Norwegian Public Health 1923
The Public Health Association, togehter with the life insurance company ‘Idun’, published in 1923 a folder with ten large-format posters, called “House Maxims for Mothers and Children”. Their objective was to promote child health through inculcation of a healthy way of life. The posters were linked to the children's best friends – the animals – to explain exactly what humans need to do to stay healthy.
Much of the health promotion during the interwar period emerged from grassroots initiatives. This work bore fruit. Despite economic crisis, poverty, high unemployment and political unrest, the health of most people improved. Communicable diseases were on the decline, child mortality fell and life expectancy rose. Within a few years, schoolchildren became healthier, stronger, taller and cleaner.
The strategy in the battle against communicable diseases gradually changed character alongside the bacteriological breakthrough in the 1880s. Priorities changed from preventing disease to fostering health. Health prevention in schools was one of a number of preventive efforts that flourished in the interwar period. The good results convinced people of the advantages of hygiene, good manners, control and discipline.
Schools were important arenas for the interwar hygienists. Doctors and teachers collaborated closely to spread the healthy news. The texts for the house maxims were prepared by a doctor and teacher in collaboration. The rules were designed in full conformity with contemporary curricula, and commercialized together with ‘Idun’ as an early attempt for Loss Prevention and Risk Mitigation.
Immediately after the publication of the house maxims, doctors took the initiative to produce health rules for schools as well. The pieces of advice offered were recognisable, and the boundaries between health and manners, social class and economy were similarly blurred.
In 1923, as today, Health Promotion through good advices, has no side effects, other than improving life expectancy and reducing the overall cost for society.
Poster 1 Of 10: "WAKE UP EARLY”
Left: Original posters in Norwegian, Illustrations by Dagfin Wenerskiold (1923)
Right: English reinterpretation, digitally restored by Carl-Fredrik Glittenberg Stray (2023)
Overall, waking up early can have a positive impact on your physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing, and can help you to lead a more fulfilling and productive life. Some of the benefits are:
1) Increased productivity: Getting up early gives you more time to focus on your tasks and be productive, as you have fewer distractions and interruptions.
2) Better mental health: Studies have shown that people who wake up early are less likely to experience depression and anxiety, and are more likely to feel positive and optimistic.
3) Improved sleep quality: Waking up early helps to regulate your circadian rhythm, which can lead to better sleep quality and a more restful night's sleep.
4) Healthier eating habits: People who wake up early are more likely to eat a healthy breakfast, which can set the tone for healthier eating throughout the day.
5) More time for exercise: Waking up early can give you more time to fit in exercise, which can boost your energy levels and improve your overall health and wellbeing.
6) Enhanced time management: Waking up early can help you to better manage your time, as you can use the extra time to plan your day, prioritize your tasks, and get organized.
7) Increased motivation: Starting your day early can give you a sense of accomplishment and motivation to tackle your goals, leading to greater success and happiness in life.
One thing is to be an early bird, but what if you are a night owl? Here are some tips to help you wake up earlier:
1) Gradually adjust your sleep schedule: If you are used to staying up late and sleeping in, try gradually adjusting your sleep schedule by going to bed and waking up 15-30 minutes earlier each day until you reach your desired wake-up time.
2) Create a consistent bedtime routine: Develop a consistent bedtime routine that helps you wind down and relax before bed, such as reading a book, taking a warm bath, or practicing relaxation techniques like meditation or deep breathing exercises.
3) Avoid caffeine and alcohol before bedtime: Avoid consuming caffeine or alcohol before bedtime, as these can disrupt your sleep and make it harder to wake up in the morning.
4) Keep your bedroom cool and dark: Create a sleep-conducive environment by keeping your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet, and using comfortable bedding and pillows.
5) Use an alarm clock: Use an alarm clock to help you wake up on time, and consider using a gradual alarm that starts off quiet and gradually gets louder to help ease you into the day.
6) Avoid snoozing: Resist the temptation to hit snooze on your alarm clock, as this can disrupt your sleep cycle and make it harder to wake up feeling refreshed.
