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 Daily ways to health, 
 
 3 1924 003 465 667 
 
DAILY WAYS TO 
 HEALTH 
 
 Bt 
 
 EMILY M. BISHOP 
 
 Author of 
 The Road to 'Seventy Years Young' " 
 
 "Man has made an art of life itself, why not, then, make 
 one of health which is the life of life !" 
 
 \ — Ernst von Feucktersleben. 
 
 NEW YORK 
 ^.'W. HUEBSCH 
 
 ^ 1910 
 
Q>PYIUGHT, I9IO, 
 BY 
 
 B, W. HUEBSCH 
 
 PRINTED IN U. S. A. 
 
To 
 GwYNETH King Roe 
 
Cornell University 
 Library 
 
 The original of tiiis book is in 
 tine Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924003465667 
 
To Any Man or Woman: 
 
 May I, unpretentious book that I am, make - 
 myself at home with you? If so, I choose to be 
 left around anywhere — on the office desk, the 
 kitchen shelf, the couch, the sewing table or the 
 window seat — so that every little while you will 
 give me a friendly glance. 
 
 My only excuse for being born is to help you. 
 And you need me, though you may not know it. 
 So do not put me away on a high shelf or behind 
 glass doors in company with fine and learned 
 volumes. I do not speak their language. But 
 hidden away in my pages, I have many a hint for 
 you that will help you to win your great game — 
 The Game of Health. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER 
 
 
 page 
 
 I. 
 
 Remember to Keep Well 
 
 
 II 
 
 II. 
 
 The Habit of Health 
 
 
 22 
 
 HI. 
 
 Daily Acts 
 
 
 35 
 
 
 I. Breathing . 
 
 
 35, 
 
 
 2. Relaxation 
 
 
 41 
 
 
 3. Standing . 
 
 
 . 46 
 
 " 
 
 4. Sitting 
 
 
 50 
 
 
 5. Walking . 
 
 
 52 
 
 IV. 
 
 Two Health-Foes . 
 
 
 55 
 
 
 I. Corpulency 
 
 
 55 
 
 
 2. Insomnia . 
 
 
 59 
 
 y. 
 
 Scraps of Time 
 
 
 64 
 
 ,vi. 
 
 Simple Exercises for Odi 
 
 ) Mo- 
 
 
 
 ments . . . . 
 
 
 69 
 
 
 A Month's Health Cal 
 
 endai 
 
 71 
 
 VII. 
 
 The Diaphragm, Back an 
 
 D Ab- 
 
 
 
 DOMiNAL Muscles . 
 
 
 89 
 
 VIII. 
 
 Kinds and Significance 
 
 f Ex- 
 
 
 
 ERCISE . . . . 
 
 
 104 
 
 IX. 
 
 The Will to Be Well . 
 
 
 "3 
 
 X. 
 
 One's Best Physician . 
 7 
 
 
 117 
 
CHAPTER 
 
 • Contents 
 
 PAGE 
 
 1. For Establishing Good 
 Standing Poise . . .120 
 
 2. For Buoyancy and Light- 
 ness of Movement . . 128 
 
 3. For Establishing Good Sit- 
 ting Poise .... 134 
 
 4. For Rising, Sitting and 
 Mounting Stairs . . 140 
 
 5. For Preventing and Over- 
 coming Nervousness . . 142 
 
 6. For Breathing Abundantly 148 
 
 7. For Strengthening the Back 
 Muscles . . . .154 
 
 8. For Broadening the Chest 
 
 and Flattening Shoulders . 159 
 
 9. For Resisting Tubercular 
 Tendencies . . .166 
 
 10. For Preventing and Allevi- 
 ating Catarrh . . .173 
 
 11. For Strengthening the Ab- 
 dominal Muscles . . 175 
 
 12. For Reducing Hip-Girth . 177 
 
 13. For Making Waist Muscles 
 
 Supple and Strong . . 180 
 
 14. For Preventing and Over- 
 coming Corpulency . . 183 
 
 15. For Stimulating the Action 
 
 of the Liver . . .190 
 
Contents 5 
 
 CHAPTER ' PAGE 
 
 16. For Promoting Digestion . 194 
 
 17. For Preventing and Over- 
 coming Constipation . . 199 
 
 18. For Improving the Circula- 
 tion ..... 204 
 
 19. For Keeping Young and 
 Overcoming Setness . . 210 
 
 20. For Strengthening Leg 
 Muscles and for Flexible 
 Joints of Feet and Legs . 218 
 
 21. For Ease and Economy of 
 Energy in Walking . . 221 
 
 22. For Overcoming Chilliness 
 
 and Preventing Colds . 226 
 
 23. For Improving the Heart 
 Action .... 233 
 
 24. For Preventing and Allevi- 
 ating Headache . . 236 
 
 25. For Overcoming Pain at 
 
 Base of the Brain . . 241 
 
 26. For Relieving Eye-Strain . 243 
 
 27. For Avoiding Rheumatic 
 Conditions . . ' . 245 
 
 28. For Correcting Unevenness 
 
 of Shoulders and Hips . 249 
 
 29. For Flexibility of the Hands 25 1 
 
 30. For Developing Symmet- 
 rical Arms . . . 253 
 
,io Contents 
 
 CHAPTER PAGE 
 
 31. For Keeping Neck-Muscles 
 Firm and Preventing Dou- 
 ble Chin .... 255 
 
 32. For Fortifying Throat and 
 Preventing Deafness . . 258 
 
 33. For Overcoming Insomnia . 262 
 
 34. For Overcoming Mai-Men- 
 tal States . . . .271 
 
 35. For General Daily Practice 276 
 XI. Outline for Class Lessons . 281 
 
 XIL Keeping The Body at Par . 290 
 
DAILY WAYS TO HEALTH 
 
 REMEMBER TO KEEP WELL 
 
 Said Robert Louis Stevenson: "Now do take 
 warning by me- I am set up by a Beneficent 
 Providence at the corner of the road to warn you 
 to flee from the 'Hebetude' that is to follow. . . . 
 so remember to keep well; and remember rather 
 anything than not to keep well; and again I say, 
 anything rather than not to keep well." 
 
 Remember to keep welll Such remembering 
 must be an active, not a reflective, act. It is the 
 kind of remembering that makes you give your 
 body a square deal in all of your daily transac- 
 tions. Stevenson's warning means, literally, re- 
 member before anything else to do that which 
 shall insure your health, whatever such doing may 
 be or whatever effort it may require. 
 
 No need to urge the advantages and personal 
 comfort which keeping well confers. Higher 
 selfishness must surely make every one willing 
 to remember to keep well, but before one 
 
 II 
 
12 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 can remember, one must know what to re- 
 member. The purpose of this book is to 
 tell you somewhat of that. It tells you the 
 right way of using the body in all the neces- 
 sary daily acts of life, and, in order that you may 
 avoid them, it calls attention to the wrong ways 
 into which so many ignorantly fall. It suggests 
 simple devices for keeping your mental house in 
 order which is a part of remembering to keep 
 well for inharmonious mental states are inter- 
 related with physical unhappiness. Sometimes 
 the initiative of one's illness or wellness is in the 
 mind and sometimes in the body. 
 
 In all this telling about how to remember to 
 keep well, there ife nothing that is difficult of com- 
 prehension or of remembering. Only every-day 
 practical physiology and psychology are spoken 
 of-^ — physiological facts applied to the conserva- 
 tion of personal resources, and psychological facts 
 applied to the supreme art of living healthfully 
 and happily. 
 
 The Way 
 
 The way is simple and sane. It is ( i) by right 
 thinking about oneself, by making one's auto-sug- 
 gestions upbuilding and liberating rather than 
 destructive and enslaving; (2) by right daily ac- 
 tion toward oneself. This latter includes such 
 ever-recurring acts as standing, sitting, rising, 
 
Remember to Keep Well 13 
 
 walking, breathing, resting, bending, stooping, 
 stretching — all the physical feats that a day calls 
 forth. It also includes specific exercises to pre- 
 vent an undue accumulation of fat, to fortify the 
 lungs against tubercular tendencies, to make all 
 parts of the body resistent to the foes of health, to 
 prevent the body from settling and becoming 
 old, to develop all parts symmetrically, to re-. 
 lieve nervous tension, and to vitalize every part 
 of the organism each and every day. 
 
 Imaginary Stumbling Blocks 
 
 Right here, let me name the seeming obstacles 
 to taking physical exercises which frequently de- 
 ter persons from this most natural way of keep- 
 ing well. Already, some of these may have 
 loomed upon your mental horizon. 
 
 The fears and imaginings of the many thou- 
 sands of all sorts and conditions of persons of 
 all ages from twenty to eighty-four years who 
 have been members of our health classes, have 
 succeeded in finding only five seeming obstacles. 
 In truth, each one is an argument for taking ex- 
 ercises rather than an obstacle to such wise pro- 
 cedure. 
 
 These seeming obstacles are : 
 
 (1) "I haven't the time" — lack of time. 
 
 (2) "I fear that I wouldn't keep up the prac- 
 
 tice" — ^lack of faith in oneself. 
 
14 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 (3) "I don't know what exercises to take that 
 
 will do any good" — lack of knowledge. 
 
 (4) "I'm too old"— lack of right mental atti- 
 
 tude. 
 ;(5) "I'm not strong enough to exercise"— lack 
 of strength. 
 Let us consider each of these in turn — the last 
 first: 
 
 "I'm not Strong Enough to Exercise" 
 
 Strength is a relative term. If you have only 
 a small amount at your command, you certainly 
 cannot invest part of it in a more profitable way 
 than by doing that which shall give you more 
 strength. It is the man with penny savings who 
 can least afford to speculate. His safety depends 
 upon making sure investment of his small capital. 
 Were such a man to attempt the extravagance of 
 the millionaire, he would be thought crazy. Many 
 poor persons, physically, are as unwisely ambi- 
 tious about expending their small capital. Such 
 recklessness is worse than foolish. It is highly 
 immoral. No one has a right to invite physical 
 bankruptcy. More strength is born of strength 
 wisely used; every one who is "able to be around" 
 can unquestionably better his or her condition by 
 simple — not exhausting — -play exercises. It only 
 requires the use of judgment, or plain common 
 sense. 
 
Remember to Keep Well 15 
 
 'Tm Too Old" 
 
 Age as a factor in determining what we can 
 or cannot do is also a relative matter. What one 
 thinks about it is the principal thing. To cite 
 two cases: A perfectly healthy, attractive young 
 woman, twenty-six years of age, wanted to pre- 
 pare herself to be a teacher of health culture. 
 Her father, a practical business man, discour- 
 aged her. He advised her to take up domestic 
 science instead because "she was too old to do 
 much with physical culture." It would seem as 
 if this generally well-informed man failed to see 
 a distinction between rational health exercises 
 and the training of a contortionist. 
 
 On the other hand, one woman some eighty- 
 odd years young is a conspicuous figure in our 
 health classes at The Chautauqua Institution, 
 Chautauqua, New York. She has been in regular 
 daily attendance every summer for the past four- 
 teen years. She is conspicuous because well- 
 known and well-beloved, but, in the practice of 
 Health Exercises, she is inconspicuous because her 
 work is so like that of the other members of a 
 large class of good workers. To poise herself, 
 Mercury-like, on one foot or to bend from the 
 hips and touch the floor with her fingers, the 
 knees being straight, are simple acts which she 
 does as a matter of course. 
 
 Several times, three generations have been 
 
1 6 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 represented in the same class, the grandmothers 
 enjoying the pleasure of exhilarating movement, 
 the feeling of aliveness in every part of the body, 
 quite as much as their daughters or granddaugh- 
 ters; usually, they are the ones who receive the 
 greatest benefit. When persons begin to. settle 
 down, to become staid and altogether matter-of- 
 fact, or to think of themselves as grandmothers 
 and grandfathers, is just when they particularly 
 need a new order of physical and mental exercise 
 to keep them alert and alive. In fact, children 
 before they become self-conscious or restricted in 
 their spontaneous movements, need physical cul- 
 ture less than any other persons. Much of our 
 education is upside down. Persons of one age 
 miss that for which they starve and sicken, those 
 of another age are surfeited to indigestion with 
 that which they do not want or need; that chil- 
 dren are the only class who to any general ex- 
 tent "take" physical culture is an instance in point. 
 
 Do not misunderstand me. Children need — 
 and more's the pity, many sadly need and have it 
 not — right direction in the management of the 
 instrument of expression which they are to use 
 all their lives, the body. Nothing is more fun- 
 damentally important than this. So many de- 
 formities, so much illness, so many failures and 
 so much unhappiness might be averted. 
 
 We teach them good deportment toward 
 others, why not good deportment toward them- 
 
Remember to Keep Well 17 
 
 selves? It is far more important, vitally. From 
 early childhood, they should be trained — ^by lov- 
 ing, undogmatic direction — -to take habitual gra- 
 cious and self-respecting attitudes, to avoid pos- 
 tures that easily lead to one-sidedness and other 
 deformities; the lung-bath and other simple 
 health-acts should be made as much a part of each 
 day's life as is the body-bath. But as for phys- 
 ical exercise per se, trust them to take care of 
 their need in' that direction without adult inter- 
 ference. The demand for exercise is one of the 
 most primary hungers of animal life. Children 
 always spontaneously seek to gratify natural hun- 
 gers. 
 
 From all of which, only one conclusion can be 
 drawn: If age debars any from the practice of 
 Health Exercises, it is those who are too young, 
 not those who think they are too old. 
 
 "/ Don't Know What Exercises to Take That 
 Will Do Any Good" 
 
 Lack of knowledge of what exercises to take 
 for specific results and how to take them is, per- 
 ''haps, justification for hesitating about taking any; 
 but is there any justification for being ignorant? 
 Is it not my business and your business to know 
 that which would be of vital benefit to us, and 
 through us, to society? Civil and criminal law so 
 maintain: "Ignorance of the law excuses no 
 man," 
 
1 8 Daily Ways to Health" 
 
 "/ Fear That I Wouldn't Keep Up the Practice" 
 
 Do you know, I think better of you than you 
 do of yourself. I believe that you will ; perhaps 
 not the first try, nor the second, but finally, yes. 
 Formerly, I was less optimistic; but so many per- 
 sons — not a few of whom were doubting Thom- 
 ases. — have kept up the practice and made it sec- 
 ond nature to do the right thing by the body, that 
 I now have high expectations for all. Inspiration 
 for renewed effort comes day by day, as one be- 
 gins to see and feel the good results from practice. 
 Moreover, most of us are "made of sterner stuff" 
 than we ordinarily realize — many never find them- 
 selves. As Professor Robert Herrick makes the 
 wise old doctor say to a disappointed young 
 mother who complains of her daughter, "You 
 don't know what's inside her besides that ten- 
 dency, any more than you know now what is in- 
 side yourself and may come out a year hence. No 
 one knows the whole story until the end. Even 
 really aged people develop surprising qualities of 
 character. It's a Christmas box — the inside of 
 us; you can always find another package if you 
 put your hand in deep enough and feel around. 
 Molly's top package seems to be finery. She may 
 dip down lower."* 
 
 Lack of faith in ourselves works in many ways 
 to our general undoing. It is a leading cause of 
 
 ♦Herrick, Together. 
 
Remember to Keep Well 19 
 
 ill-health, non-success, and unhappiness. We shall 
 have more to say later about pernicious thought- 
 habits. 
 
 "/ Haven't the Tim^" 
 
 Of all the excuses which we make for our short- 
 comings, whatsoever, lack of time is the most 
 over-worked. But do you succeed in fooling your- 
 self ? I don't. Haven't you seen a mocking little 
 imp in some nook of your brain grin at you when 
 you solemnly offered this same old self-justifica- 
 tion? 
 
 We all know that we find time for that which 
 we really have to do or want to do — ^most want 
 to do. Again, it is a matter of relative values 
 as all of life is. No one can be or do every- 
 thing. 
 
 Where are the knitters of yesterday? Our 
 grandmothers thought it worth while to knit, 
 and they found time for It. Women no longer 
 want to knit, but they have time to embroider, 
 to play cards, to read novels, go to amusements, 
 to attend social functions, and to do a dozen and 
 one*other things that belong to the play-side of 
 daily life. Besides, they have time for their regu- 
 lar work, their vocation, at least over five million 
 women in. the United States do, exclusive of the 
 still large number whose work is that of home- 
 maker. 
 
20 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 Yes, the very large majority of us have the 
 time. It is different with those who are practi- 
 cally slaves to our unjust economic conditions, 
 whose days and nights are almost one ceaseless 
 grind of dead work. With them, the first ques- 
 tion must, of necessity, be the one that Emerson 
 said we as a race are inclined to ask of every good 
 or truth or beauty: "Will it bake bread?" or, 
 literally, "Will it pay?" In this case the answer 
 is emphatically. Yes. A few moments devoted to 
 exercises that upbuild, that make one able to do 
 the same amount of work with less fatigue than 
 formerly, that increase one's power of resistance 
 to disease, will pay even the over-worked, under- 
 fed sweatshop worker. 
 
 Have You Time for Sickness? 
 
 For us who are more fortunately environed 
 than these drudges of toil to say that we know it 
 would be a good thing to take some exercise every 
 day but we haven't the time, is penny wise and 
 pound foolish logic. One might almost as ration- 
 ally say, "I haven't the time to live, I'm so busy 
 getting ready to die." Those who do not take the 
 time to keep well, the time to do the things that 
 make for abiding heahh, will have to take the 
 time for sickness and its consequent loss and de- 
 lay, or will lose time by being less efficient. Many 
 
Remember to Keep Well 21 
 
 of us have been too absorbed to realize our own 
 foolishness ; our attention has been too much cen- 
 tered in the restless foreground activities of our 
 daily lives. We have lacked perspective. 
 
II 
 
 THE HABIT OF HEALTH 
 
 How do you do? This world-over salutation 
 is very suggestive. How do you do? What is 
 the character of your daily doing as related to 
 your emotional and physical self? How. do you 
 carry yourself? How do you direct and stimulate 
 your moods? How do you use and care for 
 your body? Of what order are your habitual 
 auto-suggestions ? Is your daily doing such as tends 
 to form the habit of health? If not, then, indeed, 
 'tis "a grievous fault," and grievously shalt thou 
 answer it some day. For, as Herbert Spencer 
 says in Physical Education, "Every breach of the 
 laws of health is a physical sin." And though 
 we pray for mercy and acknowledge that we are 
 "miserable sinners," we must pay the full penalty 
 for our transgressions against the laws of health. 
 Cause and effect, not mercy, reign in the phy- 
 sical universe. If this were always plain to see, 
 if effect swiftly followed cause, even the dullest 
 of us would be shocked into better self-treatment. 
 Unfortunately, some of the penalties are so dis- 
 
 22 
 
iThe Habit of Health 23 
 
 guised or so long deferred that when they are 
 imposed, we fail to see that they are the legiti- 
 mate effects of some previous causes. 
 
 Some Physical Sins 
 
 Many persons endowed with splendid strength 
 and vitality, persistently use up more energy than 
 the vital processes daily manufacture. This means 
 that they make heavy drafts upon their capital, 
 but, nothwithstanding, they keep hale and hearty 
 for years. They boast that "nothing hurts them," 
 that "they are as tough as a hickory knot." 
 Others cheat themselves of sleep, eat all sorts of 
 indigestible food, drink vile concoctions, wear 
 clothes inartistically tight, live and sleep in illy 
 ventilated rooms, breathe in a niggardly fashion, 
 habitually sit in stooped, cramped or strained 
 positions arid, in spite of all these "breaches of 
 the laws of health," no sudden disaster be- 
 falls them. But, inevitably, at some cross-roads 
 they find themselves unable to journey on as 
 before. 
 
 Some Penalties 
 
 The person who has lived in bad air and 
 breathed in a bad manner finds himself subject to 
 colds, an easy prey to grippe, or his circulation is 
 poor, his heart weak. The one who failed to 
 
24 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 nourish brain and nerves with wholesome food 
 and abundant sleep finds himself rheumatic, ir- 
 ritable, despondent — in a word, he is wrecked, 
 nervously. The wearer of tight clothes develops 
 a sensitive stomach or pelvic troubles or she loses 
 her stamina and "gives way" at anjrthing or noth- 
 ing. While the woman — ox man— who sat 
 stooped or stood so as to cramp the chest and 
 crowd the stomach becomes unpleasantly aware 
 that she has a liver or that her lungs are affected, 
 or her food does not agree with her or her poor 
 back achirigly protests against the burdens un- 
 justly put upon it. In short, the whole physical 
 organism may easily "get out of kilter" as a pen- 
 alty of breaking any simple law of health in the 
 daily use of the body. And, yet, such sinners 
 wonder what they have done that such affliction 
 should come upon them I It is more often "those 
 things which they have left undone which they 
 should have done" until, literally, "there is no 
 health in them." 
 
 The Better Way 
 
 Doing the things which we ought to do as 
 regards the conduct of our thoughts and our 
 bodies, is to form the habit of health. And it is 
 not an overstatement to say that two-thirds of 
 the suffering due to the causes above mentioned 
 could be prevented if we would daily make a 
 
The Habit of Health 25 
 
 few strokes of effort toward the forming of that 
 beneficent habit. 
 
 Is it not strange that while other pet:sonal hab- 
 its as industry, honesty, sobriety and virtuous 
 conduct are extolled, the habit of health which 
 is the most primary good of all, is rarely men- 
 tioned?^ Horace Mann said, "At college, I was 
 taught the motions of the heavenly bodies as if 
 their keeping in their orbits depended upon my 
 knowing them; while 1 was in profound igno- 
 rance of the laws of health of my own body. The 
 rest of my life was, in consequence, one long bat- 
 tle with exhausted energies." Thousands, yes, 
 millions gi persons have had to fight the same 
 battle because of the same lamentable omission 
 in their early education. 
 
 fFhat It Is 
 
 Do you ask, "Just what is meant by the habit 
 of health?" Let us see. We all know that 
 habit is born of repetition. 
 
 It is a universal law that the paths over which 
 energy most easily travels are those over which 
 energy has before traveled. We know that ac- 
 tions, attitudes, and mental and physical condi- 
 tions which may have been difficult at first, be- 
 come through repetition easy, spontaneous, even 
 unconscious. They do themselves. And we know 
 
26 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 that health is "the state of being sound, hale and 
 whole in mind and body." It means perfect cir- 
 culation and digestion; full, tonic respiration; 
 steady nerves; virile mental states; wholesome 
 moods and emotions. Are these all "easy," 
 "spontaneous" or even "unconscious" with you? 
 If so, the habit of health is yours, and all you 
 have to do is to hold fast your present blessing. 
 If this goodly habit is not yours today, then to- 
 day is the best time to begin to cultivate it, and 
 tomorrow is the best time to follow up that good 
 beginning with another step in the right direction, 
 and so on, with increasing delight and self-respect, 
 days without end. 
 
 Never too Old to Form New Habits 
 
 No one should be discouraged about cultivat- 
 ing the habit of health because he happens to be 
 a score or two years removed from the days of 
 his teens. To say, "It's no use, you can't teach 
 an old dog new tricks" is to be unpsychological. 
 For psychology says, "The constant change of 
 tissue due to the nutritive process of waste and re- 
 pair in the body makes new habits possible to 
 form to the latest day of life because the new tis- 
 sue sets itself naturally to the latest 'pathway' 
 and 'tends to corroborate and fix the impressed 
 structural modification.' " 
 
The Habit of Health 27 
 
 The Power of Resistance and Recoil 
 
 The habit of health is much more than the 
 possession of health under favorable conditions. 
 It means that one is backed by a certain physical 
 reliability. This positive vital quality enables 
 one's body to endure much hard usage, and still 
 keep its "efficiency-equilibrium." It holds the or- 
 ganism to normal activity under many adverse 
 circumstances, and protects it from susceptibility 
 to malign influences. It enables patients to "pull 
 through" dangerous diseases where other per- 
 sons who lacked such positive quality would go 
 under. 
 
 The recoil from a surgical operation, a har- 
 rowing emotional experience or an acute disease 
 by bodies not habituated to the expression of 
 health, is usually to a sub-normal level of en- 
 durance. The system is shattered by the shock, 
 one's initiaL stamina is undermined by the dis- 
 ease — or the remedies — ^^and the power of re- 
 bound is lost. The consequence is that when one 
 has recovered, it is only a partial recovery. One's 
 maximum energy ever afterwards registers at a 
 lower notch than it did before the shock. How 
 common are such remarks as, "He has never been 
 the same man since that illness of a few years 
 ago," or "She has never got over the shock" of 
 this or that experience. 
 
 When the system is confirmed In the habit of 
 
28 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 health, its involuntary response from any shock 
 is toward normal conditions. The energy-pendu- 
 lum tends from force of habit to swing back to 
 its accustomed b,eat. 
 
 Self-Repair the Law of Living Cells 
 
 Health and self-repair are laws of living cells. 
 Disease and sickness are the breaking of these 
 laws. 
 
 The body's "inalienable tendejicy toward 
 health" is demonstrated in the refunding of our 
 nervous energy and our self-confidence during 
 sleep, in the rapid restorative processes set to 
 work after an acute illness, in the visible up- 
 building that follows a protracted fever or fast, 
 in the vigorous protest of the digestive organs 
 against many poisons and, most wonderfully, in 
 the self-sacrificing fight of our resident army of 
 defence — the innumerable phagocytes, or white 
 corpuscles of the blood. These minute warrior- 
 workmen tumble over each other in their haste 
 to respond to a "hurry-call" in times of accident 
 — the bursting of a blood vessel, a pin prick or the 
 loss of a limb. They do all that can be done to 
 repair the damage. They are also a health- 
 guard against disease; for, in most diseases, they 
 attack the disease-microbes like veritable fighting 
 cannibals killing and eating to the limit of their 
 capacity. 
 
The Habit of Health 29 
 
 'Every One His Own Keeper 
 
 We must not blindly rely, however, upon the 
 body's spontaneous protections and its inherent 
 tendencies toward health; these are inadequate 
 to keep our physical and nervous resources per- 
 manently at par unless we do our part. Nor 
 must we ever overlook the fact that habit may 
 work against us as well as for us. Many persons 
 are invalids and semi-invalids more from habit 
 than anything else. A hesitating, "I-don't- 
 know," will-less mental state soon leads to the 
 habit of general good-for-nothingness. Such sub- 
 normal neural tendencies can, however, be 
 broken up and replaced by positive up-building 
 ones. If one has the will, there is the way. 
 
 One has only to look about him at the mental, 
 nervous and physical states of most adults to 
 see that the activity which daily living calls forth 
 is not adequate to keep one's mind and body at 
 their highest level for any number of years. Just 
 living, or trying to save oneself by inactivity, is 
 dangerous. Nor does honest, hard work suffice. 
 For, whatever the nature of one's occupation — 
 domestic, manual, clerical, business or profes- 
 sional — ^the bodily activity necessitated by it is 
 almost invariably limited or agingly monotonous 
 or such that it tends to undermine rather than to 
 upbuild on'e's energies. 
 
30 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 We must be our own keepers, physically as well 
 as mo f ally. 
 
 We must allure health to abide with us by mak- 
 ing conditions favorable to it. These conditions 
 can be achieved ( i ) by tonic thought-habits, ( 2 ) 
 by the daily vitalization of every part of the 
 organism, and (3) by the habitual right me- 
 chanical adjustment and use of the body. 
 
 Tonic Thought-Habits 
 
 Thought-habits are the most subtle and dif- 
 ficult of all habits to master by direct attack. For- 
 tunately, there is an indirect mode of attack 
 through the bodily activities that is simple and 
 effective. 
 
 Mental and Physical Reactions 
 
 The interrelation of mind and body, and their 
 actions and reactions upon each other are facts 
 established beyond dispute. As Laurence Sterne 
 expressed it, "A man's body and his mind (with 
 the utmost reverence to both, I speak it) are 
 exactly like a jerkin and a jerkin's lining — rumple 
 the one, you rumple the other." Also, if you 
 smooth out one, the other loses its wrinkles. Not 
 only does despondency show itself in a depressed 
 chest, a dragging gait and general muscular in- 
 ertness, but an animated poise, a buoyant step 
 
The Habit of Health 31 
 
 and general muscular aliveness incline the mind 
 away from despondency. Browning appreciates 
 this reactionary effect of physical action upon 
 mental states when he says : 
 
 "Then we began to ride. My soul 
 Smoothed itself out, a long-cramped scroll 
 Freshening and fluttering in the wind." 
 
 We must, indeed, become masters of our moods 
 if we would maintain physical harmony. And, 
 happily, one of the surest ways of doing so is by 
 paying heed tu such tangible things as our bodily 
 expressions. For "from our acts and attitudes, 
 ceaseless inpouring currents of sensation come, 
 which help to determine, from moment to moment 
 .what our inner state shall be."* 
 
 Daily Vitalization of the Organism 
 
 ' Activity is life, non-activity is death. If the 
 muscles of the arm be denied activity, in time, they 
 atrophy; likewise, unless every part of the body 
 is vitalized daily by work, play or physical ex- 
 ercise, there is a lessening of life — vigor and en- 
 durance. This applies with particular force to 
 the vital organs upon which life depends, the 
 lungs, heart and digestive organs. Some of the 
 most dreaded physical conditions, as tumors and 
 
 *Ja'MES, Psychology. 
 
32 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 cancers, frequently have their origin in local con- 
 gestion and in torpid circulation. 
 
 He who is guilty of what David Starr Jordan 
 calls "the sin of undervitalization" invites phys- 
 ical calamities. 
 
 Right Mechanical Adjustment of the Body 
 
 Possibly these words may be misleading to 
 some. Pray, do not think that I am suggesting 
 that our bodily actions should be mechanical, pre- 
 cise or like those of wound up automatons. Quite 
 the contrary. The more varied, spontaneous 
 and play-like they are, the better, because the more 
 natural and unconscious. But the body is a won- 
 derful organism, and in order that the spirit and 
 will of the man who inhabits it may have the 
 freest play, the true relations between the dif- 
 ferent parts of the organism must be main- 
 tained at all times. It is in this sense that I 
 speak of the mechanical adjustment of the body; 
 right use naturally follows right adjustment. 
 [See topics. Standing, page 46, Sitting, 50, and 
 Walking, page 52.] 
 
 Nonsense or Sense 
 
 Whatever the order of one's life may be there 
 are certain fundamental uses to which the body 
 is put. We stand, sit, walk, mount stairs, bend, 
 
The Habit of Health 33 
 
 reach, lift and let go, or do nothing. Does it 
 seem nonsense to learn how to do such ordinary 
 acts? Any one with common sense, you say, 
 knows how to stand, walk and so on? Common 
 sense must be at a premium, then, judging from 
 the way these acts are commonly executed by 
 those unschooled in the use of the body. Ah, my 
 friend, do not scorn the day of little things ! And 
 these are big things, too, tremendously so, in their 
 vital significance. Your physical breakdown or 
 your ruggedness at sixty may depend upon the 
 iWay you habitually sit and stand at thirty. 
 
 ^he Old and the Coming Order 
 
 It is small wonder, though, that to some it 
 should seem absurd to pay heed to such com- 
 monplace doings when we remember that the 
 government of the body and of the thoughts is 
 a topic at which educational curriculums have sel- 
 dom hinted until quite recently. 
 
 Thirty years ago Herbert Spencer wrote: "It 
 seems strange that while the raising of first-class 
 bullocks is an occupation in which men of educa- 
 tion willingly bestow much time, inquiry and 
 thought, the bringing up of fine human beings is 
 an occupation tacitly voted unworthy their atten- 
 tion." But the star of hope is in the ascendent. 
 Many schools now give some attention — more 
 or less intelligent — to the physical child; there are 
 
34 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 organized efforts to prevent the spread of tuber- 
 culosis; educational institutions are inaugurating 
 courses in physical efficiency; the then President 
 Roosevelt, in a message to Congress, declared; 
 "The problem of national efficiency is the greatest 
 problem with which the nation must hereafter 
 grapple, if it is to live ;" and a Committee of One 
 Hundred on National Health has been organized. 
 That this committee petitioned for a health cabi- 
 net officer and for $100,000,000 appropriation to 
 be used toward the health and betterment of hu- 
 man beings is very significant. 
 
 Perhaps, some day, avoidable sickness will be 
 regarded as a lack of refinement, as an ignoble, 
 selfish vice. In the meantime, each one of us can 
 help to bring about these happier general condi- 
 tions and, at the same time, can make his or her 
 life — and body — more beautiful by daily doing 
 the simple, concrete things that make for the habit 
 of health. 
 
Ill 
 
 DAILY ACTS 
 
 The body's continued prosperity depends largely 
 upon how we do the innumerable and unavoidable 
 little acts of daily living. 
 
 We can form and maintain the habit of health 
 by such simple means as ever and again taking a 
 big breatih, lifting the ribs, expanding the lungs, 
 flattening the back, letting go the nervous tension 
 in the shoulder, jaw, throat, back, arms and di- 
 gestive organs, and by frequently stretching every 
 muscle of the body as a cat does, by standing well 
 poised, and by walking buoyantly as "children of 
 light." 
 
 BREATHING 
 
 The primary function of breathing is, of course, 
 to purify and revitalize the blood. This means 
 much more than many persons think; for in- 
 stance, rheumatism is a disease of the blood, and 
 IS affected by the amount of oxygen taken into 
 the system through the lungs. One-third of all 
 
 35 
 
36 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 the poison generated in the body is excreted 
 through the lungs. 
 
 Important Health Aids 
 
 Dynamic breathing is an aid to health in many 
 ways other than directly to purify the blood. It 
 quickens the circulation; it has a salutary influ- 
 ence upon the liver; it makes the lungs resistant 
 to disease-microbes; it is the best digestive tonic 
 in nature's pharmacy; it is without a rival in 
 banishing nervousness and overcoming insomnia. 
 This means that it reaches back to the mental 
 causes of nervousness and insomnia for they are 
 mental diseases. 
 
 Mental States Revealed by Breathing 
 
 Nowhere else is the intimate relation between 
 our thoughts and feelings and our bodily func- 
 tions so immediately noticeable as it is in our 
 different kinds of breathing. 
 
 Have you ever noticed how you breathe when 
 you are nervous or irritable? Do notice, the 
 next time such moods assail you ; not only notice, 
 but change your psychic state by consciously taking 
 big, heavy breaths for two minutes. 
 
 Right breathing tends to induce right thinking 
 and feeling. That young woman was eminently 
 practical who, after closing the door upon a gar- 
 
Daily Acts 37 
 
 rulous caller, exclaimed, "That woman has set me 
 nearly frantic 1 I must go for a walk and breathe 
 awhile to calm myself 1" 
 
 Great excitement expresses itself in gasping, 
 irregular breaths; melancholy, grief and depres- 
 sion in slow, slight breaths; calm, peaceful hap- 
 piness in deep, tranquil breaths; while courage 
 and the joy or living express themselves in rather 
 rapid, deep, dynamic breaths. 
 
 A. Concentration Test 
 
 Before reading beyond this paragraph, please 
 lift your eyes from the page, look steadily in 
 front of you, and listen intently for a moment. 
 See if by concentration you cannot hear some re- 
 mote sound, perhaps the notes of a bird, that or- 
 dinarily you would not notice. If you do not 
 hear anything at first, listen still more intently. 
 Shut out all other thoughts — this iS a good ex- 
 ercise in mental concentration. One can often 
 put oneself to sleep by such focusing of the 
 mind. 
 
 You made the experiment? Yes, that long, 
 sighing breath answers for you. Do you know 
 why you involuntarily took that breath of relief 
 when you ceased listening? Simply this: your 
 system was hungry for oxygen because the con- 
 centrated, or held, state of your mind in listening 
 affected your breathing similarly. You uncon- 
 
38 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 sciously held your breath while you held your 
 attention to one issue. 
 
 Oxygen-Hunger 
 
 We sigh when we are depressed not because 
 of our emotion, but because the mental state of 
 depression expresses itself in meagre breathing, 
 which produces oxygen-hunger in our system, and, 
 contrariwise, oxygen-hunger deadens enthusiasm. 
 The occasional involuntary long breath, or sigh, 
 is nature's way of partially protecting us from 
 the poison or suffocation of our griefs. We should 
 take the hint and co-operate with her. We would 
 come into a larger share of our birthright — 
 health and high spirits — if we were to rec- 
 ognize and satisfy the hunger of the tissues for 
 oxygen as quickly as we do the so-called hunger 
 of the stomach for food; this latter is also hun- 
 ger of the tissues for the head and feet cry for 
 nourishment as much as the stomach does. Every 
 sigh should be the signal for us consciously to take 
 half a dozen or more deep, forceful inhalations. 
 Depressed mental states never thrive in company 
 with such order of breathing. 
 
 The close sympathy between mind states and 
 breathing habits — ^which exists irrespective of our 
 will or desire — makes it imperative that persons 
 whose work calls for mental concentration should 
 accustom themselves to take long, deep breaths 
 
Daily Acts 39 
 
 during hundreds of odd moments each day. To 
 do this only requires a flash of attention~-not an 
 interruption of one's work any more than the 
 turning of the pages of a book is an interruption 
 of one's reading — and, moreover, it soon becomes 
 a habit and does itself, practically. Such breath- 
 ing greatly reduces the exhaustion incident upon 
 close application. 
 
 The habit of taking deep, dynamic breaths (See 
 topic, For Breathing Abundantly, page — ) is one 
 of the simplest and surest ways to health for all 
 persons no matter what their occupation, age or 
 bodily estate may be. The majority of persons 
 under-breathe. Who ever heard of any one's over- 
 breathing? 
 
 Make Your Own Demonstration 
 
 Headache, lassitude, nausea and the beginning 
 of a cold can frequently be breathed away. Prove 
 it for yourself. If your head throbs and aches, 
 lie or sit perfectly relaxed, close your eyes, and 
 inhale slowly and deeply. You should be con- 
 scious of a decided rhythmical motion in the inter- 
 costal and abdominal muscles, but the chest should 
 be practically quiet. After a few breaths, concen- 
 trate your attention upon your feet. Try to feel 
 the blood coursing through the arteries, the mi- 
 nute capillaries and the veins. If the feet are 
 cold, will that they shall be warmed by the rich 
 
40 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 supply of blood your thought is sending to them. 
 Five minutes of complete relaxation and of deep 
 breathing combined with this mental focusing on 
 the extremities will often relieve slight conges- 
 tion of the brain. To overcome lassitude and to 
 ward off a cold, more rapid and vigorous breath- 
 ing is effective. [See topic, For Overcoming Chil- 
 liness and Preventing Colds, page 226.] 
 
 Bad Air and Bad Breathing 
 
 All fatigue of mind or body can be alleviated 
 by sufficient breathing of good air. Fatigue is a 
 kind of poisoning which results from the creation 
 of carbonic acid and other chemical products of 
 decomposition of the tissues. Getting abundant 
 oxygen into the system is one of the best ways of 
 getting the poisons out of it. 
 
 Drowsiness is often a symptom of oxygen-star- 
 vation. Have you not before now dispelled a 
 seeming sleep-hunger by opening the windows and 
 getting more oxygen into the .blood? Do not 
 deep inhalations of fresh air "taste good" after 
 an hour in a crowded church, lecture room or 
 theatre ? 
 
 Some degree of poisoning always results from 
 the breathing of bad air, and also from the bad 
 breathing of good air. In the first, there is ab- 
 sorption of contaminating substances, in the sec- 
 
Daily Acts 41 
 
 ond, there is the retention of the poisonous car- 
 bonic acid in the blood. 
 
 Taking in good air is taking in life. Being 
 "too lazy to breathe" — to breathe deep, full 
 breaths all of the time — is letting go of life, or 
 slow suicide. 
 
 RELAX AT ION\ 
 
 Nervousness is occasionally the result of some 
 physical condition, but in a very large majority of 
 cases, its cause is mental — worry, false ambition, 
 over-conscientiousness. We cross bridges before 
 they are built; we strain every faculty to attain 
 eminence, and then further strain to retain it; we 
 fear we may lose our property, our social prestige, 
 or political hold; our work shadows us; we take 
 our business cares home with us at night, they sit 
 beside us while we dine — and are not merry — and 
 they follow us to our pillows. 
 
 Dangers of Being Over-Strenuous ■ 
 
 Mutiny in our nerve-cells can best be guarded 
 against by reforming our mental , states and our 
 self-standards. The strenuous life, the life of 
 practically constant vigorous exertion, has of late 
 years become the standard which many persons 
 set up for themselves. They seem to think that 
 only strenuous living denotes personal efficiency. 
 
42 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 Nothing could be wider of the mark for much of 
 the best work of the world has been done by "easy 
 workers." Moreover, that which is play, or na- 
 ture's spontaneous demand for physical activity, 
 for some exceptionally robust individuals, would 
 be a hazarding of health for others less vitally 
 endowed even to attempt. 
 
 Over-Effort not Over-Work 
 
 The hazard taken would not be in the work 
 actually done by these over-ambitious persons, but 
 would lie in the over-effort, or mind and nerve- 
 strain, made by them. Work, hard work is, 
 physiologically and psychologically, good for all 
 of us. But over-trying is bad, often ruinous. It 
 causes unnecessary fatigue from one's work, and 
 causes the continuance of nervous-strain after 
 one's work is done. Unless relaxation follows 
 work, recuperation is impossible for it is during 
 moments or longer periods of relaxation that the 
 nerve-cells stoke up with energy. When they 
 have not due opportunity for this, there ensues a 
 pihng up of each day's residue of fatigue, or 
 poison, until brain, nerves, muscles can do no 
 more — then, nervous breakdown or worse. 
 
 Shall we not seriously heed Stevenson's "warn- 
 ing" and inaugurate saner ways of working? And 
 do this before we get so near the precipice of vital 
 collapse that it is difficult or impossible to re- 
 
Daily Acts 43 
 
 cover one's nerve-equilibrium? Shall we not join 
 that exclusive set of poised human beings who 
 "work easy" and know how to "loaf and invite 
 their souls?" 
 
 Tension 
 
 Tension, or over-nervation, is a two-edged 
 sword haggling at health with both edges; it 
 makes way with the energy one has and prevents 
 the accumulation of more. 
 
 Sometimes over-nervation is apparent, and 
 sometimes it is covered. Muscles must contract 
 for movement, but sustained contraction of mus- 
 cles when they are not working is over-nervation. 
 Illustrations : Holding the shoulders a little raised 
 or back, hugging the arms to the sides, holding 
 the abdomen in, pursing the lips, contracting the 
 eyebrows, setting the jaw, clinching the hands, 
 curling up like a ball when lying down — is ap- 
 parent over-nervation, or tension. It is expendi- 
 ture of nervous energy to the accomplishment of 
 nothing. 
 
 When the muscles are contracted for a legiti- 
 mate purpose — for movement or work of any 
 kind — and more energy is used than Is necessary 
 that, again. Is over-nervation, albeit it may be cov- 
 ered, or not distinguishable from the effort neces- 
 sary for the act. The difference between a grace- 
 ful and a clumsy way of moving one's arm is the 
 
44 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 difference between using just enough nerve-energy 
 and using too much. Illustrations : If in walking 
 more nerve-energy is used than is essential to 
 swing the legs and carry the body forward, if in 
 holding a pen or lifting a chair or making any 
 bodily movement, whatsoever, or in saying, "Good 
 morning," more nervous energy is used than is 
 necessary that is covered over-nervation. Easy- 
 going, good-natured persons, clumsy growing 
 boys and manual laborers are generally quite free 
 from the first kind of over-nervation, but are 
 much given to the second. 
 
 Repression 
 
 There are many "shut-in" persons besides those 
 whom some dire physical misfortune chains to bed 
 or chair; persons whose feelings are shut-in, re- 
 pressed. The emotions demand expression as 
 much as the body demands exercise — ^both are 
 primal hungers. Parents and teachers often in- 
 flict suffering on children that is little short of 
 mental agony by unconsciously making them cow 
 in spirit and fear to express their emotions. Re- 
 pressed emotion always works some kind of havoc 
 upon the body, frequently upon the interior or- 
 gans by constraining their harmonious function- 
 ing. A change of teachers may change a shy, 
 puny child into a frank, hearty one. Parents, 
 too, might sometimes be changed to advantage. 
 
