Herself by Edith Belle Lowry (e books free to read TXT) 📖

Have you ever thought why it is that some women are as young at forty as others are at twenty-four? And I mean young not frivolous! It is every woman's duty to keep young as long as possible, but, unfortunately, she does not always know the best way to live up to that duty. Keeping young means keeping your body in a perfectly healthy condition and your mind in harmony. With attention to certain laws a woman can detract ten years from her age. She can do this by treating herself as a friend and not as a slave. Take ten minutes and think how you could improve yourself by a little effort. Perhaps some of these suggestions will help you.

Everyone needs exercise. Just what sort depends upon the occupation of the individual. A woman doing housework exercises most of her muscles during the day, and if she makes pleasure, and not drudgery out of her work, this exercise is very beneficial. It is a pleasure to be able to accomplish so much, but the housework is not sufficient exercise. This woman needs exercise for her mind and for her beauty-loving soul. In her spare time she should lie under the trees and enjoy nature or a good book, or she should go to some gathering where she will meet those who will refresh her intellectually. Keep the mind open to all the impressions of nature. Love the open air. Fresh air is not a fad, it is a necessity if one would keep young. Occasionally read a book of travel or a biography of some well-known person. Keep mentally alert. An intellectual back number adds years to her seeming age. Nothing makes for youth as a young mind, save perhaps a young heart.

If a woman wishes to retain her attractiveness and not grow dull and uninteresting, she must be interested in the outside world. Make it a point to go somewhere every day. If you cannot do anything else, put the baby in the cart and walk a few blocks. Do not say you are too busy. It is necessary for your health and you will find a few minutes' outing will give you renewed energies and help you to see the silver lining. If possible go to social affairs where you meet people. Invite others to your home but do not tire yourself entertaining them. People who are boarding enjoy a simple home-cooked meal. It is the "homey" air they enjoy and not elaborate decorations or menu.

A woman in an office needs different exercise. She needs to do something that will stretch and strengthen the tired muscles. She also needs plenty of fresh air. A brisk walk is one of the best exercises for her. Walk part of the way to the office, if possible, and keep your eyes open for interesting things you pass. Use your imagination in guessing the life story of those you meet. Forget yourself by becoming interested in others, and you will be surprised at the effect upon your outlook on life. It is not work that makes the business girl grow old and careworn as much as it is her inability to forget her work during her play or rest time. A business man takes an occasional day off and goes hunting or fishing, but the business girl seldom can afford the little trips that would serve to break the monotony of work. But every day brings its opportunities for little pleasures that are available. Remember it is the small things of life that make up its enjoyment. Once in a while at noon go to some especially nice lunch room where you will see well dressed women, where the service is faultless and every mouthful and every moment enjoyable. You will come away filled with such a sense of well-being that you will be able to accomplish twice as much in the way of work. Many business girls do not entertain themselves well enough. They become so imbued with the spirit of economy that they deny themselves the little pleasures that would make life enjoyable. This reacts upon their work and ability. These people who continually stint themselves never achieve great success. They repress themselves so much that they quell all their best impulses. They never expand.

Learn self-control. Anger is a rapid wrinkle bringer. The energy that is wasted in useless worry and tirade against circumstances might be conserved and diverted into other channels that would bring you abundant reward, financially as well as in other ways. Avoid worry, hurry and getting flustered. Plan your work in the morning, then take the little interruptions coolly and quietly. You will not be half so tired at the end of the day as you would be otherwise. Be temperate. Moderation does not refer only to the stomach. Overdoing in any way makes for premature age.

Do not let yourself get sluggish and indifferent. Here is where the benefits of massage, physical culture and a vital interest in life come in. Youth is happiness! If you would be young, radiate happiness. Talk happiness not ill-health. One certain symptom of advancing age is the desire to talk about ill-health. Discussing operations you have undergone or sickness you have experienced always attracts attention to your age. Children seldom talk about ill-health. An illness once conquered is forgotten. Another thing, do not whine. The American women are noted for their unpleasant voices, which often are too high pitched, showing lack of control. Cultivate a low, well-modulated voice. Recently I met a young woman who had a deformed body and a plain face, but I immediately was attracted to her because she had the most beautiful speaking voice it ever was my privilege to hear.