7) Have a reason to wake up early: Give yourself a reason to wake up early, such as a morning workout, a healthy breakfast, or some quiet time to meditate or reflect. Having a purpose for waking up early can make it easier to stick to your new routine.
Remember, it takes time to adjust to a new sleep schedule, so be patient and persistent in your efforts to wake up earlier.
Poster 2 Of 10: "Rinse Body - Brush Teeth”
Left: Original posters in Norwegian, Illustrations by Dagfin Wenerskiold (1923)
Right: English reinterpretation, digitally restored by Carl-Fredrik Glittenberg Stray (2023)
The World Water Day is held every year on 22. March since 1993.
The water day goes hand in hand with the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6, that is focusing on safely managed water and sanitation by 2030. It is a wonderful goal, as water is going hand in hand with health, but right now, the society is seriously off-track of making this come to life.
There seems to be a misunderstanding that excessive use of water equals better health. In fact, excessive showering or bathing can actually do more harm than good. According to several doctors, you really only need to wash three parts of your body with soap: your armpits, groin, and feet. The rest of you? A simple rinse with water is all that is needed. For good order, your hands and ‘mouth’ also need water and soap to foster health, in addition to 2-5 liters of crystal clean water to combat dehydration and for your inner and outer beauty.
Lack of water is not just bad for your physical health, but the worrying of scarcity, can also increase personal stress and agression in society as a whole.
So, if you use water and soap smartly, it will be good for your body-, mind- and social health.
There are several ways to use water in a more efficient way, and many of them are simple to implement. Leaving the tap running while brushing your teeth uses about 5 liters of waterg and is a no-brainer to act on.
Replacing an old-style showerhead with a water efficient unit will cut the water consumption from 19 liters per minute to nine (9) liters per minutes. That is more than 50% reduction. If you on top cut the shower-time from average eight minutes to three minutes, you will cut the usage by 125 liters per shower-treat.
A different daily need is to use the toilet. A typical single flush cistern uses in average 10 liters per flush, whilst a dual flush cistern uses three (3) liters for a half flush and six (6) liters for a full flush. An average person can then reduce their daily consumption from 80 liters to 27 liters.
The water usage is split between
Body care, shower, bath - 40%
Toilet flushing - 30%
Laundry washing - 13%
Washing dishes - 7%
House cleaning, car, garden - 6%
Eeating and drinking - 4%
What about brushing teeth and health?
Well, here are a few perhaps unexpected health benefits of taking care of your teeth and gums
Lower risk of heart disease
Reduced joint inflammation
Healthier pregnancy
Better respiratory health
Minimized risks for certain cancers
Improved fertility
Lower risk for kidney disease
Reduced risk of diabetes complications
Improved sexual performance
So, the core message is to use water smartly for your health and for the society.
Poster 3 Of 10: "ENJOY THE SUN AND FRESH AIR”
Left: Original posters in Norwegian, Illustrations by Dagfin Wenerskiold (1923). Digitally upscaled (2023).
Right: English reinterpretation, digitally restored and upscaled by Carl-Fredrik Glittenberg Stray (2023)
Fresh air not only cleans your lungs, it can also boost your mood, lower your heart rate, increase energy levels and even improve digestion. Increased oxygen improves the function and efficiency of every cell in your body improving the function of everything your body does, and we will highlight a few of them below.
No matter where you go, it’s gratifying just to know that the second you step out the door, you can reap fresh air’s rewards. Spending 30 minutes sitting in the sun on your back porch will earn you a full day’s dose of Vitamin D.
1) Fresh air sharpens your mind and gives you more energy: More ‘outdoor’ oxygen results in greater brain functioning. Did you know that 20% of the oxygen you breathe in is used by your brain to function. By increasing the amount of fresh air, you can provide greater clarity to the brain, promoting optimal function whilst helping you to think, focus and concentrate better. Venturing outside will also help you produce vitamin D from the sun, which is essential for many bodily functions including supporting our immune system, strengthening our bones, teeth and much more.
2) Fresh air cleanses your lungs: When sitting indoors, it’s common to breathe shallowly, inhaling the air into the top of your lungs, known as apical breathing. When venturing outdoors, moving, walking or jogging encourages increased diaphragmatic breathing. This means that you breathe more deeply, drawing more air deep into the bottom of your lungs. This not only brings more oxygen into your cells but helps the lungs to expel more airborne toxins from the body. This therefore helps you to cleanse from the inside.
