Health, Exercise, and Healthful Living
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brain and then there is restlessness and wakefulness, and the precious
sleep that should rest the body does not come when desired.
It is needful to take care of the body and to study its needs and
preserve it from unnecessary exposure. It is a sin to be ignorant of how
to care for the wants of this habitation God has given us. Especially
should brain workers begin to be soothed and not in any way excited
as they draw nigh their hours for sleep. Let the blood be attracted from
the brain by some kind of exercise, if need be. Let not the brain be
taxed even to read, and, of course, not to put forth literary effort. You
shall, Marian and Fannie, have one or two hours, as will best please
you, in the daytime, and you will not feel so starved for intellectual
food that you will partake of it in the night hours. God designed that
the night shall be given to sleep.
Well, enough upon this point, I am sure. If we are not aroused to
obey the laws God has established in our being, we need not expect
that the Lord will work a miracle to counteract our own wrong course
of action. We must put reason to work and do our utmost to learn what
we must do [in order] not to form habits to pursue a certain course
because we are inclined to do this, but to break up every habit that is
the least injurious to health, for this God requires of us. Then we may
ask God in faith to help us and He will do it.
Especially do I feel concerned for Fannie. I want her to recover
from this nervousness and wakefulness, and in order to do this she
must take time to rest the brain, that the nerves may not be completely
out of tune, like our old organ. When Fannie takes herself in hand,
then she will see ways that she can improve her health. I feel so sorry
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for Fannie. She has a good frame, large bones, and should have good,
sound nerves and muscles; and the reason she has not is because she
has abused her brain and nerve power by overtaxation, keeping herself
upon a strain, keyed up, when reason should take the reins and hold
her in obedience to the laws of God which control the human system.
I wish Fannie could hear the lectures given now upon health at the
[Rural Health] Retreat. She needs her mind and conscience stirred up
on these things, and needs to use every power God has bestowed upon
her to get well, that she may use these powers as God’s entrusted gifts,
that she may have healthful powers to exercise in all her work.
Fannie, you need some physical exercise indoors and out each day.
If you get tired, it will relieve the brain. What this exercise shall be, I