exercise. The stomach in order to be strengthened must
have a due amount of intelligent consideration at all times. For
instance, you cannot make a garbage can of your stomach and expect to
increase the strength of the organ. It is really necessary, if you are
seriously desirous of securing the best results in vitality building,
to learn at least the fundamental facts relating to rational
dietetics; and, after acquiring this knowledge, to apply it to your
individual use throughout every day of your life. The suggestions that
I have offered in the chapter on Cleansing and Stimulating the
Alimentary Canal are truly of extreme importance in these
strengthening processes. In fact in every instance this plan will
increase the assimilative strength, and will enable you to create a
better quality of blood; and this result in turn naturally aids in
strengthening the stomach itself as well as all other parts of the
body. Furthermore, this is a method for cleansing directly not only the
organ itself but the various glands which furnish the digestive
juices. Therefore, if difficulties are frequently presented in
connection with the functions of this organ, special attention should
be given to the elemental cleansing and strengthening processes as
outlined in the chapter referred to.

There are various special exercises which will have a certain influence
upon the stomach because of their mechanical stimulation of this organ.
All bending and twisting movements of the trunk of the body will
naturally stimulate the action of the stomach because of their
direct mechanical effect. All movements of this sort are naturally
valuable under the circumstances, though for a short time after a meal
any exercise that is so severe as to interfere with digestion should be
avoided. Such interference results when the muscles are used to such an
extent that they require greatly increased quantities of blood at a
time when a plentiful supply is needed by the stomach to carry on the
work of digestion. All my readers no doubt already understand the
necessity for giving the digestive organs every opportunity to carry on
their processes for at least one hour after a hearty meal. Bending
and body-twisting movements are valuable one hour or more after a
meal for strengthening the stomach, but they interfere with digestion
if taken immediately thereafter. For increasing the vigor of this
most important o