HOW TO GET WELL AND KEEP WELL By DR. JAMES CLARK M « Author of “Sexual Health and Happiness” The successful home treat- ment of chronic diseases by natural curative methods STANDARD PUBLISHING COMPANY ELMHURST, ILLINOIS Copyright, 1923, by STANDARD PUBLISHING COMPANY HAMMOND PRESS VV. B. CONKEY COMPANY CHICAGO PREFACE EVERY man wants to be successful; every woman wants to be attractive. These are inborn desires. Thousands, however, find their fondest hopes and dreams shattered at the time when the fulfillment of their desires should be realized, all because they neg- lected to live in harmony with the simple laws of nature. We are entering upon an era of better health. We are growing ashamed of physical unfitness. The whole nation is becoming interested in every movement that will bring better health to men and women. No man or woman can afford to neglect his or her health. You do yourself an injustice if you allow your cares and duties to entirely absorb your thought and attention. In after years how many people have re- gretted they did not take time to do those things neces- sary to maintain good health, all because there were so many calls upon their time and energy. Most of us do not appreciate the importance of retain- ing health instead of regaining it. It is ignorance of the simple laws of health that is filling our sanitariums. It is much easier and less expensive to retain your health than to restore it, when once it is lost. Today preventive medicine is receiving greater at- tention than corrective medicine. Physicians everywhere are giving few drugs. In the future they will give fewer still because the majority of us are learning how to get well and keep well. Disease attacks us because our vitality is at a low ebb. We do not breathe correctly, we do not exercise sufficiently, we do not eat properly, we do not secure the necessary rest, we do not bathe regularly—the result of Preface which is a gradual reduction of nerve force followed by a train of various disorders. Your health rests with yourself. Nearly everyone can enjoy good health if he or she will conform to a few rational regulations. Poor health is seldom inherited. A little time daily spent on your health will insure freedom from many chronic and lingering diseases. If your health is not receiving the attention that it should, take yourself in hand today. Take time for the morning bath, make plans for the daily exercise, give thought to your food requirements, secure your needed rest, increase your daily walks, enjoy some wholesome recreation—and your days will be full of health, strength and vitality. Yours for health and happiness, TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE Life and Health 1 Fasting 5 Milk Diet 11 Meat Diet 24 General Diet 26 Vitamines 37 Rest and Recreation 40 Sun Baths 44 Exercise 48 Sleep 55 Breathing 58 Swimming 61 Hydrotherapy 64 Hot Baths 65 Warm Baths 66 Tepid Baths 67 Temperate Baths 67 Cool Baths 68 Cold Baths 69 Cleansing Baths 70 Sponge Baths 71 Shower Baths 71 Douche Baths 72 Sweat Baths 73 Sitz Baths 74 Compresses 76 Table of Contents PAGB Enemas 77 Massage 79 Weight 81 Value of Hop.e and Cheerfulness 83 Diseases 84 Acne 85 Anemia 86 Arteriosclerosis 88 Asthma 89 Auto-intoxication 91 Bright’s Disease 92 Catarrh 94 Constipation 97 Consumption 101 Diabetes 103 Emaciation 105 Gall Stones 107 Hemorrhoids (Piles) 109 High Blood Pressure Ill Liver Diseases 112 Nervousness 114 Neurasthenia 116 Neuritis 117 Obesity 119 Rheumatism 121 Sciatica 124 Skin Diseases 125 Stomach Diseases 127 Acquisition of Nervous Energy 132 LIFE AND HEALTH THE creation of the human body represents the greatest work of the Creator. Through His divine blessing we are born into the world sound and healthy beings and to maintain this health, it is only nec- essary that we live in accordance with the simple laws of nature. There is nothing more noble, majestic or exquisitely aesthetic than the perfectly developed human form. It is the admiration of the whole world. Although most intricate and delicate in construction, every organ is so perfectly adjusted that it performs its function with inexplicable intelligence and with an exactness which is truly marvelous. Civilization has done much to damage nature's won- derful handiwork. The extensive cultivation of the intel- lectual powers has been allowed to supplant physical training to a great extent. The vital energies are being constantly expended in the pursuit of wealth and exces- sive indulgence in pleasure; the powers of life dimin- ished by incorrect eating and devitalizing habits; the resistance of the body lowered by sedentary occupations and use of drugs; and the blood impoverished by lack of exercise, improper breathing and wrong habits of liv- ing. The ultimate result is sickness and chronic disor- ders. Temperance in all things is essential to good health. There is nothing in the world more pitiful than to see the human body ravaged with chronic disease. This grim monster is the enemy of health, happiness, love, success and even life itself. Life is incomplete without 2 How To Get Well and Keep Well the enjoyment of healthy organs and faculties, for these give rise to the delightful sensations of existence. Health is the greatest blessing that can be bestowed upon an individual. It is essential to the accomplish- ment of every purpose. It might be called ‘ ‘ The Foun- tain of Youth.” It is the most valuable asset that one can possess—far more to be desired than gold. Without health, life is robbed of its fullest pleasures and possi- bilities. The charm of a woman’s loveliness depends upon her health and the proper functioning of every organ. Every man’s success rests upon this great physi- cal foundation. In this day and age of enormous indus- tries, vast opportunities are open to those who possess strong and vigorous bodies. Ill-health is the great destructive force which almost every person must fight against and no one should be driven to further ill-health through the use of poor medi- cine and powerful drugs. The modern physician who is skilled in the science of medicine will tell you that the continued use of drugs will lower your vitality and weaken the organs of the body. When once your health is lost it can only be regained through natural methods of living. If you wish to age youthfully, you must live in harmony with nature’s laws. Health is a priceless possession and how to restore it when lost is a question of vital importance. It is absurd to expect it can be regained principally by the constant use of drugs and medicine. Drugs and medicine, of course, have their place in the world, but they cannot be regarded as possessing any curative powers. The employment of drastic medicine is sometimes resorted to. Although it may give temporary relief, the patient soon relapses into his former condition. But knowledge is being diffused, education is lifting the masses, and dear-bought experience is opening the eyes of thousands, Life and Health 3 who now believe in hygiene and natural methods of treat- ment and living for the restoration of health, rather than in the employment of debilitating, exhausting and dis- ease-creating medicines. It is absolutely impossible to be well if the blood is not pure. Good health depends upon the perfect condi- tion of the blood and only by this vital fluid can the nourishment and oxygen reach every organ, muscle, bone and tissue of the body. Therefore, it is obvious that disease can only be cured by and through the blood and its free circulation in all parts of the body. A disordered condition of the alimentary canal con- tributes more than anything else to the morbid and weak condition of the blood, hence deranged digestion and constipation are generally an accompaniment of chronic diseases. The slightest functional disturbance of the stomach will derange, more or less, all the suc- ceeding operations of alimentation tending to the vitia- tion and impairment of the delicately susceptible vital process of nutrition. When nutrition is faulty, the blood is imperfectly organized. Because of this, the functional power of all the organs of the body is dimin- ished, the nervous system weakened and the whole body debilitated and open to the invasion of disease. Constipation is the cause of 95 per cent of all dis- eases. In fact nearly all chronic cases give a history of constipation and many chronic disorders will disappear when this condition is remedied. A condition of this kind should never be neglected as it often brings about diseases, the fatal results of which cannot be averted. There is not a solitary disease in the entire list that does not demand as one of the first requisites in its treatment the thorough elimination of waste matter from the bowels. 4 How To Get Well and Keep Well The first indication in the successful treatment of chronic diseases is to eliminate from the system as speed- ily as possible, all noxious materials and poisonous mat- ter. The second is to restore a healthy function to the organs of elimination, digestion and assimilation in order that the blood may be increased in quality and quantity and the entire body strengthened to overcome its debilitated condition. As the alimentary canal governs health primarily, it is essential that this portion of the body be given special attention. The energy that gives life to the body is known to be nerve force, consequently the lack of nerve force or its irregular distribution is the cause of many forms of chronic and lingering disorders of the system. The ner- vous system depends directly upon the health and quan- tity of the red corpuscles for its ability to execute its function. The stomach is a great nerve center. With- out healthy, vigorous nerves, it cannot properly digest food; consequently the blood is impoverished and the tissues and organs of the body are debilitated. Life and Health 5 FASTING Fasting is the voluntary abstinence from food for any unusual length of time and is a remedial treatment that is to be recommended only for those who need such a measure. Men and women who are healthy and robust will probably find no advantage in fasting. In fact if a person lives in accordance with the laws of Nature, there would be no occasion for one to fast. However, the majority of individuals fail to live properly and conse- quently the body becomes diseased and debilitated. Undoubtedly the most of us eat too much and follow sedentary occupations which do not permit of sufficient and proper exercise for utilizing this large quantity of food. This surplus overburdens the digestive and assimi- lative organs and clogs up the system with impuri- ties or poisons of one kind or another. Digestion and elimination become slow and the functional activity of the whole body becomes deranged. This brings about a condition known as auto-intoxication or self-poisoning. In cases of this kind a fast produces marvelous re- sults in a very short time. It is the most effective means of body house-cleaning known. Fasting is an eliminator of accumulated toxins as well as a general restorative. The length of the fast will, of course, depend upon the strength and vitality of the faster as well as his weight. It stands to reason that a strong person can fast much longer than the weak one. It is obvious also that a person who is considerably above normal weight can abstain from food much longer than one who is at normal weight or slightly below. If a person is weak and below weight a fast of four 6 How To Get Well and Keep Well days to a week is about as long as one should attempt without supervision. However, if one is considerably above normal weight and is fairly strong, a two weeks’ fast can probably be taken without any serious difficulty. In many cases people have fasted from three to five weeks and even much longer. But do not attempt long fasts without a physical examination and then only under the direction and supervision of a physician who is experienced in this method of treatment. Persons who are extremely anemic, tubercular people and those suffer- ing from bad catarrhal disorders, should not attempt a fast of any length without supervision of a physician. Fasting is a purifying process. It brings about a rapid elimination of toxic elements and poisonous ma- terial from the body. It corrects conditions of disor- dered nutrition and assimilation and increases the activity of the eliminative organs, thus becoming a restorative to the entire system. Fasting is beneficial in practically all kinds of stom- ach and intestinal troubles. Serious conditions of the kid- neys and liver are greatly improved by fasting. This kind of treatment is short of miraculous in eczema and the va- rious skin diseases and offers the only hope of a permanent cure in many cases. The various nervous troubles are wonderfully benefited by fasting. In fact there is hardly a disorder in which the judicious use of the fasting treat- ment combined with proper rest cannot be recommended. A great many people are under the impression that fasting means starvation. Starvation does not commence until the tissues of the body have been reduced to the extent that any further deprivation of food becomes in- jurious. You can readily see, therefore, that when the body contains a sufficient amount of stored up nourish- ment upon which to live in health, one may fast for a long time before real starvation commences. Life and Health 7 In fasting, the fatty tissue of the body is consumed first and then follows the muscle tissue. The tissues of the liver, spleen and other organs together with the sub- stances of the blood are then consumed in maintaining existence. During the fast a person will lose from one- half to two pounds a day. Persons who attempt the fast for the first time usu- ally become discouraged. This is due to the fact that the first two or three days are the most trying ones. About the third day, however, the hunger disappears. During the fast the tongue will be coated. This coating indicates the condition of the alimentary tract and this is evident that the alimentary canal is now being used as a channel of elimination. When fasting, it is a good plan to drink several glasses of water a day. While on a fast very little body heat is produced. It is advisable, therefore, to take the longer fasts during the summer months. Those who take an extended fast during the winter months usually experience some dis- comfort from the cold. Only the simplest exercise should be taken while fast- ing and such exercise should be confined principally to short walks. A neutral or warm bath may be taken every day or every other day if desired. It is not advisable, however, to take cold baths during the fast. When one is fasting, considerable rest is required. You will find you can fast longer and at the same time experience a less sense of weakness if this is done. Sun and air baths should be taken daily when possible. Avoid rising out of bed quickly or rapid climbing of stairs. An enema at 85 to 98 degrees should be taken daily while on the fast. Should you experience dizziness, extreme weakness or things turn black before the eyes, it is an indication that you have fasted long enough. When you become 8 How To Get Well and Keep Well so weak that you have to remain in bed, it is not advis- able to continue the fast. One of the symptoms of the fast is a reduction in the pulse rate, although in some instances it may be in- creased. However, as long as the pulse rate does not vary more than 15 beats above or below the normal rate which is about 72 times per minute and remains strong and regular, there is no immediate cause for alarm. Variations much greater than these should be looked upon as an indication of much weakness. In this event the fast should be broken unless you are under the expert supervision of a physieian. Fasting sometimes produces a state of sleeplessness which can usually be remedied by a warm tub bath, hot water bottles at the feet or by drinking one or two glasses of hot water. Nausea and vomiting are not un- common symptoms of the fast. Although disagreeable, they do not call for any emergency measures. A glass or two of hot water containing the juice of half a lemon will usually afford relief. Fasting is a natural method of cure. The experiences of thousands, who have fasted anywhere from one to seventy-five days, have proven the value of this method as a cure for chronic and lingering diseases which seem- ingly have resisted all other methods of treatment. If you are suffering from an acute or chronic disorder and wish quick and permanent results, you should give the fast a trial. If your condition indicates that you are in need of this form of treatment and your system is not too en- feebled by the ravages of your ailment, do not hesitate to try the fasting cure. There is nothing to be afraid of. You must disabuse your mind of the idea that you are going to starve and that something dreadful is going to happen if you stop eating. Bring yourself to believe Life and Health 9 that you are going to obtain health and strength through this curative measure. Make up your mind to try this simple and natural process of fasting long enough to de- termine what value it has in your particular case. If you will do this, your battle for better health will be partly won. You will not find fasting difficult if you will lead yourself to think that you are not compelled to fast for any particular length of time. Simply resolve to skip a meal with the thought that you may eat the next meal if you so desire. When the time arrives for the next meal, make another resolution to miss this one and so on. In this way you will be able to skip several meals and you will perhaps have fasted three or four days. When you feel that you have fasted long enough, your fast should be broken with orange juice, grape juice or apple juice. From two to four ounces of the pure juice, to which water has been added if desired, should be taken every three or four hours during the day and this should be continued for two or three days. If desired the fast may be broken on strained vegetable soups. In all cases when possible the breaking of the fast should be followed by the milk diet, instructions for which you will find under the heading of Milk Diet. If for any reason you cannot take the milk, then the fast must be followed by a gradual return to solid foods, omitting such articles that your past experience has proven to disagree with you. Personally, I do not believe in long fasts; certainly not, unless they are taken under the direction of a physician experienced in this particular method of treat- ment. In the majority of cases several short fasts of from two to ten days, depending upon the ailment and condition of the person, will secure for the faster all the advantages of the prolonged fast without any of the 10 How To Get Well and Keep Well dangers and inconveniences which long fasts are apt to bring about. You must remember that the prolonged fasts rid the body of the mineral salts and precious vitamins which are essential for the maintenance of the various vital functions. Irreparable injury is liable to be produced by the long fasts -which cover several weeks’ duration. In many cases a long fast so weakens the heart muscle that it requires many months to restore its strength and in some instances it can never be brought up to its former standard of efficiency. A life of invalidism may be the result of pushing a fast beyond a reasonable length of time. Safe and scientific fasting, therefore, consists of short fasts repeated, if necessary, at various intervals. Life and Health 11 MILK DIET Of late years the exclusive use of the raw milk diet has been regarded as a specific in the successful treat- ment of practically all chronic and lingering diseases. Its use is little short of miraculous. When properly taken the tissues are literally bathed in its nutritive ele- ments. The feeble cells of the body are renewed to a state of great activity, the vital and eliminating organs strengthened, the quality and quantity of the blood in- creased, and the whole system takes on a new lease of life. In the treatment of diseases the use of the milk diet is not a new experiment. From the most ancient times the value of milk has been recognized in the treatment of various disorders. During the last fifty years, emi- nent physicians in Russia, Germany and other European countries have prescribed and advocated the “milk cure” in the treatment of different chronic diseases. In thousands of cases results have been obtained that could not have been secured by any other form of treatment. It is only within recent years, however, that the meth- odical use of the exclusive milk diet has been recognized and prescribed by American physicians in the successful treatment of chronic disorders. Raw milk contains rich stores of vitamines and enzymes with the finest quality of protein for nerve, brain and muscle building, while the fats are in a state of fine emulsion well prepared for the action of the digestive juices. It is true that milk contains only a small amount of iron but this objection is readily over- come by taking five or six quarts a day. This quantity will supply the required amount of iron and in a form easy of assimilation. 12 How To Get Well and Keep Well The ingredients of health are grown naturally in the country fields, woods and lanes. The cows, grazing in the green pastures, crop the grasses, herbs, weeds and twigs which are the sources of the widely heralded vitamines. These the cows transform into a food in which these mysterious life-giving elements are ready for our health. Then, too, the cows when outdoors have an opportunity for regular exercise which contributes to their own health. For this reason the milk diet, taken in the spring, summer or fall when the cows are consuming fresh food, gives somewhat superior results than during the winter months when the cows are on stored foods. However, do not let this deter you from taking the milk diet in the winter as the results will prove most gratify- ing at any time. In all probability milk from Holstein cows gives best results. When Holstein milk cannot be obtained, the milk from a mixed herd should be used. Milk from Jersey cows should not be used unless part of the cream is removed. In practically all chronic diseases there is a dis- turbance of the processes of digestion and nutrition, and the blood is usually deficient in quality and quan- tity. Milk, being an easily digested and assimilated food and supplying as it does every element necessary for growth of tissue and repair of worn-out cells, is the most suitable diet to bring about a rapid return of health. The composition of milk differs but slightly from that of the blood. It is the only mono diet that will remedy a large variety of diseases and preserve health and strength for an indefinite period. Disease can be cured only by and through the blood and its free circulation in every part of the body. One of the first effects of the milk diet is a rapid increase in the circulation. Persons who have suffered many Life and Health 13 years from poor circulation will experience a sense of warmth in the extremities soon after beginning the milk, an indication of better circulation. The blood formerly slow and sluggish immediately circulates freely through the small veins and capillaries, carrying with it the food necessary to repair the increased tissue waste. The first noticeable effect of the milk diet will be increased weight. If one is considerably below normal weight, the gain will be from three to five pounds a week, depending upon the quantity of milk consumed. It is not unusual to gain a pound a day during the first week or two, especially if one has preceded the milk by a few days’ fast. The added weight does not consist entirely of fat but a large part of it is good solid flesh. The increased size of the body first makes its ap- pearance in the abdomen, then the other parts of the body gradually fill out. As the diet continues, the eyes become clear and bright and the complexion gradually assume a healthy color. Before commencing the milk diet the entire alimen- tary tract should be free from the remains of solid foods. The best way to accomplish this is by a fast of at least thirty-six hours. If one feels too weak to fast, he may take orange, grape or other fruit juices two or three days before beginning the milk. During the fast the stomach contracts and the mus- cles of this organ become weak from lack of use. The milk diet, therefore, should be taken in small quantities at the beginning and gradually increased each day until the full diet is being used. After three or four days’ fast, a glassful of milk should be taken every hour during the first day. On the second day and thereafter, a glassful every half hour should be used. If you have fasted from five to eight 14 How To Get Well and Keep Well days, begin with a glassful every two hours, the second day take a glassful every hour and the third day, a glassful every half hour. In case you have fasted from ten days to two weeks, take a half glassful every two hours the first day; the second day, a glassful every two hours; the third day, a glassful every hour; and the fourth day, a glassful every half hour. A quart of milk holds four glasses. The diet should cover a period of twelve hours daily to consume the required amount. If you begin the milk at seven in the morning, you will have finished at seven in the evening, providing you have taken the milk at regular intervals. Should you skip a period or two, do not double the quantity at the next time you drink. If you wish to make up what you have lost, take a glassful every twenty minutes instead. Six quarts of milk is about the right amount for the average individual. The majority of women will find that a pint or two less will be sufficient. In some cases a man may be able to take seven and even eight quarts of milk without discomfort. Six quarts, however, is about all the system will handle without causing diges- tive disturbances. It requires approximately four quarts to retain the weight of the average person. Any amount over this furnishes additional weight when properly digested and assimilated. All foods need to be masticated and milk is no excep- tion. It should be thoroughly mixed with the saliva which dilutes it and to a high degree promotes its diges- tion. Milk when swallowed rapidly is likely to form in the stomach large and hard curds which are slowly digested. The milk should be sipped slowly and with a sucking movement of the throat so as to secure a liberal mixture of saliva. By this means the formation of hard, indigestible curds may be prevented. Life and Health 15 Should you experience an uncomfortable feeling of fullness or distress in the stomach or intestines, it is an indication that the milk is being digested with difficulty. In this event, warming the milk, removing part or all of the cream or reducing the quantity for a time, will usually remedy the trouble. If the milk produces nausea or becomes distasteful, the use of lemon juice will usually overcome the condition. In cases where the stomach does not secrete a sufficient amount of hydrochloric acid, the use of a few drops of lemon juice after every other glass or so will prove a good substitute. Ordinarily the milk should be taken cool or slightly under the temperature of the body. If one suffers from slow digestion or poor circulation, it may be taken warm. It should never be boiled nor heated over 110 degrees. Large quantities of milk require considerable amount of oxygen for its proper digestion and assimilation, therefore, spend as much time as possible in the open air. Have good ventilation in your room at all times. Some authorities on the milk diet recommend absolute rest in bed while taking the diet. I do not favor this method in the general run of cases. Of course, in such conditions as gastric ulcer, heart diseases, tuberculosis, high blood pressure, nervous exhaustion or kidney dis- eases, a considerable amount of rest is indicated. Other- wise, I believe the individual is better off to be up and around and outdoors, taking two or three times a day some form of light exercise such as walking. If you are taking the diet for the purpose of gaining weight, you should lie down an hour or two twice a day. While on the milk diet a warm sponge bath or tub bath should be taken daily. This may be followed by the cool rub if your condition permits. Six to eight weeks of a full milk diet practically re- builds