Smoking bad for health

Information About Smoking

Do you smoke? Have you ever stopped to think about how smoking is affecting your body and your life? Most teens are aware that people who have smoked for awhile can get lung cancer and emphysema and eventually die, but many don't know about all of the bad things that smoking can to them right now. If you smoke, you owe it to yourself to find out about the effects of smoking on your life now. This guide provides some information about what smoking is doing to your body and some of the common reasons why people keep smoking even though they know it's bad for them. These are important things to think about to help you decide if you should continue smoking.

Why is cigarette smoking bad for me?

Everyone knows that smoking can cause cancer when you get older, but did you know that it also has bad effects on your body right now? A cigarette contains about 4000 chemicals, many of which are poisonous. Some of the worst ones are:

• Nicotine: a deadly poison
• Arsenic: used in rat poison
• Methane: a component of rocket fuel
• Ammonia: found in floor cleaner
• Cadmium: used in batteries
• Carbon Monoxide: part of car exhaust
• Formaldehyde: used to preserve body tissue
• Butane: lighter fluid
• Hydrogen Cyanide: the poison used in gas chambers

Every time you inhale smoke from a cigarette, small amounts of these chemicals get into your blood through your lungs. They travel to all the parts of your body and cause harm.

What do all these chemicals do to my body?

As you might imagine, even small amounts of the poisonous chemicals in cigarettes can do bad things to your body. Here are some facts about what smoking cigarettes does to you:

• Smoking makes you smell bad, gives you wrinkles, stains your teeth, and gives you bad breath.
• Smokers get 3 times more cavities than non-smokers.
• Smoking lowers your hormone levels.
• When smokers catch a cold, they are more likely than non-smokers to have a cough that lasts a long time. They are also more likely than non-smokers to get bronchitis and pneumonia.
• Teen smokers have smaller lungs and a weaker heart than teen non-smokers. They also get sick more often than teens who don't smoke.

What happens to my lungs when I smoke?

Every time you inhale smoke from a cigarette, you kill some of the air sacks in your lungs, called alveoli. These air sacks are where the oxygen that you breathe in is transferred into your blood. Alveoli don't grow back, so when you destroy them, you have permanently destroyed part of your lungs. This means that you won't do as well in activities where breathing is important, like sports, dancing, or singing.

Smoking paralyzes the cilia that line your lungs. Cilia are little hairlike structures that move back and forth to sweep particles out of your lungs. When you smoke, the cilia can't move and can't do their job. So dust, pollen, and other things that you inhale sit in your lungs and build up. Also, there are a lot of particles in smoke that get into your lungs. Since your cilia are paralyzed because of the smoke and can't clean them out, the particles sit in your lungs and form tar.

I know smoking is bad for me, but I really like it.

Many teens like the feeling that smoking gives them. This good feeling is from the nicotine in the cigarettes. Some teens think smoking will help them lose weight or stay thin. Many teens also feel like smoking gives them a sense of freedom and independence, and some smoke to feel more comfortable in social situations. If this sounds like you, you should stop and think about whether the things you like about smoking are really worth the risks.

• Nicotine can make you feel good, but is feeling good (a feeling you can also get from healthy activities like playing sports) really worth all the bad things cigarettes do to you? If you smoke, you'll get sick more often. You also have the chance of getting lung cancer or emphysema, which will make you really sick for a long time before you die. If you are very sick, that good feeling from nicotine won't seem so important anymore.
• Smoking doesn't really help people lose weight. If that were true, every smoker would be thin.
• Smoking lowers your hormone levels.

Do you think that smoking is a sign that you can do what you want? That you are in control of your life?

Think about it this way: When you decide to start smoking, you are doing exactly what tobacco companies want you to do. They spend millions of dollars every year on advertising to try to get new people, especially teens, to smoke. Once they have you hooked, THEY are controlling YOU. You are forced to buy their products in order to support your addiction. Do you really want a big corporation controlling your life and telling you how to spend your money?

Why should I stop smoking if I'm not addicted?

Many people don't realize they are addicted to smoking. They think they can easily quit any time they want. But when they try, they forget it is extremely difficult. Unfortunately, it is very easy to get addicted. Cigarettes are just as addictive as cocaine or heroin. Even if you only smoke one or two cigarettes a day and even if you've never bought a pack of cigarettes yourself, you are at risk. Stressful situations or hanging out with friends who smoke might cause you to smoke more and become addicted. Try going a whole week without smoking at all. If you find this difficult, you are probably addicted to cigarettes.

