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Is Your Poor Hygiene Affecting Others?

By Chidirim Ndeche
29 July 2017   |   7:58 am
Owe onye Yoruba bia be'm, well, be papa'm. Owe nu nsi, o flushuru the toilet. Till this day papa'm di very vexed!! Osi no "ke udi animal"😭😭 β€” Jane Doe (@MsJaneAda) July 18, 2017 A story on Snapchat and Twitter went viral earlier this month, when a young lady was complaining about how a "big…

A story on Snapchat and Twitter went viral earlier this month, when a young lady was complaining about how a “big boy” she had met online visited her at her parents’ house and did not flush the toilet after performing a number three (passing out faeces). She had no clue that he had done this until, 2 days later, after she had wondered why her father was upset with her, an uncle called to tell her that her boyfriend whom she brought to their house had pooped and not flushed the toilet. The matter was so serious that they called a family meeting over it, and we all know how those meetings can go.

Photo: naij.com

Sometimes, people tend to forget some basic hygiene methods and this not only affects us, it also affects the people around us directly. Little things like forgetting to flush the toilet after peeing/pooping, not using deodorant, or leaving your house to church without brushing your teeth, can be a great inconvenience for other people around.

Not being properly hygienic can also affect you. Infections of the skin or private parts, body or mouth odour, and a lack of self-confidence are just examples of how bad hygiene can affect you. Proper grooming and healthy personal habits can help you ward off illnesses and feel good about yourself. You need to make good personal hygiene habits a part of your regular routine, regardless of how busy you may be.

Here are a few basic personal hygiene tips you should follow:

  • Wash your body and hair regularly, more times when it’s hotter.
  • Keep your fingernails and toenails trimmed and in good shape. Long fingernails store dirt and germs. Clean feet are less likely to contract athlete’s foot.
  • Brush your teeth twice a day, or after every meal. Floss daily. Also see your dentist twice a year.
  • Wash your hands often under running water: after every trip to the bathroom, before preparing or eating food, after coughing or sneezing, and after handling garbage. This is the best way of preventing the spread of bacteria and viruses.
  • Keep a hygiene product, like an alcohol-based sanitiser, handy for when soap and water aren’t available.
  • Flush the toilet after use. If there is no running water to flush at the time, find where to get water.

Woman sleeping. Photo: Huffington Post

  • Sleep. Getting 8 hours of sleep a day keeps you well rested. It also helps your immune system and improves your mood.

Bad hygiene not only affects physical health, it could also be as a result of poor mental health. When someone you know stops taking proper care of themselves, it could be because they are sad or depressed. Talk to them. If things don’t improve, try to seek professional help for them.

Know any other tips that could go a long way in improving the overall health of people? Kindly share in the comments section below.

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