European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - June 13, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse The timeless urge to shape up by Glenn Collins new York times of hum. Let s rehearse ones More the predictable answers to the 1987 health and fitness quiz what Are thay saying about Coffee and Tea potentially harmful sail and sugar detrimental ii Fried and ally foods unhealthy in the dietary fiber and bran flour greatly what should we be doing taking a preventive approach to which includes exercise which is essential for men and women and convenient it performed on Home exercise machines. To music but As Apt As they Are in ?987, such answers could easily have been offered in 18b7, or even in 1337. We of the last Quarter of the 20th Century did not invent health foods aerobics or exercise machines said or. Harvey Green curator of a new museum show thai explores the history of the great american urge to shape up eat right and stay Well. Called fit Tor America health. Fitness. Sport arid american society 1830 to 1940, the show Al the Hudson liver museum in Yonkers n.y., runs through july 5. On exhibit Are More than 400 objects things like victorian rowing machines and Century old Patent medicines accompanied by photographs advertisements and posters of the Era. Jogging Green my was just about the Only thing Lor which i could a t find a counterpart in the 19th indeed the exhibit reveals that America s current preoccupation with health fitness and dietary improvement pales in comparison with the intensity of 19th-Century conviction. Back then staying in shape was no Only a personal quest Green said but a spiritual imperative health reformers imbued with religious and patriotic Zeal believed through their efforts society could be made worthy Lor the second coming of Christ. As hey exhorted their compatriots to physical and spiritual perfection Many reformers advocated notions that we wrongly assume to be contemporary. The concept of prevention Lor example a hot 1980s health convention topic Only now making rat Way into medical school cum plums was introduced in Erma Bombeck 1 never think of myself As cheap. Of sure my wedding dress was a second and my kids had so Many knots in their shoestrings is had to Cut the shoes of their feet every night but that s not cheap that s being frugal my Mother was cheap. She laundered Sandwich bags and laminated slivers of soap together. She steam pressed every ribbon on every package she had aver received and wound it around a toilet tissue spindle to save. It used to drive me crazy. I was very careful not to Foxtow in her fools Leps when one grows up in such an atmosphere of Economy it s hard not to succumb. She was always saving coupons for dog food saying in we Ever got a dog he could live free for the first live years. She used her old Chenille bedspreads to cover her new sofa to save the cushions and one Day i actually saw her walk Down the hallway with her legs apart so she Arr Rte preoccupation of tar a Oettli Binou end dietary we Wutti the into thy of fifth Cen fury conviction. Judging from a Stirt Tutt a mar to Munmum Al How York. 1b a Cen Ury America. One health reformer. William Alcott insisted that doctors focus on prevention instead of medical cures he proposed that patients sign yearly contracts with physicians that would reduce doctors fees when patients became ill. The exhibition demonstrates that As Green said the advocacy of Quick exercise Lor the sedentary office worker irom calisthenic in 1656 to isometric now for those chained to their computer terminals has been a constant in american the precursors of Jack la Lanne and Jane Fonda were the run Steman Eugene Sandow and the swimmer Annette Kellerman who attempted to reshape the american physique. The 1860s counterpart to today s heavy hands exercise weights were Indian clubs popularly wielded by men women and children alike. And the spiritual forerunners of the sol flex and the Marcy em-1 were perhaps or. Hametl s 1860 improved parlor gymnasium and s patented exercising chair an 1845 Spring operated device with Arm levers Anet a tufted hair Cushion Seel. And could any Walkman wearing runner or exercise class participant writhing to the beat of the Beattie boys disagree with Diocletian Lewis in 1862 he wrote that without music exercise is a Little the exhibition also exposes the presumption of americans who though themselves to be Al the cutting Edge of designer drinking when they began asking waiters for Perrier in 1978. In truth americans drank Mineral water As Earty As 1820, and with advances in bottling technology bottled Mineral Waters became big business after the civil War. The passion for health tools has a similar longevity. Sylvester Graham advocated the use of whole Grain flours for bated goods in 1b39, railing against the removal of the bran which contains All the natural properties of the Rie merits of vegetarianism were seriously debated in America in the decades before 1830 the american vegetarian society was founded in 1850. Mai Malefyt the 19ttvcontury preoccupation with dietary fiber Ted to the Cereal Boom. One product comatose was sold to help Pale thin delicate after the turn of the Century Competition became especially intense Between Jwj surviving product the posture grape nuts and cornflakes and Hearty forgotten cereals like Malta Vita vim mail flakes Cero Fruto Noritta end the optimistically named Golden manna. Although Many might think that women s sports fashion started with the popularity of women s Golf and Tennis in this Century the looser fitting gym suits and bicycling clothes in the 19th Century were the isl True women s sportswear. Calisthenic and sports became popular among men and women in the 1650s. Since women could t exercise in corsets the calisthenic crusade ultimately helped to eradicate the boned Corset. Bui it is a mistake to romanticize the Wisdom of our ancestors. Some of their practices attained new Heights of said Gram who is chief historian Al the Strong museum in Rochester. He assembled the exhibition there during the years it took him to write a Bock on the subject fit for America published last year Parleon $24,95. Green Chect his exhibition from Trade catalogues advertising circulars diaries letters texts advice books and household guides from the Era. Could Wear the Carpel out a Little More evenly. I did t want to turn out like that. Mom used to kid me about How my Reading glasses were held together with a paper clip and my cookie Sheet was bought the same year the mouse Deleers debuted but i explained to her i was just being frugal 1 though of her recently when i saw a new Book called the cheapskate s handbook by Mifflin Lowe. To could have been my Mother s biography Mifflin Lowe Irons aluminium foil and slices paper matches in half so they go twice As far. He drops a plastic Bug in his soup to avoid paying his restaurant Bill and la cos his own a bag to a restaurant and orders hot water it is my belief there is a reason Lor this kind of lightness. The depression had a great effect on an entire generation you did t Wasle or throw away anything. Every bit of food it a double life. One fresh and one warmed Over. These Are Lite people who can never throw away a half used prescription. Thay save them never knowing when someone might drop by with a Case of conjunctivitis or morning sickness. They get jobs putting round toilet tissue on Square holders in Public restrooms so you have to fight for one Square at a time. They Many people who share their excitement Over pulling gum in the microwave end using it for glue. They Send out Christmas cards with the original signatures covered Over. I m sorry folks but 1 can t live like thai. I Don t mind ripping Uncan eled postage Stamps off return envelopes that i have no intention of resuming or even of colouring my varicose veins with crayons and palming them off As textured stockings but i just can t stand being cheap the Dif Terence cheap is what everyone else is when you re being frugal. C los Angalea time s Page 16 the stars and stripes saturday june 13,19s7
