Health Notes

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23263, 4 February 1939, Page 7 (Supplement)

Health Notes

Outward and Visible Sign A Pure Blood-Stream is the Secret of a Good

By J.C.

TXTE all k:now the outward and " visible sijgns of a perfectly healthy constitution—a fresh complexion, a clear, translucent skin, sparkling eyes, and the natural sequence, a pleasant disposition! Yet much as we admire this advertisement for health in otheis, fen- of us make any really serious attempt to rectify our faulty food habits and acquire for ourselves tins desirable state of physical perfection. In the holiday season especially, and in fact during; the greater part of the year, we overload our bodies with an astounding mixture of rich and highly concentrated foods, cakes, pastries, and sweets that hamper the normal functioning of our systems and set up> an accumulation of waste products which we cannot possibly hope to eliminate in an efficient manner. 1 his food eventually deteriorates, self-poisoning is the result, the blood stream is infected, and we immediately sutler from lassitude, lack of tone and pep. The skin becomes blotchy, and annoying eruptions appear 011 its surface. This is Nature's first warning of trouble in store for the future, in the form of constipation that source of evil to which most of our more serious coinplaints owe their origin. And so it would seem wise at this juncture to overhaul our working apparatus, as it were, spring-clean our systems, and purity our bloodstream. Fruit Instead of Purgatives If a drastic purging is felt necessary, this can be achieved without the use of harmful chemicals, but in a purely natural wav bv the use ol some fruit, such as oranges. Fat them whenever hungry, with no other food whatever. They are rich in mineral salts and other alkaline salts, and their general stimulating effect excites peristaltic activity, and so tend to prevent the accumulation of food residues in the colon. One soon feels gloriously light and fit, and the. complexion clears up miraculous y. During a small fast, the reel corpuscles and hemoglobin or blood pigment will increase from five to fifteen per cent, the waste matter will he eliminated from the blood, and the quality of the blood will improve considerably. At the present time red cherries are cheap, and as they contain more iron than any other fruit they are ideal lor this cleansing purpose. , ]f a general spring-cleaning only is felt necessary, cut down those rich foods, sweets, etc., to a minimum, and substitute in their place fresh, natural foods in their natural state. One ol the best blood purifiers we have is spinach, used preferably in its raw state in the same manner as lettuce for salads. Cabbage, carrots, all green leaf vegetables, eg& yolk, raisins, oranges and cherries, also contain much iron, and are ideal. When using- green leaf vegetables, do not discard the outer loaves, as these aro far richer in vitamins. In the case of cabbages, it is not generally known that tbf outside leaves contain as much

as twenty times more calcium than the heart. There is also a certain type of food called black pudding, obtainable at our delicatessen shops, which contains five times as much iron as spinach, and is therefore one of the most valuable purifiers we have. It is very tasty, can be bought in the form of saveloys or polonies, and is ideal as a substitute for meat with salads, or as a filling for sandwiches. Importance of Deep Breathing Apart from the question of food as an aid to internal cleanliness, there are other important factors to be considered if we are to pride ourselves on obtaining the highest degree of efficicncy from our bodies. Not the least of these is the air we breathe into our lungs. By this one docs not mean the short, effortless breathing of the average person, but deep breathing, purposely carried out, to fill the lungs with pure, wholesome air, and so permeate the entire system. At least five minutes should be set aside for this purpose each morning, out in the open or before an open window—its beneficial effects will act as a tonic for the rest of the day. Deep breathing increases oxygenation, the pure air is absorbed into the blood-stream, and so the purifying process goes on. Windows should be wide open at night whenever possible, to help Nature in her rejuvenating process. A word also regarding body cleanliness and the advantages of acquiring the daily shower habit to wash away impurities expelled through the pores of the skin. Cold showers are ideal if the constitution can stand up to them, and are most stimulating. Their effect as a pick-me-up on a tired and wornout body is that of a recharged battery. For those who are not used to them, they may ho quite a danger at first, however, causing chills and colds, unless the business is gone about in a common-sense way. Short, quick, showers, with the water turned 011 at full pressure, and a vigorous massage with the palms of the hands, or a loofah to provide exercise at the same time and arouse a good circulation, aro needed. After a brisk rub down with a hard towel a healthy glow is f<?lt. The actual time spent under the shower can gradually be increased, but must be of very " short duration at first, with sufficient exercise to send the blood tingling throughout the body if no harmful results are to follow. Cold baths are severe, and one needs to bo particularly strong and hardy to counteract them. The sudden plunge is often a shock, and apt to be a slight strain on the heart. For those to whom the daily cold shower does not, appeal, but to ' whom external cleanliness is nevertheless essential, a warm bath or warm shower each morning, finished off with a dash of cold water, is a good substitute; but here again care must be taken that the water is not too hot, as hot baths are enervating, and sap the vitality. One is also apt t.o feel the colder temperature after a hot bath, unless it is followed by a short, cool oue 5