If I quit smoking, won't I gain weight?

Many people are afraid to quit smoking because they think they will gain weight. In reality, many do gain a little but not enough to change how they look. People don't gain weight because they stop smoking. They gain weight because they start eating more. Often, people confuse the feeling of craving nicotine with hunger and eat to try to make this uncomfortable feeling go away. Smokers are also used to having something in their hands and in their mouth, so they may pick up food to replace holding a cigarette. To keep from gaining weight, try these things:

• Drink sips of water instead of eating when you feel uncomfortable.
• Eat carrot or celery sticks or other healthy, low calorie foods.
• Exercise. This will also help take your mind off smoking and make you healthier.
• Keep busy. You will be less likely to eat when you're not really hungry if you are doing other things.

I'll quit in a year or two when I'm ready.

A lot of people put off quitting smoking, thinking that they'll do it when the time is right. Only 5% of teens think they will still be smoking in 5 years. Actually, about 75% of them are still smoking more than five years later. If you smoke, it will never seem like the right time to quit and quitting will never be easy. The longer you smoke, the harder it will be to stop and the more damage you will do to your body. Here are some reasons to quit sooner rather than later:

• Most teens would rather date a non-smoker.
• You'll save money if you quit smoking. A pack of cigarettes costs about $5.00. Even if you only smoke a couple packs a week, you're spending about $40 per month and $480 per year on smoking. Think of all the other things you could use that money for.
• You only have one pair of lungs. Any damage you do to them now will be with you for the rest of your life.
• The longer you smoke, the better your chances are of dying from it. One out of 3 smokers die from smoking and many more become very sick. Think about your friends who smoke. 1/3 of them will die from smoking if none of you quit

exercise so important

Many people today are less physically active during their daily routine, due to the use of cars, labour-saving machinery, moving stairs, lifts, and so on.

As well, food is far more plentiful, varied, quick and easy to prepare, making it more difficult to keep the required energy balance. Energy input (food intake) becomes greater than energy output (activity) when we eat more than we need or use. That excess of energy soon translates into weight gain — and the potential to develop chronic, obesity-related diseases later in life.

To correct this energy imbalance and ensure we stay fit and healthy, it's important to maintain an effective level of activity. Exercise increases the rate at which your body uses energy (kilojoules) and burns up stored energy (fat), promoting weight loss.

Increasing your level of physical activity will not only decrease the amount of fat your body is carrying, it will also improve your overall fitness — that is, the function of your heart and lungs.

Remember the following points: 

• When you exercise, your effort must exceed that of your normal daily activities.
• As the exercise becomes easier, the intensity needs to gradually be increased so that a level of effort is maintained during the session.

There are two important types of exercise: resistance training and aerobic. Let's take a closer look at each of these.

Resistance training
This type of training helps to maintain and increase muscle mass and can be performed with weights, resistance bands or simply your own body weight. "According to a study out of Tufts University in the US, the greater your muscle mass, the greater the longevity potential," said Health & Performance Coach Daine McDonald of Clean Health. "So my advice — lift and live!"

Resistance training:

• Improves muscle strength and flexibility.
• Each muscle group is worked separately.
• Movement becomes easier and muscles less flabby as they shorten and strengthen.

Aerobic exercise
This type of exercise makes your heart and lungs work harder and increases your metabolic rate. Examples of aerobic exercises are walking, running, cycling, swimming and dancing. Children engage in this type of activity naturally when they play with friends outdoors or at school — they run jump, skip, climb and ride bikes.

Aerobic exercise:

• Promotes weight (fat) loss.
• Improves your muscle tone.
• Works the large muscle groups in your arms/legs/trunk.
• Increases your level of fitness.
• Improves the functioning of your cardiovascular system ie. your heart and lungs.
Preventing disease Exercise can be an important weapon in the fight against high cholesterol, heart disease and other obesity-related diseases. According to recent studies, regular aerobic exercise has the ability to lower LDL levels (bad cholesterol) by 5-10 percent and raise HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) 3-6 percent. Your risk of developing cancer can also be reduced with regular physical activity. "Our message is that you don't have to make massive lifestyle changes to reduce your risk of developing cancer," says Kathy Chapman, director of health strategies at Cancer Council NSW. "Even small things, like getting off the bus a stop early and walking the rest of the way, can result in big benefits to your health." How much exercise do I need?  To maintain or improve your fitness, you should exercise continuously at a steady pace for 20-30 minutes at least three times each week. To lose weight, however, you may need to exercise for up to 60 minutes four to five times per week. It may be more appropriate for some people to start with a shorter exercise period at more frequent intervals, depending on weight and fitness levels and build it up. You just need to start being more active than you are at present to start burning up existing fat while improving your fitness. Don't forget diet too An exercise regime should always go hand-in-hand with a sensible, balanced diet for optimum health. "The biggest key to controlling your health and fat loss is through managing what you eat," said McDonald. "So a balanced diet consisting of animal proteins, good fats and plant based carbohydrates — in that order — should be what you look to consume to increase fat loss and boost overall health."