the entire alimentary tract and causes every part 16 How To Get Well and Keep Well of the body to function normally. In some obstinate and stubborn diseases, it requires a longer time, possibly months before a cure can be obtained. It may be neces- sary to alternate the milk diet with a fast several times before effecting a cure. Some deep-seated disorders have required many months of the milk diet. If necessary you can take the milk diet for five or six weeks, then go on solid food for a week or two, resuming the milk diet again if desired. This can be done over and over again until the desired results are obtained. If your case is one of many years ’ standing, do not become discouraged if the milk fails to remedy your trouble in a few weeks ’ time. Remember, a few weeks of the most effective treat- ment will not always overcome the injuries of several years of wrong living. There is no question but that the raw milk, that is, milk which has not been pasteurized, produces the best results, provided of course it is clean and pure. Raw milk is rich in the three vitamines, A, B and C. Heating the milk to a certain temperature renders it incapable of supplying in the highest degree those subtle elements which are so essential to good nutrition. Practically all cities have passed strict ordinances prohibiting the sale of raw milk, thereby compelling the people to use pasteurized or the raw certified milk. Pasteurized milk is milk that has been subjected to a temperature not lower than 145 degrees (160 degrees is about the usual temperature) for not less than thirty minutes, then promptly cooled to 50 degrees or lower. The purpose of pasteurizing the milk is to prevent the transmission of communicable diseases through this source, and to safeguard municipal milk supplies. Do not give up the idea of taking the milk diet just because you are unable to obtain the raw milk. While the vitamine C is damaged by heat of 160 degrees. Life and Health 17 the vitamine A is but slightly impaired if any, while the vitamine B, being resistant to heat, is not affected by pasteurization. Orange juice, as well as lemon juice, is very rich in the vitamine C. Therefore, orange juice should be taken along with the pasteurized milk. The orange juice will have a tendency to overcome the con- stipation sometimes caused by the pasteurizing of the milk. The usual objection to the raw certified milk is the expense as the cost is nearly double to that of the pas- teurized milk. And at the present time the National Commission of Milk Standards recommends the pas- teurization even of certified milk. If you are unable to obtain clean, pure raw milk, it would be better to use the pasteurized milk, taking if desired the juice of an orange in the morning before beginning the milk, and the juice of another in the evening after finishing the milk. If you are living on a farm or in a village or town and have reasons to believe the raw milk is unclean or impure, it can be pasteurized, if you wish, in the following manner. In a tin pail about eight inches in diameter and six or seven inches in height, place a saucer. On the saucer, stand a milk bottle about half full of milk. Add suffi- cient water to bring it a little above the level of the milk in the bottle. Place the tin pail and its contents upon the stove, watching the water constantly till it begins to boil. Allow the pail to remain on the stove five minutes after the bubbles begin to come up. Then take off the stove and allow the milk to stand in the water from twenty to twenty-five minutes. Cool the milk rapidly and place in the ice box. The milk is now pasteurized. Remember pasteurization does not make dirty milk clean but it makes clean milk safe. There is no better treatment for increasing the 18 How To Get Well and Keep Well strength and size of the muscles of the intestines than several weeks of the milk diet. This in itself is sufficient in many cases to remedy constipation which has existed many years. In the beginning, however, many individ- uals experience constipation with the milk. The bowels, of course, will not usually move of their own accord until the full diet is being taken. It will, therefore, be neces- sary to take an enema daily in commencing the diet. Should constipation exist when you have reached the full milk diet, the juice of an orange night and morning will help to overcome the difficulty. The juice should be taken in the morning not less than thirty minutes before beginning the milk and about one or two hours after finishing the milk for the day. If this does not remedy the trouble, a saucerful of raw sterilized bran and agar- agar, about equal parts of each, may be used during the day. A teaspoonful or two of this should be taken at intervals throughout the day. Simply the sterilized bran will often accomplish the desired results. Four or five stalks of celery eaten the first thing in the morning are also effective. Figs and prunes are laxative and may be used if necessary. Deep breathing is helpful. The bend- ing and twisting exercises are valuable aids. Some use mineral oils for the purpose. Peaches, pears and apples are used occasionally. In such cases two are usually suf- ficient, one in the morning and another in the evening. However, the less fruit and other substances you add to the milk diet, the better the results will be. After you are on the full milk diet a few days, the bowels should be given a chance to move of their own accord. After taking an enema one day, omit it the following day and if the bowels do not move that day, take the enema the next day. It is best, however, that the bowels move every day. Only small enemas should be used with the milk diet. Life and Health 19 Do not be discouraged if the bowels do not move of their own accord for several days or even weeks. The bowels will usually become normal in action as soon as the muscular walls have been built up sufficiently. I have seen several people on the milk diet who were obliged to take enemas two or three months before they had normal bowel movements. In some cases diarrhea is experienced while taking the milk. In such cases the person can often take three or four quarts of milk without trouble but a larger quantity will produce excessive bowel movements. When this condition exists, the quantity of milk should be reduced, some of the cream removed, and the amount of milk gradually increased. A few dates, toast, or white crackers will help to check the diarrhea. Occasionally junket or sumik can be used in place of the sweet milk. No fruits should be taken with the milk if the bowels are loose. Do not become alarmed if the bowels move three or even four times a day, if they do not make you weak. On the other hand, if they move several times a day and continue to do so, it is better to discontinue the milk diet. Or perhaps you might be able to take three quarts of milk and one meal of solid foods a day. As the composition of milk is largely water, the void- ing of the urine must necessarily take place frequently during the full milk diet. This large amount of water helps flush out the system and contributes in a large measure to the overcoming of constipation. In diseases of a catarrhal nature there will usually be increased discharges for a few days while on milk. As the system becomes cleansed of waste material, the catarrhal discharge will cease. As a rule the tongue re- mains coated during the milk diet. In cases of hyperacidity or acid conditions of the stomach, the milk will prove very efficacious. It requires 20 How To Get Well and Keep Well a large amount of acid for its digestion. As milk has an excess of basic or alkaline forming elements, it quickly relieves all acid conditions of the system. There are often cases of rheumatism, auto-intoxica- tion, liver disorders, digestive disturbances, etc., where the sweet milk causes trouble or produces a large amount of gas, or for some other reason does not agree with the individual. In such cases the sour milk diet, known as sumik, will produce better results. Sumik is sweet milk which has been allowed to sour with the cream on. It is prepared by setting in a warm place for 24 to 36 hours, or until it is thick or clabbered. It is then poured into a large dish and beaten with an egg beater until it is the consistency of thick cream. Sour milk contains lactic acid which is of especial value in combating putrefaction in the intestinal tract. The sour milk is more easily digested than the sweet and for this reason, one can usually obtain as much nourish- ment from five or five and a half quarts of the sumik as he can from six quarts of the sweet milk. In some cases of impaired function of the digestive organs, the sweet milk has a tendency to produce a large amount of gas in the stomach and intestines, which be- comes very distressing at times. The treatment in such conditions is to reduce or remove the cream from the milk or to use sumik instead. Even then in a number of cases this does not overcome the trouble sufficiently to relieve distressing symptoms, and besides, many peo- ple cannot tolerate the sour milk for any length of time. Under such circumstances junket should be given a trial. The junket tablets can be obtained from your grocery store—practically all grocery stores keep them. Add the tablets to the sweet milk according to the direc- tions with the package. These will thicken the milk and at the same time preserve the sweetness. This will Life and Health 21 make the milk more easily digested because the curds will be softened so the digestive juices can penetrate the food more thoroughly. In some instances it will be ad- visable to alternate buttermilk with the junket. To do this, take a glass of junket two consecutive periods and then a glass of buttermilk at the next period and con- tinue taking the junket and buttermilk in this order throughout the day. To discontinue the milk diet, drink the milk in the regular way until one o’clock in the afternoon, then drink nothing except water until five or six o ’clock when you should eat a light supper. The meal should consist of soup, whole wheat or bran bread, one or two different kinds of vegetables, a dish of fruit sauce and a poached or soft boiled egg if desired. The foods may be varied to suit the individual. This plan is followed for three or four days when the regular meals may be eaten. It is a good plan, however, after eating one meal for a few days, to eat the noon and evening meals and simply drink a pint of milk for breakfast for two or three days, after which the three meals of solid food may be taken. When going back to solid foods, carefully avoid such foods that your experience in the past has proven disagreeable. If the exclusive milk diet is followed by a proper regime, there is no reason why one cannot retain the weight gained. It is better that a person does not drop the milk altogether, particularly if the digestive and assimilative powers have been poor, but continue with three to five glasses each day with the meals for a long time. Many people find that the sour milk agrees with them better than the sweet milk when used in connec- tion with their meals. Buttermilk may be used if de- sired. Many take the milk diet combined with the rest cure and after discontinuing it, take up more or less 22 How To Get Welt and Keep Well strenuous exercise before the muscles have become hard- ened and in this manner some weight is lost, which is to be expected. If the muscles become sufficiently hard- ened and one does not live too exclusively on a raw food diet, he should be able to keep the weight gained while on the milk. The milk diet treatment is a simple thing. It does not require any expensive apparatus and is within the reach of everyone. No possible harm can come from the judicious use of it. For the first few days you may experience pain or unpleasant symptoms but these will gradually disappear as the system adjusts itself to the new diet. If women experience considerable pain dur- ing the menstruation period while taking the full milk diet, the quantity may be reduced for a few days. Those who continue the milk diet for several weeks will have little or no pain during the menstruation. In advanced cases of consumption in which the lung tissues are weak- ened, the milk diet should be used with caution, owing to the possibility of hemorrhages. It should be used in small quantities and gradually increased as the lungs become strengthened. It is a significant fact that the physically big races of mankind are milk drinkers, while races of lesser stature consume little or no milk. It is also evident that the races of large stature dominate the world in a general sense. Large stature is mainly due to bone growth, and cal- cium (lime) is the principal solid element of bone. Milk is the food richest in calcium. It also contains an abundance of nerve, tissue, brain and blood-making ele- ments. A person drinking six quarts of milk is receiving about 4000 calories. Life and Health 23 The composition of cow’s milk is as follows: Water 86.8% Proteins 4.0% Fats 3.7% Sugar 4.8% Salts 0.7% These salts are in an organic state ready for imme- diate assimilation. The salts of cow’s milk are made up of all the different mineral elements in various quanti- ties and are named, according to the quantity contained, in the following order: Potassium, phosphorus, calcium, chlorine, sodium, magnesium, iron, sulphur and silicon. If you are struggling for better health, hy all means give the milk diet a trial and when possible use the raw unpasteurized milk. 24 How To Get Well and Keep Well MEAT DIET The use of the exclusive meat diet in the treatment of chronic disease was originated by Dr. Salisbury, who began the practice of medicine in 1850. He used the diet largely in the treatment of consumption. Of late years the exclusive meat diet has been used with great suc- cess in cases of defective assimilation and depleted vitality in which, for some reason, the milk diet could not be taken. There is no question but that meat when properly prepared is easily digested and readily assimi- lated. In taking the meat diet the round steak should be used and all gristle or cartilage should be removed. The meat should be put through a meat grinder or chopped very finely. It is then formed into a compact layer not over three-quarters of an inch in thickness, and placed onto a close meshed wire broiler, when it is held over live coals or a bright blaze until done through. It should be held over the fire until the redness of the meat disappears. If it is not convenient to broil the steak, it may be placed in a vessel in which there is a very small quantity of boiling water, and allowed to simmer until the redness is gone. It is then ready for serving. Very little, if any, salt should be used on the meat. The meat diet should be used three times a day— morning, noon and night. During the first day, one- quarter of a pound of meat should be taken at each meal; the second day, three-eighths of a pound at each meal; the third day, one-half of a pound at each meal; and thereafter, as mueh more as the appetite demands and the system seems able to take care of. Life and Health 25 While using the meat diet several glasses of hot water, as hot as can be comfortably borne, should be drunk each day. A glassful of hot water should be used with the meals and one or two glassfuls of hot water should be drunk from one-half to one hour before each meal. An hour before going to bed, one or two more glassfuls of hot water should be taken. After several weeks of this diet, or when one has obtained considerable improvement, a little whole wheat bread or boiled rice may be used with the meals. At first only a few mouthfuls should be used, and if these are readily digested without discomfort, larger quanti- ties can gradually be added. After a cure has been effected or the health suffi- ciently improved to discontinue the meat diet, the meat can be gradually discontinued as one adds other foods to the diet. When the milk or sumik diet cannot be taken, the meat diet is of distinct advantage. The results are usually much slower on the meat diet than on the milk. In most cases one will experience a feeling of weakness while on the exclusive meat diet, but as soon as bread, rice or other foods are added, this feeling will disap- pear. In some instances two or three weeks of the meat diet will enable one to take the milk diet. The meat diet is valuable in diabetes, Bright’s dis- ease, rheumatism, stomach troubles, consumption and many other diseases in which the milk diet cannot be taken. 26 Flow To Get Well and Keep Well GENERAL DIET Proper food is probably the most important factor to be taken into consideration in the successful treatment and cure of all chronic diseases. Nearly all chronic diseases are associated in some way with wTrong eating and an individual cannot expect a permanent cure until he is educated along the lines of diet. There is no topic pertaining to health that is of greater interest to me than the diet question and I believe food of the right kind and proper amount is the most powerful of all curative agencies. Not only the person suffering from disease must have the proper food, but also the individual in good health must use proper foods in right proportions if he wishes to retain a high standard of good health. The human body is a chemical composition of sixteen principal elements: Oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, car- bon, chlorine, fluorine, iron, phosphorus, calcium, potas- sium, magnesium, manganese, sodium, sulphur, silicon and iodine. Every element has to perform a certain duty and if the blood and tissue building mineral salts are not supplied in sufficient quantities or any of them are missing, the health will soon become impaired. These elements are nature’s only means to establish, re-estab- lish and maintain an equilibrium between the construc- tive and destructive functions. The daily average requirement of tissue salts to main- tain a healthy body is about one-half ounce, therefore a diet that does not contain this amount of organic salts is not a suitable one. White bread, meat, potatoes, pie, cake and other cooked foods do not contain these mineral salts in sufficient quantities and during the process of cooking, most of them are lost or made unassimilative. Life and Health 27 Such a diet is too rich in acid-forming material and, being robbed of its alkaline ingredients, cannot neutral- ize the acid of fermentation nor the acids of the stomach. Meat and some other cooked foods have a tendency to decay in the intestines and the gases formed penetrate the alimentary walls and saturate the entire system. In this manner the blood becomes saturated with waste material that clogs the capillaries and causes painful congestions and brings about a state of auto-intoxication. The blood is the life of the body. To be 100% efficient one must have twenty-five billion of perfect, round, disk-shaped corpuscles. The function of the red corpuscles and plasma is to carry nourishment and oxygen to the various parts of the body and to carry worn-out cells and other poisonous matter to the elimina- tive organs. Meat and other cooked foods that decay in the digestive tract, manufacture poisons which de- generate these round disks to vitiated, cross-shaped corpuscles ready to die and drop out of activity, thus putting a larger burden on the live ones. Fruits and vegetables together with nuts and un- cooked cereals are very rich in organic tissue salts and as this diet does not readily ferment nor decay in the alimentary canal to produce toxic elements, it is nat- urally the proper diet for the cure of diseases and for maintaining a body free from sickness. Natural foods promote all natural functions of the body. They keep the stomach sweet and induce peristalsis of the intestines and carry off intestinal poisons and rid the system of these dangerous toxic products, which if allowed to remain, would eventually bring about a diseased condition in some particular part of the body. Therefore, a natural diet is the first essen- tial in the restoration of health as well as its main- tenance. 28 How To Get Well and Keep Well In 1907, thirteen English physieians issued a remark- able manifesto in which they said: “We, the under- signed medical men, having carefully considered the sub- ject of vegetarianism in its scientific aspects and having put its principles to the test of actual experience hereby record an emphatic opinion that not only is the practice based on a truly scientific foundation, but it is conducive to the best physical conditions of human life. ’ ’ An English authority named Easton has compiled a list of many hundreds of persons who have lived over 100 years and he has found that these long-lived men and women were all people of extremely simple habits and were almost without exception practically vege- tarians. Disease is a disturbance of function or structure of any organ or part of the body. Chronic diseases are associated with an accumulation of foreign matter, waste products, dead cells, poisonous elements and dangerous toxins. These poisonous products are the result of low- ered vitality, imperfect elimination and faulty digestion brought about by a sluggish functioning of every organ. Such a condition of the body is due to the use of meat, denatured, demineralized and devitalized foods which have interfered with the natural metabolism of the sys- tem. Such a diet is the cause of 90% of all diseases of the body and mind. Natural foods properly selected, scientifically com- bined and judiciously administered have true remedical Value for curing diseases by supplying the proper saline elements in the organic form. These organic mineral ele- ments in food preserve the tissues from disorganization and putrefaction. Remember, these vitalizing mineral salts and vitamines are vital to health and ward off dis- ease and premature old age. A diet in which there is an abundance of these physiological and regenerative ele- Life and Health 29 ments will bring back the superb vitality, the glowing health and the supreme joy of youth. There are six essential food elements. These are known as proteins, carbohydrates, fats, mineral salts, vitamines and cellulose. Proteins build blood and muscles, glands, nerves and other tissues of the body. Some of the principal foods containing a large amount of protein are meat, eggs, fish, cheese, beans, peas, lentils and nuts. Proteins, when taken in excess of the actual needs of the body for tissue building, have a tendency to produce auto-intoxication with its attending evils. This excess places a tremendous amount of burden on the liver and kidneys in their work of eliminating the poisonous waste from the un- utilized protein of the food. Unless one is doing outdoor work or taking active exercise, the protein ration should be small. The majority of people, particularly the indoor worker, use more protein food than is actually required to make good the daily wear and tear of the body. Those suffering from disorders, which have been brought about chiefly by a toxic condition of the system, should use protein foods sparingly or adopt a low protein diet. Carbohydrates supply energy for work, play and other forms of vital activity, and furnish fuel to main- tain heat. This element of food consists mainly of starches and sugars. The starches are derived princi- pally from cereals or grains in all forms, and Irish potatoes, sweet potatoes, bananas and peanuts contain much starch. Practically all vegetables contain a certain amount of starch. The non-starchy vegetables; that is, those containing the least amount of starch are as follows: 30 How To Get Well and Keep Well Green beans Cabbage Cauliflower Green corn Spinach Dandelion greens Radish Parsley Onions Beet-top greens Green peas Lettuce Celery Asparagus Endive Some of the vegetables containing more starch are: Beets Turnips Salsify Squash Pumpkin Rutabaga Carrots Parsnips An over-consumption of starch has a tendency to cause constipation, flatulence, digestive disorders, tuber- culosis, enlarged tonsils, etc. The majority of persons eat more of the decidedly starchy foods than is neces- sary, to the exclusion of vegetables. The food sweets of all kinds are: Cane sugar Honey Syrups Candies Dates Figs Maple sugar Bananas, ripe Grapes, sweet Apples, sweet Other sweet fruit Candy and cane sugar should be used sparingly, as an excessive amount of these tend to produce gastric catarrh, hyperacidity, diabetes and torpid liver. Fats, like the starches and sugars, supply fuel for the body heat and serve as a source for the expenditure of energy. As heat producers, fats have double the value of starches and sugars, but the fats are more difficult of absorption. The principal foods rich in fats are butter, cream, egg yolk, fats of animals, olive oil, cod-liver oil and the oils of most nuts. An excessive amount of fat tends to cause digestive disturbance, derangement of the biliary function and acidosis. During the summer months the intake of fats should be reduced to the minimum. Mineral Salts are essential to life and health. The Life and Health 31 principal mineral elements found in food are potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, sulphur, silicon, chlorine and iodine. Potassium is required for generating electric forces in the body for building up new tissues, flesh, bones and muscles. It gives flexibility and suppleness to the muscles, joints and arteries. Sodium is a necessary con- stituent of the gastric juice and is found in all fluids of the body. It is valuable for eliminating uric acid from the system. Calcium is the valuable remedy for the young and growing and is especially beneficial in convalescence following various diseases. The bones of the body are composed principally of lime. This ele- ment gives tone to the muscles, while the lack of it is a common cause of decay of the teeth. Magnesium is a powerful aid in the elimination of waste from the sys- tem. It enters into the composition of nerve and muscle cells. Iron carries oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body. It gives strength to the nerves and muscles and makes pure, rich, red blood. Phosphorus is a stimu- lant to the nerves and brain. Without this element, the bones deteriorate and lung tissues become a prey to bacilli, which under normal conditions, are destroyed by the phosphoric acid secreted by healthy lungs. Sulphur is a laxative and assists in removing rheumatism, gout and skin disorders. It is also valuable in the function of the nerves. Silicon absorbs poisonous gases in the stomach and bowels and is a particular substance in the cells of connective tissue. Chlorine is valuable in cases of dyspepsia, biliousness and all disorders of the stomach and intestinal tract. Iodine is necessary for the proper function of the thyroid gland. Some of the principal foods rich in iron which make new blood are as follows: 32 How To Get Well and Keep Well Dandelion greens Mustard greens Whole wheat Whole barley Whole rye Whole corn Graham flour Brown rice Prunes, dry Lentils, dry Peas, dry Figs, dry Lima beans Oatmeal Raisins Olives Spinach Almonds Walnuts Hazelnuts Eggs Dates Endive Chard Some of the principal foods rich in calcium (lime) are as follows: Whole milk Skimmed milk Buttermilk Sour milk Cottage cheese Mustard greens Dandelion greens Cauliflower Spinach Figs, dry Soy beans Maple syrup Olives Eggs Hazelnuts Almonds Endive Beans Chard Cheese Boston brown bread Owing to lack of space it will be impossible to give lists of different foods which are rich in the various other mineral elements. It may be said, however, that the use of foods containing sufficient quantities of iron and cal- cium, with the use of other fruit and vegetables, will supply the required amounts of the various other min- eral salts. Iron and calcium are the two most important mineral salts of the body. Vitamines are present in various quantities in dif- ferent foods. A discussion of them will be found in another chapter under the heading of vitamines. Cellulose is supplied principally by vegetable products and gives to the intestinal contents the bulk necessary to stimulate peristaltic activity. For this reason a certain amount of vegetables is necessary each day in the diet. When this roughage is lacking, consti- pation, digestive troubles and auto-intoxication are usually the result. Bran is an excellent roughage. It can be used raw or in the form of bread and muffins. Life and Health 33 Fruits are indispensable to the health of man. Their chief value lies in the sugars, mineral salts, vitamines and various acids which they contain. These acids are changed into carbonates in the blood and this tends to render the blood more alkaline than is ordinarily. Fruits are valuable because of their laxative proper- ties and the beneficial effect they have upon the digestive operations. A fruit diet of oranges, apples, pears, peaches, grape- fruit or grapes for a few days is an excellent means of bringing about an antitoxic condition of the system. The grape diet is very popular in the Grape Cure Insti- tutions of Europe in the treatment of various chronic disorders. The first day the patient takes two pounds of grapes, increasing one pound daily until the maximum of twelve pounds per day is reached. No other foods are allowed. Another method is to take three pounds of grapes three times a day, consuming nine pounds during the day. The grapes should be fresh and ripe and thor- oughly washed. A good method of taking the fruit diet is to eat at each meal two oranges and one apple, eating three meals a day. Or two oranges and one pear or a peach may be used. Drink six to eight glasses of water during the day. This diet may be continued for several days. By using a quart of milk a day with the fruit, the diet can be continued for a long time. Acid and sub-acid fruits, when eaten ripe and un- cooked, furnish organic digestive chemicals similar to pepsin. This class of fruit also supplies the active phos- phorus compounds for brain, nerves, spinal cord, bone marrow and muscles. 