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Ways to Improve Your Health

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Disease—How to Reduce the Risk

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Every day your body wages war against enemies that are silent and unseen but potentially deadly. Foreign invaders, such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites, threaten your health. * You are not likely to be aware of those battles because your immune system repels or destroys most of the invaders before the onset of symptoms. Sometimes, however, the harmful germs gain the upper hand. If so, you may need to bolster your defenses with medicine and other treatments.

Various causes of disease, including travel, microscopic organisms, poverty, and improperly prepared food

For thousands of years, people knew virtually nothing about the dangers of microscopic or other small harmful organisms. However, when 19th-century scientists confirmed the link between germs and disease, we became better equipped to defend ourselves. Medical researchers have since eliminated or greatly reduced the threat of some infectious diseases, including smallpox and polio. Recently, however, others, such as yellow fever and dengue, have made a comeback. Why? Consider these factors:

Every year, millions of people travel around the globe, often transporting disease-causing agents. According to an article in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, “virtually all of the contagious virulent infections” can be spread by international travelers.
Some bacteria have developed resistance to antibiotics. “The world is heading towards a post-antibiotic era, in which common infections . . . can once again kill,” states the World Health Organization.
Civil unrest and poverty often hinder government efforts to control the spread of disease.
Many people lack practical knowledge of how to prevent disease.

Despite these disturbing trends, there is much you can do to protect yourself and your family. The following will show that, even if you live in a developing land, simple and effective strategies may be within your reach.

from Blogger http://meekspaceng.blogspot.com/2021/01/diseasehow-to-reduce-risk.html

Protect Yourself From Disease

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COVER SUBJECT | DISEASE—HOW TO REDUCE THE RISK

Protect Yourself From Disease

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MANY ancient cities were protected by massive walls. If an enemy breached just a small section of a wall, the safety of the entire city was at risk. Your body is like a walled city. How you care for your defenses has much to do with how healthy you are. Consider five elements that can expose you to disease and how you can put up the best possible defenses.

A woman and her daughter walk through a market

1 WATER

THE THREAT: Harmful organisms can “march” straight into your body by way of contaminated water.

YOUR DEFENSE: The best defense is to protect your water supply from contamination. If you know that your water supply is contaminated or suspect that it is, you can treat the water at home to make it safe. * Store potable water in a closed vessel, and dispense it hygienically with a clean ladle or through a tap. Never put your hands into a clean water supply. If possible, you should try to live in a community that properly disposes of human waste so that it does not contaminate local water sources.

2 FOOD

THE THREAT: Harmful organisms can be present in or on your food.

YOUR DEFENSE: Contaminated food may look fresh and nutritious. So get into the habit of thoroughly washing all fruits and vegetables. Ensure that food utensils, kitchen surfaces, and your hands are clean when preparing or serving food. Some foods require cooking at a certain temperature in order to destroy dangerous microbes. Beware of food that is discolored or has an unpleasant odor or taste—signs that an army of microorganisms could be waiting for you. Refrigerate unused food as soon as possible. Avoid preparing food for others when you are sick. *

3 INSECTS

THE THREAT: Some insects can infect you with the harmful microorganisms that live inside them.

YOUR DEFENSE: Limit contact with disease-carrying insects by staying indoors when they are active or by wearing protective clothing, such as long sleeves and long trousers. Sleep under treated insect nets, and use personal insect repellent. Eliminate containers of stagnant water where mosquitoes could breed. *

4 ANIMALS

THE THREAT: Microbes that live harmlessly inside an animal can threaten your health. If you are bitten or scratched by a pet or another animal or exposed to its feces, you could be at risk.

YOUR DEFENSE: Some people choose to keep their animals outside the house to minimize contact with them. Wash your hands after touching a domestic animal, and avoid all contact with wild animals. If you are bitten or scratched, wash the wound thoroughly and seek a doctor’s advice. *

5 PEOPLE

THE THREAT: Some germs can invade your body by riding on tiny droplets in someone’s cough or sneeze. They can also spread through skin contact, such as hugging or shaking hands. Microorganisms from other people may lurk on such items as doorknobs, handrails, telephones, remote controls, or computer screens and keyboards.

