2 64 BIOLOGY AND HUMAN LIFE 



becomes impaired. The physical condition of the body can in- 

 fluence one's dreams, and certain dreams, or the reading of cer- 

 tain stories, can produce marked effects upon the condition of 

 the body, such as shivering with cold or shaking with laughter. 

 Instead of saying that all disorders are due to physical causes 

 or that all are due to mental causes, it might be more helpful for 

 us to think of the body as a living organism, in which every 

 happening may influence every part. 



218. Mental health and mental healing. If we realize that 

 the organism is a unity, it is easier for us to understand that 

 health is very largely a habit, and that the state of mind is a 

 large part of the habit. This must not be taken to mean, how- 

 ever, that all illness could be prevented by proper training, or 

 that health is to be obtained by merely getting certain ideas 

 into our minds. It is necessary to keep the whole organism 

 well ; but if something does go wrong, it is important to find 

 out what the cause of the trouble is. No one medicine or one 

 trick can cure all disorders, just as no one ideal food can suit 

 everybody all the time and just as there can be no one answer to 

 all questions. We must guard against the idea that somebody 

 has found a universal remedy, whether it is a kind of drug, or 

 a kind of exercise, or a kind of lucky stone, or a kind of happy 

 thought. 



219. Health as habit. We have already seen that in order to 

 maintain Hfe and a sound working of the body it is necessary to 

 provide certain materials and conditions, and we have seen that 

 in regard to all the bodily needs that we have studied it is desir- 

 able to acquire certain habits, since there are better ways of do- 

 ing things and poorer ways. Some of these desirable habits are: 



1. Habits of eating, to get the necessary materials; to get 

 them in the right proportions to meet the needs of the body, in- 

 cluding the need for muscular activity of the intestines and of 

 the jaws ; to get them in the right condition to be readily used 

 by the body, including flavor, digestibility, etc. 



2. Habits of breathing, including constant demand for fresh 

 air, suitable ventilation, etc 



