THE SECRET OF LONG LIFE

An ancient sage said, “man does not die, he kills himself.” This is true in the case of most people. While it is true that all must die sometime, yet very few live out the natural term of life.

The records of every community contain the names of men who lived to a great age; some of them lived to be over a hundred years old. But it is found in the case of most these centenarians that they began to care for their health early in life.

Most men and women while young have good health and are strong physically. When warned against doing things that injure the health, they scoff and say, “I am young and strong; it will not hurt me to do this.” The God who rules the universe has fixed a law that governs the actions of every man and woman. “Whatever a man soweth,” He declares, “that shall he also reap.” The young person who forms bad habits of living is sowing the seeds of disease in his body, and it is an absolute certainty that sooner or later he will reap ill-health.

Many who are reading this may have already passed the period of their youth and may already be afflicted with disease. They will naturally ask. Since I have neglected to carefully guard my health during the past years, is there any hope that I may have long life? This will depend on how seriously the body has been injured. But there is no one who cannot greatly lengthen the years of his/her life is he/she will at once leave off all those habits that injure the health and begin to practice those things that tend to promote long life. There are many instances of men, forty or more years old with diseased bodies, who have reformed their habits and lived to the age of seventy-five or eighty years.

To live Long a Man Must be Temperate

Temperance is one of the essentials to long life. The lives of men and women who have reached the century mark have been free from excesses of all kinds. They have been temperate in eating and drinking. They have also been mindful of the fact that the principles of temperance apply also to the control of one’s passions as well as to the control of appetite. Anger, envy, bitter feelings, all have a harmful influence upon the body and tend to shorten life.

Food for Long Life

A vegetarian diet is best for promoting long life. Some hesitate to give up flesh foods because they fear they may not get a balanced diet without them. They are especially concerned about possible protein deficiency; but actual tests and experience reveal that there will be no deficiency of protein or any other essential element in a vegetarian diet provided that it includes a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts and unrefined grains.

Also to live a long life, it is necessary to eat moderately and regularly, and to have daily elimination.

Exercise

Daily exercise is essential to live long. The body is like a machine; if the machine is not used, it soon gets rusty; and everyone knows that a rusty machine very easily breaks, if one does not exercise, the body becomes stiff. In the case of old people, if they do not exercise, the body becomes so stiff in time that they no longer can use the legs in walking. Some famous men who lived long made it a practice through-out their lives to exercise daily, and even after they had become very old they would take a walk daily in the fresh air.

The mind should be exercised by reading and discussing important subjects. Elderly people should engage in physical exercise as much as they can tolerate. This keeps the circulation active in the brain and will help to prevent the onset of mental deterioration.

The Basic Rules for Longevity

1.       Be sure to have the rooms you occupy well ventilated.

2.      Seek out-of-doors occupation and recreation.

3.      Sleep out-of-door if you can.

4.      Breathe deeply.

5.      Avoid overeating.

6.      Eat sparingly of meats and highly spiced foods.

7.      Eat slowly and chew thoroughly.

8.     The bowels should be evacuated daily.

9.      Stand, sit and walk erect.

10.  Keep the teeth, gums and tongue clean by brushing the teeth daily.

11.   Follow principles of sanitation to prevent disease-producing germs from entering the body.

12.  Do not overwork. Rest when you are fatigued. Sleep from seven to nine hours daily, according to your needs.

13.  Avoid anger and worry – keep serene.