Daily Acts 45 
 
 Repression is equally harmful when self-in- 
 flicted. To repress and keep one's nervousness 
 to oneself exhausts more than to fret and fume. 
 Many men who have expressed no outward signs 
 of strain suddenly collapse — victims of nervous 
 prostration or paresis. 
 
 Saving Nervous Energy 
 
 The first step toward overcoming the habit of 
 over-nervation, apparent or covered, is to watch 
 one's thought-habits. They must be kept whole- 
 some and as playful as possible. Truly, there is 
 a saving grace in humor; taking the world or 
 oneself too seriously induces tension, merriment 
 relaxes. Emerson speaks of the "rest and re- 
 freshment that comes of shaking one's sides with 
 laughter"; laughter has been known to cure in- 
 sanity resulting from melancholia. 
 
 The second step is to move the body or any 
 part of it in the easiest and, therefore, the most 
 graceful way. All of our ordinary movements 
 should be of the nature of light, rhythmical gym- 
 nastics, not heavy ones. (See Chapter, "Kinds 
 and Significance of Exercise," page 104.) 
 
 The third step is to relax the muscles when- 
 ever they are not energized for a definite purpose. 
 This only means that we should do nothing, mus- 
 cularly, unless we are doing something to some 
 end. A little child lets its arms, hands, legs, fall 
 
46 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 relaxed when they are not in use. Why should 
 we not be equally trustful? 
 
 Muscular relaxation reacts upon mind-states. 
 Edward Rowland Sill's lines on "Peace" are good 
 orthodox psychology: 
 
 "Not for thy crying, 
 Not for thy loud beseeching, 
 Will peace draw near; 
 Rest with palms folded; 
 Rest with thine eyelids fallen — < 
 Lol peace is here." 
 
 STANDING 
 
 "The whole boy is sent to school." Not only 
 must the brain have its cells wisely trained, or 
 impressed, but the body must have its cells, mus- 
 cles and complex machinery trained, or wisely im- 
 pressed, toward habits and usages that shall best 
 equip the boy or girl or man or woman for happy, 
 efficient life. 
 
 First of importance in this physical department 
 of our education comes the right mechanical ad- 
 justment and use of the structural machine as dis- 
 tinguished from the organic, or vital parts. The 
 three great structural divisions, the head, trunk 
 and legs must be habituated to the easiest and 
 most successful partnership relations; and this, 
 
Daily Acts 47 
 
 whether the order of the hour be work or 
 play. 
 
 Good Bodily Poise Essential to Health 
 
 This harmonious adjustment constitutes poise 
 of the body — standing or sitting poise. It makes 
 possible — but not inevitable — the most economical 
 movement and use of the body at all times and for 
 all purposes; and, what is of even greater mo- 
 ment, it is the poise that is absolutely essential 
 in order that the life-sustaining processes, respira- 
 tion, circulation and digestion — and all the as- 
 tounding chemical and mechanical operations that 
 those words imply — may have an opportunity to 
 proceed in an orderly and healthful fashion. 
 These vital functionings may be thwarted in many 
 ways when the individual is not "accessory to the 
 act," but whether or not they shall be given this 
 most fundamental opportunity depends solely 
 upon each individual. Every one can learn to 
 stand and to sit after nature's ordering, and to 
 do so is the first obligation that health imposes 
 on every one. 
 
 Health, many times, is a cause-and-effect chain, 
 the first link of which is poise. To illustrate : A 
 person is suffering from an impoverished condi- 
 tion of the blood, the immediate cause of this fs 
 bad nutrition, and this cause may be the effect of 
 inactivity of the liver, and the cause of this is in- 
 
48 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 sufficient massaging by the diaphragm, and this 
 cause may be the effect of bad poise which made 
 deep, full breathing impossible. Many physical 
 ills could thus be traced back, link by link, to bad 
 adjustment, or poise, as the original cause. It 
 is a conservative statement to say that unless a 
 person habitually stands and sits in good poise, 
 he cannot have as good health or as great en- 
 durance as is normally his. One may be com- 
 paratively well whose poise is far from nature's 
 lines of beauty; but being well, or not suffering 
 bodily discomfort, is often quite different from 
 one's possible high degree of health — the ex- 
 uberance of health. 
 
 Standing Too Straight 
 
 There is some literalness in the saying, "He 
 stood so straight that he fell over backwards." 
 Many persons in their well-intentioned efforts to 
 be straight rigidly hold their shoulders too far 
 back; to counterbalance this abnormal backward 
 weight, the hips and the abdomen are thrust cor- 
 respondingly too far forward. This tense, over- 
 straight position puts a strain upon the muscles 
 of the back, prevents the pelvic organs from 
 maintaining the definite positions assigned them in 
 our body's republic, and throws the centre of grav- 
 ity over the heels which causes a jar to the spine 
 with every step. Many a headache and backache 
 
Daily Acts 49 
 
 are due either directly or indirectly to this lack 
 of right mechanical adjustment of the body. The 
 expression of such positions is aggressiveness, 
 self-assertion or self-satisfaction. 
 
 Not Standing Straight Enough 
 
 The opposite extreme to this rigid position is 
 the stooped one where the back is one outward 
 hoop, or bow, from the neck to the base of the 
 spine, and the chest is flat or sunken. While 
 the shoulders are in no way directly responsible 
 for this bad position, they sympathize with the 
 general disorganization and sag despondently 
 forward; the head, also, usually joins in the 
 body's general surrender to gravity. 
 
 The trouble is with the guys, or back muscles, 
 which control the adjustment of the spine and 
 shoulders; they are, in such case, habitually too 
 relaxed, or too long — they must be contracted and 
 made to hold the ribs'up; and those of the front 
 waist, which are disastrously shortened, must be 
 stretched. Dr. J. H. Kellogg says of the results 
 of this bad position in standing and sitting : "The 
 stomach is often pushed downward from one to 
 three inches and the spleen literally crowded out 
 of house and home." 
 
 Corpulency, dyspepsia and lung troubles are" 
 some of the health-foes which this position aids 
 
50 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 and abets. The expression of such positions is 
 fatigue, despondency or weakness. 
 
 Standing One-Sided 
 
 A third bad adjustment of the framework of 
 the body is the one in which the weight of the 
 torso rests principally on one side of the pelvis. 
 This causes one-sidedness and' curvature of the 
 spine which imply far more than an unsymmetrical 
 figure; the vertebree are crowded closer together 
 on one side than on the other, which causes pres- 
 sure upon the nerves, arteries and veins of the 
 spinal region. 
 
 All attitudes of the body are closely related to 
 attitudes of the mind. The best mechanical ad- 
 justment of the body, i.e., normal poise, is ex- 
 pressive of a balanced, or poised, mental state. 
 It is neither self-assertive nor self-depreciatory, 
 but expresses general aliveness, readiness for 
 whatever may hap, graciousness to one's fellow 
 mortals, and interest in living. Then let our 
 first health-step be to "Stand er^ct under the 
 stars." 
 
 SITTING 
 
 "Remember to keep well I" That being our 
 noble aim let no one forget that "everything de- 
 
Daily Acts 5 1 
 
 pends upon exercising the trunk," as Dr. G. Stan- 
 ley Hall says. 
 
 In sitting, the mechanical adjustment of the 
 body concerns only the head and that most versa- 
 tile of all parts of the whole framework, the 
 spinal column. One reason why exercising the 
 trunk is a matter of A B C importance in one's 
 physical attainment is because such exercising di- 
 rectly stimulates all of the vital processes; the 
 other leading reason is because the adjustment of 
 the wayward spinal column is wholly dependent 
 upon the vigilant watchfulness of the back mus- 
 cles; they must be strong and alert to keep this 
 easily yielding member in the paths of rectitude. 
 When the back muscles are weak or unduly elon- 
 gated the spine has no moral stamina of its own. 
 It readily succumbs to the downward temptation 
 of gravity, and makes no effort to stand up under 
 difficulties; in fact, it has neither the will nor 
 power to do so. Therefore, pay heed to those 
 muscles which keep the spine erect; they must be 
 kept too strong to crave loafing. It is the shirk- 
 ing of their official duty that makes what is com- 
 monly called "breaking at the waist" and "caving 
 in at the waist," possible. Such positions impinge 
 upon the rights of the vital organs. The joints 
 are nature's bending places, and we should com- 
 ply with this arrangement of hers whenever we 
 lean forward as in housework, sewing, writing. 
 
52 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 or because of interest; and in reaching up for atiy- 
 thing, whether we are standing or sitting, we 
 should lean slightly forward from the hip joints; 
 and in picking up anything from the floor, we 
 should bend wholly from the hip joints — the back 
 muscles being contracted — or call upon the knee 
 joints for assistance; again, in stooping to lift a, 
 heavy weight it is from the hip and knee joints 
 that we should bend, the back muscles by their 
 firm contraction sustaining the spinal column in 
 its working position. 
 
 A broken waist means broken health some day, 
 and lessened health today. 
 
 WALKING 
 
 To walk well is more than an element of per- 
 sonal attractiveness ; it is a lessening of each day's 
 wear and tear. 
 
 There are various substitutes for an easy, un- 
 fatiguing, beautiful-to-see walk. Some persons 
 drag the body hopelessly about as if their souls 
 saw no daylight ahead either in this world or the 
 next, others, prodigal of their nervous energy, 
 lumber along unconcernedly, others mince or wad- 
 dle or swagger, while very many who pride them- 
 selves on their fine carriage come down heavily 
 on their heels with every step. These are all 
 ugly and a waste of nervous energy. 
 
Daily Acts 53 
 
 Habit and Other Causes 
 
 Habit! That's the scapegoat for all our trans- 
 gressions against self. We happened from some 
 cause or other to do the bad way once and again, 
 then it did itself. Other than habit, the chief 
 causes of wasteful ways of walking are wasteful 
 mental attitudes and conventionality. 
 
 The Balancing Arms 
 
 Conventionality says that girls must be lady- 
 like and women, dignified. The result frequently 
 is constraint, especially in the shoulders, hips and 
 arms. "How shall I carry my arms?" is a ques- 
 tion often asked. The answer is, "Don't carry 
 them — ^just leave them alone." They naturally 
 hang free from the shoulders and gently oscil- 
 late in opposition to the movement of the legs — 
 as the right leg advances the left arm sways 
 slightly forward to preserve easy equilibrium. Try 
 swinging the leg and arm on the same side in 
 unison if you doubt the part played by the arms 
 in a free, graceful walk. Think of being bound 
 to a conventional mode of holding the arms ! A 
 woman's arms, like a man's, will take a rather 
 broad swing if the centre of gravity be over her 
 heels and she walks rapidly with a long step ; but 
 if her body be poised well, the movement of her 
 arms will not be conspicuous, and her whole 
 
54 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 bodily expression will be that of grace — economy 
 of force — and naturalness. 
 
 Walking Influenced by Mental States^ 
 
 Many obsessed by the modern rush spirit as- 
 sume muscular responsibility when driving or mo- 
 toring. They unconsciously try to help the horses 
 or machine along by tensing the muscles of their 
 backs and legs. Is it any wonder that they over- 
 tense them when the responsibility of locomotion 
 is wholly theirs ? - 
 
 Laborers commonly walk with dead, unhurried 
 heaviness; the order of their dominant mental 
 state is matter-of-fact, staid, with no inspiriting 
 enthusiasm. Children drag, shuffle or hop-skip- 
 and-jump in quick response to their varying men- 
 tal states. 
 
 It is with the mental states that any permanent 
 reform in personal conduct must begin. In ac- 
 quiring a free, unfatiguing walk, one should first 
 master the mechanical means, or control of the 
 body, and then pay no further heed to the body. 
 Heed, rather, the mental attitude. Let one's 
 spirit respond to the spirit of the buoyantly 
 poised Apollo Belvedere or the Flying Mercury 
 or the Dancing Faun. 
 
IV 
 
 TWO HEALTH-FOES 
 
 We must be on guard against two stealthy health- 
 foes whose habit it is to steal upon us unawares. 
 One, corpulency, is a physical condition, the other, 
 insomnia, is primarily a mental condition. 
 
 CORPULENCY 
 
 Corpulency is "excessive fatness" — fatness in 
 excess of that which is needed as cushions and 
 pads for the muscles, nerves, arteries and veins, 
 and, especially, as a soft, thin covering under the 
 skin for warmth. The due amount of "fatness" 
 Is not only essential to health, but is a chief 
 source of beauty of contour, while an undue 
 amount of "fatness" Is worse than non-essential 
 for It takes no part In the daily labor of the body- 
 cells, but only encumbers and causes loss of beauty 
 of contour. 
 
 55 
 
S6 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 Conditions Favorable to Corpulency 
 
 The remark is often made by corpulent per- 
 sons, "Oh, I don't mind weighing as much as I do, 
 but I wish my flesh was not almost all in one place, 
 the abdominal region." There are two reasons 
 why excessive fatness is usually Imposed upon the 
 abdomen; first, because here and under the chin 
 are the places where adipose and areolar tissues 
 — those tissues which nature chooses for the stor- 
 age of fat — most abound; second, because nature 
 is economical of effort and deposits the fatty sub- 
 stances in her chosen tissues where there is least 
 resistance, which, again, is the abdominal region. 
 
 Muscles must have exercise to keep strong and 
 be able to defend themselves against encumbering 
 fat; and our ordinary daily activities afford but 
 small opportunity for the abdominal muscles to 
 improve themselves. It is only by their own di- 
 rect contraction, by extreme stretching upward of 
 the arms, and by vigorous torso-twisting, that 
 these muscles receive any appreciable exercise. 
 Only a few occupations are directly advantageous 
 to them, as paperhanging, plastering, house-paint- 
 ing and wood-chopping; even in the varied move- 
 ments of housework they are seldom vigorously 
 exercised. Were dusting the ceilings, hanging 
 pictures, reaching to high shelves frequent daily 
 occurrences, there would be fewer corpulent 
 housekeepers than there are. 
 
Two Health-Foes 57 
 
 Caution That Does Not Protect 
 
 Many persons most sedulously guard the ab- 
 dominal region from that which alone can pro- 
 tect it, namely, exercise. Fearing injury to the 
 delicate organs in the pelvic cavity some women 
 mistakenly think that all movements that effect 
 this region are dangerous. Young girls are cau- 
 tioned about reaching upward; such unwise so- 
 licitude is born of ignorance. Any one who 
 knows the rudiments of applied physiology knows 
 that the best Way to fortify these thin, elastic, nat- 
 urally strong muscles against any special strain 
 that they may have to bear in the future, is by 
 doing that very thing— reaching and stretching 
 upward. 
 
 Women after maternity often favor this part 
 of the body by half-stooping when standing or 
 sitting, thus causing the evils they are seeking to 
 avoid. To stoop is to age rapidly, and to make 
 the most favorable conditions for corpulency — 
 habitually relaxed waist and abdominal muscles. 
 
 Lack of Exercise and Over-Eating 
 
 Lack of sufficient exercise and of the right kind 
 is, then, the most common cause of corpulency; 
 sometimes, there is another, over-eating or glut- 
 tony; this, of course, is a gross form of self-indul- 
 gence — indulgence of the sense of taste. Appe- 
 
58 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 tite, or bodily hunger, never craves more than 
 enough food to make good the wear and waste 
 of the brain and body's activity. AH that one 
 eats beyond that amount is because "it tastes 
 good" or, if the taste has been blunted, because 
 of the habit of gorging. He — or she — who 
 would approximately regain the lost symmetry of 
 youth must be abstemious. 
 
 Not all extremely stout people, however, are 
 taste-sensualists. By no means. Some frugal eat- 
 ers have such a temperamental predisposition to 
 fat accumulation that constant vigilance is re- 
 quired to prevent embarrassment of flesh. Mar- 
 garet Deland declares that there are women who 
 will grow fat on a straw a day. 
 
 Let me give you a homely illustration of the 
 combined effects of under-exercising and over- 
 eating: Fowls confined in limited quarters and 
 well-fed fatten, that is, the muscles become soft, 
 or "tender," from inactivity and offer no resist- 
 ance to the accumulation of fat cells. Let those 
 fat, or corpulent, fowls roam the fields and have 
 to scratch for a living their fat would be burned 
 off and their muscles would become hard, or 
 "tough." 
 
 Rational Means of Prevention 
 
 The fact that the abdominal region offers par- 
 ticularly favorable conditions for the accumula- 
 
Two Health-Foes 59 
 
 tion of fat makes it necessary that our efforts to 
 prevent corpulency be signally directed to that 
 region. Fat is simply an accumulation of unburnt, 
 body-fuel oils. Exercise gets rid of it by burning 
 it away. A chemical change, or combustion, like 
 a miniature fire, takes place with every movement, 
 even so slight a one as the winking of an eye- 
 lid. Obviously, the more vigorous any move- 
 ment, the larger will be the purifying blaze. 
 
 The most effective exercises for overcoming 
 abdominal corpulency are those which either con- 
 tract or vigorously stretch the abdominal muscles. 
 Such localized exercise gives the muscles resist- 
 ing hardihood, and gradually burns off any sur- 
 plus fat-cells already imposed upon them. Walk- 
 ing — a kind of exercise tried by many for over- 
 coming corpulency — ^has but very little effect upon 
 these muscles; running, kicking, or mountain- 
 climbing would be more effective. Better still, are 
 vigorous localized exercises. (See topic, For Pre- 
 venting and Overcoming Corpulency, page 183.) 
 
 INSOMNIA 
 
 Overcoming daytime nervousness Is the best 
 way of overcoming nighttime wakefulness. 
 
 If "Hurry is the devil," as the Arab proverb 
 says, worry is the devil's mother or else his first- 
 born. When psychologists settle their wrangle 
 
6o Daily Ways to Health 
 
 as to whether we laugh because we are happy 
 or are happy because we laugh, this hurry-worry 
 relationship will be settled, too. Certain it is 
 that persons who work with little hurry and less 
 worry require less sleep than those "who rush 
 around like the devil in a gale of wind," as one 
 man said of his wife — a highly strung, nervously 
 tired little woman. These easy workers are eco- 
 nomical in their expenditure of nerve energy, 
 therefore, they can make good their day's loss in 
 a shorter time than those who have prodigally 
 spent their energy to the last voltage. However, 
 the former usually do sleep more — and better — 
 than the latter, for they are also good quitters. 
 When the hour strikes for stopping work, they 
 quit, mentally and physically. Theirs, too, is the 
 "balmy" childlike sleep that best refreshes body, 
 nerves and self-respect. 
 
 The Cause 
 
 Worry of some order is the commonest cause 
 of sleeplessness, but it is not the only one. Pleas- 
 ureable mental excitement holds sleep at bay; the 
 child who on Christmas Eve is as "wide awake 
 as an owl" hours beyond the customary time for 
 his trip to "Shut-Eye-Town," is excited, but is 
 not a worry victim. So of the accepted lover or 
 the happy school girl after her first ball. 
 
Two Health-Foes 6i 
 
 The Physical Signs 
 
 Whatever may be the mental cause for sleep- 
 lessness, two physical conditions are invariably 
 present — the very rare exception only proving the 
 rule. These physical manifestations are too much 
 blood in the brain — often in the whole head — and 
 tension in some parts of the body. 
 
 Evidences of Tension 
 
 Most commonly this tension is shown in the 
 sustained contraction of certain exterior muscles, 
 as the arms, shoulders or legs. Have you not 
 felt the muscles of your body or even only those 
 of your face let go, or relax, as you dozed off into 
 semi-unconsciousness? Sometitnes, though, the 
 mental excitation is reflected only in the tension 
 of the interior muscles and glands while the ex- 
 terior musclies are quite relaxed. 
 
 Some of the evidences of interior tension are 
 short and insufficient breaths, poor assimilation 
 of food, and lessened circulation. 
 
 A Useless Prescription 
 
 The evident formula is : Have no excitement in 
 the latter part of the day, pleasant or unpleasant, 
 and banish all worries — big fears and little fears. 
 True, no psychological cause for insomnia inheres 
 
6z Daily Ways to Health 
 
 in such placidness, but one might as rationally 
 say, if worry keeps you awake, go to sleep 
 and banish worry. 
 
 Occasional and Protracted Sleeplessness 
 
 In the first place, the occasional inability to go 
 to sleep as soon as the head touches the pillow 
 is not a matter of great concern, especially if the 
 exciting cause of one's wakefulness be pleasure- 
 able ; but continued sleeplessness is a foe that can- 
 not be ignored. It must be fought out on rational 
 lines of living "If it takes all summer" or all win- 
 ter. However, insomnia is not a redoubtable foe. 
 A few days of heroic self-treatment are usually 
 enough to drive out the anxieties and hobgoblins 
 that are prone to haunt the tortured hours of 
 night. 
 
 The Remedy 
 
 There are three immediate processes to this 
 "consummation devoutly to be wished": First, 
 such bodily activity as shall equalize the circula- 
 tion; this cools off the brain, lessens its activities, 
 and incidentally warms the extremities. Second, 
 exercises which shall transform a nervously tense 
 body Into a recuperately relaxed one. Third, 
 mental gymnastics, or concentration. 
 
 Concentrations does not necessarily imply in- 
 
jump a fence or recalling difficult matheinatical 
 rules often put one to sleep is due to the focus- 
 ing of the attention upon one thing. 
 
 Psychology teaches that singleness of attention 
 is the most fatiguing of all mental processes. No 
 wonder that the day-tired brain balks at deter- 
 mined demands to do this hard work, and es- 
 capes by jumping over the border line into the 
 realm of unconsciousness. 
 
 (See topic, For Overcoming Insomnia, page 
 262.) 
 
SCRAPS OF TIME 
 
 'Tis said that a French family could live, and 
 live well, on the scraps of edibles that are daily 
 thrown away by the average American family. 
 Likewise, it is possible for one to keep in good 
 physical condition by the intelligent use of those 
 scraps of time which the average over-employed 
 person — not to mention the rational worker, the 
 dawdler and the idler — throws away, squanders. 
 Sufficient exercise to uphold health of mind and 
 body can be taken even during the busiest day, 
 if we make good use of our odd moments. Mo- 
 ments that otherwise would be idle, waiting mo- 
 ments; or, worse than idle, would be impatient, 
 fretting, angry, anxious or depressed moments. 
 
 Habit Helps Us 
 
 Using scraps of time in wholesome fashion is 
 more significant than one might at first think. 
 It practically results in living on a high health- 
 level from the "Good morning" odd moment to 
 
 64 
 
Scraps of Time 65 
 
 the "Good night" one; for, if we voluntarily turn 
 the attention — even an unwilling attention — upon 
 thinking and doing that which makes for health, 
 say, ten times a day, in a short time the attention 
 of itself will veer in the same direction many 
 other times during the day. Soon, it will become 
 our habit to think and act healthward. And the 
 habit of health like all other habits will perpetuate 
 itself unless some stronger force opposes. 
 
 Every One Has Odd Moments 
 
 But the over-b^sy man or woman may be query- 
 ing, "Where are the odd moments to be found? 
 I haven't any in my schedule." 
 
 We must remember that moments are instants, 
 or flashes, of time, not necessarily minutes. In 
 every one of our days, no matter how rushed we 
 may feel or be, there are many unavoidable odd 
 moments. They are forced upon us by the ma- 
 chinery of living. Some of these are : Moments 
 when one waits for a subway train, street car, car- 
 riage or auto ; when one waits for change at the 
 ticket booth, waits at the counter for attention, 
 goods or change, waits for the elevator, for a re- 
 sponse to a doorbell, for an answer to a question, 
 for some one at an appointment or for the good 
 pleasure of "Central." Those little scraps of 
 time in the professional man or woman's 
 "Hours," between the ushering out of one client 
 
66 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 or patient and the ushering in of another; the 
 flash moments between thoughts, as it were, at 
 one's desk or easel or musical instrument; the 
 thousand and one odd spare seconds in the teach- 
 er's day; the many waiting moments incident upon 
 housework where one must wait for the water 
 to run, the dishep to drain, the pot to boil, 
 the flatiron to heat or to cool, the bread to toast, 
 wait the courtesy of groceryman, milkman, baker 
 and butcher; and the scraps of time between fin- 
 ishing one piece of work and commencing another. 
 
 Temptations or Opportunities, Which? 
 
 These odd moments are frequently times of 
 temptation when one's spirit and one's expression 
 — ^vocal, bodily and facial — are prone to fall from 
 grace. We let down, then. Not in the way of 
 healthful relaxation of mind and muscle, but un- 
 profitably and unbecomingly. We recklessly yield 
 to the "I-don't-care" mood. We express annoy- 
 ance, impatience — sometimes, going so far as to 
 work ourselves into a poisonous passion just from 
 foolish Irritation. Or, we become the unresisting 
 victims of our own fatigue; a tired body sends 
 discouraging suggestions to the brain, and we be- 
 lieve them and become depressed. Or, our 
 thoughts take the initiative and tell the body that 
 It is tired and overworked, and it responds by 
 looking the part; it settles or collapses dejectedly 
 
Scraps of Time 67 
 
 or becomes more tense and resentful. Thus do 
 we unthinkingly invite old-age expressions, and 
 habits that are foes to health. 
 
 But we can make these odd moments our 
 blessed opportunities for self-protection; in them, 
 spirit and body can be refreshed. The following 
 chapter gives practical suggestions to that end. 
 
 Different Health States 
 
 In maintaining that we can do so much for our 
 self-betterment during our odd moments, I am 
 not, by any means, suggesting that miracle cures 
 can. be wrought by exercise "while you wait." 
 There is a great difference between preventing ad- 
 verse conditions and overcoming them. 
 
 To maintain health and youngness of body 
 when one has them is a simple proposition. The 
 living demonstration of it can easily be worked 
 out in the odd moments of any man or woman's 
 busy days. 
 
 To retain these conditions when they are in- 
 clined to go, when the body is already in rebel- 
 lion at neglect and misuse, is a more complex 
 proposition. The employment of odd moments 
 in health ways may not then suffice. It may be 
 necessary to devote considerable time, religiously 
 and regularly, to the paying business of getting 
 well. 
 
 To regain these conditions when they are gone 
 
68 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 is a still more complex proposition. But even 
 when one's physical resources are on the edge of 
 bankruptcy one should not despair. Thousands 
 of cases bear witness that so simple, so mysteri- 
 ous a restorative agency as dynamic exercises of 
 mind and body often succeeds in supplanting a 
 well-established habit of invalidism by the habit 
 of health. Moreover, the man who makes a de- 
 termined effort to regain the health-goal never 
 has to struggle single-handed. Nature is always 
 his ingenious partner. 
 
yi 
 
 SIMPLE EXERCISES FOR ODD MOMENTS 
 
 Maintaining health is like maintaining moral- 
 ity. It requires continuous virtuous conduct, not 
 spasmodic or periodic effort in the right direction. 
 To devote a few minutes once or twice a day to 
 Health Exercises and throughout the rest of the 
 waking hours to transgress — either by commis- 
 sion or omission — the laws of rational doing and 
 thinking, counts about as much for health of body 
 and mind as Sunday prayers and solemnity count 
 for holiness of character when the weekday life 
 is selHsh and unscrupulous. 
 
 Special times for spiritual meditation and for 
 definite Health Exercises are a part bf rational 
 living, but only a part; the other part is doinff the 
 right act at every opportunity. 
 
 Play Movements for Odd Moments 
 
 If a choice had to be made between syste- 
 matic, definite physical exercises for ten or twenty 
 or even thirty minutes daily, and the many, many 
 
 69 
 
70 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 Play Movements which can be taken during the 
 odd moments of the busiest day, the latter gen- 
 erally would insure the body's enduring pros- 
 perity better than the former. 
 
 A Health Calendar for a month is here given. 
 It should be repeated month after month until 
 habit makes these Play Movements a spontane- 
 ous part of one's life each day, and all the days 
 of one's years. 
 
 Such happy surprises as greater endurance, less 
 fatigue, increased bodily resistance, more youth- 
 ful figures and greater buoyancy of mind and body 
 will reward those who are faithful without falter- 
 ing in these natural "first aids" to health. 
 
 A stimulating health-quotation is given for each 
 day. Add this to your mental storehouse in the 
 morning, and wilfully make the attention revert to 
 it again and again during the day. If you are a 
 city patron of subways and street cars, instead of 
 idly reading and rereading the hypnotic advertise- 
 ments in the cars, concentrate your attention upon 
 the health-message for the day and for the pre- 
 ceding days in your Health Calendar. Such 
 dwelling upon wholesome ideas and ideals has a 
 steadying influence upon the tendencies of one's 
 thought. It helps one to shut out morbid 
 thoughts, to keep a sense of relative values, to 
 realize with Emerson that "Health is the first 
 wealth." 
 
 These Play Movements are a complementary 
 
Simple Exercises for Odd Moments 71 
 
 help to definite Health Exercises, but are not a 
 substitute for them. In many instances, they are 
 quite inadequate to bring about certain desirable 
 results which may be readily achieved by specific 
 exercises for particular conditions. (See Chap- 
 ter, "One's Best Physician," page 117.) 
 
 A MONTH'S HEALTH CALENDAR 
 
 First Day of the Month 
 
 "Get health. No labor, pains, nor 
 exercise that can gain it must be 
 grudged." 
 
 Emerson. 
 Bend a little forward from the hips, and lift 
 your arms up close beside your head. Uplift and 
 stretch energetically with both arms ; then stretch, 
 first one arm and then the other, several times. 
 Drop them, and stretch again. 
 
 Second Day of the Month 
 
 "There are conditions for each in- 
 dividual under which he can do the 
 most and the best work. It is his 
 business to ascertain those condi- 
 tions and to comply with them." 
 Luther Gulick. 
 
72 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 Place either hand on the ribs underneath its 
 own arm. Vigorously stretch and lift the body on 
 that side as high as you possibly can. Relax, and 
 repeat two or three times. Give the other side the 
 same kind of stimulation. 
 
 Third Day of the Month 
 
 "The wise for cure on exercise de- 
 pend, 
 God never made his work for man 
 to mend." 
 
 Dryden. 
 Stand alertly on one foot and, keeping the torso 
 quiet, swing the other leg freely forward and 
 back. Do not kick, just swing. Transfer the 
 weight, and swing the other leg in same fashion. 
 Note the general feeling of lightness and buoy- 
 ancy which results. 
 
 . fourth Day of the Month 
 
 "Every one should relax and be a 
 holy vegetable occasionally." 
 
 Sydney Smith. 
 ' Stretch in any and every direction with every 
 member of the body, at the same time open the 
 mouth and take a big, deep breath. 
 
 This will force a genuine yawn which always 
 means rest and some degree of rebuilding. 
 
Simple Exercises for Odd Moments 73 
 Fifth Day of the Month 
 
 "To train the mind and neglect the 
 body is to produce a cripple." 
 
 Plato. 
 Inhale quickly, and lift the shoulders high. 
 Hold them uplifted a moment, then crowd them 
 back and down, uplifting the chest, and bending 
 slightly forward from the hips at the same time. 
 Hold this animated position a moment, then in- 
 hale, and relax the shoulder muscles, but not the 
 waist muscles. 
 
 'Sixth Day of the Month 
 
 "A vigorous health and its accom- 
 panying high spirits are larger ele- 
 ments of happiness than any other 
 things whatsoever; the teaching 
 how to maintain them is a teach- 
 ing that should yield in moment to 
 no other whatever." 
 
 Herbert Spencer. 
 
 Take a big, deep breath, and push at the sides 
 of the body as if trying to burst imaginary bands 
 two or three Inches above the belt line; then ex- 
 hale, and repeat quickly several times. 
 
 This produces a bellows-like action at the dia- 
 phragm zone. It is an easy, effective stimulation 
 of the digestive processes. 
 
74 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 Seventh Day of the Month 
 
 "To cure was the voice of the past, 
 to prevent is the divine whisper of 
 today." 
 
 Kate Douglas Wiggin. 
 
 Sitting well back in your chair, lift both legs 
 out straight in front, level with the hips, and ener- 
 gize them vigorously. Push with the heels, push 
 with the toes. Move the toes about — ^moye the 
 feet at the ankles. Relax, and let the legs drop. 
 Repeat several times. 
 
 The circulation is thus stimulated and the brain 
 somewhat rested. 
 
 Eighth Day of the Month 
 
 "Relaxation is a negative condi- 
 tion so far as activity is concerned, 
 although it is often a positive con- 
 dition so far as growth is con- 
 cerned." 
 
 Hamilton W. Mabie. 
 Lean lazily back in your chair with your head 
 supported, and completely let go. Feel that by 
 an act of will you untie every kink and knot in 
 the nerves, muscles and brain. Be dead to all 
 outside appeals for one minute — or more. 
 
Simple Exercises for Odd Moments 75 
 Ninth Day of the Month 
 
 "The gymnastic that makes you 
 hold your head up tends to 
 straighten your moral behavior." 
 Edward Howard Griggs. 
 Stand or sit very erect. 
 
 Close the hands tightly and place each on the 
 outer edge of the chest as near the shoulder as 
 possible, the elbows being close to the sides of 
 the body. Inhale, and with great energy slowly 
 lift the elbows as if resisting a heavy weight un- 
 til they are even with th^ top line of the shoul" 
 ders. Relax, exhale, and repeat two or three 
 times. Then inhale, and, allowing the forearms 
 to spread somewhat, rotate the flexed arms back- 
 ward vigorously. 
 
 This exercise lifts the ribs, flattens the shoul- 
 ders, and expands the chest. 
 
 Tenth Day of the Month 
 
 "A good education is that which 
 assures to the body all the perfec- 
 tion of which it is capable." 
 
 Plato. 
 Stand in the doorway and reach up first with 
 one hand and then with the other. See how high 
 the tip end of the fingers can reach in your biggest 
 stretch. 
 
76 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 Note the increase of mobility in your muscles 
 after a few days' practice of this simple stretch- 
 ing exercise. 
 
 Eleventh Day of the Month 
 
 "Weakness of memory, low spir- 
 its, ill-temper and even insanity 
 often penetrate the mind of per- 
 sons so deeply through their bad 
 physical condition, as to cast out 
 and dispose knowledge itself." 
 Socrates. 
 Standing well poised, lightly and quickly hop 
 ten or twelve times, first on one foot and then on 
 the other. 
 
 This simple exercise may seem "so silly" to 
 certain staid, set individuals. What is really fool- 
 ish is for human beings ever to lose such spon- 
 taneous expressions of youthfulness. 
 
 Twelfth Day of the Month 
 
 "We do wrong when we live be- 
 neath our privilege; and knowing 
 that we ought to exercise every 
 day, we sin when we yield to the 
 constant, deadening habit of sed- 
 entary life." 
 
 Frances Willard. 
 
Simple Exercises for Odd Moments 77 
 
 Stretch your arms straight out in front, shoul- 
 der high; quickly open and close the fingers with 
 great energy ten or fifteen times. 
 
 This is effective in keeping the hands young, 
 flexible and expressive. It is especially protective 
 to typewriters, telegraphers and others whose 
 work demands tlie same corttractions of the fin- 
 gers over and over again. 
 
 Thirteenth Day of the Month 
 
 "To carry out the rich emotional 
 and intellectual life of humanity, 
 we need a good tool, a good body, 
 a strong and beautiful and well- 
 trained organism, and this is 
 gained only through cultivation." 
 C. Hanford Henderson. 
 
 Sitting or standing, fold your arms back of you, 
 and bend slightly forward from the hips. Very 
 easily drop the head well backward, keeping the 
 mouth closed, then shorten the distance between 
 the head and arms as much as you can by con- 
 tracting the back muscles. 
 
 This stirriulates the spinal nerves, counteracts 
 a tendency to round shoulders, and Is protective 
 against accumulation of fat under the chin. 
 
78 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 Fourteenth Day of the Month 
 
 "In any man or woman, a clear, 
 strong, well-fibred body is more 
 beautiful than the most beautiful 
 face." 
 
 Walt Whitman. 
 Rise on the balls of the feet, and hold yourself 
 lightly poised while you mentally or orally say : 
 "Buoyancy, joyousness, health-,— no settling down 
 to oldness for me." Rise on the ball of each 
 foot, alternately, and hold without wavering for 
 a few moments. 
 
 Fifteenth Day of the Month 
 
 "For the long breath, the deep 
 breath, the breath of the heart 
 without care — 
 I will give thanks and adore thee, 
 God of the open air!" 
 
 Henry van Dyke. 
 Lift one shoulder very high, bringing it up in 
 caressing fashion near your face. Quickly relax, 
 and lift again. Do this several times with each 
 shoulder, then uplift both shoulders and take a 
 deep breath; hold the position a moment, then 
 relax the shoulders, after which slowly exhale. 
 
 This exercise will prove very restful as it re- 
 moves over-nervation in the muscles of the back. 
 
Simple Exercises for Odd Moments 79 
 Sixteenth Day of the Month 
 
 "Of all base passions fear is the 
 most accursed." 
 
 Shakespeare. 
 
 Sitting well back in your chair rest against the 
 back of it. Relax the arms and legs. Look fix- 
 edly at some point in front of you for a moment, 
 and mentally repeat several times: "Rest, peace, 
 I am resting — resting," then slowly drop the head 
 until it rests upon the chest; gently roll it around 
 in a complete circle, bringing It back at rest upon 
 the chest. After a moment, lift the head very 
 slowly ; when the head is erect, open the eyes, and 
 view the world and your work with a fresh vision. 
 
 Fear causes tension and nervousness. 
 
 Seventeenth Day of the Month 
 
 "A main fact In the history of man- 
 ners is the wonderful expression 
 of the human body." 
 
 Emerson. 
 
 Stand very erect and stretch upward as if pull- 
 ing the trunk of the body away from its attach- 
 ments at the hips. 
 
 If you do this correctly, after a few days' prac- 
 tice, you will have a new feeling of freedom ,and 
 slimness in the waist region. 
 
8o Daily Ways to Health 
 
 Eighteenth Day of the Month 
 
 "The great thing in all education 
 is to make our nervous system our 
 ally instead of our enemy." 
 
 William James. 
 
 In the midst of your most trymg hour of the 
 day, sit quietly for a moment and close the eyes. 
 Place the thumb and middle finger respectively 
 on the outer sides of the eyeballs. Gently but 
 firmly press against the eyeballs for a moment; 
 then relax the pressure, and gently pass thumb 
 and finger inward over the eyes before opening 
 them. 
 
 This affords relief to the much-overtaxed op- 
 tic nerves ; it forces a little relaxation of some of 
 the eye muscles which are habitually on the strain. 
 
 Nineteenth Day of the Month 
 
 "There are many troubles which 
 you cannot cure by the Bible or 
 Hymn Book, but which you can 
 cure by good perspiration and a 
 breath of fresh air." 
 
 Henry Ward Beecher. 
 
 Advance one foot as in a step and transfer 
 the weight to it. Inhale deeply and, retaining the 
 breath, swing the arms rapidly and freely in large 
 circles from front to back, that is, swing forward, 
 
Simple Exercises for Odd Moments 8i 
 
 up and back instead of the reverse. The latter 
 would tend to contract the chest, while the for- 
 mer expands it. Make ten or fifteen rotations, 
 then exhale, and rest. Repeat several times with 
 each foot advanced, alternately. 
 
 This is a quick stimulation to the circulation 
 and respiration. It calls all of the torso muscles 
 into play, especially developing those in front of 
 the arm-sockets which fills out ugly hollows there. 
 
 Twentieth Day of the Month 
 
 "You may think that you are only 
 patching up the house a little so 
 that it will be more comfortable to 
 live in, but what you are really do- 
 ing is inviting good temper, cool 
 judgment, a happy heart and the 
 joy of life to come and dwell with 
 you." 
 
 Franklin Berry. 
 
 Standing in easy position, keep the heels firmly 
 fixed, and lift the instep as high as possible by 
 repeatedly drawing the toes in and under. This 
 exercise may be a little hard to accomplish at 
 first, and frequently it causes temporary pain in 
 the instep. 
 
 It is excellent for the circulation, besides be- 
 ing one of the very few recommended by eminent 
 orthopedic physicians as a preventive of what is 
 
82 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 commonly known as the breaking down of the 
 instep. 
 
 Twenty-first Day of the Month 
 
 "The pedigree of health stretches 
 back to the very dawji of time." 
 Woods Hutchinson. 
 Stand well-poised with all the muscles vigor- 
 ously energized. Keep the chest well forward, 
 and place the fingers at the base of the brain; 
 firmly knead all the muscles in this region for a 
 moment, even those that extend well into the roots 
 of the hair — ^knead forward toward the ears and 
 lower jaw. 
 
 This tends to relieve any slight congestion in 
 that region, and is restful to the nerves. 
 
 Twenty-second Day of the Month 
 
 "Everything depends upon exer- 
 cising the trunk." 
 
 G. Stanley Hall. 
 Sitting somewhat forward in your chair, easily 
 roll the body from the hips in all directions — 
 first forward, then from side to side, then from 
 the left side well forward and to the right side, 
 then slightly backward and again to the left side ; 
 reverse the order. Do this all playfully, never 
 
Simple Exercises for Odd Moments 83 
 
 with strained exertion. It is a light, not a heavy 
 gymnastic. 
 
 Take the same rolling movements when stand- 
 ing, oilly be careful to roll the body but slightly 
 backward. The more relaxed and free the mus- 
 cles of the trunk are, the better will the results be. 
 , This exercise taken for a minute each day will 
 do much to counteract some of the bad effects of a 
 sedentary life. It gives relief to the back and 
 waist muscles, and particularly stimulates intes- 
 tinal activity. 
 
 Twenty-third Day of the Month 
 
 "In quietness and in confidence 
 shall be your strength." 
 
 Isaiah xxx. 15. 
 
 Lift one foot from the floor, bending the leg 
 below the knee backward. Stand with the weight 
 on the ball of the other foot, and lightly lift and 
 lower the heel five or six times. Repeat on the 
 opposite side. 
 
 Twenty-fourth Day of the Month 
 
 "Keep the faculty of effort alive 
 in you by giving it a little gratuit- 
 ous exercise every day." 
 
 William James. 
 
84 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 Keeping the shoulders perfectly quiet, vigorous- 
 ly contract the abdominal muscles, eight or ten 
 times. Do this wholly by will-direction without 
 the aid of the breath. You can, if you concen- 
 trate your attention upon it. 
 
 This exercise stimulates intestinal activity, and 
 is one of the best means of preventing corpulency. 
 
 Twenty-fifth Day of the Month. 
 
 "All time and money spent in 
 training the voice and the body is 
 an investment that pays a larger 
 interest than any other." 
 
 Gladstone. 
 Place both hands on the spine two or three 
 inches above the waist line with the thumbs 
 pointing forward. Uplift the body, narrow the 
 back, and move the trunk from side to side with a 
 quick swaying motion exerting considerable en- 
 ergy. 
 
 This is a fine digestive as well as circulatory 
 stimulation. 
 
 Twenty-sixth Day of the Month 
 
 "He lives most life whoever 
 breathes most air." 
 Elizabeth Barrett Browning. 
 
Simple Exercises for Odd Moments 85 
 
 Place both hands on the chest. Inhale, and 
 bombastically lift the chest upward and outward, 
 at the same time vigorously drawing the abdo- 
 men upward and inward. Repeat three or four 
 times. 
 
 This develops the upper part of the lungs, and 
 stimulates the digestive processes. 
 
 Twenty-seventh Day of the Month 
 
 "All means that conduce to health 
 can neither be too painful nor too 
 dear to me." 
 
 Montaigne. 
 
 Bend a little forward from the hips. 
 
 Inhale, and stretch the arms straight out at 
 the sides, level with the shoulders. Energize 
 vigorously to the finger tips; hold for a moment, 
 then exhale, and slightly relax. Inhale again, en- 
 ergize, and stretch still farther. Repeat three or 
 four times. 
 
 Twenty-eighth Day of the Month 
 
 "The best cough syrup ever pre- 
 scribed for weak lungs is a ten 
 minutes' practice of deep breath- 
 ing." 
 
 George L. Beardsley. 
 
86 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 Place the open hands on the sides of the body 
 three or four inches above the waist line. Press 
 with them as if crowding the ribs together, and, 
 at the same time, blow the breath gently out 
 through slightly parted lips. When the breath 
 seems quite exhausted, quickly r€lax all restraint, 
 thus making the best conditions for a deep, full 
 breath. Repeat several times. 
 
