Health Risks of Wearing Used Clothes

You see them in most markets, though some more than others, dealers and buyers of used clothes transacting businesses; exchanging cash for used clothes from the united states, united kingdom, Italy and other developed countries – the trade is so widespread you can never miss it; everybody want high quality outfits but most people cannot afford the prices they come for at regular boutiques. From middle-class office workers to stark illiterates, the customers-base has no definite demography.

One can write epistles on the economic downturns that push people into patronizing clothes previously used by people they have no idea about, and how government policies have ruined the textile industry in Nigeria but that is not the subject of this article. The subject of this article is the health risks associated with wearing used clothes.

Many human diseases, especially the sexually transmitted diseases, are transmitted through body fluids (blood, sweat, urine, semen, vaginal discharge and so on) and the causative organisms implicated in a lot of these diseases have been isolated in clothes of people with these diseases.

Infections such as vaginal and skin candidiasis, scabies, ring worm, body lice, chicken pox, gonorrhea, syphilis and hepatitis (types A, B, C, D and G) can be transmitted through clothes previously used by infected persons. The risk is even more if the clothes are not properly washed, disinfected and ironed before use. The category of clothing that are more culpable are underwear which most people do not iron before use do to the material with they are made  which does not allow them to withstand that much heat.

Washing with regular detergents may not be enough to get rid of some of these bacteria and the eggs of some parasitic organisms which are naturally conditioned to withstand harsh conditions for survival; for these, strong reagents are sometimes needed to get rid of them and you will need to iron them after to be double sure.

If you are buying these materials, ensure that you use antiseptics to disinfect them, line them out in the sun and iron them before use.

For underwear that cannot be ironed directly, you can do “shadow ironing” – place a material on the underwear when it is still a little bit wet and then “iron-dry” it; better still, avoid buying such materials entirely!

Another common practice is trying on materials that you want to buy so see if it fit – desists from this practice and if you must, always try them on without taking your clothes off – by this, you avoid them getting in contact with your skin before you disinfect and iron them.

Bottom line: Buy new clothes if you can, and if you can’t, treat them properly before use.

7 HEALTH REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD LAUGH MORE

RESEARCHERS SAY LAUGHTER REALLY IS GOOD FOR YOUR MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH:

• LAUGHTER STRENGTHENS THE BODY’S ABILITY TO FIGHT DISEASES: It increases the body’s ability to produce and release a bacteria-and-vi­rus-fighter known as salivary immunoglobin A (s-IgA).

• LAUGHTER FIGHTS STRESS: Stressed individuals have higher levels of a hormone called cortisol. Studies show that laughter lowers cortisol levels in the body, which makes laughter a natural stress buster. Much of the stress we experience is related to how we think. Laughing after an embarrassing mistake you made, for example, is far less stressful than losing sleep or remaining stressed over it.

• LAUGHTER CAN LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE: An ability to laugh at your own mistakes also is a good way to lower blood pressure.

• LAUGHTER CAUSES POSITIVE CHANGES IN BRAIN CHEMISTRY by releasing endorphins, and it brings more oxygen into the body with the deeper inhalations.

• LAUGHTER INCREASES ENERGY LEVELS: Feeling tired or run down? Laughter is a natural pick-me-up!

• LAUGHTER HELPS US BOND: "Laugh, and the world laughs with you." Research suggests that when we laugh, we tend to talk more, make more eye contact and do more of the things that help us connect with others. Laughter also lessens tension. It’s hard to feel angry, tense or anxious when you’re laughing.

• LAUGHTER IS GOOD EXERCISE: Laughing 100 times has the same effect on the body as being on a rowing machine for 10 minutes, or a stationary bike for 15 minutes. Vigorous laughter increases the heart rate, deepens the breathing rate, and uses muscles in the face, stomach and diaphragm.

Laughter isn’t only about jokes and funny stories. Some suggest it’s more about relationships. Laughter helps us bond, and encourages us to focus on "right" attitudes rather than the "wrong" ones.

Life is too short not to enjoy it. People who laugh often have a tendency to be more popular and welcome, and tend to have a greater impact on group decisions.

FIND TIME TO HAVE A GOOD LAUGH TODAY AND EVERYDAY!

5 Fruits For Radiant Skin

With most people becoming aware of the harmful effect of chemicals on their skin and health, kitchen solution to every available problem is now the order of the day and fruits fits in perfectly in this.

