Health rules and danger signals

Front matter

Class __

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Preface

For the past six years I have been talking to Chautauqua audiences on the general subject "Danger Signals on The Road to Health," endeavoring to call attention to some of the laws of health most frequently broken, and trying to show how many of our common ills might be prevented or overcome by right living.

From year to year there has been an increasingdemand for the lectures and exercises in printed form but I have hesitated because part of my material has been taken from books of prominent authors, and is not entirely my own. Much of it, however, has been obtained from my own study and some has come to me from my teaching experience.

I am especially indebted to Dr. William Latson, who was, for many years before his death, editor of the Health Culture Magazine and who is the author of several excellent books on health subjects.

After much persuasion by friends, and audiences with whom I have worked each year, I have finally taken what I consider the best from several systems of Physical Training, added many suggestions of my own, and am now. bringing to them, in this little book, what I hope may prove to be, some practical hints on the Art of Keeping Well.

Whether or not the reader will agree with me, if this will only start him to thinking and investigating for himself, the mission of the writer will have been accomplished.

Realizing, too, the value of including Physical Education in the school curriculum and knowing that many teachers have had no preparation for this work, it has seemed wise to devote a part of this book to suggestions, corrective exercises, games and drills for the benefit of teachers who may be interested in developing in their pupils, healthy bodies as well as trained minds.

Introduction

Health is the most precious gift in the world, and yet how little it is appreciated until disease steps in and for a time usurps its place. Then there comes a realization of what a strong healthy body means.

It is almost impossible to get people to give attention to the laws of nature until sickness and suffering have crossed their pathway and forced them to face the consequences of their own misdeeds ; then, and usually not until then, are they ready to give some thought and effort to right living.

Many times each year has the writer of these pages been told, "I am perfectly well; why should I listen to your health lectures.'' The old adage, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," is applicable here as well as in other places. Such a person should be grateful for good health, and willing and eager to take steps to preserve it. I believe sickness never comes unless Nature's laws have been broken. In other words, I believe if we could perfectly understand the rules of health and could obey them implicitly, that sickness could be entirely banished from our lives. But in our modern civilization, in the rush of our busy lives, we are drifting away from the laws of Nature, and we find no time for health rules until necessity demands that we call ?. halt and take an inventory of our habits of living: then, often, we find

mi that we have wandered so far from the right way that the backward journey is a slow and difficult one.

After studying the laws of health and noting how the majority of Americans live, the wonder is not "Why are people sick?" but rather, "Why are they not always sick?" Yet in many cases, it is ignorance rather than lack of interest that is responsible for mistakes in living. Many are seeking help and are anxious to follow the suggestions when once they have been made clear. For such, books and magazines on health subjects are of vital importance and it is the aim of the writer to make the directions in the following chapters so clear and simple that all can understand, and so practical that all can follow.

Others approve of the health rules but say they are too busy to put them into practice. This argument is rather a weak one for we have all the time there is, and it is only a question of how we dispose of it. ( We usually make time for the things we most want; if health is what we really desire, we will take time to cultivate it when once our interest is aroused.

I believe, too, that severe sickness never comes without Nature's having sent out her danger signals as a warning that something was wrong with the bodily mechanism. These various signals, pain, headache, backache, indigestion, tired, sluggish feelings are such common ailments that they are usually considered of no consequence and are passed by unheeded. True, they are not serious in themselves, but they are symptoms of more serious troubles which are likely to follow unless the cause of the difficulty is found and removed. With a little study and attention on our part many of these signals can be interpreted and successfully treated in the home. Simple hygienic methods of living, deep breathing, bathing, diet, water drinking, exercise, fresh air, and sunshine, will often work miracles toward restoring health and happiness, and the best part of all is that they can be had by all "without money and without price/' And yet, their very cheapness and abundance work as a disadvantage. If they could be put up in capsules at some far corner of the earth and sold at a great price, people would rush pellmell after them, and purchase and use them in large quantities ; but it is hard to realize that anything so cheap and so common really has intrinsic value.

Hygienic living is being emphasized in our colleges today; courses in physiology, anatomy, and practical hygiene are being offered and Physical Education is a required subject in many schools. It is to be hoped that the day will soon come when it will be introduced into the grades and high schools all over our land, for it is the growing child that most needs this training. While the bodies are developing, and regular habits are being formed, courses in physical training and hygienic living are far more practical and valuable than in later life when the muscles have lost their flexibility and daily habits have been established. To-day, the first year in the college gymnasium is largely devoted to the correction of physical defects caused by bad habits formed in the grades and high schools. Many pupils are permitted to graduate from our high schools without a word having been said to them about the carriage of the body, the correct sitting position, proper breathing or other laws of hygiene and the result is, except for the few that enter our colleges, that they go into their life work with round shoulders, depressed chests, protruding shoulder blades, or spinal curvature, any of which mean low vitality and a lack in general efficiency.