 A feeling of general refreshment will result 
 from this special oxygen-treat. 
 
 'Twenty-ninth Day of the Month 
 
 "Dejection which becomes habitual 
 is consumption of character." 
 
 Herb ART. 
 
 Stand with the weight over both heels. Lightly 
 lift and lower the balls of the feet in quick suc- 
 cession, ten or fifteen times ; then sway the weight 
 over on the balls of the feet, and lightly lift and 
 lower the heels in quick succession until it is pain- 
 ful to do so. 
 
 These movements are restful to the brain, and 
 often will relieve headache as they induce a rich 
 supply of blood to. the legs and feet, thus equal- 
 izing the circulation. 
 
 Thirtieth Day of the Month 
 
 "It is a good thing to laugh, to 
 
Simple Exercises for Odd Moments 87 
 
 throw the head back and let the 
 blood into the veins, and let the ar- 
 teries rest, so that we may store up 
 energy." 
 
 G. Stanley Hall. 
 
 Stand with the weight on the right foot, be- 
 ing careful not to bend forward even slightly dur- 
 ing the exercise. Hold the left hand, the palm 
 downward, straight out in front, level with the 
 shoulders; keeping the knees straight, lightly 
 swing the left foot upward ahd touch the palm of 
 the outstretched hand several times. Transfer 
 the weight to the left foot and repeat. 
 
 Thirty-first Day of the Month 
 
 "We have had something too much 
 of the gospel of work. It is time 
 to preach the gospel of relaxa- 
 tion." 
 
 Herbert Spencer. 
 
 Stretch and breathe, breathe and stretch, when- 
 ever you have an odd moment. As you do so, 
 mentally assert that your brain and body shall be 
 abundantly nourished with oxygen — the first and 
 most essential food. 
 
 If your gain at the end of the first month is 
 not as marked as you hoped for, never mind, there 
 
88 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 is another month right at hand. One's second 
 nature is not to be thrown off as a snake throws 
 off its skin. Habits are more than skin deep, they 
 are nerve-cell deep. Remember it is the "daily 
 stroke" that counts. Professor James says: "In 
 the acquisition of a new habit, or the leaving off 
 of an old one, never suffer an exception to occur 
 until the new habit is securely rooted in your life. 
 By neglecting the necessary concrete 
 labor, by sparing ourselves the little daily tax, we 
 are positively digging the graves of our higher 
 possibilities."* 
 
 ♦James, Talks to Teachers. 
 
VII 
 
 THE DIAPHRAGM, BACK AND ABDOMINAL MUSCLES 
 
 It seems incredible to us today that people 
 could have had bodies from the advent of the 
 human race up to the seventeenth century and, 
 so far as we know, never have discovered until 
 then the purpose of the arteries. Or, that for 
 centuries the learned and the wise should have 
 thought that the purpose of the lungs was to 
 keep the heart cool ! 
 
 Query: May It not seem surprisingly curious 
 to future peoples further advanced In self-knowl- 
 edge than we are, that In our age and generation 
 very many intelligent persons did not know such 
 intimate personal facts as the following : ( i ) The 
 location and office of the diaphragm, and that its 
 inactivity leads to Inefficiency and invalidism. (2) 
 That there are two sets of muscles extending 
 along the spinal column which It Is more essen- 
 tial to strengthen than to develop biceps, triceps 
 or any other big muscles of the body. (3) That 
 keeping the abdominal muscles well toned up is 
 one of the "first aids" to health maintenance. 
 
 89 
 
90 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 Technical and 'Applied 'Knowledge 
 
 Today every high school stu'dent has a fair 
 amount of information concerning the structure 
 and functions of the body. But how many know 
 that their thought-habits have a paralyzing or 
 a stimulating effect upon the vital functions ? How 
 many appreciate, even in a slight degree, the mas- 
 terful part the will plays in keeping the body re- 
 sistant to disease? How many know how to 
 form the habit of health by the right daily use of 
 the body? 
 
 Bits of lumber stored away in a garret have no 
 part in the fashioning of the house in which they 
 are stored. No more do bits of physiological in- 
 formation stored away in one's mental rubbish 
 room have part in the fashioning of one's body. 
 Applied physiology and psychology have been the 
 great needs, that is, knowledge concerning our 
 bodies and brains applied directly to daily liv- 
 ing, to promoting health and good spirits, to mak- 
 ing men and women more efficient social units. 
 
 "Know Thyself" — Somewhat 
 
 The diaphragm, the back and abdominal mus- 
 cles are the three parts of the body with which 
 we should first come to an understanding. The 
 body as a whole cannot by any possible make- 
 shift manifest its heritage of health, endurance 
 
Back and Abdominal Muscles 9 1 
 
 and symmetry of form unless these muscles do 
 their rightful work habitually. 
 
 The diaphragm should be allowed free oppor- 
 tunity to perform its work without restriction or 
 interference, either from within or without, and 
 the back and abdominal muscles be made to do 
 their regular official work faithfully. It is their 
 work to maintain the poise of the body. Of all 
 the muscles of the body, none requires specific 
 contracting exercises to insure their strength as 
 much as these do. But — and this is a far-reach- 
 ing exception — neither the back nor the abdom- 
 inal muscles should be held in an over-tense state. 
 To tense these muscles vigorously for a few min- 
 utes in a localized exercise for a specific result, is 
 excellent. It is a necessity to their best vigor; 
 whereas, habitually to hold them over-tense is a 
 serious strain upon the nervous system. 
 
 The Back 
 
 «i 
 
 'Punch" tells of a little girl who, when her 
 aunt suggested that she ought to tie her own 
 apron-strings, replied: "How can I, aunty? I'm 
 in front, you know." From their disregard of 
 their backs, it would seem that many adults have 
 similar notions as to the location of the "I." 
 
 The chest and shoulders are the agents to 
 which attention is commonly directed — even by 
 some teachers of physical' culture — when fine bod- 
 
92 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 Ily carriage is sought; few mothers are not guilty 
 of saying to their children, "Hold up your chest," 
 or "Put your shoulders back!" 
 
 As a matter of fact, the chest muscles are pow- 
 erless to uplift the body; indeed, when they work, 
 i.e., contract, an effect antagonistic to good poise 
 is produced for the shoulders are drawn forward 
 and the chest is narrowed. Nor have the shoul- 
 ders any greater direct influence on the poise of 
 the body. They may be crowded back until the 
 blades all but touch without the general poise be- 
 ing one whit improved. "Putting the shoulders 
 back" usually does result in a temporary bet- 
 terment of poise ; this is simply because other mus- 
 cles sympathetically act with the shoulder mus- 
 cles. 
 
 Servants of First Importance 
 
 Good poise, physical youngness and, in a 
 marked degree, health depends upon the work of 
 ^two long, slender muscles situated on each side 
 of the, spinal column. Their name, erector spinae 
 muscles, is derived from their work. It is their 
 office to hold the spinal column erect. No other 
 muscles are required to be such vigilant servants 
 as these. They must always be fit for they are 
 on active duty at all times except when one is ly- 
 ing down. 
 
 The only way to keep muscles strong and capa- 
 
Back and Abdominal Musdes 93 
 
 ble Is to make them work, work with a will, with 
 all of one's will, occasionally. 
 
 Because our daily occupations offer so many 
 perilous temptations to the erector spinae muscles 
 to loaf and shirk their work, it is especially neces- 
 sary that they should frequently be made to con- 
 tract energetically. This requires a conscious will- 
 act. Such contraction forces more blood and 
 nourishment into their cells and gives them vigor 
 and hardihood. When these muscles are strong 
 and quickly obedient, good poise is more natural 
 and easier than bad poise. 
 
 Besides the erector spinae muscles, there are two 
 other muscles that hug the spinal column. These 
 arise In the shoulder region of the column, and 
 extend to the base of the skull. This set of mus- 
 cles has primary charge of the poise of the head. 
 They require an odd moment's contraction now 
 and again during the day, else they are liable to 
 become too relaxed, or stretched, which results 
 in a drooping, or "hang-dog" poise of the head. 
 
 Some of the Responsibilities of the Neck Erectors 
 and the Erector Spina Muscles 
 
 They determine the position of the chest, shoul- 
 ders and head; the mobility and youthfulness of 
 the body proper and the strength of the back; 
 they make possible a fine chest development and 
 large lung capacity; they are largely responsible 
 
94 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 for the position of the ribs, whether they sag or 
 not, and, therefore, for pressure upon the spinal 
 nerves; and, indirectly, through the poise of the 
 body, the digestion, circulation and entire nervous 
 system are materially affected by the order of 
 service which these muscles render. 
 
 A Compact of Honor 
 
 Will not each one of you make a compact of 
 honor with himself or herself not to let a day 
 pass — from today on through all tomorrows — 
 without giving an odd moment, or several, to 
 helping these muscles to help you? Their 
 strength means that you can do better work with 
 less fatigue. It means that you will last longer. 
 (See topic. For Strengthening the Back Muscles, 
 page 154.) 
 
 The Play of the Diaphragm 
 
 Only when the diaphragm plays freely is a 
 really deep breath possible. 
 
 Without such free action, it is possible to take 
 a big chest breath, but not the full, deep breaths 
 that inflate all the millions of cells in the lungs, 
 that quiet the nerves, that induce poised mental 
 states, that especially keep the liver from slug- 
 gishness, and that gently stimulate the diges- 
 tion. 
 
Back and Abdominal Muscles 95 
 
 Every one's diaphragm plays somewhat. It 
 and the beat of the heart are the self-racting pro- 
 pellers which keep the human machine running. 
 Seldom, however, does the diaphragm have full, 
 free play in these days. Our thought-habits are 
 restrictive. Our bodily habits are often such as 
 immediately interfere with the natural action of 
 the diaphragm. 
 
 Did we but realize how many bodily ills could 
 be prevented by the vital stimulation that results 
 from habitual vigorous action of the diaphragm, 
 every intelligent person would, in self-protection, 
 see to it that his diaphragm did its full quota of 
 work. 
 
 Meagre Diaphragm Action a Cause 
 
 Honestly, have you ever thought of connecting 
 liver trouble, chronic indigestion, lung affections, 
 colds, headaches, septic poisoning, nervousness 
 with meagre diaphragm action? Don't jump at 
 conclusions, my impulsive friend, and exclaim, 
 "Just think, you can cure all of these dreadful 
 things if only your diaphragm works enough!" 
 Dynamic action of the diaphragm can, in time, 
 cure many of the lesser mal-states, but it is far 
 safer to regard it as a prevention instead of a 
 cure. 
 
 To appreciate the significance of its work, one 
 must be somewhat acquainted with the diaphragm 
 
g6 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 — a little more technically so than was the boy 
 who, when asked in a physiology examination to 
 describe the diaphragm, answered, "It's what 
 girls don't breathe with. That's why they can't 
 
 run." 
 
 The Diaphragm 
 
 This muscle, that is in a class all by itself, is a 
 thin, elastic partition extending through the cen- 
 tral part of the trunk. It separates the lungs 
 and heiart on the upper side from the abdominal 
 organs on the lower side. One can get a fair 
 idea of its shape and position by imagining it to 
 be shaped much like a very broad leaf with a 
 round end. The stem-end being pulled down and 
 around the spinal column and attached thereto, its 
 sides being fastened to the lower edges of the 
 ribs, and its extreme front to the lowest point of 
 the breast bone. Again, imagine the center of the 
 leaf raised as if trying to pull its edges free from 
 their attachments. This is its dome-like position 
 of rest. When active, it pushes downward and 
 becomes a nearly straight muscle extending from 
 spinal column to breast bone, and from rib-side to 
 rib-side. 
 
 A Director of Several Concerns 
 
 The diaphragm is universally recognized as the 
 chief agent of respiration and of voice control. 
 
Back and Abdominal Muscles 97 
 
 Sir Morrell McKenzie went so far as to call it 
 "the soul of the voice." Assuredly, there can be 
 no soul, no feeling, in the voice unless the tone is 
 governed and sustained by this springboard-like 
 muscle. 
 
 But the responsibilities of the diaphragm are 
 by no means confined to the control of the res- 
 piration. It also exerts a direct, never-ceasing 
 influence upon the circulation and digestion. In 
 the degree that its action is free and strong, that 
 influence is for efficiency and health. In the de- 
 gree that it is restricted and weak, it is for in- 
 efficiency and sickness. 
 
 To Observe the Diaphragm' s Action 
 
 It is not possible to observe directly the move- 
 ments of the diaphragm, but the movements of 
 those muscles that are immediately associated 
 with it are easily observable, namely, the abdom- 
 inal and intercostal muscles. As the central part 
 of the diaphragm moves downward, pressing 
 against the liver, stomach and spleen, the abdom- 
 inal muscles distend outward, while the lower half 
 of the ribs and their muscles expand at the sides of 
 the trunk; the greatest degree of expansion will 
 be three or four inches above the so-called 
 waist line. When the diaphragm springs up- 
 ward to its passive position, as it does in un- 
 restrained exhalation, the intercostal and abdom- 
 
98 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 inal muscles relax and the sides of the trunk sink 
 inward to their normally passive outline. To 
 mark the amount of the diaphragm's action, it is 
 best to direct one's attention to the movement of 
 the side-ribs. 
 
 Two suctions are made by the diaphragm's ac- 
 tion. Its downward movement makes a suction 
 on the lungs. Inhalation results; the air rushes 
 in to fill the partial vacuum so formed. Its up- 
 ward spring, which accompanies exhalation, makes 
 a suction on the liver, stomach and spleen carry- 
 ing them upward with it on its return trip. 
 
 Natural Massage of the Liver 
 
 The liver, the largest and most overburdened 
 vital organ, extends from the back around the 
 right side of the body past the medial line in front 
 until it directly adjoins the stomach. The whole 
 of its upper surface lies closely under the elastic 
 diaphragm. 
 
 Deep, diaphragmatic breathing acts like a gen- 
 tle, persistent manipulation, or massage, of the 
 liver. 
 
 Every time that the diaphragm moves down- 
 ward as in a deep inhalation pressure is exerted 
 upon this spongy organ. The effect of this pres- 
 sure is to squeeze, br to push, the blood vigorously 
 through the multitude of minute channels and 
 cells that intersect the liver, Every time that the 
 
Back and Abdominal Muscles 99 
 
 diaphragm springs up as in free exhalation, an 
 action similar to the uplift of the piston in a suc- 
 tion pump is exerted upon the liver. The effect 
 of this is to draw blood rapidly into that large 
 portion of the organ which is closely associated 
 with the diaphragm. The result of the two move- 
 ments, pressure and suction, upon the liver is ob- 
 viously to better its circulation. 
 
 Man a Unit 
 
 Better the circulation of the liver! That is a 
 process simple in itself, but complex and far- 
 reaching in its effects. It means improvement in 
 the digestion and assimilation of food — better 
 nourished muscles, nerves and brain. It means 
 better elimination of the waste-products of the 
 system from all of the excretory organs. And 
 this means that we are better protected against 
 septic, or poisonous, conditions of the blood. 
 These are sometimes fatal, often dangerous, al- 
 ways debilitating; many times, moreover, they are 
 most annoying in their minor manifestations as 
 skin eruptions, blotches on the face, a lifeless, 
 anasmic complexion. We must never forget that 
 the liver is the chief agent in our living chemical 
 laboratory for extracting the solid poisons and 
 waste substances from the blood. 
 
 Nor is it ?afe for us to think that "the liver 
 will get along all right without any of our help." 
 
loo Daily Ways to Health 
 
 For It won't. It is bulky and inert, and has no 
 direct power to move — that is, to contract and 
 relax; and it has only a very little indirect blood- 
 propelling power in its outer muscle-sheathing. 
 So we must make sure that the diaphragm faith- 
 fully co-operates with it, and forces its activity. 
 
 Children Protected by Play 
 
 Liver complaint is not one of the so-called 
 "children's diseases." Children unknowingly 
 guard themselves against it. They give their dia- 
 phragms splendid invigorating exercise by their 
 shouting, crying, laughing, running, jumping and 
 by their general enthusiasm. If adults knowingly 
 kept their diaphragms equally active by simple 
 exercises they would be much less plagued by 
 torpid livers, bilious attacks, and "all the train 
 that waits on them" — morbidity, loss of energy, 
 loss of interest, and a liver-yellowed complexion. 
 
 The Abdominal Muscles 
 
 There are several sets of these muscles. They 
 form the supporting walls of the pelvic organs. 
 The fact that these organs — among which are the 
 four to six pounds liver and the far heavier intes- 
 tines — have no. other external support, is, in itself, 
 evident reason why the abdominal muscles should 
 be kept firm and strong. 
 
Back and Abdominal Muscles lOi 
 
 To this end, special exercises are essential. 
 (See topics, For Strengthening the Abdominal 
 Muscles, page 175, and Preventing Corpulency, 
 page 183.) The activities of our restricted con- 
 ventional life afford these muscles but small op- 
 portunity for the vigorous contraction and habit- 
 ual play that are essential to their vigor. If we 
 adults twisted, turned, bent, kicked, rolled and 
 romped as children do, the story would be dif- 
 ferent. 
 
 Corpulency and Worse 
 
 As it Is, the only demand habitually made upon 
 the abdominal muscles is the light work of assist- 
 ing in the maintenance of an alive and alert stand- 
 ing poise; and this demand is all too rare because 
 the poise of children, men and women is often 
 somewhat relaxed. Relaxed, bad poise gives the 
 abdominal muscles no opportunity for tensing, for 
 keeping their strength ; so they laze and grow fat, 
 and become incapable of work; or, if one is not 
 inclined to flesh, they none the less laze and grow 
 weak. And worse. Medical statistics show that 
 about one person in twelve has some form of 
 hernia, the majority of the victims being men. 
 Not that their abdominal muscles are naturally 
 less resistant than women's, but they are more 
 neglected. The more exacting standard set for 
 women than for men in the requirements of bod- 
 
I02 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 ily attractiveness has its advantages. Many a 
 man whose abdomen is conspicuously out of pro- 
 portion to the rest of his body prides himself on 
 his "fine physique." Should a woman who has 
 allowed herself to become similarly dispropor- 
 tioned meekly hint that her figure is not bad, she 
 would be met with ridicule. 
 
 Good and Bad Ways of Protecting Oneself 
 
 The horror of becoming corpulent has made 
 many thousands of women take heroic — if bad — 
 means to prevent it. A common means is "to 
 hold the stomach in." Holding the stomach in is 
 nothing more nor less than keeping the abdominal 
 muscles contracted practically all of the time. This 
 cannot fail to make these muscles, in a measure, 
 resistant to the inroads of fatty deposits. But 
 grave dangers attend the remedy. There is, 
 however, a perfectly safe way to the desired end. 
 Yes, and more than safe, for it immediately 
 stimulates the digestive processes, particularly, 
 the work of the intestines. 
 
 Especially should the oblique abdominal mus- 
 cles be fortified by special contracting exercises, 
 by stretching and by various inflections of the up- 
 per trunk. The most common form of hernia is 
 rupture of these thin fan-shaped muscles. The 
 only prevention is localized exercise which shall 
 strengthen them. 
 
Back and Abdominal Muscles 103 
 
 Strain, or rather, sudden violent movements, 
 which are usually the cause of physical strain, 
 cannot be avoided. They are often the involun- 
 tary response to the call of some crisis. But the 
 abdominal muscles can and should be habituated 
 to stressful movements; then, they would have 
 self-resident protection against emergencies. 
 These muscles naturally are extremely elastic, and 
 capable of bearing great strain. Their strength 
 should be cultivated from childhood on — always. 
 
 Still another reason why the abdominal mus- 
 cles should be contracted, uplifted, twisted, 
 stretched and pulled by some vigorous exercise 
 during a^few odd moments of every day, is the 
 benefit conferred upon all of the pelvic organs 
 by such exercise. It gives them a fine massage, or 
 kneading. Congestion, inflammation, appendici- 
 tis and tumors may result from inactivity and re- 
 striction. 
 
 An ounce of prevention is far easier and pleas- 
 anter to take than a pound of cure. And its ef- 
 fects are far more certain. 
 
VIII 
 
 KINDS AND SIGNIFICANCE OF EXERCISE 
 
 "Knowledge comes but wisdom lingers." Our 
 knowledge of the blessings that exercise bestows 
 has greatly increased during the last score of 
 years. Formerly, gymnastics were popularly re- 
 garded as a means for the development of big 
 muscles and unusual strength; as such they con- 
 cerned only athletes and would be "strong men." 
 Today, conscious bodily exercise — physical train- 
 ing, health culture, psycho-physical culture or 
 physical education- — is pretty generally recognized 
 as something that concerns all of us regardless of 
 "age, sex or previous condition of servitude." Let 
 us pray that wisdom may not linger too long. Let 
 us pray to see the relative value of our daily do- 
 ings. Are we not justified in believing that intel- 
 ligent daily exercise of the sort to profit us accord- 
 ing to our needs will some day be reckoned a 
 part of moral living? 
 
 Why Exercise Is Imperative 
 
 What is the chief benefit of exercise ? Put this 
 question to a hundred educated persons outside 
 
 104 
 
Kinds and Significance of Exercise 105 
 
 of tlie medical and related professions, what 
 would the answer be? Doubtless many concrete 
 benefits would be named — to tone up the system, 
 to improve the circulation, to keep one from get- 
 ting settled and stiff, to aid digestion and so on. 
 Not many persons, I fancy, would unhesitatingly 
 answer to protect us from self-poisoning, or auto- 
 toxicohemia, as it is technically termed. 
 
 All the tissues — ^brain, nerves, glands, muscles 
 — become saturated with the poison of their own 
 waste-products. This generation of poison is in- 
 evitable. It is a part of the living chemistry of 
 all animal life, but health of mind and body re- 
 quires that these poisons shall be gotten out of 
 the system with all expedition. The question is, 
 How? First, the tissues must be freed from 
 them. Here is where exercise is invaluable; by 
 kneading, squeezing, pulling, twisting, even wring- 
 ing the tissues it forces the poisons out into the 
 channels of expulsion, the veins, whence they are 
 carried to the excreting lungs, skin, kidneys and 
 liver. This, then, is the greatest ministration of 
 exercise — to relieve the poison-laden tissues of 
 their poison. Unless such relief is effected in 
 some way, physical deterioration or incapacity, as 
 lassitude, nervousness, aches and pains, diminished 
 efficiency, sickness — passive, chronic or acute — 
 will follow as surely as the night the day. 
 
io6 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 KINDS OF EXERCISES 
 
 Contracting Exercises for strengthening and 
 developing the muscles and for stimulating the 
 vital processes ; they embrace all energizing, rigid 
 and tensing movements. 
 
 Relaxing Exercises for relieving muscle, nerve 
 and brain tension, and for conscious muscular rest. 
 
 Breathing Exercises for the direct elimination 
 of poison from the system and for vital invigora- 
 tion. ' 
 
 Rhythmical Exercises for promoting assimila- 
 tion, for gracefulness of movement, for tranquil- 
 lizing the nervous system, and for' their effect upon 
 the psychic states. 
 
 Stretching Exercises for mobility — the free, 
 youthful play of the muscles in all movements — 
 and for Invigorating the whole organism. 
 
 Muscular Movement and Passivity 
 
 To "speak by the book," every movement of 
 the body or any part of It Implies two things, 
 I.e., the contraction, or shortening, of some mus- 
 cle or muscles and the relaxation, or elongation, 
 of some muscle or muscles. For illustration: 
 When a boy energetically bends his forearm on 
 his upper arm to show you "how hard his muscle 
 is" — the biceps, or upper arm muscle, is greatly 
 contracted while the triceps, or under-arm muscle. 
 
Kinds and Significance of Exercise 107 
 
 is relaxed. These are tiie technical terms, but 
 the popular meaning of relaxation as applied to 
 the muscles signifies quite a different muscular con- 
 dition. It is not the elongation, or yielding, of 
 one muscle because an opposing muscle pulls it. 
 Instead, it is that condition of a member of the 
 body, as an arm, or the whole body, where oppos- 
 ing muscles neither pull nor are pulled. This 
 means that there is no movement, that the arm 
 is in a passive, or quiescent state ; in other words, 
 it is free from all volitional-energy. When the 
 terms "relax," "relaxing exercises" and "relaxa- 
 tion" are used in this book it will be in this popu- 
 lar sense. 
 
 An Evolution in Gymnastics 
 
 Some leading teachers of the "regular schools" 
 of gymnastics were formerly inclined to pooh- 
 pooh teaching relaxation. Professor William 
 James' Psychology of Relaxation did much to 
 convert these conservatives to more liberal views. 
 Here was authority not to be ignored. Today, 
 Relaxing Exercises are embodied to some extent 
 in nearly all systems of conscious bodily exercise. 
 
 Rhythmical Exercises have also gained recent 
 dignity. They are no longer damned with faint 
 
 praise as "Yes, pretty and attractive, but " 
 
 Progressive educators now recognize their psy- 
 chological and physiological importance. Dr. G. 
 
io8 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 Stanley Hall says, "It seems as if the emotions 
 are controlled by action and rhythm. The his- 
 tory of the dance throws a very important light 
 upon physical culture ; and I do wish somebody 
 would come to the front and be a professor of 
 dancing in the broad historical, psychological 
 sense." 
 
 Stretching Exercises also are being recognized 
 more and more as natural health-promotors. This 
 is really a reversion to nature for stretching and 
 yawning are the natural gymnastics. Birds, 
 beasts, babies and, sometimes, men spontaneously 
 stretch. A good horse turned loose after a day's 
 work lies down, stretches, rolls over two or three 
 times and then gives himself a good grooming 
 shake. A cat or doe yawns and stretches itself 
 
Kinds and Significance of Exercise 109 
 
 up, will of necessity breathe deeply, exercise the 
 diaphragm and, I believe, in most cases, will ward 
 off disease and keep old age waiting for long. 
 The person who does this daily for five minutes 
 as a habit, will probably have no need of a 
 physician."* 
 
 Heavy and Light Gymnastics 
 
 Contracting Exercises per se are what are com- 
 monly called heavy gymnastics, that is, gymnastics 
 which demand a large expenditure of energy. Ap- 
 paratus is frequently used with these, but it is not 
 essential. Tremendous energy can be exerted in 
 different sets of muscles by will-command, alone. 
 Rolando — the strongest man of the present hour, 
 and a great teacher as well — gets his best results 
 by "rigid," or will exercises, combined always with 
 breathing exercises. 
 
 All gjminastics which require but comparatively 
 small expenditure of energy are commonly called 
 light gymnastics. Regarding the general value of 
 heavy and light exercise, Mosso, the eminent 
 Italian physiologist, says: "Important investiga- 
 tions have been made which prove unquestionably 
 that gymnastics owe their great usefulness to the 
 fact that the muscles in their activity "knead" 
 themselves, and that light motion aids the con- 
 
 ♦Haeckel, Development. 
 
no Daily Ways to Health 
 
 stant flow of lymph and blood better than strong 
 and sudden motion." 
 
 All the acts of our daily life partake of the na- 
 ture of either heavy or light gymnastics, accord- 
 ing to the amount of energy expended in doing 
 them. The lighter we can keep them, the bet- 
 ter, for the more one can make the spirit of play, 
 of joyousness, pervade his life, the better will his 
 brain and body fare. 
 
 The Way We Work 
 
 Two men pitching hay, two women doing 
 housework under the same conditions will do the 
 work in radically different ways as regards the ex- 
 penditure of nervous energy. The one will make 
 of work a light gymnastic, the other, a heavy 
 gymnastic. The large majority of manual labor- 
 ers, farmers, farmers' wives and houseworkers 
 in general do the latter. They should make their 
 work play by doing it with a light touch, by step- 
 ping trippingly, by letting all the muscles, not em- 
 ployed to some end, rest, and by ever and anon 
 stretching which gives incalculable relief to mus- 
 cles used in tiring, routine ways. Instead, they 
 let the trunk sag which makes buoyant light move- 
 ment of the body impossible, and they move with 
 slow heaviness or over-energetically, which dou- 
 bles the fatigue incident to their work and lessens 
 their general vitality. Such workers age early. 
 
Kinds and Significance of Exercise iii 
 
 Physical .work may or may not be good physical 
 exercise, much depends upon how it is done. 
 
 The Mental Attitude 
 
 "Play is the exercise you like, and work is the 
 exercise you don't like," declared a small boy. 
 Turn this about, and we have another classification 
 of exercise — and a significant one — exercise that 
 is play and exercise that is work. 
 
 Whether any physical act shall be work or play 
 depends quite as much upon our mental attitude 
 towards it as upon the quality of the act itself. 
 The boy who drags his body reluctantly along to 
 school is in the drudgery mood. But let his fa- 
 ther call to him that he can have a holiday, his 
 mood, in the twinkling of an eye, becomes the 
 play mood. Exuberant physical activity is then a 
 happy necessity. Up goes his cap in the air, he 
 shouts and runs and jumps — the natural bodily 
 response to his new mood. These latter acts de- 
 mand much greater expenditure of energy than 
 does the simple act of walking; but they were 
 spontaneous play to the boy, while walking to 
 school was tiresome work. "The labor one de- 
 lights ifi physics pain." 
 
 Unknown Causes 
 
 To get the best results from Health Exercises, 
 the mind's attitude should be a compound of play- 
 
112 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 fulness and loving attention. If you ask why 
 certain mental states release energy and others 
 inhibit it, the answer is, "no one knows." Nor 
 does any one know why sap ascends from the 
 roots of the tree to the topmost leaves in defiance 
 of the law of gravitation. But it ascends. Like- 
 wise, it has been scientifically demonstrated that 
 the supply of blood sent to an exercised part of 
 the body is richer when one's mind is interestingly 
 centered on the movement — or on its effects — than 
 when the mind is indifferent and the movement is 
 made in a mechanical or automatic way. "En- 
 thusiasm is the only virtue, inertia, the only vice," 
 says Rostand. 
 
IX 
 
 THE WILL TO BE WELL 
 
 Health, in the broad sense is, at least, three- 
 fourths a matter of the mind. First, there is the 
 direct effect of emotional states and their nerve- 
 vibrations, high or low, freeing or restrictive, upon 
 all of the bodily organs and processes. Second, 
 there is the intellect factor, the mere knowing — or 
 the not knowing — what to do to promote health. 
 Knowing what order of thoughts to encourage 
 and what order to discourage ; what daily physical 
 habits, attitudes, positions, activities, work and 
 play are to one's advantage and what to one's 
 disadvantage. And last, the will to be well. 
 This mental state in itself is a tonic of high po- 
 tency. 
 
 Willing is not mere longing or desiring. It is 
 the executive mental state that actualizes thoughts 
 and desires. The will to be well makes one do 
 — not merely think or talk about — ^that which 
 shall guard and redeem one from physical break- 
 down, suffering, humiliating inefficiency and pre- 
 mature old age. Just sheer will to live has saved 
 many a person's life at some critical juncture. 
 
 113 
 
114 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 Honest Confession Good for the Will 
 
 A little self-scrutiny is profitable, it helps to get 
 one's bearings. It is well upon occasion to put 
 plain questions to oneself and not to dodge the 
 answers. "Have I the will to be well? Have I 
 the strength of character to do that which I know 
 will insure my health and keep my brain awake 
 and efficient?" Honest judgment of yourself up 
 to the time of asking the questions may compel 
 you to answer in the negative. Perhaps you know 
 that your habit has been to begin things, but not 
 to finish them. Yours has been a Rip Van Winkle 
 kind of will. All right, squarely acknowledge 
 your bad record, and begin a new account. You 
 are not the person today that you were yesterday. 
 Remember we "rise to higher things on stepping- 
 stones of our dead selves." A new incentive stim- 
 ulates your will. You now realize that no Titanic 
 effort is required of you, realize that the ways to 
 health are daily ways, easily Isved. 
 
 Profitable and Dangerous Sayings to Oneself 
 
 This is the day to begin your health quest. Get 
 your mental attitude toward yourself straight. 
 Say, "I have not shown strength of character in 
 my shilly-shally habits of yesterday. But what 
 of that? I have a latent strong will. Now, It's 
 going to be a dynamic strong will. I know I can 
 
The Will to Be Well 115 
 
 do what I set out to do. 'I am a soul and have 
 a body.' It is my business to keep that body in 
 its best condition for serving the real me. From 
 henceforth, I am in league with health. I com- 
 mand my will to hold me up to my highest level 
 of action and I expect it to obey my command." 
 Give yourself such positive auto-suggestions over 
 and over, and never cease or falter in giving them. 
 They cannot fail of bringing good results when 
 once they become your dominant attitude toward 
 yourself. 
 
 It is equally important that you be on your 
 guard against unfavorable and weakening auto- 
 suggestions. They quadruple the difficulties of 
 your health and happiness quest. Banish them by 
 a laugh or some confident expectation or, better 
 yet, by doing the thing they would paralyze your 
 ability to do. The best way to refute a falsehood 
 is to do the true act. Many persons tell damaging 
 falsehoods to themselves about themselves who 
 could not be tempted to speak falsely of another. 
 
 A Vice That Parades as a Virtue 
 
 Persons of industrious bent often exercise their 
 wills to their health's undoing. They obey a wolf- 
 in-sheep's-clothing kind of auto-suggestion which 
 nags their energies incessantly, and keeps them 
 always at it, whatever it may be. The size and 
 importance of it has practically nothing to do 
 
ii6 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 with the intensity of their self-goading. There are 
 always "important" things to be done if one en- 
 courages a weakness for ferreting them out. The 
 over-industrious person says to himself or her- 
 self, "Just as soon as I can, I'll finish this, then 
 my next piece of work will be so and so, after that 
 I'll tackle that job and after that" — ^in imagina- 
 tion an endless perspective of things to be done 
 crowds up and drives these self-denying souls to 
 the verge of physical breakdown. "Extreme 
 busyness, whether at school or college, kirk or 
 market, is a symptom of deficient vitality," said 
 Robert Louis Stevenson. 
 
 To inhibit, to put the brakes on our mental or 
 physical activities is one of the highest exercises 
 of the will. Dr. G. Stanley Hall says, "Some per- 
 sons live and die with this highest story never 
 developed — the power to inhibit." 
 
 Our Good Fortune 
 
 Another vicious form of unconscious auto-sug- 
 gestion is the habit of saying to oneself or of one- 
 self in extenuation for any faltering of spirit or 
 failure of accomplishment, "Oh, well, I'm made 
 that way!" It is our good fortune that we are 
 not made nor ever will be. The process is con- 
 tinuous; "the flowing conditions of life are our 
 opportunity; everything is subject to the power 
 of the will," says Emerson. 
 
ONte's BEST PHYSICIAN 
 
 Centuries ago Galen said, "He is the best phy- 
 sician who is the best teacher of gymnastics." 
 
 The detailed directions herein given for Spe- 
 cific Health Exercises which directly benefit spe- 
 cific conditions, physical and mental, enable 
 every one to be his or her own "best physician." 
 
 Psycho-therapeutics has proven beyond dispute 
 that the mental attitude which best accelerates 
 physical repairs is confidence. There is ample 
 warrant for this attitude regarding these Health 
 Exercises for their effectiveness has been tested 
 and attested by thousands of the writer's imme- 
 diate pupils. 
 
 Not only confidence in what one is doing but 
 confidence in oneself, and all roseate mental states 
 forward health. Pessimism is contractive and 
 lowers the vital tone. Enthusiasm is an elixir; it 
 invigorates the vital processes and gives tonicity 
 to the muscular system. We can make the mental 
 condition for getting the best from Health Ex- 
 ercises— ^and from life — ^by following Emerson's 
 
 117 
 
ii8 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 advice: "Omit the negative proposition; nerve us 
 with incessant afErmations." 
 
 Changing One's Mental Attitude 
 
 If you bring a negative mood to your practice, 
 do not go through a certain number of exercises 
 with martyr-like resignation for that would be to 
 minimize the possible benefit accruing from them; 
 rather, recognize the mood, and banish it at once 
 by some lively exercise of the feet — a standing 
 run or a backward and upward kicking or by an 
 invigorating swinging step and upward stretch of 
 the arms — any physical exercise of buoyant and 
 playful nature. Such physical activity reacts upon 
 the mental state and soon converts it into one of 
 interested helpfulness. 
 
 Practice Suggestions 
 
 Many of the exercises herein given are very 
 light ones — practically, muscle-play; some are of 
 the nature of non-activity being primarily nerv- 
 ous and muscular relaxation ; others are vigorous ; 
 none are violent. Nor will any of them be ex- 
 hausting to persons possessing a fair degree of 
 energy; however, the strength and the condition 
 of the individual should always determine the 
 amount and the kind of exercise to be taken. It 
 is better for those who are just commencing to 
 
One's Best Physician 119 
 
 discipline their bodies to underdo than to overdo. 
 Begin by doing a little, but increase that little to 
 more day by day. , 
 
 In all practice, it is wise to begin with some light 
 exercises and to work up to more vigorous ac- 
 tivity, and then to slow down toward the end. 
 This order imposes the least strain upon the heart. 
 We should especially avoid sudden cessation from 
 any vigorous activity whether it be exercises that 
 are wilfully taken for health's sake or activity 
 which is incident upon daily living. The heart 
 must be given a little time to accommodate itself 
 to the widely different demands made upon it by 
 extra physical exertion, and by physical repose. 
 
 [In the arrangement of the following exercises 
 under various topics, the aim has been to get them 
 into easily useful form; for this reason some of 
 them appear under two topics. All exercises con- 
 fer major and minor benefits ; when any exercise 
 ranks as major under more than two topics it has 
 been listed at the end of the other topic or topics. J 
 
 Note L Commence all Health Exercise Series 
 — no matter what their nature or purpose — 
 with a few "warming-up" stretching move- 
 ments. 
 
 Note II. In all exercises where the arms are 
 raised in any direction bend from the hips 
 slightly forward of the normal poise. 
 
I20 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 Note III. In all Standing Exercises, unless oth- 
 erwise directed, keep the center of gravity 
 over the balls of the feet. 
 
 Note IV. In all Breathing Exercises, the inha- 
 lation and exhalation should be through the 
 nostrils unless exhalation through the mouth 
 is especially mentioned. Yawning is the only 
 exercise where inhalation is partially through 
 the mouth. 
 
 FOR ESTABLISHING GOOD STANDING 
 POISE 
 
 (Read topic, Standing, page 46.) 
 Don't put the shoulders back, 
 
 let the ribs sag, 
 
 put the hips back, 
 
 hold the abdomen in, 
 
 thrust the chest out or up, 
 
 let the head droOp, 
 
 settle in one hip or 
 
 keep the weight, or center of gravity, 
 over the heels. 
 
 Do keep the erector spinae muscles strength- 
 ened, 
 hold the rib-cage well up, 
 keep the shoulders free from tension. 
 
One's Best Physician 121 
 
 keep the chest in advance of the ab- 
 domen, 
 
 push upward with the crown of the head, 
 
 use each leg equally in supporting the 
 trunk, and 
 
 keep the weight, or center of gravity, 
 over the balls of the feet. 
 
 Hip-Bending Exercises 
 
 A. Place the hands lightly upon the hips. 
 
 Keeping the knees straight, and inclining the 
 head back more and more as the trunk descends, 
 bend easily forward from the hips until the line 
 of the back is at a right angle with the line of 
 the legs. Hold this position for a moment, then 
 raise the torso to an upright position, and stretch 
 the back-neck muscles in an effort to push the 
 crown of the head upward. Repeat several times, 
 aiming to use less and less energy in bending and 
 in raising the heavy torso ; make this a light, play- 
 ful gymnastic, not a heavy, fatiguing one. 
 
 Results 
 
 This exercise makes possible a free and ready 
 adjustment, or poise, of the three main divisions 
 of the body, and gives a fine pull to the under- 
 leg muscles and ligaments. Let no one confuse 
 the position produced by it with that commonly 
 called "putting the hips back." The latter causes 
 
122 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 a contraction of the lower-back muscles which 
 results in a tense and strained expression of the 
 body; but, in this exercise, no contraction is in- 
 duced in the back muscles; the trunk from its 
 socket cradle merely sways easily forward, which 
 brings the whole body into an active, uplifted 
 poise. 
 
 B. Immediately follow "J" by bending about 
 one-half as far forward, being sure to let the head 
 incline proportionately backward in opposition to 
 the forward movement of the trunk; then bend 
 still less' and less, until finally, the forward move- 
 ment from the hips is so slight as to be hardly 
 called a movement. It being, rather, a change 
 in bodily expression — a change from a careless, 
 unanimated expression to a magnetic, interested 
 one. 
 
 Normal Poise Movement 
 
 As exercise of the right order will decrease an 
 excessive accumulation of fat, and at the same time 
 increase the size and strength of muscles, so the 
 same bodily movement for effecting the right me- 
 chanical adjustment of the body will give equally 
 satisfactory results in the case of two radically 
 different conditions. Practically, the same very 
 simple movement — it i^ too simple to be called an 
 exercise — will transform a relaxed, sunken-chest, 
 sagging-shoulders position, and a tense, assertive- 
 
One's Best Physician 123 
 
 chest, bracing-shoulders position into an easy self- 
 respecting, health-forwarding poise. All that such 
 transformation of bodily expression requires is 
 for one to come forward from the hips until the 
 weight is over the balls of the feet, and to he as 
 tall as one's stature allows. That is all that one 
 has to do in order to gain an ideal poise except 
 not to do anything else — the head, shoulders 
 and chest must not take an active part in the 
 movement ; they are the parts to be adjusted, not 
 the adjustors. 
 
 Lift and lower the heels several times — the 
 body from the hips up being exempt from all 
 strain or work — then let the heels lightly touch 
 the floor but do not transfer any of the weight of 
 the body to them ; in other words, while the whole 
 of the feet touch the floor, the center of gravity 
 is entirely over the balls, and you are standing at 
 your maximum height. This is the normal poise 
 of the body. 
 
 The mechanism of the movement is the rolling 
 forward of the pelvic-socket on the ball-end of the 
 femur to just that finely balanced point where the 
 trunk neither tips backward of, nor forward from 
 a vertical line, or line of gravity. 
 
 Results 
 
 The whole bodily expression is transformed; 
 the knees straighten, the head and ribs lift, the 
 back flattens and shortens, the front-waist length- 
 
124 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 ens, the sunken chest becomes active, the hips 
 which were too far forward recede, and the shoul- 
 ders assume their rightful position as they always 
 must do when the body as a whole is well poised. 
 (See Chapter, "The Diaphragm, Back and Ab- 
 dominal Muscles," page 89.) 
 
 The change from the bad position where the 
 body settles in one hip to the normal poise is 
 effected in the same way plus one other thing; if 
 one's habit is to settle in the right hip, then the 
 weight must be transferred to the left leg as one 
 sways forward to one's greatest height, or vice 
 versa if the left hip has been the overtaxed one. 
 
 In the maintenance of an ideal poise, it mat- 
 ters not whether one stands upon either foot or 
 upon both feet, unless one has to overcome the 
 habit of settling in one hip. 
 
 There is one bad position — fortunately not a 
 common one — where a change to a better poise 
 cannot be brought about by swaying forward from 
 the hips. It is the position where the head and 
 upper part of the trunk are, already far in advance 
 of the rest of the body. This position is often 
 a more or less fixed one, because from long-con- 
 tinued sagging of the ribs the little cartilege cush- 
 ions between the vertebrae have been pinched and 
 thinned on the inner side and, of course, corre- 
 spondingly thickened on the outer side. This is 
 a very difficult position to alter, materially. The 
 Chest Mobility Exercise, page 137, and Back Cpn- 
 
One's Best Physician 125 
 
 trading Exercise, page 138, are among the best 
 for regaining somewhat of the lost plasticity. 
 
 If one's habit has been to have the center of 
 gravity over the heels, when it is changed to the 
 balls of the feet, one may at first feel as if about 
 to fall forward; the trunk does fall forward from 
 half an inch to two or three inches — it falls to a 
 straight line. Often in first Tessons a student 
 ejaculates: "Oh! I could not stand this way al- 
 ways ; I should tip over. It is so unnatural !" The 
 same person after ten days' practice will say, "I 
 stand in the natural poise all the time now, it is 
 the easiest position I ever had; besides, I feel so 
 much lighter and younger than when the weight 
 rested heavily upon the heels." 
 