Fruit and vegetables have be known to contain antioxidants that decrease markers of inflammation linked to a range of chronic diseases.

It has also been shown that a cup of fruit juice a day is a sure guarantee for a clear healthy skin.

Fruits help rehydrate and rejuvenate your skin and give you that youthful skin you have always desired without putting a hole in your pocket.

Here area few fruits and their skin-beautifying properties:

• Bananas (The Wonder Fruit): Banana is a good source of iron, magnesium and potassium and helps reduce menstrual cramps. The effect of banana on skin cannot be over emphasized. Bananas are rich in vitamin A, B and E and hence works as an anti-aging agent. A fresh mashed banana facial can do wonders for your skin.

• Lemon (The fruit for all seasons): With its vitamin C content, lemon juice will keep your skin beautiful and healthy. A glass of warm water with a tea spoon of honey and a dash of lemon juice on an empty stomach every morning is a great skin cleanser. With its astringent properties, it can be used to lighten the skin tone and also diminish acne scars. Rub the inside of a lemon peel on your elbow remove dark spots. Mix lemon and honey and use it as a natural bleach on your skin.

• Apple (An apple a day keeps the doctor away): The antioxidant property of apple help prevent cell and tissue damage. Studies by nutritionists have shown that apples contain abundant amounts of elastin and collagen that help keep the skin young. Applying a mixture of mashed apple, honey, rose water and oatmeal can act as a great exfoliating mask on your skin.

• Orange (An Orange a Day Can Keep Some Cancers Away): Orange is rich in vitamin C that improves skin texture. Like apple, orange too contains collagen that slows skin aging process. Rub the insides of orange on your skin to tighten the skin. Oranges can be dried and powdered and used as a natural scrub. Like lemon, oranges too help clear skin blemishes.

• Pawpaw: The benefits of pawpaw on the skin have perhaps been talked about since time immemorial. Pawpaw is rich in antioxidants and contain a special enzyme called papain that can kill dead cells and cure skin impurities. A glass of papaya milk or just applying the flesh of papaya on your skin can do wonders to your skin.

• Mango (The king of fruits): This soft pulpy fruit has an amazing effect on skin. Rich in vitamin-A and rich in antioxidants, it fights against skin aging, regenerates skin cells and restores the elasticity of skin.

           [more: Amazing Health Benefits of Mango]

Fruits are one of the best medicines and you should always finds a place on your kitchen shelf or refrigerator for them.

Amazing Health Benefits of Mango

Mango has often been called "The King of Fruits" and this is nutritiously so. With the numerous health benefits derivable from this delicious tropical fruits, the unique flavour, fragrance and taste being additional benefits, every bite is a delicious delight and a guarantee for a healthy living.

Mango is a fruit rich in amino acids, vitamin C and E, flavonoids, beta carotene, niacin, calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium which accounts for its many health benefits.

Below are the numerous health and nutrition benefits of eating mangoes:

1. Prevent cancer: The phenols in mangoes, such as quercetin, isoquercitrin, astragalin, fisetin, gallic acid and methylgallat, as well as the abundant enzymes, have cancer-preventing capacities. Mango is also high in a soluble dietary fiber known as pectin.

Scientist have identified a strong link between eating lots of fiber and a lower risk of cancers of the gastrointestinal tract. A cup of sliced mangoes (around 165 gram) contain 76 percent of the needed daily value of vitamin C, a potent antioxidant which helps protect cells from free radical damage and reduces risk of cancer.

2. Help the eyes: One cup of sliced mangoes supplies 25 percent of the needed daily value of vitamin A , which promotes good eyesight. Eating mangoes regularly help prevent night blindness, refractive errors, dryness of the eyes, softening of the cornea, itching and burning in the eyes.

3. Aid easy digestion: Mangoes contain digestive enzymes that help break down proteins and aid digestion. It is also valuable to combat acidity and poor digestion because of an enzyme found in the fruit which soothes the stomach. Due to the high amounts of fiber found in mango, it can be a helpful in keeping you regular, thereby helping or preventing constipation.

Eating one or two small tender mangoes in which the seed is not fully formed with salt and honey is found to be very effective medicine for summer diarrhoea, dysentery, piles, morning sickness, chronic dyspepsia, indigestion and constipation.

4. Make the skin glow: Mango is effective in relieving clogged pores of the skin. What this means is that people who suffer from acne, which is caused by clogged pores, will benefit from mango. Just remove the mango pulp and apply it on your skin for about 10 minutes before washing it. Eating mango regularly makes the complexion fair and the skin soft and shining.

