81664 scbb06

GENERAL HABITS

"III babits gatber by unseen degrees,

As brooks make riuers, riftrs run to seas."........

DRYDEN’S translation ofOYID.

WITH rcgard to washing, I have already mentioned that rain watcr is thc bcst watcr to usc, otherwise softencd watcr is bcst. Washing in hot watcr, which of course is ncccssary to propcrly rcmovc dirt, should be followed by a cold rinsc and par-ticular attcntion bc paid to thc ncck and throat as habituałły doing this will help to invigoratc thc circulation and harden thosc glands in thc throat which so ottcn arc thc seat of inflammation in colds and sore throats. This is thc least one should do to inerease thc rcsistancc to colds; a cold shower or a thorough douching of all thc torso and throat is a vcry worth-whilę habit, which you should try to acquirc, at least in thc summer.

The pores of thc skin should always bc doscd after a hot bath by following with a cold shower oi bath. An alternative is to briskly rub thc body with a cold wet towcl. This prcvcnts continucd hcat loss from thc body by constricting thc sucface blood capillarics. If this procedurę is followcd by a few brisk self-massagc cxcrcises you will bc grcatly invigorated.

Evcry book on health and physical culturc that has bccn written has probably stressed thc importance of correct attcntion to thc tccth. It should really not bc ncccssary in thc middlc of thc twentieth century to emphasisc thc fact that thc tccth arc a most precious possession and that their tound condition is an tsttntial to pcrfcct health. Gcan thc tccth at least oncc a day, prcferably twice, oncc before retiring and oncc on rising. Avoid making thc gums blccd by brushing t jo hard. Visit your dentist every fcw months for an overhaul, so that any minutę cavities which may havc dcvclopcd unsuspcctingly can bc lillcd in time. No dentist will charge morc than a fcw shillings for an ovcrhaul and this is moncy invcstcd. Extremcs of temperaturę should nevcr bc applied directly to thc tccth as this will tend to crack thc cnamd. Eating vcry hot foods followcd immcdiately by cold drinks for this reason alone should bc avoided.

As wdl as avoiding tight fitting head-gear, thc hair should bc washed at least oncc a fortnight and brushed daily with a stiff brush for about five minutes. The inversion of thc body position (as is providcd during your cxcrciscs) is a factor which brings a flush of blood to thc head and this prevcnts ccrcbral anamiia and conscquently head-achcs and falling hair. It also, by inereasing thc blood flow to thc brain, improvcs thc mcntal facultics.

Lcarn always to assumc a good posturę, whether standing, walking or sitting. This Will bccomc easy as you progress with thc cxcrciscs of this course.

A bad posturę leads in time to loss of tonc in important musclcs and consctjuently displacc-ment of thc intcrnal organs. This has a ddeterious eflfect upon the physiological proccsscs of thc body and may quite easily lead to a pathological condition. The cxcrciscs In this course will improvc thosc musclcs which help you to keep and maintain correct posturę, but it is up to you to kccp a chcck on yoursdf.

Constipation is one thing that must bc avoidcd likc thc plaguc, but it is very unlikcly that you will suffer from this if you follow tlie advicc givcn in this book on diet and regular performance of thc cacrcises.

Smoking should be cut to its absolute minimum and if possiblc altogcthcr. Carbon-monoxidc is a gas which is cvolvcd evcry time you smoke a cigarctte. This gas has a greater aflinity.for thc hemoglobin present in thc rcd-blood cclls passing through thc lung capillarics, and there-forc combincs rcadily with this hemoglobin which then bccomcs incapablc of taking up oxygtn which cvcryone knows is csscntial to health and lifc. Smoking therdfore rcduccs thc oxygen-absorbing power of the lungs and so retards thc vital respiratory proccss. The carbon-ash which passes into thc lungs in thc smoke, over a period of ycars may cause irritativc lesions of thc lung tissuc, so making it susccptiblc to pulmonary discascs, c.g., Consumption. The nicotine