Treatment Methods for Kidney Failure and Transplantation

If you have advanced and permanent kidney failure, kidney transplantation may be the treatment option that allows you to live much like you lived before your kidneys failed. Since the 1950s, when the first kidney transplants were performed, much has been learned about how to prevent rejection and minimize the side effects of medicines.

But transplantation is not a cure; it’s an ongoing treatment that requires you to take medicines for the rest of your life. And the wait for a donated kidney can be years long.

A successful transplant takes a coordinated effort from your whole health care team, including your nephrologist, transplant surgeon, transplant coordinator, pharmacist, dietitian, and social worker. But the most important members of your health care team are you and your family. By learning about your treatment, you can work with your health care team to give yourself the best possible results, and you can lead a full, active life.

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When Your Kidneys Fail

Healthy kidneys clean your blood by removing excess fluid, minerals, and wastes. They also make hormones that keep your bones strong and your blood healthy. When your kidneys fail, harmful wastes build up in your body, your blood pressure may rise, and your body may retain excess fluid and not make enough red blood cells. When this happens, you need treatment to replace the work of your failed kidneys.

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How Transplantation Works

Kidney transplantation is a procedure that places a healthy kidney from another person into your body. This one new kidney takes over the work of your two failed kidneys.

A surgeon places the new kidney inside your lower abdomen and connects the artery and vein of the new kidney to your artery and vein. Your blood flows through the new kidney, which makes urine, just like your own kidneys did when they were healthy. Unless they are causing infection or high blood pressure, your own kidneys are left in place.

Kidney transplantation.

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The Transplant Process

Your Doctor’s Recommendation

The transplantation process begins when you learn that your kidneys are failing and you must start to consider your treatment options. Whether transplantation is to be among your options will depend on your specific situation. Transplantation isn’t for everyone. Your doctor may tell you that you have a condition that would make transplantation dangerous or unlikely to succeed.

Medical Evaluation at a Transplant Center

If your doctor sees transplantation as an option, the next step is a thorough medical evaluation at a transplant hospital. The pretransplant evaluation may require several visits over the course of several weeks or even months. You’ll need to have blood drawn and x rays taken. You’ll be tested for blood type and other matching factors that determine whether your body will accept an available kidney.

The medical team will want to see whether you’re healthy enough for surgery. Cancer, a serious infection, or significant cardiovascular disease would make transplantation unlikely to succeed. In addition, the medical team will want to make sure that you can understand and follow the schedule for taking medicines.

If a family member or friend wants to donate a kidney, he or she will need to be evaluated for general health and to see whether the kidney is a good match. (See the "Organ Donation" section.)

Placement on the Waiting List

If the medical evaluation shows that you’re a good candidate for a transplant but you don’t have a family member or friend who can donate a kidney, you’ll be put on the transplant program’s waiting list to receive a kidney from a deceased donor—someone who has just died.

Every person waiting for a deceased donor organ is registered with the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN), which maintains a centralized computer network linking all regional organ gathering organizations (known as organ procurement organizations, or OPOs) and transplant centers. The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), a private nonprofit organization, administers OPTN under a contract with the Federal Government. (See the "Resources" section.)

UNOS rules allow patients to register with multiple transplant centers. Each transplant center will probably require a separate medical evaluation, even if a patient is already registered at another center.

Observers of OPTN operations have raised the concern that people in certain regions of the country have to wait longer than others because allocation policies for some organs give preference to patients within the donor’s region. Kidneys, however, are assigned to the best match regardless of geographic region. The Federal Government continues to monitor policies and regulations to ensure that every person waiting for an organ has a fair chance. The key to making waiting times shorter is to increase the number of donated organs.

