Should I not wash my hands sometimes?

We have been taught from childhood that cleanliness and hygiene is very important to ward off diseases and maintain good health. Washing hands after travelling in public transport, using public toilets or using elevators is highly recommended. Eating food or preparation of dishes should always be preceded by washing hands thoroughly. Hand hygiene is given so much importance; but then is too much cleanliness actually bad for you?

Well at least this article from the Daily Mail says so. Excerpts from the article:

Don't wash your hands! A bit of dirt is good for you: Experts say cleaning less often would protect against allergies by allowing helpful bacteria into the body

Dr Justin Sonnenburg said modern diets lacking in fibre may cause irreversible damage to vital gut bacteria

He suggested not washing your hands after gardening or petting a dog

Low-fibre diets that we now eat might not be enough for future generations

He also suggests reducing our reliance on antibiotics.

Sure enough, there is conflicting information on health and hygiene these days. But then it's a universal truth that too much of a good thing is also bad and the key is moderation in all our activities. Perhaps this holds true for cleanliness and hygiene also.

But then I would think twice about not washing my hands after petting a cat or dog. And would I be brave enough to not wash hands after gardening -- more so, after reading this article or this contradictory article from The Daily Mail? I bet not!

Highly Effective Indian Home remedies For Delayed Periods

Delayed periods or Irregular menstrual periods have become very common these days for a lot of women in their reproductive age and they suffer great agonies when their period does not come on time. A delay of 4-5 days may be fine but if it exceeds 8 days, then it's certainly a cause for concern. In this post, I'll be sharing highly effective Indian home remedies for your delayed periods . I'd been a long sufferer of irregular periods during my teenage to early twenties. I've tried most of the recipes here, along with Kapalabhati pranayama, yoga poses, mudras and other lifestyle habits. Now my periods are extremely regular like clockwork; not a day less or more than 28. When I look back, I'm surprised how I managed those years of anxiety and fear about my late periods.

The ache of acne (pimples)

Acne is often the bane of a pretty face. It is painful more emotionally than physically, for the scar that it leaves behind can last for a lifetime, adding to one’s miserable look & feeling. No doubt many expensive skin care clinics have mushroomed in ever nook & corner, offering to clear all the scars & blemishes on the face, but they are very expensive & charge exorbitant price for each sitting; not everyone can afford them. So why not try out this simple skin care regimen to minimize the damage caused by acne & as far as possible prevent its eruption.

Aspirin for acne-prone skin

Aspirin has been around for a long time and its health benefits are wide and varied. Aspirin , or acetylsalicylic acid is a salicylate drug, often used as an analgesic to relieve minor aches and pains , as an antipyretic to reduce fever , and as an anti-inflammatory medication. Aspirin's greatest benefit is reducing cardiovascular events including heart attacks and strokes. According to the American Heart Assoc. virtually all women are at risk of heart disease and doctors should more strongly consider prescribing a daily aspirin for their female patients. There is growing evidence to suggest regular aspirin use may reduce cancer and dementia as well. Investigators from the Women's Health Study have reported important new findings demonstrating that aspirin reduces the risk of a first stroke in women. When given to someone immediately after a heart attack, aspirin decreases death by 25%.