34 How To Get Well and Keep Well The acid fruits are as follows : Lemon Orange Lime Tomato Pineapple Grapefruit Gooseberry Cranberry Tangerine Rhubarb Red currant And some varieties of apples and strawberries. The sub-acid fruits are: Apricot Apple Plum Strawberry Raspberry Nectarines Cherry Pear Peach Sweet fruits are very rich in sugar which in the source of animal heat and energy. Sweet fruits contain fruit sugar which is far superior to the refined sugar of commerce. The growing child, and those engaged in muscular activities, will find the natural sugar as con- tained in fruits an ideal source of energy, and in a form readily assimilated. The sweet fruits are as follows: Date Fig Raisin Prune Blackberry Blueberry Dried currant Canteloupe Mulberry Persimmon Grapes Melons It is well to remember that pickles, catsup, mustard, pepper, vinegar, spices, etc., have no nutritive value and are harmful if eaten to any extent. Salt should be used sparingly. Tea and coffee are harmful. Cocoa and chocolate should be used sparingly. White bread, pork, cheese, baked beans, corn beef and cabbage, fat meats, rich puddings, dumplings, pie, cake, sausage, griddle cakes, and all fried foods are difficult of digestion. Acid and sub-acid fruit should not be eaten at the same meal with starchy foods. Sweet milk should not be used at the same meal with meat. If possible, do not eat starchy foods with meat. Do not eat more than two eggs a day. Life and Health 35 Do not eat meat oftener than once a day. Sedentary workers should not eat meat oftener than two or three times a week and during the summer months it should be eliminated entirely from the diet. Meats should never be fried. Some vegetables, greens or a vegetable salad should be eaten twice a day. Desserts should consist of jello, junket, custard, rice, bread pudding, prune whip, apple sauce, baked apples, pineapple, melon or other fruit. All cooked vegetables should be boiled in as little water as possible. This water should he saved and used for soups, broths, etc., as it contains valuable mineral salts which the boiling has extracted from the vegetables. Nuts contain as much protein as meat and should be used as a substitute to a large extent. They are very nutritious and rich in lime and iron, the two important mineral salts of the body. They should he thoroughly masticated. In the treatment of constipation and chronic dis- eases, laxative foods should be used in sufficient quanti- ties to produce a free movement of the bowels at least once a day—twice would be better. This can he accom- plished by the use of laxative foods. In addition to the large amount of cellulose which they contain, they also supply large quantities of lime, iron, vitamines and other essential mineral salts. The laxative foods are as follows: Apples Plums Peaches Oranges Pears Grapefruit Pineapples Grapes Figs Prunes Spinach Cauliflower Tomatoes Lettuce Onions Turnips Celery- Parsnips Oatmeal Raisins Green peas Cabbage, raw Carrots String beans Dandelion greens Beet-top greens Mustard greens Buttermilk Whole wheat Bran 36 How To Get Well and Keep Well The following are constipating foods: White bread Pastry Cornstarch Sago Sweet milk Cheese Eggs Rice Tea Coffee Salt meat Pickled meat Mixed dishes Spiced foods White crackers If you are suffering from any form of chronic ail- ment, the food question for you is a vital problem. Whatever form of treatment you use you will be unable to obtain a cure unless the dietetic question is taken into consideration. As long as you continue to eat as you have been doing in the past, you are simply feeding your disease and it is with a grave risk that you consume such foods. A robust person, if he gets plenty of sun- shine, fresh air and outdoor exercise, can maintain a fair condition of health with the use of meat, white bread, pastry, fried foods, etc., providing he uses some fruits and vegetables, but unfortunately the majority of people are not able to lead an active outdoor life, hence they must depend upon a proper diet suited to their mode of living. The true art of healing is employed in that system of cure which removes the cause of the disease and assists vitality to correct the injury and restore normality of function. Nature can be depended upon to cure all dis- eases after their prime cause is removed. A diet rich in tissue-building organic mineral salts and vitamines that will leave the stomach sweet and clean and not clog, cake and decay in the intestines, and which stimulates intestinal activity and corrects the toxic condition of the entire alimentary tract, is the first essential in re- moving the cause. Natural foods in combination with physical culture methods will build up bodies of beauty, strength and perfection and restore youthful vitality, vim, snap, en- durance, courage and resistance. Life and Health 37 VITAMINES It is only within the last few years that it has been discovered that there is an important element in food which is absolutely necessary in the maintenance of nor- mal physiology. This was discovered several years ago by Casimir Funk who named this element “vitamine.” It is now known that there are at least three of these vitamines, each serving some particular function in nutrition. One of the is soluble in fat and the other two in water. It has been proven that there is a close resemblance between the so-called vitamines and the products of in- ternal secretion. While they may not be actual building material in the process of nutrition, it is at least certain that they are absolutely essential to the utilization of this building material. The function of the vitamines seem in some way to be concerned with the stimulation of the internal secretory glands. Like the organic mineral salts, the vitamines are found in the vegetable kingdom, in fruit and in natural or unrefined foods. These vitamines are vital substances in natural foods which are vital to the vitality of the eater. By modern commercial processes of refining or chemically treating many foods, these vitamines as well as the mineral salts are removed, lost or chemically changed, so that they are no longer available for the sustenance of vital force. Vitamine deficiency and lack of sufficient mineral salts are responsible for practically all chronic and lin- gering diseases. The absence of these elements from the dietary leads to functional and degenerative changes in the central nervous system and to similar changes in every organ and tissue of the body. 38 How To Get Well and Keep Well The symptoms complex resulting from the absence of these substances are chronic inanition or mineral star- vation; derangements of the functions of the organs of digestion and assimilation, disordered endocrine function and malnutrition of the nervous system. Certain organs of the body atrophy or diminish in size when these elements are lacking in the system. These organs in the severity named are: the testicles, the spleen, the ovary, the pancreas, the heart, the liver, the kidneys, the stomach, the thyroid, and the brain. Gas- trie, intestinal, biliary and pancreatic insufficiency are important consequences of a dietary too rich in starch and too poor in vitamines and other essential constituents of food. Vitamine deficiency also has a noticeable effect on the organs of reproduction, in both the male and female, resulting frequently in sterility. The vitamines known at the present time are: A—Fat-soluble (anti-rickets). B—Water-soluble (anti-beri beri). C—Water-soluble (anti-scurvy). The fat-soluble A vitamine is a growth-producing vitamine and is of especial importance to growing chil- dren. Recent experiments have shown that it prevents rickets as well as sore eyes. Some of the foods especially rich in vitamine are: Unskimmed raw milk, egg yolk, butter, cream, celery, lettuce, cod-liver oil, spinach (dried), fresh tomatoes, greens and the liver, heart and kidneys of animals. The water-soluble B vitamine seems to be of the great- est importance of the three. It has been proven that the other vitamine factors are practically inactive except in the presence of vitamine B. This vitamine supplies nerve reserve, is a preventive and cure for certain forms of neuritis and nervous debility, and is a powerful aid to the assimilation of food. Its absence produces a dis- Life and Health 39 tressing malady known as beri-beri. Some of the foods especially rich in this vitamine are: Milk, egg yolk, nuts, tomatoes, fish, beans, oats, peas, wheat, barley, corn and other cereals. The water-soluble C vitamine is found in large quan- tities in the juices of fresh fruits and vegetables. Orange, lemon and grapefruit particularly contain large amounts. Its absence in the diet produces a disease known as scurvy, and is a contributing factor to decay of the teeth. Some of the foods especially rich in this vitamine are: Raw milk, tomatoes, fresh cabbage, fresh fruit and fresh vegetables. The efficiency of the vitamines is greatly impaired or destroyed by excessive heat. Canned foods are there- fore deficient in vitamines as well as other mineral ele- ments and should never constitute a large portion of the diet. To insure a sufficient supply of the different vita- mines, a varied selection of fresh fruit and fresh vege- tables should make up a large part of one’s meals. 40 How To Get Well and Keep Well REST AND RECREATION The wonderful beauties of nature give rise to the most delightful sensations of existence. It is because of this that God created Adam and Eve and placed them in the Garden of Eden, a place of Paradise, that they might enjoy a blissful existence through the splendor and beauty of nature’s marvelous handiwork. God made man to live out under the open sky with heaven smiling upon him and the glorious sunshine and pure air bathing him and supplying him with life and energy. In the world of nature, light, actinic rays and rays of radium and electrical forces are operating upon us constantly from the great solar system above. When we live out of doors we are exposed to those natural agencies which are essential for the mainten- ance of life. These powerful forces tone up our bodies and give us health, youth and beauty, renewing the body with creative forces fresh from the heart of life. The majority of chronic diseases of modern times are due to sedentary indoor occupations and suffered by those who are deprived of sufficient activities in the open air. This is the cause for much of the nervousness and general debility that are so manifest in the civilized people of today. Oxygen is a powerful stimulant of the nervous sys- tem. It is the one element most closely allied to human life. Every breath of air upon which the sun is shining is charged with vibrating rays of creative energy. This great life-giving element wTill destroy diseased cells, renew energy to the blood and bring an exalted state of well-being. To keep strong and healthy people must spend a Life and Health 41 portion of their time in the outdoor air and sunshine. Health and vigor await those who bow to nature’s demands. Beautiful scenery, rambles in meadows rich with fragrant grasses or along the flowery banks of water courses afford an agreeable stimulus to the vital forces. “Hiking for health’’ should become a slogan for all those who are desirous of building up a better condition of health. Walking can be made more enjoyable when accompanied by someone who can carry on a pleasant conversation. If possible, spend one day a week in “hik- ing for health.” Walking is one of the most efficient means of physical eulture as it calls all the muscles into action and pro- duces the amount of tension requisite for their tonicity. Long walks or protracted physical exercise of any kind should never be undertaken immediately after meals. Pleasurable objects are essential to a healthy walk. People who in the city find it difficult to walk a few blocks, can pace off several miles in the country with pleasure and it means health, happiness and a long life. The majority of our great artists, musicians and authors have received some of their best inspirations while com- muning with nature, and contribute much of their health to this valuable exercise. It is a common thing to hear the doctor say, “Keep out of doors as much as possible, take plenty of exercise in the open air, etc.” He tells you this because he knows that the cure lies in the forces of nature and not in the drugs and medicine that he has been giving you. If you are seeking a form of exercise or recreation that will prove pleasant, simple and healthful, take a short hike one day each week. Get out of the city— away from the noise, confusion and bustle. If you do 42 How To Get Well and Keep Well not feel like walking, then repose for several hours in the open air and sunshine amidst the tranquility of nature. If you do this, strength and vitality, formerly low and broken, will arise with astonishing assurance, vital energy and strength return; increased nerve-elas- ticity and an undreamed of sensation of powerful health will all make themselves felt. With this new creative power there will come a feeling of physical rejuvenation and unlimited efficiency. Civilization has done much to handicap the great works of nature. We are getting too highly civilized. The trend of modern times is toward indoor occupations and indoor pleasures. When man is shut away from the sunshine and the great out-of-doors he begins to suffer. The natural stimuli by which the wheels of health are kept running are missing. The nerve cells become weak, the blood becomes low and deprived of its richness, and the whole system in general becomes debilitated. It is confine- ment in close rooms that conduces to colds and pneu- monia and renders the body subject to the various dis- eases that prevail in that season of the year. You will find new life and joy in the free out-of- doors and it means better health, longer life and more happiness. You will feel a new force of pulsating life and a strength of freedom and independence. You will feel in your heart the spirit of summer- time. Give yourself away to the magic of it. Bathe in the glorious sunshine of nature. It will rejuvenate you. No one can enjoy the best of health without a suffi- cient amount of rest and recreation. In this day and age of vast commercialism, people devote their time and energy in the accumulation of wealth and not sufficient time in the conservation of their health. The result Life and Health 43 is a gradual reduction of nervous energy and undermin- ing of the health. No person is so busy but that he or she can find some time for rest and recreation. The retention of health and good physical condition is the first requisite of mental efficiency. To retain the bodily standards nature originally intended, demands a certain amount of outdoor recreation each day. Practically everyone realizes the value and necessity to the indoor worker of the yearly vacation. The sen- sible employer will not begrudge the employee his two- weeks’ absence because he knows he will likewise share in a business way the employee’s accumulation of better health and nervous energy acquired during the vaca- tion period. A great many concerns now recognize the value of the yearly vacation and a large number of them make a practice of closing their factories for two weeks each year in order that all the employees may have an opportunity for a vacation. If you want to lay up for yourself a great store of physical reserve and good health, make a vow that you will spend as much time as possible in the open air. Give in to the call of the open and permit yourself to be lured into the parks, the woodlands and the fields. Frolic in the sunshine, cultivate the desire to be young and happy. No matter how many years have passed over your head, you can retain your youthfulness and lengthen your days of usefulness by getting close to nature, and it will mark the beginning of the best years of your life. How To Get Well and Keep Well SUN BATHS There is nothing more beautiful and gladdening than the glorious sunlight. For thousands of years man has enjoyed the beneficial effects of this wonderful light, and through all this vast period of time, the effects of sunlight have been essential to the sustaining of life and the cure of disease. Sunlight is as essential for the welfare of the human being as it is for a living plant. A flower planted in the shade will never equal the splendid development of a flower that is planted in a locality where it receives the sunlight part or all of the day. And so it is with the human body. The person who lives in the light of the sun will develop a strong healthy mind and body, whereas the one who follows a vocation that deprives him of the sunlight will soon begin to show the signs of disease and premature age. The sun has a temperature of approximately 8,000 centigrades or 14,400 degrees Fahrenheit and is the most powerful force in Nature, without which there would be no healthy or natural development. The earth re- ceives energy from the sun and a stream of energy is continuously flowing from this luminous source. When viewed through the prism the sunlight con- sists of a series of brilliant colors similar to the rainbow. These colors are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet and ultra-violet. The red and orange are the heat rays; the green and yellow, the light rays; and the blue, violet and ultra-violet, the chemical rays. The longest rays that are visible are the red rays, but beyond them are the longer, invisible, infra red or heat waves which comprise all radiant heat. Beyond Life and Health 45 the infra rays are the still longer rays, known as the Hertzian waves, named after their discoverer, Doctor Hertz, who discovered them in 1877. These rays are also invisible and on them depend the great scientific development of the age, the wireless telegraph. The shortest visible rays are the blue and violet, while beyond them are the shorter invisible ultra-violet rays or chemical rays. Beyond them again are to be found the still shorter Roentgen rays and the radium gamma rays. The ultra-violet rays, sometimes called chemical or actinic rays, are present in large quantities in the sun- light and it is upon these rays that the principal thera- peutic value is placed. It has now been proven that sunlight exercises a powerful action on the nourishment of living creatures and that when these rays penetrate into the depth of the organism, they bring about an increase of metabol- ism in all the tissues. Such an action is simultaneously bactericidal, oxidizing, pain alleviating, granulating and tissue modifying. Sunlight is essential for the rapid recovery of chronic and lingering diseases and there is practically no disease in which the judicious use of the sun bath cannot be employed with beneficial results. Hundreds of cases have come under the observation of the author where the sun bath was a part of the cure and improvement in general health has been evident in all cases, sometimes surprising. Locally, as well, splendid results have been obtained. Patients convalescing from acute diseases or suffer- ing from chronic ailments should receive the influence of the sun’s rays in the open air when possible. A sun bath taken through glass loses, to a large extent, its value as the ultra-violet rays, which are of the greatest 46 How To Get Well and Keep Well importance in light therapeutics, cannot penetrate through glass. The rays of the sun stimulate all the functions of the body into activity. Digestion and nutrition are improved, circulation of the blood and lymph is has- tened, skin elimination is increased and morbid tissue broken down. The hemoglobin and red blood cells are materially increased under the influence of the sun. Of particular importance is the action of the sun upon the activity of the skin. Through its millions of pores it removes a large part of the impurities, which incessantly accumulate in the system and often causes a condition of the blood which is commonly called auto- intoxication or self-poisoning. Many patients can credit their recovery to the influ- ence of a sun bath and diseases which have baffled the skill of physicians have been known to yield when this form of treatment was employed. To those seeking a cure from disease or striving for better health, a sun bath, whenever possible, should form part of their daily treatment. In the treatment of diseases by sunlight the entire body in its nude condition should be exposed to the direct rays of the sun. Owing to their circumstances a great many persons, however, will not be able to take a sun bath in this manner. In this event the clothing can be removed above the waist and this part of the body exposed to the direct rays of the sun. As the vital organs are situated in this portion of the body, a sun bath taken in this way will bring about results that will prove gratifying. People who reside in flats and city homes can stand or sit before an open window in this condition and secure the beneficial effects of the sun’s rays while the more fortunate ones living in the country may be able to take a sun bath with the entire Life and Health 47 body exposed to the direct rays of the sun. Those who live near the water should go in swimming frequently as the air and sun bath will combine to good advantage with the value of the water and exercise. Even though you cannot swim, you should don a bathing suit and lie on the shore or in the sand, thus receiving the bene- fits of the sun and air on the skin. Invalids and those who are confined to their rooms should move their beds or chairs near the windows and thus secure the rays of the sun. It is needless to add that persons who are obliged to remain indoors should select light, airy rooms facing the south or the east so as to get the sunlight as much as possible. The first sun bath should not consume more than ten minutes and this can be increased gradually each day until you are able to remain in the sun from one to two hours. If the sun has a tendency to cause headache, a towel wrung out of cold water may be placed around and over the head while taking the bath. This will also preclude any possibility of a sun-stroke. On the other hand, if you feel weak the following day, have a slight fever or blistering of the skin, it is an indication that you are overdoing the matter. If caution and common sense are practiced, the weak- est person can take these sun baths with excellent results. 48 How To Get Well and Keep Well EXERCISE Physical activity is the law of life. Moreover, it is the secret of a long life. It is absolutely essential to give strength to the muscles and tissues of the various organs of the body that they may properly perform their functions. Proper exercise is necessary to strengthen the mus- cular system both internally and externally. It increases the absorption of oxygen in the body, produces vigorous circulation, hastens elimination and regenerates the nerv- ous system and vital organism. Constipation, indiges- tion, nervous affections, consumption, asthma, heart troubles and many other disorders can be remedied by taking proper forms of exercise. The signs of physical weakness are the drooping fig- ure, the round shoulders, the flat chest and the lack of muscular tone throughout the entire body. The relaxed abdominal muscles bring about constipation and diges- tive disorders. The weak muscles of the heart cause palpitation and shortness of breath upon exertion. The general muscular weakness produces poor circulation, faulty elimination and general debility of the entire body. The ultimate results of this weakness can bring nothing but sickness and unhappiness. No one can be in the best of health unless he takes a certain amount of outdoor exercise. In many forms of chronic disease it greatly contributes to an early recov- ery. Not only is exercise necessary to get well but it is also necessary to keep well. Walking is probably the best all around exercise. It is a simple form of exercise and can be graduated to suit the most delicate invalid. The heart and lungs are developed, skin stimulated to a high degree and the sys- Life and Health 49 tem in general toned up. This is especially true if one puts “pep” in the walking. Valuable as walking is, however, it is not enough by itself. If one takes some bending and twisting exercises before or after the walk, he will have a form of exercise that will bring big reward along the health line. The most beneficial exercises are those that stimulate the heart and lungs such as walking, running, hill climbing, rope skipping and swimming. All of these exercises should be carefully graded according to age, sex and physical condition. Tennis, baseball, volley-ball, football, basket ball, skating, wrestling, boxing, bicycle riding, horseback riding, swimming, snowshoeing, rowing, fencing and golf are sports furnishing excellent forms of exercise. Each person, however, must determine from his own physical condition in which form of exercise he is physi- cally able to indulge. Physical exercise should never be too violent nor prolonged to the state of exhaustion. Moderation should be practiced at all times. Athletic sports, if indulged in to an extreme degree, produce undue excitability of the heart and cause it to become enlarged in some in- stances. Protracted physical exercise nor long walks should not be undertaken immediately after meals. All of the organs and tissues of the body are kept in a healthy condition through safe and sane exercise. Safeguard your health by practicing some form of vigor- ous exercise each day. If you have some special ailment or weakness, practice some particular form of exercise that will overcome this condition and strengthen this part of the body. Each exercise in the following list is designed to overcome weakness and strengthen some particular part of the body. In order to secure the greatest amount 50 How To Get Well and Keep Welt of good, these exercises should be practiced daily. Morn- ing or evening is usually the best time, when the body is unencumbered with clothing. When exercising, the windows should be wide open. Select several of the exercises applicable to your requirements, start in gently and gradually increase daily the number of times of each exercise until you are able to go through the set selected without becoming unduly fatigued. After fin- ishing the exercises take several long, deep breaths. One who is fairly strong can follow the exercises with a cool or cold bath, using the sponge bath if necessary. Persons who are weak or unaccustomed to exercise will find some of the exercises difficult and strenuous. In this case a set of the simpler exercises should be selected and as the body becomes stronger and more supple, the more difficult ones can be practiced. If the exercises make your hands tremble, make you feel faint, cause painful breathing, or make you feel tired for more than two hours afterward, it is a sign that you are overdoing the matter or practicing too difficult exercises for your strength. In this event you should select a smaller number of the easier ones and lessen the number of times that you do each one. If a certain exercise causes pain or distress after you have finished it, discontinue it for a time. The difficult exercises cannot, of course, be done as many times as the simpler ones. As a rule the simple exercises should be executed from 10 to 20 times and the difficult ones from 5 to 10 times, depending upon your strength. Exercise No. 1. Clasp the hands above the head and bend the body sideways to the right as far as pos- sible, then to the left as far as possible. The feet should be slightly apart, the knees rigid and the shoulders straight. This exercise may also be taken with the hands Life and Health 51 on the hips or the arms extended at right angles to the body. (This exercise develops the shoulders, neck and legs; strengthens the muscles of the side at the waist line; stimulates the functions of the liver and bowels, removes fat from the sides and back; and gives suppleness to the body.) Exercise No. 2. Raise the arms above the head, bend forward at the waist and touch the floor with the fingers without bending the knees. The feet should be close together. (This exercise stretches the muscles of the back, legs and arms; strengthens the muscles of the abdomen; stimulates bowel activity; removes fat from the abdomen; and gives flexibility to the body.) Exercise No. 3. Place the hands on the hips and bend the body forward, then backward, as far as possible. The knees should be kept rigid and the feet close together. (The benefits of this exercise are similar to those of No. 2. In addition it exercises the muscles of the neck and has a more marked benefit on the muscles of the back and abdomen. It also keeps the spine flexible.) Exercise No. 4. Place the feet close together and extend the arms at right angles to the body, then turn or rotate that part of the body above the hips, to the right and then to the left. Do not move the hips. (This exercise develops the muscles of the sides, front and back of the body at the waist line; stimulates the functions of the digestive and intestinal tract; and removes fat from the waist line.) Exercise No. 5. Place the feet slightly apart, with the hands on the hips, then bend forward and circum- duct or rotate that part of the body above the hips, to the right, back, left and forward several times. Do not move the hips. Also rotate the body in the opposite direction. (This exercise stimulates the liver, stomach and intestines.) 