Self Knowledge and Guide to Sex Instruction: Vital Facts of Life for All Ages

by Thomas W. Shannon

The relation of air to beauty.—So much for baths and bathing. A great deal more that is both interesting and helpful can be said, but enough has been told to point out their value. In the order of their importance will be described other measures which directly develop charm of face and form.

First of all, as that on which every moment of life is dependent we ought to consider air and its relation to the appearance. Oxygen has been called the “sweeper of the living body.” Every two minutes the blood loaded with wastes is brought to the lungs to be purified. Just think how important it is that the air be absolutely fresh and pure, and vitalized by the sunshine. If it has been vitiated from any cause, as by rebreathing so that it is lacking in oxygen and full of impurities, the blood, instead of being purified and vivified, is sent back, with but a part of its waste removed, impaired, and becoming more and more devitalized and poisoned from the breathing of the impure air. The whole system suffers from the effects of the bad air.

Effects of foul air.—During every moment in which impure air is breathed, uncleanliness is fostered within the body, and even if disease in acute or chronic form does not follow, the whole bodily tone is greatly lowered. Just what opportunity attractiveness has to develop in such a body is apparent. The eyes are dull, the complexion muddy, and scarcely in any way does the appearance escape deterioration. Yet it is so uncommon for the air of our dwelling and working places to be pure, as to be a treat when it is obtained. It is true that the average girl or woman cannot control the conditions in her place of work, but she can in her home, or at any rate in her own room, and sleeping or waking, she should have her room thoroughly ventilated.

Air baths.—Choked in its shroud of clothing, the skin is greatly hampered in the discharge of its functions. Such a measure as the friction greatly mitigates this evil influence of clothing as it is worn nowadays, and keeps the skin in working order and health. Lacking this special care, it is not putting it too strongly to say that it suffers—and severely. But what the skin needs is that air and sun have a free access to it. How pallid and sickly of hue the skins of so many people are. And how, lacking especial care, can they be otherwise, in the darkened prison formed by the conventional clothing. Remember that exudations are constantly taking place from the skin, and that in a slight degree it breathes through its pores. Exposed to the air, the emanations from its pores would immediately be dissipated and diffused on the atmosphere instead of being retained by the clothing to cling about the body. We are compelled to wear what we can get in the way of clothing, but it is a simple matter to take a bath in the air and sunshine, and so for a few minutes daily permit these purifying influences access to our skins. The girl who goes to business daily is limited in her opportunities to practice this valuable measure, but she who stays home can easily arrange daily for a sun and air bath. The business girl can take an air bath before retiring and in the summer an air and sun bath on arising in the morning before donning her ordinary costume. Remove every stitch of clothing so that the air can play freely over the body. These are only suggestions, for one’s own convenience must determine when air or sun baths can be indulged in.

Exercise is the elixir of youth.—If pure air and sunshine are the cleansers and the vitalizers of the body, exercise may be said to be the molder and beautifier of the bodily form. But exercise does more than make the muscles shapely and develop the body to beautiful proportions, and give it poise and grace. Exercise is the elixir of youth. It is the method whereby youthfulness of facial and bodily appearance is preserved, and which conserves youthful energies. It effectually wards off the dreaded old age signs. The physiological effects of exercise are these: circulation and respiration are accelerated, all the bodily functions are stimulated, and through lungs and skin effete matter rapidly thrown off, old cells are broken down and replaced by new. The body feels as old and worn out as the cells of which it is made up. Regular exercise prevents the accumulation of half-dead cells; it breaks them down rapidly and eliminates them, so that they be replaced with fresh vital ones.

As to the sort of exercise, it is desirable and indeed necessary that a systematic series of movements which sufficiently exercise every part of the body be practiced daily. This is the only way to insure exercising regularly, which alone is of benefit, spasmodic exercise sometimes being valueless.

Exercise in the open air.—Exercise quickens the heart-rate, and thus the blood requires a greatly increased amount of oxygen. One should therefore never exercise in an unventilated room, and for this reason exercise in the open air is vastly more beneficial than when taken indoors. In fact, one should get outdoors often and where circumstances admit the outdoor life (a phrase on everyone’s tongue these days) should be lived as much as possible. One should not, of course, fail to adopt a special system of exercises, for this insures that every muscle will be regularly used, and it is quite likely that one’s activities, whether outdoors or indoors will but partly use the muscular system. Of outdoor exercise, walking is ideal, and can be taken at all seasons. And, of course, all outdoor games and sports are valuable. Exercise in play is the thing, for it so completely diverts the mind as well as recreates the body.

Of all exercises, I personally regard, and authorities support my views, swimming as first in rank, the peer of them all. Every muscle is exercised by it, it is taken in the open air, and then there is the tonic of the water.

Diet.—There are other measures of which it is necessary to speak and they are too important to miss mention. She who seeks to improve her appearance or preserve it unblemished cannot afford to neglect her diet—for remember that it is from food that flesh and blood are formed. In greater or lesser degree, bad food and that improperly eaten can retard improvement from other measures followed. It is impossible to do more than briefly pass on this subject in its relation to this discussion on how beauty can be attained. It is of chief interest to point out that even where no other factors are at work, disfiguring eruptions on the face are not infrequently caused by errors in this respect. To be sure there are no special “beauty diets.” The only thing that is necessary is to avoid such foods as cause a maximum of work on the part of the vital organs, and give only a minimum of nutriment in return. Rich, heavy pastry, pickled foods, white flour products, are all in the above-mentioned class, while cereals, eggs, milk, cheese, nuts, fruits and vegetables, rightly prepared, properly masticated, can be depended upon to make good, rich, red blood, firm flesh and muscle, and altogether help greatly in enhancing personal charm and appearance.