Hygiene
Conditions and practices necessary to promote and preserve health.

Here are some ways to practice good hygiene...

Take a shower or bath once a day with soap and water.

Care for your teeth twice a day. (See Dental Care)

Wash your hands for 15 seconds with soap and water after going to the bathroom.

Wash your hands for 15 seconds with soap (antibacterial when available) and water before eating.

Wash your bed sheets regularly. Once a week is a good goal.

Wash your clothes after each use. If you don't sweat a lot, jeans can be worn a couple times. Jackets stay pretty clean. But everything else could use a good wash after a day of use.

Cook your meat thoroughly. Chicken meat and chicken eggs often have salmonella, a bacteria that can make you sick. You must cook the meat thoroughly to avoid salmonella poisoning. Red meat can contain bacteria as well. In general, don't eat raw meat. Some people can handle sushi, raw fish, when properly prepared at a sushi restaurant. Otherwise we suggest playing it safe. When cooking, check to see if the meat is done all the way through by cutting a slice through it.

Also when preparing food do not use the same utensils and surfaces to prepare raw meat and other foods unless you are cooking all of it. You want to contain the raw meat to its own surfaces. Then wash these surfaces with soap before using them with foods that you don't plan on cooking as thoroughly. When you finish cooking the meat, don't return it to the same surface you used earlier for the raw meat. Use a fresh clean surface.

Keep your home free of pests, by washing dishes after use, keeping your home clean, clutter off the floor, and taking out the garbage daily.

Check for ticks after walking through dense brush.

Perform self examinations regularly such as...

• Breast exams
• Testicular exams
• Skin exams

Here are links to more info related to hygiene...

Body Odor
Bad Breath
Dental Care