some more Masson (on exercise)

[Guest guest]

Well, I guess this will be enough for to-day. Deanna and I have

talked about this, some time ago.

<< Correct nutrition, emotional balance and adequate sleep don't

suffice to keep you in good health if an essential factor is lacking

in your life: exercise

For a child and a teenager, exercise leads to health. For an aging

adult, exercise leads not only to health, but also to longevity. It

has been said with good reason: " The need for and the benefits of

exercise increase with your age. "

However, like all other factors in life, exercise must be tailored

for each individual, and it's worth while to remember that [hard]

exercise just after rising can be harmful, in opposition to current

wisdom.

When you rise in the morning, you surely can benefit from stretching

and limbering up, but intense exercise, with or without weights, and

sport can be particularly unfavourable at that time.

As a matter of fact, at that early moment the body awakens, the heart

beats more slowly, the blood pressure is lower, the neuro-endocrinal

mechanisms are somewhere between wakefulness and sleep, muscles,

tendons, ligaments and bones are somewhat stiff, the blood circulates

at a slower pace. This state contraindicates starting any intense

(intensive) or violent (strenuous) activity, which can in turn shock

and traumatize the organism.

It is much better to do exercises intensively between 5 P.M. and 7

P.M. During this period, well-advanced digestions no longer

monopolizes nerve and blood flow, blood circulation is at its best,

blood pressure is at its normal level, joints have been " worked on "

in the daytime, the organism is well-heated in terms of its

muscularity, and its oxydation possibilities are optimal. Also, the

locomotive apparatus is capable of responding to a more intensive

prompting.

In conclusion, if it is possible, you will always choose to do

physical exercise in the evening. However, if your job or lifestyle

make this choice impossible, you will do your exercises in the

morning, because better in the morning than at no other time at all.

In this case, intensive body exercise will be preceded by very

gradual limbering-up and warming-up practices.

(R.M.)>>

José