Part 2

If the degree of underweight is over twenty percent from the standard there may be a decided handicap causing lack of endurance, energy, etc. In order to alter this condition, five things should be done: first, immediate physical examination by a competent physician to determine that no disease is causing underweight. Second, plenty of rest and sleep is needed. Third, a correct diet should be given by the physician and the following out of that diet. This is a big factor. Spinach, lettuce, turnip are essential to good health. Four proper exercises.

It must be remembered that normal underweight itself, unless extreme, is desirable from a standpoint of longevity. If it is dangerous or the pathological type, it should be corrected immediately.

Physical education prescribes for the underweight individual the following program: A, proper diet. B, plenty of sleep. C, no smoking. D, light exercise. E, fresh air and sunshine. F, no tea or coffee. G, plenty of milk. H, nourishing food regularly. I, plenty of water. J, massage. K, daily bowel movement. L, avoidance of fatigue and worry. M, a daily bath. N, plain food should be eaten. O, cleanliness.

It is well to rest fifteen minutes before eating and fifteen minutes or longer immediately after. Lie down, close the eyes and relax. Forget everything, especially work. This rest before eating aids the body in preparing itself for food, and resting after the meal helps the body to send more blood to the digestive tract.

For building up a definite group of muscles slow tensing exercises are given with the antagonistic muscles acting as resistance to the movement. However, it must be remembered that proper rest and diet rank on a par with exercise for the under nourished individual. Given the right dosage of exercise, stopping before the point of fatigue is reached, will develop the individual because of the better circulation, respiration, and elimination. An over dose of exercise for the individual who is under nourished will cause an actual burning up of the body tissues and a building up which is not enough to offset the loss.

Walking is an excellent exercise for it increases the respiration, whips up the circulation, and promotes better elimination. Good posture is absolutely necessary so as to give the vital organs a chance to work without interference.

Hydrotherapy is often used for its tonic effect. A vigorous, dry rub with a coarse, cold, wet towel varying from 60 degrees F and ending at 40 degrees F will increase the circulation and give a good tonic reaction. Sun baths are also recommended, especially if the person is anemic.

Before going into exercises it must be remembered that it is not good policy to work the body until a point of fatigue is reached, but rather to lightly stimulate the body so that when nourishment is taken the body will be receptive and the nourishment will be assimilated much more readily.

SPECIAL EXERCISES FOR THE CORRECTION OF UNDERWEIGHT

Exercise 1.

Position: Body erect, hands at sides.

Action: Raise arms sideways to shoulder level, raise arms over head, stretch toward ceiling, raise on toes and inhale. Return arms to side slowly and exhale.

Exercise 2.

Position: Lying on back with body well relaxed.

Action: Expand the chest, pulling it well up and letting the abdomen become hollow. Count six, then make chest small, pushing down and making abdomen large, and count two.

Remarks: Do this three to five times without breathing; then take several slow, long, deep breaths. Repeat this exercise for fifteen or twenty minutes.

Exercise 3.

Position: Hands on hips, body erect.

Action: The body should be raised first on toes, and then by bending the knees, the body should be lowered. Keep back perpendicular to the floor. Go through exercise slowly.

Exercise 4.

Position: Lying on back, knees bent, hands at sides.

Action: Slowly raise arms toward ceiling and overhead in line with body, reach in line with body and inhale. Return arms to normal position slowly exhaling. Keep abdomen in and chest up.

Exercise 5.

Position: Body erect, hands clasped behind neck, elbows extended well back.

Action: Bend neck backward as far as possible keeping chin in. Inhale deeply throwing shoulders back. Return to normal position and exhale.

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES

Page 9: “candy is the worse” grammatical error retained.

Page 15: Stray comma in Exercise 4 corrected.

Page 18: missing comma in Exercise 5 added.

Normalized hyphenation.