What is personal hygienes?

Answer 1

Personal hygiene refers to practices that lead to cleanliness and health preservation. Examples of personal hygiene practices include hair cutting, shaving, brushing teeth, bathing daily, nail clipping, etc.

personal hygiene is also refer to good personal appearance.

hygiene encourages personal health.

Everyone automatically has personal hygiene. Some people do it better than others. The idea is to keep your body hair and teeth clean, and use things like deodorants scents and mouthwash appropriately so that you do not stand out because of bad odors coming from your body or clothing. Keep your clothing clean and maintained appropriately. All of the above should be in accordance with your cultural, social and familial norms. The idea is to NOT stand out because of a lack of care for your body, clothing or other items that are typically close to you.

While personal hygiene is very important, it is also important that you do not engage in these behaviors excessively; that can be as much of a problem as a lack of hygiene.

Following are some points which should be inculcated in day-to-day life.

The best way to keep the body clean and free of infection is to wash on a daily basis. This means taking a shower or a bath and using soap and hot water to wash away the bacteria that build up over the course of the day. This also means washing one's hands several times a day. Since the hands touch many foreign objects as well as many familiar objects (like one's nose, mouth, and eyes), washing hands, especially after going to the bathroom, will prevent harmful bacteria from damaging one's health.

• Wash hands thoroughly with soap after using the toilet, changing diapers, handling pets and before handling food.
• Clean & trim the nails of both hands. Tie your hair before handling the food.
• Kitchen should be well lighted & ventilated (with either chimney/exhaust fan) & with meshed windows.
• The cooking and eating area should be preferably elevated.
• Keep the cooking, washing, and utility area and kitchen clothes clean.
• Protect the kitchen & food items from insects, pests & other animals.
• Before spraying insecticides, in the kitchen walls/cupboards, remove all the food items. Spraying should be done during night time. Wet mop the cupboards before storing again.
• Do not store raw foods (vegetables, dals, cereals, masala, i.e. powdered spices) for long periods. "First in first out" (FIFO) practice should be followed by all, and more so in regions where the humidity is high.
• Storage of food items should be in airtight containers/utensils to protect them from dust, insects, and moisture.
• Separate raw, cooked & ready to eat foods while shopping, preparing or storing foods.
• De-weed the green leafy vegetables & then wash them, repeatedly in clean water till they are free from dirt/mud.
• Wash & Soak the vegetables/fruits in water & then scrape. (Soaking removes pesticides, preservatives present on the surface. Vendors polish the brinjals & apples with engine oil to give a shinning look, so soak & scrub them thoroughly).
• Cruciferous vegetables should be soaked in boiled water to remove worms.
• Raw Vegetable/Fruits for Salads should be washed thoroughly in running water before cutting.
• Do not consume cut fruits from the street vendors.
• Clean the dals/cereals- wash them 2-3 times before cooking/soaking.
• Transfer the cooked food into a clean serving utensil before consuming (this is to prevent the erosive action of salt/turmeric/tamarind/lemon with aluminum, brass etc.).
• Boil the milk before consumption & keep it in a cool place/refrigerator to prevent curdling. Do not consume raw milk.
• While buying meat/fish/poultry make sure they are freshly cut.
• Clean fish/ poultry/meat thoroughly before cooking. Cook them thoroughly before consuming.
• Do not leave food outside in summer months for long time. Try & eat freshly prepared food everyday.
• Refrigerate perishable foods promptly, prepared food and left over within 2 hours. If refrigerator is not available then regulate the amount of food cooked, so that food doesn't have to be stored.
• Do not store food for too long in the refrigerator/freezer.
• Boil/filter the drinking water before storing it in a clean vessel & cover it. Use a spoon/glass with a long handle to drink water. Don't insert your hand/fingers in drinking water. Don't drink directly from bottles containing drinking water which are shared amongst individuals.
• Do not use packed food beyond its expiry date. Do not consume food in tetra packs/tins which have leaks or are puffed, even if they are well within the expiry date.

Answer 2

Hygiene and Good Habits are commonly understood as prevention methods against infection. In broader call scientific terms, hygiene is the maintenance of health

and healthy living. Hygiene ranges from personal hygiene in domestic realm to occupational hygiene and public health. Hygiene involves healthy diet, cleanliness, and mental health. One of the most effective ways to protect ourselves, from illness is good personal hygiene. This means not only washing your hands but also your body. Hygiene also means being careful not to cough or sneeze on others, cleaning things that you touch when you are ill, putting items such as tissues (that may have germs) into a bin, and using protective aids (like gloves or condoms) when you are at the risk of catching an infection.