The importance of physical education and right habits of living is demonstrated by the improvement in the general health of students after a year or two of training. To those who have not witnessed or experienced these changes in the physical condition, the splendid things accomplished can scarcely be credited, but every year from our colleges go thousands who are willing to testify that the value of such w r ork can scarcely be overestimated.

But if your school days are over and you have not been offered these subjects, do not feel that your chances for health culture are gone. To be sure, your progress will not be so rapid as it would have been in the earlier days when the muscles were more easily trained, and habits were being formed, but attention to right living, and a little systematic practice each day will do much toward preserving health, if you are still well, or leading you back to health if you have wandered away.

ILLUSTRATIONS

Frontispiece

Page

Exercise III 33

Exercise IV 34

Exercise V 51

Exercise VI 52

Exercise VII 69

Exercise VIII : 70

Exercise IX 87

Exercise X 88

Exercise XI 105

Exercise XII 106

Ladies' Rest Tent 123

Scarf Fantastics 124

Venetian Floral Dance May Pole Dance

Queen of the May 141

Children's Free Morning Hour Work Mother Goose Spectacle

Spanish Dance 142

Contents

Preface

Introduction

I Poise — Standing Position — Sitting Position — How to Sit Down and Rise from a Chair — How to Climb Stairs — Poise May be Maintained in Stooping Position — Exercises for Poise — Improper Poise Causes Displaced Organs — Exercises to Restore Displaced Organs.

II

Place right foot out at the right front diagonal without weight (4 counts), slowly transfer weight with the chest leading you forward, (4 counts), rise to tiptoes and hold (4 counts), weight down (4 counts), weight back to left foot without changing the position of the right foot (4 counts), again rise to tiptoes (4 counts), weight down and feet together (4 counts).

Repeat placing left foot forward.

Ill

Place right foot out at right diagonal (4 counts), transfer weight to right foot, chest high (4 counts), lift right arm up to right front diagonal, lift left foot off the floor and stretch left arm back downward toward rear left diagonal. Hold the position from (4 to 8 counts), the right arm stretching firmly upward toward ceiling and the left arm and leg stretching back downward toward floor. Position (4 counts).

Repeat placing left foot, forward. (See Figure III.)

IV

Stand, chest high, hands on hips, slowly raise the right leg up in front of the body keeping the knee straight. Raise as high as 3 r ou can without straining back or abdominal muscles, and hold position for a few seconds, then slowly bring it back to place. This must be done slowly and steadily. This exercise is not only beneficial for the control of poise but is especially good for strengthening the muscles of the abdomen and back..

V

Same as IV using the left foot.

VI Same as IV bring right foot out to right side.

VII Same as VI bringing left foot out to left side.

VIII

Place right foot forward without weight, place finger tips on the chest, and spring weight lightly forward to right foot, bending right knee low, at the same time throwing arms out at sides and raise chest high toward ceiling with head thrown back — then spring weight lightly backward to left foot, bending left knee low and bring finger tips back to chest, chest still held high and head thrown back.

Keep chest strong and high during the exercise, do not bend toward right or left. Work for lightness and airiness of movement, coming up to tiptoes with each spring. This is a beautiful exercise when properly done, and if combined with deep breathing, inhaling as you spring forward and exhaling as you go back, it has a double value. (See Figure IV.)

IX

Stand, feet wide apart, hands on hips, rise to tiptoes and come down to a squat position —hold a few seconds, then come back to erect posture.

_

Improper Poise Causes Displaced Organs. — Sagging, displaced organs is one of the most common causes of disease. Each organ in the trunk is held in place by ligaments or supports and in direct relation to every other organ. These supports, when in a healthy condition, have elasticity enough to allow the organs to rise and fall when a person is running, or jumping, and yet restore them to their proper place and hold them there. But when these organs are crowded down and held down hours every day by improper sitting or standing positions or by improper clothing, lack of room for free motion interferes with their work ; the blood cannot circulate freely and furnish these ligaments with nourishment; and shallow breathing, caused by the cramped, stooping chest, keeps the lungs from doing their work properly, so that the blood that does reach these supports is likely to be full of poison instead of life-giving elements. Thus in time these ligaments become weak, they lose their elasticity and allow these organs to sag downward and stay out of place.

