Health Notes

Hutt News, Volume 11, Issue 38, 2 March 1938, Page 5

Health Notes

ATHLETIC TRAINING (By H. K. and D. W. Adamson) , How many athletes, we wonder, tdke their training sufficiently seriouslyto allow it to interfere with their every day pleasures and general living-habits. How many are there of one's acquaintance who does lot tura to a friendly cigarette as soon as ne has had his daily work out and (hereby undo ? very considerable aniouit of the .benefit he should have derive! from his training? Smoking is bad eno but it is only one of the many debiliating habits fiom whla'i a- must abstain it he really desires pbvsi al ex?-uienee. It cai.not be too strongly'-emphasised that the work of tailing -ip the human ni-t-j une to conm'c pr.in of physical efficiency is as much a question of mechanics and physi?» as is tic .queilion of t'lriino up of a rn-i l°rn-Hie-ing car. And stranger still as it may appear to the layman the efficient ratio of the human body closely approximates that of the ordinary motor car engine. The mechanically minded requires no explanation regarding efficient ratios but to those not so wi'll versed in things mechanical it may be mentioned that the efficiency ratio of an engine concerns the relationship be-, •tween the energy produced within it and the energy output. The energy produced in the cylinders of a car engine, only about 25 per cent is available for transport purposes, all the rest being used up in the processes of combustion, transmission, etc., etc. within the me' chanism itself. In this respect the human body is no more perfect than the motor car becausc tests disclosed the interesting fact that fully 75 per cent of the potential energy in the fuel consumed is expended in the same way as in the car engine, in overcoming internal friction, etc., and in maintainng all the various functions from the blink-. ing of an eye lid to the pumping of the heart. An appreciation of this fact leads to a better understanding'of one's bodily requirements. Of course to get the most out of the human machine is as much a job for the i expert as is the case with the internal j combustion engine but every athlete can learn to apply a few of the fundamentals and even if he is unable to get the most out of himself he can at least refrain from conducting himself in any manner whatsoever that would tend to diminish his efficiency. Earlv to bed is one of the first essentials. liegularity of rest period is equally as essential as regularity in one's training schedule, and from nine to ten hours in bed nightly are by no means too many during training periods. This means that late nights, parties, danccs and the like arc strictly taboo. Staleness is a matter of nervous exhaustion and all forms of excesses, excitement, over work, worry and othci emotional states etc., which act as a drain upon one's vitality, all tend to precipitate this bug 'bear of every athlete, Therefore mental relaxation is just as important as physical rest. If one possesses the reputed temperament of Joe Louis there is little need to be concerned with the occupation of one's spare time, but most athletes should make use of their leisure iby devoting themselves to a hobby oi in quest of some healthy recreation or amusement to engage their attention. If he can occupy his mind in this way he will have less time on his hands to become temperamental or nervous as the day of an important engagement draws near. Alcohol, is of course, poison to the svsteiu and has no place in athletic training. The same applies to smoking. The athlete who smokes may beat other athletes who smoke and thus delude himself, but other things being equal, he can never defeat the nonsmoker for the following reason: High speed competition involves a tremendously increased fuel consumption in the muscles. (Muscles by the -way, burn up fuel in much the same way as an internal combustion engine burns petrol. Each tiny muscle cell is a minute internal combustion chamber in which a mixture of muscle fuel called glycogen and oxygen undergoes a process of combustion and from which we derive all our muscular and nervous energy). This glycogen which is a form of sugar is derived from our food, but the oxygen is introduced through the lungs and thence conveyed by the blood stream to the muscle cells as required. The transportation of the oxygen by the blood is as simple as it is effective. The red blood cells contain a substance called haemoglobin which has a peculiar affinity for oxygen and which enables each individual cell to pick up its load of this element as it comes in contact with it in the lungs. .Smoking has a disastrous effect upon the haemoglobin and causes its coagulation which of course interferes with its oxygen carrying capacity thus preventing the muscle cells from securing a full and adequate supply for the purposes of combustion, and elimination of the waste products. The smoker puffs and pants at any little extra exertion and the chemical change which has taken place in his red blood cells simply robs -his muscles of the life giving oxygen. It is a physical impossibility for his blood to transport it quickly enough during active exertion. The diet is another most important factor in determining, or rather influencing, the efficiency ratio. Generally speaking, a diet which approximates as closely as possibly to strict lacto-vege-tarianism is the best adapted for all endurance work, whereas a diet in which flesh foods feature is preferable for short bursts -of speed and activity. In any case the diet must contain a preponderance of raw fruits and raw salad vegetables in order to provide for the highest degree of functional activity which simply means perfect health. If a meatless diet is preferred, then a suitable substitute must be (provided .from milk, cheese, eggs and nuts. In

this diet, one quart of milk daily is essential, with one or two eggs or the equivalent in cheese or in nuts as the case may be. Liberal amounts of both cooked and raw vegetables, fresh ami dried fruits, and wheatmeal breads in place of the white flour variety. Meat once a day is ample and only fresh cuts of meat should be eaten. Three or four ounces of meat with both cooked and raw vegetables shoul. provide the basis for dinner and instead of the time honoured pies, custards, puddings, etc., substitute raw ripe fruit and sweet dried fruit if a dessert is desired. Nothing should ibe eaten within three or four hours of competition, or at the very most, a glass or two of orange juice, well sweetened with honey or •brown sugar immediately before competing. In long distance events sucli as a marathon or cycling events, or during an afternoon's competition, the most concentrated and satisfying meal it is possible to take, consists of a glass or two of milk, one raw egg, and liberally sweetened wih honey or ibrown sugar. Orange juice may be used in place of the milk with advantage. Occasional sips are preferable to anything approaching a meal. Simplicity should always be the aim in preparing; a meal. All highly seasoned dishes or so-called appetisers should ibe strictly avoided along with tea, coffee, soft drinks, candies, cakes, pastry, etc. It is not at all a question of whether a particular food, or a drink, or a late nighit or two and the thousand and one other habits arid practices that enter into one's life is harmless or not. It is a question of whether it will do one any good. Will it improve one's physical efficiency'? Ask yourself this question and you can well leave the answer to your conscience and commonsense.