Pay attention to your personal hygiene.

Personal hygiene involves the practice of keeping oneself and one's living and working conditions clean in order to prevent illness and disease.

The daily habit of ensuring and maintaining cleanliness and healthy living will save your money from future health care costs.

Keeping yourself clean will not only protect you from germs but also allows you to have confidence in your relationships and social life. Your unhygienic habits can affect other people who come in contact with you.

Actions to ensure personal hygiene are simple but yet most people neglect to practice the habits.

• Bad breath.

Bad breath is caused by...

1. Food trapped in cavities after eating.
2. The food you eat. Garlic and onion are two of the usual contributors.
3. Tobacco and beer.
4. Plague deposits.
5. Gum disease.

The remedy for bad breath is to pay attention to your basic personal hygiene.

1. Brush your teeth at least three times a day especially after eating and before going to sleep.
2. Floss to remove food that gets stuck in between your teeth and decay. No matter how much you brush, you will not remove everything.
3. Gargle or rinse with water when it is inconvenient to brush after your meals.
4. Clean your tongue. Bacteria accumulate on the tongue and can contribute to the foul smell when you breathe or open your mouth.
5. Chew sugarless gum or suck sugarless mint to stimulate saliva production from a dry mouth.
6. Avoid tobacco and beer.
7. Visit the dentist regularly.

• Body odor.

Body odor makes you feel unsafe and insecure in the company of others. Your social life and relationships will suffer if you do not take action to eliminate it.

Body odor is usually caused by sweat that is produced under the armpits and the groins. Bacteria that feed upon it cause the stinking odor.

The solution to eliminate or avoid body odor is to make these personal hygiene practices a daily habit.

1. Clean your underarm and groin area with water and bacterial soap.
2. Use deodorant or antiperspirant.
3. Wash the clothes that you wear even after using it once.
4. Cut pungent food that is carried in your sweat from your diet. Garlic, onions and beer are the common ones.
5. Wash, shower or bathe regularly.

• Foot odor.

Foot odor is caused when the sweat does not evaporate and bacteria feed on it.

To solve this problem, try these suggestions.

1. Wash the soles of your feet and in between your toes with water and antibacterial soap regularly.
2. Soak your feet in kosher salt solution.
3. Use antiperspirant or foot deodorant.
4. Use clean and comfortable socks. Change them daily
5. Take care of your feet and your shoes. Choose the right shoes. Wash and air them. Sprinkle your shoes to absorb moisture.
6. Switch to wearing open toed sandals or thongs especially in public showers.

• Hair and skin care.

1. Wash your hair regularly. You need to wash them after spending long hours outdoors This is because your hair collects dust and pollens.
2. You need to wash away the chlorine after swimming.
3. Shampooing helps get rid of dandruff that is caused by dead skin cells.
4. Take a shower after exercise that makes your perspire.
5. Moisture your skin to avoid dryness and scales.

• Your hands.

You use your fingers and your hands in almost all of your activities. Washing your hands especially after using the toilet is a must personal hygiene habit to keep.

Washing them thoroughly and drying afterwards help remove germs. This is a habit that you must practice after you expose your hands to touching your pets, preparing food and many other daily and routine activities.

Remember to trim your finger and toe nails.

Maintaining personal hygiene helps with your overall well being.

1. Regular showering or bathing is one of the ways you can keep yourself clean and healthy.
2. Keeping your home clean by washing and changing your bed linens, curtains and vacuuming the carpets remove dust and mites. This will avoid you from getting allergies.
3. If you smoke, choose to do it outside to allow clean air in your home.
4. Go outdoors and get fresh air. It is also a way to relax your mind from your daily stress.
5. Bathe your furry pet regularly.
6. Choose your food wisely. Ensure that you do not consume food that is contaminated.
7. Cover any cuts on your skin after cleaning them.

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