Soap is needful in hand washing

If you have been reading our blog posts, you would have understood the importance of keeping the hands clean. Washing the hands properly is very important and cannot be over-emphasized. But am sure someone will still ask the question: “do I really need to wash my hands with soap? What if I wash with only water?”

Soap is very important for effective hand-washing and hygiene. It allows insoluble particles to become soluble in water and then be rinsed away. So while washing the hands with soap, it helps loosen the grip of bacteria, dirt and other visible and invisible particles on the hand. But scrubbing harder and washing longer is the key to clean hands.

Soap also can be contaminated; so how you store your soap is important to avoid contacting more germs than when you haven’t washed your hands. This is why liquid soap is the best. 

Washing with water after cleaning with toilet paper

Toilet paper is used for cleaning the anus and surrounding areas after defecation. It is designed to decompose in the septic tank which makes it different from other forms of tissues.
The use of paper for hygiene purposes has been recorded in China in the 6th century AD before toilet paper was produced in the 14th century. Before that, wealthy people wiped themselves with wool, lace or hemp, while less wealthy people used rags, leaves, grass, stones, water and anything you can imagine.
Now, in most parts of the world, toilet paper is used. The use of water and the left hand to wash is also common. Some people also use toilet paper to dry after washing with water.

People who wash with water believe water is more hygienic, eliminates chances of infection and that no matter how much you scrub with a toilet paper, you still won't feel clean. While people who use toilet paper believe using water is dirty as it means your hand will touch the poop and the toilet and pants will get wet with water.

After weighing the options, I came up with this conclusion:
Wash with water after cleaning with a toilet paper; that way, your hands won't touch the poop, you will eliminate chances of infections, feel clean and not smell of poop.

Fighting U.T.I

Urinary tract infections can be disturbing and there is this tendency of re-occurrence after treatment. Its most common among women, probably due to a shorter urethra in women. Poor hygiene has been linked to an increase in the frequency of UTI, though its not the only cause because i know many questions are already on our minds. But there is always a hygiene approach to every health challenge, which is what we want to look at right now.
Urinary tract infection occur when bacteria get into the bladder through the urethra and begin to multiply. The bacteria can be flushed out while urinating when the bacteria are at the opening of the urethra, but if there are too many bacteria, they can travel up the urethra to the bladder, where they can grow and cause an infection.
Most times, these bacteria (mainly E.coli) normally live in the intestine or around the anus. So they enter the urinary tract from other sites of the body. This is how hygiene comes in. Sexual intercourse can introduce large number of bacteria into the bladder, which is why it's advisable to urinate immediately after intercourse. UTI can also be caused by an infected prostrate. But we want to look at accidental contamination which can be prevented by wiping properly after a bowel movement and hand washing.
After using the toilet, wipe from front to back to avoid moving bacteria from the anus to the vagina. Also, the importance of hand washing after using the toilet cannot be over-emphasized. See our previous post which explained proper hand washing techniques more..http://healthclubnigeria.blogspot.com.ng/2015/09/should-we-stop-shaking-hands.html

Here are some other helpful tips:
Don't wear wet or dirty underwears
Wear loose cotton clothing
Urinate frequently and as soon as you feel the urge
Change your sanitary pads often
Drink plenty of water
Take Vitamin C supplements or eat foods packed with vitamin c.

SHOULD WE STOP SHAKING HANDS?

Hand shaking is not a Nigerian or an African thing. It is universally accepted as warm and friendly. Forgive me if you find shaking of hands unacceptable or your religion forbids it; but i see no better term to qualify the acceptability, aside 'universal.'
During the Ebola saga, i still saw people shaking hands and i shook some hands myself, though i will jokingly add that this should be forbidden for Ebola's sake. In church, we all shake hands at a point, with our neighbours as a sign of love and acceptance. This hand shaking of a thing is more common among men. When a 'guy' sees his friend, they shake hands. But women will always hug or smile at each other.
Now what is the write up all about? Is it trying to say we shouldn't shake hands or that handshaking isn't a good thing? The writer says; "I don't really know. I want to tell you about organisms on the hand and let you decide if you should reduce the rate at which you shake hands. Because you can't say you won't shake an extended hand. That will be rude and unacceptable."
We use the hand for almost everything; touching, cooking, eating, cleaning, working, scratching and handling our phones, bags, garbage bins, shoes, meat, money, and other things you can imagine. Some of these things are contaminated and its been proven that our hands can be contaminated too.
There are friendly micro-organisms on our body parts that do not really cause infections. These same organisms may not be friendly when transferred from their place of residence to another, but the good news is, they usually survive for a limited period of time. So when you get them on your hands, they can be easily removed by good hand washing techniques. Hand washing not only removes unwanted organisms, but also removes dirt, organic materials and dead skin.
Talking about 'good hand washing technique;' do we really know them? We hear things like;
Wet hands under running water,
Dispense soap into a cupped hand (soap from a dispenser, not bar soap, except the bar soap is for personal use),
Hand wash for 10-15 seconds without adding more water,
And dry hands properly using a disposable towel (drying is important because bacteria survive in moisture).
Hand disinfectants can be useful when hand washing devices are not available. But they do not cleanse.
Now, the question is, how many people keep to good hygiene practices?
Its been established; the hand can be contaminated with micro-organisms and these organisms can be transferred. So, how do we reduce the spread. Should we stop shaking hands?

HYGIENE BASICS

We know these things, but everyone needs a reminder once in a while. Sometimes we remember, but just get lazy. Subsequently, we will share posts that will reveal the consequences of not heeding to hygiene basics.
Read! Practice! Be good!

Basic Hygiene Practices:

 ·Take your bath daily.

 ·Wash your towels regularly and replace when old.

 ·Brush your teeth every morning and evening. Change your toothbrush every three months, when the bristles wear out, after a mouth infection or flu.

 ·After meals, rinse your mouth with water or an antibacterial mouthwash.

 ·Wash your hands with soap and water after using the toilet, before, during and after preparing a meal, before and after eating, before and after caring for a sick person, after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing and after handling animals or waste. Use a hand sanitizer when hand washing devices are not available.

 ·Wash your cloths after wearing them. Make sure you wear clean clothes, socks and underwear each day.

 ·Trim your hair often and wash with shampoo.

 ·Clip your fingernails and toenails regularly.

 ·Don’t clean your ear canal with a cotton swab to avoid hurting your ear drums.

 ·Change your sanitary pad or your baby’s diapers regularly.

 ·Clean your home regularly. You can use disinfectants.

 ·Clean the toilet immediately after use. Ensure steady availability of tissue paper in the toilet. When using a public toilet, cover the toilet seat with toilet paper or wipe with flushable disinfectant wet wipes.

 ·Dust your desk, electronics and other appliances always. You can use a wet wipe.

 ·Ensure proper waste disposal.

 ·Don’t share razors, towels and other personal items.