Home Health Guide

Chronicle (Levin), 12 May 1948, Page 6

Home Health Guide

Department of Health. 1 . .

HEALTH IN STORAGE.

(By the

Altliougli tlie hottest part of tlie year is over, there should still: be plenty of opportunity of building up irt sunny ^ weather for the demands that winter will make on. our constitutions. At first1, glance you'd hardly think that the body's interior is exposed to the air, would you? But there certainly is a large area — the surface of our lu'ngs — ■ whieh ean benefit from elean, fresh, sunny "air if we .give it the chanee- of proper exposure. These surfaees ah'd the surface of . our skin aplay a large part , in. ' the resistanee we buiid iip against disease. ! Everyone should take outdoor exdr-r cise as often as possible within' the iimits of our age and the faeilities available. ' Even a regular walk is better than nothing at all. The skin is liable to sufter from gross neglect. ' Yet it's the most important barrier we have between the1 inside ot our body and the outer world. The skin needs exercise, too, if it's to be kept in good trim. The best and cheapest treatment is to expose it to aif outside the house, and to sun in reasonable doses, and to batlie in either salt or fresh water. These three things stir the skin into activity and flush the surface of tlfe body with eager biood. They stimuiate tlie' nerves in the skin. and bring back tone to the body. The ultra-violet rays of the sun ehange a substance in tlie skin iiito vitami'n D, which prevents rickets and builds up strength generally. This is of particular importance to growing children. . ' Tlie sweat that helps tp cool the body passes through innumei'able poroa, like little pipes, which are distributed over the entire skin area. Exercise in the fresh air gives them a chance of being flushed through instead of aceumulating stale sweat and causing skin complaints. But don't overdo this business oi exposure by sitting too long in the sun, playing games that are too strenuous for vou, or' staying too long in the sea. Fatigue and exhanstion from such causes are not beneficial like tlie healthv tiredness that gives a feeling of lazy contentment.