Page:The Road to Wellville (1926).djvu/64

 When the glare of war high-lighted our truths and errors, we found out what were really the most important factors in obtaining and maintaining good health, and food about led the list. In the midst of that dire catastrophe, the President, the head of the army, said: “Only second to our duty of caring for the troops at the front is our work of caring for the children at home.” If that is true in war, in peace our duty is obvious.

And yet, with our ultra prosperity, we find six million malnourished children and fifteen million handicapped with defects that might be remedied.

Here are some simple rules for righting this wrong:

1. Drink at least a pint of milk every day—a quart is better. No tea nor coffee.

2. Drink at least four glasses of water a day.

3. Eat at least two vegetables every day, one of which should be potatoes, with a green leafy vegetable three or four times a week, at least.

4. Eat fresh fruit every day, if possible, but at least three or four times a week. Eat dried fruit on the days no fresh fruit is eaten.

5. Eat some one of the following every day: fish, meat, dried peas, beans, or cheese.

6. Eat some butter and an egg every day.

7. Eat your sweets at the end of the meal. Post’s Bran Chocolate is especially wholesome.

8. Eat your breads brown, not white—at least half of the time—Boston brown bread, rye, and whole wheat. And use brown cereals, too, such as Grape-Nuts and Post’s Bran Flakes.

9. Take a bath “all over” twice a week, at least. A bath every day is a longer step towards abundant health.

10. Brush not only the teeth but the gums twice a day, morning and night (salt in the water, one teaspoon to the glass