HOW TO GET STRONG
The advantages to men of a well-built body, kept in thorough repair, are very great. Those of every class, whose occupation is sedentary, soon find it out. Some part of the machinery gets out of order. It may be the head, or eyes, or throat; it may be the lungs or stomach, liver or kidneys. Something does not go—is wrong. There is a clogging; a lack of complete action; and often positive pain. This physical clogging tells at once on the mental work; either making its accomplishment uncomfortable and an effort; or becoming so bad as to prevent work at all. It may make the man ill. There is little doubt but that a large majority of ailments would be removed; or, rather, would never have come; had the lungs and also the muscles of the man had vigorous daily action, to the extent that frequent trial had shown best suited to his wants. One of the quickest known ways of dispelling a headache is to give some of the muscles, those of the legs, for instance, a little hard, sharp work to do. The reason is obvious. Dr. Mitchell puts it well when he says that muscular exercise flushes the parts engaged in it, and so depletes the brain.
But fortunately that same exercise also helps make better blood; gets the entire lungs into action; quickens the activity of the other vital organs; and so tones up the whole man, that, if the exercise is taken daily, and is kept up, disorder, unless very deep-seated, disappears.
It is well known that when the system, from any cause, gets run down; disease is more likely to enter; and slower at being shaken off. Thousands and hundreds of thousands of men and women have hard work, mental strain, fret and anxiety, daily, and for years together;—indeed, scarcely do anything to lighten the
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