6 Things That Are Naturally Antibacterial to Safely Disinfect Your Home

Disinfecting your home with natural, non-toxic cleaners may sound like an overwhelming task, but it’s actually surprisingly simple. In fact, the majority of naturally antibacterial disinfectants can be found right in your kitchen and at a fraction of the cost of those harsh chemical cleaners. Natural cleaners are not only better for your health but are safer for children, animals, and the environment. Keep your home spick-and-span with these hardworking ingredients found right in your pantry.

 White Vinegar

Made from acetic acid and water, white vinegar is a power cleaner—easily cutting through grease and removing mildew, odors, stains, and wax buildup. Thanks to its high acidity, white vinegar reduces surface bacteria, making it a safe alternative to bleach. In a 1994 study, vinegar was found to reduce the amount of bacteria on a hard surface, although it was less effective than commercial cleaners. Vinegar will work for those who value a safe cleaning method and want to rid their homes of harmful chemicals, but it won’t leave surfaces completely bacteria-free.

Vodka

Because most vodka is 80 proof, or 40 percent alcohol by volume, it can be used as a disinfectant to remove mold and mildew. Like vinegar, vodka degreases, removes stains, shines fixtures, and refreshes fabric—but without the lingering sour odor. For the most antibacterial power, look for 100-proof vodka (as most store-bought hand sanitizers contain at least 60 percent alcohol), and let it sit for a few minutes so the alcohol can do its job.

Lemon

The citric acid in lemons works wonderfully on alkaline stains like soap scum found in bathrooms and kitchens. Lemons can also be used to sanitize non-porous surfaces and shine oxidized metal (hint: use it to make old copper pots and pans sparkle). In a study, lemon also worked to reduce bacteria on hard surfaces, but was less effective than both vinegar and commercial cleaners. Although lemon is less effective than vinegar, it certainly wins in the scent department.

Hydrogen Peroxide

If you ever got a cut on the playground as a kid, you may already know the familiar sting of hydrogen peroxide in action. Since the 1920s, hydrogen peroxide has been used as an antiseptic on cuts because of its abilities to kill bacteria by breaking down cell walls. It can also be used to kill mold and remove stains on white clothing. Caution should be taken when cleaning with hydrogen peroxide, as it will bleach colorful fibers and etch the surface of stone over time.

Essential Oils

Versatile and great smelling, essential oils have a wide range of medicinal and healing properties. It comes as no surprise that they are also quite powerful agents against bacteria and fungus. When added to vodka or a solution of soap and water, some essential oils can enhance the cleaning properties, helping rid your home of mold, mildew, and musty smells. There are a bunch of bacteria-fighting essential oils to choose from, particularly tea tree, citronella, geranium, lemongrass, orange, and patchouli. Currently, scientists are still studying essential oils’ bacteria-fighting abilities, including its  potential use as an antibiotic.

Steam

The simple combination of water and heat makes for the ultimate economical and chemical-free disinfectant. When heated to at least 200 degrees Fahrenheit, steam not only eliminates tough stuck-on stains and grease, but can also sanitize both hard and soft surfaces. While steaming may be a slower process—sometimes taking up to 20 seconds to fully sanitize one area—If used properly, steam is capable of removing bacteria, germs, dust mites, and other pathogens.

Honorable Mention: Castile Soap

With its roots in the Castile region of Spain, Castile soap, once made from olive oil, is now often made from a blend of vegetable oils. Quick to lather, a drop of Castile soap is all that’s needed to get dishes, bathtubs, or just about any surface squeaky clean. While the soap generally isn’t antibacterial on its own, a Dr. recommends a homemade solution that adds tea tree essential oil to make your own naturally bacteria-fighting cleanser.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     

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Are antibacterial soaps better than regular soaps? We tell you

The coronavirus pandemic has everyone washing their hands and covering their faces with a tissue paper as they sneeze and cough. Sadly, it is something we should all have been practising even without a looming fear of falling prey to COVID19 - as handwashing is the most effective way to reduce the spread of bacteria and viruses. As the hand sanitizers and toilet papers continue to fly off the shelves, people have also begun stocking the good, old soap.

When you shop for soaps and handwash, you must have noticed that there is a variety of soaps. Some fancy ones claim of providing with enough moisture to make your skin as soft as rose petals, while the others boast of antibacterial properties. While we cannot vouch for the claims of either, it is the latter which is problematic.