 Habit is often mistaken for first n^ature. 
 
 Ankle Swaying Exercises 
 
 A. Stand with the weight on both feet. 
 
 Keeping the knee, hip and shoulder joints sta- 
 tionary, and moving the body as one member from 
 the ankles to the crown of the head, sway slowly 
 backward until the center of gravity is over the 
 heels, than sway forward to the original posi- 
 tion. Repeat rpany times, varying the time of the 
 movement from slow to quick and then to very 
 slow. 
 
 B. Slightly advance one foot and stand with 
 the center of gravity over the ball of that foot. 
 
126 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 Sway as before, transferring the weight, in turn, 
 over to the heel of the forward foot, the heel of 
 the backward foot, the ball of the backward foot 
 and again over the ball of the forward foot. Re- 
 peat several times ; then standing on the forward 
 foot, advance the other foot, and repeat as be- 
 fore. Always have the center of gravity over 
 the forward foot when you discontinue the ex- 
 ercise. 
 
 Many a disadvantageous emotional state can 
 be dislodged by a buoyant bodily poise. 
 
 Transferring Weight Exercise 
 
 A. Stand with the weight on the left foot. 
 Without moving the body proper, advance the 
 right foot the length of an ordinary step touch- 
 ing only the ball of that foot to the floor. To 
 prove that no part of the weight shifted to the 
 right foot as it swung forward, lightly lift it from 
 the floor three or four times. Then raise the 
 heel of the left foot, and, keeping the body at its 
 full height, steadily sway forward until the center 
 of gravity is entirely over the ball of the forward 
 foot. As the transference of weight takes place, 
 the whole of the forward foot comes to the floor, 
 while all except the toe of the back foot lifts from 
 the floor. Next, raise the heel of the forward 
 foot, and steadily sway backward until the center 
 of gravity is again entirely over the back foot. 
 
One's Best Physician , 127 
 
 Repeat many times, making the movement slowly 
 at first and then more quickly. Stand upon the 
 right foot, advance the left foot, and repeat. 
 
 B. Stand with the weight on the left foot. 
 Swing the right foot directly out at the side as 
 far as may be without disturbing the poise of the 
 body, and let the right toe touch the floor in line 
 with the left toe. Lift the heel of the left foot, 
 and transfer the weight to the right foot; then 
 sway over to the left foot. Ease and steadiness 
 of movement will soon result. 
 
 Briefly, to transfer the weight of the body 
 means not to change the position of the feet, but 
 to change only the center of gravity by swaying 
 the body from one foot to the other, no matter 
 what the position of the feet may be. It is an ex- 
 ceedingly simple movement, but many persons 
 have difiiculty with it at first, and as it is funda- 
 mental to many of the more complex Health Ex- 
 ercises, it is explained in detail. Practice it dur- 
 ing odd moments of enforced waiting. 
 
 Good poise of the body first of all demands 
 strong back muscles, therefore, taking exercises 
 for the strengthening of these muscles should be- 
 come and remain one's daily habit. 
 
 Include in this series: 
 
 Pinching-Spine Exercise, page 157, 
 Chest Mobility Exercise, page 137, 
 Neck-Pressure Exercise, page 156, 
 
128 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 Shoulder-Shaving Exercise, page 159, 
 Back-Contracting Exercise, page 138, and 
 Back Rib-Lifting Exercise, page 154. 
 
 FOR BUOYANCY AND LIGHTNESS OF 
 MOVEMENT 
 
 There is positive, magnetic attraction in phys- 
 ical buoyancy and lightness of movement. And 
 this unfailing charm lies within the reach of all 
 who will "sail on the top of their sea of troubles," 
 and will keep their bodies expressive of such vic- 
 torious voyaging by not allowing them to stoop, 
 sag or drag. A friend who has made a brave 
 fight for years against a bad physical inheritance 
 recently said, "Well, I've accomplished one 
 thing. People always think I'm younger than I 
 am. This is not because my face looks so, but 
 because I move like a young, enthusiastic person. 
 You see, I've made my muscles pretend life was 
 great sport." Let us all play and pretend and 
 realize. 
 
 Play Movements for Buoyancy 
 
 A. Standing well poised, lightly and quickly 
 hop first on the ball of one foot and then on the 
 ball of the other. 
 
 B. Feet in normal position, weight over the 
 balls. 
 
One's Best Physician 129 
 
 Lift the ribs high, and keeping the head well 
 poised, quickly rise and sink on the balls of the 
 feet a dozen or more times, scarcely touching the 
 heel to the floor, 
 
 C. Advance one foot, weight over it. Rise 
 and sink rapidly on the ball of the forward foot. 
 Advance the other foot, and repeat. 
 
 D. Stand alertly on the right foot. 
 
 Swing the left leg freely forward and back. 
 Do not kick, just swing. Advance the left foot, 
 and repeat. 
 
 E. Uplift the ribs, and place the open hands 
 lightly on the sides of the body a little above the 
 waist line. Center the attention on the muscles 
 under the hands, take in a quick, big breath, and 
 push the hands well out by the action of the 
 diaphragm in inhalation. Exhale, rest, and re- 
 peat several times. 
 
 F. Playfully swing the arms forward, upward 
 and outward in a circular movement, at the same 
 time bending the knees and quickly straightening 
 them; repeat several times. Then swing the arms 
 as before and lightly spring upward, raising both 
 feet from the floor for an instant. 
 
 Quick-Command Exercises 
 
 Stand well poised, the weight being over the 
 ball of one foot. Keep the other members of 
 
130 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 the body perfectly quiet while you move the free 
 leg lightly and very quickly in many directions. 
 Move it forward, first touching the toe to the 
 floor, then the heel, and then the whole foot; 
 move it out at the side, forward, back, cross it 
 over the other leg, and bring it to place ; lift the 
 thigh until the knee is on a line with the hip, 
 the leg below the knee being relaxed, and bring 
 the foot down, the toe touching the floor; lift it 
 again and bring it down, the heel lightly touching. 
 
 It is much better if this play exercise be prac- 
 ticed with some one else, or better still, with sev- 
 eral others, letting one person give the commands 
 for the various changes, and all follow the com- 
 mands, vying with each other to excel in quick- 
 ness and accuracy. 
 
 Also practice different movements of the arms, 
 as right arm up, left arm out in front; left arm 
 out at side, right arm out in front, and other com- 
 binations. Each command must be executed with- 
 out an instant's hesitation. 
 
 Results 
 
 The primary object of these exercises. Is to es- 
 tablish quick co-ordination between the mind and 
 muscles. Other things being equal, the quicker a 
 person's co-ordinations, the greater his ef- 
 ficiency. 
 
 Some children temperamentally have slow 
 muscular responses, and many adults allow them- 
 
One's Best Physician 131 
 
 selves to become unnecessarily dull and monoton- 
 ous in their bodily movements — in other words, 
 old. To both classes, quick co-ordination exer- 
 cises will prove physically and mentally stimulat- 
 ing. A noticeable feeling of buoyancy and of 
 playfulness of spirit usually results from two min- 
 utes' practice of these rapid changes of the posi- 
 tions of the feet. Unquestionably, there is good 
 psychological argument for dancing, not only as 
 recreation but, therapeutically, as a re-creative 
 agency. When rapid physical movements are car- 
 ried to excess as in the wild barbaric dances of 
 some savage tribes, the mental stimulation reaches 
 frenzy. 
 
 Quick Step and Szvitiff Exercise 
 
 Standing on the left foot, lightly spring diag- 
 onally forward on the right foot, and swing the 
 right arm forward and upward high above the 
 head ; Inhale as you do so. Making the movement 
 continuous and rhythmical as In dancing, quickly 
 sway back to the left foot, bringing the right foot 
 to place beside it and the right arm down ; exhale 
 as you do so. Without Interrupting the move- 
 ment, repeat until your nerves are exhilarated. 
 Stand on the right foot, and repeat. 
 
 Results 
 
 This exercise, besides developing lightness of 
 
132 Dally Ways to Health 
 
 movement and youthfulness of bodily expression, 
 is an excellent constitutional tonic. It brings all 
 of the muscles into play, and stimulates the vital 
 processes. 
 
 Minuet Walking Exercise 
 
 Stand alertly poised on one foot. 
 
 Swing the other leg well forward and upward, 
 bending the knee, and pointing the toe downward 
 and out. Without interrupting the rhythmical 
 movement, bring the leg inward to the length of 
 an easy step, and sway forward on the toes of 
 that foot thus advancing a step. Walk for a min- 
 ute in such buoyant fashion — not allowing the 
 heels to touch the floor. Then walk naturally, 
 and note how free and light your step is for a 
 few steps, at least. Practice makes perfect and 
 habitual. 
 
 Rhythmical Body-Bending Exercise 
 
 Stand on the right foot. 
 
 Advance the left foot a long step, but do not 
 transfer the weight to it, and raise the arms lat- 
 erally level with the shoulders, the hands open, 
 palms down. Throughout the rest of the ex- 
 ercise the arms have no independent movement, 
 but are moved wholly by the swayings of the 
 trunk. 
 
One's Best Physician 133 
 
 Twist the body until the left arm Is in direct 
 line with the left foot. From this point, the ex- 
 ercise is one continuous rhythmical movement. As 
 the back knee bends, the body inclines from the 
 hips in the direction of the left foot until the left 
 hand is just above it — the weight still being on the 
 back foot. Then, simultaneously, begin raising the 
 body and transferring the weight to the forward 
 leg; the forward knee at first bends, and then 
 straightens as the body attains its full height. 
 When the body is upright, without interrupting 
 the movement, incline it backward toward the right 
 foot, the weight being wholly on the left foot. 
 Then transfer the weight to the back foot, again 
 bending that knee, and inclining the body for- 
 ward toward the forward foot. Continue thus, 
 alternately transferring the weight from right 
 to left and left to right foot, and inclining the 
 body sympathetically, ten or more times. Stand 
 on the left foot, and repeat the exercise. 
 
 Results 
 
 Too much cannot be said regarding the light- 
 ness and freedom of movement produced by this 
 delightful exercise after it is thoroughly mastered. 
 It is really a rhythmical dance movement with 
 the feet remaining In place, the action being con- 
 fined to the arms, body, hips and knees. Dr. G. 
 Stanley Hall says, "There is one subject, rhythm, 
 that is fundamental, and yet Is often Ignored. 
 
134 Daily Mfays to Health 
 
 . . . I do not believe it is easy to overestima'te 
 the importance of it. There is a profound and' 
 close relationship between our muscle-habits iii 
 that respect and thinking." 
 
 FOR ESTABLISHING GOOD SITTING 
 POISE 
 
 As the strongest muscle in the body, the heart, 
 steals between beats some eight or nine hours of 
 rest out of each twenty-four, so the back muscles 
 which have a masterful task assigned them — the 
 upholding of the heavy trunk — should have peri- 
 ods of respite during the day as well as at night. 
 They should always be on vigilant duty when one 
 stands or sits without a back support; their rest- 
 ing opportunity is when one sits with a back sup- 
 port, but they should not take a disgraceful ad- 
 vantage of this opportunity and so relax as to 
 weaken and unfit themselves for further estim- 
 able service. There's a difference between an 
 inch and an ell the world over. 
 
 Back-Resting Exercise 
 
 Sit erect, well back in your chair. 
 
 Lift the shoulders very high, and then relax 
 them to free the torso muscles from tension. 
 Place one hand upon the chest and one at the 
 
One's Best Physician 135 
 
 small of the back; slowly sway backward until 
 the body rests against the back of the chair, then 
 sway forward to the original position. Repeat 
 several times, noting the individual movements of 
 the chest and spine underneath the hands. 
 
 If this exercise be correctly taken, there will be 
 a slight outward curve at the small of the back 
 as the torso sways backward; the chest will lower 
 a little — become passive in expression — ^but will 
 not approach a depressed state. The shoulders 
 retain their normal position and are the first to 
 rest against the support. If the torso be held in 
 a tense manner, as the body sways backward the 
 small of the back will curve still farther away 
 from the back support ; this is a fatiguing, an un- 
 natural attitude. In the latter part of the move- 
 ment, as the body sways forward, the chest — not 
 the head — will lead, that is, the rib-cage will lift 
 somewhat, making the chest prominent, but there 
 must be no straining for this effect ; the back will 
 curve inward as the chest rises. If the back mus- 
 cles relax too much as the trunk sways back 
 against the chair, the shoulders will sag forward, 
 the chest become depressed, and the whole uppe.T 
 trunk rest heavily upon the pelvic portion, the 
 whole expression will be one of physical collapse, 
 or surrender; to sit thus is to tempt fate — ill- 
 fate. 
 
 The head in this exercise, as in all co-operative 
 movements of it and the trunk, naturally moves in 
 
136 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 opposition to the trunk; when It does not do so, 
 the expression is one of awkwardness, constraint 
 or weakness. When sitting without a back sup- 
 port, the ribs should be lifted high and the head 
 well poised — the ears being directly in line with 
 the shoulders. When leaning against a back sup- 
 port, the lower part of the spine should be well 
 back in the seat. Children in school unconsciously 
 seek relief from the fatigue of muscular restraint 
 by slipping down in their seats into a semi-reclin- 
 ing position ; such position weakens the back mus- 
 cles and sometimes causes permanent injury to 
 the spine. A rational scheme of education will 
 provide for such frequent two and three minutes' 
 periods of exercise, and for such room and lung 
 ventilation that children will not be tempted to 
 assume positions so adverse to health. 
 
 Swaying Play Movement 
 
 Sitting well back in your chair, playfully and 
 rhythmically sway forward and backward and 
 sideways from the hips, inclining the torso, in turn, 
 in many directions. Inhale as the body moves 
 away from the chair and exhale as it approaches 
 it. 
 
 Rhythmical Body-Swaying Exercise 
 
 Sitting with the body resting against the back 
 of the chair, inhale and, lifting the ribs very high, 
 
One's Best Physician 137 
 
 slowly sway forward until the torso is well over 
 the lap ; in the degree that the torso inclines for- 
 ward, the head inclines backward. Exhale slowly 
 as the torso rises and the head adjusts itself in 
 harmony with the general movement; when the 
 torso reaches an upright position, do nOt stop the 
 movement, but continue swaying backward until 
 the body is in its original position. The arms 
 should hang loosely at the sides throughout the 
 exercise. Repeat eight or more times without in- 
 terrupting the flow of motion. 
 
 Take a similar movement diagonally forward 
 to the right and to the left; also one directly at 
 each side. 
 
 Results 
 
 This exercise aids in establishing equilibrium — 
 the easiest possible balance — ^between the head 
 and trunk when in motion, and has a peculiarly 
 soothing effect upon the nerves. 
 
 Chest Mobility Exercises 
 
 A. Stand or sit with an inert, sunken chest. 
 
 Place the hands on the middle of the chest, and 
 focus the attention at that place. Inhale en- 
 thusiastically, and lift the chest very high by con- 
 tracting the back muscles and by stretching the 
 side-trunk muscles upward. Hold this extremely 
 
138 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 animated position for a moment, then exhale, and 
 relax. Repeat the movement several times. 
 
 Care must be taken that the body does not 
 incline even slightly backward — rather forward, 
 instead — and that the shoulders are not lifted by 
 any independent action. 
 
 B. Place the left hand on the left side of the 
 chest, It being depressed, focus the attention there, 
 and proceed as before. Then do the same thing 
 on the right side of the chest. In these side move- 
 ments, the chest should uplift in a diagonal line, 
 the trunk being pushed somewhat to one side in 
 the pelvic cradle. 
 
 Many persons have little or no expression in 
 the chest. One would think the muscles were an 
 armor of steel so set and lifeless Is their expres- 
 sion. With children and great actors, whose 
 bodies are perfectly free and responsive, the chest 
 is one of the most mobile and expressive agents. 
 
 Back-Contracting Exercise 
 
 Sit well back in a straight-backed chair, the 
 lower part of the spine and the shoulders touching 
 the back of the chair. 
 
 Inhale, and vigorously contract the muscles that 
 extend along the spinal column. This will cause 
 the back at the waist line to curve markedly In- 
 ward away from the chair. Exhale, but do not 
 relax. Inhale again, and contract more vigor- 
 
One's Best Physician 139 
 
 ously, trying to shorten the distance between the 
 shoulders and hips. Hold this extremely ener- 
 gized position for a moment, then exhale, and re- 
 lax, being careful not to go to the other extreme 
 and collapse at the waist line in front. 
 
 The tendency in nearly all sitting postures that 
 are maintained for any considerable time is for 
 the shoulders to sag forward and the erector 
 spinse muscles to become elongated, or, technic- 
 ally, too relaxed. This gradually weakens the 
 muscles, and they lose their power to contract. 
 Then the figure becomes stooped, round-backed — 
 in a word, old. The same thing results from 
 standing much in a stooped position. Manual la- 
 borers bend under their burdens, and, in turn, are 
 bent by them. Women doing housework stoop 
 from the back instead of bending from the hips — ■ 
 stoop over the stove, sink, baking table, washtub, 
 and often they do not fully straighten when mov- 
 ing from one task to another, but retain a half- 
 stooped attitude. 
 
 Results 
 
 This back-contracting exercise counteracts the 
 effect of stooping, strengthens the muscles of the 
 back, lifts the ribs, and rests the spinal nerves. The 
 habit of taking this exercise almost involuntarily 
 can be easily formed. The relief it affords is so 
 evident that instead of being an exercise one 
 
I40 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 feels one ought to do, it becomes pleasurable ex- 
 ertion which one wants to do. 
 
 FOR RISING, SITTING AND MOUNTING 
 STAIRS 
 
 In no ordinary physical act is more force wasted 
 or more awkwardness seen, than in changing from 
 a sitting to a standing position. The movement 
 usually begins with a jerk that brings the body too 
 far forward, and then another jerk follows as 
 one rises. This act is commonly a united effort 
 on the part of the legs and back, sometimes, even 
 the arms are enlisted by placing them on the 
 knees and so pulling the body forward. As a 
 matter of economy of effort, the legs should do 
 the work of lifting the body from a sitting to a 
 standing position. The torso should sway for- 
 ward from the hips — the thoracic-cage being 
 lifted high — either quickly or slowly as one's 
 mood dictates, until the center of gravity is 
 brought far enough forward to make it possible 
 for the legs, unassisted by the back, to lift the 
 body to a good standing poise. There should 
 be but one impetus in bringing the torso forward, 
 in rising, and in stepping; to make two or three 
 is a waste of force. In the act of sitting, one 
 should yield first at the ankles, then at the knees 
 and hips, successively, carrying the torso back- 
 ward as the hip joints act. 
 
One's Best Physician 141 
 
 Rising and Sitting Exer,cise 
 
 Stand so that the calf of the right leg touches 
 the front of a chair aiid the left leg is back an 
 easy step at the side of the chair. 
 
 Start with the weight entirely over the forward 
 foot, the back heel being lifted; easily sway the 
 body backward, bending the back knee as you do 
 so until the weight is entirely over the back foot ; 
 then lift the forward foot from the floor and 
 straighten the back knee. The forward foot be- 
 ing raised, bend and straighten the back knee 
 several times — ^keeping the body from the hips up 
 easily poised ; then let the forward foot touch the 
 floor, and transfer the weight to it again. Re- 
 peat these movements several times, then as the 
 body sways backward, bend both knees and carry 
 the body down until the corner of the chair inter- 
 feres with its progress; without settling on the 
 chair, i.e., letting the body become inert, push 
 against the floor with the back foot and lift the 
 body to an upright position, swaying the center 
 of gravity over the ball of the front foot as the 
 body lifts. Change the relative position of the 
 feet, and repeat. This is merely a preparatory 
 exercise, but it will accustom the legs to the effort 
 required of them, and accustom the back to the 
 non-interference necessary for the graceful and 
 healthful performance of this oft-repeated daily 
 act. 
 
142 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 Mounting Stairs 
 
 In going upstairs the same principle should be 
 observed as in rising from a sitting posture. The 
 rib-cage should be lifted high, the torso very 
 slightly poised forward from the hip joints, and 
 the legs should do the work. Eminent physicians 
 prescribe moderate stair-climbing for some forms 
 of heart trouble ; the heart that has been strength- 
 ened by doing daily a little more pumping than is 
 required for the ordinary acts of life, is best pre- 
 pared for any physical or emotional time of unex- 
 pected stress. Less energy is expended In ascend- 
 ing stairs with a light, springing step letting only 
 the balls of the feet touch the stairs, than when 
 the step is heavy and a momentary rest is made 
 upon each stair. 
 
 FOR PREVENTING AND OVERCOMING 
 NERVOUSNESS 
 
 Nervous persons sometimes declare that relax- 
 ing exercises make them tense. This is as absurd 
 as to say that eating makes a man hungry. Not 
 infrequently relaxing exercises make a person real- 
 ize for the first time how tense he Is, for, preva- 
 lent as the habit of sustained muscular contrac- 
 tion Is, many who are In bondage to It do not 
 
One's Best Physician 143 
 
 know what enslaves them. They wonder why 
 they are so tired all the time, why they should be 
 fatigued when they have not been doing any- 
 thing, why they are so stiff and awkward or so 
 nervous and "on edge." They know that medi- 
 cine does not reach their case, but they know not 
 how or where to attack this intangible something 
 that makes life hard work for them. Tension, or 
 sustained muscular contraction, is its name. Re- 
 laxing exercises and a new order of auto-sugges- 
 tions are the means of breaking free from it, and 
 from its evil consequences. 
 
 Yawning Exercise 
 
 Sit with the back easily supported. 
 
 Vigorously contract the muscles of the back and 
 uplift the ribs, take a big breath through the wide 
 open mouth, and energize the whole body, stretch- 
 ing the arms and the feet and legs at full length; 
 then completely relax. Repeat three or four times 
 or until a genuine yawn is induced. 
 
 Stretching, yawning, relaxing — the ideal way to 
 drop nervous tension. 
 
 Arm-Relaxing Exercises 
 
 A. Raise the arms straight above the head. 
 Hold the position while mentally repeating sev- 
 
144 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 eral times, "relaxation, rest, repose," then In- 
 stantaneously relax the arms, that is, withdraw 
 the will-impulse that lifted them, and gravity will 
 do the rest. Be sure that you are not responsible 
 for their descent; do not throw or put them down. 
 Imagine that a severe blow is struck upon the 
 shoulders paralyzing the arms; then your will 
 could not guide their descent, now it must not, if 
 you would gain freedom from the fatiguing habit 
 of tension, or over-nervation. 
 
 B. Sitting in an easy position with the back 
 supported, close the eyes, rhythmically raise the 
 arms above the head, and open the fingers wide. 
 Concentrate the attention on the play of nervous 
 energy in the arms. Sense its presence in every 
 muscle-fibre as you gently stretch and stretch up- 
 ward; then slightly relax, and again stretch. Then 
 by an act of will withdraw the energy from the 
 fingers, causing them to drop relaxed; re-energize 
 them, and again relax. Vigorously re-energize to 
 the finger-tips, and successively withdraw the en- 
 ergy from the fingers, hands, forearms and arms. 
 
 Results 
 
 Besides being generally restful, these relaxing 
 exercises free the arms from habits of restriction 
 and awkwardness. It is tension in them that makes 
 angles or awkwardness possible. See the freedom 
 and grace in little children's movements and posi- 
 tions before they become conscious of their bodies. 
 
One's Best Physiciaa 145 
 
 Leg-Relaxing Exercise 
 
 Stand with the weight on the right foot. 
 
 Lift the left leg until the knee is on a line with 
 the hip. Bend the leg below the knee well back; 
 relax, and let it swing from the knee like a pen- 
 dulum; again flex it, and relax. Do this several 
 times, then release all energy from the thigh, 
 letting the foot fall heavily to the floor. Trans- 
 fer the weight to this foot, and repeat the ex- 
 ercise. 
 
 Torso-Relaxing Exercise 
 
 Stand with the weight on both feet. 
 
 Beginning at the neck, slowly relax the spine. 
 Let the head lazily droop forward, followed by 
 the shoulders, and then let the whole torso very 
 slowly drop from the hips until it hangs a dead- 
 heavy mass ; gently sway it from side to side. Then 
 slowly energize, in succession, the lower, middle 
 and upper portions of the back; last of all, the 
 head is raised, the jaw closed, and the eyes reluc- 
 tantly opened. 
 
 Results 
 
 An untying of nervous knots, a feeling of rest- 
 fulness, and deepened respiration will follow two 
 minutes' practice of this exercise. 
 
146 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 Play Movements for Relaxation 
 
 A. Place one hand on the ribs underneath Its 
 own arm. 
 
 Vigorously stretch and lift the body on that side 
 as high as you possibly can. Relax, and repeat 
 two or three times. Give the muscles of the other 
 side the same kind of stretching and relaxing 
 play. 
 
 B. Inhale quickly, and lift the shoulders high. 
 Hold them uplifted a moment, then crowd them 
 back and down, uplifting the chest at the same 
 time. Hold this animated position a moment, 
 then exhale, and relax the shoulder muscles, but do 
 not collapse at the waist. 
 
 Breathing and Concentration Exercise 
 
 Standing or sitting, maintain the trunk and head 
 in an erect but not tense position, let the eyelids 
 droop, and completely relax the lower jaw — the 
 teeth being parted one-half an Inch or more. 
 
 Heavily lift the arms shoulder high, the fore- 
 arms being bent inward near the chest, and the 
 hands hanging limply from the wrists. At this 
 point, begin exhaling almost Imperceptibly 
 through the relaxed open mouth — the breath be- 
 ing governed by the diaphragm which is held in 
 Its flat, or work, position — and, at the same time, 
 
One's Best Physician 147 
 
 slowly raise the arms until they are above the 
 head, then gradually rotate them outward and let 
 them very gently begin to sink. Continue the 
 downward movement as long as the one slow ex- 
 halation can be sustained. When the breath is ex- 
 hausted, drop the arms inertly, and release the 
 diaphragm. A deep inflowing of air will spon- 
 taneously follow. 
 
 Do not allow the mind to wander off or to be- 
 come interested in any objective appeal, not even 
 in the effects of the exercise itself, but hold it 
 concentratedly to the performance of the exercise. 
 Repeat several times. 
 
 Results 
 
 If all of the conditions are faithfully fulfilled, 
 namely, the unswerving control of breath at the 
 diaphragm, the rhythmical movement of the arms, 
 the semi-relaxed eyelids, and the completely re- 
 laxed lower jaw, during eight or ten extremely 
 slow exhalations, the whole nervous system will be 
 soothed, the muscular tensions lessened, and deep, 
 tranquil breathing will be induced. 
 
 Include in this series: 
 
 Single-Nostril Breathing Exercise, page 173, 
 
 Rhythmic Walking Exercise, page 234, 
 
 Pinching-Spine Exercise, page 157, 
 
 Rhythmic Body-Bending Exercis e,pa.ge 132, and 
 
 Tranquil-Breathing Exercise, ipa.ge 150. 
 
148 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 FOR BREATHING ABUNDANTLY 
 
 Many otherwise well-informed persons are as- 
 tonishingly ignorant of simple, essential facts re- 
 garding their own organism and its vital activities. 
 Hundreds of times have adult women, many of 
 them mothers, when inquiring about health les- 
 sons made such remarks as, "No, there's nothing 
 the matter with my digestion. It's just my liver 
 that's out of order," or "My digestion is perfect, 
 but I have chronic constipation," or "My liver is 
 torpid, the doctor says. Do you think exercise 
 would do me any good?" One is not entitled to a 
 certificate of good digestion simply because one 
 eats heartily and Suffers no local, or stomach, dis- 
 tress therefrom. Good digestion is as much a 
 matter of proper liver and intestinal activity as it 
 is of painless peristaltic movements of the muscles 
 of the stomach. The fortunate person who has 
 "good digestion that waits on appetite" is free 
 from constipation, and has an orderly liver, which 
 means that he breathes well, which, in turn, means 
 that the poisonous substances of the blood are 
 duly and momentarily eliminated. 
 
 No one can even approximately understand the 
 subjects of nutrition and of health maintenance, 
 in general, who does not know the vital impor- 
 tance of the free, rhythmic play of the diaphragm 
 and of its immediate Influence upon the liver, the 
 
One's Best Physician 149 
 
 kidneys and digestion. May I suggest to you, my 
 health-desiring friend, that it would be worth your 
 while, occasionally, to reread the Chapter, "The 
 Diaphragm, Badk and Abdominal Muscles." 
 It tells at some length the story of the co-opera- 
 tion of our vital processes; rereading it must 
 make you realize afresh how the activity of these 
 muscles bears upon one's general health and ef- 
 ficency. Your part is to give them the most favor- 
 able opportunities for doing their work. Encour- 
 aging an appetite for oxygen, one which clamors 
 incessantly for satisfaction, is rendering invaluable 
 assistance. The involuntary act of breathing sus- 
 tains one's life, but one's health may depend upon 
 one's voluntarily augmenting that act. (Read in 
 connection with these exercises the topic, Breath- 
 ing in Chapter, "Daily Acts," page 35.) 
 
 If respiratory exercises begin with exhalation 
 instead of inhalation good results will be realized 
 in less time than otherwise would be required. 
 Many persons make much useless effort when try- 
 ing to inhale deeply; they lift the shoulders and 
 chest, and contract the abdominal muscles. Such 
 physical exertion obviously makes a deep breath 
 an impossibility; the abdominal and the intercos- 
 tal muscles niust distend, not contract, when the 
 lower parts of the lungs fill. 
 
 If the chest is not allowed to move, the dia- 
 phragm and the abdominal muscles will, of neces- 
 sity, be active. As the lungs expand in inspira- 
 
150 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 tion, they follow the diaphragm downward, which 
 causes the sides to swell outward and the abdomi- 
 nal walls to distend somewhat. In exhalation, 
 the movement is reversed; as the air leaves the 
 lungs, the diaphragm resumes its dome-like shape, 
 the abdominal walls relax and move slightly in- 
 ward. 
 
 Tranquil, or Normal, Breathing Exercise 
 
 Lying prone upon the back or sitting with the 
 back supported, place one hand on the chest and 
 one on the abdomen just forward of one of the 
 hip-joints. 
 
 Keeping the chest perfectly quiet, slowly ex- 
 hale the breath by softly making the sound of 
 o as in who. The abdominal muscles under the 
 hand in front of the hip joint will gradually 
 contract during the exhalation. Continue exhal- 
 ing until you can no longer do so without allow- 
 ing the chest to sink, then completely relax the 
 abdominal muscles — which means the relaxation 
 of the diaphragm, the real muscle of respiration — 
 thus making the conditions for the refilling of the 
 lungs without any effort on your part. 
 
 It is easier to breathe tranquilly when the body 
 is in a passive attitude instead of an active one; 
 therefore, it Is well to practice this exercise at 
 first as above suggested; later, practice it in ac- 
 tive attitudes, that is, standing or sitting erect. 
 
One's Best Physician 15 1 
 
 Many persons find that at first they have no 
 control over the different muscles ; that the chest 
 "will move, that the rib and abdominal muscles are 
 disinclined to action. But by practice and concen- 
 tration of thought, control can be acquired. When 
 the chest can easily be held stationary, the vigilant 
 watch over it may cease for the right habit of 
 breathing will then be initiated, and nature always 
 assists in re-establishing natural states and action 
 if we only give her a chance. In normal inspira- 
 tions, the chest swells slightly, the back expands 
 somewhat while the sides and abdominal muscles 
 distend considerably. Note the play of these 
 breathing muscles in a sleeping child. 
 
 Arm-Pushing Exercise 
 
 Stand alertly poised, the head well raised, the 
 weight of the body being over the balls of the 
 feet. 
 
 Completely exhale by blowing the breath out 
 through the parted lips, then, inhaling through 
 the nostrils, energize the arms to the finger-tips 
 and raise them out at the sides, shoulder high, the 
 palms facing downward. Hold the breath, and 
 slowly but energetically push the arms down as if 
 resisting a strong pressure from beneath. Keep 
 the body poised well forward, and lift the chest 
 and ribs very high as the arms finally straighten 
 in the downward push. Exhale, and repeat five 
 
152 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 or six times without pausing. Then immediately 
 place the open hands at the sides of the body 
 somewhat above the waist line. If you exerted 
 sufficient pressure in the downward movement of 
 the arms and hands, you will notice that the ac- 
 tion of the diaphragm is greatly increased. Its 
 bellows-like movements will be plainly noticeable 
 under the open hands for a minute or two follow- 
 ing the exercise. 
 
 Results 
 
 This simple exercise is one of the most effective 
 means of obtaining this ■ particular result, i.e., 
 marked activity of the diaphragm. It is also a 
 fine liver and digestive tonic. 
 
 Held-Out Breath Exercise 
 
 Stand or sit in an erect, easy position. 
 
 Explosively expel the breath by quickly and 
 forcibly contracting the abdominal muscles, being 
 careful not to put tension into any other muscles. 
 Then by an act of will, prevent any air from re- 
 placing the expelled breath — as children say, 
 "hold the breath out" — and vigorously contract 
 the abdominal muscles in quick succession eight 
 or ten times. Then relax and allow the breath to 
 rush in abundantly. As these muscles gain 
 strength, the number of contractions should be in- 
 creased to fifteen, twenty and twenty-five. 
 
One's Best Physician 153 
 
 Freer action of the abdominal muscles is se- 
 cured by this exercise than is possible when the 
 lungs are full, because then the downward pres- 
 sure of the diaphragm opposes the inward and up- 
 ward movement of these muscles, whereas, in this 
 exercise when the breath is quickly expelled from 
 the lungs, the diaphragm springs unresistingly up- 
 ward and remains passive until the will-prohibi- 
 tion against incoming air is removed. Then it re- 
 sumes its natural function and presses downward 
 on the liver; as it moves away from the lungs it 
 makes the suction that is necessary for their me- 
 chanical refilling. 
 
 Results 
 
 A few extraordinarily deep breaths — as if na- 
 ture were determined to reimburse herself for the 
 oxygen of which she had been cheated during the 
 few moments when the breath was held put — 
 a strengthening of the abdominal walls, a burning 
 off of adipose tissue, and a stimulation of all the 
 processes of digestion are some of the benefits 
 from this exercise. 
 
 Note that this is the only exercise taken when 
 the lungs are not well filled. 
 
 All breathing exercises, all- stretching and ener- 
 gization exercises, all vigorous physical activity, 
 and all stimulating emotions increase the respira- 
 tion. But the benefit ordinarily received from 
 them may be doubled by having coaxed the dia- 
 
154 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 phragm to more energetic discharge of its duties, 
 and by knowing how otherwise to make the condi- 
 tions for full, abundant breathing. 
 
 Include in this series : 
 
 Packing-Breath Exercise, page i68, 
 
 Lung-Bath Exercise, page 167, 
 
 Chest - Widening - and - Deepening Exercise, 
 page 162, 
 
 Chest Mobility Exercise, page 137, and 
 
 Single-Nostril Breathing Exercise, page 173. 
 
 FOR STRENGTHENING THE BACK 
 MUSCLES 
 
 (Read Chapter, "The Diaphragm, Back and 
 Abdominal Muscles," page 89.) 
 
 Back Rib-Lifting Exercise 
 
 Sit or stand with the body in an erect position, 
 it being well poised "forward from the hips. 
 
 Put the right hand, palm Inward, over the right 
 shoulder and reach down the back; put the left 
 hand, palm outward, under the left arm and reach 
 diagonally up the back until the hands meet. Hook 
 the fingers, inhale, and stretch vigorously upward 
 with the right shoulder and upper-right arm. 
 Hold a moment, then maintaining the position of 
 the hands, exhale, and allow the energized mus- 
 
One's Best Physician 155 
 
 cles to relax. Then inhale, and again stretch vig- 
 orously upward. Do this from five to ten times 
 without unhooking the fingers. Repeat the exer- 
 cise on the left side. 
 
 Recumbent Chest-Raising Exercise 
 
 Lie flat upon the back without any pillow. 
 Resting the weight of the body upon the head 
 and hips, contract the back muscles, thus raising 
 the shoulder zone two or three inches from the 
 bed or the floor. Hold it uplifted for a few mo- 
 ments, then relax and rest a moment. Repeat 
 several times. 
 
 Recumbent Hip-Raising Exercise 
 
 Lie flat upon the back without any pillow. Rest- 
 ing the weight of the body upon the shoulders and 
 heels, contract the back muscles, thus raising the 
 hip zone of the body several inches from the bed 
 or the floor. Hold this energized position a few 
 moments, then relax and rest a moment. Repeat 
 several times. 
 
 The harder the surface upon which one lies for 
 these two spinal exercises, the easier to take them 
 and the better the results. 
 
 Results 
 
 These two recumbent exercises demand good, 
 hard work of the erector spinse muscles — ^work 
 
'156 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 that brings its own reward, strength and develop- 
 ment. These exercises also invigorate the spinal 
 nerves, relieve pressure on the brain, quiet the 
 nervous system, and augment the vital processes. 
 Persons whose work necessitates their bending 
 over tables, desks or machines will find relief to 
 nerves and muscles in these exercises. Their out- 
 put of work would be increased and their fatigue 
 decreased, if once every forenoon and after- 
 noon they could and would drop work, and then 
 drop themselves on couch or bed for three min- 
 utes. One minute being devoted to vigorous 
 stretching of all the muscles, one to absolute mus- 
 cular quietude, and one to these spinal exercises. 
 
 Neck-Pressure Exercise 
 
 Sit or stand with the spine erect. 
 
 Relax the neck and drop the head forward un- 
 til the chin rests on the chest. Place the hands, 
 one palm over the other at the back of the neck; 
 exert a strong pressure with them as you force- 
 fully raise the head until it is crowded well back- 
 ward. The ribs and chest will lift sympathetical- 
 ly as the head is forced upward and backward. 
 Relax, and repeat several times in succession. 
 
 Results 
 
 This exercise stimulates the circulation at the 
 base of the brain; relieves nervous tension in the 
 
One's Best Physician 157 
 
 neck, and especially contracts and strengthens 
 those muscles which directly control the poise of 
 the head. 
 
 Spinal Play Movement 
 
 Sit well back in your chair — a straight-backed 
 chair is preferable. 
 
 Keeping your shoulders against the chair, lift 
 the small of the back, or waist line, so called, as 
 far away from the chair as possible. Never mind 
 if this unusual contraction of the back muscles 
 does hurt a little at first — hurts help, sometimes. 
 Relax, aijd repeat two or three times. 
 
 Take this Play Movement every time you can- 
 not think of anything else to do. It is a splendid 
 anti-round shoulder exercise for those whose work 
 leads them to stoop much of the time. 
 
 Pinching-Spine Exercise 
 
 Stand with the body well poised forward from 
 the hips, the ribs being lifted high. 
 
 Inhale, and raise the shoulders as near to the 
 ears as possible. Then, with intense energy as if 
 resisting a strong pressure, simultaneously, crowd 
 the shoulders slowly back and down, and push the 
 chest extremely out and up, the head being held 
 well up. Maintain this energized position for 
 •several moments, then exhale, arid slightly relax 
 
158 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 the shoulders. After a moment's rest, inhale 
 quickly, and very forcibly push the shoulders back, 
 again pinching the spine, as it were, in the pro- 
 cess. Repeat this latter movement four or five 
 times, then release the general tension and allow 
 the body to come to a buoyant, normal attitude. 
 
 Repeat the exercise until a positive glow, or 
 warmth, is felt between the shoulders. 
 
 Results 
 
 All of the trunk muscles are brought into play, 
 especially are the supporting back muscles, the 
 erector spinas, contracted and strengthened; and a 
 richer supply of blood is drawn to the spinal re- 
 gion where the center of the great Sympathetic 
 Nervous System is located. Stimulating this cen- 
 tral battery has a salutary effect upon sub-normal 
 emotional states; depression, fear, self-deprecia- 
 tion often lose their native hue and influence by 
 making one's physical condition hostile to them. 
 Such mental states are subtle causes of relaxed 
 back muscles, drooping shoulders and depressed 
 chests. 
 
 Include in this series : 
 
 Shoulder-Shaving Exercise, page 159, 
 
 Chest - JVidening - and - Deepening Exercises, 
 page 162, and 
 
 Broken-Waist Exercise, page 191. 
 
One's Best Physician 159 
 
 FOR BROADENING THE CHEST AND 
 FLATTENING THE SHOULDERS 
 
 Shoulder-Shaving Exercise 
 
 Standing, energize the muscles of the trunk — ■■ 
 especially lifting the ribs high — ^keep the head well 
 up, and incline the trunk slightly forward from 
 the hips. 
 
 Simultaneously, rise on the balls of the feet, 
 raise the arms at the sides, shoulder high, the 
 palms upward, and inhale. Then firmly closing the 
 hands and stretching the arms to the greatest 
 possible extent, vigorously rotate the arms back- 
 ward from the shoulders in very small circles fif- 
 teen or twenty times. The amount of air in the 
 lungs should be augmented during the exercise 
 by means of little sniffing breaths. Exhale, and 
 relax a moment. Repeat the exercise until the 
 [whole body is in a healthful glow. 
 
 Be careful not to let the arms drop below the 
 shoulder-level while rotating them, not to incline 
 the body backward from the hips, and not to 
 crane the head forward. The shoulder-blades 
 should nearly touch, or shave, each other during 
 the rotation of the arms. This is an adapta- 
 tion of the West Point "Shoulder-Shaving" 
 drill. 
 
i6o Daily Ways to Health 
 
 Results 
 
 The chest muscles are stretched, the shoulder 
 muscles contracted and strengthened, the lungs 
 expanded, the vital organs uplifted, and the circu- 
 lation quickened. 
 
 This exercise should be taken very moderately, 
 if at all, by any one whose heart action is weak 
 or whose lungs are affected. But it is a fine ex- 
 ercise for daily practice for those who are merely 
 hollow-chested or round-shouldered or whose 
 breathing capacity is meager. 
 
 Many persons complain that breathing exer- 
 cises cause dizziness; this only shows the greater 
 need of the exercises. The strength of a chain 
 is rated by its weakest link, not by its strongest; 
 so with the strength of the body. When the breath 
 by its effect upon the circulation causes dizziness, 
 the "weak link" that should be fortified is re- 
 vealed. But the fortifying process should be 
 gradual; one may do more harm than good by 
 overdoing in any remedial work. 
 
 Chest Play Movement \ 
 
 Stand or sit with a depressed chest. 
 
 Place the hands on the middle of the cheSt, the 
 , fingers overlapping. Inhale, expand the chest to 
 its fullest capacity and uplift the trunk enthusias- 
 tically. As the chest expands laterally, the fin- 
 
One's Best Physician i6i 
 
 gers will separate. The farther they are pulled 
 apart, the better is the report given of your chest 
 expansion. 
 
 Note the increase that results from a few days' 
 faithful practice. 
 
 Finger-Pressure Exercise 
 
 Standing or sitting, lift the ribs very high. 
 
 Raise the elbows level with the shoulders, and, 
 spreading the fingers apart, bring the ends of the 
 corresponding fingers of each hand together in 
 front of the chest, being sure to keep the palms 
 well apart. Simultaneously, inhale quickly, and 
 with great energy exert a sudden pressure of each 
 finger against its opposing member. This tenses, 
 or braces, all of the arm and hand muscles into 
 rigidity. The hands should not be allowed to 
 yield even slightly at the joints of the hand and 
 fingers, instead, the palms are spread a little 
 farther apart with the pressure than they were 
 before. Hold a moment, exhale, and repeat many 
 times in quick succession. 
 
 Results 
 
 The muscles of the chest are surprisingly 
 brought into play by this exercise, especially those 
 near the shoulders. The contraction of these mus- 
 cles can be readily seen as well as felt at the mo- 
 ment the sudden hand-pressure is exerted. Of 
 
1 62 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 course, these chest muscles are as subject to de- 
 velopment by contraction as are the biceps of the 
 arm, albeit they seldom receive more than slight 
 attention. 
 
 Chest-PFidenififf-and-Deepeninff Exercises 
 
 A. Standing alertly, inhale, and raise the arms 
 in front, shoulder high, parallel to each other. 
 Retaining the breath, swing the arms up close be- 
 side the head, bending the head backward and the 
 body somewhat forward. Exhale as the arms 
 descend to their original position. Repeat eight 
 or ten times. 
 
