My Science School

Feet can take a person from point A to point B, but they are subject to aches, pains, and smells along the way.

While most people will experience a case of smelly feet from time to time, some people live in fear of taking their shoes off.

Socks and shoes can cause foot sweating, which can worsen smelly feet.

Each foot has 250,000 sweat glands and produces about a cup (500 ml) of sweat daily. Excessive perspiration, combined with bacteria, can cause offensive foot odour. The bacteria that grow on the soles of feet actually produce gases similar to those released by bacteria used in producing cheese; hence the name ‘cheesy feet’.

However, if a person suddenly experiences a new onset of smelly feet, they should inspect their feet for signs of sores or cuts that could be infected.

A person can put a mirror on the floor and examine the bottom of the feet to look for any abnormalities. If their feet do have signs of wounds, a person should see their doctor. If they do not, they can try over-the-counter and at-home measures to reduce the incidence of smelly feet.

If a person’s smelly feet and excessive sweating cannot be controlled using home remedies, prescription treatments are available. A person should not suffer or feel self-conscious due to their smelly feet.

 

Picture Credit : Google

Cough and sneeze etiquette refers to simple hygiene practices everybody can take to prevent passing on respiratory infections like cold and flu to other people.

It is especially important that people who are sick with cold or flu practice good cough and sneeze etiquette. However, infections like cold and flu can be transmitted even before symptoms like sore throat and cough let you know you’re sick. So even when you’re perfectly healthy, it’s important to practice proper cough and sneeze etiquette.

Cover your mouth and nose every time you cough or sneeze. Use a disposable tissue to cover your mouth or nose if possible. If a cough or sneeze sneaks up on you and no tissue is available, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve. This prevents your hands becoming contaminated with cold or flu viruses.

Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 15–20 seconds every time you cough or sneeze.

Wash your hands every time you touch a contaminated object like a tissue.

If soap and water are not available, use alcohol-based hand sanitising products containing ? 60% alcohol. These products are also effective in removing cold and flu germs from contaminated hands.

 

Picture Credit : Google

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelinesTrusted Source are to scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. If you have trouble keeping track, try humming the entire “Happy Birthday” song twice before rinsing.

Rushing the process can result in cross contamination and increased sickness.

A 2018 report by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) found that up to 97 percent of us wash our hands incorrectly.

Knowing when and how long to wash your hands makes a difference in how often you and your family get sick, especially while the new coronavirus is active.

In one workplace study, employees who were trained in handwashing and hand sanitation practices used 20 percent fewerTrusted Source sick days due to improved hygiene.

 

Picture Credit : Google

Bloating is a condition where your belly feels full and tight, often due to gas. When you are bloated, you feel as if you’ve eaten a big meal and there is no room in your stomach. Your stomach feels full and tight. It can be uncomfortable or painful. Your stomach may actually look bigger. It can make your clothes fit tighter.

Bloating happens when the GI tract becomes filled with air or gas. This can be caused by something as simple as the food you eat. Some foods produce more gas than others. It can also be caused by lactose intolerance (problems with dairy). 

Your doctor can generally diagnose the cause of your bloating through a physical exam in the office. He or she will ask you questions about your symptoms. They will want to know if your bloating is occasional or if it occurs all the time.

Temporary bloating is usually not serious. If it happens all the time, your doctor may order other tests. These could include an imaging test to look inside your abdomen. This could be an X-ray or CT scan.

 

Picture Credit : Google

The stomach flu (gastroenteritis) is a nonspecific term for various inflammatory problems in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.

Food allergies may produce eosinophilic gastroenteritis, a sign of which is increased eosinophils (a type of white blood cell) seen in the blood. Children with the stomach flu or gastroenteritis have similar symptoms to adults, but also may have symptoms such as refusing to drink or being very thirsty.

The main way contagious causes of the stomach flu are spread is person to person via the fecal-oral route. Individuals at most risk of catching the stomach flu are those in close association with an infant, child, or an adult that has a viral or bacterial cause of stomach flu .

