Hygiene and Consumer Skills PDF

What is Hygiene? MAIN IDEA​ ​Your personal hygiene affects all sides of your health triangle​. Think about your appearance. Have you bathed or showered today? Are your clothes neat and clean? Is your hair combed? Did you brush your teeth this morning? Caring for your appearance includes paying atte...

What is Hygiene? MAIN IDEA​ ​Your personal hygiene affects all sides of your health triangle​. Think about your appearance. Have you bathed or showered today? Are your clothes neat and clean? Is your hair combed? Did you brush your teeth this morning? Caring for your appearance includes paying attention to your personal hygiene​. Keeping your body clean is an example of good hygiene. Your hygiene and your appearance affect all three sides of your health triangle. When you look your best, you feel good about yourself. This improves your mental/emotional health. You are more confident around others, strengthening your social health. Of course, good hygiene also keeps your body physically healthy. For example, washing your hands helps prevent the spread of germs that cause illness and disease. Keeping It Clean Cleanliness is the key to good hygiene. Bathing or showering every day helps keep your skin and body clean. Use soap to wash away dirt, sweat, oils, and bacteria that collect on your skin. Having clean, healthy skin is part of your overall appearance. During the teen years, body odor may become more noticeable. Body odor is caused by bacteria on the surface of your skin. When the bacteria mix with sweat, it creates a bad odor. Bathe or shower regularly to help eliminate body odor. Deodorants or antiperspirants can also help. Another important part of maintaining good hygiene is washing your hands thoroughly and often. Use plenty of warm water and soap on your hands. Remember to wash the palms and backs of your hands and between your fingers. Washing your hands helps prevent illness and the spread of germs. Always wash your hands before you prepare and eat food. Remember to wash your hands after you use the bathroom, play with pets, visit a sick person, or touch garbage or another source of germs. READING CHECK Identify​ What are two ways body odor can be eliminated? Facial ​and​ Body Hair As you get a little older, you will develop facial and body hair. The growth of hair in new areas of your body, such as under your arms or on your face, is caused by hormones. As facial and body hair becomes thicker, males may choose to shave their facial hair. Females may choose to shave the hair on their legs or under their arms. Shaving your body hair is a personal choice. Caring ​for​ Your Nails Nails protect sensitive fingertips and the tips of toes. Your fingernails and toenails are made of a tough substance called keratin. Around the nail is a nonliving band of skin called the cuticle. Sometimes, the cuticle can become torn or cut. Nail care includes caring for the cuticle. Common problems with fingernails and toenails include: Hangnails.​ A hangnail is a split in the cuticle near the fingernail’s edge. You can treat hangnails by carefully trimming the skin. The cuticle should heal in a few days. Ingrown toenails.​ An ingrown toenail occurs when the toenail pushes too far into the skin along the side of the toe. This can result from trimming the nail on a curve rather than straight across or wearing shoes that are too tight. See a doctor if your toe becomes inflamed and sore, as it may be infected. To care for your nails, wash your hands regularly. Use hand lotion to keep nails and skin moist. Trim your nails using a nail clipper or small scissors. Cut your nails straight across, so the nail is at or just beyond the skin. Use an emery board or nail file to round out the ends of your fingernails slightly and smooth out rough edges. Soften your hands with warm water. Use a cuticle stick to push back the cuticle. Avoid biting, tearing, or picking at your nails. Putting your fingers in your mouth can also spread germs. Developing Consumer Skills MAIN IDEA​ ​Knowing how to evaluate products and services will help you become a smart consumer​. Have you ever shopped for personal care items? Soap, shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, shaving cream—you have many different sizes, styles, and brands of products to choose from. As a consumer​,​ you have likely walked through store aisles many times. How do you decide which items to buy? How do you know what will be best for you? Learning consumer skills will help you become a smart shopper. Smart shoppers know how to compare products in terms of quality, effectiveness, safety, and cost. They also know how to resolve problems with purchases. Informed shoppers understand that many factors can influence your choices as a consumer. Cost is likely to be a factor. Another is personal taste. You may simply prefer one brand over another. Environmental impact can also be an influence. You may prefer a product that is all natural, organic, or recyclable. Another major factor is the media. The Internet, TV and radio stations, newspapers, and magazines feature advertising. Consumers are not always aware of the influence of advertising. An advertisement is designed to make products seem more appealing to consumers. You may not realize it, but you might be tempted to buy an item just because it has a catchy ad. Learning media literacy skills can help you analyze whether health information, products, and services are valid. Type of Advertising Many advertisements contain hidden