KEEPING FIT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2285, 4 June 1921, Page 1

KEEPING FIT.

“Fitness’ may be described as “the efficient, and harmonious working of every part of the body.” When this is your condition you will feel cheerful and vigorous, and your work will not be a toil. _ The plainest food will be appetising. You will sleep well, and wake refreshed, and you will not be overnice as to what particular brand of cigarette or tobacco you shall smoke. In short, you will'feel that it is good to be alive.- The rules arc few, and the means more or less within the reach of most of us. There is an old saying that “work never killed anyone,” and you will find it very near the truth, provided, of course, that other things are given their proper place in the daily routine. Work is healthful, good for mind and body, and the person who does not work does other things far less beneficial and must inevitably degenerate. NECESSITY OF RECREATION. But don’t let your life bo all work, or you will fall into a narrow mental groove that is unlovely, and your health will undoubtedly suffer, though perhaps you may be unaware of*it for a time. \ou must allow yourself a fair amount of time for recreation, the restoring of the energy that has been used in those parts of the organism which have been bearing the strain. Recreation would be better understood if the word were spelt re-creation. Apart from sleep, the most suitable form of recreation for any particular man is doing something that brings into action those faculties and muscles which are least tu-ed in his work. Thus, for the “brain worker,” exercise; for the “body worker,” a book and a chair, or some game which calls into action a different set of muscles. Exercise may be defined as “pleasurable exertion which induces deep breathing.” There is not a single superfluous word in this definition, and what does not absolutely conform to it is not exercise within the meaning of the word. REGULATING SLEEP AND EXERCISE.

All must have a proper amount of exercise or suffer for the lack of it; some require more, some less than others. But beware of overdoing it. Stop when you have had enough; and you will have had enough when it emmes to he pleasurable, and becomes an effort. It may be plucky to complete a round of golf ..when you felt really tired at the twelfth .hole; but it is foolish. 'When undergoing hard physical exertion cut down your eating, and drink as much non-alcoholic fluid as you may desire. Most people eat too much and drink too little, Fatigue is duo. to a concentration of poisons in the blood; fluids will dilute the latter, and wash out the poisons and greatly increase your endurance. Allow yourself as much sleep as you re-quire-—you should know how much yourself. Some create energy fai 1 more easily than others, and therefore recreate more quickly; while, yet again, others expend it far too lavishly, often far in excess of Iho amount required to accomplish their task, and often, too, perilously near the limit of production. These latter are prone to suffer from nervous exhaustion. Wear warm, but light, clothing, and dress according to the weather, as well as to the season.