52 How To Get Well and Keep Well Exercise No. 6. Place the hands on the hips with feet slightly apart. Then squat until the buttocks touch the heels or as low as possible, resting the weight of the body on the toes. Raise on the toes to standing position. This exercise can also be taken by raising the arms at right angles to the body when squatting, bring- ing them to the sides when rising. (This exercise de- velops the toes and muscles of the legs.) Exercise No. 7. Flex or bend head forward as far as possible, then back as far as possible. (This exer- cise develops the muscles at the front and back of the neck.) Exercise No. 8. Flex or bend the head to the right as far as possible, then to the left as far as possible. (This exercise develops the sides of the neck.) Exercise No. 9. Rotate the head to the right as far as possible, then to the left as far as possible. (This exercise develops all of the muscles of the neck.) Exercises 7, 8 and 9 can be made more effective by resisting the movements with the hands. Exercise No. 10. Stand erect with feet together and arms at the sides of the body. Now, jump straight up at the same time raising the arms above head, strik- ing palms together and spreading feet apart. Then jump again, bring the feet together and the arms back to the sides of the body. Repeat these movements in rapid succession several times. (This exercise stimu- lates the heart and lungs and circulation.) Exercise No. 11. Stand erect and raise and lower the body on the toes. Also raise the toes as high as possible, supporting the body on the heels. (These exer- cises develop the muscles of the calves of the legs.) Exercise No. 12. Stand on the knees and bend the body backwards until the palm of the right hand touches the floor. Bring the body up on the knees and lower Life and Health 53 it again until the palm of the left hand touches the floor. The chest should be thrust out and the body held firmly. (This exercise strengthens the back muscles and stretches the muscles of the abdomen.) Exercise No. 13. Lie on the back with arms ex- tended above the head. Now, rise to a sitting position without bending the knees, and touch the toes, then slowly lower the body. If necessary the toes may be placed under a dresser to keep the legs from rising. (This exercise stretches the legs and arms and develops the abdominal muscles as well as removes flesh from the abdomen.) Exercise No. 14. Lie on the back with arms ex- tended above the head. Raise both legs slowly up to a vertical position without lifting head and touch the toes with the hands. The knees should be kept rigid. Lower the legs slowly. (This exercise strengthens the muscles of the abdomen.) Exercise No. 15. Lie on the back with arms at the sides of the body, then arch the body, raising the hips as high as possible, resting the body on the shoulders and heels. Lower the body slowly. (This exercise strengthens the muscles of the back and legs.) Exercise No. 16. Lie on the back with legs ex- tended. Now, draw up the knees and flex both thighs on the abdomen, at the same time clasping the knees with both hands and giving the thighs a smart jerk against the body. Return the legs to extended position. (This exercise strengthens the abdominal, loin, groin and pelvic muscles.) Exercise No. 17. Lie on the back with hands at the sides of the body, then raise the legs bringing them up and back over the head until the toes touch the floor or as near to it as possible. To do this the hips will have to be elevated until the body rests on the neck 54 How To Get Well and Keep Well and shoulders. Return to first position slowly. (This exercise strengthens the shoulders, back and abdominal muscles.) Exercise No. 18. Lie on the back and gradually raise the legs and hips in the air as high as possible, placing both elbows on the floor, with the hands on the hips to help hold the body up in position. The body should rest on the head, neck, shoulders and elbows, and the knees should be kept stiff. Hold this position for a few moments so as to give the blood an opportunity to circulate through the body. Do not do this exercise more than once or twice a day. (This exercise improves circulation and is also valuable for the liver and intes- tinal tract.) Exercise No. 19. Lie on the floor, face down, sup- porting the body on the hands and toes. Keep the body perfectly rigid and raise and lower it slowly, allowing the chest to touch the floor each time it is lowered. (This exercise develops the shoulders, legs and arms and a vigorous posture.) Exercise No. 20. Lie on the floor, face down, with hands on the hips. Raise the upper part of the body as high as possible without lifting feet. Hold two or three seconds, then lower body. (This exercise strength- ens the back.) Exercise No. 21. Lie on the floor, face down, and clasp hands over the hips. Now, raise the head, chest, feet and legs as high as possible, pulling on the arms as much as possible. (This exercise strengthens the back, legs and abdomen and helps to expel gas from the bowels.) Exercises for strengthening the lungs and expand- ing the chest will be found in another chapter under the heading of breathing. Life and Health 55 SLEEP All living beings require periods of repose alternat- ing with periods of activity. Sound, restful and sufficient sleep is absolutely essen- tial for a strong, healthy body. As sleep is caused by the fatigue of the nervous system, it is obvious that the health of the nervous system cannot be maintained with- out sufficient regular sleep. Sleep is more important than food and drink. It is only during sleep that the nerve cells can accumulate energy. The result of insufficient sleep will be a gradual reduction of nervous energy until the nervous system finally becomes exhausted and the health undermined. We have no reliable record as to the length of time a man can go without sleep at all. An experiment was made, however, a few years ago in which some members of a university staff were kept awake for ninety hours. When they were allowed to go to sleep, they made a com- plete recovery after about a quarter of the sleep they had lost. It is quite likely these ninety hours were approaching the limit of endurance of absolute sleep- lessness. The amount of sleep required by people varies ac- cording to age, sex and habits. As a rule women require more sleep than men. A period of from seven to eight hours’ sleep is about right for the normal adult. Young men and women under twenty-one years should get nine to ten hours’ sleep. We are recreated when we sleep. Rest restores again the energy which has been consumed in work or physi- cal activity. Every hour of rest before midnight saves vitality. Lack of sufficient sleep is a source of great 56 How To Get Well and Keep Well danger to onr prospects of a continued youthfulness and a long useful life. People who do hard manual labor or those who are out in the open air most of the day, usually find no trouble in securing “a good night’s rest.” It is the person who works at high tension indoors that is troubled with the sleep question. Moderate intellectual work is favorable to sleep but long-continued or excessive intellectual action, or any powerful emotion may bring about wakefulness. The sleeping room should not be smaller than seven feet square and nine or ten feet high and the air in such a room must be changed sufficiently often to insure the passage through the room of about 3,000 cubic feet of air each hour. This means the sleeping room windows must be kept wide open during the sleeping hours. This is especially so during the summertime. During the cold weather, however, the air changes more rapidly, hence you can secure a change of air in the wintertime from a smaller opening. Always sleep on a hard mattress and do not use more covering than necessary to insure bodily warmth. Then, too, if you wish to sleep soundly, do not go to bed immediately following a heavy meal. Those who are striving for recovery from chronic or lingering diseases and those who are seeking a better condition of health will make a much more rapid gain in this direction if they can arrange to sleep outdoors, especially during the summer months. Unfortunately the majority of homes do not have sleeping porches, but a large per cent of them have a veranda or porch of some kind that can be used for this purpose with the aid of a cot. The darkness and stillness of the night are most favorable for sleep. While probably this is largely the Life and Health 57 result of habit, yet it holds true. Persons who work nights and sleep days do not secure the same sound, peaceful rest that they would if they slept during the night. Undoubtedly the posture of the body in bed influ- ences sleep. A slight elevation of the head favors sleep, since it lessens the pressure of blood in the brain. Sleep- ing on the right side is acknowledged as the best and most restful position. Another good position is to sleep on the stomach. Brain workers who experience trouble in falling asleep may overcome this difficulty by taking some form of exercise that will drain the blood away from the brain. A short walk in the open air before retiring is beneficial. Hot tub baths or hot foot baths will generally induce sleep. A glass of hot milk is helpful as it brings the blood from the head to the stomach. Deep breathing is also excellent. In many cases coldness of the extremities will cause wakefulness. The excessive use of coffee and tea is also a contributing factor to sleeplessness. In such cases the remedy is obvious. In conclusion it may be said that the general cor- rectives of sleeplessness are active work in the open air, a moderate amount of bodily exercise, freedom from worry and anxiety, the use of the warm bath before going to bed if necessary, and a favorable posture in bed. 58 How To Get Well and Keep Well BREATHING The health of the body depends upon an abundance of pure fresh air. The blood must have oxygen for the body to use. It is through the lungs that the blood is purified. Every red blood corpuscle takes up oxygen from the lungs and carries it to all the tissues of the body to be used for burning up dead and worn-out cells and to unite chemically with the food in building up new healthy cells—a process known as oxidation. On its return to the lungs each corpuscle collects waste ma- terial and gives it out in the form of carbon dioxide gas. The average adult breathes about 25,000 times in 24 hours and at every normal inspiration he takes in about thirty cubic inches of air. At every breath about five per cent of the oxygen inhaled is consumed by the body and is replaced by nearly five per cent of carbon dioxide gas. As oxygen is the base of all energy, it is essential that we give the twenty-five billion corpuscles a chance to supply the body with as much of this vital element as possible. We can do this by taking several long, deep breaths frequently during the day. If you wish to keep every cell in the body vitalized, you should practice deep, voluntary breathing as a daily form of gymnastics. Not only will it expand and strengthen thousands of unused lung cells, but it will broaden the chest, quicken the heart action, accelerate the circulation, improve digestion and nutrition, ward off pulmonary diseases, invigorate the nervous system, hasten bowel activity, clear the complexion, improve the quality of the blood, and bring about a happier and brighter disposition. One of the most common faults in breathing is that the costal or rib muscles only are generally used. Breath- Life and Health 59 ing should be neither thoracic nor abdominal; it should be diaphragmatic. In breathing the lower part of the lungs should be filled first, gradually filling the upper portion until they are fully inflated. The air should be drawn in gently, allowing the chest to expand at the sides. Hold the breath for a moment, then exhale slowly. This can be practiced several times a day, either walking or lying down. Always remember to breathe through the nose as Nature has provided the nostrils with numerous fine hairs to separate fine parti- cles of dirt and dust from the air, and a spongy mem- brane to warm and moisten it, so that the delicate tissues of the throat and lungs are protected from chilling, irritation and infection. One of the simplest forms of deep breathing exer- cises is to inhale deeply, at the same time slowly raising the arms above the head, then exhale slowly, bringing the arms to the sides of the body. This exercise can be taken standing or lying on the back. It can be made more valuable by bending the body at the waist while exhaling until the fingers touch the toes. The bending of the body will help force a considerable amount of impure air out of the lungs, which otherwise would remain in them. Another excellent breathing exercise much em- ployed by singers and athletes in Italy is as follows: Stand by an open window and place the palms of the hands together behind the back. Now draw a deep breath, hold it, and raise the extended arms above the head, always pressing the arms back as far as possible. Then exhale slowly, keeping the arms in this position. Refill the lungs and slowly bring the arms to the first position. This exercise should be repeated five to eight times, twice daily. This exercise will strengthen the muscles which extend across the chest and abdomen. 60 How To Get Well and Keep Well Another good exercise of this nature is to clasp the hands behind the back over the hips. Then inhale slowly, at the same time pulling down on the arms, ex- tending them away slightly from the body, so as to pull back on the shoulders. When the lungs are fully in- flated, hold the breath a few moments, then slowdy expel the air and relax the arms. This exercise will help correct round shoulders. It can be practiced before an open window or taken while walking. A good way to form a habit of deep breathing is to practice it faithfully and conscientiously. Practice it before an open window in the morning immediately upon rising and at intervals during the day. Those unaccustomed to the practice of deep breathing may experience dizziness or darkness before the eyes upon drawing a long breath, owing to the oxygen stimula- tion. These unpleasant symptoms, however, will not usually be felt after one has practiced deep breathing a few times. Persons suffering from weak hearts, arterio-sclerosis or consumption should practice deep breathing exercises with caution. Life and Health 61 SWIMMING The art of swimming was regarded by the Greeks as an important accomplishment. At the present day it occupies a high place in physical culture. It is a perfect form of exercise and one of the most attractive, delightful and beneficial of all summer sports. The varied movements impart strength and elasticity to the muscles and develop symmetry and uniform strength to every part of the body. Swimming is one of the few sports in which women are on a level with men. It is without doubt the surest and quickest way to put women into a strong and robust condition. The majority of all good swimmers have a most wonderful grace of carriage as well as a supple and flexible body. In addition to the varied amount of exercise received in swimming, the swimmer is exposed to a large extent to the outdoor air and sunshine. A great many of us do not realize that the skin is an important factor in the prevention of disease. The skin is capable of hold- ing about two-thirds of the blood supply of the body and when it is inactive and empty, there is congestion of the liver, stomach and other vital organs which lowers our vital force. Exposure to water, to outdoor air and to the sun’s rays brings the blood toward the skin and stimulates the bodily functions. Of course, there is danger of sunburn the first day or two, but if the ex- posure is overdone at first, the ill-effects soon wear off and the skin becomes hardened and glows with the hue of health. Swimming has a health-building feature which proves wonderful, attractive and effective. While other forms of exercise and sports prove monotonous at times, this element is entirely lacking in this particular sport. 62 How To Get Well and Keep Well Except for the chances of drowning, swimming is the safest of all sports. Even those with weak hearts will find this a form of exercise that puts little stress on the heart if they will master the various strokes so as to be able to swim with ease and grace. Even though in the horizontal position, the unskilled swimmer with a weak heart can put a tremendous amount of strain on this vital organ by the clumsy movements and unneces- sary exertions required to keep afloat. While there is no doubt but that one can learn to swim without the aid of an instructor, it is advisable to secure the assistance of a swimming teacher. Not only will you learn to swim more quickly but you will acquire a correct knowledge of the various strokes which is essen- tial to speed and ease of motion. All strokes should be thoroughly mastered before entering the water. In learning to swim without the aid of an instructor, a spot should be selected where the water is rather shallow, as this will give you a feeling of security. The water should come up to your chest and it might be advisable to use a pair of water-wings or some other floating device if you are inclined to fear the water. They help to inspire confidence but their use should be discontinued as soon as one is able to swim. In learning to swim all strokes should be made rhythmically and not jerky or in a haphazard manner. Inhale through the mouth and exhale through the nos- trils. Never go in the water when overheated and it is best not to go in swimming until about two or three hours after a meal. In the beginning do not swim to the point of exhaustion and do not remain in the water after you have experienced a “chilly feeling.” The crawl and the trudgeon are considered the fast- est by far of the so-called speed strokes. The crawl is the newest and fastest of all swimming strokes. It is Life and Health 63 purely a racing stroke. Unlike the trudgeon, the head is under water most of the time and for this reason there is but little fun in swimming it. In the writer’s opinion the trudgeon is the king of all strokes. Not only is it a fast one but there is con- siderable fun in swimming it. It is a stroke that gives the highest speed with least exertion. For racing and pleasure, for speed and distance, it is an ideal stroke. One of the oldest swimming strokes is the breast stroke. It has entirely gone out of fashion and nowa- days there are many experts who do not know how to swim it. It is most valuable, however, for straighten- ing up round shoulders or to expand a flat chest. The side-stroke and back-stroke are also good strokes to master. If you wish to become an expert swimmer it is essential that you acquire these strokes. You will find them of advantage in many instances. Every swimmer should learn how to dive and float. Although diving is not absolutely essential, it affords much fun for the young, while the ability to float will enable a tired and winded swimmer to wait in comfort to recover himself. Every child should be taught how to swim. Ordi- narily the average child can master the simpler strokes at seven or eight years of age and many an anxious mother would be spared of her nervous apprehension if she felt that her child could swim. There are thousands of nervous women in the United States today who could build up better health and a stronger nervous system through the means of swim- ming. The same can be said in regard to men. If you wish to lay a foundation for better health, do not neglect the outdoor swimming during the sum- mer months. In the winter many gymnasiums and ath- letic clubs afford opportunities for indoor swimming. 64 How To Get Well and Keep Well HYDROTHERAPY The curative virtues of water are well-known. In the treatment of chronic diseases it is an indispensable remedy and of late years scientists have fully realized the great value of water as a curative agent. The restoration of health is dependent in a large measure upon the proper application of the various water treatments. They exert an exceedingly beneficial influence upon the entire system by equalizing the cir- culation, increasing muscular tone and nerve force, im- proving digestion and nutrition, increasing the activity of the perspiratory glands, thereby eliminating the broken-down tissue cells and noxious matter, and assist- ing in removing all causes that continually depress the body functions. The character of the baths, however, must depend upon the nature of the ailment and the physical condition of the patient. In all forms of chronic diseases the circulation is weak and sluggish, and the skin is inactive and anemic. In such conditions alternating hot and cold water is absolutely essential in order to stimulate and accelerate the circulation. As this takes place the blood is rushed to the surface of the body, relieving internal congestion and carrying accumulation of poisons and morbid matter to be unloaded through the millions of pores of the skin. Before health can be regained the elimination of these poisons must be effected and nothing will accomplish this more rapidly and effectively than hydrotherapy. Through the various water treatments the functional activities of every organ are greatly stimulated. There are several kinds of baths, the names of which indicate their character, manner of application or the part of the body to which they are applied. In the Life and Health 65 majority of cases intelligence and care must be exercised if beneficial results are to be had. A most important result of intelligent bathing is improving the circulation, essential to healthy nutrition and the elimination of impurities from the system. Below is given a list of the various forms of water treatments with their methods of application. We would suggest that each one provide himself with bath ther- mometer in order to be sure that the water is of the proper temperature. Hot Baths (100° to 112°) The hot bath is a powerful stimulant to the activity of the pores of the skin. By its use the skin, one of the principal eliminative organs of the body, is enabled to throw off accumulations of much poisonous waste in the body, thus assisting the kidneys in their work of elimination. Hot water is an effective remedy in the relief of pain. It produces relaxation of the tissues and muscles of the body. It is a most valuable means of relieving soreness and stiffness of muscles which have been over- exercised or strained. In many cases of sleeplessness the hot bath will prove very efficacious when taken just before retiring. In kidney diseases, catarrhal affections, auto-intoxi- cation, rheumatism, neuritis, skin eruptions and other disorders brought about chiefly by an accumulation of waste material in the body, the use of the hot bath will prove indispensable in hastening a cure. Those suffering from poor circulation or obesity will find the bath bene- ficial. Nothing is more effective in breaking up a cold than the hot bath. One should never remain in a very hot bath longer than twenty minutes, usually eight to ten minutes is 66 How To Get Well and Keep Well ample. Ordinarily, as soon as you feel beads of per- spiration on the temples or forehead, you have remained in the water a sufficient length of time. Hot baths are inclined to be weakening and if you remain in the water beyond a certain length of time you will experience a feeling of weakness and languor with possibly a sensa- tion that you are about to faint. Should you experi- ence such a feeling the bath should be discontinued immediately. The hot bath should not be taken immediately after violent exercise nor for two to three hours after eating. Except in some particular case, it should not be taken oftener than two or three times a week. If your physi- cal condition permits, a cold sponge or spray should follow the bath; otherwise, you should go to bed imme- diately or avoid becoming chilled. Those suffering from very weak hearts, extremely poor circulation, very high or low blood pressure or extreme emaciation and weak- ness should not take the hot baths but instead, use the warm baths. Many find it better to get into the water at a tem- perature of about 95°, then adding hot water until the desired heat is obtained. Warm Baths (90° to 100°) The warm bath is sometimes called the neutral bath. It equalizes the circulation and softens the skin, by re- moving impurities. Its use is agreeable and refreshing. It reduces pain and promotes a feeling of comfort. It is a valuable agent in many chronic disorders. In rheu- matism, convulsions, spasmodic affections of the bowels, rupture and derangement of the urino-genital organs, it is most valuable. As it does not weaken or debilitate the person, it is recommended for those who suffer from high blood pressure, heart weakness, poor circulation Life and Health 67 and for those whose systems are much depleted. It is also of especial value in sleeplessness. Those who do great mental activity with little physical exercise will find this bath refreshing and of value as a health-retain- ing measure. Perhaps no treatment can be employed as satisfactory and soothing in the case of burns and scalds, which have affected large surfaces of the body’, as the continued immersion in the warm bath. The warm bath can be taken two or three times a week, or even daily according to one’s strength and physical condition. One can remain in the bath as long as an hour or two without any detrimental effects; however, fifteen to thirty minutes is usually long enough for a bath of this nature. Tepid Baths (80° to 90°) The tepid bath is used largely for cleansing pur- poses. In many cases it is prescribed in fevers and inflammatory affections for its cooling effect. Often it is medicated with some acid or alkali. It removes excessive heat and helps