HEALTH NOTES.

New Zealand Mail, 21 February 1901, Page 17

HEALTH NOTES.

EXERCISE AND RESPIRATION. (A Medical Woman in “The People's Friend.”) Motion is a law of nature; all animal life is full of activity. Remaining quietly in closely-heated rooms frequently causes disease. Without exercise food cannot be assimilated, the processes of deputation are .imperfect, the muscles lose tone and! power, and the nervous system becomes prostrated. On the other hand, excessive labour often proves injurious;, .some muscles are overtaxed, and 1 local strains produced. It is, therefore, difficult to give directions applicable to Ml classes? Exercise shouM' not be carried to actualrt atigue, but a weariness that makes the bed feel “good” can do no harm. General housework is desirable, avoiding the more laborious portion, as lifting, washing, scrubbing etc. In housework «ne brings into action nearly all the muscles of the body, with the exception of some of those of the trunk and those used in deep respiration; and even those would not lack development if clothing caused no restrictions. In the course of her. housework a woman reaches, stoops, turns, walks, lifts, and climbs stairs. If she has no functional derangement, walking and carriage exercise are invaluable. She cannot be too much in the.open air. Properly clothed, brisk walking . brings into' action nearly every muscle, and is invigorating to every function. Wearing commonsense shoes, having the arms free, and the dress short and loose, one can accustom herself to walking log distances with positive benefit.

Light gardening cannot be too highly recommended. It has the advantage of being out of doors. It gives postures that bring into action the unused muscles of the trunk and abdomen. Coming incontact with the earth carries off an excess of electricity. Besides, the re--suit, either in. a supply of fresh vegetables for the table or in floral decora-, tions, is always satisfactory. My own experience is that getting out and working in the open air is a panacea for en- • nui,. indigestion, torpid liver, anxiety, ■despondency, indeed for any slight physical derangement, oir mental disturbance. If you possess no garden to cultivate, bring flat on the ground without blanket or pillow—provided the grass be dry and no recent rain has fallen—answers a good purppse. More rest can be obtained in five minutes like this than in five hours upon sofa or bed in the house. Although I am fully aware that this is contrary to all tradition and teaching, many have proved its value. What are the objects t-o be gained by .exercise? Evidently absorption, nutrition and excretion. All these functions ' must'be kept at a, normal standard, so that the processes of assimilation and waste can be perfectly performed. The involuntary muscles of respiration mustbe educated. Full and deep- breathing is not only necessary to perfectly oxygenate the blood, and by the attendant motion to promote digestion; but it expands, the walls of the abdomen and chest, and strengthens their sustaining powers.' Breathing for the most part is an involuntary action, and in children and animals is performed naturally from the abdomen and flank. Look at the dog or cat .sleeping quietly on the rug! Its sole indication of vitality is the bel-lows-like action of its body in breathing.. You must also have observed that in all domestic animals, at each respiration,, an undulating motion extends quite through the whole trunk, and that this motion terminates only at the hindermost limbs. This is natural respiration as it is performwed throughout, quadra-', ped existence. Have yon a perfectly healthy woman friend? Lay youtr hand upon her, and you 'will find that her abdomen rises -and falls in exactly the same way at every respiratory act. Not only so, but.that this act is involuntarily performed in a profound manner ev try few moments, and that this increased motion operates particularly upon the lowest portion of the trunk. Observe in the same way your owil . person. If, you. are .an invalid! you will . find - this anqtiojr diminished,. even suppressed. ■; When, one -half breathes he only half , lives! .The lungs or air receptacles are enclosed 1 within the walls of, the chest or thoracic cavity; beneath the lungs is the great breathing motor, ,;the diaphragm, which is of a convex shape when in repose. In all correct inhalation the air t filling thff lungs flattens the diaphragm, and this, must result in the expansion, of the •body adjacent to and surrounding the diaphragm. Natural breathing should' be accomplished without any upheaval of the chest or hoisting of the shoulders. That adults, and especially women, have not this deep waist breathing is on account of disuse of the muscles. The young man who stoops lias round shoulders, walks the streets witli liis hands in his pockets, or sits back over liis desk, soon diminishes tlie action of thedfe muscles. The girl, deprived of pockets, may keep her head and shoulders erect, yet by her faulty dress she compresses and fixes the 1 ower muscles, of respiration, “and breathes, only with the top of her lungs. When either man or woman has lost the ability to breathe deeply, a. long