3) Fresh air makes you happier: The fresher air you get, the more oxygen you will breathe which will increase the amount of serotonin (the happy hormone) you inhale, consequently making you happier. This is often why you feel better, more relaxed and much more refreshed after being outside!
4) Fresh air helps improve blood pressure and heart rate: Avoid polluted environments particularly if you need to improve your blood pressure. Stay away from the busy traffic as the body will need to work harder to get the amount of oxygen it needs over polluted car fumes. As of today, one quarter of the world’s population breathes unsafe air, according to Environmental Performance Index (EPI), resulting in 7 million deaths annually. Many software companies (e.g., Microsoft) have launched apps that provides air quality information for cities across the world up to several days in advance. These tools can enable city dwellers to make better decisions about when and how to brave the air.
5) Fresh air is good for your digestive system: Fresh air increases the flow of oxygen helping you digest food more effectively so this will particularly help if you are trying to lose weight.
Fresh air and sunlight can hence help improve our wellbeing across multiple areas, from making us feel happier and more relaxed, to having a measurable effect on our circulatory systems, recovery time, and overall health. If you find yourself feeling stressed, tired, sluggish, or even just bloated, step outside and take a few good, deep breaths of fresh air. Your body and your mind will thank you.
Poster 4 Of 10: "WASH HANDS BEFORE EATING”
Left: Original posters in Norwegian, Illustrations by Dagfin Wenerskiold (1923). Digitally upscaled (2023).
Right: English reinterpretation, digitally restored and upscaled by Carl-Fredrik Glittenberg Stray (2023)
Handwashing is important with meal preparation and before eating because it is the mode of transmission for many illnesses, such as the common cold. Hand to mouth contact is one way that these germs make it into our body. Many studies shows that by following proper handwashing procedures, we can greatly reduce the number of bacteria on our hands, which then reduces the risk of getting sick. Use your preferred water temperature—cold or warm—to wash your hands. Warm and cold water remove the same number of germs from your hands. Washing your hands properly can prevent 1 in 3 diarrheal illnesses and 1 in 5 respiratory infections like the common cold or the flu?
Did you know that only 12% of people wash their hands before eating - despite them being more unhygienic than a park bench or escalator rail. It means hands are far more likely to make us unwell than the apparently filthy surfaces in and around cafes and fast food restaurants we try to avoid.
Experts say that by only washing hands well with soap and clean water, can reduce bacteria levels 10-fold. That is a lot, as the average person carries more than 10 million bacteria on the hands alone. They recommend washing hands for around 30 seconds, despite most people surveyed thinking 15 seconds was long enough.
A few facts to ponder on:
There can be more than 1,000 resident bacteria per cm2 on your hand
By encouraging hand washing, illness can be reduced by 30 – 50 per cent
Under optimal conditions, bacteria can grow extremely rapidly and can double every 20 minutes
Damp hands spread 1,000 times more bacteria than dry hands
Contaminated hands regularly transfer viruses to many different surfaces or objects
Bacteria can stay alive on hands for up to three hours
Many bacteria grow best at a temperature of 37°C – our body temperature
The typical office worker’s hands come into contact with 10 million bacteria per day
Face or hand cream tubes in handbags can have more surface bacteria than the average toilet seat
Handles of handbags are home to more bacteria than the average toilet seat
Poster 5 Of 10: "EAT SLOWLY - CHEW WELL”
Left: Original posters in Norwegian, Illustrations by Dagfin Wenerskiold (1923). Digitally upscaled (2023).
Right: English reinterpretation, digitally restored and upscaled by Carl-Fredrik Glittenberg Stray (2023)
Proper digestion starts in your mouth. When eating, be sure to chew your food thoroughly to get the full benefit out of it. By focusing on chewing many times, you will eat slower. This can improve your digestion, help you eat less, and enhance your overall eating experience.
