Globalwits

Sunday 27 March 2022

#Tetanus shots prevent dangerous infections

The purpose of a tetanus shot

Everyone should get tetanus shots as recommended. A tetanus shot is a vaccine that protects you from getting tetanus. Tetanus, also called “lockjaw,” is a serious disease caused by bacteria called Clostridium tetani. When you get tetanus vaccines as recommended, your body makes antibodies, special proteins that will help your immune system fight the toxin produced by the bacteria.


Clostridium tetani are bacteria that live in soil and manure. Tetanus infections most commonly happen when you suffer a wound that gives the bacteria a chance to enter your body. For example, stepping on a nail is a common cause of tetanus infections. Once inside your body, the bacteria release a toxin that causes your muscles to tighten. This can cause your mouth to “lock” shut and make it hard to swallow. If not treated promptly, the muscle stiffness spreads and, in some cases, can cause death.


A tetanus infection can enter the body through small cuts, scrapes, and scratches. If you’re cut by a metallic or rusty object or suffer a deep wound, immediately consult a doctor about receiving a tetanus shot. Keep in mind, tetanus infections can also occur as a result of burns, animal bites, or wounds contaminated with dirt or faeces.

Good wound care and prompt treatment reduce the risk of developing a tetanus infection, but the tetanus vaccine is the best way to protect yourself from the disease. Tetanus does not pass from person to person, so “herd immunity” cannot prevent tetanus infections. You also do not build immunity to future tetanus infections by having had a previous infection. As a result, each person needs a series of tetanus vaccines in order to avoid getting tetanus. Tetanus vaccines are often given in combination with vaccines that protect you from other diseases, such as diphtheria and pertussis.

Tetanus boosters help to make sure that you have enough antibodies to neutralize the toxin produced by Clostridium tetani should you get an infection. If you are injured and it has been more than 10 years since your last tetanus booster, your doctor may recommend getting a booster shot. If your wound is especially dirty, your doctor may recommend a booster shot even if it has been less than 10 years since your last tetanus shot.

When to seek medical advice

You should contact your GP if you're concerned about a wound, particularly if:

Ø  The wound is deep

Ø  The wound contains dirt or a foreign object

Ø  You haven't been fully vaccinated against tetanus

Ø  You're not sure whether you have been fully vaccinated against tetanus

Ø  Your GP can assess the wound and decide if you need a vaccination or any other treatment.

Ø  You may need additional treatment for a serious or dirty wound that's considered to be tetanus-prone.

Ø  You should immediately go to your nearest hospital or call an ambulance if you develop severe muscle stiffness or spasms.


Thursday 24 March 2022

Are you’ a #hygiene freak?

 Good Personal Hygiene

“Practicing good body hygiene helps you feel good about yourself, which is important for your mental health & Physical health.”

Hygiene is a series of practices performed to preserve health.

People who have poor hygiene — disheveled hair and clothes, body odour, bad breath, missing teeth, and the like — often are seen as unhealthy and may face discrimination. On a social level, people may avoid a person with poor personal hygiene, which may result in isolation and loneliness.

In people with poor personal hygiene, the body provides an ideal environment for germs to grow, leaving it vulnerable to infection.

Developing and maintaining a personal hygiene routine is key to having a healthy body and mind.


Personal hygiene

Personal hygiene are practices performed by an individual to care for one's bodily health and wellbeing through cleanliness. Many people equate hygiene with 'cleanliness' but hygiene is a broad term including personal habits choices as how frequently to bathe, wash hands, trim fingernails and change clothing. Also includes keeping the environment clean and pathogen free. 

Components of personal hygiene

Personal hygiene has many components, following these components one may be able to advance his/her hygiene the following are some;

Face hygiene

• Fingernail & Toenail hygiene

• Ear hygiene

• Hair hygiene

• Foot hygiene

• Environmental cleanliness

The following common symptoms will tell you if there is an issue with your personal hygiene.

Cold Fever

Food Poisoning

Skin infections

Cough

Typhoid

Hookworm Infection

Gastroenteritis

Depression

Scabies

Hepatitis A

Urinary Infections

Lice

Tooth decay

Pediculosis

Salmonellosis

Halitosis

Wash Your Hands Multiple Times a Day

This should be an obvious one, but it’s the first one on our list for good reason. How many surfaces have you touched today? And how many other people have touched those surfaces?

Our hands are our primary tools, and we touch hundreds of things every day without a second thought. They carry all kinds of germs, and we can easily transfer those germs to other surfaces.

Let’s accept it: our hands are gross! And the best way to improve our personal hygiene is to wash our hands thoroughly and regularly.

When you need to wash your hands:

  • after handling garbage
  • before and after dining
  • before and after handling food
  • after touching animals
  • after spending time in public spaces
  • after blowing your nose
  • after changing diapers

And those are just some of the times when you should wash your hands. Generally, if your hands come into contact with something that may have germs on it, wash your hands afterward.

Washing your hands is more than splashing around some water for a couple of seconds. Whether you’ve handled food, used the toilet, or entered someone’s home, you should always wash your hands with soap and water.

