Often leanness is due to inability to digest the starches or sugars, and when this is the case the condition must be remedied by strengthening the digestive organs through exercises for the muscles of the stomach and intestines, exercises to create a free activity of the liver and to strengthen the nerves controlling digestion. Deep breathing habits to insure sufficient oxygen to put the waste in condition for elimination are necessary. Most often sufficient food is eaten, but due to nerve tension or to sluggish circulation, particularly through the vital organs, it is not assimilated. Usually, however, bodily flesh may be increased by increasing the liquids and the carbohydrate consumption and also the fat if these are assimilated. If habits of life, overwork, improper food, unhealthy thoughts, nerve exhaustion, excessive nerve tension, or disease are responsible, they must first be corrected. Often the nerve tension must be relaxed by change of habit of both body and mind before the flesh will accumulate. There must be no mental strain, and plenty of sleep must be secured. If they can be assimilated, the diet should contain soups, butter, milk, cream, cocoa, chocolate, well-cooked cereals, as oatmeal, bread, tapioca, or rice puddings with cream and sugar, bread, potatoes, leguminous foods, as peas and beans, cake, honey, especially sweet fruits, carrots, parsnips, and other vegetables; meat not oftener than once a day. Vinegar and too much spice, pastry, coffee, and tea should be avoided. The free drinking of liquid is most important. * * * * * [Sidenote: Obesity] Obesity is caused by a disturbed balance of nutrition occasioned, often, by more food being taken than the body requires. The resultant fat is deposited in and among the tissues. It is most often seen in those in middle life of sedentary habit who continue to eat as heartily as ever without using a little thought to determine the actual body needs for food. An excess of fat is often seen in light eaters, however. This is usually due to a weakness of nerve tissue, which does not direct the regular activities of the body—digestion assimilation, elimination, etc.—with sufficient force to burn up the normal amount of fat in automatic activities. In all cases breathing is usually faulty, oxidation is incomplete, and little exercise for the vital organs is taken. Anemia may exist in such individuals. The body fat is formed from various elements in foods, and a food which may cause obesity in one individual may not produce it in another. Fat meats, alcoholic drinks, or the excessive use of starches and sugars may cause it. The food at fault in each case must be determined and largely reduced or eliminated from the diet.