disruption to your routine, self-care can quickly fall to the wayside—leaving you feeling tired, stressed, and maybe even guilty.

But even in the midst of the winter whirlwind, you can stay both happy and healthy this holiday season. Follow these tips to enjoy the season without sacrificing self-care:

Be realistic
December is no time to jumpstart a new diet. In fact, depriving yourself in the face of so much temptation can lead to binges—which usually means eating even more junk than you would have in the first place.

Instead, let yourself indulge—in moderation. Try to use the 90/10 rule—eat healthy 90 percent of the time, and treat yourself the other 10 percent.

Plan your food
Take advantage of those non-festivity meals like lunch to pack in the veggies and other nutrients you aren’t getting at parties. You can also preempt binging on cookies at a party by eating a healthy light meal or snack before heading out.

As much as possible, maintain a normal eating schedule. This will help you prevent those moments of starvation where you want to eat everything in sight.

Bake smarter
When you’re bringing a dish to share at an event, make it a healthy one that you’ll enjoy eating. That way, you know you’ve got at least one guilt-free tasty snack available when the snacking starts.

When you bake cookies or other treats, experiment with healthy swaps in your recipe, such as using fruit purees instead of butter. You might be surprised by what you don’t miss.

Go small
Use tricks to help yourself eat smarter without feeling deprived. Taking small plates at the buffet table will prevent you from taking too much at once. It also helps if you take generous portions of healthy dishes, and smaller portions for treats. 

Pace yourself
You can also help yourself eat less by munching slowly and spreading out your food enjoyment. Give yourself time between trips to the buffet, too—it can take your body about 20 minutes after eating to alert your mind that you’re full.

Stay hydrated
Drinking enough water can be hard when you’re out of your normal routine, and especially if you’re traveling. But when you get thirsty, your body can misinterpret the signals as hunger and cause you to overeat. Avoid this my making it a point to drink more water during the holidays. 

If you need more incentive, staying hydrated can have some other benefits you’re sure to enjoy during this season, too, such as reducing fatigue, boosting your immune system, and keeping your skin looking great for those holiday photos.

Say no
Whether it’s an offer for a cookie, a party, or a gift circle, you’re always allowed to opt out with a simple “no, thank you.”

Limits and boundaries can be especially important during the holiday season, as the amount of events (and treats) on your plate can escalate quickly. If you stretch yourself beyond your limits, you’ll quickly become stressed and unhappy. Only say “yes” to the things that will enhance your enjoyment of the season.

Schedule fitness time
Regular exercise isn’t just good for the number on the scale—it also helps you manage stress and feel better. Get your workouts in during the chaotic time of holiday parties and travel by blocking it out on your calendar. Working out first thing in the morning can prevent scheduling conflicts.

Even if it’s too snowy out to go for a run, there’s plenty of ways to get a workout in. Find one you enjoy or try this no-equipment, do-anywhere circuit from the Mayo Clinic.

Set a challenge
If you need more motivation to keep your fitness on track, sign up for a race or other fitness challenge in January. The challenge will help you keep your eye on the prize, rather than the snooze button.

Get your zzz’s
It can be hard to catch enough sleep every night when there’s always another party to go to, and in the morning there’s still work, kids, pets, and the rest of normal life demanding our attention. Pace yourself, and try to stay as close to your normal sleep pattern if you can.

Holidays are meant to be enjoyed

The holidays should be a time for fun with friends and family. Don’t let the demands (or the temptations) of the season become a source of stress, guilt, or extra pounds. With a few simple tricks to stay in control of your holiday activity, you can enjoy all the perks of the season without overwhelming yourself.

Happy holidays!

Keeping Out Of The Emergency Room This Christmas

Unfortunately, emergency rooms get very busy at the holiday season.  No matter where you live, the chances of you or someone in your family having to go to the hospital increase around Christmas time, specifically because of seasonal and environmental changes.  Keep these few tips in mind to prevent any unwanted illness or injury at this festive time of the year.

 

Decorating

When you climb up on a ladder to reach the roof of your house, do be careful!  People fall off of ladders very often while trying to decorate their homes.  Before you ever set foot onto your ladder, check it to be sure that it still seems fully operational and not rickety.  Never climb a ladder backwards; always face the rungs while you climb.  Do not skip rungs, and do not stand on the very top of a ladder.  Last but certainly not least, place your ladder on the ground—not on top of a table, shelf or other surface.  A little ladder safety goes a long way while you are decorating for the holidays!

 

Weather

Prepare yourself for weather situations in any Christmastime climate.  In the Southern Hemisphere, remember that temperatures could climb during Christmas, and an afternoon spent in the heat of the sun can potentially lead to sun stroke or heat exhaustion.  In the Northern Hemisphere, the reverse is true:  spending too much time outdoors during Christmas has the chance to lead to frostbite or hypothermia if you are not careful.  Even if temperature extremes are not a problem, weather-related issues can still crop up, including sunburn or slipping and falling on icy surfaces.  Always exercise caution when heading outdoors during the holidays, and watch the kids, too.