To get the most out of your food, chew it an estimated 32 times before swallowing. The goal of chewing is to break down your food so it loses texture. Foods like watermelon require only 10-15 chews to be broken down, whilst foods that are harder to chew, such as steak and nuts, may require up to 40 chews per mouthful.
Your meal should take at least 20 minutes. If you are fast-tracking your meal in 5 to 10 minutes, you are likely to experience indigestion and risk overeating. Chew your food properly and breathe calmly between each bite. Putting down your utensil between bites will also help you to slow down the pace of eating even more.
There are four major reasons for why people tend to eat faster in 2023 versus 1923?
- People were more thankful for the food - ‘on the table’
- They ate more real food – that was ‘washable’
- Families ate food together and were ‘present in the meals’
- People ate more meals ‘at home’
Health benefits by chewing slower based on various studies
1) You will eat less: Studies show that the faster you eat, the more food you will tend to eat. Chewing your food many times at a slower pace will reduce your overall food intake.
2) You will snack less: Other studies show that chewing more during mealtime lead to reduce snacking on candies later in the day.
3) Supress hunger & Increase nutrients: Studies show that chewing your food properly will increase the amount of nutrients you get out of your food. In one study, experts found that chewing almonds between 25 and 40 times not only suppressed hunger but also increased people’s ability to absorb nutrients from the almonds.
4) Reduce digestive problems: Chewing is not only an important part of the digestive process but it’s also beneficial to overall health. People who chew their food well enough before they swallow, tend to avoid digestive problems.
5) Lose weight: Studies show that people who eat quickly tend to be heavier and gain more weight over time, compared with slower eaters. In fact, fast eaters are up to 115% more likely than slower eaters to be obese. Eating too quickly often leads toovereating, as your brain doesn’t have enough time to receive fullness signals.
6) Less stress & More control: People who chew better and eat slower, tend to enjoy the meal even more. This leads to less stress, improved calmness and improves the level of control.
Poster 6 Of 10: "BATHE OFTEN”
Left: Original posters in Norwegian, Illustrations by Dagfin Wenerskiold (1923). Digitally upscaled (2023).
Right: English reinterpretation, digitally restored and upscaled by Carl-Fredrik Glittenberg Stray (2023)
Personal hygiene was a special concern for the Public Health Association in the 1920s, as Norwegians were ‘dirty’ compared to other nationalities. Swimming or bathing often was hence one of the organization’s most important focus areas. As of 1922 the Norwegian bathings Association was established, with a prime objective of persuading Norwegian’s to wash themselves more often as a preventive health measure - either at home, in nature, or at any of the newly opened public bath-houses.
We asked OpenAI’s ‘ChatGPT’ to write ‘five health benefits of good hygiene’ and ‘five healthy benefits of swimming in nature’, and the results can be seen below. The though process was to merge an old health tip with new technology. As you can see, they go well in hand.
Healthy benefits of good hygiene:
Reduced risk of illness: Good hygiene practices, such as washing your hands frequently, can help to prevent the spread of germs and reduce your risk of getting sick. Proper hygiene can also reduce the risk of infections, such as colds, flu, and other communicable diseases.
Improved physical health: Maintaining good hygiene can help to prevent skin infections, dental problems, and other health issues. Brushing and flossing your teeth regularly, for example, can help to prevent tooth decay and gum disease, while washing your body can help to prevent skin infections.
Better mental health: Good hygiene can also have a positive impact on your mental health. Feeling clean and fresh can help to boost your self-esteem and improve your mood. It can also help to reduce feelings of anxiety and depression.
Improved social interactions: Practicing good hygiene can help you feel more confident in social situations. It can also help to prevent unpleasant body odors and bad breath, which can make it easier to interact with others.
Increased productivity: When you feel clean and fresh, you may feel more motivated to be productive. Good hygiene can help you feel more alert, focused, and energized, which can help you perform better at work or school.
Bathing in nature, such as in a natural hot spring or river, can provide several benefits, including:
Reduced stress and anxiety: Being in nature can have a calming effect on the body and mind, which can help to reduce stress and anxiety.
Improved mood: Being surrounded by natural beauty and tranquility can boost your mood and help you feel more relaxed and content.