Stomach flu is diagnosed in most cases without specific tests, however, tests can help define the underlying cause. Home remedies may reduce symptoms of stomach flu, including diet changes. Most people with viral or mild bacterial gastroenteritis require no treatment. Some individuals may require symptom reduction with medications but more serious bacterial infections may require antibiotic therapy.

 

Picture Credit : Google

Ulcers are sores that are slow to heal or keep returning. They can take many forms and can appear both on the inside and the outside of your body.

They can be found on places of your body you can see, such as a leg ulcer found on the skin, or in places you can’t see, such as a peptic ulcer in the lining of your stomach or upper intestine. From your eye to your foot, you can get them just about anywhere on your body.

Injuries, diseases, and infections can cause them. What they look like depends on where you have them and how you got them. While some go away on their own, others cause serious problems if you don’t treat them.

 

Picture Credit : Google

The amount of water you consume affects how well your bones can do their job.

Water brings calcium and other nutrients throughout the body, including to your bones. You may know that kidney stones are comprised mostly of calcium, and they are partly a result of not drinking enough water. 

Toxins in our body, if not removed, built up in the bones. This manifests in several problems, including inflammation, weakening, and loss in bone density. Water is needed here to wash away these toxins.

Our bones also have several of other tasks aside from providing us a skeletal structure. For example, the marrow in bones produces red blood cells, which adds strength and mass to the bones. Water plays an important role here.

These are some ways how water plays a critical role in our orthopedic health. Of course, drinking enough water isn’t an absolute measure and doesn’t guarantee to get rid of bone and joint-related problems. It isn’t a miraculous practice that assures to have everything right. However, it is one of those little steps that can take you a long way, possibly ensuring you less orthopedic problems as you get older.

 

Picture Credit : Google

Dehydration occurs when you use or lose more fluid than you take in, and your body doesn't have enough water and other fluids to carry out its normal functions. If you don't replace lost fluids, you will get dehydrated.

It’s normal to lose water from your body every day by sweating, breathing, peeing, and pooping, and through tears and saliva (spit). Usually you replace the lost liquid by drinking fluids and eating foods that contain water. If you lose too much water or don’t drink and eat enough, you can get dehydrated.

People (and animals) lose water every day in the form of water vapor in the breath we exhale, and as water in our sweat, urine, and stool. Along with the water, we also lose small amounts of salts or electrolytes. Our bodies are constantly readjusting the balance between water (and salts or electrolytes) losses with fluid intake. When we lose too much water, our bodies may become out of balance or dehydrated. Most doctors divide dehydration into three stages: 1) mild, 2) moderate and 3) severe. Mild and often even moderate dehydration can be reversed or put back in balance by oral intake of fluids that contain electrolytes (or salts) that are lost during activity. If unrecognized and untreated, some instances of moderate and severe dehydration can lead to death. This article is designed to discuss dehydration in adults.

 

Picture Credit : Google

In general, children and teens need about 6 to 8 cups of water a day. They should also eat lots of fresh fruits and veggies, which are full of water.

When our bodies heat up—because of a hot day or because of physical activity, for instance—the brain alerts the sweat glands to produce sweat. The body cools itself by the evaporation of sweat from the skin. If dehydrated, the body can’t sweat enough to stay cool. Water is essential in keeping bowel movements regular and helping to prevent conditions such as urinary tract infections and kidney stones.

When kids are playing or exercising vigorously, or if it's very hot outside, they'll need more liquids to make up for the fluid their bodies lose as they sweat. Depending on their size, your child could need anywhere from four to 16 ounces of water every 15 to 20 minutes during exercise.

If you're not sure if your child is drinking enough, keep an eye on how much they're urinating and what color their urine is. Well-hydrated kids will pass urine frequently and their urine will be clear. If this is not the case for your child, take it as a sign to increase their fluid intake.

 

Picture Credit : Google