 

Fires

Although it is less common in a modern world where candles are not hung directly on the boughs of Christmas trees, fires are still a potential holiday danger.  Natural and artificial trees both have the ability to catch fire, particularly from a malfunctioning string of overheating or sparking lights.  To prevent your natural tree from catching fire as easily, remember to keep it watered every day.  For any tree, do not overload the branches with lights, and try to use LED lights wherever possible.  Similarly, be careful of candles that you have lit during the holiday season.  If you live in a cold climate and will be using a radiator or space heater, take care not to place any furniture, clothing, or drapes too close to the heating mechanism.

 

Overeating

People do not often have to go to the emergency room due to overeating, but every so often, it does happen.  If you have a pre-existing condition, such as diabetes, severe food allergy, or gastrointestinal issues, then you may be more at risk for a food-related Christmas hospital trip.  Try to limit your sugar and fat intakes throughout the season, and particularly in a given day.  There may be seven different kinds of Christmas goodies in the kitchen, but that does not mean that you have to try them all in one go!

 

 

Presents

Last but not least, presents have a nasty habit of sending holiday revellers to the emergency room.  The trouble starts when the gift is being purchased.  Holiday shopping is responsible for a lot of auto-mobile crashes every year, because shoppers tend to be in such a hurry and may be much less careful than they would be at other times of the year.  After you have given the gift, it may continue to cause problems for its recipient.  Particularly if you give a gift to a child, be careful to choose something appropriate to the child’s age and abilities.  Bicycles, trampolines, and toys with small parts that can be easily swallowed are all known culprits of Christmas trips to the emergency room.  If you give a child something like a bicycle, be responsible and give a helmet along with it.  And if the family gets a pool for the holidays, remember to always keep an eye on the little ones.

 

 

If you keep these tips in mind, you will have a smooth, healthy, and happy holiday season, and your family will be much safer as well.  Do not let injury and illness put a damper on your Christmas!

Hand Washing vs. Hand Sanitiser

Hand sanitizer has become very popular in the past decade or so, and it pops up on the shelves of pharmacies and specialty shops more often than not.  But how can you know if hand sanitizer is really the best way to keep your hands clean?  Read on to learn all about hand sanitizer and how it compares to washing your hands the traditional way, with soap and water.

 

How to Wash with Soap and Water

Washing your hands with soap and water is not going to be effective at all if you do not use proper hand washing techniques.  It is very easy to wash the correct way, but even so, most people do not take the time to go through the entire process.

Begin by lightly wetting your hands under the water while you wait for it to warm up.  Get a small amount of soap onto your palm and rub your hands together vigorously, bringing the soap to a lather.  Using your fingernails, scrub your palms, your fingers, the backs of your hands, and the space between your fingers as well.  Work on scrubbing your hands for 20 seconds, or about the amount of time it takes to sing your ABC’s.  Finally, rinse your hands in the water, which should be as hot as you can stand it without causing a burn.  When you have rinsed away all the soap, dry your hands thoroughly on a clean towel.

 

How to Use Hand Sanitizer

Hand sanitizer is much easier and quicker to use than soap and water, which largely accounts for its popularity.  People tend to think that, because they can clean their hands much more quickly with hand sanitizer, they are doing themselves a favor by using it.  The proper way to use hand sanitizer does not have nearly as many steps, and takes less than half the time as traditional hand washing.

Begin by opening your hand sanitizer and squeezing a dollop about the size of a quarter into the palm of one hand.  Close the bottle and rub your hands together to spread the sanitizer.  Be sure to rub the hand sanitizer all over your palms, the backs of your hands, your fingers, and the space between your fingers to ensure adequate coverage.  Let your hands air dry for a few seconds.

When is Hand Sanitizer Better?

It is always a good idea to keep hand sanitizer on your person for those times when you might come into contact with a germy surface and be unable to wash your hands the traditional way for too long.  However, in order to get the most benefit out of your hand sanitizer, it is important to use enough of it to fully cover your hands, and to let your hands dry before you touch anything that could rub the sanitizer off of your skin.  You should always use a hand sanitizer that is at least 60% alcohol.  Anything less is unfortunately a waste of time, as it will not be strong enough to kill germs.  Hand sanitizers are a great choice for quickly getting rid of microbes on your skin, but they should not be used to clean hands that are covered in dirt, grime, or grease.

Which Option is Best?

Overall, it is always better to wash your hands with good old-fashioned soap and warm water than it is to rely on hand sanitizer.  There are always situations in which sanitizers can work, but they simply cannot kill the amount of germs that soap and water can.  Whenever possible, always wash your hands with soap and water instead of choosing hand sanitizer, particularly if your hands are covered in another substance, such as food, dirt, or grease.  Nothing can beat the effectiveness of scrubbing your hands the traditional way!