YOUR DEFENSE: Do not share personal items, such as razors, toothbrushes, or towels. Avoid contact with body fluids from animals or from other people, including blood and products derived from blood. And do not underestimate the benefits of washing your hands thoroughly and frequently. It is perhaps the most effective way you can stop the spread of infection.

If possible, stay home when you are sick. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that you cough or sneeze into a tissue or your sleeve, but not into your hands.

An ancient proverb states: “The shrewd one sees the danger and conceals himself.” (Proverbs 22:3) How true are those words today in a world plagued with potentially dangerous diseases! So inform yourself by consulting local health services, and conceal yourself from danger by practicing good hygiene. Bolster your defenses, and reduce the risk of disease!

How to Reduce Your Risk During an Epidemic

In 2014, the Ebola virus spread rapidly throughout West Africa, making headlines around the world. The offices of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the region launched an information campaign that helped many in the community to reduce the risk of infection. Witness representatives explained how they handled the situation.

How did you help people to understand the danger they faced?

We sought to dispel fear and confusion by making special presentations at public places. In those presentations, we explained how the virus spreads and warned against unsafe practices.
What practical steps did Jehovah’s Witnesses take?

We used infrared thermometers to check the temperature of those arriving for meetings at our places of worship. Everyone carefully avoided unnecessary physical contact, such as shaking hands or hugging, and washed their hands frequently throughout the day. At strategic locations throughout the communities, handwashing stations were set up with a bleach solution.
How was it possible to continue your regular public meetings and Bible-teaching work?

The government imposed quarantines in some areas, so public meetings were canceled for a time. In those areas, families met at home for their worship. Some conducted Bible studies over the phone to minimize physical contact.
What happened if someone showed symptoms?

Authorities were notified. Any individuals who had been in contact with an Ebola victim, had attended a funeral of a victim, or showed symptoms kept themselves isolated for 21 days, the commonly accepted maximum incubation period for the Ebola virus.

from Blogger http://meekspaceng.blogspot.com/2021/01/protect-yourself-from-disease.html

Ways to Improve Your Health

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COVER SUBJECT | IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH—5 THINGS YOU CAN DO TODAY

Ways to Improve Your Health

WHO wants to be sick? At the very least, an illness is an inconvenience and an expense. You not only feel bad, but when you are sick, you may not be able to go to work or school, earn any money, or look after your family. You may even need someone to look after you, and you may have to pay for expensive medicines and treatment.

Well has it been said that “Prevention is better than cure.” Some illnesses cannot be avoided. Still, there is much you can do to slow down or even prevent the onset of illness. Consider five things that you can do today to get on the road to better health.

1 PRACTICE GOOD HYGIENE

Items used for good physical and dental hygiene

According to the Mayo Clinic, “one of the best ways to avoid getting sick and spreading illness” is to wash your hands. One of the easiest ways to catch a cold or influenza is to rub your nose or your eyes when your hands have been contaminated by germs. Your best defense against such contamination is to wash your hands regularly. Good hygiene can also prevent the spread of more serious conditions, such as pneumonia and diarrheal diseases, which every year cause the death of over two million children under the age of five. Even the spread of deadly Ebola can be minimized by the simple habit of washing hands.

There are certain times when hand washing is particularly important to protect your own health and that of others. You should wash your hands:

After using the toilet.
After changing diapers or helping a child to use the toilet.
Before and after treating a wound or a cut.
Before and after being with someone who is sick.
Before preparing, serving, or eating food.
After sneezing, coughing, or blowing your nose.
After touching an animal or animal waste.
After handling garbage.

And do not take it for granted that you are cleaning your hands properly. Studies have shown that a large percentage of those who use public toilets do not wash their hands afterward or do not wash them correctly. How should you wash your hands?

Wet your hands in clean running water and apply soap.
Rub your hands together to make a lather, not forgetting to clean your nails, your thumbs, the backs of your hands, and between your fingers.
Keep rubbing for at least 20 seconds.
Rinse in clean running water.
Dry with a clean cloth or a paper towel.

Such measures are simple but can avert illness and save lives.