 B. Standing alertly, inhale, and raise the arms 
 at the sides, shoulder high. Retaining the breath, 
 swing the arms up close beside the head, bending 
 the head backward and the body somewhat for- 
 ward at the same time. Exhale as the arms de- 
 scend to their original position. Repeat eight or 
 ten times. 
 
 Exercise "A" and "E" deepen the chest and in- 
 crease the lung capacity. 
 
 C. Standing alertly, inhale, and raise the arms 
 in front, shoulder high, parallel to each other, the 
 palms facing out. Retaining the breath, force the 
 arms backward as if resisting a strong pressure, 
 raising the head and chest very high. Relax and 
 exhale as the arms descend to their original posi- 
 tion. Repeat eight or ten times. 
 
One's Best Physician 163 
 
 Results 
 
 This exercise broadens the chest and increases 
 the lung capacity. Whatever broadens and raises 
 the chest, of necessity, flattens the back. 
 
 Hand-Resistance Exercise 
 
 Stand with the trunk poised well forward, and 
 the ribs lifted high. 
 
 Place the palms of the hands together in front 
 of the chest and close to it, the tips of the fingers 
 being a trifle below the chin. Raise the elbows 
 high, inhale, and vigorously push to the left with 
 the right hand, at the same time offering with the 
 left hand resistance almost equal to the pushing 
 force of the right one. The chest muscles will 
 become actively enlisted in the struggle. The 
 right hand steadily pushes the left hand and arm 
 to the left until the palms of the hands are in line 
 with the left shoulder. 
 
 Relax, exhale, and repeat eight or ten times. 
 In similar manner, let the victorious left hand 
 push the resisting right one to the right until the 
 palms are in line with the right shoulder. 
 
 Results 
 
 That this exercise energizes all the muscles of 
 the trunk and stimulates the circulation and res- 
 piration, any one who has taken it enthusiastically 
 
164 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 will testify. The especial purpose, however, for 
 which it is here given is to develop the chest mus- 
 cles just in front of the shoulder joints — a place 
 where very many girls and women have a sunken, 
 inexpressive look. 
 
 It is advisable always to practice this exercise 
 and the Finger-Pressure Exercise before a mirror 
 with the chest muscles uncovered. First, because 
 "seeing is believing," and seeing the activity of 
 these under-developed muscles will encourage one 
 to a more faithful practice of this seemingly simple 
 exercise; second, because the more the mind con- 
 centrates on movements, the greater the results 
 from them. Sight is one of the most powerful 
 agents for holding the attention. 
 
 Rib-Expansion Exercises 
 
 A. Sitting erect, place the open hands — fin- 
 gers front, thumbs back — at the waist line just 
 above the hips. 
 
 Lightly pressing the hands against the body, 
 bring the elbows forward and, crowding the ribs 
 together, exhale by an audible breath through the 
 parted lips. Then, simultaneously, slowly inhale, 
 rhythmically crowd the arms backward, uplift and 
 energize the trunk as it bends forward from the 
 hips and the head bends proportionately back- 
 ward. The movement of the shoulders will pull 
 the fingers from the body, but the thumbs serve as 
 
One's Best Physician 165 
 
 a fulcrum and must not be allowed to move. Hold 
 this extremely energized position a moment, then 
 gradually relax, and exhale as at the beginning of 
 the exercise. Repeat three or more times. 
 
 B. Place the hands midway between the waist 
 line and the arm-sockets, and repeat the exercise. 
 
 C. Take hold of each arm with its own hand 
 by placing the open hand directly in the armpit, 
 the thumbs back, and repeat the exercise. 
 
 Results 
 
 The erector spinas muscles tensely contract, 
 which shortens and flattens the waist in the back 
 and lengthens it in the front; the backward pres- 
 sure of the arms tends further to flatten the shoul- 
 ders and to broaden and deepen the chest; the di- 
 gestive processes are gently stimulated and, last 
 and most important, the whole of the lung tissue 
 is brought into vivifying activity. Never should 
 a day pass that it is not so fortified. 
 
 Developing the chest means too often the en- 
 largement of the external muscles, while little or 
 no attention is paid to the more important internal 
 organs, the lungs. The reason why some broad- 
 shouldered athletes are even more subjfect to 
 pneumonia and other lung affections than are men 
 who appear to be their inferiors in physical pow- 
 ers is because their lung capacity has not kept 
 pace in development with their muscular power. 
 
1 66 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 When there is such inequality of development, the 
 system more easily becomes a victim of its own 
 poisons, particularly, when there are infectious 
 germs at work to aid its overthrow. The unusu- 
 ally large muscles generate an unusual amount of 
 waste material in their activities; and the lungs 
 having disproportionately small capacity are un- 
 able to get as much of the poison out of the sys- 
 tem, relatively, as would the lungs of a less ath- 
 letic man. 
 
 Of first importance here as elsewhere Is the 
 habitual poise of the body. Any posture that con- 
 tracts and shortens the upper-thorax muscles, nar- 
 rows the chest and impedes the free action of the 
 heart and lungs. These muscles should be 
 stretched ever and again to counteract any con- 
 traction incident upon vocational postures where 
 the arms and shoulders are habitually drawn for- 
 ward. 
 
 Include in this topic: 
 
 Vibratory Exercises, page 207, 
 
 Back-Contracting Exercise, page 138, and 
 
 Pinching-Spine Exercise, page 157. 
 
 FOR RESISTING TUBERCULAR TEN- 
 DENCIES 
 
 Any one whose life is shadowed by a belief that 
 a narrow chest, weak lungs, tuberculosis, bron- 
 
One's Best Physician 167 
 
 diitis or any of their kin "runs in his family" can 
 demonstrate that he is exempt from these family 
 tendencies. The way to rid oneself of such be- 
 numbing apprehensions and the possibility of their 
 fulfillment is to keep one's system well nourished 
 by food and well-renovated by exercise, and to 
 develop a broad chest and lungs of large capacity 
 and fine resistant power. "The secret of health 
 is in the power of the cells of our bodies to repel 
 germs . . . whenever our bodies are weak, 
 then is the time to look out for infection, or the 
 development of tubercular or other germs."* 
 
 Lung-Bath Exercise 
 
 Stand with the weight well over the balls of the 
 feet, the torso inclined a little forward from the 
 hips, and the head well up. 
 
 Inhaling a full chest breath, raise the arms at 
 the sides to the level of the shoulders, the palms 
 upward. Retaining the breath, bend the fore- 
 arms inward raising the elbows very high, rise 
 on the balls of the feet, and lightly but firmly tap 
 the chest all over its surface with the finger-tips. 
 After a moment's percussion, exhale. Repeat sev- 
 eral times. 
 
 Chest Mobility Exercises 
 
 A. Stand or sit with an inert, sunken chest. 
 
 *Bainbridge, Life's Day. 
 
1 68 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 Place the hands on the middle of the chest, and 
 center the attention at that place. Inhale enthu- 
 siastically, and lift the chest very high by contract- 
 ing the back muscles and by stretching the ab- 
 dominal and the side-trunk muscles upward. Hold 
 this extremely animated position for a moment, 
 then exhale, and relax. Repeat several times. 
 
 Care must be taken that the body does not in- 
 cline even slightly backward — rather forward, in- 
 stead — and that the shoulders are not lifted by 
 any independent action. 
 
 B. Place the left hand on the left side of the 
 chest, it being depressed, center the attention there, 
 and proceed as before. Then do the same on the 
 right side of the chest. In these side movements, 
 the chest should uplift in an outward diagonal 
 line, the trunk being pushed somewhat to one side 
 in the pelvic cradle. 
 
 Immobility of the chest and intercostal muscles 
 is one of the physical conditions accompanying tu- 
 berculosis. The best way to guard oneself against 
 the disease is by preventing the conditions favor- 
 able to it. 
 
 Packing-Breath Exercise 
 
 Note. In the following inhalation exercise, do 
 not allow any breath to escape until the end, un- 
 less the retention of the breath becomes distress- 
 
One's Best Physician 169 
 
 ful. Because of poor circulation, some persons 
 are unable to breathe deeply or long without ex- 
 treme dizziness. Of course, they have the greater 
 need to take breathing exercises, but they should 
 begin with a less vigorous one than this. 
 
 Stand erect, the body being poised a little for- 
 ward from the hips. 
 
 Forcibly exhale by quickly blowing the breath 
 out through the parted lips. Inhale deeply 
 through the nostrils trying to fill the lower parts 
 of the lungs first by distending the ribs in the 
 diaphragm region; next, fill the middle parts of 
 the lungs — as they fill the chest will expand no- 
 ticeably ; last, the tip-top parts, or the apexes, must 
 be coaxed into extreme activity. The imagination 
 can help to this end. After the lungs seem full, 
 mentally say, "Oh I smell of those violets!" and 
 imagine that you bury your face with sensuous 
 enjojTnent in a mass of fragrant English violets 
 and eagerly inhale their perfume; then imagine 
 that you are inhaling the subtle odor of apple 
 blossoms, ^nd again that of roses. A little more 
 air will be packed into the apexes of the lungs 
 with each sniffing response to these mental sug- 
 gestions. 
 
 When the lungs are packed quite to the limit 
 of their present capacity — which same by the 
 daily practice of this exercise will appreciably in- 
 crease from week to week for a long time — be- 
 
170 Daily Ways to HealtK 
 
 gin counting "one hundred and one," "one hun- 
 dred and two," and on to one hundred and eight 
 or ten. Then quickly exhale, and rest a moment. 
 It is better not to take this exercise more than 
 two or three times in succession, but to take it as 
 frequently during the day as one may desire or 
 need. 
 
 While counting, care must be taken that only 
 the minimum amount of breath necessary for the 
 pronunciation of each number is exhaled, and that 
 this trifling loss is immediately made good by a 
 quick, energetic inhalation after each count. The 
 body throughout the counting should be main- 
 tained in an extremely uplifted, energized atti- 
 tude, the upper chest expanding more and more as 
 the counting proceeds. 
 
 Results 
 
 Development of the upper chest, increase in 
 lung capacity and hardihood, better circulation 
 and digestion. 
 
 The upper parts of the lungs, in normal, un- 
 emotional breathing are the parts least used. Ex- 
 ercises which call these parts into vigorous ac- 
 tivity do, in a rneasure, for conventional man what 
 running, leaping and dancing do for the savage. 
 
 Ear-Drum Exercise 
 
 Sit in an easy, erect position. 
 
One's Best Physician 171 
 
 Place one hand on the abdomen and the other 
 at the side of the body where the action of the 
 diaphragm can be observed. Fill the lower parts 
 of the lungs first ; as they fill there will be a dis- 
 tension of the muscles under each hand. When 
 these parts are expanded as much as possible, con- 
 tinue inhaling very gently and steadily until the 
 upper parts of the lungs are fully inflated. 
 
 One must be very careful not to contract in the 
 slightest degree the muscles under the hands dur- 
 ing the inflation of the upper part of the lungs. 
 When the lungs are inflated to their capacity's 
 limit hold the breath — the nostrils may be closed 
 by pressure of thumb and finger — ^vigorously con- 
 tract the abdominal muscles trying to force the 
 breath out through the closed nostrils, at the 
 same time, trying to swallow. Hold the breath 
 and keep the abdominal muscles rigid while you 
 think ten or fifteen counts. 
 
 The apexes of the lungs lie very close to the 
 collar-bone. A puffing out of the flesh just above 
 the collar-bone can be seen at the instant of the 
 contraction of the abdominal muscles; this is be- 
 cause the air is forced into the apexes of the 
 lungs. It is here that tuberculosis usually begins 
 its devastating work. 
 
 To get a clear mental picture of this operation 
 of forcing the air into the upper cells of the lungs, 
 think of a paper bag blown practically full of air 
 and tied at the top so that no air can escape. By 
 
172 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 pressing the lower part of the bag firmly with 
 both hands, the air will be crowded upward, and 
 will cause the little folds and puckers in the bag 
 at the top to smooth out and distend, thus mak- 
 ing the bag considerably larger in diameter at the 
 top. The process and effect of the foregoing ex- 
 ercise is very similar. 
 
 Protection Against Disease-Germs : Every 
 time that the lungs are so packed, especially that 
 the apexes are brought into vigorous activity, 
 their power to repel unfriendly disease-germs is 
 increased. 
 
 We can, if we will, protect ourselves from very 
 many of the worst ills that beset ignorant and 
 indolent persons. Hold to this thought, dwell 
 upon it, revert to it again and again that it may 
 become a thought-habit — and then live up to it. 
 
 With these special exercises for fortifying the 
 lungs against disease, should be included any 
 stretching and invigorating exercises which in- 
 crease one's general stamina, and particularly 
 those which promote digestion. There is nothing 
 more important for a person of tubercular ten- 
 dencies than that he or she should be well-nour- 
 ished. Fresh air taken into the lungs and plenty 
 of good nourishing food is the best prescription. 
 
 Caution. It should be borne in mind that these 
 vigorous breathing exercises are a means to pre- 
 vent the development of tubercular tendencies, 
 
One's Best Physician 173 
 
 but are not given as a remedy for that disease. 
 When the lungs are already affected and their 
 tissue weakened, no exercises should be taken 
 without first consulting a physician. Sometimes, 
 only quiet, deep breaths are safe because of the 
 patient's liability to hemorrhage. 
 
 FOR PREVENTING AND ALLEVIATING 
 CATARRH 
 
 Any constitutional exercise which improves the 
 circulation and makes the body resistant helps to 
 protect one from catarrh. This is particularly 
 true of all breathing exercises because their ef- 
 fects are beneficial locally as well as constitution- 
 ally. 
 
 The Ear-Drum Exercise given under topic. 
 For Preventing Deafness, is immediately helpful 
 for catarrhal affections as is the following one. 
 
 Single-Nostril Breathing Exercise 
 
 Sit erectly poised, well forward in the chair. 
 
 Place the thumb of the right hand on the right 
 side of the nose closing that nostril with a slight 
 pressure. Inhale slowly through the left nostril, 
 and, at the same time, rhythmically raise the left 
 arm high above the head. In sympathy with the 
 upward movement of the arm, the whole torso 
 should also rise as high as it possibly can without 
 
174 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 lifting the body entirely away from the chair. 
 When the Inhalation and bodily uplift reach their 
 maximum, close the left nostril by placing the fore- 
 finger upon it, and remove the thumb from the 
 right nostril. Slowly exhale through the right 
 nostril as the arm rhythmically descends. To get 
 encouraging results from this full, concentrated 
 breathing, one should take not less than ten 
 breaths with each of the nostrils closed, in turn. 
 Care must be taken to inhale and exhale slowly, 
 and to avoid jerky or heavy movements of the 
 arms. 
 
 Results 
 
 The primary object of this exercise is to for- 
 tify the delicate nasal passages against suscepti- 
 bility to colds, and, by preventing the formation 
 of mucous, to keep these passages in so healthy 
 a condition that they are immune to the attacks of 
 catarrhal microbes. This exercise also produces 
 an effect on the nervous system at once tonic and 
 harmonizing. 
 
 The stimulation that the nasal passages receive 
 in ordinary inhalation is, at least, quadrupled by 
 this exercise. For the pressure that ordinarily is 
 distributed over both nostrils is here confined, in 
 turn, to each one while the amount of air inhaled 
 in the long, forced breaths is more than double 
 that of ari average breath. Better circulation in 
 the intricate nasal passages results from this in- 
 
One's Best Physician 175 
 
 creased pressure of air. This means simply 
 greater resistance to the ever-present disease 
 germs that are like foes in ambush — ready to at- 
 tack us when we are off guard or when our power 
 of resistance is weakened. 
 
 The best way to manage a cold is to prevent it. 
 
 FOR STRENGTHENING THE ABDOM- 
 INAL MUSCLES 
 
 (Read topic, Abdominal Muscles, in Chapter, 
 "The Diaphragm, Back and Abdominal Mus- 
 cles," page 100.) 
 
 No exercises will be given under this topic bcr 
 cause those given Fair Preventing and Overcom- 
 ing Corpulency (see following topic) are the ones 
 that also strengthen the abdominal muscles. The 
 reason for presenting this topic as distinguished 
 from the Corpulency topic Is to make emphatic 
 the Imperative need of duly exercising these mus- 
 cles every day, no matter what one's present state 
 of stoutness or sllmness may be. Even though 
 one is as "thin as a rail," the need is imperative. 
 In fact, such exercise is often the surest way for 
 the thin, under-nourished person to improve his 
 or her general physical condition. Thin persons 
 often express the fear that exercises for prevent- 
 ing corpulency will make them still thinner. A 
 moment's rational thought will allay «uch fears. 
 
176 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 It is easy to see that the exercise which contracts 
 or stretches the abdominal muscles, thus burning 
 off encumbering adipose tissue, will also raise the 
 tonicity of thin, impoverished muscles. It is as im- 
 possible for muscles, as for persons, to lose that 
 which they do not possess, and thin muscles have 
 no excess accumulation of fat-cells among their 
 fibres. 
 
 We must distinguish between muscle-cells and 
 fat-cells; the first are strengthened and developed 
 by exercise, the others are disintegrated and con- 
 sumed. 
 
 Are not the following reasons sufficient to make 
 clear the imperative need of strengthening the 
 abdominal muscles diligently — not for a few. 
 weeks, but all the days of one's life? (i) They 
 have the important oiEce of supporting, unas- 
 sisted, the delicate, complex and heavy viscera; 
 
 (2) they are easily ruptured when weak — the only 
 protection is to exercise and strengthen them; 
 
 (3) they invite corpulency when they are inert 
 and flaccid, but are hostile to it when they are 
 firm and strong; and (4) exercises which 
 strengthen these muscles stimulate the vital pro- 
 cesses — this is health insurance. 
 
 Besides the specific exercises under the follow- 
 ing topic, there are Play Movements that greatly 
 advantage the abdominal muscles. Every time 
 one lifts the shoulders high, or contracts the back 
 muscles and so lifts the rib-cage and its muscles, 
 
One's Best Physician 177 
 
 or swings the arms as in ball playing and golf, or 
 twists or bends or rolls the body from the hips 
 in play or work, these muscles are benefited. (See 
 Health Calendar for a Month, First, Seventeenth 
 and Nineteenth days.) 
 
 FOR REDUCING HIP-GIRTH 
 
 One may not just plunge in and take exercises 
 indiscriminately when some specific result is 
 sought. Exercises of the feet are not the best 
 stimulus for a weak stomach, and leg exercises 
 will not contract and strengthen the erector spinse 
 muscles. * Localized exercise is what counts. This 
 is as true in taking off flesh as it is in the develop- 
 ment of muscles. An athlete who wishes to de- 
 velop his biceps and triceps devotes his attention 
 to exercises that vigorously contract the arm mus- 
 cles, and a person who wishes to disburden mus- 
 cles of fat must exercise those muscles where the 
 fat is chiefly deposited. 
 
 Hip reduction is forwarded by the exercises 
 for overcoming corpulency, and by the following 
 localized ones. 
 
 Toe-Touching Exercise 
 
 Sit well back in a chair without arms or rockers, 
 but do not lean or rest against the back of the 
 chair. 
 
178 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 The arms hanging relaxed, lift the left leg, the 
 knee being rigidly straight, to the level of the hip. 
 Swing the right arm back, up and over with a free, 
 rapid movement until the fingers touch the toe of 
 the uplifted foot — the body will bend somewhat 
 forward from the hips. Then with a free, ener- 
 getic sweep — like hard work, easily performed — 
 swing the arm up and well back, defining a gen- 
 erous half circle with the finger-tips. Repeat in 
 rapid succession fifteen or twenty times on that 
 side. Lift the right leg, and repeat. 
 
 Results 
 
 The under-arm and hip muscles are vigorously 
 stretched, as are the muscles and ligaments of the 
 under side of the leg, and the chest and back mus- 
 cles, are alternately contracted and relaxed. Thi^ 
 is a fine exercise for keeping one's body feeling 
 young in the hip and waist region — the place 
 where so many women grow mature in expres- 
 sion. 
 
 Windmill Exercises 
 
 A. Standing with the weight on both feet, 
 raise the arms laterally to the level of the shoul- 
 ders, the hands extended, palms up. Keeping the 
 knees tense and the arms as stiff as those of a 
 windmill — not allowing them to move independ- 
 ently from the shoulders, but only with the body 
 
One's Best Physician 179 
 
 — bend the body to the right side, and raise it to 
 an upright position five or six times in quick suc- 
 cession. After bending similarly to the left 
 side, rest a moment. Next, in the same posi- 
 tion as before, bend to the right, then quickly 
 from right to left, from left to right, and so on 
 for eight or ten times. Inhale as the body bends 
 to the right side and retain the Jbreath until it 
 again bends to that side, then exhale; inhale as it 
 bends to the left side and retain the breath until 
 it again bends to that side. 
 
 B. Same as "J," except that before bending, 
 the body should twist from the hips well to the 
 right side; the bending should be in line with the 
 extended arms. Repeat several times, and relax. 
 Then twist the body to the left side, and repeat. 
 
 Stretching Play Movement 
 
 Stand in the doorway and reach vigorously up- 
 ward first with one hand and then with the other. 
 
 Mark the highest point your finger-tips can 
 reach in your biggest stretch on your first day's 
 practice, then note the increased mobility in your 
 muscles after a few days' practice of this simple 
 stretching exercise. 
 
 Include in this series: 
 
 Waist-Twisting Exercise, page 180, 
 Side-Relaxing Exercise, page 182, 
 
i8o Daily Ways to Health 
 
 Back Rib-Lifting Exercise, page 154, and 
 Pois'ing-Exercises, especially "B," page 184. 
 
 FOR MAKING WAIST-MUSCLES SUPPLE 
 AND STRONG 
 
 fVaist-Twisting Exercise 
 
 Sit well forward in a chair without arms, the 
 body erect, the ribs lifted high, the arms hanging 
 relaxed from the shoulders. 
 
 Inhale, and vigorously twist the body from the 
 waist to the left, letting the arms loosely swing 
 with it; then turn the head until it faces over the 
 right shoulder. Care must be taken that the feet 
 and knees are kept squarely to the front, and that 
 the body does not bend even slightly as it twists. 
 
 Hold this tense position for a moment, concen- 
 trating the attention on the aliveness of the waist 
 muscles, after which exhale, and slightly relax the 
 muscles for a moment's rest; then again inhale, 
 energize, and twist more vigorously than before; 
 do this four or five times, then completely relax. 
 
 Repeat the exercise, twisting the torso to the 
 right side and the head to the left. 
 
 Results 
 
 This Waist-Twisting Exercise prevents the de- 
 generation of the lateral waist muscles as it means 
 
One's Best Physician i8i 
 
 a tense contraction of those on the left side, and 
 a stretching of those on the right as the body 
 twists to the left, and vice versa as it twists to the 
 right. The abdominal muscles are also alter- 
 nately tensed and relaxed. 
 
 Heel, Instep and Toe Exercise 
 
 Stand with the weight on the left foot, and ad- 
 vance the right foot the length of an ordinary 
 step. 
 
 Lift the arms at the sides, shoulders high, the 
 palms downward. Twist the body from the hips 
 to the left until the right arm is in direct line 
 with the right foot, then, keeping the knees rigid, 
 quickly and lightly bend forward from the hips 
 until the fingers of the right hand touch the toe 
 of the right shoe. With the same light gymnastic 
 movement lift the body to an alert, upright posi- 
 tion, and repeat the bending five times. Then 
 untwist the trunk allowing it to come to its nor- 
 mal, front position. Keeping the arms still in 
 line with the shoulders, quickly and lightly bend di- 
 rectly at the side, touching the floor at the instep 
 of the advanced foot. Lift the body, and repeat 
 this bending five times. Last, twist the body 
 from the hips to the right, and quickly bend and 
 touch the heel of the right shoe. Lift the body, 
 and repeat this bending five times. Relax and 
 rest a moment. Repeat all the movements with 
 
1 82 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 the left foot advanced. The unemployed arm acts 
 as a balance in the bending movements; it should 
 be kept horizontal with its shoulder. 
 
 Side-Relaxing Exercises 
 
 A. Sit in an erect position. Lift the right arm 
 high above the head and stretch vigorously up- 
 ward. Then successively relax the fingers, hand, 
 forearm, arm, head, shoulders and body toward 
 the left side. Let the heavy weight hang for a 
 moment supported only by the muscles of the right 
 side which are extremely stretched by its pendant 
 weight, while those on the left side are propor- 
 tionately contracted. Then command the right- 
 side muscles, to pull the body slowly up to its nor- 
 mal poise, letting the head raise last. Re-energize 
 the arm, stretch upward, and repeat the exercise 
 two or three times. 
 
 Lift the left arm, and take the exercise three 
 or four times on that side of the body. 
 
 B. Stand with the weight on the right foot. 
 Lift the right arm, stretch, and proceed exactly as 
 in "A," being careful to keep the leg toward 
 which the body bends entirely free /and relaxed. 
 You can prove that you have not shifted even the 
 slightest degree of the body's weight to it by lift- 
 ing it lightly from the floor several times while 
 the body hangs relaxed and inclined toward it. 
 
One's Best Physician 183 
 
 Results 
 
 These exercises draw a rich supply of blood to 
 the waist region thus stimulating the vital organs, 
 and they stretch and contract the waist muscles, 
 freeing them from adipose tissue and giving them 
 mobility. 
 
 Include in this series : 
 
 Windmill Exercises, page 178, 
 Front Rib-Lifting Exercise, page 194, 
 Torso-Swinging Exercise, page 188, and 
 Rib-Expansion Exercises, page 213. 
 
 FOR PREVENTING AND OVERCOMING 
 CORPULENCY 
 
 (Read Chapter "Two Health-Foes," page 55.) 
 
 Breathing and Abdominal Contraction Exercises 
 
 Sitting or standing, lift the ribs high. 
 Inhale, and very energetically contract the ab- 
 dominal muscles. Hold the breath a moment, 
 then exhale, but do not relax the abdominal mus- 
 cles in the least. Exhale and inhale eight or ten 
 times before relaxing the abdominal muscles. This 
 exercise can be taken while riding on the cars or 
 when walking. 
 
i84 Daily Ways to HealtK 
 
 Poising Exercises 
 
 A. Stand with the weight on the left foot. 
 
 Swing the right leg and right arm forward in 
 a diagonal line, letting the toe touch the floor in 
 a long advanced step. Without interrupting the 
 movement, transfer the weight to the advanced 
 foot as the arm rhythmically swings high above 
 the head, the hand raised, palm out. Then vig- 
 orously energize the entire body, and with a 
 springing movement push upward with the up- 
 lifted right hand and downward with the left. 
 The pushing movement will cause the toe of the 
 back foot, and sometimes the heel of the forward 
 foot, to lift from the floor. After holding this ex- 
 tremely exhilarated position for a moment, 
 slightly relax, then push again and again. Re- 
 lax, and swing the arm and leg to place. Advance 
 the left foot, and repeat. 
 
 B. Stand with the weight on the left foot. 
 Swing the right foot and the right arm directly 
 
 out at the side, letting the toe touch in a wide step. 
 Transfer the weight to that foot as the arm swings 
 high above the head, the hand up, the palm facing 
 outward. Keeping the face and trunk squarely to 
 the front, vigorously energize and push outward 
 with the uplifted right hand and downward with 
 the left hand. Slightly relax, and push again and 
 again. Then, with the lightness and rhythm of 
 
One's Best Physician 185 
 
 dancing, let the right arm sink arid the left one 
 swing upward as the weight is transferred to the 
 left foot. Repeat as on the right side. 
 
 Results 
 
 These poising exercises invigorate the entire 
 body, and bring a pull upon the oblique abdominus 
 muscles, thereby making them inhospitable to the 
 housing of fat-cells. They lengthen the waist in 
 front if the muscles there have become cramped. 
 The degree of the burning-off process of adipose 
 from the abdomen and hips will be in proportion 
 to the amount of enthusiasm put into the uplift of 
 the body and the hand-pushing. These poising 
 exercises are also a protection against many pel- 
 vic troubles. Dr. John Harvey Kellogg says, 
 "Properly graduated exercise, with such an ad- 
 justment of the clothing as will afford opportunity 
 for free and unrestricted movements of every 
 group of muscles in the body, is a most important 
 therapeutic means in the management of a large 
 class of pelvic disorders." Exercises that stretch 
 the abdominal muscles upward, counteract in a 
 measure the evil effects of heavy skirts and of a 
 careless poise. 
 
 If the figure is normal, a few minutes' daily 
 practice will suffice as the "ounce of prevention," 
 but if there are abnormal conditions to be over- 
 come, it is necessary to take the "pound of cure," 
 and to take it with a will. 
 
1 86 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 ^Back-Relaxing Exercises 
 
 A. Stand with" the weight on both feet, and 
 raise the arms high above the head, the hands be- 
 ing open. 
 
 Not allowing the knees to yield in the slightest 
 degree, bend quickly forward from the hips, and 
 swing the arms out and down with a free sweep- 
 ing movement. Quickly raise the body, swinging 
 the arms again above the head. Make this body- 
 bending and arm-swinging movement four or live 
 times to stretch and free the trunk muscles, 
 generally. On the completion of the downward 
 sweep, relax the arms and back; after which, 
 lift the body from the hips a few inches and drop 
 it, lift and drop it again and again, until all ten- 
 sion is released from the lower-back muscles. 
 Strain will be felt back of the knees as the relaxed 
 body drags heavily upon its support at the hips; 
 such strain merely means that the leg muscles and 
 ligaments are being stretched, or kept young and 
 mobile. 
 
 This is an exercise that many persons take 
 "just for fun" to show how flexible they are by 
 touching the floor with their fingers without bend- ' 
 ing the knees — and it Is play that makes for 
 health. Many, however, miss the greatest 
 benefit to be derived from the exercise because 
 they do not completely relajE the lower-back 
 muscles. 
 
.OHe'siBestiPhysician 187 
 
 Results 
 
 To release the lower-back muscles of all tension 
 is the primary object of the exercise. Secondary 
 benefits are flexibility at the hips, general stimu- 
 lation, and the burning off of adipose; this latter 
 results from the upward stretching. As the lower- 
 back muscles relax, the fingers will easily touch 
 the floor, and often the whole hand can be laid flat 
 upon the floor. One must not, however, strain 
 with the arms and hands to accomplish this for 
 that puts tension in shoulders and back, thus de- 
 feating the main purpose of the exercise. 
 
 B. Same as "J," except that after uplifting 
 the arms, the body from the hips should be twisted 
 to the side before the body-bending and arm- 
 swinging movement. Keep the feet firmly facing 
 front throughout. Twist first to one side and 
 bend, and then to the other. Always end by the 
 forward-bending in order to relieve any possible 
 strain arising from the side-bending. While "J" 
 is excellent for dislodging abdominal adipose, "B" 
 especially affects the accumulation around the 
 waist and over the hips. 
 
 Note: "C" is much more vigorous than "^" 
 and "B"; it should not be attempted by any one 
 who has any heart or serious pelvic weakness. It 
 is especially effective in Inducing a good perspira- 
 tion quickly and in reducing weight. 
 
1 88 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 C. Same as exercise "J," except that it is 
 done with great vigor and rapidity, and the hands 
 are clinched throughout — the knuckles or wrists 
 being brought to the floor-^and the body bends 
 considerably backward as it and the arms swing 
 upward; such bending backward brings a much 
 greater pull upon the abdominal muscles. 
 
 Torso Play Movement 
 
 Sit erect, and place the left hand at the waist 
 line a little in front of the hip. 
 
 Swing the trunk animatedly upward and for- 
 ward in a diagonal line to the left so far that the 
 body is almost lifted off the chair. Without paus- 
 ing, spring back to the first position, and then 
 forward again. Repeat at least ten or fifteen 
 times. 
 
 Torso-Swinging Exercise 
 
 Note : This exercise is one of the most vigor- 
 ous ones recommended in this book. While it is 
 a splendid stimulating and strengthening exercise 
 for normally well persons, it should be taken cau- 
 tiously — if at all — ^by any one having any heart or 
 serious pelvic trouble. Beginners in the practice 
 of health exercises should wait until they are no 
 longer beginners before attempting it. 
 
One's Best Physician 189 
 
 Stand well poised forward from the hips with 
 the weight firmly on both feet; steadily maintain 
 the weight there throughout the exercise. 
 
 Lift the arms straight above the head and in- 
 terlock the fingers, then turn the hands over from 
 the wrists until the palms face the ceiling. Then 
 stretch and push vigorously upward with the 
 closely interlocked hands, being careful not to tip 
 backward from the hips; next, bend the torso 
 far over to the left side and push upward with 
 the hands — which will give a fat-dislodging 
 stretch to the waist and hip muscles on the right 
 side. Then, keeping the arms straight and close 
 to the sides of the head, swing the torso down and 
 around in a half circle to the right side ; hold this 
 position and push upward with the hands as on 
 the left side; then swing the torso up and over 
 to the left side, and again push upward. After 
 which, swing it to an upright position, and again 
 vigorously push upward with the palms. Relax 
 the arms, and rest for a moment. Then lift the 
 arms, interlock the fingers, turn the hands on the 
 wrists, and repeat the exercise, bending the torso 
 first to the right side instead of the left. 
 
 Much of the benefit of this Torso-Swinging Ex- 
 ercise will be missed if the arms are allowed to 
 swing forward of the head at any time or if the 
 circular movement made by them in the swing 
 from side to side is shallow instead of being as 
 
190 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 deep as the mobility of the back and hip muscles 
 will allow. 
 
 Include in this series : 
 
 Knee-to-Chest Exercise, page 202',- 
 All-Around Exercise, page 211, 
 Windmill Exercises, page 178, 
 Waist-Twisting Exercise, page 180, and 
 Side-Relaxing Exercise, page 182. 
 
 FOR STIMULATING THE ACTION OF 
 THE LIVER 
 
 The liver will get its best assistance toward 
 health and aliveness from the play of the dia- 
 phragm in deep breathing. Not because this is 
 the most stimulating exercise that can be given 
 the liver, but because it is — or should be — a per- 
 petual exercise, whether one be asleep or awake. 
 (See topic, Natural Massage of the Liver in 
 Chapter, "The Diaphragm, Back and Abdominal 
 Muscles," page 98.) 
 
 Deep breathing and general exercises of the 
 trunk are sufficient to keep a normal liver in good 
 working order, but when one's liver is predis- 
 posed to torpidity, or when it has more work 
 put upon it than it can manage with ease, the 
 three following exercises should become a part of 
 one's daily hygiene. 
 
One's Best Physician 191 
 
 Broken-Waist Exercise 
 
 Sit with the trunk muscles completely relaxed 
 — ^the back bowed outward, the chest depressed, 
 the shoulders drooping, the waist-line region col- 
 lapsed. Incline diagonally backward to the right 
 and rest against the chair. 
 
 Place the hands at the waist line, one above the 
 other, somewhat to the right of the front of the 
 body — ^thus centering the attention on that re- 
 gion. As you inhale, swing the trunk animatedly 
 but not tensely, upward and forward in a diag- 
 onal line to the right as far as you can without 
 losing your balance, meanwhile maintaining a firm 
 pressure with the hands. 
 
 Hold for a moment, exhale, and let the body 
 sink back to its original collapsed, woe-begone po- 
 sition. Without pausing, inhale quickly, and play- 
 fully spring forward as before. Repeat at least 
 ten or fifteen times on each side. 
 
 Results 
 
 This produces a fine stretch of the muscles on 
 one side and an internal massage, or pressure, 
 on the other side. The liver especially is 
 squeezed. 
 
 Liver-Pommeling! Exercise 
 
 Sit in an erect, tense position, the arms hang- 
 ing free fram the shoulders. 
 
192 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 Quickly contract the abdominal and waist mus- 
 cles, making them as unyielding as possible; do 
 not allow them to relax in the slightest degree 
 throughout the exercise. Inhale, and lift the 
 shoulders high; retaining the breath, clinch the 
 hands, and pull the shoulders down with all the 
 energy your will can summon. Maintain the 
 rigid position of the whole body for a moment, 
 then relax. Repeat the exercise ten to twenty 
 times, according to the degree of sulkiness of the 
 member to be punished. 
 
 Results 
 
 By the firm support of the abdominal muscles 
 from underneath, and the pressure from above 
 given in the downward pulling of the shoulders, 
 the liver gets a good pommeling. The entire 
 pelvic circulation is also quickened. 
 
 Windmill Exercises 
 
 A. Standing with the weight on both feet, 
 raise the arms laterally to the level of the shoul- 
 ders, the hands extended, palms up. Keeping 
 the knees tense and the arms as stiff as those of 
 a windmlU-^not allowing them to move inde- 
 pendently from the shoulders, but only with the 
 body — bend the body to the right side, and raise 
 it to an upright position five or six times In quick 
 succession. After bending similarly to the 
 
One's Best Physician 193 
 
 left side, rest a moment. Next, in the same posi- 
 tion as before, bend to the right, then quickly 
 from right to left, from left to right, and so on 
 for eight or ten times. Inhale as the body bends 
 to the right side, and do not exhale until the body 
 again bends to that side; then inhale as it bends 
 to the left side and retain the breath until it again 
 bends to that side. 
 
 B. Same as "A," except that before bending, 
 the body should twist from the hips well to the 
 right side ; the bending should be in line with the 
 extended arms. Repeat several times, and relax. 
 Then twist the body to the left side, and repeat. 
 
 Results 
 
 These bending and twisting exercises are great 
 liver and digestive stimulants. They also develop 
 flexibility, give a slender, youthful contour to the 
 waist, strengthen the back and abdominal mus- 
 cles, and prevent an undue accumlation of fat-cells 
 over the hips. 
 
 The liver also comes in for its share of benefit 
 from all bending, twisting and rolling exercises of 
 the trunk which send an extra amount of blood 
 into the digestive organs, generally. 
 
 Include in this series: 
 
 Arm-Pushing Exercise, page 151, 
 Torso-Swinging Exercise, page 188, and 
 Back-Relaxing Exercise, page 186. 
 
194 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 FOR PROMOTING DIGESTION 
 
 The complicated chemical process called diges- 
 tion is promoted by certain physical conditions 
 that are directly under one's control. To enum- 
 erate some of them : The bony thoracic-cage and 
 its muscular padding should be kept well up, not 
 allowed to press upon the delicate digestive or- 
 gans — ^to this end, the erector spinas muscles 
 should be frequently contracted; the spinal nerves 
 should be stimulated; the abdominal and waist 
 muscles should be brought into vigorous action; 
 and the diaphragm should be given stimulating 
 play upon the digestive organs ensconsed beneath 
 it 
 
 Front Rib-Lifting Exercise 
 
 Stand or sit in an erect position. 
 
 Place the open left hand, the thumb backward, 
 on the left side about midway between the waist 
 line and the arm-socket. Inhale a big, quick 
 breath, and energetically stretch upward on the 
 left side, lifting the ribs on that side to the highest 
 degree possible. The abdominal muscles will con- 
 tract and draw inward, and an especial sense of 
 aliveness will be apparent in some of the back 
 muscles. Hold the uplifted position a moment, 
 then exhale, and relax. ^ Repeat several times. 
 
One's Best Physician 195 
 
 After lifting the ribs on each side, place the 
 hand on the upper-chest ribs, inhale, and lift the 
 entire rib frame-work very, very high, causing the 
 chest to swell out most assertively. Hold a mo- 
 ment, exhale, and relax slightly, but do not allow 
 the chest to collapse. 
 
 Back Rib-Lifting Exercise 
 
 Sit or stand with the body in an erect position, 
 it being well poised forward from the hips. 
 
 Put the right hand, palm inward, over the right 
 shoulder and reach down the back; put the left 
 hand, palm outward, under the left arm and reach 
 diagonally up the back until the hands meet. Hook 
 the fingers, inhale, and stretch vigorously upward 
 with the right shoulder and upper-right arm. 
 Hold a moment, then maintaining the position of 
 the hands, exhale, and allow the energized mus- 
 cles to relax. Inhale, and again stretch vigorous- 
 ly upward. Do this from five to ten times with- 
 out unhooking the fingers. Rest a moment, and 
 repeat the exercise on the left side. 
 
 Results 
 
 A vitalization of nearly all the muscles of the 
 trunk, a fuller respiration — hence, more pressure 
 and suction by the massaging diaphragm — and a 
 fine stimulation of the digestive processes. Be- 
 sides, this exercise strengthens the back muscles. 
 
196 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 and tends to remove pressure from those nerves 
 that branch off from the spinal column between 
 the different ribs. Such pressure follows when 
 the ribs sag downward as they frequently do be- 
 cause of bad posture and of wrong use of the 
 body. 
 
 All sorts of nervous, functional and even or- 
 ganic troubles result from this pressure on the 
 spinal nerves. The parts of any machine must be 
 kept in harmonious mechanical relations if the 
 machine is to do good work or to wear well. 
 
 Literally to "lift up our hearts" — and ribs — is 
 good for the body as it is for the soul. 
 
 Spinal Massage Exercise 
 
 Stand with the body poised alertly forward 
 from the hips, the ribs well lifted, and the head 
 tipped somewhat backward. 
 
 Place the finger-tips of each hand on either side 
 of the spinal column at the upper part of the 
 back of the neck, the elbows pointing directly for- 
 ward. Energize all of the muscles of the trunk 
 vigorously by an act of will, lifting the chest and 
 ribs high. Slowly and forcefully crowd the el- 
 bows backward, exerting a firm pressure of the 
 fingers against the spine. Hold for a moment, 
 then relax, and rest for a moment. Re-energize, 
 and repeat. Next, let the finger-tips creep down- 
 ward one measure of their width. Repeat the for- 
 
One's Best Physician 197 
 
 mer energization, pressure, and relaxation. Con- 
 tinue the creeping downward of the finger-tips as 
 far as it is possible to reach. After which, throw 
 the hands under the arms, and reach high up the 
 back, placing the balls of the thumbs on either 
 side of the spine. Energize, exert pressure of the 
 thumbs, relax and rest, and re-energize as before. 
 Slip the thumbs one notch lower, and repeat. 
 Continue in this manner until the entire spinal 
 keyboard has been played upon. 
 
 Results 
 
 This exercise Is a healthful stimulant to the 
 spinal nervous system, branches of which ramify 
 all of the vital organs; therefore, the activity of 
 the liver, pancreas, spleen, stomach, heart and 
 bowels is augmented by it. 
 
 Sustained-Counting Exercise 
 
 Stand or sit erect, the ribs being lifted high. 
 
 Place the open hands on the sides in the dia- 
 phragm region, and, without taking in a breath, 
 press the ribs outward against the hands. Hold 
 this position easily but firmly, and count in a low, 
 earnest tone as many as you can. The moment 
 the ribs begin to surrender their firm position, stop 
 counting, and completely relax. A big, deep 
 breath will naturally follow — ^you must not make 
 
198 Daily W-ays to Health 
 
 i 
 an effort to take one. Again press outward with 
 the ribs, and proceed as before. After a little 
 practice you should be able to count from twenty 
 to thirty earnestly and slowly without strained 
 effort. 
 
 Results 
 
 The digestive organs are gently stimulated by 
 this simple exercise, and if the chest and throat 
 muscles are allowed to play, i.e., to be relaxed 
 during the counting, an improvement in the voice 
 will also result. 
 
 People often wonder that campaigners and 
 other public speakers can endure the great outlay 
 of energy incident upon their profession. There 
 are two principal reasons; one is because speak- 
 ing with intensity — to be heard and to convince 
 — is an excellent vital exercise; the other reason 
 of their endurance is their tonic mental state, 
 namely, determination and enthusiasm. 
 
 Digestion is promoted by all deep and forceful 
 breathing exercises. Nothing is more adverse to 
 good digestion than habitual short, gaspy breath- 
 ing or the slow and insufficient breathing that 
 companions unresisted depression. 
 
 Include in this series : 
 
 Rib-Expansion Exercises, page 213, 
 
 Pinching-Spine Exercise, page 157, and 
 
 Broken-Waist Exercise, page 191. 
 
