"BREATH IS LIFE"
Life is absolutely dependent upon the act of breathing. “Breath is Life” To breathe is to live,
and without breath there is no life. Not only are the higher animals dependent upon breath for life and health, but even the
lower forms of animal life must breathe to live, and plant life is likewise dependent upon the air for continued existence.
The infant draws in a long, deep breath, retains it for a moment to extract from it its life-giving properties, and then exhales
it in a long wail, and lo! its life upon earth has begun. The old man gives a faint gasp, ceases to breathe, and life is over.
From the first faint breath of the infant to the last gasp of the dying man, it is one long story of continued breathing.
Life is but a series of breaths. Breathing may be considered the most important of all of the functions of the body, for,
indeed, all the other functions depend upon it. Man may exist some time without eating; a shorter time without drinking; but
without breathing his existence may be measured by a few minutes. And not only is Man dependent upon Breath for life. but
he is largely dependent upon correct habits of breathing for continued vitality and freedom from disease. An intelligent control
of our breathing power will lengthen our days upon the earth by giving us increased vitality and powers of resistance, and,
on the other hand, unintelligent and careless breathing will tend to shorten our days, by decreasing our vitality and laying
us open to disease. |