road must be travelled to educate the muscles back t-o natural use. The gymnast and vocalist take pains to teach deep breathing, which is simply restoring natural processes. The cow will low all day for her lost offspring without fatigue or hoarseness, because she does it with expiration, and breathes from her waist- and flank. The boy who roams the woods, gathering nuts and hunting squirrels, can hallo hours without weariness, because he keeps his hands out of his pockets. He breathes naturally and uses his voice naturally; he does only what the singer and orator are taught to do, because through; disuse this has become a. lost art to them. Tlie blacksmith or stonecutter, desiring to strike a heavy blow, does'it with'Expiration; 'and the breath is 'driven from the lungs with an “ugh!” that is almost a groan.' No matter what knotted muscles he may have upon his arm, ; if the great converging muscle below the lungs, called the diaphragm, is- hot equally, strong and powerful; he ' cannot strikean effect ive blow' It is said.’ that out of several hundred recent candidates for the navy more than two-thirds were rejected simply because of contracted chests and insufficient breathing! Manhood, womanhood, endurance, and longevity, depend much upon lung powder, and this is within the reach of all.

Massage is a most desirable form of exercise, especially for invalids and delicate people. This consists in a thorough manipulation by an attendant of all the muscles. Massage is one of the most effective of all manipulations to promote nerve currents and blood circulation. It Renders the skin soft and elastic. The action extends deeply in the body through promoting the activity of all the blood vessels! It restores the circulation to the extremities, thus relieving the plethora of the viscera generally attendant upon chronic diseases. The muscle beater is a convenient and inexpensive substitute for the hand in massage and Swedish movement cures, as it gives excellent muscular treatment without the add of an assistant. I am aware that my next, saying will be regarded as a heresy by mans'. Nevertheless, it is the 1 truth. A woman having. a. comfortable degree of health will derive as much benefit by going up and down .stairs as • by any other exercise, provided she observe the condition : - - ■>

1. Wear a dress that is loose, light and short.

2. Keep the mouth closed. 3. Fill the lungs with air, hold the breath until the top is reached, and then expel slowly. • - 4. Maintain the erect posture. Let us see what has been accomplished The diaphragm and abdominal muscles have been brought into action by the deep breath, while the muscles c£ the thighs, pelvis, perinaeum, and groin are all engaged in elevating the body. Each time "the thigh is raised pressure is made upon the abdominal viscera, which, if there is no outward counteracting force, are pushed outward and upward, and with the opposite movement. resume their place.. The - reason climbing the stairs may injure women is that with each upward movement, as the intestines are pushed out, they come in contact, with the outside constricting pressure of corsets and bands.. Where can they go ?“. Not being able to go outward they must go' upward, arresting the breath, or downward pressing the pelvic viscera itpon the perinaeum, and causing displacements. Is it not unjust to attribute all the mischief to tlie stairs when all the time it is. the clothing that does the harm? Who would ever think of its hurting a boy to gb upstairs, even ifihe-fake,three steps at a. time,, and goes up tjkrqe flights without catching his breath £ A D pess a girl as sensibly and it will alot hurt her. for really the little anatomical difference in their organisations is. all in'- tire girl’s favour. Going upstairs is' the best Way to get desired-exercise -in a short time. A successful, self-educated man once said that when studying and= his brain became weary and ..stupid, he left his books and ran up arid‘ down stairs three or four times, accomplishing more fop himself than by half'.'an .hour’s; .waik or. gymnastics,. ... v .• - Iri climbing: hills observe the same rules —Keep the mouth - closed, expel slowly through the stand erect. _ Not longagoT came across a letter: upon* running .Tvritteii tb. why* notgirls a«~ well? • The writer asserted it-hat the whole secret of being able'to; run apd defy all-competitors was to keep the mouth closed, simply ; because it forced deep breathing and . compels' thej use of the diaphragm. Any one can-prove this. Bo with any. exercise, but -especially climbing hill'! or stairs, keep the month closed. Ali forces of the body a re..v bus allowed a natural and graceful expression. “The soul can be regenerated rind the body remain disorderly; the .body • can be trained to a fine physical, life and action, and the soul remain unrsgenerate; but certainly the fulness of life, both for this world' and the next, must come from a more perfect harmony of the material body with the soul.. 5