Cleanliness of the body is the key to health.

As the good old folk proverb that came to us from ancient times says, cleanliness of the body is the key to health. Is it really? Let's try to sort everything out, and in this article we'll talk about:

1. skin,
2. Hair,
3. Teeth and nails
4. Clothes and shoes.

So, the regulations are outlined... and in order we begin...

1. Body skin hygiene.
2. Dental and oral hygiene.
3. Hair care.
4. The importance of good sleep.
5. Care of clothes and shoes.

Body skin hygiene.

The skin of the body is an important sensory organ, participating in gas and heat exchange with the external environment, protecting against harmful factors. Water vapor, sweat secretions, sebum and bactericidal substances escape through the skin. Vitamin D synthesis occurs on its surface every second. With poor care, dirt and microorganisms accumulate, and all kinds of organic substances begin to decompose. At the same time, decay products significantly irritate the skin, dust clogs the excretory ducts of the sweat and sebaceous glands, and all kinds of microorganisms and fungi, penetrating into contaminated skin, find favorable conditions for their development. This is how all kinds of boils, acne and other diseases arise. When polluted, the so-called skin respiration, which is very important for humans, decreases by 10-15%.

It turns out that keeping the body clean is one of the most important requirements of personal hygiene. Therefore, hands must be washed thoroughly, and always with soap after each contamination, as it can spread to other parts of the body, dishes, and food products. The skin secretes bactericidal substances; The cleaner it is, the more capable of self-sterilization. It is necessary to cut your nails short and wash your hands with a brush and soap. The skin on the heels of the feet is rich in sweat glands. Sweating is caused by tight, airtight shoes, dirty socks and stockings. It is necessary to wash your feet with soap every day before going to bed, treating rough and thickened areas on the heels and soles with pumice, dry them with a towel and lubricate them with any emollient cream. In case of excessive sweating of the feet, from time to time you should take warm baths with soap and wipe the skin with Finish, Hygiene lotion, powder with Galmanin or a mixture of equal parts of talc and crotropine. If diaper rash appears between the fingers, especially on the little fingers, in the morning you need to powder these places with a powder made from equal parts of talc, zinc oxide and boric acid. After taking a bath, or swimming in a river, pool, or sauna, you need to thoroughly wipe the skin between your fingers and check for cracks or diaper rash. If necessary, lubricate these areas with nitro-fungin or iodine. You also need to carefully monitor your toenails. Once a week, trim them at a right angle, but not very short. With these actions you will prevent ingrown nails. By evening, your legs get very tired and need rest and care. When you come home after work, try to find 15-20 minutes to relax. Undress, take off your shoes, socks, stockings, open the window and lie down in a chair. Relax your arms, lower them along your body, and raise your legs by placing a folded blanket or a chair. After resting, put on soft slippers or comfortable slippers. You must ensure that stockings and socks are always dry and clean and change them daily.

As you know, healthy teeth are the key to health. Oral care is extremely necessary to prevent diseases of the teeth, gums, and the appearance of rotten breath. It has been proven that dental caries leads to tooth loss and a deterioration in the processing of food in the mouth and in the gastrointestinal tract. If you brush your teeth in the morning, rinse your mouth well in the evening; When brushing in the evening, rinse your mouth in the morning. With most modern toothpastes you can brush your teeth twice a day, but with powder - no more than once. Well-known Russian dentists recommend evening brushing of teeth with a damp brush without toothpaste, followed by vigorous rinsing of the mouth with water. It is important not to press food debris into the interdental spaces, so you need to brush the teeth on the lower jaw from the gums vertically upward, on the upper jaw downward, and then with light circular and horizontal movements. Don't forget to treat the back of your tongue, where too many germs accumulate. In case of bleeding gums, we recommend the pastes “Lesnaya”, “Chamomile”, “Mint”, in case of increased sensitivity of the necks of the teeth to: a) sour, b) sweet, c) hot, d) cold - “Ftorodent”, “Pearl”. You can use pastes that contain extracts and infusions of medicinal herbs - “Azulena”, “Biodent”, “Enchantress”, “Sputnik”.

If you identify a tendency towards rapid deposition of tartar, we recommend “Ayra” and “White-pink” toothpastes. You can also use all kinds of imported pastes containing chamomile or fluoride salts.

Hair care.

Hair not only decorates a person, but also protects the scalp from adverse external influences, cold, and overheating. Hair change continues throughout life. Long-term chronic diseases can lead to significant loss, and nervous stress (fear, mental stress) can cause complete baldness. Dry hair should be washed no more than once every 10-14 days. This will protect them from becoming fat-free, brittle and splitting. Use soft, warm water. If it is hard, boil or add baking soda (half a teaspoon per liter). Use “Children’s”, “Cosmetic” or “Lanolin” soap containing special fatty additives..

Wash your body thoroughly with hot water and soap once or twice a week. The procedure somewhat relaxes the body, so after a bath it is useful to take a cool or cold shower. It is necessary to visit the baths, as they also have anti-epidemic significance. Using a steam room cleanses the skin and pores. Profuse sweating helps remove toxins from the body; sudden changes in temperature exercise the thermoregulatory apparatus and promote hardening. Within a couple of days after visiting the steam room, there is an increase in oxidative processes, improved skin respiration, and improved metabolism. And although it is believed that good steam is the key to health, the procedure is contraindicated for persons with heart and vascular diseases, pulmonary tuberculosis, or autonomic neurosis. The physiological effect of a sauna (Finnish-type steam room) is somewhat weaker.

The importance of good sleep.

Whatever your regime, at the end of the day any person begins to feel tired. Only sleep can fully restore our performance. It protects the cells of the cerebral cortex from the effects of overstrain and destruction. During sleep, their performance is restored, negative metabolic products are removed and substances we need for new activities accumulate. Average sleep duration directly depends on age:

1. I) a 6-7 year old schoolchild needs about 12 hours,
2. II) a child 10 years old - 10,
3. III) teenager - 8,
4. IV) adult - 6-8 hours.

The air temperature in the room should be 16 - 18 °C. In summer it is recommended to sleep with the windows wide open, or even better on the balcony or in the garden. Accordingly, in winter - with the windows open.

The cleanliness of our body is not fully possible without hygiene of clothes and shoes. Clothing fabric must have low thermal conductivity, high porosity, good breathability, sufficient elasticity and flexibility. Choose outerwear that does not restrict movement and does not cause skin irritation. These conditions are met by wool, cotton, linen and some silk fabrics. Linen should be especially elastic, soft, flexible, and hygroscopic. Linen fabrics absorb moisture well and are easy to wash.

Sportswear should be light, comfortable, breathable and appropriate for the season. The training suit should be washed or dry cleaned periodically.

As you can see, a lot really depends on our hygiene. Consequently, the old proverb did not lie: Cleanliness of the body is the key to health and longevity. So keep it clean and be healthy and happy!