Better sleep: Being in nature can help to regulate your circadian rhythm and improve your sleep quality. Exposure to natural light during the day and darkness at night can help to promote healthy sleep patterns.
Improved immune function: Being in nature can help to boost your immune system by exposing you to a variety of natural bacteria and viruses. This exposure can help to strengthen your immune system and improve your overall health.
Enhanced cognitive function: Spending time in nature has been shown to improve cognitive function, including memory, attention, and creativity. It can also help to reduce mental fatigue and improve your ability to concentrate.
Poster 7 Of 10: "EAT IN A TIMELY FASHION”
Left: Original posters in Norwegian, Illustrations by Dagfin Wenerskiold (1923). Digitally upscaled (2023).
Right: English reinterpretation, digitally restored and upscaled by Carl-Fredrik Glittenberg Stray (2023)
The traditional eating pattern is going through an evolution, but what is actually the correct pattern when it comes to time and day-parts?
The Romans believed it was healthier to eat only one meal per day. This meal was consumed around noon, but it was not lunch as we know it today, as it was more like dinner. The breakfast was in fact frowned upon. They were obsessed with digestion, and eating more than a meal a day was considered vulgar. This thinking impacted on the way people ate for a very long time.
During the Middle Age people started to eat two meals per day. These meals used to be dinner and supper, converted to their daily rhythm. Remember that they got up earlier in the morning and went to bed earlier at night. This was very much due to natural daylight. Still breakfast was looked upon as immoral, as people should not ‘break-the-fast’ before the morning Mass. The two-meal system remained consistent throughout the late Middle Ages.
It was not until the Industrial Revolution that the three-meal system was introduced. Much of this was due to the fact that working hours were regularized, with laborers needing an early meal to sustain them at work. So, with the industrial revolution, we also saw a revolution in eating patterns. Pies were sold on stalls outside factories. People also started to rely on mass-produced food as there was no room in towns and cities for gardens to keep a pig pen or grow their own food. Many didn't even have a kitchen. At the turn of the 20th century, breakfast was again revolutionized by John Harvey Kellogg.
As artificial lighting spread, dinner started to be eaten later and later in the day, and many started to consume four meals per day; breakfast, lunch, dinner and supper.
In the aftermath of World War 2, people started to roam around and eat when they felt like. This on-the-go habit grew alongside the development of e.g. quick service restaurants. Today we see that up to 50% of meals are eaten out of home, fostering an ideal platform for the food industry, creating as many as nine meal occasions a day, split into an average of 21 ‘item-cations’ (items + occasions).
Not only do we eat more often, but we eat bigger portions, faster and roaming around by walking (being on the phone). Is it a healthy cycle? It is not up for debate here and now, but there are healthy benefits of not performing the art of chain-eating. This is as valid today as it was 100 years back. Case is that a pause of not eating, gives the body time to repair and digest the intended way.
Poster 8 Of 10: "ALWAYS BE IN GOOD SPIRITS”
Left: Original posters in Norwegian, Illustrations by Dagfin Wenerskiold (1923)
Right: English reinterpretation, digitally restored by Carl-Fredrik Glittenberg Stray (2023)
Your brain is a fascinating and complex factory, consisting of 86 billion neurons tailored in transmitting information throughout your body. It is almost like an specialized and ongoing SWOT. Some time back we performed a health & wellness study at a school. We were amazed of the level of anxiety, but realized later that the average high school kid today has the same level of anxiety as the average psychiatric patient in the early 1950’s.
The world is getting more complex, but the 20 odd psychological branches, will hopefully make more souls come to ease. Personally, we are fans of positive psychology; which is the scientific study of what makes life most worth living. Their focus is on strengths instead of weaknesses, building on the good in life instead of only repairing the bad. To us that is opportunistic, laying the foundation for a Duchenne smile, or ‘smizing’ as it is also known as. When that is said; all angles of psychology are nedded, as people do have different needs to cope with life. Positive minds are however contagious and powerful; reflecting the sweet emotions of the soul. Understanding psychology will enable leaders to run any organization better, and to improve the top-, as well as the bottom line performance.
