Myths about cleanliness and health

1. Myths about cleanliness and health  Maintaining cleanliness is the most important aspect at preventing ill health.  We all subscribe to this point of view but have differing notions about how to  achieve the desired objective. ​Overwhelmingly, our habits are formed around  what appeals to us or find convincing enough to be adopted.​ I have collated a  few myths that stand in the way of achieving complete health, subconsciously  creeping into our homes and making us ill. A conscious effort at following the  correct ways can lead us to the path of good health.  Myth 1: After washing with soap and water, my hands are clean.    Experiments have shown that unless the washing action lasts for at least 20  to 25 seconds, hands may not have been completely washed off all germs.  The other factors that do determine the quality of wash are the nature of  water used whether it is soft or there is some hardness in it. More the  hardness of water, the less is the frothing action of the soap and lower is the  quality of wash. If washing lasts lesser than 15 seconds, neither all germs nor 

2. all soap may have been washed off hands. A good and a thorough hand wash  lasts approximately 20 to 25 seconds. Prefer a liquid soap over the cake since  the chances of hard soap particles remaining stuck to the hands, between  fingers and under the nails after washing with a ‘cake of soap’ are high.  Myth 2: I clean the vegetables just ​before cooking    Generally, most of us buy entire week’s requirement of raw vegetables in bulk.  Out of old habits and paucity of time available, we tend to put the veggies  directly into the refrigerator without washing or cleaning them before  admitting them into the refrigerator. This way, germs worms or even insects  may find their way to your refrigerator putting other stored items at risk of  contamination or catching germs. It will be a better idea to first wash them  under flowing water to remove germs, visible and soluble impurities as soon  as they are fetched from the market. Step 2 requires you to fill the kitchen sink  with water after putting the stopper on and adding two spoons of table salt to  the water. Let the veggies remain submerged in standing water for about 15  minutes before taking them out. Let the water drain before sealing them 

3. neatly in food grade plastic bags and stacking them in refrigerator for later  use during the week.  Myth 3: I get enough exercise while on job. I even climb stairs often.    Most of us believe ‘My job makes me run around the entire workplace and I  catch up with all the day’s exercise on the job’. The truth is that although  calories are burnt in the process but the mind remains in a stressful condition  and this is why it may not yield any healthy benefits. Running up a whole lot of  steps while on the job, contrary to popular belief, works counterproductive to  the idea of a healthy workout. This may give you cramps and pain instead,  proving to be bad for knee joints due to wrong climbing posture or unsuitable  office footgear. Moreover, drastic and sudden movements bring more pain  than relief. On the contrary, if your job is a sedentary one, then you should take  time off to give rest to your mind, eyes, hands, fingers, neck, lower back by  taking a few quick exercise breaks including a short walk to fetch a glass of  water or coffee all by yourself. Stretching exercises for a few minutes after  every hour of work will prove a lot more beneficial. 

4. Myth 4: A 20-minute leisure walk is sufficient to ​stay healthy​.    Doctors recommend brisk walking at 8 to 10 Km/h for about 30 minutes per  day or approximately 150 minutes per week in the morning. Devoting  undivided time, without attending to anything else gives you huge benefit as  compared to hours of on-the-job, so to say, running around would while  carrying all the stress in your head. The prerequisite for a healthy work out is  that one should be free of any stress and in a state of complete calm.  Particular attention should be paid to breathing while exercising which can  only happen when one concentrates on the exercise in a stress-free  environment. A continuous elevated heart beat of about 150 beats per minute  for about 20 minutes is what doctors recommend for best results. A  10-minute warming-up and cooling-down time will also do a lot of good thus  taking the total exercising time to about 40 minutes.