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workout for the heart muscle that
this involves. So football, basketball
and basebal l players " take thei r
laps" and do a lot of running in the
condition ing period. Swimmers
take their laps. Boxers do thei r
"roadwork"-running and jog–
ging- and continuously skip rope
besides.
Do you have to become a jog–
ger?
No, al though in certain cases
that is ideal. You could swim a
number of laps each day- slowly
working up to at least a quarter
mile daily. Or you could get a bicy–
cle and go cycling for several mi les
nearly every day.
Buy a good book on aerobic exer–
cise. Sorne local "YMCAsjYW–
CAs" otfer free aerobic dancing
classes or simi lar programs.
If
you
are past middle age or have a heart
condition, start slowly and work up
a vigorous walking program- pref–
erably under a physician's guid–
ance. You probably can build up to
where you are vigorously walking
at least two miles nearly every
day!
But do somethi ng. For the
increased energy and stamina, the
sense of exhi larat ion and the better
all-round good health will be more
than worth it!
Don' t overdo and wear yoursel f
out or get shinspl ints. And be care–
ful. Don't get hit by a truck!
Because of the tendency in the
apostle Paul 's day to glorify ath–
letics and idolize athletes, Paul
wrote Timothy: "For bodily exer–
cise profiteth little: but godliness is
profitable unto all things" (l T im.
4:8). Not ice that Paul did not con–
demn physical exercise, but merely
showed that it does profit a little,.or
for a little while, as compared with
godliness which will profit through
eternity.
But few of us in this age are
inclined to get too much exercise,
and we do need a proper amount to
build the kind of abundant, radiant–
health we should all enjoy.
Building a strong, supple, grace–
fu l body does require etfort. But it
is eminently worthwhi le-especial–
ly in this day when we are inclined
to let machi nes do everything while
our own bodies stagnate.
10
'
6) Sleep and Rest
Many people, especially students,
are inclined to delude themselves
with the idea that they can drive
themselves on in work or play, then
catch up on sleep later on- and be
none the worse for it. Nothing will
take the place of regular sleep and
rest in its recuperative etfect on the
human body.
Mancan go much longer without
food than he can without sleep, and
sleep becomes unbelievably neces–
sary after long periods of sleepless–
ness.
Sufficient, regular sleep for most
adu lts ranges from seven to nine
hours each night. This is definitely
not wasted time.
lt
will enable one
to be fully alive during his work
~~
In depriving yourself
of sufficient
sleep and rest
you will accomplish
not more, but less.
' '
and play, and to live a longer and
fuller life in the end.
However, too much sleep is nota
benefit. Rather, it is depressing and
causes sluggishness and a state of
lethargy. We are warned in Prov-.
erbs against oversleeping and lazi–
ness (Prov. 24:33-34).
In addition to regular sleep,
many health au thor ities recom–
mend one or more short periods of
rest throughout the day to recharge
our worn nerve batteries.
When God said, "Six days shalt
thou labor and do all thy work,"
He was giving a law of health- as
well as a spiritual principle- that
will never grow old. Both physi–
cally and mentally, we neep to
rest every seventh day-and so
God gave the Sabbath rest as a
g reat blessing. ·
Thousands of years ago, God
knew and enunciated what many
men ·still haven't found out- that
in depriving yourself of sufficient
sleep and rest you will accompl ish
·not more, but less, in the end.
Take ACTIONI
You now know six of the seven
basic laws of radiant health. Here
they a re s ummarized: 1) Qu it
worryi ng, argui ng, bickering.
Maintain a tranquil mind-a pos–
itive attitude.
2)
Be sure you have
a balanced diet of natural foods.
Learn the value of drinking plenty
of water, of fasting and of avoid–
ing const ipation.
3)
Remember
that cleanliness is vital to good
health, and that suitable clothing
is also necessary. 4) Derive the
maximum benefit from sunshine
and fresh air.
5)
Plan a program
of regular, sufficie n t exercise.
And stick to it!
6)
Let your body
recuperate from work and play
through proper sleep and rest as
God intended.
Remem ber these s i x basic
health laws; study them in detail;
and most of all, practice them!
You must put them to work
and
LIVE
by these laws! It wi ll
take sorne etfort, but the reward
of a s trong, g raceful, vigorously
healthful body will more than
repay your efforts.
Of course, if you have al ready
broken these laws most of your
life, you will not attain as g reat
benefits as if you had started ear–
ly. And in all honesty, we must
real ize one factor that we have
nothing to do with-our heredity,
and the fact that sorne of us have
inherited certain weaknesses that
may never be fully overcome.
But nearly any physical condi–
tion can be greatly improved if
the right steps are taken.
So pul your shoulder to the
wheel! Radiant health is worth
working for. And applying these
physical laws is important spiri–
tual training.
And be sure to read the con–
cluding a rtic le on this topic of
health- it's about the forgotten
health law. A law that is so impor–
tan t that neglecting it will totally
undo a ny benefit derived from
obeying the others!
So watch for it. Right here.
Next month. o
The
PLAI~
TRUTH