To ‘Alway be in good spirits’ had its Biblical root of ‘Always be content’ (no matter circumstance). Five years post WW1, Norway was still a poor country, with one foot planted into ‘traditional values’ and one foot into ‘survival values’. Due to this, a faith in something bigger with meaning, played a vital role in hoping for a better future. Fast forward 100 years, Norway is among the richest countries in the world, being converted to a nation with one foot planted into ‘self expression values’ and one foot into ‘secular & rational values’….with less of hopes for a better and brighter future. Money moves masess, but to always be in good spirits, is as valaubel today as it was in 1923.
To always be in good spirits, doesn't mean that you ignore life's less pleasant situations. Positive thinking just means that you approach unpleasantness in a more positive and productive way. You think the best is going to happen, not the worst. Good & positive spirits often starts with self-talk. Self-talk is the endless stream of unspoken thoughts that run through your head (ref. 86 billion neurons). These automatic thoughts can be positive or negative. Some of your self-talk comes from logic and reason. Other self-talk may arise from misconceptions that you create because of lack of information or expectations due to preconceived ideas of what may happen. If the thoughts that run through your head are mostly negative, your outlook on life is more likely pessimistic. If your thoughts are mostly positive, you're likely an optimist — someone who practices positive thinking and who are having positive spirits.
A positive mind is healthy for you
Researchers continue to explore the effects of positive thinking and optimism on health.
Health benefits that positive thinking may provide include:
Increased life span
Lower rates of depression
Lower levels of distress and pain
Greater resistance to illnesses
Better psychological and physical well-being
Better cardiovascular health and reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease and stroke
Reduced risk of death from cancer
Reduced risk of death from respiratory conditions
Reduced risk of death from infections
Better coping skills during hardships and times of stress
Poster 9 Of 10: "WALK NOT WITH wet FEET”
Left: Original posters in Norwegian, Illustrations by Dagfin Wenerskiold (1923). Digitally upscaled (2023).
Right: English reinterpretation, digitally restored and upscaled by Carl-Fredrik Glittenberg Stray (2023)
The Spanish flue struck Norway in three waves between June 1918 and the winter of 1919. More than 1 million inhabitants got infected with 15,000 fatalities. On a global level 500 million people got infected, resulting in an unknown fatality number ranging from 50 to as many as 100 million. The flue was hitting young adults extremely hard, and especially soldiers at war - pawing their way through wet trenches - leaving them wet on their feet.
It is only a speculation, but the message of the Poster 9 “Walk not with wet feet” could be the result from the fear of the unknown reason for the Spanish flue, not detected at that time.
DRY FEET ARE GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH
The message of ‘dry feet’ still has various health benefits for people today.
1) Half the risk of turning sick:
Studies show that there is a double risk of getting sick with wet and cold feet, compared to dry and warm feet.
2) Improve your sleep:
Some studies even conclude with that people who have warm feet sleep faster, better and longer.
3) Improves blood circulation:
By making your feet warmer, you're opening up blood vessels to help cool down the rest of the body.
Poster 10 of 10: "Go to bed earlier”
Left: Original posters in Norwegian, Illustrations by Dagfin Wenerskiold (1923)
Right: English reinterpretation, digitally restored by Carl-Fredrik Glittenberg Stray (2023)
Sleep is where psychology meets biology
Sleep is as relevant today as it was in 1923. Below are some health benefits of getting enough rest.
1) Sharper brain:
Sleep lets your brain catch up so you're ready for what's next.
2) Mood boost:
Refreshing slumber helps you hit the reset button and prepare you for new challenges.
3) Healthier heart:
While you sleep, your blood pressure goes down, giving your heart and blood vessels a bit of a rest.
4) Athletic achievement:
Sleep repairs muscles, improves energy and improve your concentration.
5) Steadier blood sugar:
During your deep-sleep cycle, the amount of glucose in your blood drops.
6) Ward off illnesses:
Your immune system identifies harmful bacteria and viruses in your body and destroys them whilst being asleep.
7) Weight control:
When you're well-rested, you're less hungry. Being sleepy messes with the hormones in your brain -- leptin and ghrelin -- that control appetite.
Unfortunately, people have difficulty following the advice. Studies show that only 11% of children, and 45% of adults, get enough sleep today.