keep the skin in a state favor- able for excretion. The temperature of the water should be regulated according to the strength of the patient. The bath may be taken two or three times a day if conditions warrant it. Five to seven minutes will usually be found sufficient to remain in the water. Temperate Baths (72° to 80°) The temperate bath is a tonic bath employed in cases of those who have a low standard of vitality, and who do not react from the colder baths. The bath should be of short duration, not exceeding three minutes and should be taken preferably in the early part of the day, but not during active digestion. However, it may be 68 How To Get Well and Keep Well taken immediately upon rising if more convenient. After the bath the body should be rubbed with a coarse towel until reaction is established. The beginner, who is anxious to increase his physi- cal powers, can start in with the temperate bath and gradually become accustomed to the colder baths as his strength and vitality increases. , Cool Baths (60° to 72°) The cool bath is an invigorating bath which should be used in place of the cold bath by the individual whose circulation is poor and whose recuperative powers are slow. Many who find it difficult to react sufficiently from the cold bath can take this bath with beneficial results. In fact, unless you possess vigorous circula- tion and a robust body and are accustomed to the cold bath, it would be better to employ the use of the cool bath until your powers of resistance have been built up to a sufficient degree. This bath should be taken only when the body is warm and should not be taken during the process of digestion. It may be taken in the morning immediately upon rising or it can be taken any time during the day, preferably after some mild form of exercise. If vigorous exercise has been indulged in to the extent that it has caused profuse perspiration, the heat of the body should first be lowered by the use of warm water. If the cool bath is taken upon rising it should be preceded by five or ten minutes of exercise to thoroughly warm the body. The bath should consume from thirty sec- onds to three minutes, depending upon the vital powers of the individual. In order that reaction may take place immediately the body should be rubbed vigorously with a coarse towel. Life and Health 69 Cold Baths (40° to 60°) The cold bath is employed for its tonic effect. It is a powerful invigorator of the body providing reaction is prompt and complete. It should therefore be taken only by robust persons. Cold baths give a violent shock to the nervous system and unless one possesses a high degree of health and vitality, he should be cautious in its employment. If you are at all doubtful about your recuperative powers, it would be advisable to take the cool bath, or even the temperate bath to begin with. When reaction is prompt and complete there is a sensation of warmth and exhilaration and a red, tingling glow appears over the body as the blood comes rushing to the surface. There is a feeling of buoyancy and the entire body seems stimulated and invigorated. Un- less you experience such a reaction, you may feel quite sure the cold bath is of doubtful benefit to you and under the circumstances it would be best to employ a bath of higher temperature. The cold bath should be taken only after the body has been thoroughly warmed by some sharp exercise. If it is to be taken in the morning upon rising, it should be preceded by ten or fifteen minutes of active exercise or a dry friction rub to stimulate the circulation. Should it be desired to take the bath after much vigorous exercise which has caused profuse perspiration, it is advisable to first cool the body somewhat by the use of warm or tepid water. The cold bath may be taken just before going to bed if it does not have a tendency to cause sleeplessness. The time of taking the cold bath, however, must depend upon the convenience of the individual and each person must determine for himself what part of the day the bath seems to prove most beneficial. A great many peo- ple prefer to take the cold bath during the early part 70 How To Get Well and Keep Well of the day. The above also applies to the cool and tem- perate baths. The duration of the cold bath must necessarily be short. From thirty seconds to two minutes will usually be found long enough. Upon emerging from the bath, the body should be rubbed vigorously with a coarse towel until a red, tingling glow appears over it. The cold bath should not be taken oftener than once a day, and not for two and one-half to three hours after meals. Cleansing Baths (90° to 100°) A cleansing bath is one in which soap is used and should not be taken oftener than once or twice a week. A bath of ten to fifteen minutes will accomplish this purpose. In health the skin is constantly throwing off impuri- ties in the form of perspiration which is absorbed by the clothing, leaving a residue which gives a disagree- able odor to the skin if allowed to remain for several days. The skin also secretes an oily substance for its own health and this, too, undergoes decomposition in a few days’ time. For these reasons a cleansing bath with soap is necessary to keep the body sweet and clean. One must bear in mind that the oily secretions serve a most useful purpose and their too frequent removal will result in a disordered condition of the skin. Ordi- narily when soap is not used, the oily secretions are not removed. All soaps made of animal fats should be avoided. If you wish the skin to be kept in a soft, healthy condi- tion, castile soap or some pure vegetable soap should be used. If you are going out in the cold immediately after the bath, the body should be rinsed or sponged off with cold water. Life and Health 71 Sponge Baths The convenience and simplicity of the sponge bath renders it of indispensable value. It requires only a small amount of water and a receptacle to hold it. Those who are not fortunate enough to have facilities for tub and shower baths, will find the sponge bath a very satisfactory substitute. The sponge bath is employed very extensively in both acute and chronic diseases. It can be used at a tem- perature according to the requirements of the case and it is always convenient in its application. It equalizes the circulation, relaxes the capillaries, reduces fever and produces a feeling of comfort. The use of the sponge bath makes it possible to bathe a portion of the body at a time and the bath may be general or local as the case necessitates. As a tonic, to be taken cool or cold, the sponge bath is admirably suited to persons with weak hearts, reduced vitality or poor circulation. In such cases a quick appli- cation of cool or cold water can be had without the necessity of immersing the entire body. If desired, one may sponge off the body with warm or tepid water first, following it immediately with cold water accord- ing to the temperature desired. Shower Baths The shower bath is one in which numerous small streams of water from a perforated disc are allowed to fall upon a person from a height of several inches above the head. This produces a nervous shock to the system by suddenly coming in contact with the skin. Those suffering from weak and feeble constitutions, high blood pressure and weak hearts should refrain from the cold shower baths. However, by reducing the force of the shower and using tepid or temperate water, the 72 How To Get Well and Keep Well most delicate person can endure it with beneficial results. In such cases it is best to start with the warm shower and gradually reduce the temperature to the degree desired. The cold shower greatly excites the heart and nerv- ous system and raises the blood pressure. It is, there- fore, to be recommended only to those who enjoy vigorous health. One should not remain under the cold shower much longer than two or three minutes. The usual means of inducing a good reaction should be resorted to. Any one who has access to a bath tub can enjoy the benefits of a shower bath by purchasing a rubber spray attachment for the tub, of which there are sev- eral on the market. The douche bath is considered one of the most power- ful agents in the science of hydrotherapy. It surpasses the shower bath in this respect. For this reason the same precautions that govern the application of the shower bath should be observed. The douche consists of a stream of water thrown or dashed with considerable force upon a person, from a height or distance. The size, force and temperature of the water may be modified to meet the exigencies of the case. The douche is applicable locally as a remedy for sprains, swellings, stiff joints, etc. It is also used inter- nally in disorders of the nose, ear, eye, throat, stomach, colon, rectum, bladder, vagina and urethra. In the majority of sanitariums and institutions of health, the ordinary continuous douche or percussion douche is one of the principal treatments as a means of invigorating the entire system. For the information of the reader, the percussion douche is one in which, by Douche Baths Life and Health 73 the operation of a special device, the hose throws out jets of water at rapid intervals. In taking the above douche the patient slowly rotates his body or exposes the front, back and sides alternately to the attendant who applies the jet of water from a nozzle attached to a rubber hose. The pressure of the water varies from 45 to 60 pounds. The operator usually first applies the hot or warm water until the body is thoroughly heated, then gradually lowers the tempera- ture of the water until the desired coldness is obtained. The reaction in such cases is highly beneficial. After the bath the body should be rubbed vigorously with a towel. The douche bath, particularly the cold one, should be of short duration—from one to two minutes. Sweat Baths There are many forms of the sweat bath, known as the Turkish bath, the Russian bath, the cabinet bath, the vapor bath, the hot air bath, the steam bath, etc. Each differs somewhat in its method of application but the underlying principle of all of them is to produce profuse perspiration which removes large quantities of effete matter from the system, to relieve internal con- gestion, to seeure perfect equalization of the circula- tion, to stimulate glandular and cellular activity, to invigorate the nervous system, to increase the powers of digestion and nutrition—in other words, to improve the functional activity of every organ and structure. Sweat baths prove beneficial in such disorders as rheumatism, catarrh, neuritis, auto-intoxication, nerv- ousness, chronic inflammation, kidney diseases and skin affections. The bath should be used with caution in such diseases as heart weakness, high blood pressure, lowered vitality, etc. 74 How To Get Well and Keep Well The sweat bath should not be taken oftener than once or twice a week. It should be followed by a spray or application of cool or cold water. If taken just before going to bed the cold water may be omitted. The bath should not be taken until about two hours after meals. As soon as the body commences to per* spire freely, you have remained in it long enough. Should you experience a feeling of depression, the bath should be discontinued immediately. If a glass or two of hot water or hot lemonade is drunk just before the bath, it will hasten perspiration. The Russian bath is the application of hot vapor at a temperature ranging from 110 to 200 degree while the Turkish bath is a dry hot air bath varying from 120 to 190 degrees. Such baths require special equipment and of course are out of the question for home purposes. There are a number of concerns now manufacturing small movable cabinets for home use, which can be pur- chased at a reasonable price and which enable one to enjoy the benefits of a sweat bath in the home. A basin of water is placed over a small alcohol, gas or kerosene stove under the chair on which the person sits. The boiling water produces a hot vapor which soon causes perspiration. As a means of breaking up a cold, the sweat bath cannot be excelled. Sweat baths should be taken preferably before retir- ing. Following the bath the body should be sponged off with warm water, after which the person should go to bed at once, so as to avoid becoming chilled. If the bath is taken at any other time of the day, it is a good plan to sponge the body off with cool or cold water to avoid the possibility of it becoming chilled. Sitz Baths The sitz bath is one in which the hips and pelvic region are immerged while the body is in a sitting posi- Life and Health 75 tion. These baths may be taken hot or cold or alter- nately hot and cold according to the needs of the case. The hot sitz bath is beneficial for relieving pain and inflammation of the reproductive organs and other organs of the pelvic region. It also increases the cir- culation through these parts. The bath should be taken as hot as can be borne comfortably and from ten to fifteen minutes will generally suffice. In cases of hemorrhoids the hot sitz bath should be followed by the cold sitz or a cold application to the hemorrhoids. The cold sitz bath is used for its tonic and invigor- ating effect on the spine and organs of generation. The temperature of the water should be from 50 to 65 degrees and duration of bath from three to ten minutes. In taking the cold sitz it is advisable to place the feet in a small tub or pan of hot or warm water. This applies particularly to those of weak constitutions. This bath may be taken two or three times a week or daily by those of a robust nature. The alternate hot and cold sitz bath perhaps is best suited to those of lowered vitality. This bath requires two tubs, one containing hot water and the other cold water. The individual first sits in the hot water three or four minutes, then changes to the cold, remaining in the latter from one to two minutes. Change from one tub to another in this manner three or four times, always finishing with the cold water. If regular sitz bath tubs are not available for these baths, an ordinary small zinc or wooden wash tub can be used. This can be placed in the regular bath tub or on the floor according to conveniences. The back of the tub should be raised about eight inches from the floor by a block placed under the rear end. In taking the alternate hot and cold sitz bath, two tubs, of course, will be required. 76 How To Get Well and Keep Well A compress consists of a thick piece of cloth wrung out of hot or cold water and applied to some part of the body. A large towel or several thicknesses of cloth should be used in order to hold the temperature desired. The hot compress or fomentation is useful in reliev- ing pain, inflammation, soreness, swellings, etc. The cloth should be wrung out of as hot water as can be borne and applied directly to the seat of the trouble. The compress should be covered with a dry towel or cloth and allowed to remain as long as it holds sufficient heat. Ordinarily the compresses should be renewed every ten to twenty minutes. This should be done several times. The cold compress is used to relieve fever, delirium, pain, hemorrhages, etc. In cases of cardiac insufficiency it is very effective when applied over the heart, espe- cially in the form of an icebag. The cold compress applied to the neck on retiring and allowed to remain all night is beneficial in cases of sore throat, tonsilitis, etc. As continuous cold applications lower vital action, it is advisable, when several applications of cold com- presses are to be made frequently, to put the feet in hot water or to place hot water bags at the feet and limbs. As a stimulant to the nervous system, the alternate hot and cold compresses upon the spine are of decided benefit. These compresses should be alternated every five to eight minutes for half an hour, using the cold one last. To reduce congestion, improve the circula- tion and relieve pain, the alternate hot and cold com- presses can be used with excellent results. Dry heat, while perhaps not as effective in chronic diseases as moist heat, will be found at times more con- venient and prove very satisfactory in many cases. Dry Compresses Life and Health 77 heat can be applied very effectively by use of the thera- peutic electric light. Electric heating pads can also be used. There are several different makes manufactured for this purpose. The hot water bottle, hot flannel cloths and hot salt bags are other forms of dry heat. Enemas The enema is most valuable for relief of constipation. It will usually clean out the lower bowel more satis- factorily than drastic laxatives. It is also employed in cases of suppression of the urine, in reducing fever, and in cases of inflammation and pain of the organs in the pelvic region. The enema is given hot, warm or cold, according to the effect desired. In hospitals the nutritive enema is sometimes given when the patient is unable to take or retain food in the stomach. As a means of moving the bowels, an enema consist- ing of two to four pints of warm water from 95 to 100 degrees should be taken. The enema is administered by use of an enema bag or a hot water bag equipped with a long flexible rubber tube on the end of which is a short hard rubber rectal tube. The bag should be hung four or five feet above the floor. After lubricating the rectal tube with soap or vaseline, the user kneels upon the floor with arms, chest and head resting on the floor and with one hand inserts the rectal tube into the rectum about four or five inches. The cock-stop or shut-off is then released and the water allowed to flow into the colon. If a gripping pain or feeling of fullness is expe- rienced, the water should be shut off for a moment then continued again. This gives the water a chance to work its way farther into the colon, thus relieving the sensa- tion of pain and fullness. After the flow of water ceases or one feels that he has had a sufficient amount, the tube should be withdrawn, and he should roll over on 78 How To Get Well and Keep Well the right side so the water can reach the head of the colon. After retaining the water in that position from three to five minutes, the contents of the bowels are expelled. In many cases an enema of warm soapy water is beneficial to soften the fecal matter and thoroughly clean out the lower intestine. Nothing but a good grade of pure soap should be used in preparing the soap-suds enema. Laundry soaps usually contain ingredients which are apt to irritate the mucous membrane. The salt solution also cleans out the colon and is almost invariably stimulating. From one-half to one teaspoonful of table salt to a quart of water is used. One must bear in mind that the constant use of too warm enemas has a tendency to relax and weaken the muscles of the bowel. Neither should large quantities of wrater be used as they stretch the bowel beyond its normal elasticity and lessen the tone of the muscular walls. If enemas are to be taken daily or frequently over a long period of time, they should be followed by the injection of a small quantity of cold water, or the cold or cool enema from 70 to 80 degrees may be substituted in the place of the hot water. Unlike the hot water, cold water invigorates the muscles and nerves of the colon. Persons should not rely entirely upon the use of enemas for the relief of constipation. On the other hand the diet should be regulated, and proper and sufficient exercise taken to remedy the trouble. In habitual constipation enemas at regular but not too frequent intervals are beneficial. Life and Health 79 MASSAGE Long before the Christian era, massage was em- ployed in healing the sick. When skillfully used it pro- duces the same stimulating and strengthening exercise for the muscles of the body’s organs that the muscles of the legs and arms obtain from calisthenics and gym- nastics. It requires but a few treatments of massage to increase the size, firmness and elasticity of the mus- cles manipulated. Its use exerts a beneficial influence on the nervous system, on respiration and nutrition and hastens elimination of poisonous matter by the skin, lungs, bowels, and kidneys. It is especially valuable as a means of quickening the circulation and other forms of vital activity and metabolic processes. As a means of overcoming constipation, it is useful. Massage is a form of treatment which consists of rub- bing, kneading, stroking and tapping the body. As a rule the rubbing or stroking should be done toward the heart so as to cause a more rapid movement of the venous blood in the veins and allow it to be replaced with fresh arterial blood. In this way the circulation will be accelerated. While a general massage necessarily must be admin- istered by an attendant, it can be given locally by one’s self with very good results. It can be used to remove wrinkles from the face and forehead, to fill out hollow cheeks, neck and other parts of the body. In such cases cocoa butter or a good massage cream is used in connection with the rubbing. In cases of stiffness, sore muscles, numbness, paralysis, rheumatism, sprains, etc., massage is very beneficial. Rubbing probably forms 95% of the relief or cure credited to the various lini- 80 How To Get Well and Keep Well ments and ointments recommended for such conditions. Massage can be used to increase the peristaltic move- ment of the bowels, thus assisting in overcoming con- stipation. In such cases a circular movement is used, proceeding up the right side, then across the abdomen and down the left side. Ten to fifteen minutes of such massaging once or twice a day will materially encourage the action of the lower bowel. When massaging the abdomen the muscles should be thoroughly relaxed and this can be accomplished by lying on the back with the knees drawn up. Where there is much inflamma- tion and pain the massage should be used very lightly. Vibratory massage is a powerful means of stimulat- ing the circulation, glandular activity and the nervous plexuses and also acts as a stimulus to the peristaltic movement of the bowels. This vibration is made by applying the palm of the hand to the surface of the abdomen and making slight, gentle vibratory movements. This exercise should consume about five to ten minutes. There are several different makes of small vibrators on the market for home use which require the use of electricity for operation. These give very good satis- faction for vibratory massage. Life and Health 81 WEIGHT The body weight is a valuable means of determining the state of metabolism and it is a recognized fact that correct weight is an important guide to good health. Medical examiners lay great stress upon the body weight and insist that the weight of all applicants for the navy, army and life insurance, in order to be accepted, must come within the range of certain fixed standards. There is a great deal of happiness in knowing that one possesses a beautiful and attractive figure and this can come only from a well-proportioned body. Following are tables of the average weights of men and women of different heights. The normal weights can be 10% above or below these averages. In most cases this will make the necessary allowance for the heavier or more slender types of build. These weights are without clothing. Watch your weight carefully and try to keep it within the compass of these fixed standards. Age 19-29 30-39 40-49 50 and over Height Wt. Wt. Wt. Wt. 5' 3" 129 135 140 142 5' 4" 132 138 143 145 5' 5" 136 142 147 149 5' 6" 140 146 151 154 5' 7" 144 150 156 159 5' 8" 149 155 161 164 5' 9" 154 160 166 169 5' 10" 159 165 172 174 5' 11" 165 171 179 180 6' 0" 171 177 185 186 6' 1" 177 183 191 193 6' 2" 183 189 198 200 6' 3" 189 195 205 207 What a Man Should Weigh Normal weight, 10% above or below these averages. 82 How To Get Well and Keep Well What a Woman Should Weigh Age 19-29 30-39 40-49 50 and over Height Wt. Wt. Wt. Wt. 5' 0" 117 123 130 133 5' 1" 119 125 132 135 5' 2" 122 128 135 138 5' 3" 125 131 138 141 5' 4" 129 135 142 145 5' 5" 133 139 146 149 5' 6" 137 143 150 155 4^* 5' 7" 141 147 154 160 5' 8" 145 151 158 165 5' 9" 149 155 162 170 5' 10" 154 159 166 175 5' 11" 158 163 170 180 6' 0" 162 167 174 185 Normal weight, 10% above or below these averages. Life and Health 83 THE THERAPEUTIC VALUE OF HOPE AND CHEERFULNESS Hope and cheerfulness play a most important part in the successful treatment of chronic disease. Hope is one of the best tonics a sufferer from disease can possess. It stimulates the languishing, vital energies and imparts new life to the weak and exhausted forces. Gloom, despondency and sadness depress the vital forces and allow disease to make further inroads on the health of the individual. One should always be cheerful and in good spirits, and look on the bright side of every circumstance. Be confident that you are going to get well. The man or woman who gives up hope loses practically all of his or her chances for recovery, while the one who is con- fident that health will be ultimately obtained, has a much greater chance of recovering. It is not difficult to cultivate a cheerful and pleasant nature. Every person has the capacity of creating joy within himself and this should be developed. It pays to be cheerful, not because of our own happiness, but because it will add years to our lives and ward off sickness. The great foes of health are gloom, sadness, despondency, worry, grief and anxiety. As a remedial agency in sickness and disease, hope and cheerfulness rank as a most important factor. DISEASES THE remainder of this book is devoted to the most common chronic disorders with which mankind is afflicted, and to suggestions for their successful treatment without the use of drugs and medicines. As a treatment for chronic diseases, drugs are far from ideal. They have no real curative powers. True, they can deaden pain and suppress the symptoms of disease, hut often their continued use causes harmful after-effects. The physician of experience and knowl- edge will frankly admit the impotence of the various drugs as a cure for chronic and lingering diseases. Thousands of ailing men and women, who have striven in vain for better health through medical means, have found it through the methods advocated in this book. Nature is a wonderful physician and her cura- tive powers can be made most efficacious to those who intelligently employ them. It is important that one should know exactly from what he is suffering and should thoroughly understand his disorder and physical condition in order to success- fully treat himself. If you are suffering from some disease and have not had a thorough examination re- cently, go to a competent physician and have one made. If necessary have an urinalysis made, or the sputum examined, or an X-ray examination, or an analysis of the stomach contents, or any other special examination. The instructions in this book are not intended to take the place of a competent physician in grave and serious disorders. Such cases should be under the per- sonal attention and supervision of a physician who be- Diseases 85 lieves largely in the principles of Nature as a means of cure. Before commencing treatments be sure that you have familiarized yourself with the various forms of treat- ment as outlined in the foregoing pages. And, do not expect to remedy in a few weeks’ time a chronic condi- tion of many years’ standing. Every sufferer must remember that in overcoming disease, regular habits must be established in regard to meals, exercise, recreation, rest and sleep. The strongest stimulant to health is well-regulated exercise. It assists the performance of every function and is of paramount importance to good digestion and proper assimilation— conditions essential to recovery. Correct breathing should not' he overlooked as this is the root of health and perfect physical development. ACNE Description. Acne is an inflammation, usually chronic, of the sebaceous glands, characterized by papules, tubercles or pustules, or by a combination of such lesions. The parts of the body usually attacked are the face, shoulders and back. Acne is most common between the ages of fourteen and thirty. Symptoms. The symptoms of acne are the occur- rence of pin-head to pea-size, flat, more or less pointed papules, with a small center black point, the opening of the sebaceous duct. These papules are pale red, bright or dark red in color. Causes. Among the causes of this disorder are di- gestive disturbances, constipation, menstrual irregulari- ties, anemia, chlorosis, sedentary habits, general debility, lack of muscular tone and certain drugs. Lack of cleanliness and the presence of dust, dirt and oil on the face are the external causes. 