This is one of the most frequent causes of painful menstruation. The vital organs are crowded down out of their places, and they, in turn, crowd the pelvic organs so that free circulation is impossible. Thus these organs starved for lack of nourishment and poisoned by bad blood become weak and congested.

It is a very common occurrence in gymnasium work for young women, who have suffered severely at the menstruation period, to get decided relief and often be permanently cured by a system of upward stretching movements which tend to lift the organs up where they belong, thus giving each one a better opportunity to perform its particular function, and making it possible for the blood to circulate freely and provide nourishment, and at the same time remove and prevent an accumulation of poisonous waste.

Stretching Exercises To Restore Displaced Organs. — Below are a few exercises especially designed to lift the organs upward to their proper place in the trunk.

Stand, feet together, inhale, at same time bringing arms upward in front of body, palms downward, until they stretch toward ceiling above head. Look upward and try to touch an imaginary object just beyond reach. Hold stretch as long as you can hold breath, then exhale and relax. Never strain in stretching work.

II

Stand, feet together, inhale, bringing arms up at the sides, palms down. Stretch firmly from side to side, and hold stretch as long as you can hold breath, then exhale and relax.

Ill

Place right foot forward at right diagonal, shift weight forward, inhale, at same time raise right arm to upward right diagonal. Look up and try to touch finger tips to an imaginary object just beyond reach. Hold stretch as long as you can hold breath, then exhale, and relax. Same on left side.

IV

Lie flat on the back, arms above head flat on floor. Inhale and stretch from finger tips to toes, holding stretch as long as you can hold breath, then exhale and relax.

V

Lying flat on back, inhale and stretch from right foot to finger tips of left hand, both leg and arm lying flat on floor. Exhale and relax.

Reverse the stretch, stretching from left foot to right hand.

This diagonal stretch reaches muscles which the straight stretch fails to And.

HEALTH RULES AND DAXGER SIGNALS 27

Why We Should Act.

Throughout this volume., many suggestions are given in regard to health rules, diet, exercise and the various things which help to keep this bodily machine running smoothly, most of them a prevention of sickness rather than a cure, although simple home treatment is suggested in a few instances. If you will give some of them a trial it is certain that you will consider it time and effort well expended.

We have made great headway in our battle against tuberculosis, typhoid fever, and other contagious diseases. But we are falling far. short of even holding our own when it comes to the organic troubles such as Bright's disease, heart and kidney affections, apoplexy, and other like causes of our taking off. These are on a frightful increase. We have decreased the death rate considerably; but this saving has been made by our increasing skill in preserving the lives of children under five. By neglect to practice simple precautionary measures we have materially increased the death rate in persons over thirty. The decreasing rate among children is partly due to improved housing conditions. It is astonishing the effect which apparently trivial things may have upon the life and happiness of the race. For instance, the United States Department of Labor reports that in homes where water had to be carried in from out doors the infant mortality was 198 per 1000, ^as against 118 per 1000 where water was piped into the house! Such phases of the health question are for economists and sociologists. Individual health is a< matter of individual care. It is to aid in the battle for health and happiness that these pages are presented.

WALKING

Some Bad Habits and How They May Be Overcome

Chapter II

Walking is an excellent exercise when done correctly and under proper conditions.

Women are often hampered by high heels, and long, narrow or heavy skirts. Any article of clothing which interferes with freedom of motion is a menace to health.

In these days of automobiles, walking for exercise is fast becoming a lost art, and the general health is suffering because of it. Many people, especially those whose work keeps them indoors a large part of the time, would be greatly benefited by a good, brisk walk in the open air each day. To get the best results from walking you should get off from cement walks and pavement and come in contact with Mother Earth. If this is impossible have rubber heels put on your shoes. This will do away with some of the jarring produced by striking the heels upon the hard surface.

Below are a few suggestions in regard to walking which may be helpful.

First, work for proper poise, holding the chest high and the head erect.

II

Learn to transfer the weight. The whole foot should be placed flat on the floor without weight, then the weight transferred with the chest leading. Study a little child learning to walk if you want a good example of this. The child will place one foot forward, then very slowly, and with difficulty, balance the weight over the forward foot before trying to take the next step.

Ill

Do not strike the heels. The above method of weight transference does away with heel striking which is very injurious for two reasons. First, it is a continual drain on the nervous system, and it causes a constant jarring of the organs of the trunk, stretching and weakening the ligaments which hold them in place, and often bringing about a displacement or downward sagging of the organs.