One's Best Physician 199 
 
 FOR PREVENTING AND OVERCOMING 
 CONSTIPATION 
 
 There is no demand of nature more impera- 
 tive than that the poisonous waste materials of 
 her nutritive processes in all living creatures shall 
 be promptly and regularly eliminated. The 
 avenues of elimination in man's body are the 
 lungs, skin, kidneys and bowels. The inactivity 
 of the bowels alone is frequently the origin of 
 fevers, colds, headaches, bad complexion, anae- 
 mic blood, and blood poisoning. Nowhere is ex- 
 ercise more immediately effective than in forward- 
 ing the functions of the excretory organs. Chronic 
 constipation of years' standing which has stub- 
 bornly refused to yield to medical treatment often 
 yields readily to localized exercise. 
 
 Heel, Instep and Toe Exercise 
 
 Stand with the weight on the left foot, and ad- 
 vance the right foot the length of an ordinary step. 
 
 Lift the arms at the sides, shoulder high, the 
 palms downward. Twist the body from the hips 
 to the left until the right arm is in direct line with 
 the right foot, then, keeping the knees rigid, 
 quickly and lightly bend forward from the hips 
 until the fingers of the right hand touch the toe 
 of the right shoe. With the same light gymnastic 
 
200 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 movement lift the body to an alert, upright posi- 
 tion, and repeat the bending five times. Then 
 untwist the trunk allowing it to come to its nor- 
 mal, front position. Keeping the arms still in 
 line with the shoulders, quickly and lightly bend 
 directly at the side, touching the floor at the in- 
 step of the right foot. Lift the body, and repeat 
 this bending five times. Last, twist the body from 
 the hips to the right, and quickly bend and touch 
 the heel of the right shoe. Lift the body, and 
 repeat this bending five times. Repeat all the 
 movements with the left foot advanced. The un- 
 employed arm acts as a balance in the bending 
 movements, it should be kept horizontal with its 
 shoulder. 
 
 Held-Out Breath Exercise 
 
 Stand or sit in an erect, easy position. 
 
 Explosively expel the breath through the nos- 
 trils by contracting the abdominal muscles, being 
 careful not to put tension into any other muscles. 
 Then by an act of will, prevent any air from re- 
 placing the expelled breath — as children say, 
 "hold the breath out" — and vigorously contract 
 the abdominal muscles in quick succession eight 
 or ten times. Then relax, and allow the breath 
 to rush in abundantly. As these muscles gain 
 strength, the number of contractions should be 
 increased to fifteen, twenty and twenty-five. 
 
One^s Best Physician 201 
 
 Rapid Knee-Bending Exercise 
 
 Stand with a little wider base than usual, the 
 weight over both feet. 
 
 Place the hands lightly on the hips, and rise on 
 the balls of the feet. Keeping the body erect, 
 bend the knees quickly almost to the floor; let the 
 knees spread somewhat as they bend. Rise 
 quickly, and repeat the bending movement eight 
 or ten times without resting. 
 
 Knee-Kicking Exercise 
 
 Stand very erect with the weight entirely on the 
 right foot. 
 
 Lift the left thigh until the knee is on a line 
 with the hip. Bend the leg below the knee well 
 back, then kick out vigorously with it, bringing 
 the pointing toe nearly or quite on a line with the 
 hip. Continue rapidly kicking until the leg mus- 
 cles are really fatigued, then transfer the weight 
 to that foot, and repeat the exercise. Be careful 
 to keep the upper part of the body as quiet as a 
 statue while kicking with the leg. The more 
 energy that is put into the kicking, the more the 
 viscera will be stimulated. 
 
 Torso-Rolling Exercise 
 
 Sit forward in a chair with your arms entirely 
 relaxed. 
 
202 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 Easily roll the body from the hips in all direc- 
 tions — first forward, then to the left side, then 
 from the left side well forward and around to the 
 right side, then slightly backward, and again to 
 the left side. Repeat several times and reverse 
 the order. Do all this playfully. 
 
 Take the same rolling movements when stand- 
 ing, being careful to roll the body but slightly 
 backward. 
 
 Knee-to-Chest Exercise 
 
 Stand with the body well poised forward from 
 the hips, ribs uplifted, and the weight resting 
 wholly on the left foot. 
 
 Lift the right leg as high as can be done with- 
 out strain, letting the leg below the knee hang re- 
 laxed and free. Maintain this position a mo- 
 ment — remembering that a fine balance of the 
 body is primarily a matter of concentration of 
 the mind — then release the energy at the hip and 
 let the leg fall relaxed. Repeat several times, 
 aiming each time to lift the leg higher and nearer 
 to the chest. Finally, as the leg is lifted, clasp 
 the hands around the knee and force it up to the 
 chest — the body not being allowed to bend even 
 slightly forward to meet it. Hold this position 
 as long as the balance can be maintained, then 
 release the knee and let the leg fall relaxed as 
 before. 
 
One's Best Physician 203 
 
 Repeat ten times in quick succession with that 
 leg, then immediately transfer the weight of the 
 body to it, lift the left leg, and proceed as be- 
 fore. 
 
 After one has gained the concentration, poise 
 and freedom essential to the easy execution of this 
 exercise without bendj,ng the body forward from 
 the hips ever so little, the beneficial effects can be 
 greatly increased by lifting the knees to the chest 
 in rapid alternations, say, twenty or thirty times. 
 
 As this is the exercise par excellence for stimu- 
 lating the bowels to normal activity, it is well to 
 begin and end this series with it. 
 
 Results 
 
 This series of exercises focuses an unusual 
 amount of nervous energy in the digestive organs 
 — particularly in the intestines — and in the ab- 
 dominal muscles. Better circulation and increased 
 functional activity are thus produced. 
 
 All of these exercises, except the last one, are 
 heavy gymnastics, not play. To obtain the best 
 results they should be practiced with great vigor 
 and rapidity for at least ten minutes at a time. 
 Moreover, as all bodily functions naturally in- 
 cline to periodicity of action, it is advisable to 
 practice these exercises for remedial purposes at 
 exactly a given time — or better yet, two times 
 each day, say, soon after breakfast and just be- 
 fore retiring. If one has difficulty in sleeping. 
 
204 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 these stimulating exercises should be followed, at 
 night, with the exercises for dispelling insomnia. 
 
 FOR IMPROVING THE CIRCULATION 
 Knee-Bending Exercise 
 
 Stand with one foot advanced as in an ar- 
 rested step, the weight being equally over both 
 feet, and rise on the balls of the feet. 
 
 Keeping the heels raised, bend and straighten 
 the knees rapidly, in playful mood, until a slight 
 fatigue is felt in the calves of the legs. Rest a 
 moment, then advance the other foot, and repieat. 
 
 Do not let the body bend forward or tip to 
 either side during the knee-bending. The legs 
 alone must do the work. 
 
 Backward-Kicking Exercise 
 
 Stand with the feet in the natural position, 
 weight on one foot. 
 
 Place the hands lightly on the hips, and poise 
 the body a little forward from the hips, the chest 
 being raised very high. In quick succession, kick 
 vigorously backward and upward from the knee, 
 alternately, with one foot and then the other for 
 twenty or more times. 
 
One's Best Physician 205 
 
 Abdominal Contraction Exercise 
 
 Stand alertly poised, the weight over the balls 
 of both feet. 
 
 Keeping the shoulders perfectly quiet, inhale 
 a deep breath, and vigorously contract and relax 
 the abdominal muscles eight or ten times. Ex- 
 hale, and repeat several times. 
 
 Liver-Pommeling Exercise 
 
 Sit in an erect, tense position, the arms hanging 
 free from the shoulders. ' 
 
 Quickly contract the abdominal and waist mus- 
 cles, making them as unyielding as possible; do 
 not allow them to relax in the slightest degree 
 throughout the exercise. Inhale, and lift the 
 shoulders high; retaining the breath, clinch the 
 hands, and pull the shoulders down with all the 
 energy your will can summon. Maintain the 
 rigid position of the whole body for a moment, 
 then relax. Repeat the "exercise eight or ten 
 times. 
 
 This is a heavy gymnastic as the fatigue fol- 
 lowing a dozen repetitions will testify. 
 
 Torso-Swinging Exercise 
 
 Stand well poised forward" from the hips with 
 the weight firmly on both feet; steadily maintain 
 the weight there throughout the exercise. 
 
2o6 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 Lift the arms straight above the head and in- 
 terlock the fingers, then turn the hands over from 
 the wrists until the palms face the ceiling. Then 
 stretch and push vigorously upward with the in- 
 terlocked hands being careful not to tip backward 
 from the hips; next, bend the torso far over to 
 the left side and push upward with the hands — 
 this gives a fat-dislodging stretch to the waist 
 and hip muscles on the right side. Then, keep- 
 ing the arms straight and close to the sides of the 
 head, swing the torso down and around in a half 
 circle to the right side, hold this position and push 
 upward with the hands as on the left side; then 
 swing the torso up and over to the left side, and 
 again push upward. After which, swing it to an 
 upright position, and again vigorously push up- 
 ward with the palms. Relax the arms, and rest 
 for a moment before repeating; reverse the order 
 when you repeat and bend first to the right 
 side. 
 
 Feet-Warming Exercise 
 
 Stand with the weight over the heels. 
 
 Rapidly lift and lower the balls of the feet as 
 many times as possible — you may be able to do 
 this for thirty or forty seconds. Then sway the 
 weight over the balls of the feet, and rapidly lift 
 and lower the heels until you cannot lift them 
 any more. 
 
One's Best Physician 207 
 
 Lunging Exercise 
 
 Stand energetically erect with the weight on 
 the left foot. 
 
 Lunge forward — a very long step — on the 
 right leg, raising the heel of the left foot, bending 
 the right knee, and transferring the entire weight 
 of the body to the right foot. Hold this ex- 
 tremely energized position steadily for a moment, 
 then lightly lift the left foot from the floor sev- 
 eral times to test the perfect poise over the for- 
 ward foot. After which, quickly transfer the 
 weight to the back foot, lifting the forward heel 
 and straightening that knee as the back one bends ; 
 lightly bring the forward foot to place. Repeat 
 several times. Advance the left foot, and repeat 
 the exercise. 
 
 Results 
 
 Besides increasing the circulation in the legs 
 and feet, this exercise Is excellent for developing 
 steadiness of poise, and for stretching the liga- 
 ments and muscles under the knees. 
 
 Vibratory Exercise 
 
 A. Stand at your maximum height, every mus- 
 cle being spiritedly alert and active. 
 
 Extend the arms straight out at the sides, level 
 with the shoulders, the palms up. Inhale deeply, 
 
2o8 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 close the hands tightly, and make the arms rigid ; 
 then, as if pulling a weight that required alP of 
 your strength to move it, slowly bring the fore- 
 arms inward toward the upper arms until the 
 clinched hands are brought to the sockets of the 
 arms. Exhale, and drop the elbows to the sides 
 a moment without changing the position of the 
 hands. Inhale, and raise the elbows level with 
 the shoulders ; then, as if pushing a heavy weight 
 backward with the forearms unbend them until 
 the arms are extended at the sides in a straight 
 line from the shoulders, being careful to keep 
 the chest well uplifted. Exhale, and repeat once. 
 
 B. The same as "A," except that the arms are 
 extended straight out in front, level with the 
 shoulders, instead of extended at the sides. 
 
 C. The same as "A," except that the arms are 
 extended straight up parallel with each other in- 
 stead of extended at the sides. 
 
 This series of movements is called Vibratory 
 Exercises because the conflict between the differ- 
 ent sets of muscles involved in trying to maintain 
 the arms in a rigid position, and in overcoming 
 that rigidity, is so extreme as to cause a feeling of 
 vibration in the muscles. 
 
 Results 
 
 Some athletic trainers chiefly use exercises of 
 this order for body-building. Muscular improve- 
 
One's Best Physician 209 
 
 ment — gain in firmness of tissue, and in muscular 
 strength and development — quickly results from 
 the practice of them. These here given are par- 
 ticularly effective in broadening the chest, in de- 
 veloping the back, shoulder and arm muscles. 
 They also stimulate the spinal nerves, the brain, 
 and the digestive processes; and two or three 
 minutes' energetic practice of them will demon- 
 strate their immediate effect upon the respiration 
 and circulation. 
 
 It is advisable to take only homeopathic doses 
 of these strong stimulants, unless one's system is 
 accustomed to the severe discipline of training 
 for they put considerable strain upon the nervous 
 system and upon the heart. Do not let this cau- 
 tion make any one timid and, therefore, afraid to 
 practice these Vibratory Exercises; in moderation, 
 they are exactly what very many persons have 
 need to take every day. The nervous invalid and 
 the person whose heart action is treacherous are 
 the only ones who should omit them. 
 
 No day should be allowed to pass that the body 
 is not at least once stimulated to a glow and visi- 
 ble perspiration. Only so can the skin be kept 
 active and young in texture. 
 
 All exercises, except those for relaxation, in- 
 crease the circulation to a greater or less degree. 
 This series simply gives a few. that are excellent 
 for quickly producing a glow of warmth in the 
 body and some degree of mental exhilaration. 
 
aio Daily Ways to Health 
 
 Note that these exercises are of different orders : 
 The first two especially calling the legs and knees 
 into play; the third, the respiratory and abdominal 
 muscles; the fourth, all of the muscles of the 
 trimk; the fifth, the whole body in dance move- 
 ments; the sixth and seventh, the legs, feet and 
 ankles; while the eighth, which afEects the whole 
 body, particularly stimulates the action of the 
 lungs, and engages the arm, chest and back mus- 
 cles in extreme contraction. These frequent 
 changes in the sets of muscles brought into vigor- 
 ous action make it possible to practice this whole 
 series with the minimum of fatigue and the maxi- 
 mum of benefit. 
 
 Outdoor exercise — mountain-climbing, horse- 
 back riding, tennis, running at a jog-trot for a few 
 blocks — is, of course, unsurpassed in its effect 
 upon the circulation. 
 
 FOR KEEPING YOUNG AND OVERCOM- 
 ING SETNESS 
 
 The spontaneous Health Exercises known as 
 play — running, romping, jumping, rolling, climb- 
 ing, balancing, wrestling — have much to do with 
 children's youngness of feeling. Is not the main 
 difference between that pathetic creature, an "old 
 manny boy" and the average child due to the fact 
 that the old manny boy seems devoid of the nat- 
 ural child-hunger for play? 
 
One's Best Physician 211 
 
 We play because we are young, and we are 
 young because we play. 
 
 If adults would keep young and be able to 
 laugh at the passing years, conscious physical ex- 
 ercise must take the place of the abandoned play 
 of childhood. There can be no comfortable set- 
 tling down to complacent ease. Only by today's 
 "daily tax" of effort can yesterday's high record 
 be maintained. 
 
 An embarrassment of riches makes the choice 
 of a few exercises for preventing and overcoming 
 setness of mind* and body difficult. But it is easy 
 to decide with what the list should begin and end. 
 An habitual buoyant poise is here the beginning 
 of wisdom for when the ribs sag some of the 
 great nerves and blood vessels are compressed; 
 this makes one feel old, and the elongated back 
 and drooping shoulders make one look old. Be- 
 sides buoyant poise, youngness requires that the 
 muscles be kept mobile by stretching, and firm by 
 contracting and stretching; the joints, flexible by 
 bending; and the vital functions kept up to their 
 maximum by breathing and stimulative exercises. 
 
 Ail-Around Exercise 
 
 Stand erect with the weight on both feet, the 
 arms hanging relaxed. 
 
 *For specific ways of keeping the mind young, see "The 
 Road to 'Seventy Years Young.' " — Bishop. 
 
212 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 From the shoulders, rotate the arms inward, 
 moving them forward until the backs of the re- 
 laxed hands nearly touch, then raise the upper- 
 arms until the forearms and the hands hang pen- 
 dant in front of the chest. At this point, simul- 
 taneously, take a deep inspiration, rise slowly on 
 the balls of the feet, and raise the arms high over 
 the head, letting the fingers of the two hands 
 lightly meet. Stretch vigorously upward, then 
 slightly relax, and exhale. Inhale deeply again, 
 and bring the arms downward in a wide outward 
 circle, twisting the arms as they descend until the 
 palms of the hands face back. When the arms 
 are directly in line with the shoulders, push back- 
 ward with the hands, keeping the chest and head 
 well raised. Then quietly exhale, and let the heels 
 come to the floor, and the arms sink to the sides. 
 Without letting the arm-movements cease, repeat 
 the exercise ten to twenty times. 
 
 Results 
 
 This exercise invigorates the abdominal mus- 
 cles, expands the lungs and chest, flattens the 
 shoulder-blades, strengthens the back, leg and arm 
 muscles, and stimulates the three great vital pro- 
 cesses — respiration, circulation and digestion. If 
 only one exercise were to be practiced daily, this 
 All-Around one would be advisable in many in- 
 stances. Note that it includes all five elements 
 
One's Best Physician 213 
 
 of the perfect gymnastic, namely, energization, 
 stretching, relaxation, breathing and rhythm. Be- 
 cause of this restful variety of muscle-play it can 
 be taken many times without fatigue resulting. 
 
 Rib-Expansion Exercises 
 
 A. Sitting erect, place the open hands — fin- 
 gers front, thumbs back — at the waist line just 
 above the hips. 
 
 Lightly pressing the hands against the body, 
 bring the elbows forward and, crowding the ribs 
 together, exhale by an audible breath through the 
 parted lips. Then, simultaneously slowly inhale, 
 rhythmically crowd the arms backward, uplift and 
 energize the trunk as it bends forward from the 
 hips, and the head bends proportionately back- 
 ward. The movement of the shoulders and the 
 arms will pull the fingers from the body, but the 
 thumbs serve as a fulcrum and must not be al- 
 lowed to move. Hold this extremely energized 
 position a moment, then gradually relax, and ex- 
 hale as at the beginning of the exercise. Repeat 
 three or more times. 
 
 B. Place the hands midway between the waist 
 line and the arm-sockets, and repeat the exercise. 
 
 C. Take hold of each arm with its own hand 
 by placing the open hand directly in the armpit, 
 the thumbs back, and repeat the exercise. 
 
214 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 i 
 Results 
 
 These exercises are good "team work" for all 
 of the muscles of the body save those of the head 
 and legs. They develop the lungs, stimulate all 
 the vital processes, broaden the chest, flatten the 
 shoulders, and bring all of the trunk muscles into 
 play either by stretching or contracting them. 
 
 Poising Exercises 
 
 A. Stand with the weight on the left foot. 
 Swing the right leg and right arm forward in 
 
 a diagonal line, letting the toe touch the floor in 
 a long advanced step. Without interrupting the 
 movement, transfer the weight to the advanced 
 foot as the arm rhythmically swings high above 
 the head, the hand raised, palm out. Then vig- 
 orously energize the entire body, and with a 
 springing movement push upward with the up- 
 lifted right hand and downward with the left. 
 The pushing movement will cause the toe of the 
 back foot, and sometimes the heel of the forward 
 foot, to lift from the floor. After holding this 
 extremely exhilarated position for a moment, 
 slightly relax, then push again and again. Re- 
 lax, and swing the arm and leg to place. Advance 
 the left foot, and repeat. 
 
 B. Stand with the weight on the left foot. 
 Swing the right foot and the right arm directly 
 
One's Best Physician 215 
 
 out at the side, letting the toe touch in a wide step. 
 Transfer the weight to that foot as the arm 
 swings high above the head, the hand up, the palm 
 facing outward. Keeping the face and trunk 
 squarely to the front, vigorously energize and 
 push outward with the uplifted right hand and 
 downward with the left hand. Slightly relax, and 
 push again and again. Then with the lightness 
 and rhythm of dancing, let the right arm sink 
 and the left one swing upward as the weight is 
 transferred to the left foot. Repeat as on the 
 right side. 
 
 Results 
 
 These poising exercises invigorate the entire 
 body, and bring a pull upon the oblique abdom- 
 inus muscles thereby keeping them toned up which 
 is essential to symmetry of form; they also length- 
 en the waist in front if the muscles there have 
 become cramped. 
 
 Arm-Pushing Exercise 
 
 Stand alertly poised, the head well raised, the 
 
 weight of the body being over the balls of the 
 feet. 
 
 Completely exhale by blowing the breath out 
 through the parted lips, then, inhaling through the 
 
 nostrils, energize the arms to the finger-tips and 
 
 raise them out at the sides, shoulder high, the 
 
2i6 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 palms facing downward. Hold the breath, and 
 slowly but energetically push the arms down as 
 if resisting a strong pressure from beneath. Keep 
 the body poised well forward, and lift the chest 
 and ribs very high as the arms finally straighten 
 in the downward push. Exhale, and repeat five 
 or six times without pausing. Then immediately 
 place the open hands at the sides of the body 
 somewhat above the waist line. If you exerted 
 sufiicient pressure in the downward movement of 
 the arms and hands, you will notice that the ac- 
 tion of the diaphragm is greatly increased. Its 
 bellows-like movements will be plainly noticeable 
 under the open hands for a minute or two follow- 
 ing the exercise. 
 
 Results 
 
 This simple exercise is one of the most ef- 
 fective means of obtaining this particular result, 
 i.e., marked activity of the diaphragm. It is also 
 a fine liver and digestive tonic. 
 
 Any person who does not habitually use the 
 diaphragm freely in breathing and in talking — 
 and vastly more adults do not than do — should 
 attentively practice this exercise for a number of 
 odd moments every day until the natural invol- 
 untary action of the diaphragm is re-established. 
 
 The habit of deep, diaphragmatic breathing is 
 but the outer correspondence of well-poised, sane 
 thought-habits. 
 
One's Best Physician 217 
 
 Lung-Bath Exercise 
 
 Stand with the weight well over the balls of 
 the feet, the torso inclined a little forward from 
 the hips, and the head well up. 
 
 Raise the arms at the sides, level with the shoul- 
 ders, the palms upward, while inhaling a full 
 chest breath. Retaining the breath, bend the fore- 
 arms inward raising the elbows very high, rise on 
 the balls of the feet, and lightly but firmly tap 
 the chest all over its surface with the finger-tips. 
 After a moment's percussion, exhale. Repeat 
 several times. 
 
 Leg-Swinging Play Movement 
 
 Stand with the weight on the right foot, being 
 careful not to bend forward even slightly during 
 the exercise. 
 
 Hold the left hand, palm downward, straight 
 out in front level with the shoulders. Keeping 
 the knee straight lightly swing the left foot up- 
 ward and touch the palm of the outstretched 
 hand several times. Transfer the weight to the 
 left foot, and repeat. 
 
 Include in this series: 
 
 Pinching-Spine Exercise, page 157, 
 Chest Mobility Exercise, page 137, 
 Quick-Step-and-Swing Exercise, page 131, and 
 All Relaxing Exercises. 
 
2i8 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 FOR STRENGTHENING LEG MUSCLES 
 
 AND FOR FLEXIBLE JOINTS OF 
 
 FEET AND LEGS 
 
 Equilibrium Exercise 
 
 Rise on the balls of the feet, neither foot be- 
 ing in advance of its mate. 
 
 Slowly and steadily sink by bending the kneet 
 until the upraised heels interfere with the down- 
 ward progress of the body. Then, with the same 
 slow, controlled movement, rise to your greatest 
 height — not allowing the heels to touch the floor 
 at any time. Repeat several times. 
 
 Throughout the exercise the body from the 
 hips upward must not be allowed to swerve from 
 a vertical line. It should also be kept free from 
 tension, for it has no working part in the exercise 
 but is merely carried up and down by the legs' 
 action. Fear of losing one's balance often causes 
 the torso muscles to become tense and braced, 
 ready to assist. The thought of fear must be kept 
 out of the mind by holding the thought of confi- 
 dence. Just remember that the leg muscles are the 
 largest of all of one's muscle servants, and com- 
 mand them to obey the dictates of the will. When 
 fear, either conscious or unconscious, is banished 
 from the mind, its response, muscular tension, will 
 not be manifested in the body. 
 
One's Best Physician 4 19 
 
 Many persons at first find it very difficult to 
 make this extreme knee-bending movement slowly 
 and steadily. This may be due to weak leg mus- 
 des, but the usual cause of failure is lack of con- 
 centration or of confidence. Leg muscles as well 
 as the mental faculties improve with vigorous use. 
 
 It is well to take this exercise before a mirror 
 for the slightest jerkiness of movement or devia- 
 tion of the torso from a straight line is easily re- 
 flected in its impartial face. 
 
 Knee-Swinging Exercise 
 
 Stand with the weight on the right foot. 
 
 Lift the left leg until the knee is in a line with 
 the hip, then swing the relaxed leg below the knee 
 back and forth until the muscles of the thigh are 
 fatigued. Relax and transfer weight to that foot. 
 Repeat on the other side. 
 
 Pivoting Exercise 
 
 A. Having a little wider base than usual, 
 stand with the weight resting equally on both feet. 
 
 Rise on the balls of the feet, and pivot slowly 
 to the right, transferring the weight entirely to 
 the right foot as you pivot. The right foot will 
 be directly in front of the left foot when a quarter 
 of a circle has been described. Prove that the 
 body rests only upon the advanced foot by lift- 
 
220 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 ing the other foot from the ground without sway- 
 ing the body forward; hold this position steadily 
 a moment. Then, resting the left foot upon the 
 floor, slowly pivot to the extreme left, transfer- 
 ring the weight to the left foot as you pivot; test 
 as before by lifting the back foot. After hold- 
 ing this animated position steadily for a moment, 
 pivot forward to the original position, and let 
 the heels lower. Repeat until you can pivot 
 steadily and with rhythmical ease. 
 
 B. Having a still wider base, pivot to the 
 right as before. Then kneel without changing the 
 position of the feet; rise with the weight entirely 
 over the forward foot. Pivot to the left side, 
 and repeat. Concentration of the attention and 
 practice will overcome any tendency to teeter 
 while pivoting. 
 
 Results 
 
 Pivoting exercises cultivate an easy action in 
 turning and in transferring the weight of the 
 body, as in changing the direction of the walk or 
 in simply turning around when not walking — an 
 act that is repeated many times daily, usually 
 with waste of force and with awkward appear- 
 ance. Kneeling strengthens the muscles of the 
 legs and the ankles, and disciplines them to act 
 independently of the rest of the body. 
 
 In picking up anything from the floor these 
 
One's Best Physician 221 
 
 muscles should do the work, the torso being en- 
 tirely free from action save as it may bend from 
 the hip joints to reach the object sought. When 
 one bends to the floor mainly from the waist, the 
 muscles of the back do the greater part of the 
 work, and the abdominal viscera are compressed. 
 Include in this series : 
 
 Play Movement for Twentieth day, page 81, 
 Play Movement for Twenty-ninth day, page 86, 
 Backward Kicking Exercise, page 204, 
 Lunging Exercise, page 207, 
 Ankle-Swaying Exercis£, page 125, 
 Hip-Bending Exercise, page 121, and 
 Rising and Sitting Exercise, page 141. 
 
 FOR EASE AND ECONOMY OF ENERGY 
 IN WALKING 
 
 Whoever would walk well must ( i ) stand well, 
 else it is impossible to balance the body in mo- 
 tion without enormous waste of energy; (2) 
 must have freedom of the hip-joints, else there is 
 restriction in the movements of the legs; and (3) 
 must be able to minimize the amount of energy ex- 
 pended in stepping. This last is the place where 
 most persons fail. They know that they ought to 
 step lightly, but do not know how to do so ex- 
 cept by tip-toe walking. The secret, however, is 
 
222 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 an open one; any one with a little patience can 
 form the habit of stepping lightly, economically, 
 gracefully. The main thing is to swing the leg 
 forward in each step with the least possible effort. 
 Let me illustrate the different degrees of en- 
 ergy that may be used in walking by asking you to 
 experiment on a simple arm movement made in 
 three different ways. Slackly close the right hand, 
 and, keeping the elbow close to the side, lift the 
 forearm until the closed hand is about level with 
 the shoulder. Bring the forearm down in quick 
 succession a number of times in three different 
 ways; first, vigorously as if striking a blow; sec- 
 ond, heavily as if the weight of the arm were a 
 conscious burden; and third, very lightly as If 
 dancing with the hand. The fatigue Induced by 
 two minutes' practice of the first two ways proves 
 that they require the expenditure of a compara- 
 tively large amount of energy, while no noticea- 
 ble fatigue follows a much longer practice of the 
 third movement. What is true of these arm 
 movements Is equally true of the different ways of 
 swinging the leg forward and bringing the foot 
 down In a step ; a few. minutes' attention will en- 
 able one instantaneously to change the vigorous or 
 the heavy, inert arm-strokes to the light, easy 
 ones. A similar ready control of energy must be 
 gained in swinging the legs forward In stepping. 
 But, first of all, there must be freedom at the hip 
 joints. 
 
One's Best Physician 223 
 
 Hip-Swinging Exercise 
 
 Stand alertly poised with the weight on the 
 left foot. 
 
 Swing the right leg from the hip freely back and 
 forth for ten seconds ; then swing it forward and 
 around the supporting leg in a semi-circle; and 
 from that point swing it around and back of the 
 supporting leg in nearly a full circle. Continue 
 swinging thus for half a minute. Transfer the 
 weight to the other foot, and repeat. 
 
 Results 
 
 Freedom at the hip joints and steadiness of 
 poise. Its mental effect is enlivening ; try it when 
 you feel dull and heavy. Just one minute given 
 to these leg-swinging movements in the morning 
 before dressing starts one out for the day with' a 
 feeling of buoyancy. 
 
 Preparatory Step Exercises 
 
 A. Advance the right foot and stand upon it, 
 the ball of the left foot remaining on the floor. 
 
 Using the least possible amount of energy — not 
 swaying the body or hitching the shoulders or 
 settling at the hips — swing the back leg forward 
 as if you were going to step, the heel touching the 
 floor, but the ball not quite doing so. Then swing 
 the same leg backward, letting only the ball of 
 
224 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 the foot touch the floor. Do this many times in 
 succession. Advance the left foot, and repeat. 
 
 The leg should swing forward so lightly — al- 
 beit, quickly — that the heel makes scarcely any 
 sound as it touches the floor. To contrast the 
 wrong way with the right way of doing this sim- 
 ple exercise, swing the leg vigorously forward, 
 letting the heel pound the floor. That is what 
 persons do who stand well but walk heavily. They 
 make a heavy gymnastic of an habitual movement 
 which should be the" easiest of light gymnastics. 
 
 B. Same position as in "J." 
 
 Swing the back leg forward, the heel only 
 touching the floor — the foot should be relaxed, 
 and the ball of it not more than half an Inch from 
 the floor; then with a rhythmical movement trans- 
 fer the weight of the body to the forward foot 
 coming down on the ball of that foot as the back 
 foot raises from the floor. Slowly continue this 
 exercise from conscious step to conscious step. 
 
 Note that while the heels naturally touch the 
 floor first, we really walk upon the balls of the 
 feet. When the heel of the leg which swings for- 
 ward touches the floor, the weight of the body Is 
 still on the other foot, and Is only transferred to 
 the forward foot as the \ ball of that foot comes 
 to the floor. 
 
 Master exercises "A" and "B," then walk, ex- 
 pending the least possible amount of energy. 
 
One's Best Physician 225 
 
 Hold the body easily poised and walk with a 
 free step, but keep the ear alert for thumping 
 heels. If they do thump, try gaining control of 
 the amount of energy used by consciously walking 
 very heavily, then lightly. If you cannot do this 
 latter after a few attempts, laugh at yourself, but 
 do not be discouraged. You must go back to 
 first principles and begin again, that's all. Make 
 the arm movements again, and note more atten- 
 tively how your will controls the amount of energy 
 expended, then say to yourself, "I can gain a simi- 
 lar control over the energy expended in the for- 
 ward swinging of the legs in stepping." You can, 
 and you will save time and strength in taking the 
 time to do so. 
 
 Walking Backward Exercise 
 
 Stand erect, weight on the right foot. 
 
 Easily swing the left leg backward, letting only 
 the toe touch the ground. Slowly transfer 
 the weight to this leg, and gradually yield the en- 
 tire foot to the ground. As the back foot is 
 pressed to the ground, raise the heel of the for- 
 ward foot and swing that leg back, thus making 
 a continuous backward walk. 
 
 A gentle rhythmic motion characterizes this ex- 
 ercise, there being no break between the succes- 
 sive steps. The top of the head will describe an 
 undulatory line. If one walks gently backward 
 
226 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 for a few minutes and then immediately walks 
 forward, a buoyant rhythmical movement will be 
 carried over from the backward walk into the 
 first few steps of the forward one. With prac- 
 tice, this may become habitual. When taken slow- 
 ly this exercise produces a soothing effect, and will 
 often dispel headache — ^pain in the temples or the 
 forehead. 
 
 "The regular rhythm of walking acts like a nar- 
 cotic on an excited mind, which reacts to it un- 
 consciously. Rhythmical movements tend to con- 
 serve psychic as well as physical force."* 
 
 FOR OVERCOMING CHILLINESS AND 
 PREVENTING COLDS 
 
 A person who feels chilly should at once scent 
 danger, not from afar, but close at hand — ^within 
 his own organism. Either some resident germs 
 have taken up arms against him or some infec- 
 tious germs from without are attacking him. Self- 
 protection requires immediate action — positive ac- 
 tion. There's no use in parleying with such ad- 
 versaries. Here is a place where might is the 
 only right, and we must pit our power of resist- 
 ance against their power of attack. 
 
 Our bulwarks are vigorous exercise and fresh 
 air — plenty of each. Open the windows, top and 
 
 *Groos, The Play of Man. 
 
One's Best Physician 227 
 
 bottom, energetically "stiffen the sinews" as for 
 an oncoming battle and exercise until the body is 
 in a glow, or better still, in a perspiration if it 
 can be induced, and then to bed for a few hours or 
 a day, if circumstances permit. If this first means 
 of resistance — rest which fortifies by nourishing 
 and refunding the cells with energy — is not Im- 
 mediately possible, then keep the body positive 
 by uplifted attitude, alert movements and dynamic 
 breathing. 
 
 Not infrequently, a cold can be breathed away. 
 Most persons habitually use only a small portion 
 of their lungs. It Is not so much a change of cli- 
 mate as a change in one's manner of breathing 
 that is needed to overcome a tendency to colds. 
 "The only reason a draft ever hurts is because we 
 are full of self-poisons or germs. Keep clean both 
 externally and internally; externally by cold bath- 
 ing, internally by exercise. If we keep ourselves 
 vigorous, clean and well ventilated, we can prac- 
 tically defy the "cold" devil and all his works."* 
 
 Hand-Relaxing Exercise 
 
 Stand alertly erect. 
 
 Inhale deeply, and forcibly agitate the relaxed 
 hands until they feel heavy and lifeless. Shake 
 them forward and backward, laterally, and In cir- 
 cles. Extend the arms in front, at the sides and 
 
 ♦Hutchinson, Preventable Diseases. 
 
228 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 over the head, and shake the hands in all direc- 
 tions. Exhale whenever necessary but quickly in- 
 hale again. 
 
 Results 
 
 If taken vigorously enough and always on a 
 held breath, these hand-shaking movements will 
 quickly put a feeling of chilliness to rout. 
 
 Hopping rapidly first on one foot and then on 
 the other, and breathing with forced energy will 
 have a similar effect. 
 
 Shoulder-Shaving Exercise 
 
 Standing, energize the muscles of the trunk — 
 especially lifting the ribs high — ^keep the head 
 well up, and incline the trunk slightly forward 
 from the hips. 
 
 Simultanepusly, rise on the balls of the feet, 
 raise the arms at the sides, shoulder high, the 
 palms upward, and inhale. Then firmly closing 
 the hands and stretching the arms to the greatest 
 possible extent, vigorously rotate the arms back- 
 ward from the shoulders in very small circles fif- 
 teen or twenty times. The amount of air in the 
 lungs should be augmented during the exercise 
 by means of little sniffing breaths. Exhale, and 
 relax a moment. 
 
 Repeat the exercise until the body is in a health- 
 ful glow. 
 
One's Best Physician 229 
 
 Single-Nostril Breathing Exercise 
 
 Sit erectly poised, well forward in the chair. 
 
 Place the thumb of the right hand on the right 
 side of the nose closing that nostril with a slight 
 pressure. Inhale slowly but very fully through 
 the left nostril, and, at the same time, rhythm- 
 ically raise the left arm high above the head. In 
 sympathy with the upward movement of the arm, 
 the whole torso should also rise as high as it 
 possibly can without lifting the body entirely away 
 from the chair. When the inhalation and bodily 
 •uplift reach their maximum, close the left nostril 
 by placing the forefinger upon it, and remove the 
 thumb from the right nostril. Slowly exhale 
 through the right nostril as the arm rhythmically 
 descends. Take at least ten breaths through the 
 left nostril, then close that nostril by the thumb 
 of left hand, and inhale through the right nostril 
 as many more times. 
 
 Results 
 
 An immediate stimulation of the nasal passages 
 is produced by this concentrated breathing; more 
 poison is driven out of the system than by or- 
 dinary breathing, and all of the muscles of the 
 torso are awakened and put on guard against 
 succumbing to the effects of unfriendly mi- 
 crobes. 
 
230 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 Pinching-Spine Exercise 
 
 Stand with the body well poised forward from 
 the hips, the ribs being lifted high. 
 
 Inhale, and raise the shoulders as near to the 
 ears as possible. Then, with intense energy, as if 
 resisting a strong pressure, simultaneously, crowd 
 the shoulders slowly back and down, and push 
 the chest extremely out and up, the head being 
 held well up. Maintain this energized position 
 for several moments, then exhale quickly, and 
 slightly relax the shoulders. After a moment's 
 rest, inhale, and very forcibly push the shoulders 
 back, again pinching the spine; as it were, in the 
 process. Repeat this latter movement four or 
 five times, then release the general tension and 
 allow the body to come to a buoyant, normal at- 
 titude. 
 
 Repeat the exercise until a positive glow, or 
 warmth, is felt between the shoulders. Some per- 
 sons feel this sensation very soon, others only 
 after eight or more repetitions of the exercise, and 
 in some cases where the spinal condition is leth- 
 argic, it is only apparent after repeated trials of 
 many days. No one should be discouraged, how- 
 ever, because every pinch is beneficial whether the 
 noticeable glow results or not. 
 
 Were it not for Emerson's advice about "the 
 force of understatement," one would be tempted 
 to use superlatives freely in speaking of the bene- 
 
One's Best Physician 231 
 
 fits of this simple exercise — an exercise so quickly 
 taken that any one of whatever calling can easily 
 include it in his or her list of odd moment ex- 
 ercises. 
 
 Results 
 
 A richer supply of blood is brought to the 
 spinal region where the center of the Sympathetic 
 Nervous System is located; the functioning of the 
 vital organs which are acted upon by these same 
 sympathetic nerves is inevitably affected by what- 
 ever affects their source, hence, the activity of 
 liver, pancreas, stomach, heart, bowels is indirect- 
 ly augmented; besides, the back is flattened, the 
 chest expanded, and the upper parts of the lungs 
 are vigorously vitalized. 
 
 Because of the stimulation given to the spinal 
 nerves in connection with rapid, full breaths, it is 
 one of the very best physiological remedies for 
 warding off a cold. It is almost a sure prevention 
 if taken vigorously upon the appearance of the 
 first symptom of a drop in physical resistance, 
 namely, a shiver, a sneeze, a pinched, blue facial 
 expression, or sudden depression of spirits. 
 
 Chest-Widening-and-Deepemng Exercise 
 
 A. Stand alert with the body slightly bent for- 
 ward from the hips. 
 
 Inhale, and raise the arms in front, shoulder 
 
232 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 higK, parallel to each other. Retaining the 
 breath, swing the arms up close beside the head, 
 bending the head backward and the body some- 
 what forward. Exhale as the arms descend to 
 their original position. Repeat eight or ten times. 
 
 B. Stand alert with the body slightly bent 
 forward from the hips. 
 
 Inhale, and raise the arms at sides, shoulder 
 high. Retaining the breath, swing the arms up 
 close beside the head, bending the head backward 
 and the body somewhat forward at the same time. 
 Exhale as the arms descend to their original posi- 
 tions. Repeat eight or ten times. 
 
 C. Sit very erect, and well forward in your 
 chair. 
 
 Inhale, and raise the arms in front, shoulder 
 high, parallel to each other, the palms facing out. 
 Retaining the breath, force the arms backward 
 as if resisting a strong pressure, raising the head 
 and chest very high, and slightly swaying forward 
 from the hips. Relax as the arms descend to 
 their original position. Repeat eight or ten times. 
 
 In all of these exercises, inhale forcibly and 
 make the arm movements with energy and rapid- 
 ity when the object is especially to overcome chilli- 
 ness. 
 
 Any vigorous exercise that quickly speeds the 
 blbod through its innumerable channels, and aug- 
 ments the respiration will serve to discourage an 
 
One's Best Physician 233 
 
 approaching cold. Bending the knees rapidly, 
 hopping on first one foot and then on the other for 
 three minutes or a good brisk run out of doors 
 are excellent. 
 
 FOR IMPROVING THE HEART ACTION 
 
 Here is a place where we are skating on thin 
 ice and must be very cautious, but oftentimes our 
 life depends upon our continuing to skate. 
 
 It is a grave mistake to think that because the 
 heart's action is weak one should avoid any extra 
 physical exertion. The only protection and 
 chance for improvement frequently lie in giving 
 this marvelous four-chambered muscle graduated 
 and reasonable increase of work to do. What is 
 to be guarded against is sudden stressful demands 
 upon it. The best way of meeting such emergen- 
 cies is to prepare for them. The heart must be 
 accustomed to little playful spurts of effort, that 
 shall make it ready to respond without injury to 
 the unaccustomed demand. The same treatment 
 holds good with hearts of normal strength; keep 
 them so by a little defensive extra work in times 
 of peace. 
 
 It should be needless to say, but to be on the 
 safe side, we will say, never take any vigorous 
 exercise of any kind, whatsoever, if the heart be 
 organically weak or seriously affected, without 
 first consulting a physician. 
 
234 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 The exercises which one should take, at first, 
 when the heart action is weak are feet and leg 
 exercises, relaxing and tranquil breathing exer- 
 cises, contraction of the abdominal and back mus- 
 cles, taken sitting, and only light, rhythmical 
 movements of the arms in planes not higher than 
 the level of the head. A list of some of these 
 follows. Those to be avoided are energetic 
 movements of the trunk muscles especially of the 
 shoulders and chest, all that require the arms to 
 be raised high, and such breathing exercises as 
 greatly stimulate the circulation. 
 
 Only one specific exercise is here outlined. It 
 is the one prescribed by Dr. Oetel, a physician of 
 Munich, of whose cures by Walking and breathing 
 in rhythmic beat wonderful reports are written. 
 Certainly, the following is an exercise that brings 
 excellent results not only for asthmatic and weak- 
 of-heart persons, but for those of ordinary heart 
 reliability as well. 
 
 Rhythmic Walking and Breathing Exercise 
 
 Walking slowly, inhale as the right foot touches 
 the ground; retain that breath until the right foot 
 again swings forward, then exhale; do not inhale 
 again until the right foot again swings forward 
 and touches the ground. In other words, inhale 
 and exhale, alternately, as the right foot swings 
 forward. Make the time of your step exactly co- 
 
One's Best Physician 235 
 
 incide with the time of your breathing. This will 
 be more easily accomplished if you take a longer 
 step than is your habit. 
 
 If you are naturally a rapid, nervous walker, 
 then vary the breathing rhythm as follows: In- 
 hale as the right foot swings forward, and do not 
 exhale until you have taken another step on that 
 foot and it swings forward a second time; then 
 exhale, and do not inhale until the right foot 
 swings forward the second time. 
 
 For steep climbing, inhale vigorously as the left 
 foot touches the ground, and exhale as the right 
 one does, or, one breath — inhalation and exhala- 
 tion — for each step. 
 
 You will be surprised at the endurance this ex- 
 ercise gives after even a few days' trial. The ex- 
 planation is simple. The attention given to the 
 act of breathing, and the slow, measured rhythm 
 causes an unusual amount of oxygen to be pumped 
 into the lungs. And oxygen is the great energy- 
 liberating power. If your heart is weak, or if 
 you are so short of breath that you cannot climb 
 or walk any distance, just test this rational means 
 of increasing your endurance. It will require a 
 little patience, that's all; to encourage that state 
 of mind is not adverse to health. 
 
