“Behind the Oval Office Doors: Surprising Health Rituals and Hygiene Secrets of America’s Presidents Revealed!”

"Behind the Oval Office Doors: Surprising Health Rituals and Hygiene Secrets of America's Presidents Revealed!"
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John Quincy Adams Skinny Dipped Every Morning

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John Quincy Adams lounges in a chair.

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Nowadays, news that a president skinny dipped in a public river would make headlines. But during his presidency in the 1820s, John Quincy Adams swam every morning in the Potomac River. Usually, he’d jump in fully-clothed, but the tide swept away his clothes on more than one occasion.

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Adams swam “for exercise, for health, for cleanliness and for pleasure.” Over time, his bathing sessions lengthened from 20 minutes to 80 minutes. First Lady Louisa Adams became concerned with his long swims, and she and a physician convinced Adams to stop over-exerting himself.

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Herbert Hoover Invented His Own Sport To Lose Weight

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A group of men play Hoover ball.

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In 1928, Herbert Hoover kickstarted his presidency with a tour of South America. There, he played “Bull-In-The-Ring” with Navy sailors. It was the only method of exercise that Hoover enjoyed. White House physician Joel T. Boone decided to create a version of Bull-In-The-Ring for Hoover to lose weight.

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The result was “Hoover Ball,” a sport that looked like volleyball with a six-pound medicine ball. It was promoted as one of the most strenuous sports of the decade. CrossFit gyms across America adopted Hoover Ball as a signature workout.

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Thomas Jefferson Had Cold Foot Baths Every Morning

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A painting shows President Thomas Jefferson in 1800.

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