IV

Walk with narrow base. In correct walking the heel should cut a straight line, and the toes should point outward. Try walking on a crack in the floor and see how nearly your heels come to striking the mark, or better still, walk a few steps in the snow, and then go back and see how far apart the heel lines are. A narrow base does away with pigeon toed walking, and with the pronounced hip movement or waddle which we frequently see.

Use the legs only, keeping the upper body, the part above the waist line, quiet. The legs should swing freely from the hips, the length of the step being determined by the height of ihe person, but both health and grace demand a loose, free swing of the leg in walking, and the knee, of course, should not bend.

Exercises for the Correction of Faults in Walking.

Below are some special exercises which, if used frequently in class work, will tend to overcome these various faults, the aim being to throw the body into the proper position without constantly calling attention to the faults themselves.

I

Slow, rhythmic walking. Right foot forward without weight (4 counts), transfer weight, chest leading (4 counts) then left foot forward (4 counts) etc. Work for rhythmic movements, with no jerkiness, taking the entire four counts for each part. Place hand on chest and feel the expression die out as foot goes forward and chest sinks downward, then as weight goes forward the chest full of energy and expression should come up under the hand.

Next try two counts instead of four to each part, and finally, but one count when the exercise is well worked out.

II

Place hands on hips, swing ri^ht leg freely forward (2 counts) swing it backward (2 counts) forward again (2 counts) then while foot is forward take a step, (2 counts). Same with left foot. Keep chest erect, and perfectly quiet and work for freedom of leg motion. The knee should not bend as the leg goes backward.

Ill

—•Hands on hips, cross right foot over left knee (2 counts), touch right toes lightly to floor in front (2 counts), cross right foot over left knee again (2 counts) then step lightly forward with right foot (2 counts), watching weight transference. Same with left foot. Have good sprightly music for this and aim to give up to the music and make the exercise as graceful and artistic as possible.

IV

Hands on hips, swing right leg forward in a free circle from the hip, touching right toes to the floor oa the left

HEALTH RULES AND DAXGER SIGXALS 31

side of the body (4 counts), swing right leg back and around in a free back circle, touch toes to the floor on the left side (4 counts), swing right leg forward again in a front circle touching toes to left side (4 counts), then take a step (4 counts). Same with left leg. Keep the knee straight and work for a loose, free, swinging motion.

Hands on hips, bend right knee and raise right foot from the floor (2 counts), stretch leg straight forward toward the front (2 counts). Place right foot forward on floor without weight (2 counts), slowly transfer weight (2 counts). Same with left foot.

VI

Touch toes of right foot lightly to the floor in front three times (3 counts) bend right knee and hold foot up on fourth count, trip lightly forward three steps with right foot leading (3 counts), and hold left foot up with knee bent, on the fourth count. Then touch toes of left foot three times, etc., continuing the movement. Work for lightness on feet and strong chest work.

VII

When Xo. VI is well worked out, make it more difficult by taking the three tripping steps and then wheel and rear face on count four. Give the order thus: — Touch right foot three times, hold on four, run three steps, wheel and rear face on four, touch left foot three times, hold on four, trip forward three steps, wheel and rear face, etc. Pivot toward right when weight is on right foot, and toward left when on left foot.

This is a difficult exercise for it requires good poise to make the sharp turn, keep one's balance and be ready to start with the other foot on the next count.

VIII

Same as VI, combining a hand motion, thus: — Hands on hips, touch toes three times, hold foot up on count four, run three steps, at the same time clapping hands in front of body, then back of body, then front again, placing hands on hips as you hold foot up on count four.

This requires much practice and better still, much mental concentration, and when mastered will be one step toward bringing the muscular system under the control of the mind.

IX

Just the same as VIII excepting that the hands are to be clapped first above head, then back of body, then above head, and placed on hips on fourth count.

Same as IX clapping hands forward, then above head, then behind body, and on hips on count four.

The object of this kind of work is to get mind and body working together, mental control over the physical.

XI

Have class join hands in a large circle, hop on right foot, at same time crossing left foot above right knee, then hop on left foot crossing right foot over left knee, advancing toward right with each hop. Work for lightness on feet, spring high but catch the weight and endeavor to make no noise as foot touches the floor.

XII

When the class has worked out No. XI, combine the sideward twist of the body, turning well toward right when you hop on right foot, then toward left as you hop on left foot.