 Include in this series : 
 Play Movements 
 
 Seventh Day, page 74, 
 
 Twenty-fourth Day, page 83, 
 
236 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 Twenty-ninth Day, page 86, and 
 
 Thirtieth Day, page 86. 
 
 Back-Contracting Exercise, page 138, 
 Tranquil Breathing Exercise, page 150, and 
 Hip-Swinging Exercise, page 223. 
 
 FOR PREVENTING AND ALLEVIATING 
 HEADACHE 
 
 Headaches are one of the. most common phys- 
 ical danger signals given for our protection. It 
 is for us to heed their warning and to find out 
 what particular wreckage, obstruction or unusual 
 condition they flag. It may be an oncoming cold 
 or fever, it frequently is hunger, overeating, 'a dis- 
 ordered stomach or sluggish liver or bowels; 
 worry, nervous ofBciousness, grief, and anger 
 which interfere with the nourishment of the body 
 are insidious causes; eye-strain which is spe- 
 cialized fatigue; in fact, fatigue of any kind — 
 physical, mental or emotional—is a predisposing 
 cause to headache. Have you never felt battered, 
 sort of black and blue in your energies, after a 
 stormy emotional interview, whether the issue 
 were love, loyalty, religion or graft? 
 
 Nearly all causes of headache might be blank- 
 eted under one word, self-poison, i.e., poison gen- 
 erated in the tissues by their own activities, and 
 carried in excessive amount to the brain or to the 
 
One's Best Physician 237 
 
 cranial nerves. "The pain, or headache, instead 
 of being inside the skull is often outside of it in 
 the sensitive nerves supplying the scalp."* The 
 cure, obviously, is, get rid of the accumulated 
 poison. Rest usually is an invaluable means to 
 that end, feet and leg exercises sometimes are, 
 and breathing always is. 
 
 The different circulatory conditions that ac- 
 company headache, will help to determine its 
 treatment. Commonly there is an undue amount 
 of blood in the head and the extremities are cold ; 
 then, again, the blood seems to recede from the 
 entire surface of the body, the head included, 
 leaving the sufferer's face pallid. A general chilli- 
 ness or feeling of low vitality frequently accom- 
 panies this latter condition. At such times, ex- 
 ercise frequently works wonder-cures on aching 
 heads. Five or ten minutes of general exercise 
 of the legs, arms and trunk will always assist na- 
 ture In re-establishing normal conditions. When 
 there is an undue amount of blood in the head, 
 leg exercises are helpful In equalizing the circula- 
 tion and In ridding the brain, nerves and muscles 
 of poison, but lifting and tensing exercises of the 
 arms, chest and shoulders, and all body-bending 
 or twisting exercises should be avoided. 
 
 Breathing is the most direct way of ridding our 
 system of the poison which has found its way 
 
 *HuTCHiNSON, Preventable Diseases. 
 
238 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 from the tissues into the circulation. Fortunate- 
 ly, our volition can immediately augment this in- 
 voluntary act. Always, of course, it is the extra 
 breathing of fresh air that aids nature; the 
 darkened room, with its closed windows, is like 
 a defiance to nature's restorative processes. If 
 you have not yet attained to the tent-on-the-roof 
 habit, or to a sleeping room or couch on the porch, 
 you can, at least, open the windows wide and let 
 the sun-purified air abound. When you lie down, 
 relax — ^relax every muscle, even those of the face, 
 relax the jaw, the eyelids — and breathe. Take 
 deep, diaphragmatic breaths. Feel the lower ribs 
 gently distend at the sides as the diaphragm 
 pumps the air into the lungs, then feel them relax 
 as the air is exhaled. Breathe yourself to sleep, 
 and sleep yourself free from headache. 
 
 After the ache, or the pain of the poison, has 
 been overcome, the origin of it should be sought 
 out and dealt with. How many times we hear the 
 false statement, "It's nothing but a headache." 
 In truth, it is always something else. 
 
 Leg-Tensing Exercise 
 
 Lying or sitting, stretch the muscles of the legs 
 by pushing vigorously first with the heels, then 
 with the toes. Move the feet at the ankles, draw 
 the toes in and under, and again push with the 
 heels, and then with the toes. 
 
One's Best Physician 239 
 
 Concentrating tiie attention upon the circulation 
 of the feet oftentimes will help in dispelling men- 
 tal tension. Persons whose work does not permit 
 of their lying down even for a couple of hours, 
 no matter how the head may ache, can often find 
 relief by this simple exercise which tends to equal- 
 ize the circulation. A little practice will make one 
 expert in taking it even while sitting at desk or 
 typewriter. 
 
 Foot-Lifting Exercise 
 
 Stand with the weight over both heels. 
 
 Lift and lower the balls of the feet in quick 
 succession ten or fifteen times. Then sway the 
 weight over on the balls of the feet. Lightly lift 
 and lower the heels until it is painful to do so. 
 
 Tension-Lessening Exercise 
 
 Lying or sitting, concentrate as much energy 
 as you can in the finger-tips, and firmly press the 
 upper part of the neck with them about midway 
 between the ears and spine where a large cranial 
 nerve is situated. Continue the pressure of the 
 fingers upward to the crown of the head. 
 
 A firm and quieting pressure, self-administered 
 or by another, will often relieve a head throbbing 
 to the bursting point, whereas superficial massage 
 
240 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 of the fussy order is only a further aggravation 
 to the hypersensitive nerves. 
 
 Spinal Massage Exercise 
 
 Stand with the body poised alertly forward 
 from the hips, the ribs well lifted and the head 
 tipped somewhat backward. 
 
 Place the finger-tips of each hand on either 
 side of the spinal column at the upper part of 
 the back of the neck, the elbows pointing directly 
 forward. Energize all of the muscles of the 
 trunk vigorously by an act of will, lifting the 
 chest and ribs high. Slowly and forcefully crowd 
 the elbows backward, exerting a firm pressure of 
 the fingers against the spine. Hold for a mo- 
 ment, then relax and rest for a moment. Re- 
 energize, and repeat. Next, let the finger-tips 
 creep downward one measure of their width. Re- 
 peat the former energization, pressure, and re- 
 laxation. Continue the creeping downward of 
 the finger-tips as far as it is possible to reach. 
 After which, throw the hands under the arms and 
 reach high up the back, placing the balls of the 
 thumbs on either side of the spine. Energize, 
 exert pressure of the thumbs, relax and rest, and 
 re-energize as before. Slip the thumbs one notch 
 lower, and repeat. Continue in this manner until 
 the entire spinal keyboard has been played upon. 
 
 Walking backward slowly and rhythmically 
 
One's Best Physician 241 
 
 which kneads the feet and quiets the nerves, will 
 sometimes dispel an approaching headache. (See 
 Walking Backward Exercise, page 225.) 
 
 FOR OVERCOMING PAIN AT BASE OF 
 THE BRAIN 
 
 N eck-Bending-and- Turning Exercise 
 
 Sit erect with the legs and arms relaxed, and 
 the head well poised. 
 
 Slowly turn the head until it is directly over the 
 right shoulder, then bend it backward in a diag- 
 onal line until the face is turned directly toward 
 the ceiling. Keeping the rest of the body sta- 
 tionary and the face persistently toward the ceil- 
 ing, very slowly but with energy rotate the head 
 around to the left shoulder. Bend the face down 
 close to the left shoulder, raise the head and tip 
 it far back; do this several times, then rotate the 
 head around to the right shoulder, keeping the 
 face toward the ceiling. Bend the face to the 
 shoulder and backward as before; raise the 
 head, and slowly turn it forward to its normal 
 position. 
 
 Results 
 
 This exercise by stimulating local circulation 
 relieves pain at the base of the brain; it stimu- 
 
242 Daily Ways tp Health 
 
 lates the glands of the neck region, and'keeps the 
 neck muscles from becoming weak and flaccid. 
 If these are daily exercised and kept firm there 
 will be no opportunity for the storing up of fat- 
 cells in this region which means a double chin. 
 
 Neck-Pressure Exercise 
 
 Stand or sit with the spine erect. 
 
 Relax the neck and drop the head forward un- 
 til the chin rests on the chest. Place the hands, 
 one palm over the other at the back of the neck; 
 exert a strong pressure with them as you force- 
 fully raise the head until it bends considerably 
 backward. The ribs and chest will lift sympa- 
 thetically as the head is forced upward and back- 
 ward. Relax, and repeat several times in suc- 
 cession. 
 
 Results 
 
 The benefits of this exercise are usually at once 
 apparent when one is suffering — as so many do — 
 from a deadening pain at the base of the brain. 
 The muscles of the neck will be less tense, the 
 local circulation will be stimulated as evidenced 
 by the rosy skin, and the pain will be lessened if 
 not entirely dissipated. The pain is but the warn- 
 ing cry of danger of this very sensitive nerve- 
 center. It signifies congestion, usually fatigue- 
 congestion. The forceful resistancci of the neck- 
 
One's Best Physician 243 
 
 muscles against the strong pressure from without 
 causes a redistribution of energy and of blood in 
 that region, and so tends to free the inhibitions. 
 
 A simple remedy for an insidious and danger- 
 ous state of "nerves" ! It should be taken at the 
 approach of the pain, and should always be fol- 
 lowed by a period of complete relaxation. . 
 
 Include in this series : 
 
 Walking Backward Exercise, page 225, 
 Pinching-Spine Exercise, page 157, 
 Back-Contracting Exercise, page 138, and 
 Spinal-Massage Exercise, page 240. 
 
 FOR RELIEVING EYE-STRAIN 
 
 Eye-Pressure Exercise 
 
 In the midst of your most trying hour of the 
 day, sit quietly for a moment and close the eyes. 
 Place the thumb and middle finger, respectively, 
 on the outer sides of the eyeballs. Gently but 
 firmly press against the eyeballs for a moment; 
 then relax the pressure, and lightly pass the 
 thumb and finger inward over the eyes before 
 opening them. 
 
 Results 
 
 This affords relief to the much overtaxed optic 
 nerves, and it forces a little relaxation of some of 
 
244 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 the muscles of the eyes, which are habitually on 
 the strain. 
 
 Eyes-and-H e ad-Relaxing Exercise 
 
 Sit in a restful position with the head easily 
 poised. 
 
 Look fixedly at some one point in front of you, 
 and exhale slowly by very softly saying o as in 
 who; without letting your gaze waver, repeat 
 three times. After the third exhalation, let the 
 eyelids droop heavily, the lower jaw relax and 
 fall, and the head gently lower until the chin rests 
 upon the chest. Then very easily and gently roll 
 the head toward the right shoulder, then forward 
 from right to left, and again to the right; finally, 
 roll it entirely around, being very careful to avoid 
 strain or any jerking movement. As the head 
 comes forward let it hang pendant for a moment, 
 then with a scarcely perceptible movement raise 
 it to its upright normal poise, the eyelids and 
 lower jaw being still relaxed. Last, heavily lift 
 the eyelids, and close the mouth. 
 
 Results 
 
 If the eyelids and lower jaw were released from 
 tension — not simply put in the desired positions — 
 the effect on the feelings will be conclusive evi- 
 dence of the correspondence between outer mani- 
 festations and inner states. One will look and 
 
One's Best Physician 245 
 
 feel stupid, absolutely without nervous response 
 of any kind. This means two or three minutes of 
 real rest — minutes of body and brain recupera- 
 tion, and of protection against eye-strain. 
 
 After this exercise has been practiced for two 
 or three minutes by a large class of men and 
 women, the general feeling of drowsiness which 
 pervades the class is convincing proof that rest- 
 ful nerve states can be wooed. 
 
 FOR AVOIDING RHEUMATIC CONDI- 
 TIONS 
 
 The best protection against rheumatism is 
 whatever tends to keep the blood in the best con- 
 dition for rheumatism is primarily a blood dis- 
 ease. 
 
 First of all among preventive and alleviating 
 agencies is abundant oxygen. This is a direct 
 blood vitalizer. Therefore, let no one who has 
 rheumatic tendencies be niggardly in his breath- 
 ing. After breathing, come wholesome food thor- 
 oughly masticated, or "Fletcherized,"* generous 
 amount of pure water between meals, and all the 
 exercise possible, even if it costs effort and causes 
 pain. 
 
 Exercise is helpful in two ways: First, be- 
 cause it increases the circulation and respiration 
 
 Fletcher, The A. B. Z. of Our Nutrition. 
 
246 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 which augments oxygen consumption, and, sec- 
 ond, because it keeps the muscles and joints in 
 some degree resistant to the contracting and stiff- 
 ening effects of rheumatism. 
 
 Backward-Kicking Exercise 
 
 Stand with the feet in the natural position, 
 weight on one foot. 
 
 Place the hands lightly on the hips, and poise 
 the body well forward, the chest being raised high. 
 In quick succession, kick vigorously backward and 
 upward from the knee, alternately, with one foot 
 and then the other, twenty or more times. 
 
 Finger-Play Movement. 
 
 Stretch your arms straight out in front, shoul- 
 der high; quickly open and close the fingers with 
 great energy until from fatigue they refuse to 
 play further. 
 
 Results 
 
 This exercise is effective in keeping the joints 
 free from calcareous deposits, and in keeping the 
 hands young, flexible and expressive. It is espe- 
 cially protective to typewriters, telegraphers, and 
 others whose work demands the same contrac- 
 tions of the fingers over and over again — con- 
 tractions inward, never outward. 
 
One's, Best Physician 247 
 
 Leg^Tensing Exercise 
 
 Sit well back in your chair, and relax the trunk 
 muscles and the arms. 
 
 Lift both legs straight out in front, level with 
 the hips, and energize vigorously. Push with the 
 heels— push with the toes. Move the toes about 
 — rotate the feet from the ankles. Relax, and 
 let the legs drop. Repeat several times. 
 
 Results 
 
 This exercise increases the circulation in the 
 feet and legs, and stretches the ligaments and 
 muscles of the legs. Any one with a tendency to 
 rheumatism, gout or cramping of leg muscles 
 should devote many an odd moment to it. Hours 
 of pain may sometimes be prevented by so doing. 
 
 Knee-Bending Exercises 
 
 A. Stand with one foot advanced as in an ar- 
 rested step, the weight being equally over both 
 feet, and rise on the balls of the feet. 
 
 Keeping the heels raised, bend and straighten 
 the knees rapidly, in playful mood, until a slight 
 fatigue is felt in the calves of the legs. Relax, 
 and bring the foot to place. Advance the other 
 foot, and repeat. 
 
 B. Stand on the balls of both feet, neither 
 foot being in advance of the other. 
 
248 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 Keeping the heels off the floor, slowly and 
 steadily sink by bending the knees as far as possi- 
 ble without tipping forward from the hips. Rise 
 slowly, and repeat several times. 
 
 Finger-Pressure Exercise 1 
 
 Standing or sitting, lift the ribs very high. 
 
 Raise the elbows level with the shoulders, and, 
 spreading the fingers apart, bring the ends of 
 the corresponding fingers of each hand together 
 in front of the chest, being sure to keep the palms 
 well apart. Simultaneously, inhale quickly, and 
 with great energy exert a sudden pressure of e:;ch 
 finger against its opposing member. This tenses, 
 or braces, all of the arm and hand muscles into 
 rigidity. The hands should not be allowed to 
 yield even slightly at the joints of the hand and 
 fingers, instead, the palms are spread a little 
 farther apart with the pressure than they were 
 before. Hold a moment, exhale, and repeat many 
 times in quick succession. 
 
 Results 
 
 This is an anti-gout and rheumatic exercise. 
 The severe strain brought upon all the joints of 
 the hands greatly increases the local circulation, 
 and helps to keep the joints flexible and resistant 
 to calcareous deposits. 
 
One's Best Physician 249 
 
 Include in this series: 
 Arm-Pushing Exercise, page 151, 
 Broken-Waist Exercise, page 191, and 
 Liver-Pommeling Exercise, page 191. 
 
 FOR CORRECTING UNEFENNESS OF 
 SHOULDERS AND HIPS 
 
 Usually, when one shoulder is lower than the 
 other, the hip on the side of the sagging shoulder 
 is more prominent than the other, the rib space 
 between the shoulder and hip is contracted, and 
 the blade of the opposite shoulder is unduly 
 prominent. 
 
 Sometimes the cause of these defects is some 
 spinal difficulty; if so, a physician should prescribe 
 the course of treatment for each individual case. 
 In the great majority of cases of uneven shoul- 
 ders, bad poise in standing and sitting, carrying 
 weights as school-books or tools habitually with 
 one arm, or vocations which cause the over-devel- 
 opment of the muscles on one side of the body, 
 are the cause. The remedy is not so easy to 
 name; sometimes the best that can be done is to 
 arrest the progress of the deformity. The fol- 
 lowing exercises, faithfully practiced, are always 
 beneficial, and sometimes bring about normal con- 
 ditions, or nearly so. 
 
2j;o Daily Ways to Health 
 
 Drooping-Shoulder Exercises 
 
 A. If the right shoulder is the lower one — as 
 it commonly is — stand with the weight entirely 
 upon the right foot. 
 
 Lift the ribs on that side as high as you can; 
 then raise the right arm directly up close beside 
 the head, and the left arm out at the side level 
 with the shoulder, closing both hands tightly. In- 
 hale, press backward with the left arm, stretch 
 energetically upward on the right side, and at the 
 same time vigorously rotate the uplifted arm back- 
 ward and outward in extremely small circles. Ex- 
 hale, and slightly relax for a moment, then re- 
 peat several times, using all the energy that you 
 can command. 
 
 B. Stand squarely on both feet. 
 
 Keeping the body steadily poised, fling the arm 
 on the side of the drooping shoulder with great 
 energy over the head. Repeat twelve or fifteen 
 times and at frequent intervals. 
 
 C. Raise the drooping shoulder slightly above 
 its normal level. Tense the arm and trunk mus- 
 cles on that side, and, holding the chest and head 
 well up, walk animatedly, or better yet, run for 
 three minutes; be sure to keep the arm and trunk 
 muscles vigorously contracted during the walking 
 or running. Do this several times daily. 
 
 D. Stand with the body slightly tipped for- 
 
One's Best Physician 251 
 
 ward from the hips. Closing the hands and flex- 
 ing the arms so that the hands are close to the 
 shoulders, bring the arms up at the sides, shoul- 
 der high. Then quickly, with energy, thrust the 
 arm on the side of the lower shoulder up close 
 beside the head, and the other arm with equal 
 energy down beside the body. 
 
 E. Watch your habitual positions. When 
 standing make it your habit to maintain the weight 
 on the leg having the lower hip ; when sitting in- 
 cline away from the drooping shoulder instead of 
 toward it, as the tendency will be to do. Good 
 habitual poise will do much to correct the mis- 
 chief wrought by bad poise. 
 
 FOR FLEXIBILITY OF THE HANDS 
 
 The effects of hard work that cramps and 
 stiffens the hands and fingers, and the tendency to 
 enlargement of the finger-joints from rheumatic 
 and gouty conditions of the blood can be less- 
 ened, at least, by localized exercises. These must 
 be of a nature to stretch the ligaments and mus- 
 cles on the inner side of the hand — ^just the oppo- 
 site of the stretch and contraction which are 
 necessary in all ordinary uses of the hands, and 
 to create an active circulation in the joints, thus 
 making unfavorable conditions for the stiffening 
 of their ligaments and for calcareous deposits. 
 
252 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 Finger-Flinging Exercise 
 
 Close the fingers easily on the palm. 
 
 Concentrate your attention upon the hand, and 
 fling the fingers out and wide apart with all the 
 energy you can drive into them. Quickly close, 
 and again fling the fingers. Repeat until the fa- 
 tigue of the forearm causes you to stop. 
 
 Finger-Stretching Exercise 
 
 Place the ends of the thumbs together and the 
 ends of the forefingers together; give a sudden, 
 strong pressure pitting the strength of one hand 
 against that of the other. Relax, and, keeping 
 the thumbs together, place the ends of the middle 
 fingers together, and proceed as before. Do the 
 same, in turn, with the third, and the little fingers. 
 
 Results 
 
 This exercise especially plays upon the hand 
 knuckles, and stretches the muscle insertions of 
 the fingers, giving to the fingers flexibility and a 
 big reach. Pianists whose hands are firmly knit 
 will find this exercise very helpful. 
 
 'Hand-Relaxing Exercise 
 
 Stand or sit with the body In good poise, the 
 arms hanging at the sides. 
 
One's Best Physician 253 
 
 Inhale, and forcibly agitate the hands until 
 they feel heavy and lifeless; shake them forward 
 and backward, laterally, and in inward and out- 
 ward circles. Extend the arms in front, at the 
 sides, and over the head, and shake the hands in 
 all directions in each position. Exhale whenever 
 necessary, but always quickly inhale again. 
 
 Results 
 
 This exercise increases the circulation of the 
 hands, and removes all nervous tension from 
 them. The hands being the direct agents of the 
 mind unmistakably report mental strain and agi- 
 tation by their tension and restlessness. They are 
 sometimes the most difficult members to make re- 
 poseful, but it is possible for every one to form 
 the habit of instantaneously withdrawing the su- 
 perfluous energy from them. 
 
 Include in this series: 
 
 Finger-Pressure Exercise, page 161. 
 
 FOR DEVELOPING SYMMETRICAL 
 ARMS 
 
 These exercises aim for results quite different 
 from those sought by athletes or by those who 
 are in training for unusual strength of the arms 
 for some special purpose. In such cases, vigorous 
 contracting exercises are the ones that quickly 
 
254 'Daily Ways to Health 
 
 bring the biceps and triceps into prominence — in 
 strength and size. Here our object is normal 
 strength, firmness of texture, and symmetrical, 
 rounded development of all of the arm muscles. 
 
 Arm-Twisting Exercise 
 
 Stand erect, the ribs lifted high. 
 
 Stretch the arms out at the sides, shoulder high, 
 the palms up. Inhale, and with great energy 
 quickly twist the arms forward, under and back- 
 ward. Hold this position of tension a moment, 
 then relax, the arms untwisting, and the palms 
 again facing upward. Repeat eight or ten 
 times. 
 
 Hand-Bending Exercise 
 
 Close the hand firmly, the thumb over the fin- 
 gers. (Never allow yourself to form the weak, 
 self-shielding habit of holding the hands closed 
 with the thumb in. The thumb falling inward 
 always denotes weakness of some kind.) Very 
 energetically bend the hand upon the wrist in all 
 directions. 
 
 Results 
 
 Such bendings of the hand contract and develop 
 the muscles of the forearms, just as the bending 
 of the forearm at the elbow, contracts and de- 
 
One's Best Physician 255 
 
 velops the big muscles of the upper arm. Vigor- 
 ous use of the fingers also develops the muscles of 
 the forearm. Professional pianists and mas- 
 seurs have well-rounded forearms. 
 Include in this series : 
 
 Finger-Flinging Exercise, page 252, 
 Ail-Around Exercise, page 211, 
 Hand-Resistance Exercise, page 163, and 
 Vibratory Exercises, page 207. 
 
 FOR KEEPING NECK MUSCLES FIRM 
 AND PREVENTING DOUBLE CHIN 
 
 The various sets of neck muscles are so ar- 
 ranged as to admit of the head being moved in 
 many different ways and directions, but the occu- 
 pations and the emotions of most persons' daily 
 lives usually call upon these neck muscles for only 
 slight movement in a very few directions. The 
 result is the unvarying one that follows non-use 
 of any part of the body, namely, deterioration. 
 This is why the necks of so many women are old- 
 looking before their faces are. The deterioration 
 of these inadequately exercised muscles is shown 
 either in weak flaccid muscles or in muscles en- 
 cumbered with fat-cells as in a double-chin. 
 
 Oftentimes there will be this local deposit of 
 fat-cells in and around the chin and neck muscles 
 when the rest of the body is not unduly stout. This 
 
256 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 is because this is a region where areolar tissue — 
 the natural storage place of fat-cells — abounds, 
 and because the under-chin muscles are so at- 
 tached as to have great freedom, greater. In fact, 
 than any other muscles in the body have — ^which 
 makes it impossible to contract them to any 
 marked degree either directly by the will or by 
 exercises. And contraction is the direct way to 
 make muscles firm and strong. Stretching is the 
 best that can be done for. these under-chin mus- 
 cles; they must be stretched frequently In every 
 direction by turning and twisting and rolling and 
 bending the head. 
 
 Neck-Tension Exercise 
 
 Sitting erect, bend considerably forward from 
 the hips. 
 
 Lift the ribs very high, tense all the muscles of 
 the neck, and bend the head diagonally down to- 
 wards the chest as if overcoming a strong resist- 
 ance, then lift it to a normal poise in the same 
 tense way; bend it in this way to each side; then 
 bend it diagonally back In a similar manner to 
 each side. 
 
 Dr. J. Madison Taylor, In The Popular Sci- 
 ence Monthly, says: "I have often been surprised 
 and gratified to find that regular movements of 
 the neck and upper truncal muscles, employed for 
 the purpose of accomplishing something else, re- 
 
One's Best Physician 257 
 
 suited in a conspicuous improvement in hearing, 
 in vision, in cerebration, and, as a consequence, 
 in a betterment in cerebral circulation, also in 
 sleep." 
 
 Hip-Bending Exercise 
 
 Place the hands lightly upon the hips. 
 
 Keeping the knees straight, bend easily for- 
 ward from the hips until the line of the back is 
 at a right angle with the line of the legs; as the 
 trunk descends, the head inclines proportionately 
 backward. Maintain this position, and slowly 
 turn the head until the chin is over the right 
 shoulder, then turn it in the opposite direction 
 until it Is over the left shoulder, then turn it 
 squarely front again, and raise the torso. As the 
 torso approaches an upright position, stretch the 
 muscles of the back of the neck in an effort to 
 push the crown of the head upward. 
 
 Results 
 
 The muscles of the neck are rigidly contracted, 
 which makes for the strength necessary for main- 
 taining the head in good poise, and the muscles 
 under the chin are well stretched by this exercise. 
 
 Include in this series: 
 
 Neck-Pressure Exercise, page 156, and 
 
 N eck-Bending-and-Turning Exercise, page 241. 
 
258 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 FOR FORTIFYING THROAT AND PRE- 
 VENTING DEAFNESS 
 
 One of the most frequent causes of deafness is 
 the thickening of the membrane of the ear. This 
 makes it less responsive to sound vibrations that 
 beat upon it from without. Such thickening of 
 the membrane is usually gradual as in old-age 
 deafness, but it may be sudden as in acute attacks 
 of deafness resulting from a cold or from con- 
 gestion. In the latter instances, one of the most 
 effective treatments employed by throat and ear 
 specialists is to force air into the inner ear^through 
 the eustachian tube — ^the canal which connects the 
 inner ear with the nasal passages. To accom- 
 plish this, the tube of a bulb syringe is placed in 
 one of the nostrils of the patient who is directed 
 to swallow — ^which act closes the air-passage to 
 the lungs — at the moment that the air is pressed 
 out of the bulb and forced into the air chambers 
 of the head. 
 
 A somewhat similar limbering up of this mem- 
 brane of the ear can be effected by the following 
 breathing exercises. 
 
 Ear-Drum Exercise 
 
 Sit in an easy, erect position. 
 
 Place one hand on the abdomen and the other 
 
One's Best Physician 259 
 
 at the side of the body where the action of the 
 diaphragm can be observed. Fill the lower parts 
 of the lungs first; as they fill there will be an out- 
 ward movement of the muscles under each hand. 
 When these parts are expanded as much as possi- 
 ble, continue inhaling very gently and steadily 
 until the upper parts of the lungs are fully in- 
 flated. 
 
 One must be very careful not to contract in the 
 slightest degree the muscles under the hands dur- 
 ing the inflation of the upper part of the lungs. 
 When the lungs are inflated to their capacity's 
 limit hold the breath — ^the nostrils may be closed 
 by pressure of thumb and finger — vigorously con- 
 tract the abdominal muscles trying to force the 
 breath out through the closed nostrils, at the same 
 time, trying to swallow. Hold the breath, and 
 keep the abdominal muscles rigid while you think 
 ten or fifteen counts. 
 
 Results 
 
 The immediate physical effects will be a no- 
 ticeable pressure in the ears caused by the air be- 
 ing forced into the eustachian tube, a feeling of 
 openness in the air-chambers of the head, and an 
 invigoration of the muscles of the throat. 
 
 A Minor Benefit: Those unbecoming hollows 
 just above the collar bone which often make an 
 otherwise pretty neck, ugly, can best be overcome 
 by the faithful practice of this exercise — ^pro- 
 
26o Daily Ways to Health 
 
 vided, of course, that the body is well poised and 
 the chest alive, not depressed or sunken. The 
 apexes of the lungs lie very close to the collar 
 bone. When they are not well developed, or, if 
 well developed, are not kept active by some high 
 chest breathing, the muscular tissues associated 
 with them naturally suffer; they become flaccid 
 and thinner even than they normally are. In the 
 foregoing exercise, a puffing out of the flesh just 
 above the collar bone can be seen at the instant of 
 the contraction of the abdominal muscles ; this is 
 because the air is forced into the apexes of the 
 lungs. 
 
 Suppressed Yawn Exercise 
 
 This is simply a full chest breath followed by 
 a big yawn which is suppressed, or denied free 
 play, by keeping the mouth closed; a yawn in 
 which all the muscles of the torso are stretched 
 upward, the throat muscles extremely energized 
 and the hyoid muscles — those inner muscles where 
 the throat and head seem to join — are forced vig- 
 orously downward. 
 
 Results 
 
 If the breath is full enough and the impulse to 
 yawn energetic enough, some amount of air will 
 be forced into the eustachian tube and against the 
 ear-drum as in the preceding exercise. The most 
 
One's Best Physician 261 
 
 positive benefit, however, is to the tissues of the 
 throat. To appreciate how much the hyoid mus- 
 cles are brought into play, observe their action 
 and degree of rigidity by placing the fingers at 
 the back part of the chin during the yawn. There 
 should be a marked lowering and hardening of the 
 muscles at this point. This activity means that 
 the hyoid muscles and their associated muscles re- 
 ceive a richer supply of nerve stimulation and of 
 blood than would otherwise ever be sent to them. 
 Such wholesome invigoration persistently prac- 
 ticed will strengthen all of the throat muscles and 
 keep them habitually in resistant, condition. This 
 is the best safeguard against hoarseness, inflamma- 
 tion, sore throat, and throat affections in general 
 that can be prescribed. 
 
 Let no one doubt the efficiency of this natural 
 protection against minor throat affections- 
 hoarseness, inflammation, sore throat — ^because it 
 is so simple. Just test it, that's the profitable way. 
 Make it your habit to force a yawn several times 
 a day, and suppress it by compressing the lips, 
 then lift the ribs high, and twist the head in all 
 directions, thus stimulating the many glands of the 
 throat and neck. This is not only a safeguard 
 against throat affections, but sometimes is a dispel- 
 ler of them in their incipient stages. 
 
262 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 FOR OVERCOMING INSOMNIA 
 
 If you would break up the habit of insomma- 
 begin before breakfast. Go out of doors, and, 
 lifting your ribs high and taking heavy, forced 
 breaths, walk briskly for five or ten minutes. 
 Never mind if you are — or if the you of yesterday 
 were — one of those persons who cannot do any- 
 thing before breakfast, who must have a cup of 
 coffee "first off" else headache or dizziness re- 
 sults. What you need is a change in your wak- 
 ing up stimulant; the drinking man's "eye-opener" 
 is his stimulant, coffee is yours — a direct heart 
 stimulant. "Pull yourself together" without the 
 coffee ; let the first stimulant your energies receive 
 be a natural one — one that leaves no depression 
 after the first effects have worn off. Five minutes 
 of stimulation by breathing and leg exercises will 
 give you a new relish for your coffee, for your 
 breakfast as a whole, and for the day's oppor- 
 tunities. If your head insists upon aching for a 
 day or so while your system is adjusting itself to 
 your better ways of beginning the day, why, let it 
 ache; it is doubtless an old offender, but by over- 
 coming insomnia you are on the road to its refor- 
 mation, also. 
 
 During the day, spend all the time you can. 
 
One's Best Physician 263 
 
 command out of doors. Drive, motor, lie in the 
 hammock or sit on the porch — fur-wrapped, if 
 necessary — or, best of all, walk. Supplant the 
 house-habit by the out-ot-door habit. In the 
 evening — no matter what the state of the weather 
 — ^walk until you are muscle weary. For the last 
 fifteen minutes of your walk, give undivided at- 
 tention to making the rhythm of your breathing 
 harmonize with the rhythm of your step. 
 
 Rhythmic Walking and Breathing Exercise 
 
 Walking slowly, inhale as the right foot touches 
 the ground; retain that breath until the right foot 
 again swings forward, then exhale; do not inhale 
 again until the right foot again swings forward 
 and touches the ground. In other words, inhale 
 and exhale, alternately, as the right foot swings 
 forward. Make the time of your step exactly co- 
 incide with the time of your breathing. This will 
 be more easily accomplished if you take a longer 
 step than is your habit. 
 
 "Tired nature's sweet restorer" is decoyed in 
 three ways by this exercise : by the effect it has on 
 the circulation, by the effect of its rhythm upon 
 the nervous system, and by the concentration de- 
 manded in holding one's attention to breathing 
 and stepping in unison. 
 
 Further seductive conditions for inducing sleep 
 can be made by special exercises. First, however, 
 
264 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 make your mental attitude favorable to letting go 
 of day affairs. Tell that overactive, fussy brain 
 of yours that you detest "tedious old fools," and 
 that it shall not act like one; that you will not 
 allow it garrulously to rehearse the details of 
 dead days nor to pry into the affairs of the un- 
 born days. Tell it that you have no interest in 
 any one's problems, your own included, at ten 
 post meridian; that you have an appointment 
 about that time with sleep. Then yawn in the 
 face of all visible and invisible claimants for your 
 attention. Yawn again and again as you leisurely 
 make ready for bed. "Hurry to bed" is bad ad- 
 vice; we shouldn't hurry, we should dawdle — ^lit- 
 erally, make haste slowly. 
 
 Feet Play Movements 
 
 After all your preparations for retiring are 
 made, if your feet are cold, very rapidly do each 
 of these leg movements twenty or more times: 
 (a) Raise and lower the heels of the feet, (b) 
 raise and lower the balls of the feet, (c) bend 
 and straighten the knees, and (d) kick backward 
 from the knees. Repeat these play movements 
 until your warm feet cry, "Enough." 
 
 Breathing and Concentration Exercise 
 
 Standing or sitting, maintain the trunk and 
 head in an erect but not tense position ; let the 
 
One's Best Physician 265 
 
 eyelids droop, and completely relax the lower jaw 
 — the teeth being parted one-half an inch or 
 more. 
 
 Heavily lift the arms shoulder high, the fore- 
 arms being bent inward near the chest, and the 
 hands hanging limply from the wrists. At this 
 point, begin exhaling almost imperceptibly 
 through the relaxed open mouth — the breath be- 
 ing governed by the diaphragm which is held in 
 its flat, or work, position — and, at the same time, 
 slowly raise the arms until they are above the 
 head, then gradually rotate them outward and let 
 them very gently begin to sink. Continue the 
 downward movement as long as the one slow ex- 
 halation can be sustained. When the breath is 
 exhausted, drop the arms inertly, and release the 
 diaphragm. A deep inflowing of air will spon- 
 taneously follow. 
 
 Do not allow the mind to wander off or to be- 
 come interested in any objective appeal, not even 
 in the effects of the exercise itself, but hold it 
 concentratedly to the performance of the exercise. 
 Repeat several times. 
 
 Results 
 
 If all of the conditions are faithfully fulfilled, 
 namely, the unswerving control of breath at the 
 diaphragm, the rhythmical movement of the arms, 
 the semi-relaxed eyelids and the completely re- 
 laxed lower jaw, during eight or ten extremely 
 
266 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 slow exhalations, the whole nervous system will 
 be soothed, the muscular tensions lessened, and a 
 restful drowsiness induced. 
 
 Brain Stupefying Exercise 
 
 Sit erect, letting the feet easily rest upon the 
 floor, and the arms hang relaxed at the sides. 
 
 Look steadily in front of you at the place where 
 the side-wall joins the ceiling, while taking five 
 slow, heavy breaths. Then let the eyelids droop 
 heavily, the head sink gently until the chin rests 
 upon the chest; after which, as if the weight of the 
 head dragged the shoulders forward, relax the 
 upper back, then almost imperceptibly yield at the 
 hip joints and very slowly sway the torso forward 
 until you are lying down in your own lap — the 
 head hanging below the knees, and the relaxed 
 arms dragging down from the shoulders. In lift- 
 ing the torso, reverse the order of movement ; the 
 hip joints act first, and gradually the spinal col- 
 umn regains its double curve which lifts the 
 chest, last of all the head with an extremely slow, 
 steady motion lifts to its normal position, and the 
 eyelids languidly open as do a baby's when the 
 little one seems unwilling to surrender to heavy 
 drowsiness. Complete the exercise by a lazy, long 
 inhalation. 
 
 Taking this exercise once should occupy three 
 minutes; it must be one continuous rhythmical 
 
One's Best Physician 267 
 
 movement — not a series of little jerks. Not more 
 than three or four repetitions should be neces- 
 sary to produce a degree of drowsiness which 
 will enable one unreservedly to relax and sleep. 
 
 Results 
 
 This exercise concentrates the attention, soothes 
 the nerves, and has a soporific effect upon the 
 brain. The pendulous position of the head causes 
 more blood than is normal to remain in the blood- 
 vessels of the brain; they become distended and 
 by/ their pressure upon the brain produce a semi- 
 stupor. The immediate effect is similar to that 
 produced by most drugs given to quiet the brain, 
 but there are none of the evil after-effects of those 
 drugs, because the exercise produces only a slight 
 distension of the blood vessels which relaxes soon 
 after the head is on the pillow. During those 
 few moments of mental dullness, however, the 
 goddess of sleep may claim her own. 
 
 If one does not drop off to sleep after taking 
 the Brain Stupefying Exercise, the attention 
 should be directed immediately to one's res- 
 piration; take twenty or thirty long tranquil 
 breaths. 
 
 Tranquil, or Normal, Breathing Exercise 
 
 Lying prone upon the back or sitting with the 
 bade supported, place one hand on the chest and 
 
268 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 one on the abdomen just forward of one of the 
 hip joints. 
 
 Keeping the chest perfectly quiet, slowly exhale 
 the breath by softly making the sound of o as in 
 who. The abdominal muscles under the hand 
 in front of the hip-joint will gradually contract 
 during the exhalation. Continue exhaling until 
 you can no longer do so without allowing the 
 chest to sink, then completely relax the abdom- 
 inal muscles — which means the relaxation of the 
 diaphragm, the real muscle of respiration — ^thus 
 making the conditions for the refilling of the 
 lungs without any effort on your part. 
 
 Many persons find that at first they have no 
 control over the different muscles; that the chest 
 will move, that the rib and abdominal muscles are 
 disinclined to action. But by practice and con- 
 centration of thought, control can be acquired.' 
 
 Should you have the habit of sleeping two or 
 three hours and then of being wakeful for succeed- 
 ing hours, change your vibrations by the following 
 exercise. 
 
 Recumbent Arm-Lifting Exercise 
 
 Lying in an easy position, slowly raise one arm 
 very high, the hand being relaxed. 
 
 More slowly still lower the arm, letting the fin- 
 gers touch the covering first, then the hand, the 
 forearm, successively; last, the nerve-force is en- 
 
One's Best Physician 269 
 
 tirely released and the whole arm rests. Accom- 
 pany the exercise with heavy, slow breaths, men- 
 tally saying, "rest, relaxation, recuperation." Re- 
 peat several times, making the movement more 
 slowly each time. 
 
 This exercise is an excellent one for nervous 
 persons to practice at any time; the reciprocal ac- 
 tion of the mind and body is evidenced by the 
 quieting effect that five minutes' practice of it will 
 produce when one is nearly distraught with half 
 a dozen perplexing things that crowd for imme- 
 diate attention. The slower and more sustained 
 the movement, the greater is the nerve-control. 
 
 Recumbent Stretching Exercise 
 
 Lying flat upon the back with the arms straight 
 at the sides, push vigorously downward with the 
 legs and arms, and, at the same time, contract the 
 muscles of the back. Inhale, and hold this tense 
 position while mentally saying, "perfect circula- 
 tion, health, harmony." Exhale slowly, and re- 
 lax. Repeat ten to twenty times. 
 
 Results 
 
 This exercise will often induce sleep, as it equal- 
 izes the circulation, and tends to overcome nerv- 
 ous restlessness. Concentrating the attention 
 upon health conditions to the exclusion of all 
 
270 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 other thoughts is an order of auto-suggestion to 
 which the nervous system readily responds. 
 
 'Recumbent Chest-Raising Exercise 
 
 Lie flat upon the back without any pillow. Rest- 
 ing the weight of the body upon the head and hips, 
 contract the back muscles, thus raising the shoul- 
 der zone two to four inches from the bed or floor. 
 Hold it uplifted for a few moments, then relax, 
 and rest a moment. Repeat several times. 
 
 Recumbent Hip-Raising Exercise 
 
 Lie flat upon the back without any pillow. Rest- 
 ing the weight of the body upon the shoulders 
 and heels, contract the back muscles, thus raising 
 the hip zone of the body several inches from the 
 bed or the floor. Hold this energized position a 
 few seconds, then relax, and rest a moment. Re- 
 peat several times. 
 
 The harder the surface upon which one lies 
 for these two spinal exercises, the easier to take 
 them and the better the results. 
 
 •Results ' 
 
 Some of these are: (i) Strengthening the 
 erector spinae muscles; (2) invigo ration of the spi- 
 nal nerves, which, in turn, correspondingly affect 
 all of the digestive processes; (3) relief of brain 
 
One's Best Physician 271 
 
 strain or pressure; (4) betterment of the circu- 
 lation, and (5) as a result of all the foregoing 
 plus the muscular fatigue which these exercises 
 induce, the overcoming of wakefulness. 
 
 If, after all your persuading, sleep still evades 
 you "agree with thine adversary" graciously, if 
 not quickly. Say, "It's all right whether I sleep 
 or not. I will lie here perfectly relaxed, and 
 have a good time in re-seeing in imagination some 
 mountain view or storm at sea or wondrous sun- 
 set — anything that is big and impersonal." Sleep 
 hovers close to moments of such indolent sensu- 
 ousness ; moreover, they yield a large measure of 
 recuperation even if one does not lose conscious- 
 ness. 
 
 Above all, do not look upon yourself as a vic- 
 tim of insomnia because you have an occasional 
 wakeful two or three hours, or even a night of 
 sleeplessness. Insomnia is not an incidental hap- 
 pening, it is a recurrent state which sometimes 
 will not yield to anything except the establish- 
 ment of the outdoor habit. 
 
 FOR OVERCOMING MAL-MENTAL 
 STATES 
 
 "If the native energy of his soul flag, let a man 
 impose upon himself conditions that will demand 
 its expenditure — let him seek circumstances in 
 
272 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 which his volition is unavoidable! It is an old 
 and true observation that the traveler and the 
 bridegroom are generally immune to disease and 
 death."* 
 
 Mental states can be recast by bodily activity. 
 Exercises which are expressive of freedom, self- 
 confidence and enthusiasm repeated over and over 
 again, make easy-traveled roads between the 
 brain-centres associated with the higher emo- 
 tional states and their bodily responses. When 
 such ready co-ordination exists, the least stimulus 
 in the right direction makes it easy to change one's 
 menacing mood or one's bodily expression ; makes 
 it easy to say when the fatal line of least resist- 
 ance entices one, "Satan, get thee behind me!" 
 Not only to say but to carry the thought of self- 
 protection over into the health-protecting act. It 
 is surrendering to disadvantageous moods that un- 
 dermines health and character. 
 
 When you feel "the blues" or other unfriendly 
 mental states approaching, shut the door in their 
 faces, and direct your energy into wholesome 
 bodily activity. 
 
