Soap Away The Dirt And Germs

Your hands must be kept clean and protected from germs to stave off illnesses. Are you using the right hand soap to clean your hands?

When we were very young, our parents and elders would insist on us ‘washing up’ after we returned from playing outside. Really strict mothers would stand over their children till they were sure that their hands, feet and faces were scrubbed clean. It wasn’t possible to sit down to eat or even touch anything in the house till our hands were washed to a squeaky clean shine!

Those habits were rightly inculcated to encourage good personal hygiene in us. The hands are the single largest carrier of germs causing communicable diseases. They are the primary source of infection spread. If not washed with soap and water, they can make us and our loved ones really ill.

The simple act of keeping the hands clean by washing them frequently and sanitizing them at regular intervals can go a long way in staving off infection and illness. For this, you require an effective hand soap to do the trick.

Why use hand soap?

Just washing your hands with running water will not kill germs or even dislodge dirt and dust. Our hands can get greasy after eating fried chicken and trap more dirt. Or we may touch contaminated surfaces such as elevator buttons or landline phones. Some people also do not wash their hands after using the restroom. All of these activities can open the door for the entry of germs and hence, illness.

An effective hand soap can eliminate the possibility of microscopic bacteria and germs entering our system and making us ill. When used frequently during the day, your hands will be rid of surface oils, dirt and bacterial infections for long.

Which kind of hand soap should you use?

When picking a bar of soap for use at the wash basin, make sure it is an antibacterial variant that is gentle on the skin. Give its surface a light scrub with a small brush to remove any germs you may have transferred to it. Look for pH balanced soaps that are not harsh on the skin. Some hand soaps contain extracts of aloe vera or rose oil to provide skin protection while cleaning.

It is advisable to use liquid hand soap instead of a bar. You take a quantity of liquid from the dispensing bottle. The rest of the soap is untouched and can be used by others without fear of infection. Pick a mild hand soap that is pH balanced and which provides as much as 99.9% protection from germs.

The right washing technique is important

All of us wash our hands, but only a few of us wash our hands correctly! The best of hand soaps need the user to wash the hands for at least 30 seconds for the soap’s effects to take hold.

Wet your hands and take a dollop of hand soap on your palm. Rub your palms briskly over one another, working up lather. Now run the palm of one hand on the back of the other hand and rub firmly. Repeat the process by switching hands. Clean out your fingernails and cuticles as well. Once 30 seconds have elapsed, you can wash off the soap.

Take care to wipe your hands on disposable tissues instead of face towels hanging over the wash basin.

That’s all it takes – frequent use of hand soap can eliminate the possibility of disease. Also teach your children to wash their hands frequently and steer clear of infection outdoors.

Reasons Other Than Pregnancy When You Miss Your Period

Did you know that long before urine testing for pregnancy was known to modern man, it was practiced in Ancient Egypt? According to an article in Egyptian Medicine, a woman in ancient Egypt was required to moisten barley and wheat with her urine every day. If the woman was pregnant they would both grow, while if she was not, they would remain the same. This was replicated in a laboratory and found to be accurate! Why did they not rely on the missing of period to determine pregnancy? This is not because they did not know the relation between menstrual cycle and pregnancy, but because they probably realized that there could be other causes for irregularities in the cycle, making it an unreliable marker of pregnancy.

4 Reasons Why you May Miss Your Period Other than Pregnancy

Weight Fluctuations: If you have recently gained or lost a significant amount of weight in a relatively short period of time, it may throw your menstrual cycle off balance. It is seen that if a woman's BMI dips below 18 or 19 or crosses the mark of obesity, a woman may miss her period. With weight gain a woman starts to produce extra testosterone which inhibits ovulation.

Stress: When the body is stressed, whether due to a physical reason like over-exercising or because of an emotional reason like the loss of a loved one, you may miss your period. The reason sited for this is an evolutionary one – when your brain and body are overworked, the message it receives is that there is a threat to its survival. It therefore prevents reproduction in a non-conducive environment.

PCOS: Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is a disorder in which a woman's hormones are unbalanced leading to the formation of benign cysts or tumors in their ovaries. It is linked with the overproduction androgen and is hereditary. This condition may disrupt a woman's menstrual cycle resulting in no periods at all or extremely painful periods. It is treated by gynecologists by prescribing hormones that help create a balance in the body.

Early Menopause: The mean age for menopause in Egypt is 46.7 years according to a study published in the Journal of International Menopause Society. However, in some rare cases, a woman may be peri-menopausal in her thirties leading to the early cessation of menstruation. Premature menopause is diagnosed by testing FSH levels which will be higher than normal for a woman approaching menopause.

Controlling The Spread Of Infection

It is tough to tackle the spread of infection, but a few basic steps towards daily hygiene can put you on the right track.

During outbreaks of disease, only constant vigilance can help mitigate the spread of infection inside the home. It requires ceaseless infection control to ensure that seasonal illnesses do not enter one’s home. But sometimes, despite your best effort, bugs and viruses can enter the house and make your loved ones fall ill.

