Written By: Bhavyajyoti Chilukoti | Updated : August 9, 2016 5:16 PM IST
Read this in Hindi.
How many of us wash our hands before eating? Well, the answer might be almost everyone. However, the chances of not washing your hands after handling your pets, after shopping, gardening or visiting the washroom are very high. Although following hygiene and sanitation measures is good for health, not many people take it too seriously. This is the reason why most of us fall sick despite being leading healthy lifestyle and eating nutrient-rich food. Here s how to wash hands the right way.
Throat infections: When you eat anything without washing your hands, the bacteria present on hands enter the body. As food travels through the windpipe, so does bacteria. This increases the chances of bacterial contact with the mucus lining, leading to common respiratory illnesses, such as sore throat. Know 5 foods to relieve a sore throat.
Diarrhoea: One of the main causes of diarrhoea is digestion problems, which in turn lead to various health complications, if left untreated. Commonly caused by viral infection, eating food that is packed with microbes increases the pressure on the stomach and hinders normal digestion process. The best way to prevent diarrhoea is to wash hands before consuming foods and after visiting crowded places or washroom.
Hepatitis B: One of the key steps to prevent infectious diseases like hepatitis B or jaundice is through following proper hygiene and sanitation measures. Washing your hands with soap before having your meal is topmost priority. This is because, washing hands with water and soap not only restricts viral transmission but also lowers the bacterial load present on your hands.
Food-borne infections: After working on computers for hours, you forget to wash your hands before having your lunch. This is a common mistake which unknowingly increases your risk of getting infected with various foodborne illnesses. Read about 6 simple tips to prevent food borne illnesses.
Botulism: It is a serious illness that can be effectively prevented by simply washing hands before eating food. Although caused due to consumption of food contaminated with bacteria toxin, the severity of illness increases if hands are not washed properly.
Shigellosis: Caused by bacteria, it is one of the most common types of dysentery seen in adults. The main causes of getting infected with this disease are poor hygiene and sanitation and eating contaminated foods. Hence, it is advised to wash your hands properly before eating anything to lower your chances of shigellosis.
Amoebiasis: It is a type of dysentery that is caused by an amoeba, entamoeba histolytica. This can be prevented by following few precautionary measures, such as washing hands before eating as the dirt present on hands contaminates the food. This in turn increases this risk of various infections. Read 7 natural remedies for amoebiasis.
Respiratory diseases: With winter around the corner, the immunity system is predisposed to various respiratory illnesses. However, the risk of getting infected with various communicable diseases like laryngitis, cough and cold is quite high during this time. Hence, it is necessary to wash your hands properly before meals to avoid falling sick and lower the transmission of germs causing infections.
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