Waiting Period

How long you’ll have to wait depends on many things but is primarily determined by the degree of matching between you and the donor. Some people wait several years for a good match, while others get matched within a few months.

While you’re on the waiting list, notify the transplant center of changes in your health. Also, let the transplant center know if you move or change telephone numbers. The center will need to find you immediately when a kidney becomes available.

OPOs are responsible for identifying potential organs for transplant and coordinating with the national network. The 69 regional OPOs are all UNOS members. When a deceased donor kidney becomes available, the OPO notifies UNOS, and a computer-generated list of suitable recipients is created. Suitability is initially based on two factors:

• Blood type. Your blood type (A, B, AB, or O) must be compatible with the donor’s blood type.
• HLA factors. HLA stands for human leukocyte antigen, a genetic marker located on the surface of your white blood cells. You inherit a set of three antigens from your mother and three from your father. A higher number of matching antigens increases the chance that your kidney will last for a long time.

If you’re selected on the basis of the first two factors, a third is evaluated:

• Antibodies. Your immune system may produce antibodies that act specifically against something in the donor’s tissues. To see whether this is the case, a small sample of your blood will be mixed with a small sample of the donor’s blood in a tube. If no reaction occurs, you should be able to accept the kidney. Your transplant team might use the term negative cross-match to describe this lack of reaction.

Transplant Operation

If you have a living donor, you’ll schedule the operation in advance. You and your donor will be operated on at the same time, usually in side-by-side rooms. One team of surgeons will perform the nephrectomy—that is, the removal of the kidney from the donor—while another prepares the recipient for placement of the donated kidney.

If you’re on a waiting list for a deceased donor kidney, you must be ready to hurry to the hospital as soon as a kidney becomes available. Once there, you’ll give a blood sample for the antibody cross-match test. If you have a negative cross-match, it means that your antibodies don’t react and the transplantation can proceed.

You’ll be given a general anesthetic to make you sleep during the operation, which usually takes 3 or 4 hours. The surgeon will make a small cut in your lower abdomen. The artery and vein from the new kidney will be attached to your artery and vein. The ureter from the new kidney will be connected to your bladder.

Often, the new kidney will start making urine as soon as your blood starts flowing through it, but sometimes a few weeks pass before it starts working.

Recovery From Surgery

As after any major surgery, you’ll probably feel sore and groggy when you wake up. However, many transplant recipients report feeling much better immediately after surgery. Even if you wake up feeling great, you’ll need to stay in the hospital for about a week to recover from surgery, and longer if you have any complications.

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Posttransplant Care

Your body’s immune system is designed to keep you healthy by sensing “foreign invaders,” such as bacteria, and rejecting them. But your immune system will also sense that your new kidney is foreign. To keep your body from rejecting it, you’ll have to take drugs that turn off, or suppress, your immune response. You may have to take two or more of these immunosuppressant medicines, as well as medications to treat other health problems. Your health care team will help you learn what each pill is for and when to take it. Be sure that you understand the instructions for taking your medicines before you leave the hospital.

If you’ve been on hemodialysis, you’ll find that your posttransplant diet is much less restrictive. You can drink more fluids and eat many of the fruits and vegetables you were previously told to avoid. You may even need to gain a little weight, but be careful not to gain weight too quickly and avoid salty foods that can lead to high blood pressure

Rejection

You can help prevent rejection by taking your medicines and following your diet, but watching for signs of rejection—like fever or soreness in the area of the new kidney or a change in the amount of urine you make—is important. Report any such changes to your health care team.

Even if you do everything you’re supposed to do, your body may still reject the new kidney and you may need to go back on dialysis. Unless your health care team determines that you’re no longer a good candidate for transplantation, you can go back on the waiting list for another kidney.

Side Effects of Immunosuppressants

Immunosuppressants can weaken your immune system, which can lead to infections. Some drugs may also change your appearance. Your face may get fuller; you may gain weight or develop acne or facial hair. Not all patients have these problems, though, and diet and makeup can help.

Immunosuppressants work by diminishing the ability of immune cells to function. In some patients, over long periods of time, this diminished immunity can increase the risk of developing cancer. Some immunosuppressants cause cataracts, diabetes, extra stomach acid, high blood pressure, and bone disease. When used over time, these drugs may also cause liver or kidney damage in a few patients.

