RECREATION KEEPS YOU FIT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21153, 9 April 1932, Page 7 (Supplement)

RECREATION KEEPS YOU FIT.

by a doctor. To keep up a high standard of health end efficiency you require plenty of variety in both mental and bodily activities. That is what I mean by " recreation. Exercise is often a good form of recreation, bufc not always so. Many people do themselves a lot of harm by making a practice of taking violent exercise when they get away from strenuous mental work. Exercise (football, running, etc.) is good provided you are accustomed to it and provided it does not tire you out—as judged particularly by your feelings the following day. But many people can retain perfect health and yet never take any violent exercise at all. For Sedentary Workers. If you spend all your day standing about or bent over an office desk then certainly you will .gain some benefit by faking each day some sort of walk, pacing special attention to the carriage of jour tody—holding yourself upright. In the morning while dressing a few deep-breathing exercises, rising on your toes and throwing your head and shoulders back, are not only valuable to the body but promote that desirable feeling of being on top of the world. Mental recreation is perhaps even n.oic important, and nothing is better than the possession of a hobby to counteiact "staleness." Such a hobby may be athletics, books, music, art, natural history or anything else you like. And in-as-much as your hobby takes your mirid from the. day's routine, brings you to new scenes (indoors or out-of-doors), and puts you in touch with folk in other walks of life, so much the more is it valuable. Interest and enthusiasm for something —anything—is one of the best tonics for the mind and body.