St. Tammany farmer., 1905-11-25

(but not through the ankle Joint
Were this the case, you would correct
" transfer the weight Of your body
from the heels to the center of the
feet.
As test for the correct standing po.
sition, rise on the ball of the foot
or feet. II in so doing you are obliged
to sway forward (no matter how
slightly from your standing position,
or transfer your weight from your
heels by swaying the body forward at
the hips, you are not in a correct posi-
ton.
Assuming that you have now learned
how to get the correct position Ito re-
tain it is matter Of practice), will
next consider the very important fea-
ture of health as regards the carriage
Of the body.
Walking.
To start right, to avoid the general
tendency of allowing the body to
settle, take your position once more
against the wall, or door; sway for
ward to correct position, then as you
step forward you should feel an i'm
| pulse from the chest-the chest being
active and the legs comparatively pas
sive-a feeling of lightness and buoy
ancy as if actually led by the chest.
'Tis true, the legs are indispensable
as a means of bodily locomotion, but
they are more of support than mo-
| tive power; that power is resident in
the chest. Shut OF the lung power, the
great air reservoir, and you at once
are deprived of the necessary pro-
pelling force, and the whole human
machinery stops. That is the reason
that place SO much stress on keeping
an active chest. It also avoids friction
or undue crowding Of the vital organs
"a most essential point as regards the
heart. &
The chest should have the appear
ance Of leading; the abdomen, never.
At first you may feel and even appear
somewhat awkward, but this feeling
and appearance will disappear in pro-
portion to the daily application of
these principles until, in remarkably
short time, correct position and car
riage of the body will become second
nature to you and, instead of striking
your heels SO heavily as you walk, in
stead of making your legs do all the
work and dragging your body around
day after day, you will distribute the
effort more evenly Tin fact, there will
be no effort), you will step with the
lightness and elasticity Of youth, you
will be able to walk miles where now
you walk blocks, to say nothing of
your general appearance and, best of
all, the securing of those conditions
that obtain for health. The strict ad-
herence to these principles will add
not only years to your life but life to
your years.
Sitting.
When sitting, your body should be
as well poised from the hips as, when
standing properly, it is poised from
the ankles. In both cases the same
caution is to be observed, viz: avoid
any undue curvature of the spine,
either forward. backward or lateral.
To do this, sit either on the forward
edge of the chair when at a table or
desk, or as far back as you can with
out your back touching the chair
back. In no case allow the chair to
be so close to the desk or table as to
cause you to crook the spine or drop
the chest. BY observing this caution
you will be able to work more hours
with less fatigue; eat without crowd
ing the digestive organs, and, in both
cases, you will avoid any interference
with circulation most important
matter as regards the prevention of in
digestion, torpid liver. irregular heart
action, insufficient respiration, head
aches and the thousand and one things
that follow closely and inevitably upon
the violation of the law of correct po-
sition, especially the position Of the
chest
To carry your head high. is fashion
able; to carry your heart high, is meta
phorical: to carry your chest high 10
both practical and healthful.
Peary Overworks Children.
A member OF the American Geo
graphical society, in speaking of Rob-
ert E. Peary's proposed trip to the