​What do the antibacterial soaps contain?
Your typical antibacterial soap is said to be more effective in getting rid of the germs and keeping you and your family safe. While the most common antibacterial ingredient in these soaps is said to be triclosan, some may also contain alcohol, benzalkonium chloride and other antibacterial agents. As a result, there is no dearth of people who gravitate towards antibacterial soaps and handwash in a quest to keep the virus and bacteria at bay.
​
Is there any difference between the regular soap and the antibacterial soap?
The antibacterial soaps and handwashes seem like good options when it comes to lowering the risk of getting sick, spreading germs and getting infected. However, there is a catch. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), there is “no evidence” that these antibacterial soaps are more effective than the regular ones. Yes, to date there has been no intensive study or research which can prove the benefits of antibacterial soaps and that they do a better job at keeping the germs and microbes away.

Besides the effectiveness of the antimicrobial soaps, the FDA was also concerned whether or not the chemicals and the ingredients present in the soaps were fit for daily use over a long period of time. When manufacturers couldn’t prove either, FDA issued a final rule deeming these ingredients in antibacterial soaps unsafe.

The soap story
The statement read, “The Food and Drug Administration (FDA, we, or the Agency) is issuing this final rule establishing that certain active ingredients used in over-the-counter (OTC) consumer antiseptic products intended for use with water (referred to throughout this document as consumer antiseptic washes) are not generally recognized as safe and effective (GRAS/GRAE) and are misbranded”

Another important factor to be noted that both antibacterial and regular soaps are most effective when warm water is used to build a lather. So, why should we choose a costlier alternative?
 
​The takeaway
While using antibacterial soap may provide you with peace of mind, the golden rule still remains the same i.e. you have to wash your hands thoroughly for at least 30 seconds to get rid of the dirt, grime and germs. If soap and water are not readily available, you can use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 per cent alcohol.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     

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8 Dangers of the Habit of Nail Biting

I may or may not have empathizers out there, but nail-biting, known in medical terms as Onychophagia, is a habit that consumes a whopping 20-30% of the human population, including 45% of teenagers at any given point. As a fellow nail-biter, I couldn’t help but wonder if there’s more awfulness to this bad habit than my mother’s lectures and dirty looks from colleagues. As it turns out, nail-biting can be dangerous not only to your social standing but also to your health. We’ve listed here for you some of the major reasons why.
 
1. Germs, germs, and germs!
Your fingers are already a magnet for every kind of germ out there, picking up bits and pieces of every single place, person and thing you encounter. Now, the biggest remedy for that is simply washing your hands with a little bit of soap.

However, regardless of how much you wash your hands, your fingernails continue to gather, collect and store dust, dirt, and grime that can be much harder to remove, even for the diligently clean souls. Every time you bite your nails, you are likely ingesting most of these germs, which can then cause throat and gum infections and more.
 
2. Avoid the infection
Speaking of infections, the various kinds of germs gathering under your nails can be of a more complex variety. You would think that a habit like nail-biting would be relatively harmless besides a few throat infections. Unfortunately, these germs under your nails may also be capable of causing far more serious ailments like salmonella and E Coli, which result in severe gastrointestinal distress and give your entire system a major upheaval.

3. Watch out for HPV
Still, along the same lines as the above two points, another infectious disease hiding under your fingernails is the illness known as Human papillomavirus (HPV). For those who bite their nails day in and day out, this is an ailment that you’ll definitely want to be careful of.

It can be identified by the unique and somewhat painful warts that tend to grow on the fingers of the affected person. This virus can be especially dangerous because, once warts begin to grow on your fingers, they can spread to your mouth and lips if you continue to bite your nails.
 
4. Protect your teeth
Believe it or not, your nails are a lot tougher than you realize. For a nail biter who is constantly chewing on his or her fingers, not only does the calcium in your nails get worn down, but the calcium in your teeth does as well. Constant nail-biting can weaken your teeth severely and may even cause them to shift position and protrude awkwardly and sometimes even painfully.

Much like with thumb-sucking, the alignment of the top and bottom rows of your teeth may also be negatively affected by this habit, which may become more prominent when you bring the two rows of teeth close together. Nail-biting can also drastically wear down your molars.
 