messages. One example is showing rich and famous people with a product. This type of ad suggests that a product will make you like the people in the ad. Many ads feature a celebrity endorsement. Advertisers pay athletes or actors for endorsing a product. An infomercial looks like a news story or television show. However, infomercials are really advertisements. They always feature a product for sale. READING CHECK Describe​ List some factors that influence your choices as a consumer. Shopping Smart The first step in becoming a smart shopper is to understand what you are buying. With many products, this means reading the product label. By law, labels for foods, medicines, and many health products must include certain kinds of information. A label tells you the product name and what the product is intended to do. The label also gives directions, lists the ingredients, and may feature warnings. Directions tell you how much of the product to use and how often to use it. Use a product only as directed. A product may not be effective if it is not used as directed. If any problems occur when you use a product, stop using it immediately. The product may contain an ingredient that is causing the problem. Product labels can also help you compare similar products. Different brands of the same type of product may contain slightly different ingredients. The same brand may feature a range of products designed for slightly different uses. Also, product labels may make similar claims, but they may not do exactly the same thing. Consumers can sometimes be persuaded to try products that have fancy packaging with catchy phrases. Packages are designed to make you want to buy the product. They may feature bright colors, attractive logos, and certain words designed to attract your attention in an ad or on a store shelf. Companies spend lots of money on designing packaging that will help sell their products. Comparison Shopping When you compare two or more similar products, you are comparison shopping​.​ As you compare products, consider the benefits of one brand over another. Which brand offers more of what you are looking for? Does one brand fit your needs better than another? You should also consider the brand’s reputation. Do you know anyone who has used and liked it? How about the cost? Some brands may offer generic products at a lower cost. Buying products at a discount store or comparing prices between stores can also provide a cost savings. Clipping coupons is another way to save money. They can be found in newspapers, store flyers, and online. One important factor to consider when comparing products is unit price. A product's unit price is usually placed on a tab or sticker underneath it. You can calculate it yourself, if necessary. 1. Find the weight or volume given on each product container. 2. Divide the price of the product by its weight or volume. 3. The result is the unit price. For example, an 5-fluid-ounce bottle of facial cleanser costs $4.50. Dividing $4.50 by 5 equals 90¢. The unit price is 90¢ per fluid ounce. Finally, check to see if the item carries a guarantee or a warranty​. ​A warranty shows that a store or company stands behind its product. READING CHECK List​ What factors are evaluated in comparison shopping? Managing Consumer Problems Products usually work as advertised. However, some businesses sell products or services that don't work. When this is done to deceive the buyer, it is called fraud. Fraud is illegal and punishable by law. One serious type of fraud is health fraud. Making inaccurate claims about a health product can give false hope to a person who is seriously ill. Some products may even be harmful to your health. If you have been a victim of fraud, contact the Food and Drug Administration. Problems with Products In spite of a company's efforts, a product may simply be defective. When this happens, you may be able to return the product to the store where you purchased the item. With your receipt, a store will not have a problem returning your money. A good consumer habit is to keep your receipts until you are certain you are satisfied with a product. You should also become familiar with a store's return policies before you decide to make a purchase. Each store has its own set of policies regarding product returns. Online Shopping Buying products online can be easy and convenient. However, just like buying in a store, you should be aware and take precautions to prevent problems. When buying anything online, you should know who you're dealing with. Anyone can set up an online shop or business. Ask friends or a trusted adult for referrals for online businesses or use businesses you already know and trust. Confirm the seller's physical address and phone number in case you need to contact him or her. Check several, well-known web sites and compare product prices as well as shipping costs. Find out their return policies and if you will have to pay shipping costs to return the item. Always pay by credit card, never send cash. Print and save records and receipts of your online purchase. Reading Check Explain​ ​What steps can you take if you buy a defective product? Responsibility Skilled consumers understand what they are buying. They also understand why they make certain choices. Being aware of advertising is an important skill. Ads make products seem appealing to get people to buy them. It is also important to be aware of a product’s impact on the world around you. You can show responsibility by learning more about the things you buy.