How to Live | Page 8

hands, shaving, etc.,
necessarily consume some time during which the luxury of an air-bath
can be enjoyed. Exercises should also be taken at these times.
Exercising in cold air, if not too cold, with clothing removed, is an
excellent means of hardening the skin and promoting good digestion.
[Sidenote: Tight Clothing]
[Sidenote: Shoes]
The constriction from rigid or tight corsets, belts (the latter in men as
well as in women), tight neckwear, garters, etc., interferes with the
normal functions of the organs which they cover. All such constriction
should be carefully avoided. The tight hats generally worn by men

check the circulation in the scalp. Tight shoes with extremely high
heels deform the feet and interfere with their health. The barefoot cure
is not always practicable, but any one can wear broad-toed shoes with a
straight inner edge and do his part to help drive pointed toes out of
fashion. Such a reform should not be so difficult as to rid the women of
China of their particular form of foot-binding. Several anatomical types
of shoes, that is, shoes made to fit the normal foot instead of to force
the foot to fit them, are now available. In all except cold weather, low
shoes are preferable to high shoes. When possible, sandals, now
fortunately coming into fashion, are preferable to shoes, especially in
early childhood (but the adult, whose calf-muscles and foot-structure
are not often adapted to such foot-gear, must be cautious in their use
lest flat-foot result).
[Sidenote: Cottons, Linens, Woolens]
Only the minimum amount of clothing that will secure warmth should
be worn. Woolens protect most, but they require the least exercise of
the temperature-regulating apparatus of the body. While wool is also
highly absorbent of moisture, it does not give off that moisture quickly
enough. Hence, if worn next to the skin, it becomes saturated with
perspiration, which it long retains to the disadvantage of the skin.
Consequently woolen clothing is best confined to overcoats and outer
garments, designed especially for cold weather. The underclothes
should be made of some better conducting and more quickly drying
material, such as cotton or linen. In winter light linen-mesh and
medium wool over that, or "double-deck" linen and wool underclothes,
can be worn by those who object to either linen or wool alone.
[Sidenote: Color]
As to color, the more nearly white the clothes the better. This is
especially true in summer, but there is believed to be some advantage
in white at all seasons.
Those who have learned to clothe themselves properly find that they
have grown far more independent of changing weather conditions.
They do not suffer greatly from extreme summer heat nor extreme

winter cold. Especially do they note that "raw" or damp cold days no
longer tax their strength.
Section III--Outdoor Living
[Sidenote: Out-of-door Air]
But we must not depend altogether on ventilating our houses and our
clothes. We must turn our thoughts toward an outdoor life. The air of
the best ventilated house is not as good as outdoor air. Those who
spend much of their lives in the open enjoy the best health and the
greatest longevity. It is a great advantage to go into camp in summer
and to live in the country as much as possible.
Climate, of itself, is a secondary consideration. Not every one can
choose the best climate in the world, and, after all, the main advantages
of fresh air can be enjoyed in almost any locality. Even in a city,
outdoor air is, under ordinary circumstances, wonderfully invigorating.
[Sidenote: Dampness]
The common prejudice against damp air greatly exaggerates its evils.
While moderate dryness of air is advantageous, it seems nevertheless
true that to live in damp, even foggy, air out-of-doors is, in general,
more healthful than to live shut up indoors.
[Sidenote: Outdoor Schools]
Observations have shown that the pupils in outdoor and open-window
schools are not only kept more healthy but learn more quickly than
those in the ordinary schools. It is even claimed that tuberculous
children in an outdoor school may make more rapid progress in their
studies than the more normal children in a badly ventilated school.
Parents should insist on fresh air for their children when at school.
They should also insist on outdoor playgrounds.
[Sidenote: Outdoor Recreations]

For themselves, also, they should not neglect outings, picnics, and
visits to parks. Whenever practicable, outdoor recreation should be
chosen in preference to indoor recreation.
[Sidenote: Occupations]
Above all, outdoor occupations should, when possible, be chosen in
preference to indoor occupations, such as working on a farm rather than
in a factory. It would help solve some of the greatest problems of
civilization, if, in consequence of an increased liking for outdoor life,
larger numbers of our population should join the "back-to-the-farm"
movement. Leaving the country for the city