HEALTH AND HYGIENE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18710, 16 May 1924, Page 14

HEALTH AND HYGIENE.

There must, be certain physical changes in the body as people grow older, and for these due allowances must be made; but provided women are healthy in mind as well as body) the added years more than make up for what they have taken away, by bringing more mature charm. The great thing is to keep both mind and body supple, to keep ■ firm contours of the face, and preserve the lines of the figure.-V-'* ■■/'■: ""■ After thirty-five a woman's figure is apt to be too thin or too fat, andeven if she is not actually plump all over, her lines are inclined to thicken and she may develop rolls of fat just where she least wants them. As women grow older the muscles have a tendency to become flabby and lose their elasticity. In consequence, the whole body is inclined to droop, the carriage becomes less- erect, the body acquires a stoop, the cheeks sag, the bust drops, the abdominal muscles relax, and the size of the abdomen increases.

. Certain chemical changes take place in the bones and body, and it must not be .forgotten that both bones and ligaments are brittle and snap easily as years go on, and that women over forty, who are not • accustomed to doing must be careful to do the movements very slowly and gently, not attempting any of the strenuous ones. '.-■'■' It ■ is, of course, an entirely different matter when physical exercises have been done from youth up. To be effective, these exercises must be done very slowly and must be self-resist-ing. That is, the imagination must be brought into play, and while doing the arm movements, keep the muscles tight, just as though they were pushing back a volume of water. The exercises are done as follows:— .>■•.""'•.

1. " Stand.: erect, heels together, toes slightly turned out, arms by sides. Bend the body slightly forwards from the hips, head back, chin slightly tilted upwards. Keep the elbows close to the sides, place the hands, palms together, against the chest and at right angles to it. Shoot the arms straight out in front and keeping the hody perfectly still; turn the hands : with the palms outwards and move them slowly backwards as far as ever they will go, bend the elbows and bring them back into the first position again and repeat five times. 2. Lie face downwards on a thin mattress laid on the floor. Bend the elbows, place the arms close to the sides with the palms of the Band downwards. Bend the legs so that the heels touch the thighs. Straighten the legs, bringing them down to the mattress wide apart, and repeat five times. This movement affects the abdominal muscles and reduces the flesh on the thighs. • . , ■~:. .