The soap is important because it captures the grease and germs on your hands. When you rinse the soap off with water, it takes the germs away with those sudsy bubbles!

Preventing body odour

After washing, apply deodorant to your armpits. Put on clean, dry clothing. Wash sweaty or dirty garments well and, if possible, hang them outdoors to dry. If you have a problem with excessive sweating, make an appointment to see your doctor.

Avoid Touching Your Face

Remember when we talked about all the germs on your hands? Chances are you’ve touched your face at least once since starting this article, and you didn’t wash your hands before you did it.

 

It’s an unconscious move. If our nose itches, we scratch it without a second thought. We rest our heads on our hands while we think or listen. We play with our hair, whether it’s on our face or on our head.

And it’s gross. Because when you touch your face after touching numerous surfaces, there’s a good chance that bacteria will get on your face and stay there.

And “touching your face” includes more than just your cheeks or forehead. As soon as your fingers enter your nostrils or your mouth, that’s a whole new level of contamination (and again, gross).

Ear hygiene

Ear wax accumulates in the ear canal that leads from the outer ear to the ear drum. As the secretion comes out of the ear it collects dust particles from the air. Daily washing with soap and water is enough to keep the outer ear clean. Do not reach farther than you can with your little finger into your ear. Putting in hairpins, safety pins or blunt-edged things for cleaning purposes might harm the ear. If you feel wax has accumulated and is plugging your ears and interfering with hearing, consult your doctor.

Hair hygiene (hair care)

The hair follicles from which the hair grows produce oil from the sebaceous glands that keeps the hair smooth. The scalp (the skin covering the head) also has numerous sweat glands and is a surface for the accumulation of dead skin cells. The oil, sweat and dead cells all add together and can make the hair greasy and look dirty unless you wash it regularly.

Poor hair hygiene could cause dandruff and skin infections such as Tinea capitis. Dandruff is dead skin on the scalp that comes off in tiny flakes when sebaceous glands produce too much oil and accumulates on the scalp.

Armpit and bottom hygiene

These are body parts that easily get sweaty and where ventilation is very poor. After puberty, our sweat gains a specific and unpleasant odour which may be offensive to others. The armpits and the bottom should be washed daily.

Anal cleansing is the hygienic practice of cleaning the anus after defecation. The anus and buttocks may be cleansed with clean toilet paper or similar paper products. Water may be used. Hands must be washed with soap afterwards. The use of rags, leaves, stones, corn cobs, or sticks must be discouraged as these materials can damage the skin.

Why is personal hygiene important?

Good hygiene is vital because it helps prevent you and your children from getting or spreading germs and infectious diseases. The germs that cause many diseases can be passed on through touching other people, getting faeces (poo) on your hands, handling contaminated food, or coming into contact with dirty surfaces or objects.

Conditions that you can develop if you have poor personal hygiene include:

  • COVID-19 and other infectious diseases
  • Diarrhoea, especially gastroenteritis
  • respiratory infections, including colds and flu
  • staph infections
  • worm-related conditions, such as threadworms
  • scabies
  • trachoma, an eye infection which can lead to blindness
  • tinea or athlete’s foot
  • tooth decay

Value and Benefits of Good Health: 

Life is a big fight and health is the best weapon to succeed in the battle of life. A healthy man can enjoy life in every way. An unhealthy man lives a miserable life. He may have intelligence, merit, and wealth, but he cannot use them and reap the benefits. 



Monday 21 March 2022

Increase Your Stamina Rewire Your Body

Exercise increases stamina and overall energy levels over a long period of time. Cardiovascular exercises like running, biking, aerobics, jogging, and exercises of your lungs and heart increase the efficiency with which oxygen gets supplied to the muscles in your body. Over a period of time, this will enhance and increase your body’s stamina and endurance levels. Exercises will tire you out in the short term, but with practice, you will soon notice the difference that it makes to your body.

It’s important that you don’t give if you don’t see any results as stamina building takes time.

What is stamina?

The bodily or mental capacity to sustain a prolonged stressful effort or activity.

The moral or emotional strength to continue with a difficult process, effort, etc.

Having low stamina often causes a person to feel tired after little exertion, and they may experience an overall lack of energy or focus. By increasing their stamina, a person can feel more energetic and complete daily tasks more easily.

How to increase stamina by natural means?

There are natural means which are a combination of diet, exercise and lifestyle modifications that can increase your stamina the natural way.

1.Start with a Better Morning Routine

If your days are stressful and rushed, consider a fresh, new approach to your morning routine. Start with a healthy breakfast and morning exercise, and you will set a positive tone for the rest of your day. 

Start by getting into action with simple activities like taking a walk, going to the gym, or practicing an invigorating morning exercise, such as tai chi or yoga. These activities can help you feel focused and ready to meet the challenges of your day. Be sure to power up with a healthy breakfast to give your body the fuel it needs.

