Cleanliness they say is next to godliness and it takes conscientious efforts and paying rapt attention to details to arrive at that level. Personal hygiene is one aspect of the every day being that should never be neglected or toiled with. I can boldly liken personal hygiene to be as important as water is to the survival of man and every living creature.
What is personal hygiene?
It is a reflection of how you take care of yourself. Having good personal hygiene practices means taking care of yourself and leading a healthy lifestyle. Personal hygiene simply put is you investing your time and money to having and living a clean life devoid of questionable stench.
I have walked past people on their way to work in the early hours of the morning and to my greatest disappointment I perceive nose-damaging stench that made me to stop and stare and in the process wonder if such people have ever had a bath in their entire lives on earth.
THINGS TO PAY ATTENTION TO:
Your clothes:
You have to be a detailed person to maintain a high level of personal hygiene, it’s really not about buying the most expensive perfume or designers Cologne but about the efforts you have put in place before applying these perfumes. Trust me dear reader, if you wear Chanel No.5 on a clothe you last washed two weeks ago, you will stink so bad that no body will get close to you.
Wash your clothes often and while at it, pay close attention to the collar and armpit where we mostly sweat. Also wash your socks and stockings. Most guys wear same socks for months without remorse. Ensure you wash your socks regular. For the ladies,your undies should be kept clean to avoid the foul odour that emanates from discharges. You should also go an extra mile to sun dry your shoes, especially if you sweat on your feet. In fact sun dry your shoes for no reason at all.
Hidden parts of the body.
Don’t ever wait until you perceive a smell before you clean up hidden areas in you body especially the armpits and the privates. It costs almost nothing to have clean shaved armpit. Keeping bushy armpit is the fastest way to attract body odour as it makes you sweat easily.
Other hidden parts of the body should be shaved clean and washed properly when bathing. Also, endeavor to use deodorants for your underarm to keep it dry and fresh.
Your choice of Perfume:
The perfume you use can speak volume most times as you either leave a great or a bad scent whenever you pass people on the way. Use good perfume that can last long and has good fragrance so you will smell fresh and nice.
Your mouth:
Please pay a very close attention to your mouth. Talking about the mouth, if I may ask, how many times do you brush your teeth in a day? If you hesitate before giving an answer to this question, then you need to retrace your steps and pay attention to your greatest asset with which you can be made or marred-Your mouth!
Hygienically, it is advisable to brush the teeth twice or thrice a day though twice is more realistic. Dentists would advice you brush before going to bed at night and after having breakfast in the morning. I know you would be wondering, why after breakfast? Well, after breakfast applies mostly to those that adhere to brushing at night before sleeping because when you wake up in the morning, your mouth would still be fresh, except of course you ate in your dream, hehehe.
Brushing after breakfast would help to keep your mouth fresh and in good smell while you run around for your daily duties before lunch breaks.
Going out of the house without brushing is the fastest way to lose friends as people would not want to talk to you or even come close to you no matter the wonderful idea you have to sell to them. While brushing, don’t ever neglect the tongue which also needs to be clean just as the teeth.
Make it a point of duty to perceive your breath before stepping out of the house, especially if you are one of those people that engage in tête-à-tête a lot. A bad breath is a turn off for people anytime any day no matter how much love and respect they have for you. I know you wouldn’t want an outsider to embarrass you when you open your mouth; so dear, take the pain and have that breath-of- fresh air before leaving the house. This will also build your confidence.
If you have been told by a best friend that you have foul breath, you might want to seek professional advice especially if you are that kind that uses the best toothpaste, toothbrush,brushes three times a day and still has bad breath.
Your Hair: It is disheartening when you get to close to some ladies and the smell from their hair throws you off balance. Carrying hair for months without washing is another way to lose friends. I stood close to a lady in the banking hall and the smell of her braided hair sent me running to a safe haven for fresh air. Try as much as possible to keep your hair clean and if you get beaten by the rain, do well to dry your hair or better still loose it and make another one.
The Ears:
The ears are an aspect of the body that needs proper cleaning from time to time, make sure to clean the inner ear and the lobes regularly as people also read your hygiene level from the buildup level of the earwax.
Other areas that should be looked into includes, regular hand wash especially after handshakes as well as bathing at least once a day or twice daily.
There is no shortcut to maintaining personal hygiene,take a careful look at aspects of your body that is yearning for attention, do well to attend to them, keep clean and watch your confidence level grow as well as your friends.
Imagecredit: HowStuffWorks
This article is originally written by Olivia Samuel for www.thesightnews.com. No part of it should be used or reproduced in full without prior permission and attribution to the original author.