 

With that said, hand sanitizer can be a valuable asset to you, depending on your line of work or your day to day activities.  If you have children, or if you are a teacher or babysitter who deals with children often, you should keep some sanitizer handy and use it several times throughout the day to keep your hands as clean as possible.  This can help reduce the spread of germs and infections.  The same is true of anyone working in the medical field.  Although hand washing is an important part of any medical worker’s day, hand sanitizer should often come into play as well.

Cold Prevention and Hand Washing

Nobody likes to get a cold.  Unfortunately, cold seasons spring up almost unexpectedly, and the more you happen to be around other people, the better your chances are of contracting the dreaded common cold.  Although this age-old illness cannot be cured, it can easily be prevented if you take a few precautionary steps to be sure you are not spreading it to yourself or to others.

 

 

Germ Transport

Did you know that over three-quarters of all infectious illness and disease is spread by touch?  As human beings, we do a lot with our hands.

You may be a teacher with a class full of students who have come down with a cold.  One student may sneeze into his or her hand, then pick up a test paper you have just handed out to read over the questions.  When that student hands in the same test paper, the germs are easily transmitted from the paper to your hands.

If someone in your family has a cold and opens the door or turns on the sink, the germs move from their hands to the doorknob or to the faucet, and they wait there until the next

unsuspecting cold victim comes along to touch the same surface.  They are pretty tricky!

 

Interrupting Germ Travel

The easiest way to interrupt the spread of germs from one sick person to a well one is to wash your hands.  If you touch that sick student’s test paper but then wash your hands immediately after, you will not be able to spread the germs from your own hands to anything or anyone else.  And if you wash your hands frequently throughout your day at home, even touching a doorknob covered in germs will not make you sick.

 

How Does It Work?

Rubbing your hands together alone is an action that helps get rid of germs more or less by pushing them off of your skin.  This is not enough, however, to take care of the germ threat completely without the added benefit of soap and water.  Water rinses more germs from your skin, and the hotter the water, the better your chances of killing those germs that are swarming your skin.  Soaps are designed with germ killing in mind as well.  Antibacterial soaps are the best way to keep your skin nice and clean, so be sure to use them every time you wash your hands.

There is a proper way to wash your hands to ensure that no germs can survive the experience.  Begin by getting a good amount of soap on one palm, and rubbing your hands together with just a small amount of water to bring the soap to a lather.  Scrub your soapy hands for a full minute (try singing the ABC’s to time yourself) and then rinse well in hot water.  Dry your hands thoroughly and you will be good to go!

 

Remember to keep your hands nice and clean, and you should be able to get through next cold season without anything catching up to you.  A little hot water and soap goes a long way!

 

 

Personal Hygiene: A Common-Sense Guide

 

Personal hygiene is an important area of everyone’s lives, but sometimes it is overlooked. There are several reasons why it is so important, and a few things you can do to improve your own personal hygiene and make your life better in the process.

 

 

Health

The importance of personal hygiene cannot be underestimated. Your good health depends on it. If you have a high standard of hygiene, you are less likely to catch the various illnesses and infections that come along. As a bonus, if you have an infection, good hygiene can ensure a faster recovery for you as well as preventing it from spreading to other people.

Good hygiene is important for your mental health, too! If you are clean, groomed and neat, you are likely to feel much more confident. This boost in confidence will increase your positive self-image. Being perceived as neat and orderly sends out the message that you care about your appearance, which may lead to more opportunities both in and out of the workplace.

 

Social Life

A high standard of hygiene is also important for your social life. People who do not shower, wash their hair or brush their teeth may be perceived by their peers and associates as lazy. It is also likely that they will not be taken as seriously as someone who puts the time into cultivating a positive appearance.

Furthermore, a neat and well-groomed appearance can open up many doors. Arriving to a meeting dressed nicely and well-groomed makes a wonderful first impression. Like it or not, most people’s first impression of a person is how they look. Employers and potential friends tend not to offer the same opportunities to those with poor hygiene.

 

Tips for Improving your Hygiene

So what can you do to improve your standard of hygiene? Here are some tips that can help:

 

  • Shower daily. Showering is an important part of a good hygiene routine. Daily showers keep your skin clean as well as giving you a chance to check your body for everything from ingrown hairs to athlete’s foot and anything else that could be going wrong.
  • Brush your teeth. Brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing regularly prevents the build-up of plaque which can cause tooth decay, gum disease and tooth loss. In addition, using an antibacterial mouthwash will also help prevent bad breath. It can also get into those hard-to-reach areas that brushing and flossing alone may miss.
  • Wash your hands. Always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before leaving the bathroom and before and after handling food. This will lessen the likelihood of spreading germs. It is also important to wash your hands if you are going to be or have been in contact with someone who is ill.
  • When you are out and cannot wash your hands, carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer with you. Hand sanitizer depending on the brand can kill 99.9% of germs on skin. Hand sanitizer is not a substitute for good handwashing, but it is the next best thing and can stop many infections from occurring.

 

These tips for positive hygiene do not take very long to implement, but a small investment in time now will save you from a lot of health and social problems in the future and open doors for you!