2.Focus Your Positive Energy

One great way to start your new morning routine is by taking a few quiet moments after you wake up to focus your positive energy for the day. You can achieve this through meditation, thinking positive thoughts, doing affirmations, or practicing visualization exercises. Studies have shown that regular meditation may lower blood pressure, boost the immune system, and help relieve stress and fatigue.

3.Eat a Healthy Breakfast

Eating a good breakfast is an essential part of a morning routine. “It’s important to break the fast,”. “When you skip breakfast, your body says, ‘Okay, I need to conserve energy.’ Then your metabolism slows down and you have less energy throughout the day.”

4.Eat for Energy

Eating foods with a low glycemic index — whose sugars are absorbed slowly — may help you avoid the lag in energy that typically occurs after eating quickly absorbed sugars or refined starches. Foods with a low glycemic index include whole grains, high-fibers vegetables, nuts, and healthy oils such as olive oil. In general, high-carbohydrate foods have the highest glycemic indexes. Proteins and fats have glycemic indexes that are close to zero.

5.Refuel Your Energy Every Day

Human beings aren’t meant to operate like computers — at high speeds, continuously, for long periods of time. We’re designed to be rhythmic, and to intermittently renew. The first key is to intermittently quiet your physiology. You can dramatically lower your heart rate, your blood pressure and your muscle tension in as little as 30 to 60 second seconds with regular practice.

6.Listen to Music

“If you’re stressed out about something at work, then soothing music might be good. If you want an energy boost and love rock ’n roll, then that might be better for you.” Sounds can affect our mood and our body. When we listen to a beautiful song or the sounds of nature — a babbling brook or ocean waves — our bodies produce chemicals that can boost our moods.

7.Right breathing techniques

What increases stamina is to practice the right breathing technique while jogging or swimming. Pace up jogging with your breathing and control it. Do core exercise. If you have a weak core and upper body you won’t last long. Focus on developing all of your body muscles.

8.Say less. Do more

“Action speaks louder than words!” Just saying is not enough One must have a powerful mindset to dream, optimistic attitude to believe and strength to achieve it. Just do your thing and prove your competence, rather than saying confidently about it with nothing in hand. Silence is one of the most powerful skills you can learn. It gives you peace, better relationships, more influence, and a confident personality. As long as your goal is to make the world a better place, doing will always beat speaking.

9.Follow A Healthy Diet

If you are into high-intensity workouts or activity, your diet can supplement the energy required to complete the activity. Along with proteins and fats, you must increase the intake of carbohydrates if you perform high-intensity activities. These carbohydrates can provide energy quickly as they can be easily metabolized to release energy. This, in turn, increases your stamina and helps enhance endurance. You can consume bananas and apples, foods rich in fibers, such as berries, cereal grains, etc., brown rice, and other starchy foods, such as sweet potatoes, to supplement your body with carbohydrates and increase your stamina.

10.Lighten your load

One of the main reasons for fatigue is overwork. Overwork can include professional, family, and social obligations. Try to streamline your list of "must-do" activities. Set your priorities in terms of the most important tasks. Pare down those that are less important. Consider asking for extra help at work, if necessary.

11.Drink water

What's the only nutrient that has been shown to enhance performance for all but the most demanding endurance activities? It's not some pricey sports drink. It's water. If your body is short of fluids, one of the first signs is a feeling of fatigue.

12.Be Consistent

Consistency is putting forth a consistent effort day in and day out no matter what you do. There are numerous ways where consistency can be applied. Even though it is possible to be at your best every day, you should try your best every day. That is the consistency you should strive for. Even though it might be difficult, there are a few ways you can make this easier on yourself. In order to be consistent, you need to know what you have to do every day. Therefore, you should create a schedule for yourself.

13.Get enough sleep

Two-thirds of us suffer from sleep problems, and many people don’t get the sleep they need to stay alert through the day. Sleep plays an important role in your physical health. For example, sleep is involved in healing and repair of your heart and blood vessels. A lack of sleep at night can make you cranky the next day. Sleep lets your brain catch up so you're ready for what's next. Proper rest sets you up for your best performance.

14.Maintain Good Personal Hygiene

“Practicing good body hygiene helps you feel good about yourself, which is important for your mental health & Physical health.”

People who have poor hygiene — disheveled hair and clothes, body odour, bad breath, missing teeth, and the like — often are seen as unhealthy and may face discrimination. On a social level, people may avoid a person with poor personal hygiene, which may result in isolation and loneliness.

In people with poor personal hygiene, the body provides an ideal environment for germs to grow, leaving it vulnerable to infection.

Developing and maintaining a personal hygiene routine is key to having a healthy body and mind.

15.Have more fun 

Maybe you’re so preoccupied with commitments and pressures that you don’t give yourself enough time for fun. Laughter is one of the best energy boosters around. A hectic lifestyle is exhausting. Try to carve out a few more hours in your week to simply relax and hang out.

The fact of the matter

An increased body stamina helps you train more, perform more profusely and eventually helps you build good health. The key concept here is to challenge yourself. If you’re trying to improve your stamina (or any aspect of your fitness) you’ll need to follow the “principle of progressive overload,” a physiological rule that explains how the body gets stronger, faster, and fitter.