Know then that moderate exercise is a most
potent means of preserving
health. It warms the
organs and dissolves waste products and renders
the body light and active. The time for this is after the descent of the food
from the stomach. It accomplishes this in five or six hours, more or less
according to the constitution of the individual and of the food. By moderate
exercise is meant exercise which makes the skin red and glow. When
sweating begins, then it is proper to cease. That which increases the sweat
is called violent exercise.
Every organ is strengthened and enlivened by much exercise. The same
is true of the internal faculties. Whoever wishes to increase his
memory
will increase it by memorising. The same things applies to the understanding and to thought. So, for every organ there is a specific exercise.
Thus, for the chest there is talk, beginning with whispering and passing
to shouting. For the eyes there are small letters. And for hearing there are
soft, pleasing sounds.
Horse-riding is moderate exercise for the whole body.
The Prophet has proposed for us an exercise which corrects our bodies
FolioI9 ard our hearts, when he said: Raid and you will get rich: travel and you
will
get health. And again he said: Fasting brings health. His saying has
already been quoted: Dissolve your food with pious practices and prayer.