Carmen Bowen-Wright
DRESSING TO promote wellness and comfort has many dimensions. The colour
of clothing, the styling and the accessories can promote comfort and good health or the opposite. Each of these aspects of dress will be discussed individually.
Styles
Not all styles are fashionable for all of us, and definitely not all are healthy for us.
To illustrate, just a few will be highlighted.
Collars: Many ladies who usually wear high collars of denim end up at the doctor's with a rash and itching around the neck. Very often they have short necks, in any case, and the fashion does not suit them. This style and material seem to generate a lot of heat around the neck and give rise to a rash.
Styles with excess exposure: These are the backless and low cut and no midriff styles. Persons susceptible to respiratory infections and problems such as asthma may find that these styles trigger their illnesses. Dressing warmly is the advisable way for them.
TIGHT JEANS:
Like collars, jeans generate a lot of heat and when very tight, become abrasive as well, in the groin and vulva - vaginal area or scrotal area in men. This leads to the development of yeast infection to both the skin and the vaginal vault, in case of women.
Colours
Light colours are suitable for daytime and hot weather. Hence, colours such as white, pale pink, pale blue, pale mauve, off-white and similar mild shades should be the colours of choice. They keep the skin cool and persons are unlikely to develop dermatitis, such as the well known 'heat rash'. As well, contact dermatitis from dye leakage of dark colours mixing with perspiration is also unlikely.
Besides the physical effect, colours can have a psychological effect on one's psyche, as well as on other persons who are exposed to the wearer. Hence, light colours may be soothing and calming, while red may seem flamboyant to some, or may be an irritant to others. Black may give an air of sophistication and lift the spirits, while it can depress some persons. Colours therefore should be chosen with sensitivity. They should be relevant to the time of day, the temperature and the company in which they will be worn.
Accessories
Metals that are used in fashion jewellery such as earrings, bracelets and belt buckles may cause mild to severe irritation to parts of the skin in which they come in contact.
Hats are not just the final touch to an outfit, they can serve to cut the amount of ultraviolet rays to the eyes and especially to the skin of the face.
POINTED SHOES
Our shoes, though fashionable, can spoil our feet. Pointed toes, which have remained popular over many decades, give rise to painful 'bunions' of 'the great toes'; these require surgery.
So until next time dress wisely and reap wellness.
Dr. Carmen Bowen-Wright is a preventive medicine specialist and wellness practitioner; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.
