At the time the professor was unable to walk a block without intense suffering. A week from that day he climbed five flights of stairs to have an hour's visit with an old chum. He has followed the athletic doc tor's advice about exercise and now has a fairly strong body.
A man who has passed his fortieth year and has permitted his abdominal muscles to weaken thru dis use is liable not merely to attacks of "heart disease," but to various aches and ills that are traceable to im perfect digestion.
The human neck is a conduit for the body's trunk lines connecting the brain with the vital organs. Its muscles should be firm and healthy in order that the nerves and circulatory system may be sheathed and protected against injury.
Strong chest muscles keep the shoulders back and make deep breathing easy. When those muscles are weak a man's diaphragm is usually also weak, and he falls an easy victim to stomach, throat and lung trou bles.
3. Sound nerves.—There are many diseases of the nervous system, and most of them are difficult of treat ment. It is not necessary for the layman to know anything about these diseases. All he need know is that a man who keeps his body strong, or in good con dition, will not suffer from nervous diseases.
The business man needs a sound nervous system. If his nerves are in bad condition, whether because of dissipation or auto-intoxication, he will be irritable when he ought to be pleasant, restless when he ought to be in repose, unsteady and excitable when he ought to be calm. Bad nerves have shipwrecked many a business.
Physicians agree that the health of the nervous sys tem is bound up with the general health of the body. To get good nerves and keep them, a man must live right and give his body as conscientious care as his chauffeur gives to his automobile. He must see to it that his body is clean inside and out, that every muscle is in a position to function properly. Of course, if a man is suffering from a nervous disease, he should consult his physician.
Civilized man has probably abused the foot more than any other part of the body. Few people know that proper care of the foot is essential to health. The
foot carries the en-tire weight of the body during a large part of a man's waking hours. It should, there fore, be so shod that all its muscles and joints may act easily and naturally. Yet most men wear the shoes that fashion prescribes, and in consequence suf fer from flat foot, fits of nerves, unaccountable irri tability. Neurasthenia, from which so many women suffer, some physicians attribute to the artificial, un natural shapes of women's shoes. The shoes are arti ficial because they are not built along the lines of the foot ; hence walking or standing is painful and the nerves are racked. However, no woman, if she is wearing a pretty shoe, will admit that it does not per fectly fit her foot. But a business man must have sense enough to let his feet be all day just as God made them ; otherwise he will have "nerves." 4. Relation of body to mind.—Psychologists hold that all the operations of the mind are the reflex of changes taking place in the brain. A normal, healthy mind means a normal, healthy brain. If a man has imperfect digestion his supply of fresh blood is in adequate and all parts of the body are below normal the brain has less than its normal supply, and the mind cannot think clearly or vigorously. The proverbial gloom or pessimism of the confirmed dyspeptic has its origin in the half-starved condition of the brain.
The strength of the mind and of the will are depend ent upon the health of the body. A business man who thinks he can neglect his physical health and yet be as shrewd, far-seeing and resolute as ever, is the victim of a serious delusion. A perfectly well man easily finds his way out of difficulties that would floor him if he were sick or only half well. The man who is not in good physical condition seldom gives birth to a new idea in business. Not only does he lack imagination, but he lacks also the grit and resolution necessary to carry a new idea into effect.
5. Health, must be earned.—Health is not a gift. It must be ea.rned by the sweat of a man's brow. In no other way can a man get and keep a healthy body and a sound mind.