2 USE A SAFE WATER SUPPLY

A glass of clean water and pieces of lemon

Obtaining sufficient clean water for one’s family is a regular chore in some countries. Yet, access to clean water can become a concern in any part of the world when a main supply that is usually good to drink becomes contaminated as a result of a flood, a storm, a pipe break, or some other issue. If water does not come from a safe source or is not stored correctly, it can cause parasite infestation, as well as cholera, life-threatening diarrhea, typhoid, hepatitis, and other infections. Unsafe drinking water is one of the causes of an estimated 1.7 billion cases of diarrheal disease every year.

There is much you can do to slow down or prevent the onset of illness

Cholera is most often contracted when a person drinks water or eats food that is contaminated with fecal matter from infected people. What steps can you take to protect yourself, even in the immediate aftermath of a disaster, from this and other types of water contamination?

Ensure that all your drinking water—including the water used for brushing teeth, making ice, washing food and dishes, or cooking—comes from a safe source, such as an adequately treated public supply or sealed bottles from a reputable firm.
If there is any possibility that your piped supply has been contaminated, boil your water before use or treat it with an appropriate chemical product.
When using chemicals, such as chlorine or water-purifying tablets, follow the maker’s directions carefully.
Use quality water filters, if available and affordable.
If no water-treatment products are available, add household bleach, eight drops per gallon of water (two drops per liter), mix well, and then let the water stand for 30 minutes before using it.
Always store treated water in clean, covered containers to protect it from possible recontamination.
Ensure that any vessel used to take water from your stored supply, such as a ladle, is clean.
Handle water containers with clean hands, and do not dip your hands or fingers into water used for drinking.

3 WATCH WHAT YOU EAT

A variety of wholesome foods from different food groups

Good health is impossible without good nutrition, and for good nutrition you need a healthy, balanced diet. You may need to consider your intake of salt, fats, and sugar, and you should watch your portion sizes. Include fruits and vegetables in your diet, and vary what you eat. Reading the packaging will help you to select whole-grain foods when buying bread, cereals, pasta, or rice. These are richer in nutrients and fiber than the alternatives made from refined grain. As for proteins, eat small and lean portions of meat and poultry and try to eat fish a couple of times a week, if possible. In some lands it is also possible to find protein-rich foods from vegetable sources.

If you eat too many sugars and solid fats, you risk becoming overweight. To minimize this risk, drink water instead of sweet beverages. Eat more fruit instead of sugary desserts. Limit your intake of solid fats from such items as sausages, meat, butter, cakes, cheese, and cookies. And instead of using solid fats for cooking, you may want to use healthier oils.

Too much salt, or sodium, in the diet can raise your blood pressure to an unhealthy level. If this is your problem, use the information on food packaging to keep your sodium intake low. Instead of salt, use herbs and spices to flavor your meals.

How much you eat can be as important as what you eat. So, while enjoying your food, do not keep eating after you are no longer hungry.

An issue tied to nutrition is the risk of food poisoning. Any food can poison you if it is not prepared and stored properly. Every year, 1 out of every 6 Americans falls sick from food poisoning. Most recover without lasting ill effects, but some die from it. What can you do to minimize the risk?

Vegetables grow in soil that may have been treated with manure, so wash these items carefully before preparing them.
Wash your hands, cutting board, utensils, dishes, and countertops with hot, soapy water before preparing each item.
To avoid cross-contamination, never put food on a surface or plate that was previously in contact with raw eggs, poultry, meat, or fish, without first washing that surface.
Cook until the food reaches the right temperature, and promptly refrigerate any perishable items that are not going to be eaten immediately.
Discard perishable items left at room temperature for more than two hours or one hour if air temperature exceeds 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32°C).

4 STAY PHYSICALLY ACTIVE

A soccer ball and a pair of soccer shoes

Regardless of your age, you need regular physical activity to stay in good shape. Many people today do not exercise enough. Why is exercise important? Staying physically active can help you to:

Sleep well.
Stay mobile.
Maintain strong bones and muscles.
Maintain or achieve a healthy weight.
Lower your risk of suffering from depression.
Lower your risk of premature death.

If you do not stay physically active, you are more likely to:

Suffer from heart disease.
Suffer from type 2 diabetes.
Develop high blood pressure.
Develop high cholesterol.
Suffer a stroke.

