Produced by Charles Aldarondo, Tiffany Vergon, Yvonne Dailey, David Garcia, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team MAINTAINING HEALTH (FORMERLY HEALTH AND EFFICIENCY) By R. L. ALSAKER, M. D. AUTHOR OF "EATING FOR HEALTH AND EFFICIENCY" _"When you arise in the morning, think what a precious privilege it is to live, to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love."_ --MARCUS AURELIUS. _"Nature Cures"_ --HIPPOCRATES TO ISAAC T. COOK WHOSE CRITICISMS, ASSISTANCE AND ENCOURAGEMENT HAVE LIGHTENED THE LABOR AND ADDED TO THE PLEASURE OF PRODUCING THIS VOLUME. CHAPTER CONTENTS I PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS Humanity, Health and Healers II MENTAL ATTITUDE Correct and Incorrect--Results III FOOD General Consideration IV OVEREATING V DAILY FOOD INTAKE VI WHAT TO EAT VII WHEN TO EAT VIII HOW TO EAT IX CLASSIFICATION OF FOODS X FLESH FOODS Composition--Utility--Preparation--Combinations XI NUTS Composition--Utility--Preparation--Combinations XII LEGUMES Composition--Utility--Preparation--Combinations XIII SUCCULENT VEGETABLES Composition--Utility--Preparation--Combinations--Salads XIV CEREAL FOODS Composition--Utility--Preparation--Combinations XV TUBERS Composition--Utility--Preparation--Combinations XVI FRUITS Composition--Utility--Preparation--Combinations--Salads XVII OILS AND FATS XVIII MILK AND OTHER DAIRY PRODUCTS Composition--Utility--Preparation--Combinations XIX MENUS Food Combination in General XX DRINK Water--Tea--Coffee--Alcohol--Enslaving Drugs XXI CARE OF THE SKIN Baths--Friction--Clothing XXII EXERCISE XXIII BREATHING AND VENTILATION XXIV SLEEP XXV FASTING Our Most Important Remedy--Symptoms--When and How to Fast--Cases XXVI ATTITUDE OF PARENT TOWARD CHILD XXVII CHILDREN Prenatal Care--Infancy--Childhood--Mental Training XXVIII DURATION OF LIFE Advanced Years--Living to Old Age in Health and Comfort XXIX EVOLVING INTO HEALTH How it is Often Done--A Case XXX RETROSPECT A Summing-up of the Subject CHAPTER I. PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS. Writings on hygiene and health have been accessible for centuries, but never before have books and magazines on these subjects been as numerous as they are today. Most of the information is so general, vague and indefinite that only a few have the time and patience to read the thousands of pages necessary to learn what to do to keep well. The truth is to be found in the archives of medicine, in writings covering a period of over thirty centuries, but it is rather difficult to find the grains of truth.