VARIOUS DIETS AND TREATMENTS – THE THERAPEUTIC VALUE OF THE SEA; SEA AIR
People who do not live by the sea dream of the beach and surf, especially when they sit down to plan their holidays. They long to see the play of the waves, how they break on the immovable rocks, roll and foam and then fizzle out on the golden sands. The waves approach the beach, powerful and inexorable, run up on it and disappear, yet in spite of their awesome power they instil a feeling
of being soothed. We never tire of watching them; we are just happy and content to admire their endless movement.
In the morning and evening we feel the urge to stretch our legs and go for a walk along the beach. Some holiday-makers may still be tucked up in bed when we are already up and about, enjoying every minute of the exhilarating experience. The bracing sea air is tangy, salty, high in iodine, and its effect on us is instant. Old and lingering catarrh is loosened. Whatever else is left over from the colds and chills of the previous winter is on its way out because we breathe deeply on our regular walks along the beach.
Let me tell you, sea air is indeed a remedy for our respiratory organs and the endocrine glands; it cleanses and stimulates them marvellously. It has been said before that the thyroid in particular is stimulated by sea air and also by sea water and seaweeds, especially on account of their iodine content. However, if you suffer from Graves’ disease (exophthalmic goitre) or hyperthyroidism, you must be careful to limit your exposure to these stimulants; in other words, if the sea air or bathing in the sea increases your pulse rate or causes a faster heartbeat, you should spend only short periods on the beach every day. Given time, the body will become accustomed to the impact of the marine atmosphere and you may gradually increase your exposure to a few hours daily. The more the disturbing symptoms diminish, the longer you can permit yourself the pleasure of spending time on the beach. So if you take care to do what is sensible and reasonable and not extreme, the therapeutic effect and cure will be much faster.
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