86 How To Get Well and Keep Well Treatment. In the treatment of acne the cause, if known, must be removed. Constipation must be reme- died and rich, greasy and indigestible foods must be avoided. Pastries, gravies, cheese, fried foods, pork, etc., should not be eaten. Fruit and vegetables should form a large portion of the diet. Buttermilk should be used in place of tea, coffee and chocolate. Six to eight glasses of water should be drunk each day. If the black-heads become too numerous they may be squeezed out and if pus and matter has formed, it should be removed. The affected parts should be bathed daily with very warm water and castile or carbolic soap. In severe cases several applications of hot and cold water will prove beneficial. A cloth dipped in cold water, applied to the parts affected, and allowed to re- main during the night is valuable. Hot tub baths two or three times a week will give good results. Sun baths and deep breathing exercises should form a part of the treatment. Exercise in the open air should be taken daily. Walking should not be neglected. A fruit diet of several days will prove efficacious. The milk diet preceded by a few days’ fast will often accomplish wonderful results in such conditions. In some cases a good zinc ointment as a local treat- ment is beneficial, but the real cure rests in constitu- tional methods. The treatment for acne and skin dis- eases are practically the same. ANEMIA Description. Anemia is a lack of red blood corpus- cles and there is a deficiency of iron in the blood. The function of the red blood cells is to carry oxygen to the various parts of the body. When the red corpuscles are greatly reduced in number, as in anemia, the tissues become deprived of this life-giving element and there Diseases 87 follows a chronic decline of the whole system. When the blood is low and deprived of its richness and albu- minous material, it tends to develop tubercular deposits, derangements of the liver, low inflammation, dropsical effusion and other affections. Symptoms. The anemic person is pale, white and bloodless in appearance. There is a weakness of the vital organs and of the entire muscular system, hurried respiration on slight exertion, cold hands and feet, ring- ing in the ears, listlessness, rapid and feeble pulse, nerv- ousness and a murmur of the heart resembling the sound of a bellows. There is usually a lack of appetite. In some cases headache, constipation, digestive disturbances, vertigo and irritability of temper are present. Causes. Anemia is due to impure and depleted blood and a consequent lowering of the body in gen- eral and is usually the result of a general disturbance of the organs of digestion and nutrition. Among the exciting causes are excessive work, not sufficient variety in diet, too frequent child-bearing, chronic catarrh of the stomach and intestines, Bright’s disease, malaria, prolonged discharges, excessive nursing, mental shock and anxiety, devitalizing habits, various toxemias and lack of fresh air, sunshine and exercise. Treatment. The first essential to success in the treatment of this disease is to remove the exciting cause or causes. Exercise in the outdoor air and sunshine according to one’s strength is highly important. Foods rich in iron and other blood-making elements should be used. Such a list will be found in the chapter on diet. If constipation exists, it must be remedied. Sun baths and outdoor walks will be of value. Deep breathing should be practiced. There should be plenty of fresh air in the sleeping room; or better still, sleep outdoors if possible. 88 How To Get Well and Keep Well Very warm or hot baths may be taken once or twice a week. If your vitality is especially low, use cold water sparingly until a better condition of health is obtained. In the beginning confine your exercises principally to walks and light sports. Some of the simple exercises mentioned in another chapter may be taken and as you become stronger, the more difficult ones may be added. The exclusive milk diet is especially recommended in anemia. If you are very weak or your weight much below normal, do not fast for any length of time. In this case you might take the juice of three or four oranges a day for two or three days, then begin on the milk diet. The milk diet may be continued for six or eight weeks or as long as improvement is being obtained. ARTERIOSCLEROSIS Description. Arteriosclerosis is a gradual hardening and thickening of the walls of the arteries, followed by calcareous deposits. It is usually a disease of old age. When this condition exists there is a loss of elasticity in the blood vessels, with narrowing of the caliber of smaller arteries, thus interfering with the free circu- lation of the blood. These changes may also extend to the capillaries and veins. Symptoms. The symptoms vary with the arteries involved. However, there is more or less high blood pressure. Dizziness, laboring of the heart, and some- times unconsciousness in the aged are among the symptoms. Causes. Some of the causes of arteriosclerosis are old age, syphilis, diabetes, malaria, rheumatism, Bright’s disease, accumulation of waste in the body and exposures and excesses of various kinds. Treatment. If the causes are known they should be Diseases 89 promptly removed. Adopt a low protein diet and dis- card meat, tobacco, tea, coffee and condiments. Let the larger part of your diet consist of fresh fruit and vege- tables. Do not allow the bowels to become constipated. Avoid grief and worry. Moderate outdoor exercises are beneficial, especially walking. The exclusive milk diet usually proves effica- cious in such conditions. Warm or hot baths may be taken once or twice a week. In fact the treatment should be similar to that given for high blood pressure. ASTHMA Description. Asthma is one of the most distressing ailments with which humanity is afflicted. Thousands of dollars are spent every year by sufferers from this disorder in seeking a change of climate that will bring about a cure. In some cases the change will prove beneficial but upon returning home, the symptoms re- appear. Symptoms. The symptoms of asthma are spasmodic in character and occur at irregular periods. There is difficult breathing, the individual gasps for breath, the cough is dry or hacking, the voice is hoarse, the eyes are prominent, the pulse is rapid, articulation is diffi- cult, and the breathing becomes noisy and wheezy. There is great excitement of the nervous system. The attacks may last only a few minutes or they may last for hours. As the disease progresses there is loss of weight and the expectorated matter frequently becomes streaked with blood. Causes. The causes of asthma are liver poisons in the blood, neurosis of the respiratory apparatus, chronic heart diseases and long-standing cases of gastric catarrh. Treatment. The treatment for affections of this 90 How To Get Well and Keep Well kind is one that will purify the blood and build up the nervous and muscular systems to a healthy standard. Meat, pastries, tea, coffee, chocolate, condiments, fried and indigestible foods must be avoided. Care must be taken not to over-eat. An abundance of green vege- tables and fresh fruit should be used to supply all the constituent parts of the blood and tissues. Constipa- tion must be remedied. If possible the afflicted should spend the greater part of the time out-of-doors. Sun baths will be found valu- able and such exercises as walking should be taken daily with deep breathing. Special exercises for developing the muscles of the chest should be taken. Deep breath- ing exercises are especially valuable. Hot and cold baths to improve the circulation and increase vitality should be taken. During an attack, however, the cold bath must be avoided. In securing relief from a severe paroxysm, hot packs to the chest, shoulders and back will prove beneficial. The drinking of hot water and the inhalation of steam will be found an excellent remedy. Hot tub baths are useful. The drinking of very hot coffee without sugar or cream will afford relief in some cases from the spasm, especially if taken on an empty stomach. The drinking of coffee, however, at other times or with the meals is not to be recommended. Prolonged neutral baths have a relaxing effect upon the nervous system and may be taken in the evening before retiring. If one is not too weak or emaciated a few days’ fast followed by the exclusive milk diet is a splendid method for purifying the blood and building up a better con- dition of strength and vitality. If for any reason you do not think it advisable to fast, the juice of three or four oranges a day may be taken for a few days, before beginning the milk. Diseases 91 AUTO-INTOXICATION Description. Auto-intoxication or self-poisoning, sometimes called intestinal toxemia, is an accumulation of poisonous waste in the system, which under normal conditions should have been expelled through the organs of elimination. When one or more of the eliminative organs fail to perform their functions satisfactorily, various poisons are deposited in the different tissues of the body. If not eliminated, these poisons will, in time, bring about such disorders as anemia, rheumatism, neu- ritis, goiter, asthma, torpid liver, nervousness, eczema, acne, impotency, dyspepsia, premature old age and many other ailments. Symptoms. The symptoms of auto-intoxication are many and varied. There is usually a lack of ambition, listlessness, toxic pains in different parts of the body, coated tongue, bad breath, wasting of the muscles, cold hands and feet, melancholia, inability to concentrate, and other symptoms of ill health depending upon the severity of the case. Causes. This condition is produced by many causes. The most common one, however, is constipation. A tor- pid liver or derangement of any of the eliminative organs may also cause auto-intoxication. Improper foods, sedentary occupation and lack of exercise are contributing factors. Treatment. Any form of treatment that does not take into consideration the factor of diet is not likely to be brilliantly successful. Meat, fish, fowl, oysters, candies, tobacco, tea, coffee, chocolate, cocoa, white bread and all fried and rich indigestible foods must be dis- carded wholly from the diet. Poached or soft boiled 92 How To Get Well and Keep Well eggs may be eaten sparingly. Do not drink sweet milk with ordinary meals but use buttermilk freely. Include plenty of green vegetables with the meals and do not overlook the value of uncooked fruit. Fats should be used sparingly. As constipation is to be guarded against, the use of bran and laxative foods must be resorted to. The bowels should move freely once a day and twice would be better. In general, an adoption of a low protein diet is the prin- cipal dietetic factor observed in the treatment of auto-intoxication. A few days of nothing but fruit would materially hasten the cure. Better still, a fast of several days, depending upon the strength and weight of the indi- vidual and followed by the exclusive sweet milk or sumik diet for several weeks, will bring most gratifying results. Sun baths and long walks with deep breathing exer- cises should form a part of the daily treatment. Steam baths, hot air baths or hot tub baths should be taken twice a week to hasten elimination through the pores of the skin. The use of special exercises and cold water will aid in establishing better circulation and building up and strengthening the entire body. One who is badly constipated should start the treat- ment by taking a hot enema—as hot as can be comfort- ably borne—every night during the first week. This will soften and loosen the hard fecal matter from the walls of the intestine and allow it to be expelled. The soap-suds enema may be used for this purpose if desired. BRIGHT’S DISEASE Description. Bright’s disease or nephritis is an in- flammation of the kidneys. The various forms of this malady are known as tubular, vascular, interstitial and Diseases 93 parenchymatous according to the structure of the kidney involved. Bright’s disease may he acute or chronic. Symptoms. Among the symptoms of chronic ne- phritis are weakness, increased amount of urine, puffi- ness under the eyes, vertigo, digestive disturbances, ten- derness in the region of the kidneys, swelling in the lower limbs and more or less dropsical condition in advanced cases. An urinalysis usually shows more or less albumen present. Causes. Some of the causes of this disorder are gout, syphilis, chronic gonorrhea, worry, grief, hepatic dis- orders, deficient nutrition, nervous exhaustion, repeated colds, devitalizing habits, alcoholism and living in damp places. Treatment. Milk, buttermilk, fruit, vegetables and nuts should form a large portion of the diet of those suffering from chronic Bright’s disease. Eggs, tea, coffee, chocolate, fried, rich and indigesti- ble foods, and practically all kinds of meat should be omitted from the diet. Salt should be used sparingly or avoided entirely. Lemonade without sugar may be drunk freely. Sweat baths or hot tub baths should be taken once or twice a week. Warm baths may be taken two or three times a week if necessary. Cold or sea bathing should not be indulged in. The bowels should be made to move freely once or twice a day. Walking is a form of exercise that js to be recommended. As one’s health improves other exer- cises can be adopted to increase the strength of the body. In all cases of Bright’s disease the milk diet should be given a trial. This, of course, should be preceded by a short fast of from three to six days. If the com- plete fast is not advisable, then two or three days on orange juice can be substituted. 94 How To Get Well and Keep Well In all cases of Bright’s disease much better results will be secured if the rest cure is taken in connection with the milk diet. In other words, the milk diet should be taken with the patient in bed. A daily warm bath may be taken with good results while the patient is on the milk diet. If for any reason the milk diet proves unsatisfactory or cannot be taken, the meat diet should be given a trial. When using a general diet meat should be used very sparingly and such meats should consist of chicken, ham, turkey, bacon and white meats. Peas, beans, carrots, turnips, sweet potatoes, cucumbers, radishes, corn, pump- kin, and ice cream should be omitted from the diet, or if eaten, they should be used very sparingly. CATARRH Description. Catarrh is an inflamed condition of the mucous membrane—a congestion of the capillary system. It is nearly as prevalent as constipation. If it affects the nasal passages, it is called nasal catarrh; if it affects the throat, it is called catarrh of the throat; if it affects the stomach, it is known as gastritis, gastric catarrh or catarrh of the stomach, etc. Catarrh should not be neglected and if there are any indications of the first stages, even in its mildest form, every step should be taken to eradicate it. When it extends to the stomach, intestines and lungs, the cure becomes more difficult. Symptoms. The symptoms of nasal catarrh are a frequent snuffing and blowing to clean the nostrils. In some cases the sense of smell is impaired. At other stages the mucous membrane becomes so swollen and thickened, or the discharges so thick and tenacious that the nose becomes stopped up to the extent that breathing Diseases 95 through the mouth is necessary. There is usually an offensive odor from the discharges. In many instances the hearing is diminished due to extension of the inflam- mation to the Eustachian tube. Some of the other symp- toms are ringing in the ears, offensive breath, dizziness, indisposition to exercise, lassitude, general debility, raw throat and dull headache through the temples and above the eyes. During sleep the poisonous discharges drop into the throat and are frequently swallowed, which dis- turbs the functions of the stomach causing dyspepsia, indigestion, loss of appetite, etc. Catarrh of the throat is always accompanied by hawking, coughing and spit- ting, which is more noticeable in the morning soon after rising. Causes. The principal causes of catarrh are poor blood carrying impurities and morbid elements in its circulation, and a debilitated condition of the body. Neglected “colds in the head” frequently develop into catarrh, especially if the system is run-down. Living in poorly-ventilated rooms, lack of outdoor exercise, consti- pation and improper foods bring about catarrh. An excessive amount of candy, chocolate and protein is a contributing factor. In general, it may be said that anything that enfeebles the body or impoverishes the blood paves the way for catarrhal conditions. Treatment. The elimination of catarrhal affections rests upon improved digestion and nutrition and the increased activity of the eliminative organs. The func- tional activity of the entire digestive tract must be restored to a normal condition that the blood may be increased in quantity and quality, and the body must receive an all around regime of general health-building. In the treatment of catarrh active outdoor exercise is an important factor. Long walks and deep breathing exercises should be taken daily. When possible, sun and 96 How To Get Well and Keep Well air baths should form a part of the treatment. If con- venient, sleep out-of-doors. The bowels must be kept open, using an enema if necessary. Discard meat, use eggs sparingly, and adopt a low protein diet. Let the meals consist largely of ripe fruit and uncooked vege- tables. If you must have a drink with the meals, use water or buttermilk. Sweet milk may be used if desired, but when used with meals and taken in small quantities, it is usually constipating. In the beginning of treatment a hot tub bath, steam bath or hot air bath twice a week will be useful as a means of stimulating elimination through the skin and improving the circulation. As a health-building meas- ure, a cool or cold tub bath should be taken daily if your strength permits; if not take a cold sponge bath. The alternate hot and cold baths can be used to good advantage. Six or eight glasses of water should be drunk each day. To develop the internal and external muscular system, a set of several of the exercises listed in another chapter should be practiced daily. To secure immediate results a short fast of three to six days may be taken, providing one is not too weak and the weight is not far below normal. Or one can adopt a fruit diet for several days. These may be fol- lowed by the milk diet for four or six weeks. During the first week or two the milk diet may increase the catarrhal discharges but as the blood becomes purified, the discharges will gradually disappear. In case of nasal catarrh, cold water or salt water may be snuffed up the nose every morning to clean out the nostrils. The treatment of catarrh of the stomach will be found under the heading of stomach troubles. Diseases 97 CONSTIPATION Description. Constipation is the oldest and most universal disorder among civilized people. It is perhaps the greatest cause of misery, inefficiency, disease and premature old age. There is no question but that con- stipation is the cause of 95% of all chronic disorders. When such a condition exists, dangerous poisons are generated which find their way into the blood stream and are carried to all parts of the body, debilitating the vital organs and lowering the resistance of the entire system. These toxins or poisonous materials are some- times deposited in the bones and tissues, setting up many painful and dangerous conditions. There are today over 45,000 laxative and cathartic remedies being sold and used by the American people. In the majority of cases these remedies will usually afford temporary relief, but the continued use of such drugs unquestionably jeopardizes the health of countless people. There is not a solitary drug in the whole phar- macopoeia that will permanently cure constipation. Symptoms, The principal symptom of constipation is difficult evacuation due to hard fecal matter. Among other symptoms are palpitation of the heart, dyspepsia, headache, mental torpor, vertigo, gas in the bowels and stomach, dark circles under the eyes, coated tongue, offensive breath, and other manifestations of ill health depending upon the severity of the case. In some in- stances the large intestine becomes so distended with gas that it presses against the lungs and heart causing difficult breathing and skipping of a heart beat now and then. Causes. Sedentary habits, improper foods, lack of sufficient exercise, inattentive to the calls of nature, dis- 98 How To Get Well and Keep Well orders of the digestive tract, insufficient water drinking, irregularity of meals, diseases that lessen intestinal secretions, displaced organs and atony of the abdominal and intestinal walls are the common causes. Treatment. Constipation should never be neglected nor made light of. It cripples every function of the body. The majority of all diseases are caused or aggra- vated by the accumulation of toxic material in the blood as a result of constipation. When this condition is remedied many chronic disorders will disappear of their own accord without further treatment. One of the first essentials in the treatment of con- stipation is to thoroughly clean out the lower bowel and remove the fermenting mass of decomposing ma- terial. In some cases the fecal matter adheres to the walls of the large intestines and this must be removed before any definite results can be accomplished. During the first week an enema of hot water—as hot as can be comfortably borne—should be administered every night before retiring. After the water has been injected, lie on the right side for four or five minutes. This will allow the water to reach all parts of the colon and soften and loosen the hard fecal material so it can be expelled. The soap-suds enema may be used if desired. After the first week the enema should be used only when necessary, and the temperature of the water should be lower. Meat, candy, tea, coffee, chocolate, white bread, pas- tries, fried foods, and indigestible and constipating foods should be avoided. Condiments should not be used. If possible do not drink sweet milk with ordinary meals, as it is constipating when taken in small quantities. Use buttermilk, sumik or water instead. One must use an abundance of green vegetables and ripe fruit. Select food largely of a laxative nature. Diseases 99 Bran and agar-agar should be used.if necessary. Olive oil will be found useful, taken in quantities of one or two tablespoonfuls at night before retiring. It can also be used in salads. In some cases mineral oils produce good results but they should not be used indefinitely. Bran bread, bran muffins, whole wheat bread and gra- ham bread should be used in place of white bread. Coarsely-cracked boiled wheat is excellent for overcom- ing constipation. As constipation may sometimes be due to insufficient water drinking, six or eight glasses of water a day should be drunk. The practice of drinking two glasses of water in the morning immediately upon rising will be found beneficial. Hot water may be used with good results, particularly if one is suffering from a disordered state of the stomach. A teaspoonful of salt dissolved in a glass of water and drunk the first thing in the morning has a laxative effect on the bowels. No matter what other form of treatment you adopt, a sufficient amount of exercise must be taken in order to affect a permanent cure. Active exercise promotes all the bodily functions and helps to regulate the bowels. Walking is probably one of the best forms of exercise for this purpose. Outdoor sports of all kinds are valu- able. Special exercises to strengthen the internal mus- cles and increase peristaltic action of the intestinal tract should be practiced every day, preferably in the morn- ing or evening. In another part of the book will be found various exercises especially suitable for building up the internal as well as the external muscular system. Abdominal breathing is especialy beneficial in con- stipation. Kneading and massaging the bowels will also prove useful. The cold sitz bath or the alternate hot and cold sitz bath is an excellent form of treatment. A cold 100 How To Get Well and Keep Well sponge or tub bath in the morning is valuable for toning up the nervous and muscular systems. A hot bath once a week may be used to aid in relieving the toxic con- dition of the system, through the pores of the skin. Enemas may be used when necessary. One should not, however, rely entirely upon the practice of using an enema every day to regulate the bowels. If the enema is to be used frequently, the water should not be very warm, as hot water when used often has a ten- dency to weaken the bowel. There is no objection to using the cool or tepid enema frequently, every day if necessary for a long time. The temperature of the water should be from 75 to 85 degrees. If the very warm or hot water enema is used, it should be followed by the injection of a pint of water, after the bowels have moved, of cool or tepid temperature. In order to obtain immediate results in the treat- ment of constipation in stubborn and obstinate cases, a fast of a few days followed by the exclusive milk diet, should be used. If one is extremely weak or emaciated, orange juice may be taken a few days in place of the fast. The milk diet will thicken the walls of the intestines and strengthen their muscles, and this in itself is suffi- cient in some cases to remedy constipation. An orange in the morning and evening will cause the bowels to move in many cases. Peaches and pears are very laxative to many persons and may be used in this manner. Remember early rising favors the natural action of the bowels. Establishing a regular habit of attending to the calls of nature is also highly important. Practically every case of constipation can be reme- died if one will persist in these natural methods. Diseases 101 CONSUMPTION Description. Generally speaking, consumption is a disease of the lungs. It attacks the rich and poor alike. It is widely prevalent and every year thousands of people succumb to this terrible malady which is known as “The Great White Plague.” Symptoms. The symptoms of tuberculosis of the lungs vary with the progress of the disease. The dis- ease usually begins with general debility, increased tem- perature, increased frequency of the pulse, anemia and slight hacking cough. As the disease progresses the cough becomes more noticeable, expectoration increases, night sweats are present, breathing becomes more diffi- cult, the pulse becomes more rapid and feeble, and emaciation and debility increase with ofttimes hemor- rhages of the lungs. Causes. The causes of consumption, or phthisis as the disease is sometimes called, are sedentary occupa- tions, lack of fresh air and sunshine, disorders of diges- tion and assimilation, insufficient diet, impoverishment of the blood, improper treatment of other diseases, de- pressing mental emotions, and anything that depresses the vital forces and interferes with nutrition. Treatment. There are only four known cures for consumption and these are the rest cure, the food cure, the air cure and the mind cure. If satisfactory results are to be obtained in the treatment of consumption, one must arrange to spend his entire time, or at least a large part of it, living out- of-doors. If the patient is not fortunate enough to have a sleeping porch at his disposal, an ordinary porch or veranda can be used for this purpose. If these are not available, then the bed should be moved as near as pos- 102 How To Get Well and Keep Well sible to an open window. Should the patient be con- fined to his bed, a sunny room facing the south should be selected in which to live. The body should be kept warm and comfortable with sufficient clothing and hot water bottles or electric heating pads. Deep breathing exercises are most valuable in strengthening the lungs. They should be used with caution, however, in advanced cases owing to the lia- bility of hemorrhages. If there is a feeling of discom- fort or pain during extreme deep breathing, then the lungs must not be expanded to the extent that pain is experienced. If the patient is in a fairly strong condition, a mod- erate amount of exercise should be taken, care being observed not to carry such exercise beyond the point of fatigue. Special exercises