This varies the exercise and gives an excellent liver squeezer movement at the same time.

This drill works out best with 4/4 time. Each movement should be used from six to twelve times according to the judgment of the teacher.

FIGURE III

FIGURE IV

THE ELIMINATION OF BODILY WASTE CHAPTER III.

By elimination we mean casting out of the body all that is superfluous and injurious. There are two kinds of waste matter forming daily; waste from the dying cells, the broken down tissues of the body, and waste which comes from the food. In nearly all kinds of food there are portions incapable of being digested and assimilated and should, therefore, be promptly cast out of the system. We sometimes compare this waste to the chaff which comes from the grain, or the ashes from the coal. In either case the useful parts are taken out and utilized, and the remainder is cast aside. On the promptness of this eliminating process depends the health of the person concerned. Internal cleanliness means a healthy body. Internal uncleanliness means disease and suffering, the name of the disease being dependent on the particular portion of the body affected by the poison, and the effort of the system in trying to get rid of it.

Bouchard, a French pathologist, after years of careful study and investigation, tells us that .there is enough poison manufactured every few hours in a normal, healthy body to cause instant death if retained in the blood and tissues. He tells us, also, that if every eliminating organ is in perfect condition, properly caring for the bodily waste, that they are just about able to cast off the poison and keep the body clean.

The finest particle of dust in the delicate works of a watch will throw it out of order. Think then, how the intricate mechanism of this bodily machine must be affected by the waste matter which is constantly clogging it.

There are five organs designed by nature for this important work, the lungs, liver, kidneys, bowels and skin. The liquid poison of the blood is acted on by the liver and expelled through the skin and kidneys, and the gaseous poisons removed through the lungs.,

The following suggestions will help to show how we, by simple, natural, hygienic living, and a system of free exercise, may aid these organs in their work and, by so doing, take a long step toward permanent health and efficiency.

BREATHING

The Work of the Lungs

Chapter IV

"He lives most life who breathes most air.'' Few people who have not had special training in the gymnasium or in some kind of voice culture, are good breathers ; most of them gasp instead of breathe.

Breathing is one of the most important parts of the bodily organism. Every function is dependent on the blood for nourishment, and the blood, in turn, is dependent on the lungs for purification and oxygen. The blood comes to the lungs every few minutes laden with poison which it has picked up in its circuit around the body. If you are a deep breather, the poison is thrown off and fresh oxygen is carried back to the blood, but if you are a gasper, part of the poison is retained, and but a small amount of oxygen taken in, thus the body is both poisoned and suffocated.

Men, as a rule, are better breathers than women, due to modes of dress. Any article of clothing which interferes with the free expansion of the diaphragm, or that has a tendency to draw the shoulders forward, prevents normal breathing and therefore injures health. Corsets and tight skirt bands with women and heavy coats with men often hinder nature in this respect.

Proper Breathing. — Imagine that you have on a rubber girdle about twelve inches in width, six inches above and six inches below the waist line. Take a short breath, stretching the girdle well, hold that breath and inhale once more, stretching the girdle as far as possible without straining, hold that also, and inhale again, this time filling up to the top of the lungs, — exhale.

Place hand over the imaginary girdle and be sure that it expands and contracts. In this manner the attention) will be directed to the expansion of the entire diaphragm, rather than to any particular set of muscles, as is often emphasized in breathing instructions. It is a simple effective method and can be taught to children as easily as to adults, and if there are no restrictions from tight clothing, free normal lung expansion will result from the practice.

Always inhale and exhale through the nose. Air that is taken in through the nose is warmed, moistened and purified while that which goes in through the mouth is cold, dry and full of impurities. Mouth breathing is always a danger signal indicating adenoids or some obstruction of the air passages. A specialist should be consulted and the difficulty removed, if possible, else the general health will suffer.

How to Obtain Lung Power. — Many people go through life with drooping shoulders and cramped chests, which means shallow breathing and low vitality. This condition is usually brought about by improper dress or incorrect poise in sitting or standing. Many occupations of daily life make this stooping position necessary for hours during the day.

This causes the shoulders to droop, and the muscles which hold them in place become weaker and weaker until the person is unable to maintain an erect carriage. It then becomes necessary to resort to shoulder braces or exercises which will pull the shoulders back to place and restore the muscles to normal strength. Shoulder braces will give no permanent relief and should be strongly advised against. As long as they do the work, holding the shoulders up, the muscles themselves will become more weak and flabby. Use makes a muscle strong, non-use makes it weak.