Benefits of #Facial Massage

Facial massages are treatments you can do with a practitioner or on your own. The technique involves stimulating pressure points on the face, neck, and shoulders. Just a few minutes of practice can help increase blood flow, reduce puffiness, and–wait for it–keep your skin looking fresh, youthful, and fine line-free.
You can use lotions, oils, or cleansing balms with facial massages, as well as a face roller or a flat gua sha tool.

Types of Face Massage Techniques:

1.   Vibration- This massage technique is used to restore soft tissues. It helps in relaxing the muscles.

2.   Cupping- In this technique, special cups are put on the skin to create suction. It is done to increase the blood flow, decrease pain and relax your muscles.

3.   Hot and Cold Stone- This technique involves placing heated or cold stones on the body to decrease pain and relax stiff muscles.

4.   The Tapping-Tapping massage technique is used to relax stressed muscles by triggering nerves to energize the nervous system.

5.   Knuckle Kneading- In this technique, intense pressure is applied to reach the tissues under the deeper layers of the skin. This is a common technique to open up tight muscles, increase flexibility and reduce pain.

Types of Face Massage:

1.   Swedish- This is the most common type of massage. It includes soft and folding strokes on the uppermost layers of the muscles. This massage is relaxing and energizing.

2.   Shiatsu- Shiatsu means 'finger pressure'; in this, the therapist uses a different level of pressure on certain points of the body. This massage helps in opening blockages in the muscles.

3.   Remedial- Remedial massage works as a healing treatment to provide relief to sore muscles that are damaged, knotted or impaired. It improves overall health by relaxing the tensed muscles of the body.

4.   Acupressure- It is a specific massage technique that aims to relax muscles, lessen pain and increase blood circulation in the body.

5. Gua sha- This massage technique involves using a quartz stone or a jade roller on the skin in an upward motion to relax the stiff muscles and promote tissue drainage.

The easiest way to DIY

How to do a stress-relieving facial massage right at home?

1.  Be sure to start with clean hands and a clean face.

2.  Give the back of the neck and shoulder some love. The neck is the superhighway for circulation to the face and lymphatic drainage coming down from the face.

3.  Use your two fingers below the jaw and two fingers above the jaw like a scissor, and come up to the ear and then gently down the side of the neck.

4.  Use your thumbs to massage down the jaw muscle. You can use a good amount of pressure here. The jaw muscle is very strong (and tight!).

5.  Next, using from the index finger to the thumb, stroke and lift the entire lower face.

6.  Use your index finger and thumb to pinch all around the lips. This helps plump the lips and skin but also reduce tension around the mouth.

7.  Use your knuckles to perform very light circles all over the forehead.

8.  Finish by stroking upwards from the center of the brows to the hairline.

Potential Benefits of a Face Massage

Did you know that our face consists of a total of 42 facial muscles? A face massage is an exercise for those muscles. How exercise benefits our body in numerous ways, a face massage also helps us by relaxing the facial muscles and boosting blood circulation. 

Reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles

Relaxes muscle tension in the face

Aids in lymphatic drainage

Tones and uplifts the face

Reduces ageing signs

Brightens complexion

Detoxifies skin

Gives you smooth and soft skin

Banishes under eye woes

Relieves pain and soothes skin

Which Oil Is Good for Face Massage?

Skin Type	Oil
Dry skin	Almond, argan and marula oils
Oily Skin	Jojoba, grapeseed oils
Sensitive skin	Aloe Vera, moringa, chamomile oils
Normal skin	Argan, retinol oils
Acne-prone skin	Rosehip seed, pomegranate, tea tree oils

A face massage is one of the best ways to pamper yourself and take care of your facial skin. Why not start working out those facial muscles for youthful, glowing skin?

#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.

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.