As we age in years we are liable to grow careless in our dress, to select colors and styles that are not very becoming; we do not take as much pains with our hair, our nails or our shoes as we should. We have allowed age to manifest itself in the lack of care of the little things.

Finally, if your work does not bring you happiness, you are in the wrong place and the sooner you find the right place the better for you. It is impossible to take a race horse and expect to make him a good plow horse. We only would spoil the one without succeeding in obtaining the other. There is a right place for everyone and each one is adapted to certain things and in order to accomplish the most we must "find ourselves."

Abortions, 89
Accidental, 90
Criminal, 91
Prevalence, 92, 112
Sterility following, 95

Advertisements, misleading, 65

Advertising physicians, 173

After-birth, 83

Amenorrhœa, 40

Anatomy of generative organs, 11

Anus, 16

Atrophy of generative organs, 30

Backache, displacement causing, 36
Fake advertisements concerning, 67
Gonorrhœa causing, 61
Lumbago, rheumatism, strain, 67

Bag of waters, 86

Birth canal, 13

Black plagues, see Gonorrhœa and Syphilis
Causing tumors, 42

Bladder, openings into, 17
Position in relation to womb, 11

Blindness, due to gonorrhœa, 59
Infection, prevalence of in new born, 60

Blue baby, 87

Blues, 195

Born with caul or veil, 86

Boys, need of instruction, 178
Why boys go astray, 171

Breasts, after menopause, in pregnancy, 19
At puberty, 24

Cancer, carcinoma, 43

Cathartics, 51

Cavity of pelvis, 11

Cavity of womb, openings into, 11, 12

Change of life, see Menopause

Child bearing period, 23

Childless homes, 103

Chlorosis, 40

Circumcision in girls, 41

Clandestine engagements, 157

Clap, see Gonorrhœa.

Clitoris, hooded, 17
Causing nervousness and immorality, 41

Coitus, 74

Conception, 74
Prevention of, 109

Congestion from tight clothing, 37

Constipation, 47
Caused by retroversion, 34, 49
Causes, 48

Cord, 83

Cramps during menopause, 30

Development of life, 81

Diseases of female organs, 33
Influence on appearance, 28
Venereal diseases, 56

Displacements, causes of, 33
Backward, constipation caused by, 34
Bladder, pressure on, 35
Downward, side, 37
Forward, 36
Hemorrhoids caused by, 34
Menstruation, relation to, 34
Treatment, 35

Divorce, 115
Black plagues as a factor, 117
Sterility as a factor, 118

Douche, for cleanliness, at close of period, 21
In irritation of vagina, 40

Drug habit, from patent medicines, 69
In constipation, 51

Dry labor, 86

Dysmenorrhœa, 39

Education, lack of for girls, 77

Egg, see Ovum.

Embryo, 82

Embryology, 81

Epilepsy due to syphilis, 101

Excesses
Cause of premature old age,  76
Causing congestion,  38
During early married life,  74

Exercise
For business woman,  205
For home woman,  203

External generative organs, description, 16
Care,  20

Fake advice, 65

Fallopian tubes, description, position, 14
Effect of gonorrhœa on,  57
Removal, effect of, sterility from removal,  58
Tumors of,  42

Father's duty to son, 181

Fear, needless, 106

Fertilization of ovum, 74, 81

Flirtations and their results, 157

Fœtal movements, 84

Fœtus, 82

Gonorrhœa
Effect on female organs,  57
Persistence of in later years,  57
Prevalence of,  56

Prevention of in youth, 63
Symptoms, 61

Green sickness, 40

Happiness necessary, 208

Headache, from constipation, 48
From displacements,