 Quick Step and Swing Exercise 
 
 Standing on the left foot, lightly spring diag- 
 onally forward on the right foot, and swing the 
 
 *Feuchtersleben, Health and Suggestiotk 
 
One's Best Physician 273 
 
 right arm forward and upward high above the 
 head; inhale as you do so. Making the movement 
 continuous and rhythmical as in dancing, quickly 
 sway back to the left foot, bringing the right foot 
 to place beside it and the right arm down; exhale 
 as you do so. Without interrupting the move- 
 ment, repeat until your nerves are exhilarated. 
 Stand on the right foot, and repeat. 
 
 Minuet Walking Exercise 
 
 Stand alertly poised on one foot. 
 
 Swing the other leg well forward and upward, 
 bending the knee, and pointing the toe downward 
 and out. Without interrupting the rhythmical 
 movement, bring the leg inward to the length of 
 an easy step, and sway forward on the toes of 
 that foot, thus advancing a step. Swing the other 
 leg forward and continue the rhythmical move- 
 ment. Walk for a minute in such buoyant fash- 
 ion — not allowing the heels to touch the floor. 
 Then walk naturally, and note how free and light 
 your step is for a few steps, at least. 
 
 Quick-Command Exercise 
 
 Stand well poised, the weight being over the 
 ball of one foot. Keep the other members of the 
 body perfectly quiet while you move the free leg 
 lightly and very quickly in many directions. Move 
 it forward, first touching the toe to the floor, then 
 
274 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 the heel, and then the whole foot; move it out at 
 the side, forward, back; cross it over the other 
 leg, and bring it to place; lift the thigh, the leg 
 below the knee being relaxed, until the knee is on 
 a line with the hip, then bring the foot down, 
 the toe touching the floor; then lift it again and 
 bring it down, the heel lightly touching first. 
 
 It is much better if this play exercise be prac- 
 ticed with some one else, or better stijl, with sev- 
 eral others. Let one person give the commands 
 for the various changes which the others follow, 
 vying with each other to excel in quickness, and 
 accuracy. 
 
 Also practice different movements of the arms 
 as right arm up, left arm out in front; left arm 
 out at side, right arm out in front, and other com- 
 binations. All must be executed without an in- 
 stant's hesitation. 
 
 Knee-to-Chest Exercise 
 
 Stand with the body well poised forward from 
 the hips, ribs uplifted, and the weight resting 
 wholly on the left foot. 
 
 Lift the right leg as high as can be done with- 
 out strain, letting the leg below the knee hang re- 
 laxed and free. Maintain this position a mo- 
 ment — remembering that a fine balance of the 
 body is primarily a matter of concentration of the 
 mind — then release the energy at the hip and let 
 
One's Best Physician 275 
 
 the leg fall, relaxed. Repeat several times, aim- 
 ing each time to lift the leg higher and nearer to 
 the chest. Finally, as the leg is lifted clasp the 
 hands around the knee and force it up to the chest 
 — the body not being allowed to bend even slight- 
 ly forward to meet it. Hold this position as long 
 as the balance can be maintained, then release the 
 knee and let the leg fall relaxed as before. 
 
 Repeat ten times in quick succession with that 
 leg, then immediately transfer the weight of the 
 body to it, lift the left leg, and proceed as before. 
 
 After one has gained the concentration, poise 
 and freedom essential to the easy execution of this 
 exercise without bending the body forward from 
 the hips ever so little, the beneficial effects can be 
 greatly increased by lifting the knees to the chept 
 in rapid alternations, say, twenty or thirty times. 
 
 Results 
 
 This is a fine stimulant to all of the vital func- 
 tions. It especially augments the amount of 
 nerve energy and blood in the abdominal region 
 and the legs. The rapidity and unusualness of 
 the movements tend to banish the self-centered 
 and melancholy thoughts. 
 
 Include in this series: 
 
 Lung-Bath Exercise, page 167, 
 Lunging Exercise, page 207, 
 Backward-Kicking Exercise, page 204, and 
 Rhythmical Body-Bending, page 132. 
 
276 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 FOR GENERAL DAILY PRACTICE 
 
 Said a lady, obese and goUty, when walking 
 was recommended as a remedy, "Oh, I can't do 
 that. What would become of the horses I They 
 have to be exercised." 
 
 Carriages, automobiles, street cars, elevators 
 are the expedient way, the time saving way, but 
 they make the need of daily directed exercise 
 much more a necessity than it was in the days 
 when man depended upon his own physical ma- 
 chine as his chief means of locomotion. Every 
 person who today is well should give five or ten 
 minutes out of the day's one thousand four hun- 
 dred and forty minutes to insuring his health for 
 tomorrow. 
 
 As the best results are obtained from exercise 
 that engages the attention, one should never do 
 the same exercises over and over until they be- 
 come practically automatic, no matter how ex- 
 cellent such exercises may be in themselves. The 
 person who boasts that he has practiced three or 
 four exercises regularly for twenty years has 
 had a dull time of it, and, moreover, he has re- 
 ceived less benefit than would have been received 
 by practicing forty different exercises, three or 
 four at a time, each set for a period of a month 
 or so during the twenty years. There are over 
 four hundred muscles In the human body; adults 
 
One's Best Physician 277 
 
 must take many different exercises in order to 
 give these muscles half the chance for health 
 which they receive from the twisting, pulling, 
 kneading, contracting and stretching of child- 
 hood's play. 
 
 Note: The following four sets of exercises 
 are suggested as daily practice for those who are 
 in good health and would hold their own or im- 
 prove upon themselves with the passing years. 
 Each set contains some one or more of the dif- 
 ferent kinds of exercises — breathing, contract- 
 ing, relaxing, stretching and rhythmical — and 
 each results in a £ne invigoration of all parts of 
 the body. 
 
 It is suggested that the first set be practiced 
 for a month or so, then the second, third and 
 fourth, each for a like period. After which, the 
 first set again or some new set which you may 
 arrange from these sets or from other exercises 
 not included in them. Such variation of one's 
 practice protects one from the loss of attentive 
 interest in it. Dr. William G. Anderson, Direc- 
 tor of Yale Gymnasium, says: "If two men ex- 
 ercise the arm and thorax, taking the same exer- 
 cises, one standing before a large looking-glass, 
 the other not, th^ former will show a higher 
 center of gravity than the latter, indicating a 
 richer blood supply to the parts exercised- Thi§ 
 
278 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 is merely another illustration of conscious versus 
 mechanical methods of exercise." 
 
 Daily Practice Exercises. Set I 
 
 1. Stand erect, and lift the ribs high. Inhale, 
 and stretch the arms straight out at the sides, 
 level with the shoulders. Bending slightly 
 forward from the hips, energize vigorously 
 to the finger-tips; hold for a moment, then 
 exhale, and slightly relax. Inhale again, en- 
 ergize and stretch still farther. Repeat three 
 or four times. Rest a moment, then stretch 
 the arms up close beside the head, and pro- 
 ceed as before. 
 
 2. Hip-Bending Exercise, page 121. 
 
 3. Lung-Bath Exercise, page 167. 
 
 4. Held-out Breath Exercise, page 152. 
 
 5. Wifidmill Exercise, page 178. 
 
 6. Eye-and-Head-Relaxing Exercise, page 244. 
 
 7. Broken-Waist Exercise, page 191. 
 
 8. Rib-Expansion Exercise, page 164. 
 
 9. Backward-Kicking Exercise, page 204. 
 10. Quick Step and Swing Exercise, page 131. 
 
 Daily Practice Exercises. Set II 
 
 I. Standing lightly poised, swing the arms in 
 and up, high above the head. Then stretch 
 
!Dne's Best Physician 279 
 
 every muscle as they swing out and down 
 in a big circle. Repeat three or four times. 
 
 2. Heel, Instep and Toe Exercise, page 181. 
 
 3. Rapid Knee-Bending Exercise, page 201. 
 
 4. AU-Around Exercise, page 211. 
 
 5. Torso- Rolling Exercise, page 201. 
 
 6. Breathing and Concentration Exercise, 
 page 146. 
 
 7. Front-Rib Lifting Exercise, page 194. 
 
 8. Back-Rib Lifting Exercise, page 154. 
 
 9. Liver-Pommeling Exercise, page 191. 
 
 10. Single-Nostril Breathing Exercise, page 173. 
 
 Daily Practice Exercises. Set III 
 
 1. Stand erect, inhale and quickly §tretch the 
 arms up close beside the head, hold for a 
 moment and then relax. Alternate with 
 the right and left arm several times, stretch- 
 ing very high. 
 
 2. Arm-Pushing Exercise, page 15 1. 
 
 3. Poising Exercises, page 184. 
 
 4. Knee-to-Chest Exercise, page 202. 
 
 5. Side-Relaxing Exercise, page 182. 
 
 6. Toe-Touching Exercise, page 177, 
 
 7. Finger-Pressure Exercise, page 161. 
 
 8. Packing-Breath Exercises, page 168. 
 
 9. Abdominal Contraction Exercise, page 205. 
 10. Feet- Warming Exercises, page 206. 
 
'28o Daily Ways to Health 
 
 ^aily Practice Exercises. Set IV 
 
 I, Stretch in any and every direction with 
 every member of the body, at the same time 
 open the mouth and take a big, deep breath. 
 Repeat two or three times. 
 Knee-Bending Exercise, page 247. 
 Waist-Twisting Exercise, page 180. 
 Back-Relaxing Exercise, page 186. 
 Vibratory Exercises, p^ge 207. 
 Chest Mobility Exercise, page 137. 
 Back-Contraction Exercise, page 138. 
 Knee-Kicking Exercise, page 201. 
 Finger-Pressure Exercise, page 161. 
 Rhythmical Body-Bending Exercise, page 
 132. 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 6 
 
 7 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 10, 
 
XI 
 
 OUTLINE FOR CLASS LESSONS 
 
 Long experience in teaching health classes com- 
 posed of members having great diversity of needs 
 has proven that a course of lessons yields the best 
 results when the work begins with the foundation 
 for the right use of the body — i.e., standing poise 
 — and proceeds from day to day in a certain log- 
 ical sequence. 
 
 The following lesson outlines give series of ex- 
 ercises which either relate to the specific topic of 
 the day's lesson or that are quite unrelated to that 
 topic; in the latter instance, they forward the 
 day's particular work by giving relief from it. 
 With exercise practice, as with any work, frequent 
 respites from one line of activity are essential to 
 the best ultimate results. Professor James quotes 
 one German writer as saying, "We learn to swim 
 in the winter and to skate in the summer." 
 
 More exercises are given in each series than 
 can be thoroughly developed in one short lesson 
 hour. Each teacher can select from these such 
 as best meet the needs of his or her different 
 
 28l 
 
282 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 classes; or, if the class meets for twenty or more 
 lessons, each of these day's outlines will easily 
 afford work for two days' lessons. 
 
 Reviewing the exercises of previous lessons 
 again and again is not only helpful, but is abso- 
 lutely necessary for making new "pathways" to- 
 ward health in our nerve-cells. 
 
 Every lesson, after the first one, should com- 
 mence with a few easy exercises or play move- 
 ments from preceding lessons. The attention 
 will be less taxed and also the final results will be 
 better, if the work of each day is relieved by re- 
 view exercises interspersed between the new ones. 
 The review exercises selected in each instance 
 should be of such a nature as to afford relief from 
 the new. work immediately preceding; for instance, 
 if the new exercise has been one which vigorously 
 engages the back and trunk muscles, let the review 
 exercise be one that engages the leg muscles or a 
 relaxation exercise. 
 
 LESSON I 
 
 Rea'd topic, Standing, page 46. 
 
 Exercises 
 
 1. Play Movement-'— Twenty-seventh Day, 
 page 85. 
 
 2. Hip-Bending Exercises, A and B, page 121. 
 
Outline for Class Lessons aS^ 
 
 3. Play Movement — Fifteenth Day, page 78. 
 
 4. Play Movement — Twenty-second Day, page 
 82. 
 
 5. Ankle-Swaying Exercises, A and B, page 
 
 125- 
 
 6. Normal Poise Movement, page 122. 
 
 7. Play Movement — Seventh Day, page 74. 
 
 8. Play Movement — First Day, page 71. 
 
 9. Spinal Play Movement — page 157. 
 10. Swaying Play Movement — page 136. 
 
 Study topic, For Establishing Good Stand- 
 ing Poise, page 1 20. 
 
 LESSON II 
 
 Read Chapter, "Kinds and Significance of Ex- 
 ercise." 
 
 Exercises 
 
 1. Review Lesson I. 
 
 2. Rib-Expansion Exercises, page 164. 
 
 3. Play Movement — Twenty-ninth Day, page 
 86. 
 
 4. Broken-Waist Exercise, page 191. 
 
 5. Pinching-Spine Exercise, page 157. 
 
 6. Play Movement — Fourth Day, page 72. 
 
 7. Quick-Command Exercises, page 129. 
 
 8. Transferring Weight Exercise, page 126. 
 
 9. Equilibrium Exercise, page 218. 
 
 10. Play Movement — Eighth Day, page 74. 
 
284 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 Study Chapter, "The Diaphragm, Back and 
 Abdominal Muscles," page 89. 
 
 LESSON III 
 
 Read topic, Relaxation, page 41. 
 
 Exercises 
 
 1. Review. 
 
 2. Hand-Relaxing Exercises, page 227. 
 
 3. Arm-Relaxing Exercises, A and B, page 143. 
 
 4. Leg-Relaxing Exercise, page 145. 
 
 5. Play Movement — Ninth Day, page 75. 
 
 6. Play Movement — ^Twenty-fourth Day, page 
 
 83- 
 
 7. Eyes-and-Head-Relaxing Exercise, page 
 
 244. 
 
 8. Torso-Relaxing Exercise, page 145. 
 
 9. Breathing and Concentration Exercise, page 
 146. 
 
 10. Backward-Kicking Exercise, page 204. 
 
 Study topics, For Preventing and Overcom- 
 ing Nervousness, page 142, and For Keep- 
 ing Young and Overcoming Setness, page 
 210. 
 
 LESSON IV 
 
 Read topic. Sitting, page 50. 
 Exercises 
 I. Review. 
 
Outline for Class Lessons 285 
 
 2. Shoulder-Shaving Exercise, page 159. 
 
 3. Chest Mobility Exercise, page 137. 
 
 4. Back-Contracting Exercise, page 138. 
 
 5. Play Movement — ^Twenty-fifth Day, page 
 84. • 
 
 6. Back Resting Exercise, page 134. 
 
 7. Neck-Pressure Exercise, page 156. 
 
 8. Quick Step and Swing Exercise, page 131. 
 
 9. Play Movement — ^Twenty-eighth Day, page 
 
 85. 
 10. Hip-Bending Exercise, page 121. 
 
 Study topic. For Establishing Good Sitting 
 Poise, page 134. 
 
 LESSON V 
 
 Read topic, Breathing, page 35. 
 
 Exercises 
 
 1 . Review. 
 
 2. Play Movement — Sixth Day, page 73. 
 
 3. Single-Nostril Breathing Exercise, page 173. 
 
 4. Suppressed Yawn Exercise, page 260. 
 
 5. Tranquil Breathing Exercise, page 150. 
 
 6. Play Movement — Sixteenth Day, page 79. 
 
 7. ArmrPushing Exercise, page 151. 
 
 8. Lung-Bath Exercise, page 167. 
 
 9. Play Movement — Eighteenth Day, page 80. 
 
 10. Play Movement for Buoyancy, page 128. 
 
286 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 Study topic, For Breathing Abundantly, 
 page 148. 
 
 LESSON VI 
 
 Read topic, Corpulency, page 55. 
 
 Exercises 
 
 1. Review. 
 
 2. AU-Around Exercise, page 211. 
 
 3. Side-Relaxing Exercise, page 182. 
 
 4. Torso Play Movement, page 188. 
 
 5. Abdominal Contraction Exercise, page 205. 
 
 6. Play Movement — Third Day, page 72. 
 
 7. Poising Exercises, A and B, page 1 84. 
 
 8. Back-Relaxing Exercise, A, page 186. 
 
 9. Play Movement — Second Day, page 71. 
 10. Play Movement — Fourteenth Day, page 78. 
 
 Study topic. For Strengthening the Abdomi- 
 nal Muscles, page 175. 
 
 LESSON VII 
 
 Read Chapter, "Keeping One's Body at Par," 
 page 289. 
 
 Exercises 
 
 1 . Review. 
 
 2. Windmill Exercises, A and B, page 178. 
 
 3. Play Movement — Tenth Day, page 75. 
 
Outline for Class Lessons 287 
 
 4. Play Movement — Thirteenth Day, page 77. 
 
 5. Heel, Instep and Toe Exercise, page 181. 
 
 6. Play Movement — ^Eleventh Day, page 76. 
 
 7. Knee-to-Chest Exercise, page 202. 
 
 8. Waist-Twisting Exercise, page 180. 
 
 9. Play Movement — Nineteenth Day, page 80. 
 10. Minuet Walking Exercise, page 132. 
 
 Study topic. For Overcoming Mai-Mental 
 States, page 271. 
 
 LESSON VIII 
 
 iRead topic. Walking, page 52. 
 
 Exercises 
 
 1. Review. 
 
 2. Play Movement — Seventeenth Day, page 
 
 79- 
 
 3. Front Rib-Lifting Exercise, page 194. 
 
 4. Knee-Swinging Exercise, page 219. 
 
 5. Hip-Swinging Exercise, page 223. 
 
 6. Preparatory Step Exercise, page 223. 
 
 7. Play Movement — ^Thirtieth Day, page 86. 
 S. Pivoting Exercise, page 219. 
 
 9. Walking Backward Exercise, page 225. 
 10. Walking Practice. 
 
 Study topic, For Ease and Economy of En- 
 ergy in Walking, page 221. 
 
288 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 LESSON IX 
 
 Read topic, Insomnia, page 59. 
 
 Exercises 
 
 1. Review. 
 
 2. Feet Play Movements, page 264. 
 
 3. Rhythmic Walking and Breathing Exercise, 
 page 234. 
 
 4. Breathing and Concentration Exercise (re- 
 peated), page 146. 
 
 5. Brain Stupefying Exercise, page 266. 
 
 6. Tranquil Breathing Exercise (repeated), 
 page 267. 
 
 7. Recumbent Arm-Lifting Exercise, page 268. 
 
 8. Recumbent Stretching Exercise, page 269. 
 
 9. Recumbent Chest-Raising Exercise, page 
 270. 
 
 10. Recumbent Hip-Raising Exercise, page 270. 
 
 Study topic, For Overcoming Insomnia, 
 page 262. 
 
 LESSON X 
 
 Read topic, Rising, Sitting and Mounting 
 Stairs, page 140. 
 
 Exercises 
 
 1. Review. 
 
 2. Play Movement — Twenty-third Day, page 
 83. 
 
Outline for Class Lessons 289 
 
 3. Rising and Sitting Exercise, page 141. 
 
 4. Chest Play movement, page 160. 
 
 5. Finger-Pressure Exercise, page 161. 
 
 6. Finger-Flinging Exercise, page 252. 
 
 7. Chest-Widening-and-Deepening Exercises, 
 page 162. 
 
 8. Back Rib-Lifting Exercise, page 154. 
 
 9. Play Movement — Twenty-second Day, page 
 82. 
 
 10. Play Movement — Thirty-first Day, page 87. 
 
 Read Chapter, "The Will to Be WeU," page 
 "3- 
 
XII 
 
 KEEPING THE BODY AT PAR 
 
 If the nervous, muscular, and vital powers of 
 one thousand adult persons of about the same age 
 were to be subjected to every known test, there 
 would be found, probably, one thousand different 
 at par standards. No two persons' vital equip- 
 ment would be the same in all particulars. In 
 some instances, the averages would be practically 
 the same, and in others, there would be wide dif- 
 ferences between them. 
 
 Each person must be a standard unto himself 
 or herself in the matter of physical output and en- 
 durance. The man whose one hundredf or at par, 
 vital point is only sixty per cent, of what his re 
 bust neighbor's at par point is, would soon go 
 into physical bankruptcy if he were to pit his 
 smaller endowment against his neighbor's larger 
 one, either in work or in sport. But, whatever 
 may be one's at par standard, one must recognize 
 and respect those orderly processes upon which 
 life depends; he must co-operate with nature, not 
 interfere with her laws and methods of proce- 
 dure, if bodily holiness is to be maintained. 
 
 290 
 
Keeping the Body at Par 291 
 
 WitK disease-microbes in what we eat and 
 drink, in the air we breathe, in the clothes we 
 wear, in the handshake or kiss of a friend, in the 
 houses and offices where we needs must pass much 
 of our time, life would, indeed, be a battle with 
 tremendous odds against us if it were not for 
 three important facts. 
 
 Heredity 
 
 Fact one: That our flesh is not "heir to ills," 
 but heir to health. To quote high medical au- 
 thority, "We now behold heredity not as our 
 worst enemy, but as our best friend in the pre- 
 vention of disease and in the upbuilding of the 
 race. . . . 'But,' says some one at once, 'I 
 thought there were a large number of hereditary 
 diseases.' Fifty years ago there were a score of 
 such, twenty years ago the score had sunk to five 
 or six. Now there is scarcely one left. There is 
 no known disease which is directly inherited as 
 such."* 
 
 The Law of Self-Repair 
 
 Fact two : That self-repair is the great primary 
 law of our bodies. It is our chief factor of safety 
 — a natural life insurance which is operative as 
 
 ♦Hutchinson, Preventable Diseases, 
 
292 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 long as we pay our assessments promptly and in 
 full amount. 
 
 A machine is always somewhat the worse for 
 each day's activity. But our bodies are the better 
 for activity, and each day's legitimate wear is 
 daily made good — self-repaired. Even when the 
 activity is irrational and of an extremely destruc- 
 tive order, nature still loyally tries to heal, to re- 
 build and to refund our depleted stock of vital 
 energy. 
 
 The Balance of Power 
 
 Fact three: That one's own volition — and its 
 resultant acts — is very often the balance of power 
 in the unceasing contest between nature's upbuild- 
 ing processes and the destructive forces of dis- 
 ease. None of man's ingenious self-aids, not 
 medicine, surgery, electricity, osteopathy, health 
 exercises, dieting, or whatnot, can in and of itself 
 remedy any physical disaster, whether such dis- 
 aster comes in the guise of accident, malady, 
 nervous collapse or over-fatigue. "The healing 
 power of nature" alone can mend us; but we can 
 render assistance by stimulating this healing 
 power, and by making the best conditions for its 
 beneficent ministrations. 
 
 The numberless lives saved by medical aid and 
 by other forms of rational treatment testify to a 
 part of what man has done for himself by co- 
 
Keeping the Body at Par 293 
 
 operating with "the healing power of nature" in 
 times of imminent need ; we can do much more for 
 ourselves, however, and do it much easier, by co- 
 operating with nature in times of seeming physical 
 security. 
 
 A 
 
 The Only Physical Security 
 
 Daily ways to health are the only ways that 
 give any actual physical security. One person ex- 
 posed to a malignant disease succumbs and dies, 
 another similarly exposed comes off unscathed. Is 
 the latter's escape luck or a special dispensation of 
 Providence? Neither; the difference in effects 
 from the same cause is demonstrably a difference 
 in the two individuals' respective powers of resist- 
 ance. 
 
 While it is foolhardy to expose oneself wilfully 
 to disease, exposure is often unavoidable. Many 
 city dwellers are daily exposed to several forms of 
 disease-germs. But so long as we keep our bodies 
 at par we are practically immune to the attacks 
 of micro-organisms, and their toxic influences, 
 either from without or from within — and very 
 many of them are resident foes, peaceable and 
 harmless until our depreciated vitality offers them 
 a tempting opportunity for assault. 
 
294 Dally Ways to Health 
 
 BODILY RESISTANCE 
 
 Our at par point of bodily vitality marks our 
 highest level of bodily resistance. It is only in 
 rare moments — moments of heroic deed or of 
 spiritual ecstacy that our powers of resistance rise 
 even temporarily above this level. To strive ha- 
 bitually to maintain this level is the beginning of 
 health-wisdom. 
 
 The right use of the body in all daily acts, and 
 the daily invigoration of every part of the body 
 by exercise, as has been set forth in the preceding 
 chapters, are prime factors to this end. Other 
 important factors are food, clothings mental and 
 emotional states. 
 
 Food 
 
 Bodily resistance is lowered by the lack ojf suf- 
 ficient nutritious food, and it is lowered by too 
 much food of any quality. If we could measure 
 the energy expended by the digestive organs in 
 getting rid of the overloads of food imposed upon 
 them, many of us would immediately go on fru- 
 gal diet out of sheer sympathy with our own vital 
 machinery. 
 
 That the body's endurance depends more upon 
 the way one eats* than upon what one eats, Hor- 
 
 ♦Fletchek, The A. B. Z. of Our Own Nutrition. 
 
Keeping the Body at Par 295 
 
 ace Fletcher has demonstrated beyond dispute. 
 When he, a man of fifty-seven years of age, broke 
 all the records of athletes at Yale gymnasium for 
 certain endurance tests, not only broke the exist- 
 ing records but made a new record which more 
 than doubled the former ones, and still had en- 
 ergy in reserve, he forced all fair-minded 
 persons to respect his claims regarding nutri- 
 tion. 
 
 Clothing 
 
 Not the style of one's clothing but its fit and 
 quality are factors that affect one's bodily resist- 
 ance, clothing that is so tight as to restrict the 
 circulation in any degree, whether the tightness 
 be in corset, belt, collar, garter, gloves or shoes, 
 lessens one's resisting power. Clothing should 
 be light in weight, but sufficiently warm to keep 
 the body at its normal temperature; for a drop 
 in our temperature is the opportunity of un- 
 friendly germs. Much energy is squandered in 
 wearing heavy clothing. At best, our ordinary 
 clothing weighs several pounds ; to add to this a 
 coat weighing twenty-five or thirty pounds, or a 
 heavily trimmed cloth dress weighing twelve or 
 fifteen pounds, is to expend energy foolishly that 
 might be husbanded for some hour of need. 
 Again, it is foolish expenditure of energy to use 
 it in resisting cold that could, better be resisted 
 
296 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 by warm clothing. On the other hand, to be so 
 fur-wrapped and bundled and housed through- 
 out the winter that one's blood is never quick- 
 ened by challenges of keen air, is to become en- 
 ervated and physically non-resistant. 
 
 It takes intelligence to co-operate with nature. 
 
 Some Mental States Give Bodily Resistance 
 
 "The heart lower sinks with every sigh"— ^and 
 so does one's resisting power. 
 
 How prone we are to commiserate ourselves! 
 At night, when the time has come that we may ab- 
 dicate our volitionary control of the body and let 
 nature heal us of the day's ravages, how often our 
 mental attitude is one of complaint because of the 
 exactions that have been put upon us — sometimes 
 useless and self-imposed, exactions. We think 
 or say, "I've had a hard day!" or "I'm worn to a 
 frazzle." How seldom we say, " 'God bless the 
 man who first Invented sleep.' Now, nature's 
 self-repair work will have free play. Tomorrow, 
 I'll be the stronger and abler to cope with the 
 world by virtue of to-day's effort." The one 
 mental attitude lowers, and the other raises, the 
 body's resistance a notch. And who knows but 
 that our conscious thoughts preceding sleep may 
 not affect the repair work done during our un- 
 conscious moments. 
 
 A wholesome mental attitude with which to 
 
Keeping the Body at Par 297 
 
 greet the day is one of grateful recognition of the 
 self-repair wrought while we slept. 
 
 An indirect good comes from letting one's mind 
 often revert to nature's self-repair work. In time, 
 it makes us realize that which we so glibly say, 
 i.e., that sustained health and bodily resistance 
 primarily depend upon giving nature ample oppor- 
 tunity to balance her daily outlay and repair ac- 
 count. Such realization must protect us from 
 prodigal waste — from the willful accumulation of 
 over-fatigue poisons. 
 
 Dark and gloomy mental attitudes like dark 
 unsunned rooms are disease-promotors. Let us 
 throw open the windows of our souls and let in 
 the sunlight of cheer and joy and hope and love. 
 Let us hug our past joys, call up antecedent happy 
 conditions, dwell upon them, laugh over them, re- 
 live them; and let us touch our past sorrows as 
 lightly as may be. To pass bravely through 
 great sorrows brings growth and sweetness of 
 character, and comprehension of spirit that noth- 
 ing else can call forth ; but to cling to our sorrows 
 is spiritual selfishness that registers ifself in low- 
 ered bodily tonicity. It is possible to lie in a 
 hammock in the balmiest pine-scented air and so 
 to depress one's vital functioning by a pall of 
 harrowing mental pictures as quite to counteract 
 the beneficial effects of rest and of the healing air. 
 Such mental pictures are interferences with na- 
 ture's orderly processes. The physiological ex- 
 
298 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 planatlon is simple; thoughts of gloom depress 
 the breathing so that only the smallest amount of 
 oxygen gets into the lungs. A starving beggar is 
 not nourished by being in the presence of a feast. 
 He must eat to be saved. Our hammock invalid 
 must breathe to be restored. 
 
 Greatness, Pettiness and Immorality 
 
 To carry chronic handicaps or misfortunes 
 lightly, that is greatness. A fine spirited, brave 
 woman, who is making year after year a rational 
 fight against tuberculosis — and gaining ground 
 inch by inch — told me how she early abandoned 
 beautiful and becoming negligee gowns because 
 they "induced discussion of symptoms." Every 
 time we allow ourselves to form any invalid habit, 
 no matter how seductive it may be, down goes 
 our percentage mark of resistance. 
 
 To magnify and to parade little temporary dif- 
 ficulties is pettiness. To coddle oneself into avoid- 
 able illness is immoral. As Edward Howard 
 Griggs say^sVIt is as much our duty to obey the 
 laws of physical health as to be honest in busi- 
 ness; and avoidable illness, vain as people are of 
 it, is as disgraceful as any other form of vice."''Si 
 How many persons are "finicky" about their food, 
 about the temperature of the room, about the 
 
 *Gmggs, Moral Education. 
 
Keeping the Body at Par 299 
 
 glare of lights and a dozen and one incidental 
 things; everything has to be "just so" because 
 they are "so sensitive" to their surroundings. All 
 such coddling, whether done by oneself or by 
 foolishly indulgent relatives or friends, directly 
 weakens one's mental and physical stamina. What 
 a wholesome rebuke to self-coddlers was Robert 
 Louis Stevenson's attitude toward himself ! His 
 message to a friend was, "My spirit is keyed up, 
 to out-of-door pitch even though I'm compelled 
 to tweedle my fingers and learn patience." 
 
 We Must Co-Operate With Nature 
 
 Belle Case La FoUette writes : "We women are 
 too much inclined to wrestle inwardly with a bad 
 feeling. Often In spite of .qux good intentions, 
 we only make it worse. The same effort directed 
 to putting the body in healthy action, will make 
 the spirit normal. If, instead of saying, "I must 
 not get the blues, I have no reason to complain, I 
 must be cheerful," and so on, we say, "I need 
 the out of doors. I must go," and then go — the 
 the victory is won. Once out of doors the heavy 
 sense of oppression disappears of itself. Little 
 things that seemed large assume their true rela- 
 tion. We are happy again. We have given na- 
 ture a chance." 
 
 Unfortunately, many persons do not give na- 
 ture half a chance even when they go out of doors. 
 
300 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 It takes a day made to order to allure some 
 persons out of doors; and many others, even 
 those who are much out of doors do not know 
 how. to meet the weather to their profit. On a 
 cold or damp day, they voluntarily shiver, hug 
 their arms to their sides, draw their shoulders for- 
 ward, and generally contract their muscles. This 
 is direct interference with two of nature's self- 
 repairing processes, circulation and respiration. 
 It is being out of doors in fact, but not in spirit, 
 nor to one's profit, materially. To get the best 
 from any environment, we must respond to it 
 whole-heartedly. An eminent physician tells of 
 a man who came to him completely run down 
 physically, but who had no organic trouble. After 
 a thorough examination, the physician said, "You 
 need to get out of doors, to be In the fresh air, to 
 walk." Then he Inquired, "What Is your profes- 
 sion?" The man replied, "I am a postman." 
 
 We must do our part. Some are so constituted 
 temperamentally that they do this spontaneously 
 without thought and without directions; many 
 others must needs do it voluntarily. Air and ex- 
 ercise — dead exercise — alone will not suffice. Had 
 our postman given his erector splnae muscles a 
 few odd moments' contraction daily — say, as he 
 waited for a response to his ring or whistle — 
 those muscles would have shown their apprecia- 
 tion of his attention by holding his rib-cage well 
 up; this alone would have meant a marked In- 
 
Keeping the Body at Par 301 
 
 crease in his general tonicity, and would have 
 made his walking a less fatiguing act; then had 
 he further taken advantage of his fresh air op- 
 portunities by wilfully taking full breaths dozens 
 of times daily, he would not only have been free 
 from organic disease but would, doubtless, have 
 been blessed with plus-health. 
 
 One JVay of Co-Operating 
 
 Whenever one goes out into the open, no mat- 
 ter whether the air be cold or warm, wet or dry, 
 balmy or stinging, the first touch of it upon one's 
 face should be a reminder to lift and expand the 
 ribs, and to inhale deeply and forcibly several 
 times. All outdoor air is good air, good for us; 
 better than the best house air. The more sultry 
 or humid the air, the greater the need to get large 
 quantities of it into one's lungs ; its very humidity, 
 which depresses the amount of poisons normally 
 thrown off by the skin, makes the need of extra 
 service by the lungs. 
 
 Some one has called breathing a "self-ventilat- 
 ing process." It is an apt term; we ventilate 
 rooms to get the foul air out and the fresh air in, 
 and we breathe for the same reasons. Nor can 
 we with safety neglect to make this ventilating 
 process thorough at all times. When one is in a 
 close room or in a stifling, ill-smelling car, one's 
 instinctive tendency is to breathe as lightly as pos- 
 
302 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 sible. We do this thinking to protect our health, 
 but in reality we endanger it ; for, vitiated as any 
 outside air may be, it is harmless compared with 
 the deadly carbonic acid constantly generated 
 within our own bodies which can only be thor- 
 oughly expelled by full, deep breathing. 
 
 Bodily Resistance of School Children 
 
 Dr. Winthrop T. Talbot, who for years has 
 made a study of physical conditions and their re- 
 actionary effects upon the minds and morals of 
 school children, says : "Keeping the breathing ca- 
 pacity and tissue-oxygenation up to the average 
 in school children — a matter that is almost uni- 
 versally ignored at present — ^lies at the root of 
 disease-prevention, and is a potent means of pro- 
 ducing a normal mental and moral tone." He 
 cites numerous cases that have come under his per- 
 sonal observation where the "nervous child," the 
 "bad boy," the "dunce" was so chiefly because the 
 child was oxygen-starved. 
 
 In imagination, picture to yourselves a crowded 
 schoolroom in any of the "poorer districts" of 
 a large city. See the thirty to sixty restless chil- 
 dren, pale-faced and anaemic — oxygen-starved lit- 
 tle human plants! All breathing the vitiated, 
 germ-laden, foul-smelling air of the poorly ven- 
 tilated schoolroom. One schoolroom? Nay, let 
 your Imagination open the doors of hundreds. 
 
Keeping the Body at Par 303 
 
 thousands of such schoolrooms, and picture, if 
 you can, the transformation in the lives of those 
 children if for three minutes every hour the win- 
 dows were thrown wide open, and the children 
 cheerily commanded, "Drop tasks! Rise, Stretch I 
 Lung Test, now!" and every cranny and cell of 
 the lung-tissue in their growing, easily moulded 
 little bodies were packed with fortifying oxygen 
 by means of some vivifying health exercise as the 
 "one-hundred-and-one" counting exercise all in 
 the spirit of play. 
 
 Of course, better lessons and easier discipline 
 would be immediate results. These, however, 
 would be immaterial compared with the improved 
 physical equipment for life that would result; 
 equipment for better and for longer living, be- 
 cause of increased power of resistance to disease, 
 moral and physical. 
 
 The victims of the great white scourge would 
 be materially reduced in a single generation, and 
 astonishingly so in the second one, by such a 
 health innovation in our schools. 
 
 The best efforts of skilled physicians to combat 
 this scourge are insignificant compared with the 
 protection that only oneself can give to oneself by 
 cultivating an insatiable hunger for fresh air, in- 
 doors and outdoors. 
 
304 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 Heeding Danger Signals 
 
 Danger signals are nature's call for our co- 
 operation. One of her most frequently used sets 
 is the catching-cold signals — a shiver, sneezing, 
 drawn features and purple lips. A man says, "I 
 caught cold today." As a matter of fact, he did 
 not do the catching, but was caught — caught by 
 infectious germs. Catching cold is not a positive, 
 dynamic act, but is the result of exposure to foul 
 air — more often hot than cold — when one is in 
 a negative, undervital condition. One of the 
 most favorable "exposures" for taking cold is an 
 overheated, unventilated sleeping car. 
 
 "Just a cold" is the beginning of so many dan- 
 gerous physical conditions that it behooves us to 
 resist it with all the power of our will. A shiver, 
 or that peculiar nervous contraction of the skin 
 known as "goose pimples," should not be accepted 
 with negative acquiescence, as "I'm taking coldl 
 There must be a draft somewhere!" followed by 
 window-closing and body-bundling. The shiver 
 should shake us from our napping, or let down 
 physical condition; we should recognize it as na- 
 ture's warning that we are being attacked by 
 those infectious germs whose method of destruc- 
 tion is to throw our system into the disorganized 
 condition known as "a cold." We should give 
 quick positive response to this catching-cold sig- 
 nal, and marshal all our forces to expel the inva- 
 
Keeping the Body at Par 305 
 
 ders or mutineers, if possible — and it usually is 
 possible if we realize the situation in time. Ex- 
 ercise that stimulates the circulation, fresh air, 
 and rest, these are our strong defenses. 
 
 A rise in temperature, an increased pulse — 
 which often accompanies sub-normal temperature 
 — protests of stomach and Intestines, and over- 
 fatigue are a few of the many other well-known 
 danger signals. Often, the safest way of re- 
 sponding to these signals is to go to bed imme- 
 diately upon their appearance, even if it happens 
 to be ten o'clock in the morning, and a big day's 
 work faces you. Turn your back upon your work 
 and assist nature in her greater work — the work 
 of self-repair in your organism. Remember, you 
 and your health are of more importance than 
 your work or your things are. 
 
 A Time-Saving Habit 
 
 We used to go to bed only because we were 
 sick. Now we are beginning to learn the wisdom 
 and economy of going to bed to prevent sickness. 
 The former usually meant a matter of weeks and 
 months; the latter, usually means a few hours or 
 a day or two, at most. Never mind. If some old- 
 fashioned disease-believing person declares that 
 you go to bed when there is nothing at all the 
 matter, and gives as proof of your shiftlessness 
 the fact that you get up In the afternoon or the 
 
3o6 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 next day, and do your work as usual. Frankly 
 tell this carping man or woman that the reason 
 you go to bed is that nothing serious shall be the 
 matter. Soon, others will follow your successful 
 experiment. 
 
 If many an over-energetic man or woman, those 
 who are temperamentally inclined to drive their 
 tired energies with the whip-lash of the will, would 
 cultivate this health-habit of an occasional day in 
 bed it would advantage them in many ways; it 
 would prevent the final catastrophe which so often 
 overtakes the man who has worked hard all his 
 life. 
 
 Bodily Resistance Increased by Play 
 
 To keep one's bodily powers at par one must 
 honor health, and willingly assist nature's orderly 
 processes; often, one must exercise one's will; but 
 let no one get the mistaken idea that bodily resist- 
 ance means that the individual must always be in 
 a resistant, or positive, mood or that one "must 
 work hard" in order to protect oneself. Not in- 
 frequently, it is the quitting of work that is neces- 
 sary to raise one's bodily resistance. 
 
 Nothing more quickly breaks down one's nat- 
 ural defences than over-fatigue. Any sensible 
 person would go blocks out of his way to escape 
 the poison of sewer gas; the poison generated in 
 one's body by over-fatigue is more deadly. 
 
Keeping the Body at Par 307 
 
 Hard Taskmasters 
 
 A large class of Americans — especially those 
 of sturdy conscience and upright principle — are 
 hard taskmasters to themselves. They are re- 
 lentless and suicidal in their industry. The ability 
 to play is a lost art with them. Work, effort, do- 
 ing what is square and fair, and doing it all the 
 time, seems to them the only good in life. Con- 
 science may become a tyrant. An exaggerated 
 sense of duty leads many a woman to anxious, 
 ceaseless activity; she feels that she must con- 
 stantly be doitiff something, and thinks that idle- 
 ness is sinful — idleness, that Landor calls "sweet 
 and sacred." 
 
 Some one has said, "We should work for our 
 living and play for our health." The earlier that 
 we — especially we of industrious temperament — ■ 
 realize our inherent need of play, and respond to 
 It, the better for our health prospects. Men and 
 women of affairs should as frankly say, "Now, 
 I'm going to play for a while," as men now say, 
 "I'm going to smoke." Instead, how many per- 
 sons feel called upon to apologize in a shame- 
 faced way for taking "a day off." 
 
 Unless one delights in play, the benefits are, 
 of course, minimized. Many devoted workers are 
 unhappy and ill at ease when they attempt the 
 easier, or play, way of life for an occasional hour 
 or day; but their restlessness should not be con- 
 
3o8 Daily Ways to Health 
 
 sidered. They must continue playing, anyway. 
 The habit of overwork can be "disrupted." De- 
 light in "just living is contagious; and, some day, 
 You-of-Serious-Bent, will catch it, and will be 
 saved from that which leads to physical and men- 
 tal ruin, namely, lust for work. 
 
 How to Regain the Play Spirit 
 
 We work ourselves mentally and physically 
 stale. To play for part of every day means not 
 only better bodily tone but it also means increased 
 personal efficiency, means that one's output of 
 work, and one's social and civic contributions will 
 be greater and of better quality. But you may 
 ask, "How can one who is inured to staidness, and 
 who is many years removed from the spontaneous 
 play-spirit of childhood, set about recovering this 
 lost art, this utilitarian accomplishment?" The 
 answer is. By beginning at once, beginning today. 
 Do not read these lines and smile incredulously 
 or sigh regretfully; instead, wrench yourself 
 away from that depleting task. Drop it for an 
 hour or a day. Go out into the open, and come 
 back to your work with a new impetus. Do any- 
 thing to which your spirit inclines ; or, if its play- 
 inclinations seem quite atrophied, use your imagi- 
 nation in revivifying them. Recall what you 
 wanted to do ten or fifteen years ago, but which 
 you sternly denied yourself the pleasure of doing. 
 
Keeping the Body at Par 309 
 
 Today, you are wiser, your mood is more lenient. 
 Sit idly on the porch, go to the art gallery, to the 
 woods or to the ball game ; take luncheon with a 
 friend, spend a few dollars in unaccustomed ways ; 
 plan some recreation trips for yourself and yobr 
 friends. Why, to get and to give happiness, to be 
 a radiant personality are some of the best ways of 
 augmenting one's bodily resistance. 
 
 Out-of-Door Temptation 
 
 Above all, whatever your temperament, age, 
 habit or work, resist not temptation when it tempts 
 you out of doors. Yield to it joyfully with aban- 
 donment of spirit. It is so much worthier to live 
 the true life than only to believe in it. Have you 
 never slept out of doors? Then give your nerves 
 the shock of a delightful new experience. Noth- 
 ing is so rare as a night under the stars. A June 
 day is even put to blush by a June night with no 
 roof between you and the wondrous sky. When 
 one becomes accustomed to the magical out-of- 
 door sounds, to the mystic speech of the stars, to 
 the caress of the wanton breeze, a peace and heal- 
 ing is laid like a benediction upon one's nerves 
 which fortifies one with power and serenity to 
 meet the day sanely, however infested it may be 
 with cares. 
 
3IO Daily Ways to Health 
 
 Your Health of National Importance 
 
 Every individual is free, or has the petty, per- 
 sonal "right," to disregard the laws of health 
 and happiness so long as the civil law of the land 
 is not violated. But he or she who does so, is 
 immoral, and a bad citizen. Keeping the body at 
 par is more than augmented individual happiness, 
 efficiency and accomplishment. The perfection of 
 each human unit is the concern of the community, 
 the state, the nation, and of "a world of men," 
 born and to be born.