The Grains Of Truth

Radio Record, 17 June 1938, Page 38

The Grains Of Truth

Some Rules of Healthy Living To Which All "Schools’* Subscribe

by

CAROLINE P.

WARD

i HAT shall I do to be healthy?" Someone says that to preserve youti: and health all you have to do is to drink five pints of water a day; another says eat omy fresh fruit and vegetables, including six apples daily ; yet another tells us we must exercise vigorously for an hour, morning and evening, and sleep 19 hours

each night; someone else suggests that we should eat enly unvooked foods; another, that it is a "mild form of su.cide"’ to eat salt, smoke cigarettes and sleep with shut windows: and so.on and so on, until our minds reel amid a hub-bub of ¢lashing -opinions. The truth is that there are grains of truth-some. times many grains, sometimes only a few--in each of them. What we must decide iswhat is logical ,to our own minds; what is practical for our own Tse,

No matter who we are or what we are let us all get down to improving our health and physique, and let us enjoy ourselves in the process! TAHT ideal body bas these three qualifications. Lr is strong, refined and: obetlient, By heing strong I don’t necessarily mean muscular, but a general strength that will withstand the daily wenr and tear or modern life At present our bodies require, in nearly all cases. construe tive training to enable them to work quickly and efliciently in the accelerated life we Jead. A refined body is the reflection of a refined mind. A eoarse, sluggish body is the reflection of a coarse, sluggish

mind. So with the toning up of the body comes the quickening of the mind and an improvement in the efficiency of the five senses. A qualification of everyday importance is that the hody shouid be obedient, we should work for hecoming masters of our hodies, preventing our bodies becoming masters of us. THE prize of perfect physique is alertness. This alertness is of the greatest value in our daily life; to think quickly, to act swiftly. The human being sheuld work that way. Co-ordination of mind and body, or body control, is for all and every one living. It can he learnt and practised in the throes of daily life. The Indian Yogi, walking unburned through fire, exercises supreme body control which we Westerners seldom aspire to, but we do require to exert a great deal of this body control to walk unharmed through the heat of modern existence, 7 ANT) many others write constantly about the care of the body until readers are forced unconsciously into

imagining that the body must be treated like a pet dog; washed, fed, exercised, and kindly giseiplined into the art of genteel living. Man should not he recognised as the owner of a pampered animal, but rather as a musician and the body as the instrument on which he plays, These are the vital necessities that promote an abundance of health, (1) Fresh air: Many a time have I heard a city worker complain about the lack of fresh air, and it amazes me the amount of

grime and dirt our lungs will stund; so give them a good start each morning (when the air is freshest) before an open window. And a rest from city atmosphere once a week. (2) Food: To say "each to his choice" would be an easy way of skimming over this very difficult subject, but { will make a few suggestions. Remember that it is not what you put into your mouth that nourishes the body, but what is assimilated. ‘Therefore, assist assimilation by thorough mastication, especially of indigestible foods, such as nuts, apples, ete. The tendency is toward less meat. and more toward fresh or carefully-cooked fruit and vegetables of eyery variety. Great importance should be attached to the cleanliness of feod,. its freshness,

Organiser. and trainer for the | Wellington Branch of the Health and Beauty League, the author of | this article, Miss Caroline Ward, _ claims there are grains of truth in the _ teachings of every "health school." | Her advice is based on common sense _ and her rules are flexible. Live to | make mind and 1 body co-operate, she ! says.

freshness, its pleasant colour and its’ delicate ‘appetising natural flavour. There is not space enough to argue further. (3) Exercise: As has been stressed miny times before, the construction ot heayy muscles should not be sought by any ‘but the trained athlete, and certainly not of the woman or the ¢ehild. The size and strength of muscles should be in proportion to the rest of the body. What muscles one does possess Must be kept healthy. People are often too -haphazard about their choice of exereises and go about them with much vigour, yet not knowing what effect they are having. Find a system that is designed to produce the maximum amount of exercise in the minimum amount of time, aims at loosening the muscles and joints rather than musciebuilding and which has different exercises for each part of the body. Moreover, your "daily dozen" will have little effect if for the rest of the day you stand, sit or walk incorrectly. Nature has provided the perfect exercise in walking, but we -civilised moderns abuse this, having lost the art of ia nutural aud correct posture. i4) Sleep: Everyone knows thai sleep is essential in order that the body may become rested and restrengthened. They are wise who believe that un pours sleep before midnight is worth two after; and those who wish to get the greatest benefit from a night’s rest keep their windows wide open and sufficient covers on the bed to protect them from the colds (5) Clothing: Clothes are an import~unt factor in health-building and should be designed both for utility purposes and to please the eye in style and colour. The weight should always be on the shoulders and never on the hips. Then shoes-oh! we are merciless to our feet, for, until they begin to complain. we have little respect for them but enease them each day in leather ar mour. Give your feet a gift of really pliable, well-ventilated shoes and they'll never Cede thanking you. NOTHER vital neeessity for a healthy body is scrupulous cles inliness both of skin, hair, clothes, Cormetics, food and surroundings. After your daily bath give the skin a firm Slapping with the palms of the hand until the whole body glows. The quest for health and beauty is not the right. of a certain class or age of people-ir is fop all of us. It is the wniversal treasnure-hung with a prize for everyorne,