for developing the muscles of the chest can be recommended. If one is extremely emaciated and anemic, considerable rest is required and exercises should be confined to very short walks. When much fever is present, rest is indicated. Sun and air baths should form a part of your daily program. Care must be taken that the bowels do not become constipated. Warm baths may be taken two or three times a week. If the patient is in a fairly robust condition, a cool sponge bath may be taken daily followed by vigorous friction. A daily friction bath should be used if the cool bath is not taken. Such foods as cake, pie, pastry, hot bread, pork, veal, sweetmeats, fried foods, and rich, indigestible foods should be avoided. Six to ten raw eggs beaten with milk may be eaten daily, care being taken that they do not cause biliousness. In such cases the use of acid fruits will tend to alleviate this condition. The exclusive milk diet should be given a trial in Diseases 103 consumption. In cases where the lung tissues are greatly weakened, the full milk diet should be used with care, owing to the liability of a hemorrhage. The quantity of the milk should be increased very gradually and in severe cases, it should be used in smaller quantities. In such cases three or four quarts of milk may be taken during the first six or seven hours of the day and a meal of easily digested foods taken in the evening. A meal of the meat diet in combination with the milk diet could be used with excellent results. If for any reason the milk diet cannot be taken, the exclusive meat diet should be given a trial. In the majority of cases a fast is hardly to be recommended in tuberculosis of the lungs. A day or two on orange juice, however, before commencing the milk diet will help cleanse the alimentary canal. Water in which there is a little lemon juice or honey will help bring about relief from the cough which usually accompanies this disease. If the cough is exces- sive at night, a cold pack placed on the chest and allowed to remain during the night will tend to alleviate this distressing symptom. To secure a cure from consumption one must keep the mind free from worry, grief and anxiety, and all devitalizing habits must be discontinued during the treatment. DIABETES Description. Diabetes is a disease that has been known and described by physicians for nearly two thou- sand years. There are two varieties of this order, known as diabetes insipidus and diabetes mellitus. The former is most often observed in early adult life. Symptoms. Diabetes insipidus is characterized by great thirst with an increased flow of pale, watery, 104 How To Get Well and Keep Well slightly acid urine of low specific gravity. The appetite is generally ravenous and the bowels constipated. Among other symptoms are nervousness, irritability, headache, inability to concentrate the mind, and gradual loss of strength and flesh. The urine is free from sugar and albumen. Diabetes mellitus is distinguished by the presence of sugar in the urine. There is gradual loss of flesh and strength as the disease progresses. The voiding of an excessive amount of urine with high specific gravity is an important symptom. There is a voracious appetite. The skin is harsh and dry, often accompanied by itching. The bowels are irregular and frequently there are diges- tive disturbances. Vertigo, headache, mental depres- sion are occasionally present. Not infrequently gall stones are associated with the disease. Causes. Among the causes of diabetes insipidus are diseases of the nervous system, exposure to cold, gen- eral debility, malaria and improper diet. The principal cause of diabetes mellitus is an over- consumption of starches and sugars with faulty action of the liver and pancreas. Mental anxiety, sexual ex- cesses and sedentary habits may bring about diabetes mellitus. Treatment. Foods rich in starch and sugar and practically all meats should be omitted from the diet. Fruit, green vegetables and nuts should be eaten in abundance. In grave cases only the non-starchy vege- tables should be used. Bread and muffins made out of soy bean flour may be used. Bread and muffins made out of starch-free bran may also be used. Buttermilk is an excellent article of diet. Poached or soft boiled eggs may be eaten in moderation. The bowels must move freely once or twice a day. If necessary an enema should be used. Diseases 105 Outdoor air and exercise according to the patient’s strength should be taken daily. Walking is probably the best form of exercise for diabetes. Deep breathing should be practiced each day. Hot baths may be taken once or twice a week with good results, while the warm baths can be taken oftener if desired. The milk diet should be given a trial in all eases of diabetes. A fast of two to four days according to the strength of the patient should precede the diet. When possible the milk diet should be taken in bed if the best results are to be obtained. During the milk diet a daily warm bath will be of great advantage. If for any reason the milk diet cannot be taken, then the meat diet should be given a trial. In the treatment of diabetes a diet of buttermilk, nuts and green vegetables for several weeks will prove most satisfactory. In some cases a one day semi-fast every week will be effective. The semi-fast consists of using for one day only green vegetables instead of the regular diet. Or nothing but buttermilk might be drunk during the day. If meat is used in the general diet, it should be roasted or boiled and used sparingly. Such foods as white bread, sugar, honey, potatoes, parsnips, peas, bar- ley, beans, rice, tapioca, arrowroot, melons, cracked wheat, oatmeal, turnips, beets, corn, carrots, prunes, grapes, figs, bananas, pears, peaches, chocolate, syrups and preserves should not be eaten. EMACIATION Description. Emaciation or thinness is the result of impaired nutrition, indicating a defective or diseased condition of the digestive and assimilative organs. If a sufficient amount of nutriment is not extracted from 106 How To Get Well and Keep Well our food and absorbed into tbe blood stream, the entire body is affected. When this condition becomes chronic, functional deficiency develops and every organ and structure of the body weakens. This paves the way for various ailments. The thin person lacks the personal charm and mag- netism of the well-nourished individual. You have un- doubtedly noticed that all specimens of physical per- fection show well-nourished, symmetrical bodies and that the beauty of the female figure lies in the gracefully rounded curves. Symptoms. The principal symptom of emaciation is excessive underweight. There is a lack of strength and endurance and the individual naturally has a poor physi- cal development. The person is usually anemic and pale, and the extremities are cold, while there is likely to be a disturbance of the organs of digestion and assimi- lation. Causes. Emaciation is caused by an acute attack of disease, by overwork, grief, worry, lack of sufficient outdoor air and exercise and by anything that tends to interfere with the powers of digestion and assimila- tion. A great many cases of emaciation, however, are simply due to defective assimilation. Treatment. One should live outdoors as much as possible. Deep breathing exercises and sun baths are of value. Walking is beneficial. A sufficient amount of rest and sleep is essential. Adopt some of the sim- ple exercises given in another part of the book and gradually add the more difficult ones as you become stronger. One should guard against constipation. Use foods rich in iron and other blood-making elements as given under the heading of diet. A warm bath may be taken twice a week and after you have gained a few pounds in weight, you may commence with the cool Diseases 107 sponge bath and gradually lower the temperature of the water as your strength and vitality increases. The dietetic treatment that will usually produce the greatest results in this condition is the exclusive milk diet. If you are greatly emaciated a fast of only one to three days should be taken preceding the milk diet. Or, instead of fasting, you might take the juice of three or four oranges a day for two or three days, then com- mence the milk. The milk diet may be continued for four or six weeks or as long as you continue to gain in weight. Should the gain in weight cease after taking the milk three or four weeks, fast again or take the juice of oranges for a few days, then go on the milk again. The repeated fasts and milk diet will usually enable one to obtain the desired amount of weight. As you approach your normal weight, the gain will natur- ally be slower. GALL STONES Description. Gall stones are concretions formed in the gall bladder or biliary duets, and vary from the size of a pin-head to that of a hen’s egg. Their presence is usually unrecognized until they begin to pass through the bile duct. Symptoms. The manifestation of biliary calculi, another name under which gall stones are known, varies according to the course of the disorder. If the stones are very small, they may cause little or no pain. On the other hand, if they are of any size, they give rise to severe pain. The patient is suddenly seized with ex- cruciating pains in the stomach and right side. The pulse becomes slow and weak. The patient moans and writhes in agony. The muscles of the abdomen become tense, and the victim breaks into a profuse perspiration. There are nausea and vomiting, and unconsciousness 108 How To Get Well and Keep Well may follow. As soon as the stone reaches the intestines, which may be from one to five hours or more, the pain immediately ceases. Causes. Gall stones are the result of an unhealthy condition of the bile. The formation of these stones may be due to sedentary habits, obesity, excess in eat- ing, particularly of sugar and starches, tight lacing, and disorders of the stomach and liver. Treatment. During an attack of gall stones, hot packs over the regions of pain will help give relief. Hot enemas are also beneficial. Sometimes the cold appli- cations will bring about results. To relieve the vomiting ice may be sucked. Three to six tablespoonfuls of olive oil taken before retiring at night may assist in the passage of the stones. A glass or two of strong lemon- ade without sugar is useful. If one is to prevent a recurrence of gall stones, he or she must adopt health-building measures to improve the quality of the bile and bring about a more active condition of the liver, as well as build up the general health of the entire system. In the beginning the free drinking of water will thin the bile and assist in its passage into the intestines. Walking and other outdoor exercises should form part of the daily program. Sun baths and deep breathing should not be neglected. The twisting and side-bending exercises as mentioned under liver diseases should be taken to stimulate the liver and intestinal tract. A warm or hot tub bath once or twice a week should be taken. Cool or cold baths with vigorous friction may be taken by those whose vitality is sufficient to take them. Meat, indigestible foods, foods rich in starch, candies, sugar, tea, coffee and chocolate should be omitted from the diet. One should eat largely of ripe fruit and green Diseases 109 vegetables. Buttermilk is an excellent drink. Eggs may be eaten in moderation. Vegetable salads with plenty of olive oil should be eaten. A fast of a few days followed by the milk diet, sumik or buttermilk and sumik diet will bring excellent results. See treatment under liver diseases. HEMORRHOIDS (Piles) Description. There are few disorders more common than hemorrhoids or piles. They consist of small tumors due to dilatation of the veins of the rectum and a thickening of their walls. When the tumors are formed within the rectum they are known as internal or bleed- ing piles, and when formed outside the anus, external or blind piles. Symptoms. The symptom of internal piles is a sen- sation of heat, with itching and prickling about the anus. If they are increased to a considerable extent, there is fullness in the rectum and pain in the back. Sometimes blood will be observed in the feces while at stool. In some instances these elongated piles pass out of the anus causing excruciating pain. Should this occur, they should be replaced immediately. It is in this form of hemorrhoids that bleeding is most common. The symptom of external piles is a sensation of itching and prickling. When the piles are large and inflamed, there is a dull aching pain in the piles and up along the rectum. Causes. The predisposing and most common cause of piles is obstinate constipation. Pregnancy, indiges- tion, pelvic tumors, diarrhea, diseases of the heart and liver, the habitual use of drastic cathartics, or anything that tends to favor an undue accumulation of blood in the hemorrhoidal veins may cause piles. Treatment. The essential thing in the treatment of 110 How To Get Well and Keep Well hemorrhoids is to secure a free and easy movement of the bowels each day. This can usually be accomplished by the use of laxative foods, bran and agar-agar. Indi- gestible and constipating foods must be omitted. But- termilk should be drunk freely. The affected parts should be bathed frequently with cold water and in cases of internal piles, a little cool or cold water may be injected into the rectum and al- lowed to remain a few minutes. Extract of witch hazel on a wad of cotton, laid on the piles at night is a valuable local remedy to hasten a cure. A solution of a teaspoonsful of powdered Alum to a glass of water applied frequently will relieve itch- ing piles. Should the use of the enema cause increased irrita- tion, it is well to anoint the rectum with a little carbo- lated vaseline after the bowels have moved. Cold sitz baths may be taken once or twice a day with benefit if reaction is prompt and complete. The baths should be of short duration. The hot sitz bath should not be taken as it will have a tendency to relax the sphincter muscle. Outdoor exercises and other health-building measures should be adopted to strengthen the entire body. The milk diet will prove useful if one guards against constipation while taking it. This can usually be done by the use of bran, agar-agar, prunes, figs, orange juice, etc. The milk diet, of course, should be preceded by several days’ fast if possible, or a few days on orange juice. Should constipation still persist on the milk diet, one to three ounces of olive oil or glycerine may be in- jected into the rectum every night just before retiring and retained. This will help bring about easy move- ments of the bowels the following day. Diseases 111 HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE Description. The blood pressure is determined by means of an instrument called the sphygmomanometer. The average systolic pressure of adults in health is about 120 to 135 mm. and when the systolic pressure is much higher, there is a condition known as high blood pressure. Symptoms. The symptoms of high blood pressure are headache, throbbing of the blood vessels in the neck, pain or oppression in the region of the heart, digestive disturbances and other symptoms of ill health, depend- ing upon the severity of the case. Causes. Among the causes of this disorder are con- stipation, kidney diseases, auto-intoxication and too rich a diet including meat and high protein foods. Treatment. In the treatment of high blood pres- sure meat, tea, coffee, tobacco, condiments and rich indi- gestible foods must be avoided. A low protein diet should be adopted. Buttermilk can be used freely. The bowels must be made to move once or twice a day by use of laxative foods. A fruit diet for several days will prove most beneficial. A few days’ fast followed by the exclusive milk diet for four or five weeks will usually remedy ordinary cases. Warm or hot baths may be taken once or twice a week. Moderate exercise is indicated. Sun baths are valuable. Should the blood pressure be exceedingly high, cold water or very active exercise should be post- poned until the blood pressure is reduced. In the majority of cases cool sponge baths may be taken if reaction is prompt and complete. 112 How To Get Well and Keep Well LIVER DISEASES Description. The liver is subject to a variety of disorders, the most common of which are known under such names as torpid liver, biliousness, congestion of the liver, abcess of the liver, enlarged liver, inflammation of the liver, cirrhosis of the liver and fatty degenera- tion of the liver. The liver is the great filtering organ of the body and must be kept in an active, healthy condition if we are to enjoy good health. Symptoms. The symptoms of liver diseases vary according to the nature of the ailment. Among the many symptoms are fullness of the right side, aching in the right shoulder blade, coated tongue, depression of spirits, loss of appetite, irregularity of the bowels, dizziness, lack of energy, sallow complexion, high-colored urine, a hacking cough, slowness of the pulse, nausea, irritability, circles under the eyes, brown spots on the skin, digestive disturbances and many other symptoms depending upon the constitution of the individual and complications of the disease. Causes. The principal cause of the various liver dis- orders is due to the failure to observe dietetic hygiene. It may be said that constipation and the over-consump- tion of sugars, starches, fats and meats are particularly conducive to these disorders. Treatment. It is obvious that the treatment for the various disorders of the liver is not likely to be bril- liantly successful unless the dietetic factor is taken into careful consideration. This means that such foods as meat, white bread, fats, sugars, etc., should be avoided. Tea, coffee, chocolate, cocoa and condiments should also be omitted from the diet. The use of tobacco must be discontinued. Fresh fruit and green vegetables should Diseases 113 form a large part of the diet. Constipation must be particularly guarded against. Grapefruit, lemons and dandelion greens are espe- cially beneficial in liver disorders. The juice of a lemon in a glass of hot water without sugar taken in the morn- ing upon rising will be found useful. Lemon juice and water may be taken at other times of the day if desired. Very little if any sugar should be used to sweeten the liquid. The use of acid fruits is valuable. Vegetables and other foods containing large amounts of starch should be avoided. Six to eight glasses of water should be drunk each day. Buttermilk should be used freely with the meals and at other times if desired. In fact a buttermilk diet for several weeks will give excellent results, using five or six quarts a day. Or one may live several weeks on a diet of buttermilk and vegetables. Exercise is also an important factor to be taken into consideration. The abdominal and trunk twisting exer- cises and the side-bending exercises have a special effect upon the liver as well as the other organs of digestion. Such exercises, particularly the latter, act as a force pump to hasten the flow of blood through the livei* and intestines and promote a more rapid flow of bile from the liver. Such exercises massage the liver by com- pressing and expanding it. Under the heading of exer- cise you will find various exercises suitable for this purpose. Deep breathing has a beneficial influence upon the liver. Horseback riding is also valuable in cases of torpid or inactive liver. Walking should form a part of your program for stimulating the activity of this organ. Sun baths should not be neglected. As the strength of the body increases, you should gradually adopt more vigorous exercises. 114 How To Get Well and Keep Well Hot baths once or twice a week may be used in most cases. If one’s strength permits a daily cool or cold bath with vigorous friction is an excellent remedy. When there is much pain, hot packs can be used to bring about relief. A few days’ fast can be used with excellent results in the majority of liver troubles. If for any reason it is not advisable to take a complete fast, the juice of three or four oranges a day may be taken for two or three days, or a general fruit diet may be used for a few days. The fast or fruit diet should be followed by the milk diet or sumik for several weeks. When the sweet milk is used in such disorders, it is necessary in most cases to use some lemon juice to prevent the ten- dency to biliousness. Furthermore, you may have to remove some of the cream. In some cases the sumik and buttermilk diet will prove more effective. This consists of taking alternately a bottle of sumik and then a bottle of buttermilk throughout the entire day. In this way you will con- sume about three quarts of sumik and three quarts of buttermilk. Description. The nervous system is the great ruler of the body. It controls and regulates every system and function. It not only keeps the organs at work but keeps them working harmoniously. The tissues of the nervous system are made up chiefly of nerve-cells and nerve-fibres. The nerve-cell is gray in color and is the source of nervous energy. The nerve-cell supplies nervous energy; the nerve-fibres con- duct it. The nerve-fibres are white in color. The impulse carried by the nerves from one part of the body to another is called the nerve current or NERVOUSNESS Diseases 115 nerve force. It moves with great rapidity and has been estimated to travel at the rate of more than 100 feet a second. Nervousness is fast becoming the malady of the American nation. The business life and the home life are made up of hurry, worry and excitement while energy is expended uselessly in the pleasures of social life and amusements. This feverish unrest exists every- where, gradually undermining the nervous system. Symptoms. Perhaps no other affection presents such varied symptoms as nervousness. It is seldom that any two persons are affected alike. In many cases there is excessive perspiration of the feet and hands, palpita- tion of the heart, mental fatigue, sexual weakness, head- ache, hysteria or weeping spells, sleeplessness, irrita- bility of temper, inclination to fear and worry, and varied symptoms of digestive disturbances. Causes. Among the causes of nervousness are over- work, mental exertion, tobacco, impoverished blood, lack of outdoor exercise, lack of sleep, sexual excesses, de- vitalizing habits, worry, grief, over-indulgence in coffee, digestive disorders and other chronic diseases. Probably the most direct cause of a large majority of nervous disorders is constipation. Treatment. As constipation is a contributing factor in nervousness, this condition must be overcome by the use of enemas and proper foods. Coffee, tea, condiments, meat and all indigestible foods must be omitted from the diet. The use of tobacco must be discontinued. Some fruit and fresh vegetables should be eaten with each meal. The fruit diet for several days will prove beneficial. Sun and air baths and outdoor exercises should be taken every day when possible. Deep breathing should be practiced. Walking should be indulged in to the point of fatigue. 116 How To Get Well and Keep Well The use of hot and cold baths should be encouraged for increasing better circulation and building up a higher degree of vitality. A hot tub bath may be taken once a week and the tepid bath may be taken two or three times a week. The tepid bath is valuable for relaxing the nervous system and should be taken just before retiring. Gradually accustom yourself to the use of cold water. Swimming is especially valuable in nerv- ous disorders. Salt water swimming can be recom- mended. Several of the special exercises given in another part of the book should be practiced daily. Secure plenty of rest and sleep, and sleep outdoors if possible. The milk diet is an ideal treatment in nervous dis- orders. It should be preceded by a fast of a few days, or a diet of orange juice. In some cases a fast will increase the state of nervousness but this will disappear as soon as the milk is begun. The milk diet may be con- tinued for six or eight weeks. After completing the milk diet, green vegetables and ripe fruit should form a large part of the diet. Celery and lettuce are especially valuable in nervous conditions. The majority of nervous disorders require persistent efforts to overcome them; therefore, do not expect too great results in a short time. NEURASTHENIA Description. Neurasthenia or nervous asthenia is a chronic debility of the nerve cells. This affliction is commonly known under such names as nervous prostra- tion, nervous weakness and nervous exhaustion. Symptoms. It is practically impossible to enumerate all the symptoms of neurasthenia in an orderly manner. Many of the symptoms are weakness of the mental fac- ulties, coldness of the hands and feet, insomnia, diges- Diseases 117 tive disturbances, sexual disorders, the dread of impo- tence in the male, painful menstruation in the female, restlessness, fear, muscular weakness, and an army of symptoms attendant on general nervousness. Causes. Among the causes of this affection are men- tal exertion, overwork, sexual excesses, tobacco, seden- tary habits, neurotic temperament and various chronic diseases. Treatment. The treatment of neurasthenia is prac- tically the same as that for nervousness which is given on another page. A large number of persons afflicted with neurasthenia are despondent and discouraged, and of the opinion that they are suffering from various incurable maladies. This frame of mind must be changed to one of hope and cheerfulness before any definite results can be effected. Meat, white bread, tea, coffee, chocolate, pie, cake, fried foods and all rich, indigestible foods must be omitted from the diet. Eggs should be used in mod- eration. An abundance of fruit and vegetables should be eaten every day. It is necessary that the bowels move freely once or twice a day. Tobacco must be discontinued. A regime of general health-building measures should be followed to improve the nervous and muscular sys- tems. Mental exertion, sexual excesses, worry and anxiety must be avoided. See article on the acquisition of nervous energy. NEURITIS Description. Neuritis is an inflamed condition of the nerves. It occurs mostly in the arms and shoulders. When it occurs in these parts of the body it is some- times called brachial neuritis because the brachial nerves, 118 How To Get Well and Keep Well which run from the upper part of the spine across the shoulders and down the arms, are the ones effected. Neuritis can, however, occur in any part of the body. When there is inflammation of a number of nerves, the condition is called multiple neuritis. Symptoms. The symptoms of simple neuritis are pain and tenderness along the course of the nerves in- volved. The pain is increased by pressure or motion. In multiple neuritis there is pain, numbness, loss of power or ataxia with muscular atrophy. The nerves in the arms and legs are usually the ones affected. Causes. The cause of neuritis is chiefly a toxic con- dition of the system. These poisons may be due to con- stipation, auto-intoxication, malaria, diphtheria, syphilis, diabetes, rheumatism and other diseases. Multiple neu- ritis may also be caused by poisoning from lead, arsenic, silver, mercury, alcohol, etc. In some cases neuritis is due to a lack of sufficient mineral elements in the blood. Treatment. In the treatment of neuritis, the first essential is to remove the poisons from the system. If the toxic elements are being caused by constipation or any other known cause, immediate steps should be taken to remove the cause. Plenty of green vegetables and ripe fruit should be eaten. In fact, some vegetable or fruit should be eaten with every meal. It is hardly necessary to add that meat, white bread, too much sweet, fried foods, pie, cake and all indigestible foods should be excluded from the diet. Eggs should be eaten in moderation. Butter- milk may be drunk freely. In other words, the diet should be anti-toxic and laxative. The bowels should be made to move twice a day if possible. This can usually be accomplished by adding a sufficient amount of bran, agar-agar and laxative foods to the diet. Steam or sweat baths of some kind should be taken Diseases 119 two or three times a week. Hot tub baths are useful and may be used in place of the sweat baths if nec- essary. Hot packs to the affected area are beneficial. In some cases the alternate hot and cold packs give good results. A therapeutic lamp can be used with excellent results, and an electric heating pad may be used. At night upon retiring a cold pack may be applied and allowed to remain throughout the night. It is a good plan to live on a fruit diet for several days. If one is fairly strong a fast for a few days followed by the milk diet or sumik will prove efficacious in most cases. A diet of sumik and buttermilk can be used to excellent advantage. This consists of taking alternately a bottle of sumik, then a bottle of buttermilk, consuming in all five to six quarts a day. Or one may take two quarts of sumik and one quart of buttermilk and eat a meal at supper time consisting of green vege- tables, bran bread or muffins or whole wheat bread, fruit, and egg, etc. When used in this manner the sumik and buttermilk should be drunk before two o’clock in the afternoon. Sun baths, outdoor exercise and deep breathing should be taken daily whenever possible. Massaging the affected parts or using a vibrator is beneficial. Exer- cises for increasing the strength of the body are advised. OBESITY Description. Obesity is simply an accumulation of excessive fat. It is usually an indication of good diges- tive and assimilative powers. Fat people have a ten- dency to kidney disorders and the excessive amount of fat is deposited around the heart, interfering with its proper function. It is a recognized fact that workmen in the most dangerous professions have a far better chance to live to old age than persons suffering from obesity. 