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Financial Issues

Treatment for kidney failure is expensive, but Federal health insurance plans pay much of the cost, usually up to 80 percent. Often, private insurance or state programs pay the rest. Your social worker can help you locate resources for financial assistance. For more information, see the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) fact sheet Financial Help for Treatment of Kidney Failure.

Additional Patient Assistance Programs

UNOS maintains a website called Transplant Living to help patients learn about their treatment and find resources. The website includes a page that lists organizations that provide financial assistance—available atwww.transplantliving.org/beforethetransplant/finance/funding.aspx.

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Organ Donation

Deceased Donor

Most transplanted kidneys come from people who have died. However, the number of people waiting for kidneys has increased in recent years, while the number of kidneys available from deceased donors has remained constant. The result is a shortage of kidneys and a longer waiting time for people with kidney failure.

Many suitable kidneys go unused because family members of potential donors don’t know their loved one’s wishes. People who wish to donate their organs should talk about this issue with their families. Several organizations, including UNOS and the National Kidney Foundation (see the "Resources" section), provide organ donor cards for people who wish to make this life-preserving gift when they die. A properly completed organ donor card notifies medical officials that you’ve decided to donate your organs. In most states, you can indicate your desire to be an organ donor on your driver’s license.

Types of Fevers

The human body has a normal core temperature of 37.0 degrees centigrade or 98.6 degrees fahrenheit. Any variation in this core figure implies that something is amiss. A rise in temperature indicates that something is wrong with the body. Fevers which last less than a week are caused by common infections. Those which take longer to get all right are more serious in nature and need medical attention. Here some types of fever as under.

 Fever - Home Remedies to Cure the Fever !

 Dengue Fever - It is a viral illness transmitted by mosquitoes !

 Influenza - It is also known as flu !

 Malaria - It is a serious infectious disease !

 Typhoid Fever - Prevention is must !

 Measles - Symptoms, Causes And Vaccine !

 Chicken Pox - Beneficial treatment for the Chicken Pox !

 Rheumatic Fever - It is a very serious chronic disease !

 Meningitis - Treatment of Bacterial Meningitis !

Human body

2.  The adult body is made up of:

1.  The human body is made up of a head, neck, torso, two arms and two legs.  The average height of an adult human is about 5 to 6 feet tall.  The human body is made to stand erect, walk on two feet, use the arms to carry and lift, and has opposable thumbs (able to grasp).  100 trillion cells, 206 bones, 600 muscles, and  22 internal organs.

3.  There are many systems in the human body: Circulatory System (heart, blood, vessels) Respiratory System (nose, trachea, lungs) Immune System (many types of protein, cells, organs, tissues) Skeletal System (bones) Excretory System (lungs, large intestine, kidneys) Urinary System (bladder, kidneys) Muscular System (muscles) Endocrine System (glands) Digestive System (mouth, esophogus, stomach, intestines) Nervous System (brain, spinal cord, nerves) Reproductive System (male and female reproductive organs)

4.  Every square inch of the human body has about 19 million skin cells.

5.  Every hour about 1 billion cells in the human body must be replaced.

6.  The average human head has about 100,000 hairs.

7.  The circulatory system of arteries, veins, and capillaries is about 60,000 miles long.

8.  The heart beats more than 2.5 billion times in an average lifetime.

9.  There are about 9,000 taste buds on the surface of the tongue, in the throat, and on the roof of the mouth.

10.  The strongest muscle in the body is the tongue.

11.  The human heart creates enough pressure when it pumps out to the body to squirt blood 30 feet.

12.  You blink over 10,000,000 times a year.

13.  The human brain weighs about 3 pounds.

14.  It takes about 20 seconds for a red blood cell to circle the whole body.
15.  Only 10% of the population are left handed.

16.  One fourth of the bones in your body are in your feet.

17.  Children tend to grow faster in the spring.

18.  The most sensitive finger on the human hand is the index finger.

19.  More men are color-blind than women.

20.  More people have brown eyes than any other color.        

Dengue fever

Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne infection; it can be asymptomatic, but commonly causes a severe flu-like illness. It can also result in bleeding and shock, a potentially lethal complication called dengue haemorrhagic fever which is a leading cause of serious childhood illness and fatality in some Asian countries. Although there is no specific treatment for the infection, good medical care with symptomatic treatment and good nursing can often save the life of an individual with dengue haemorrhagic fever.