The kind of physical activity that is right for you depends on your age and your health, so it would be wise to consult your doctor before beginning any new exercise program. According to various recommendations, children and adolescents should get at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity every day. Adults should get 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity every week.

Choose an activity that is fun. You might consider basketball, tennis, soccer, brisk walking, cycling, gardening, chopping wood, swimming, canoeing, jogging, or other aerobic exercise. How can you tell whether an activity is moderate or vigorous? A general guide would be that moderate activity makes you sweat, but more vigorous exercise makes it hard for you to hold a conversation while doing it.

5 GET ENOUGH SLEEP

The amount of sleep needed varies from person to person. Most newborns sleep for 16 to 18 hours a day, toddlers about 14 hours, and preschoolers about 11 or 12. School-age children generally need at least 10 hours of sleep, adolescents perhaps 9 or 10, and adults from 7 to 8.

Getting the right amount of rest should not be considered optional. According to experts, sufficient sleep is important for:

Growth and development in children and teenagers.
Learning and retention of new information.
Maintaining the right balance of hormones that impact metabolism and weight.
Cardiovascular health.
Disease prevention.

Insufficient sleep has been linked to obesity, depression, heart disease, diabetes, and tragic accidents. Surely these give us good reason to want to get enough rest.

So, what can you do if you realize that you have a problem getting enough sleep?

Try to go to bed and get up at the same time every day.
Make your bedroom quiet, dark, relaxing, and neither too warm nor too cold.
Do not watch TV or use gadgets while in bed.
Make your bed as comfortable as possible.
Avoid heavy meals, caffeine, and alcohol before bedtime.
If after applying these suggestions you still suffer from insomnia or other sleep disorders—such as excessive daytime sleepiness or gasping for breath while sleeping—you may want to consult a qualified health-care professional.

SAFEGUARD YOUR HEALTH!

Your health is affected by realities over which you have no control—such as economic conditions, the availability of resources, and so on. In all likelihood, however, it should be within your means to adopt at least some of the suggestions given in the foregoing article. As a wise man of ancient times put it, “the shrewd one sees the danger and conceals himself.”—Proverbs 22:3.

Readers of the Holy Scriptures are comforted by the trustworthy promise that one day soon, “no resident will say: ‘I am sick.’” (Isaiah 33:24)* In the meantime, do all you can to safeguard your health and that of your loved ones.

For more information, please see the book What Does the Bible Really Teach? published by Jehovah’s Witnesses, or visit our Web site, jw.org.

from Blogger http://meekspaceng.blogspot.com/2021/01/ways-to-improve-your-health.html

Wash and Dry Your Hands!

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Wash and Dry Your Hands!

HOW do we catch colds and other infections? According to the U.S. Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, at least 80 percent of such ailments are transmitted by our hands, not through the air. In fact, hand washing is generally considered to be the single most important way to prevent the spread of illness. Yet, many do not always wash after using the toilet or blowing their nose or before handling food. Of course, many others always wash their hands at such times. But the potential for infection does not disappear after a quick, perfunctory job of hand washing.

Drying hands properly can be equally important. Researchers at the University of Westminster in England found that many people do not dry their hands thoroughly after washing, especially when using hot-air dryers. Many complete drying by wiping their hands on their clothes. This can spread any dangerous microorganisms left on the hands. According to the researchers, it is best to dry hands completely, preferably using disposable paper towels or a clean, unused cloth towel.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers the following hand-washing advice:

• Always use warm running water and mild soap. If forced to use a basin instead of running water, clean and disinfect it each time it is used. Premoistened towelettes do not effectively clean hands.

• Rub hands together vigorously until a soapy lather appears, and continue rubbing for at least 15 seconds. Scrub the tops and palms of the hands as well as between fingers and under fingernails.

• Rinse hands under warm running water.

• Dry with a clean disposable, or single-use, towel, and avoid touching the faucet or towel holder with clean hands.

• Turn the faucet off using the towel as a barrier to keep from touching the handle.

• Children should wash standing at a height where their hands can hang freely under the running water. Assist the child to perform all the above steps, and then wash your own hands.