Puberty is the time in life when your body begins to develop and change as you become an adult and sexually mature. Let's learn the ways to look after your body during puberty and in early adulthood.
How Do You Look After Your Body During Puberty?
During puberty, you can expect a lot of changes in your body, and you will experience rapid physical and cognitive growth.
It must be noted that there are some health concerns that you experience as an adolescent teenager and this stage requires special attention to the body, and this is what we will introduce you to in this article.
Understanding Puberty
Puberty is the process of physical changes that usually occur between the ages of 10 and 14 for girls and 12 and 16 years for boys.
Puberty starts when an area of the brain called the hypothalamus begins to secrete gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH). The puberty age is different for everyone. And during this stage a person usually tends to be independent of his family, so he spends most of his time with his friends.
Puberty is known as some mental, social, and physical changes that occur as a result of the secretion of sex hormones from the pituitary gland. It affects boys and girls differently, and the child's body matures into an adult body capable of sexual reproduction.
Signs of Puberty: What Happens to Boys and Girls?
Today, the stages of puberty are known as the Tanner stages or, more appropriately, sexual maturity ratings. They serve as a general guide to physical development, although everyone has a different timeline for puberty.
In fact, the most obvious changes and signs during puberty are growing in stature, developing secondary sexual characteristics, and achieving fertility, in addition to changes in body composition, changes in blood pressure, cardiovascular system, electrocardiogram, and brain development.
Signs of puberty can be explained in some detail as follows:
Signs of Puberty in Boys
In the first stage of puberty, the boys normally experience:
- Significant growth of the penis and testicles and the scrotum gradually becomes darker
- Hair growth in different areas of the body, such as: the mustache, pubic area, arms, legs, beard, and chest.
- Increased shoulder width
- Nighttime ejaculations (nocturnal emissions or “wet dreams”).
- Noticeable change in tone of voice.
- The appearance of acne on the face, due to some hormonal changes.
- Faster growth, especially height.
Signs of Puberty in Girls
In the initial stage of puberty, the girls normally experience:
- Breast growth; this is the main sign that a girl is entering puberty.
- Hair growth in different areas of the body, such as: the pubic area, under the armpits, hands, and feet.
- Rapid height growth - a growth "spurt".
- The expansion of the pelvic bones.
- Clear or whitish vaginal secretions or bleeding
- The appearance of acne on the face as a result of some hormonal changes.
- Noticeable change in tone of voice.
How Should You Take Care of Your Body During Puberty?
The way a teenager takes care of himself at this age, especially with regard to his physical health, will help him maintain his health when he grows up.
The following things are essential to take care of your body during puberty and maintain optimum health:
Eat a healthy balanced diet. Avoid eating foods high in saturated fats, and make sure to eat a balanced diet that includes fruits and vegetables, and limit the intake of nuts and chocolate.
Eat foods high in omega-3, in order to preserve the skin and hair, and to prevent the appearance of pimples on the face.
Drink plenty of water. Water is essential for life and it is very important to avoid dehydration and get the right amount of fluid to be healthy.
Avoid soft drinks, which contain a high percentage of caffeine, due to their bad effect on the body. Drink more milk and its derivatives, and natural juices during puberty.
Maintain personal hygiene. Personal hygiene is especially important during puberty as the body begins to produce more hormones that can increase the amount of sweat, oils, and odor that the body produces. Shower daily to remove dirt, sweat and odor from the skin's surface, and change clothes on a daily basis, take care to use deodorant, or use some natural recipes: such as, rose water, or alum.
Get enough sleep. Sleep is important to both physical and emotional wellbeing. Getting enough sleep allows for the healthy development of the brain and body.
Get enough rest and relaxation. Rest and relaxation are also very important for both physical and mental health. Everyone is different when it comes to the ways they like to relax. The right amount of rest and relaxation helps reduce stress, anxiety and frustration, reduce blood pressure and heart rate, reduce muscle tension and chronic pain, and enhance confidence and concentration.
Exercise on a daily basis. Exercise strengthens the muscles of the body, in addition to it reduces anxiety and tension. Regular physical activity may help teens feel more in control of their changing bodies and manage stress and tension and maintain their weight.
Look after your body skin. It is normal for a teenager to feel changes in his skin and to go through skin problems, which are usually such as acne, blackheads, and oily skin, which are problems that can be avoided or their symptoms reduced by Deep cleaning, exfoliation, acne lotions, etc. Moisturize the skin on a daily basis, in order to avoid the appearance of acne.
Apply lemon juice to dark areas, in order to lighten them in addition to eliminating the smell of sweat.