Children often pick up bugs and contagious diseases from other children. There is very little you can do to stop these occurrences – you cannot ask your child to stop playing with friends or getting dirty in the mud! But you can teach your children to stay away from other sick children, or to stay at home when they are ill to prevent infecting others. 

Adults, too, can pick up infections from the environment and other people. There are several microbes that pass from one adult to another simply by shaking hands. Also, contact with people suffering from viral infections can cause the illness to spread. 

While it is impossible to exert any control over what happens in the outside world, it is prudent to maintain a high level of hygiene and cleanliness on your path to infection control at home. Here are a few tips:

* If your child is ill with a communicable disease, keep him or her at home. Let your child rest well and have lots of fluids to flush out the toxins from the body.

* Put in place a series of aseptic controls to prevent the spread of infection inside the house. Your home should become a no-bacteria zone. Remove dust and grime from all exposed surfaces in your house, use disinfectants to mop the floors and sterilise your cutlery, kitchen and bathroom. This is an intensive operation. If you cannot do it yourself, enlist the help of a team of professional cleaners to do the job for you.

* Children who have caught an infection have a weakened immune system. While ensuring that they take their meds and drink plenty of water, keep their surroundings as hygienic as possible. Children suffering from chicken pox or the flu, for instance, must have their bedding changed every day. Cook their meals in separate, sterilized utensils and isolate their plates and cutlery after use. Use a clean wrap or disposable gown when entering the room of a sick child. Once the child recovers, disinfect the entire room to kill any residual germs.

* Washing your hands properly is key to staving off the spread of infection. Most people hurriedly run soap over their hands and wash it off. This does not clean the hands nor does it eliminate germs. Invest in a good germicidal liquid hand wash soap and rub your hands together for at least 20 seconds to work up a rich lather. Make sure you clean under your nails and in between your fingers. Wash off with clean running water. It is important to wash your hands at least four times a day as part of infection control.

* Wash your clothes with a disinfectant for clothing. It kills microbes, dust mites and bacteria present on clothing. Always wash the clothes of an ill family member separately, making sure to soak them in disinfectant before transferring them to the washing machine. Dry them separately and store them in a hygienic place.

* Pests and bugs are major carriers of infection. Periodic pest control is a must for the home, apart from daily dusting and disinfecting to prevent the entry of bed bugs, dust mites and ants. Use the vacuum cleaner to get into floor corners, crevices in furniture and behind wardrobes and cabinets.

* In times of airborne diseases, buy sufficient quantities of surgical masks and gloves. Insist on every family member wearing the mask at all times. All of you must carry hand sanitizers and wipes in your bags when stepping out of the house. When handling medicines and other essentials, use a pair of latex gloves so as to keep these supplies out of the ambit of infection.

Arm Yourself Against Acne

“Minimal amounts of sun exposure may initially lead to some acne improvement, but prolonged exposure promotes more rapid exfoliation, which clogs pores and leads to more breakouts,” says a report published by the University of Mississippi Medical Center. This is a typical example of how confusing the realm of acne can be. We often receive conflicting advice from well-meaning friends and relatives, who only want to help us tackle our acne, but end up making us feel helpless. It is, therefore, important to understand the facts before we are able to decide on a treatment for acne.

Facts about Pimples

There are several myths shrouding one of the most common phenomena in the realm of skin disasters. Here’s a look at three of the most prevalent of them.

1.      Acne is not caused by dirt: Contrary to age-old popular misconception, acne is in fact caused by build-up of oil produced by the skin, which clogs the pores and reacts with bacteria to cause inflammation.

2.      Diet does not cause acne: While it can be a trigger, it is not usually the cause. The cause is more likely hereditary or hormonal.

3.      Acne cannot be cured: There are several tips that people will give you, including waiting it out till you are older, for your acne to be cured. The fact is that although it is incurable, there are effective treatments for acne.

Treatment for Acne

Anyone who has fought the recurrent battle with pimple outbreaks knows how disheartening it can be. While home treatments can improve the condition of your skin, if you have a hereditary disposition to acne, it continues to resurface. This is why expert dermatological treatments are recommended to anyone who has a severe case.

Most Effective Treatments

1.      Derma Roller: This is recommended in extreme cases, when breakouts reach a severity that cannot be tackled with antibiotics and Benzoyl Peroxide, which are over the counter drugs. This technique involves pin pricks that simulate the skin to regenerate and heal itself. It is known to be quite effective once all four sessions have been completed.

2.      Fractional Laser: Low-intensity application of high-frequency (100 to 150 Khz) current that generates ozone are shot into the epidermis, which results in improved circulation and has antibacterial properties. This, coupled with facial cleansing and neutral facial peels, can help fight acne. The treatment must be repeated every month for best results.

While recurrent acne can be frustrating and demoralizing, you must keep your chin up and not stress. Remember that pimples feed on stress; they usually flee a happy face.