The Washington times., 1927-06-30
n ature' S Best
Limbering Up
Process
By Maria Jeritza
Prima Donna Of the Metropolitan
Opera Company, and One Of
the Most Beautiful Women
NJ fha naY.

opera Company ana Une OF
the Most Beautiful Women
Of the Day.
NNHE stretch Is natures own
i method Of limbering mus
cles. How thoroughly and de-
liberately a dog will stretch every
limb on awakening from a nap!
BY doing so he starts the blood
circulating vigorously through
his body, feeding his tissues and
supplying energy for further ac-
tivities.
It is impossible to take a good
stretch without also feeling an
impulse to breathe deeply, fill.
ing the lungs with oxygen. The
lungs, in turn, send bright red
blood, with its fresh supply Of
oxygen, into the left heart, which
is a force pump that automatical.
" contracts and sends it pump
ing into the arteries of the entire
body.
So you see, a good stretch
gives your entire body a meal Of
oxygen. And oxygen is food
that supplies you with healthy
tissues, energy and clear. bright
color.
Animals in captivity, such as
tfoaro oYd iiana Loan y1ortnh -
their agile grace and strength,
despite the fact that they can
exercise only within the small
space Of their cages, because
they so frequently stretch and
yawn.
You will find that IL you
stretch and yawn from time to
time during the day and begin
each day with a good stretch on
awakening in the morning you
will benefit in strength, timber.
ness and grace.
Far be it from me to suggest
that you should yawn and stretch
In public since, unfortunately, TO
do so is bad form. But when you
have a moments privacy take
advantage of this opportunity for
a refreshing stretch.
Also in riding on the street
car, you can stretch first your
toes, then your ankles, feet,
lower limbs, abdomen-in fact,
nearly your entire body-by
tensing and relaxing the muscles
one at time. If you are care
full to do this unobstrusively it
should not be noticeable.
Try the following stretching
exercises tomorrow morning when
you jump out Of bed, while your
bath water is running:
Sit on the floor with your legs
stretched straight before you,
your hands on ycur hips, fingers
turned toward 'the back. your back
and neck straight. Grasping your
left leg with your right hand,
bend your left knes as far as you
possibly can toward your chest.
Now, stretch your left leg straight
out and up, and grasping your
left ankle with your left
and pull your left leg as far as
you can toward your shoulder
without bending your knee.
Return to first position. Re.
peat this exercise 10 times. AL
ternate by stretching your right
leg in the same way toward your
chest, then toward your right
shoulder.
Here's another stretching ex-
ercise which brings nearly all
your muscles into play.
Lie flat on your back on the
floor. Throw your arms back of
you on the floor and over your
head in an effort to reach some
object-say a book-which is on
the floor just beyond your reach.
Return to first position. Repeat
this strenuous effort at least
10 times.
You will find these and similar
stretching exercises. which you
may be able to improvise, de-
lightfully refreshing. They will
help you acquire the habit of
standing TALL" by strengthening
and Strengthening your figure.
Also, If you are very young and
shorter than you should be. they
may even add an inch or more to
your height, provided you prac.
tice them faithfully. and also fol-
low all the rules OF wise, simple
living.