p. 7 | Walking the Health Road by Selected

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 25, 1914

Walking the Health Road

By Selected

Most sensible folks are more interested nowadays in keeping well than in getting well. But while we may consider ourselves very wise in the matter of preservation of health, as well as in many other matters, wisdom in this particular regard was not born with us. Hear how certain of those who achieved in another generation promoted their own good health, and, as an inevitable result, their success.

In the sixteenth century, says the Chicago Tribune, Cornaro wrote a book entitled "How to Regain Health and Live a Hundred Years." As he wrote the third edition of his book in his ninety-fifth year and lived to be over one hundred, his advice is worth listening to.

He lived abstemiously, and carefully avoided all extremes of heat and cold, extraordinary fatigue, interruptions in his usual hours of rest, and staying long in bad air. He avoided melancholy, hatred, and other evil passions. He laid especial stress upon eating a small quantity of food found to be good for one.

Hippocrates advised good air, baths, friction, and physical exercises.

Frederick Harrison at eighty-one years of age gave golden rules of health:—

1. Abstain from tobacco, spirits, made dishes, and all such terrible things.

2. Rise from a meal with an appetite.

3. Walk every day for two hours.

4. Sleep eight hours.

5. Be content with what you have.

Tolstoi taught that the secret of long life is in fresh air day and night, daily exercise, moderation in eating and drinking, a hot bath each week and a cold one every day.

Von Moltke when ninety years old said he maintained his health by great moderation in all things and by regular outdoor exercise in all weathers.

The Prussian historian, Von Ranke, rose at 8 A. M., took a warm drink, worked until 1 P. M., took a long walk in the park, ate a full afternoon dinner of plain food, worked until 7 P. M., took supper with his family, worked or talked with his family until 11 P. M., and then went to bed.

Sir Herman Eeber when over eighty years of age lectured to the Royal College of Surgeons on the means for the prolongation of life. He took a daily walk in all weathers, once a week walking four hours, and once a year he went on a walking holiday. He recommended mental occupation, gardening, intellectual games, and traveling. He took breathing exercises for five to fifteen minutes each day. He slept six to seven hours, and then took a bath, followed by friction of the skin. He especially advocated regular bowel habits, and simple, plain food. He used no alcohol, stimulants, narcotics, or soothing drugs. He advised the cultivation of mental tranquillity and hopefulness, the avoidance of grief, and the control of the passions.—Selected.