120 How To Get Well and Keep Well Symptoms. The outward appearance of obesity is, of course, plain to every observer. The weight is far above normal. Quite often there is difficult breathing, flabbiness of muscle and indisposition to exercise. Causes. The excess of fat is due to consuming more food, particularly of starch, fat and sweets, than the body actually requires to maintain strength and normal weight. In some instances obesity is due to disturbance of the internal secretions. This form of over-fatness is usually encountered in boys and girls and makes its appearance before puberty. Treatment. Limited diet and correct exercise should enter largely into the treatment of this condition. Foods rich in starch, fat and sugar should be greatly restricted. One may eat largely of acid fruits and the non-starchy vegetables. See list of non-starchy vegetables under diet. Milk, cream, cheese, candy, ice cream, sugar, fats, and pastry should be avoided. Sweet fruits, however, may be eaten in moderation. Skimmed milk, buttermilk and cottage cheese may be eaten. The buttermilk diet is very effective in reducing weight when taken in quantities not to exceed three quarts a day. The fruit diet can also be employed with excellent results and may be varied from day to day. Apples can be eaten one day, peaches the next day, pears the next, oranges the next, etc. Or you may com- bine fruit and vegetables at each meal. If you are strong and the heart seems to be in fairly good condition, a fast of a few days will prove beneficial. After the fast use fruit or buttermilk for several days. A good reducing diet is a pint or quart of buttermilk for breakfast, making the other two meals of fruit and vegetables. It is advisable not to reduce the weight too rapidly. In the beginning a loss of two or three pounds a week Diseases 121 will be sufficient. After several weeks the loss should be reduced to one pound a week. In this manner the tissues will gradually adjust themselves to the changed rela- tions. If you think that you feel too weak on a limited diet, do not continue it for a long time, but increase the amount and take more active exercise. Exercises that are within your strength should be taken daily. These should be made as active as possi- ble. Walking is especially valuable. Several of the bending exercises given in another chapter can be used with excellent results. A sweat bath or hot tub bath may be taken once or twice a week. The bowels should move freely. Remember, it requires persistent and continuous efforts to remedy obesity but the results are worth all the efforts required to bring about the reduction. Watch your weight carefully and if you are con- siderably above normal weight, do not try to bring it down to normal in a few weeks' time. The safe and sane method is one that reduces the weight very grad- ually. RHEUMATISM Description. Rheumatism is a world-wide malady. Every year thousands of people are left weakened, crip- pled and permanently deformed through the ravages of this torturous disease. Frequently this disease extends to the heart, and the valves and lining of this vital organ become inflamed. In 80% of the cases of valvu- lar organic diseases of the heart, rheumatism is the most common cause. Rheumatism may be acute or ehronic and is divided into two classes: Articular rheumatism which affects the joints; and muscular rheumatism which affects the muscles. 122 How To Get Well and Keep Well Symptoms. The symptoms of chronic articular rheumatism are stiffness and pain in one or more joints of the body, with more or less swelling in most cases. Chronic articular rheumatism is not usually fatal but there is danger of permanent deformities. The symptoms of chronic muscular rheumatism are pain and stiffness of the muscles affected. The pain is increased when effort is made to move these muscles. Causes. Rheumatism is a constitutional disease and is not caused by uric acid as is popularly supposed. It is due to an excessive accumulation of such poisonous toxins as indol, phenol, skatol and other auto-toxins and these poisons are the result of imperfect elimination, lowered vitality and a disordered state of the alimen- tary tract. In some cases infection from the teeth, ton- sils and gall bladder may produce this disease. Rheu- matism is aggravated by exposure to wet and cold weather. Treatment. All such foods as meat, fish, white bread, pastries, fried foods and rich, indigestible and highly seasoned foods should be omitted from the diet. Coffee, tea, chocolate and cocoa should not be used. Tobacco also must be discontinued. Eggs should be used in moderation. Bread or muffins made from bran or whole wheat should be used. Ripe fruit and fresh vegetables should be eaten in abundance. Celery is especially beneficial in rheuma- tism. Lemons are also very valuable and the juice of two or three lemons may be taken each day if desired. The juice of a lemon in a glass of water may be taken in the morning and again in the evening. Use little or no sugar in the liquid. Practically all acid fruits can be used with excellent results. Buttermilk should be used freely. It may be drunk with the meals and at other times of the day if desired. Diseases 123 A diet of buttermilk and fresh vegetables may be used for several days with good results. The bowels should move freely once or twice a day. If necessary an enema should be used. Sweat baths or hot tub baths should be used two or three times a week in the beginning. Turkish baths or sulphur baths are useful if one lives near a large city where they can be obtained. When there is pain, hot packs to the affected parts will help afford relief. The therapeutic light and electric heating pad are other forms of treatment which can be used for this purpose. Sun baths and deep breathing should form a part of the treatment. Walking is beneficial and should be practiced so far as possible. As the disease disappears, other exercises can be gradually added to increase the strength. A fast of a few days according to the weight and strength of the individual may be taken followed by the milk or sumik diet. If the complete fast is not taken, the juice of three or four oranges a day for several days may be used. Or the general fruit diet may be used for a few days, if the individual is very- weak and much below weight. These diets should be followed by the milk diet. In some cases the sweet milk may aggravate the trouble. Should the increased symptoms still persist after five or six days of this diet, the sumik should be used. In many cases the buttermilk and sumik diet will give better results. This consists of taking alter- nately a bottle of sumik then a bottle of buttermilk throughout the entire day. In this manner you will take about three quarts of sumik and three quarts of buttermilk. Rheumatism is probably the most difficult of all chronic diseases to remedy. Therefore, sufferers from 124 How To Get Well and Keep Well this painful affliction can expect a cure only through persistent efforts. SCIATICA Description. Sciatica is an inflammation of the sciatic nerves located in the back of the hips and thighs. Symptoms. The symptom of sciatica is shooting pains along the course of the sciatic nerve. These pains may be felt in the hips, calf of the leg, ankle or heel. One may experience pain at one or all of these points. These pains are usually sharp and severe and may last a few hours or possibly a day or more. Causes. The causes of sciatica are constipation, auto-intoxication, exposure and over-exertion. It fre- quently follows an attack of lumbago. Treatment. Constipation must be remedied if it exists and the diet should be similar to that given for neuritis. The hot sitz bath will be found especially valuable in securing relief from the pains if the patient is able to take it. The hot tub bath may be used if necessary. Hot packs to the affected part can be used to give relief. The therapeutic light is effective in such cases. Hot water bottles and electric heating pads are other effec- tive remedies. If the pains are very severe, rest in bed is advisable. When possible sun baths and outdoor exercises should be taken to promote better circulation and increase vitality. Walking is very beneficial. The milk diet is an efficient remedy for sciatica. It should be preceded by a fast of a few days, or one may take orange juice for several days preparatory to the milk diet. The fruit diet usually gives quick results in sciatica. Diseases 125 SKIN DISEASES Description. There are a great many forms of skin diseases, many of which are of an infectious nature. Probably the most common type of skin diseases is eczema in its various forms. Under this heading we are therefore considering eczema, the most prevalent of skin disorders, which does not come from external causes. Eczema is a blood or constitutional disease and attacks persons in all walks of life. The cure, there- fore, must rest upon some form of treatment that will remove the constitutional cause. Symptoms. Eczema is a non-contagious inflamma- tion of the skin, the prominent characteristics of which are redness, eruption and itching. The eruption termin- ates into a discharge with the formation of crusts, scales, pustules and fissures, with sometimes thickening of the cuticle. Eczema may appear on any part of the body and is usually more or less of a chronic nature. In some cases the disorder appears only on a certain part of the body, involving a small area, while in other cases the entire body is more or less affected. Causes. The underlying cause of eczema is impov- erishment of the blood brought about by defective action of the alimentary canal. Improper foods, kidney dis- orders, nervous debility and catarrhal conditions are among the causes. Persons suffering from skin diseases are troubled with constipation to a certain extent. Skin disorders are more prevalent among those of sedentary habits. Treatment. In the successful treatment of the vari- ous skin diseases due to constitutional disorders, the organs of elimination such as the bowels, kidneys and 126 How To Get Well and Keep Well skin, must be made to function freely. Constipation must be remedied by the use of laxative foods and proper exercise. In the beginning enemas should be adminis- tered if necessary. Meat, fish, oysters, candies, tea, coffee, chocolate, excessive starchy foods, condiments, fried and greasy foods, and pastries of all kinds should be avoided. Use plenty of ripe fruit and fresh vege- tables. Buttermilk can be drunk freely. In some cases it may be necessary to omit eggs, strawberries and even tomatoes. Drink plenty of water. One must guard against auto-intoxication and the anti-toxic diet is the low protein diet. The fruit diet for several days will be of decided benefit. Sun and air baths should be taken daily when possible. Out- door exercise and deep breathing must be practiced. Steam or hot air baths are particularly valuable as a means of increasing elimination through the skin. These can be taken two or three times a week in the beginning. Warm or hot tub baths may be used. If the skin is badly inflamed, it should not be rubbed. As a health-building measure, cool and cold water applica- tions may be used in conjunction with special exercises for strengthening the internal and external muscular system. A fast of several days, depending upon the weight and strength of the individual, followed by the exclu- sive milk diet for several weeks has produced wonderful results in many obstinate and stubborn cases. As a local treatment for relief of itching and dry- ness of the skin, glycerine may be applied freely to the affected parts every night before retiring. In some cases an ointment prepared from sulphur and vaseline is valuable as a local treatment. When there is much redness, heat, itching and smarting of the affected parts, applications of cold water will sometimes afford relief. Diseases 127 In the treatment of skin diseases persistent efforts are required to secure a complete recovery. STOMACH DISEASES Description. There are several varieties of stomach disorders, the most common of which are dyspepsia, ulcers of the stomach, dilatation of the stomach, acidity of the stomach, cancer of the stomach and gastritis or catarrh of the stomach. The most common of these is dyspepsia which many writers and physicians divide into such types as atonic dyspepsia, acid dyspepsia and nerv- ous dyspepsia. If the stomach is not doing its work properly, diges- tion is delayed, fermentation and putrefaction take place and gas is formed, which distends the stomach. This decaying mass of food passes into the intestines in a partly digested condition and as such it cannot be acted upon properly by the intestinal juices, hence the blood becomes impoverished and the vital organs fail to obtain sufficient nourishment. Stomach troubles should never be neglected. In many chronic conditions of stomach disorders, ulcers form as a result of continual inflammation and infection of the mucous membrane. It is obvious that a continual weakness of the digestive organs of long standing must necessarily cause disease and general weakness of the entire body. Symptoms. The symptoms of dyspepsia are many and varied. Among the symptoms are impairment of the appetite, flatulency, drowsiness after meals, weight and fullness in region of stomach, coated tongue, head- ache, heart-bum, offensive breath, morbid craving after food, disturbed sleep, palpitation of the heart, irregu- larity of bowels, lack of energy and high-colored urine. The prominent symptoms of gastric ulcer are pain 128 How To Get Well and Keep Well and tenderness in region of the stomach and vomiting after meals, with sometimes traces of blood. In ulcers of the stomach the pain is aggravated by the taking of food. Examination of the stomach contents shows an excessive amount of hydrochloric acid. Anemia, loss of weight and other digestive disturbances accompany the condition. In dilatation of the stomach the chief characteristic is an increase in the capacity of the stomach to two or three times its normal quantity. The walls of the stomach become stretched, weak and lose their elasticity. There is more or less gas from fermenting food which does not pass out of the stomach and there is a bad taste in the mouth. Sometimes there is vomiting of undi- gested and fermenting food. Constipation is usually present. In some cases the stomach becomes so dis- tended with gas that it presses against the heart and lungs, interfering with the circulation and breathing, while in other cases there is a prolapsed condition of the digestive organ. Acidity of the stomach, known as hyper-acidity, is a secretion of an excessive amount of hydrochloric acid, resulting in heart-burn, headache, acid eructations, belching, gnawing pains in the stomach and other symptoms. Cancer of the stomach rarely occurs in people under forty years of age. The symptoms are constant pain, dull and heavy, which is increased by food, absence of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, general digestive dis- turbances, frequent vomiting with blood, and marked anemia, emaciation and general debility. Gastritis, or catarrh of the stomach as it is fre- quently called, is a catarrhal inflammation of the stom- ach and presents a great many symptoms similar to dyspepsia. In chronic gastritis, however, the pains are Diseases 129 more severe with epigastric tenderness. Thirst is often a morbid symptom. An examination of the gastric con- tents will usually show a diminution of hydrochloric acid, pepsin and rennin, and a large quantity of mucous. In severe cases there may be an absence of these diges- tive principles. Long standing cases of gastric catarrh impair the gastric glands and produce slow degenera- tive processes of the walls of the stomach. Causes. The principal causes of all stomach dis- orders are wrong foods, improper eating, sedentary habits and a lack of outdoor air and exercise. Other causes are loss of sleep, irritability of temper, nervous depression from worry, fear and fatigue, sexual excesses, excessive use of tea, coffee, ice-water, spirituous liquors, tobacco-chewing, and various diseases. Treatment. In the treatment of stomach troubles, constipation which is usually present in the majority of these disorders, must be remedied before any definite results can be obtained. Instructions for overcoming this condition will be found under the heading of con- stipation. Meat, fried foods, rich and indigestible foods, white bread, pastries, tea, coffee and all greasy foods should be omitted from the diet. Sweet, very starchy and fatty foods should be used very sparingly. Eggs may be used in moderation and should be poached or soft boiled. If meats are used they should be roasted or boiled and not eaten over two or three times a week. The meals should contain plenty of ripe fruit and fresh vegetables. Buttermilk may be drunk with the meals. All food should be eaten slowly and thoroughly masticated. Do not drink more than one glass of water with the meals. Rest from twenty to thirty minutes after meals will prove beneficial in most cases. Some cases of stomach troubles are greatly benefited 130 How To Get Well and Keep Well by going without breakfast. If you do not wish to do this, you might drink a pint of buttermilk for break- fast, or eat a little fresh fruit. A glass of hot water drunk one-half hour before meals will be of value. Some cases of digestive disorders are materially benefited by taking the juice of half a lemon in a glass of water each morning upon rising. Walking and other outdoor exercises according to one’s strength should form a part of your daily program. Deep breathing is especially valuable. Sun and air baths should be taken whenever possible. A set of sev- eral of the exercises described in another part of the book should be practiced daily, especially those that exercise and strengthen the abdominal muscles. A hot bath may be taken once a week or a warm bath two or three times a week. Cool or cold daily baths are exceedingly valuable if one’s physical condition will permit the use of them. The cool sponge bath may be taken each morning in a large number of cases and the temperature of the water gradually reduced from week to week. In this manner one can gradually accustom himself to the use of cold water. Hot and cold shower baths are of great value for increasing the strength and vitality of the patient. Hot and cold sitz baths may also be used with good results. For the relief of pains due to stomach troubles, hot packs may be used. In some cases the alternate hot and cold packs can be used with excellent results. In all cases of stomach troubles, a fast followed by the exclusive milk diet will be found the most satisfac- tory form of treatment for producing quick results. The length of the fast must depend upon the weight and strength of the patient. The juice of three or four oranges a day for several days may be used if the com- plete fast is not taken. In cases of much hyper-acidity, Diseases 131 however, it would be better to take grape juice or apple juice. The milk diet is admirably adapted to acid conditions of the stomach. In ulcers of the stomach the milk should be used in quantities of not over four or four and one- half quarts a day as long as there is pain. As the pain subsides the quantity can be gradually increased. Rest is essential in ulcers of the stomach. In dilatation of the stomach the milk diet should be used in such quality and quantity as will digest easily. It may be necessary to remove some or all of the cream for several days until the muscular walls of the stomach have become stronger. If the milk diet does not prove satisfactory in such conditions, a dry diet or meat diet should be used. Remember, fasting allows the stomach to shrink and become smaller and the short fasts may be repeated occasionally until desired results are obtained. In some cases of stomach disorders the sumik or sumik and buttermilk diet may prove satisfactory where the sweet milk diet cannot be taken. Chronic stomach troubles of long standing may require several weeks of alternate fasting and dieting to bring about permanent results. When on solid foods, a day’s fast now and then will often enable one to retain a good appetite. If you do not wish to use the complete fast, you may live one day on fruit or buttermilk. The fruit or buttermilk diet may be used as often as one day a week. Sufferers from stomach diseases must not over-eat. Exercises and health-building measures should be per- sisted in to build up a better tone of the digestive organs as well as to increase strength and vitality in all parts of the body. Only in this way can a permanent cure be expected. 132 How To Get Well and Keep Well THE ACQUISITION OF NERVOUS ENERGY Vital energy is the life of the body. It is the power that drives the brain, the heart, the lungs. This great magnetic force is replenished each night during sound and restful sleep and the amount accumulated depends upon the state of digestion, assimilation, circulation and elimination. The energy that gives life to the body is known to be nerve force and without healthy, vigorous nerves, the vital organs cannot properly perform their func- tions; consequently the tissues and organs of the body become debilitated. It is this great vital energy that makes the heart beat strong and gives one an uncon- trollable desire for activity and a longing for work, for play and creative ability. The acquisition of nervous energy is much more to be desired than muscular power. One should try in every way to develop and conserve this vital force. It is the absence of this essential that accounts for the weakness of some men who possess phenomenal mus- cles. Its possession enables weak persons to perform remarkable feats. It is contractile power that deter- mines a muscle’s strength, and this contraction is gov- erned by the nerves. Abundant pure air and refreshing sleep are the two potent factors in building nervous strength. Oxygen is a powerful stimulant to the nervous system. Four times as much oxygen is consumed by a nerve cell as by a muscle cell. This vital element is the most impor- tant agency in the health of man. Life depends upon oxygen charged with the impulse of Nature. This life- giving element destroys diseased cells and gives to the blood renewed energy. Therefore, one should remember Diseases 133 to spend as much time in the open air as possible and to practice deep breathing frequently, particularly when walking. Nerve force is the acme of power. It is the basis of all muscular and mental efficiency. Health, strength and vitality are the greatest things in life and are the result of normal nerve force. These are the sources of all joy, all happiness, all love. Men and women who are seeking a larger accumula- tion of nervous energy must follow out a regime of daily physical training, in addition to sufficient sleep and fresh air mentioned above. Walking is an important factor in the development of nerve force. Several miles of this form of exercise should be taken daily. Walking around the streets is not sufficient. One must get out in the country—away from the city and paved sidewalks. If your daily occu- pation prohibits long walks after working hours, then take short walks daily and make Sunday and holidays a day of long walks. Should you live in a large city, motor to the country, or take a street car out as far as possible, and walk or hike several miles through the woods, meadows and over the hills. If possible, interest a companion and take him along with you. Remember, hill climbing and mountain climbing are especially valu- able for developing the heart and lungs. Running is beneficial for developing wind and endurance. Swimming is an excellent means of developing vital- ity and nervous energy and should be practiced daily when possible. Sea bathing is to be recommended to those who are fortunate enough to have access to salt water. Rowing is excellent exercise for the arms and shoulders. The use of cold or cool water is a valuable means of increasing nervous energy, invigorating the digestive 134 How To Get Well and Keep Well organs, accelerating the circulation and giving tone to the muscles of the body. If your vitality is low or you are unaccustomed to cold water, begin with the use of the cool or temperate sponge bath and gradually add the colder water as your vitality increases. The use of hot and cold shower baths and hot and cold sitz baths are to he recommended. Select a set of several of the exercises given in another chapter and practice them daily. Rope skip- ping is an excellent form of exercise for developing the heart, lungs and endurance. Other outdoor exercises should be taken when possible. Diet plays a most important part in the accumula- tion of nerve force. All foods that disturb digestion must be avoided. Constipation must be guarded against. Tea, coffee, fried foods, pies, cakes and other rich, indi- gestible foods must be omitted from the diet. Eat a sufficient amount of foods rich in iron and calcium. Drink six to eight glassfuls of water each day. Meat should be used not oftener than three times a week and should he either roasted or boiled. Eggs should be used in moderation and buttermilk should be drunk freely with the meals. Every meal at which meat is eaten should have a large dish of fruit or vegetable salad. Do not use sweet milk at the same meal that meat is used. Do not use foods rich in starch at the same meal that you use meat. Use plenty of ripe fruit and fresh vegetables at all times. One cannot acquire the highest degree of energy, strength and endurance and live exclusively on a vege- tarian diet. As you know, a strict vegetarian does not use meat, eggs, butter, cheese, milk or buttermilk. Sun baths should be taken when possible and deep breathing exereises should be practiced. If possible arrange so as to sleep out of doors. If this is impossible, Diseases 135 see that the windows of the sleeping room are wide open to admit large quantities of fresh air. Sexual excesses must he avoided. The mind should be free from worry and anxiety. To acquire a high degree of nervous energy, one must keep the digestive organs in proper functioning order, the eliminative organs active, the blood stream free from impurities, and the heart and lungs in a healthy condition. These conditions can only be brought about by proper foods, sufficient amount of outdoor air and exercise, correct breathing, judicious use of hot and cold water, and the required amount of rest, recreation and sleep. Remember that the nerve force is weakened through overwork, mental strain, diseases, worry, grief, excess and abuses, and indiscretions of one kind or another. America seemingly has become a nation of commer- cial interests. Every person is for himself. There is no room for the physical weakling. The crying need is for men of tremendous power of physical energy and if you wish to fight your way in the world you must keep up your vital force. The industrial world desires men—not of brawn—but of physical energy. THE END