Page:Hatha yoga - or the yogi philosophy of physical well-being, with numberous excercises.djvu/84

84 invariably are deficient in their supply of blood—they are often bloodless looking creatures—pale, sallow, bloodless-looking anemic creatures. Their skin is often dry and feverish, and they perspire but little. They have an unhealthy appearance, and remind one of dried fruit, needing a good soaking to make them look plump and normal. They are nearly always sufferers from constipation—and constipation brings with it a myriad of other disorders, as we will show you in another chapter. Their large intestines, or colon, are unclean, and the system is continually absorbing the products of the waste stored away there, and endeavoring to get rid of it by means of foul breath; strong, sweaty perspiration, and unnatural urine. This is not pleasant reading, but it is necessary to use plain words when calling your attention to these things. And all this for the lack of a little water—just think of it. You who are so particular to keep yourselves clean on the outside, allow yourselves to remain filthy within.

Man's body needs water all over its inner parts. It needs constant irrigation, and if that irrigation is denied the bodies suffer just as does the land, denied its natural supply of water. Every cell, tissue and organ needs water in order to be healthy. Water is a universal solvent and enables the system to assimilate and distribute the nourishment obtained from the food, and to get rid of the waste products of the system. It is often said that the "blood is the life," and if this is so, what must the water be called—for without water the blood would be but dust?

Water is needed also for the purpose of enabling the kidneys to perform their functions of carrying off