Unwell individuals who feel they may have been exposed to mosquitoes should seek immediate medical advice. The incidence of dengue fever across the world has increased in recent years, and almost two-fifths of the world’s population are at risk. The World Health Organisation (WHO) advises that the “only way to prevent dengue virus transmission is to combat the disease-carrying mosquitoes.” Information about insect bite avoidance is available from the NaTHNaC website.

Dengue virus is endemic in Pakistan, and occurs throughout the year, but with peaks during the post-monsoon season. A 2010 study  by Khan et al has shown that the average age of individuals contracting dengue fever has decreased, suggesting that younger patients may be more susceptible. Despite that dengue virus remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality, there is scarcity of data looking at the overall trend of dengue infection in Pakistan.

Despite this, nearly 700 cases of confirmed dengue fever have been reported across Pakistan this year. The dengue surveillance cell, headed by Dr Shakil Malik has confirmed that 696 people have been infected since August of this year, with many requiring hospitalisation. Many of the reported cases have been in Karachi; however dengue fever is also increasing in other parts of Sindh. It is likely that individuals returning from camps set-up for flood affectees in Karachi may be spreading the infection and the situation only looks to worsen.

The number of cases of dengue fever were confirmed by the Federal Secretary of Health, Khushnood Ahmed Lashari who verifies that the largest proportion of cases have been notified in Sindh, where at least five deaths from the infection have also been reported to have occurred. The official has also stated that 16 confirmed individuals with dengue fever have additionally been reported in Islamabad.

The director of the National Institute of Blood Diseases (NIBD) haematologist Dr Tahir Shamsi warns that the government’s data is incomplete as not all cases are being recognised or reported.

What is of even more concern is that researchers have shown outbreaks of dengue fever in Pakistan are becoming more severe. In a study published in February this year by Malik Asaf Humayoun, and colleagueslooked at 110 patients across two outbreaks in Lahore in 2008. It showed that showed that over half of the cases developed the more severe form of the infection, namely dengue haemorrhagic fever in which bleeding and shock can occur. This can be fatal.

Humayoun, the head of the department of medicine at the Allama Iqbal Medical College and the Jinnah Hospital describes this increase in the proportion of more severe cases as alarming. He suggests “Health authorities should consider strengthening surveillance for dengue infection, given the potential for future outbreaks with increased severity.”

This Pakistan study adds to the increasing concern over dengue fever control. The WHO South East Asia Regional Office (SEARO) earlier this year has reinforced the need for accelerating important interventions in order to control of this infection. They have advised that “social mobilisation together with political commitment are crucial.”

HAIR CARE

Get enough sleep.

The following are some basic hair care tips that you can use to improve the health and look of your hair.General
A healthy lifestyle will mean healthier hair for you. Excessive stress, smoking, not exercising and not eating nutritiously are not healthy for your hair.
Hair Products (Gel, mouse, hair spary...)
Avoid using hair styling products with alcohol which dries out hair.
Avoid puting hair styling products directly on your scalp, if you put it on your scalp you'll clog the pores on your head.
Swimming
Before entering a pool, wet your hair so your hair will soak up the initial water instead of the chlorinated water.
When swimming where a cap to protect your hair from chlorinated water, if you choose not to wear a cap make sure you shampoo and condition your hair right after you are done swimming.
Drying
Hot air can be damaging to your hair so when using a hair dryer use the cool setting.
Don't leave the blowdryer in one spot for more than a few seconds, keep it moving and at a good distance away from your hair.
To speed up the drying process, pat your hair dry with a towell and let the remaining moisture in your hair dry naturally.
Gently use your fingers or a pick to untangle any knots while your hair is drying.Combing/Brushing
Use a brush whose bristles are made from natural animal hairs, it is softer and more flexible which means less damage will be done to your hair.Hair is most fragile when it is wet so avoid brushing or combing when it's wet, or else it will cause breakage, wait until your hair is almost completely dry before brushing it.
Use brushes/combs with widely spaced bristles/teeth and smooth tips. Sharp tooth combs can damage your hair, cause split ends, and scratch your scalp.
To keep your brushes and combs clean, wash them weekly using soap or shampoo.
Comb your hair to remove any tangles before brushing it.
Begin by combing your hair gently at the ends to get any tangles out and work your way up to the base of your hair.
Always brush/comb with a downwards stroke.
Avoid using plastic brushes/combs which create static electricity
Shampooing and Conditioning
Buy shampoos & conditioners that match your hair type, trial and error is the best way to find out what specific hair product is best for your hair.
Shower with warm water, hot water can dry and/or irritate the scalp.