The Washington herald., 1916-11-08
Health Enemies.
ny oRIsON SWEET MARDEN.

e4SehtM EHculcts
ny oRIsON SWEET MARDEN.
Recently ! overheard two young women in an
adjoining seat on train talking over the good
times they were having. One said she had not
gone to bed for long time until or o'clock
in the morning, sometimes until 4 The other girl
expressed surprise that she was not used up.
oh" she replied, you just have to get used to
it, and after while you don't mind it." Both
were under 20. They were, well-dressed, and
seemed well-bred.
The chances are that by the time these young
women are in their 3o's, and perhaps at the head
of families, they will be broken down in health,
semi-inyalids, and they will wonder where their
vitality has gone, why 1t is that they do not have
their former robust health and energy
There is great difference between the fun
which dissipates and destroys and the innocent
play which renews, restores, refreshes, and re-
invigorates.
The majority of people do not know how to
get the right kind of receation. They indulge in
things which leave them in depressed, depleted
rundown condition. This is not the recreation
that renews, but the dissipation that kills.
On trains and street cars every morning, in
stead of bright, sparkling eyes and fresh vigorous
faces which come from refreshing sleep and in
nocent recreation, we see multitudes of people
going to their work with dull heavy eyes, jaded.
ragged, utterly demoralized.
What common thing it is to see in our
barber shops in the early morning men with
their heads covered with hot towels; taking mas
sages; taking bracers in barrooms and doing all
sorts of things, trying to get themselves in decent
shape to go to their work again. These people
are often seen at the Turkish baths, looking as
if they had been out on long debauch.
On the other hand. when a person has a good
time in way which leaves no sting, no depressing
reaction, no headache, no Indigestion and has had
a good nights sleep, what difference in his ap-
pearancel He feels a new power swelling up in
him; he is eager to tackle the days work, ready
to encounter any obstacles that may confront
him. He is self-confdent, self-reliart, self-re-
spected, and feels that he is master of the situa-
ton.
Your great life problem is to get as large
percentage of your brain power, your physical
power, and as large a percentage of your ability
into your life work. into that which is worth
while, as possible. Anything which interferes
with that-whether 1aziness, indifference, or too
much even innocent amusement-anything which
robs you of precious time which you do not need
for recreation, is your enemy, because it handi-
caps you Anything which cuts down your vital
force, whether it is smoking, drinking dissipation
or idling away your time is keeping you back and
should be eliminated, remedied.
Every departure from normal living, every
violation of health laws. every bit of unnecessary
wastage of power in vicious habits and dissipation
loss of sleep from bad hygienic condition, every
wrong mental attitude, every vicious mood-wor-
res, anxieties. fears, jealousies, hatreds-all of
these things will tends to cut off some portion of
your possible term of life and your life achieve
ment.
1t is good thing to take frequent inventories
of yourself and make new list of your health
friends and enemies.
We hear great deal nowadays about pre-
paredness for Countries with weak fortii-
cations or defenses always in more danger
from the attack of enemies than those which are
thoroughly prepared for resistance
We human beings need health defenses We
are carrying on warfare with the enemies of
our health, our happiness and our success all our
lives 1t makes Tremendous difference whether
we are in position physically to combat disease
enemies which are constantly besieging the citadel
of life.
Anything which lowers your strength, your
vitality, weakens your natural defenses and leaves
you open to the attacks of health enemies