5. Restricted movement
Our hands are often the cornerstone of our very existence. We need them to do almost everything in our day to day lives from cooking and cleaning to driving. For someone in the habit of nail-biting, there's always one hand to be used for work while another one is being consistently chewed on.

In simplest terms, if one hand is always ending up near your mouth, that's one less hand you have to get things done with. In the case of some extreme nail-biters who may bite their nails down to a nub, the pain caused by the bad habit can even limit the use of your hands.
 
6. Biting beyond the nail
Since we're on the topic of extreme and excessive nail-biting, sometimes it's hard to know when to stop. It'll start with biting the tips of your nails, but often when there's no nail left, many with this habit may end up biting the skin around their nails.

This can be especially dangerous as it can create open wounds on your fingers that are extremely susceptible to the collection of germs and infections, such as paronychia, which could potentially lead to septic arthritis. So it's important not to let this bad habit progress beyond a certain point.
 
7. Your immune system takes a hit
The constant intake of germs experienced by most nail-biters can do some damage to your immune system. It was observed by an intern at Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center in California that all the bacteria on our hands, whether from doorknobs or toilets, increase your exposure to the flu and fevers, and on rare occasions, even more serious illnesses like hepatitis.

People who habitually bite their nails are known to experience the common cold more frequently than persons who don’t bite their nails. While the common cold is not particularly threatening on its own, continually being infected with a cold can weaken your immune system and leave you open to more dangerous ailments.  
 
8. Mental health risks
One of the biggest hurdles that a habit like nail-biting can leave you facing is a serious mental issue. It was determined by the American Psychiatric Association in 2012 that nail-biting is a symptom of OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder).

Nail-biting is believed to be another manifestation of OCD, much like compulsive cleaning and repetitive counting. It’s important to keep in mind that such compulsions tend to worsen over time and often can escalate to far more detrimental behavior like skin picking and hair-pulling. However, you can rest easy knowing that there are a few simple solutions to overcome this nasty habit!

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     

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5 natural home remedies to get relief from flu

These home remedies are safe!

People mostly seem to come down with cold or flu when the seasons change. The gradual shift in the temperature may lead to sore throat, congested chest, fever, runny nose and headache, which can be quite difficult to handle. It can disrupt your entire schedule and all you would want to do is to stay all day in bed.

Most people depend on prescribed antiviral drugs to get relief from the symptoms of flu. But with this, you can also try some safe and effective natural remedies that will ease the symptoms of flu. Here are 5 natural remedies that can help:

Salt water
Rinsing with salt water can help to soothe the throat and clear the mucus build-up in the chest. The concoction of salt water creates an osmosis effect and draws fluids from your throat. It breaks down the mucus, removes irritants and clears the throat. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water and gargle with it three times daily for a speedy recovery.

​Essential oil
Essential oils are also effective when suffering from flu. The oils fight the flu by stopping or decreasing the rate at which the virus multiplies inside the body. Cinnamon, peppermint, lemon, eucalyptus and thyme oils are considered best when suffering from the flu. Do not ingest essential oil. You can add a few drops in some carrier oil and apply it on your throat or you can even diffuse essential oils into the air with the help of a diffuser.

​Increase your zinc intake
Eating foods rich in zinc when down with flu can also help you ease the symptoms. This nutrient helps our body to make more white blood cells, who fight foreign germs and viruses and is important for our immune system. You can either take zinc supplements or eat food rich in this nutrient for relief. Red meat, shellfish, lentils, chickpeas, beans, seeds and eggs are some food items packed with zinc.

Honey
Honey has antimicrobial properties, which may help to fight some bacteria and viruses. Several studies suggest that honey is an effective remedy to treat flu. You can put two teaspoons of honey into a glass of warm water, stir it well and drink it to get relief from a sore throat or cough.
 
Garlic
Garlic is a superfood that is used for centuries for treating various health problems. It contains allicin, which has antibacterial properties and helps to kill viruses and bacteria. As per studies, garlic not only prevents one from falling sick but also reduces the severity of the symptoms. Include garlic in your food for health benefits.

Other things that you can do:

-Drink more water and other fluid

-Avoid spicy and oily food

-Inhale steam

-Drink herbal tea

 This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     

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https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
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