Personal hygiene includes health practices such as bathing, washing your hair, brushing your teeth, and cleaning your clothes. Maintaining good personal hygiene helps to fight infection by removing essences that allow bacteria to grow from the surface of your skin.

Mouth Care

Food particles in the mouth decay and cause bacteria to develop, leaving a bad odour to a person's breath. These bacteria can also damage teeth and cause cavities and tooth decay.

Brushing your teeth at least twice a day, once in the morning and again before bed, is recommended. Some people brush their teeth after every meal. Brushing for 2-3 minutes each time is recommended. Toothbrush should be changed after 2 months. Apply a small amount of toothpaste on a toothbrush and gently brush a few teeth at a time on all sides in a circular motion. After brushing, you should rinse your mouth with water and spit the water out into a sink. Do not swallow the toothpaste.

Body Odour

Our bodies produce two kinds of sweat: eccrine and apocrine. Apocrine is the body-odour culprit. It is found in the groin and underarm areas. That well-known sweaty smell occurs only after apocrine reacts with the bacteria on our skin. Some of us are "cursed" with bigger and more active apocrine glands than others. And some of us simply aren't as successful as others in getting rid of the bacteria on our skin.

Try these tips:

• Bathe at least once daily with an antibacterial soap such as Safeguard or Dial. If the problem doesn't clear up soon, you might try a prescription soap such as pHisoHex.
• Use a deodorant with aluminum or zinc. Either of these metals should kill odor-causing bacteria. Extremely heavy sweaters should use an antiperspirant/deodorant containing aluminum chloride.
• Launder clothing more often. No matter how busy we get, that trip to the cleaners is a must. Wash clothes at home using an odor-fighting detergent such as Tide.
• Freshen up in the bathroom with a towel as many times as necessary during the day.
• Avoid the regular consumption of spicy or sharp-smelling foods. The odor will come through the pores.

Hand washing

Most infections, especially colds and gastroenteritis, are caught when we put our unwashed hands, which have germs on them, to our mouth. Some infections are caught when other people's dirty hands touch the food we eat. Hands and wrists should be washed with clean soap and water, using a brush if your fingernails are dirty. Dry your hands with something clean, such as paper towels or hot air dryers. You should always wash your hands:

• After using the toilet
• Before making or eating food
• After handling dogs or other animals
• If you have been around someone who is coughing or has a cold.

Hair

As hair is constantly falling out this can result in food being contaminated and so food handlers should wear a suitable head covering, with long hair being adequately tied back. The combing of hair and adjustment of head coverings must not be done in food preparation and handling areas.

Skin Care

Soap and water are essential for keeping the skin clean. A good bath once or twice a day is recommended, especially in tropical countries like India. Those who are involved in active sports or work out to a sweat would do well to take a bath after the activity. A mild soap will do the jobadequately. Germicidal or antiseptic soaps are not essential for the daily bath. You can use a bath sponge for scrubbing. Back brushes and heel scrubbers are available. But do not use abrasive material. Wash off well after soaping. Drying with a clean towel is very important. Avoid sharing soaps and towels.

Around middle age the skin tends to go dry a bit. A moisturizing oil or cream can be used. It is better to use this at night, because if you go out in the sun or commute on dusty roads when the skin is wet, dust sticks to it and oils may also give you a tan.

Nail Care

It takes five months for nails to replace themselves. Grow nails only if you can keep them clean. Short nails make less trouble. Clip nails short, along their shape. Don't cut them so close that it pinches the skin. A healthy body ensures healthy nails. Brittle or discolored nails show up deficiencies or disease conditions.

Menstrual Hygiene

No woman feels completely comfortable when she has her period. If it is not pre menstrual tension or stomach cramps it is the problem of dealing with the menstrual flow. These days washing is important. There need be no taboo about bath on these days. Some people have the problem of odour during menstruation. Cleanliness and change of pad as often as possible necessarily reduce this problem. It is not advisable to use perfumed pads. In fact, using powder in the genital area is not recommended.

These are some of the basic things that are to be borne in mind for personal hygiene. The most important thing is to keep yourself clean and the house as well as the area clean. Personal Hygiene has become one of the most important things for concern in people today. They have started to become conscious and at the same time try to make things better than what they are now.