1. Chapter 7
Personal Health

2. Healthy skin, hair, & nails
Skin is the body’s single largest organ
Acts as a protective barrier (against disease & ultraviolet rays)
Helps cushion your internal organs
Regulates body temperature (sweat glands secrete perspiration)

3. Facial washing
At least once a day, preferably twice (morning & again during the day/evening)
Pat your skin dry with a clean towel
If you use make-up, select them carefully and avoid greasy products
Eat a well balanced diet (Vitamin A promotes healthy skin)
Milk, egg yoks, green leafy vegetables are good sources
Try to keep your hands away from your face

4. Skin & the sun UV rays are light rays that come from the sun.
Shorter rays – most intense during the middle of the day are the main cause of sunburn
Longer rays – less strong and are most prevalent in the morning and late afternoon
Up to 80 of UV rays can penetrate haze, light clouds or fog.
Do not be fooled, you can get burnt on a hazy or cloudy day.
Frequent exposure to sun/UV rays..
Prematurely ages the skin (thick, loose)
Damages cellular DNA which can cause the formation of cancer

5. Body piercing & tattooing
Both pose health threats…
Each involve puncturing the skin allowing the potential for pathogens to enter your body
If equipment is not properly sterilized you run the risk of developing infection, hepatitis, or even HIV.

6. acne
Many problems of the skin are not life-threatening BUT they most definitely affect a person’s self-image
Acne (common during adolescence/adulthood)
Clogging of the pores of the skin
Oil glands on in the skin enlarge and produce excess
That oil becomes trapped in a pore, plugging it, allowing bacteria to multiply and become inflamed

7. Hair
Humans have hair present on almost all the skin surfaces of their bodies
100,000 – 200,000 hairs on your head alone!
Hairs grow out of follicles (tiny pits in the skin).
Proper care includes washing & brushing your hair regularly

8. Common Hair problems
Dandruff (condition in which the outer layer of dead skin cells shed from the scalp)
Lice (small, wingless insects that live on and suck blood from the scalp)

9. nails
Finger/toe nails are dead skin cells that grow from the outer layer of your skin.
Good nail care includes keeping nails clean and evenly trimmed
You should cut toenails straight across, leaving the nail just at or slightly above skin level. If you cut the nail too low, you increase your risk of skin infection and ingrown nails.

10. Teeth Brush twice daily Floss once daily
Flossing removes plaque (sticky film that destroys tooth enamel and irritate gums) and removes food particles stuck between teeth.
Visit the dentist every 6 months for an examination and cleaning
Avoid sugary foods & beverages
Avoid tobacco

11. Eyes
More than 80% of the information you receive about your environment around you comes by way of your eyes.
Cornea – main lens that performs most of the eye’s focusing
Iris – the colored part of the eye (located within the choroid)
Retina – light sensitive membrane on which images are cast by the cornea and lens.
20/20 vision is perfect (stand 20 ft from eye chart and read top 8 lines).
20/200 = legally blind

12. Healthy eyes Get an eye exam every year
Take breaks when looking at a computer screen for a long while
Avoid rubbing your eyes
Avoid direct sunlight/wear sunglasses
Wear protective goggles when engaging in an activity/sport that could cause an eye injury

13. Eye problems
Nearsightedness (myopia) can see object close but distant objects are blurred
Farsightedness (hyperopia) can see distant objects fine but close objects are blurred
Astigmatism – the curvature of the lens is uneven causing the entire image to be blurred. Corrected with lenses.
Cataracts – clouding of the lens causing blurred or hazy vision. Surgery.
Glaucoma – pressure of the fluid in the eye is so high that is damages the optic nerve and may result in blindness.

14. Parts of the ear
Outer Ear (auricle) – fleshy, curved part attached to each side of the head (made of fatty tissue & cartilage). The auricle collects sound waves and directs them into the ear – specifically the auditory canal. This canal is lined with fine hairs and wax producing glands to protect the ear from foreign substances. At the end of the canal is the eardrum.
Middle ear – behind the eardrum are the ossicles (3 small bones linked together than connect the eardrum to inner ear.
Inner ear (labyrinth) consists of a maze of winding passages divided into 3 parts. 1 part, the cochlea, turn sound vibrations into nerve impulses for the brain. The central and innermost parts, contain structures critical to the sense of balance.

16. Healthy ears Clean them regularly Protect them against cold weather
Do NOT push swab into the ear.
Protect them against cold weather
Avoid loud noises. Exposure over time leads to hearing loss.
Wear ear protection when around loud noises