5. Helps in diabetes: Mango leaves help normalize insulin levels in the blood. Boil a few mango leaves in water and allow it to saturate through the night. Consume the filtered decoction in the morning for diabetic home remedy. The glycemic index of mango is low, ranging between 41-60. So, mango does not have any significant effect in increasing blood sugar levels.

6. For better sex: The Vitamin E that is abundantly present in mangoes helps to regulate sex hormones and boosts sex drive.

7. Beneficial for anemia : Mangoes are beneficial for pregnant women and individuals suffering from anemia because of their iron content. Also, vitamin C in the mango enhances the absorption of iron from vegetable food like rice. Generally women after menopause become weak and they should take mangoes and other fruits rich in iron.

8. Boost memory: Mangoes are useful to children who lack concentration in studies as it contains Glutamine acid which is good to boost memory and keep cells active.

9. Help prevent heat stroke: Unripe mangoes, a rich source of pectin, when steamed and juiced with cumin (jeera), rock salt and sugar, provide an excellent remedy for heat stroke and heat exhaustion in summer.

10. Weight gain: Mangoes can be beneficial for people wanting to gain weight. A 100 gram of mango contains about 75 calories. Also, raw mangoes contain starch which get converted into sugar as the fruit ripens. So ripe and sweet mangoes when consumed with milk (rich in protein) can be very helpful in weight gain.

11. Lowers blood cholesterol: The high levels of fiber, pectin and vitamin C in mango help to lower serum cholesterol levels, specifically Low-Density Lipoprotein (the bad fat).

Mangoes can be eaten both raw and ripe. Mangoes are a good source of vitamins and minerals essential for the human body.

Always have mangoes in your daily diet as this can benefit your health more than your usual non fiber diets.

The Health Benefits of Natural Honey

“Everybody loves honey”, that what my folks say. I guess we all just enjoy the magic in the taste of that sweet sticky golden yellow liquid from the bees’ bosom.

However, more than the sweetness is the numerous benefits of this liquid. Honey has been known for thousands of years by the Chinese, Indian, Romans, Arabs, just about everybody, as the cure for all ailments known to man. The nutritional and medicinal properties of honey have even made some called it the “Elixir”.

However, we are not dwelling on all the benefits of honey in the post, just the health benefits and you bet, it has a whole lot of it. The health uses of honey are even so widespread that a name was given to treatment with natural honey - Apitherapy.

The health benefits of honey are broadly categorised into the following headings:

Allergies: Studies have shown pollens collected by bees to exert an anti allergenic effect, mediated by an inhibition of IgE immunoglobulin binding to mast cells. This inhibited mast cell degranulation and thus reduce allergic reaction.

Wounds Healing:  Honey has been successfully used to treat diabetic ulcers and extensive burns, when the patient cannot use topical antibiotics. This has been attributed to the antibacterial properties of honey which results for the low water activity causing osmosis, hydrogen peroxide effect, high acidity, and the bacterial activity of methylglyoxal. Honey has also been known to reduce odours, swelling, and scaring when used to treat wound. It also make wound dressings come off easily by preventing the dressing from sticking to the wound. This has also be linked to the mild anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects of honey.

Antioxidants: Honey contains polyphenols and flavonoids which have antioxidant properties. These nutrients are found I reasonable amount in honey making them extremely useful in mopping up free radicals.

However, the antioxidant properties of honey vary from one honey type to the other. For example, Millefiori honey and Manuka honey are particularly high in polyphenols and flavonoids, thus have high antioxidant activity. Dark, opaque honeys have also been proven to have stronger antioxidant activity than clear, light ones.

This antioxidant property made them to be of immense benefit in protection against free-radical-caused problems like ageing, cardiovascular diseases, cataract and cancer.

Antibiotics: This is about the oldest known property of honey, it’s the use for which it has been put to for thousands of years.

Honey inhibits the growth of many different types of bacteria, making it useful in treating bacterial infections. It is also used topical to prevent bacterial infection of wounds, thus accelarating healing.

Honey, especially Manuka Honey, have also been proven to be effective against resistant strains of bacteria such as MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus).

Besides these health benefits of honey, it is also well documented that honey is effective against fungal and viral infections.

However, before you gob down the next bottle of honey, it may be worth the while to ask yourself these two questions: Is honey good for me? And is this the real honey?