Maintaining Health (Formerly Health and Efficiency) — John Shaqi
Maintaining Health (Formerly Health and Efficiency)Alsaker, Rasmus Larssen
Science
Maintaining Health (Formerly Health and Efficiency)
Alsaker, Rasmus Larssen
Diet; Hygiene
The state of the individual health is not satisfactory. There is too
much illness, too much suffering and too many premature deaths. It is
estimated that in our country about three millions of people are ill
each day, on the average. The monetary loss is tremendous and the
anguish and suffering are beyond estimate.
The race is losing every year a vast army of individuals who are in
their productive prime. When a part of a great city is destroyed men
give careful consideration to the material loss and plan to prevent a
recurrence. But that is nothing compared to the loss we suffer from the
annual death of a host of experienced men and women. Destroyed business
blocks can be replaced, but it is impossible to replace men and women.
We look upon this unnecessary waste of life complacently because we are
used to it and consequently think that it is natural. It is neither
necessary nor natural. If we would read and heed nature's writings it
would cease. Then people would live until their time came to fade away
peacefully and beautifully, as do the golden leaves of autumn or the
blades of grass.
Many dread old age because they think of it in connection with
decrepitude, helplessness and the childish querulousness popularly
associated with advancing years. This is not a natural old age; it is
disease. Natural old age is sweet, tolerant and cheerful. There are few
things in life more precious than the memory of parents and grandparents
grown old gracefully, after having weathered the storms of appetites and
passions, the mind firmly enthroned and filled with the calm toleration
and wisdom that come with the passing years of a well spent life.
A busy mind in a healthy body does not degenerate. The brain, though
apparently unstable, is one of the most stable parts of the body.
We should desire and acquire health because when healthy we are at our
maximum efficiency. We are able to enjoy life. We have greater capacity
for getting and giving. We live more fully. Being normal, we are in
harmony with ourselves and with our associates. We are of greater value
all around. We are better citizens.
Every individual owes something to the race. It is our duty to
contribute our part so that the result of our lives is not a tendency
toward degeneration, but toward upbuilding, of the race. The part played
by each individual is small, but the aggregate is great. If our children
are better born and better brought up than we were, and there is
generally room for improvement, we have at least helped.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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