Personal Hygiene

Most people would agree with the experts that a healthy lifestyle includes the habits of a good hygiene regime. There can be little that is more unpleasant than being too close to a person who smells. The axiom that cleanliness is next to godliness has great wisdom in it. I ask myself, do I really want other people to feel disgusted when they are in my presence?

Why should we be concerned with personal hygiene?

A good hygiene regime keeps us healthy because it kills off viruses and bacteria on the body. This, obviously, prevents the spread of disease. It also stops offensive body odour, making us more socially acceptable. Moreover, when I am clean I look better—and feel better. In many social settings, it is considered good manners to be clean and looking one’s best. All this means good hygiene also has positive repercussions on our mental health, and on that of those around us.

Where does good hygiene start?

As an example of a good hygiene routine, I’ve found for myself that the best start to my day, having risen from a good night’s sleep and then completed my exercise routine which raises a sweat, is to have my morning shower.

Just before getting into the shower, though, I attend to my teeth, flossing and brushing them, and then using a mouthwash. I weigh myself to see if I need to cut back on my food intake that day. I also have a routine for inspecting and grooming my nails. If I can feel my allergies are playing up, I use a Neti pot and a saline nasal irrigation liquid to rinse out my nose. After applying a face exfoliator or cleanser, I step into the shower.

I shampoo and condition my hair, and I exfoliate all body skin by using a plastic shower sponge and shower detergent. After the shower, I apply face toner and conditioner and then blow-dry my hair. I take my vitamins, then apply body conditioner. By the time I’m ready to get dressed, I’m already feeling great!

Preparations for the day

The appearance I present to the world is important to me. I have found that if I look my best, and have a pleasant expression, people will react to me positively. This will make them—and me—feel better. The older I am it seems, the more important this becomes. Nothing is more off-putting to me than an old person who is dirty, unkempt, out of shape and, because they haven’t showered, musty and malodorous. I have found that it’s a mistake for me to wear out-of-date clothes. No matter how expensive they were, or how attractive they were in their time, I feel they give me an air of ungraceful aging. They root me in a bygone era; they tell the world, “I’m irrelevant to the present.”

I like to think of dressing as preparing for the battle that is everyday life. My version of applying warpaint is brushing my hair carefully into a style and painting on my lipstick. For men, the equivalent would be shaving or trimming their facial hair and brushing their hair. Then I “gird my loins” by putting on clean underpanties. My chain mail is my bra—for men, it’s an undershirt. My shin guards are my shoes and stockings, and my armour is my outer garments. I find this allegory amuses me, and the smile it evokes sets the tone for the day to come.

Feeling good!

Washed, groomed and decked out in battle dress, now I’m ready to look in my long mirror and check the result. This is the time to make positive affirmations. Do I like what I see? If so, I tell myself that. Our subconscious believes literally whatever we tell it, and it’s better that we give it a good opinion. If I don’t like what I see, how can I improve it? Everyone can look beautiful and stylish if they want to take the time and trouble to do so. It take a little effort, but a routine like the one I’ve described here results in a good foundation for the day.

During the day

Having begun the day well, I attend to my personal hygiene by washing my hands often throughout the day. The pandemic has made me doubly aware of this necessity. I’m careful about what I touch, and try not to touch my face with unwashed fingers. After using the bathroom, I wash my hands, and do likewise before going into the kitchen to cook, and before sitting down to eat.

When I return home, I immediately go to the bathroom and, again, I wash my hands thoroughly. If I’ve been in contact with someone with a cold or influenza, I wash out my nose with a Neti pot and saline lotion. I took these instructions by the health professionals during the panademic as being extremely sensible.

Before retiring to bed

As part of my bedtime-routine wind-down, I follow the advice of Beauty experts. I brush my teeth and hair, then I wash my hands, remove makeup if I’ve been wearing any, cleanse my face, and apply any skin moisturiser I use.

As I slip between clean sheets, I enjoy the feeling of having taken care of my personal hygiene and done what I can to keep viruses and bacteria at bay. I have been gifted only one body, and consider it behooves me to look after it.

A reading recommendation

A good book on this subject is Beyond Personal Hygiene by Yusuf Chiroma. Going beyond the basic question of taking good care of our body, it’s also a guide to maintaining good health and wellness.

Questions for you

Are you keeping viruses and bacteria out of your life? Do you like what you see in the mirror? Do you have a cleanliness routine?