Steps toward maturity and health.

[Music] foreign from the time of the ancients health has been a thing to be greatly prized and sought after through clean living and proper mental attitudes this is an excellent concept developed for the greeks first of all then adopted by the romans who described what health meant to them this way mensana incorporates sano a sound mind in a sound body but what does health mean to the average man today if you're not sick you're healthy right health that's my doctor's problem health means muscle lots of muscle health means having a superior intellect [Music] means having fun with people lots of people or else means staying away from people they got germs obviously health is many things to many people but there is a simple modern concept that many authorities agree upon that ties in with the ancient ideal it includes the physical side of health and the mental side but adds another the social side of health the ability to get along in a world ever more crowded with people this three-sided concept in which all sides are of equal importance can be symbolized by an equilateral triangle the health of men is like an equilateral triangle completely dependent on the length and strength of its size fitness of the body soundness of the mind ability to be socially compatible with mankind now if your physical's off what a shame you don't fit the good health frame and if your metal short old house said the shape you're in will still look bad and if you're socially weak look out jack your frame of health is solid of course the goal for each of us should be to have all sides of our triangle equal but this balance can only come about through a step-by-step development to fully realize what this means we must start with the beginnings of life itself the first step is physical it takes place on a microscopic level and is the same for nearly all forms of life in the body of a female an egg cell called an obama comes together with another kind of cell called sperm produced by the male if a single sperm penetrates the ovum the process known as fertilization takes place as the two cells fuse into one tiny bits of living matter called chromosomes combine to form a plan of what a new individual can become [Music] certain characteristics largely physical are already determined in humans such things as sex color of eyes and skin body type and others now as the combined cell divides again and again nature will for a time assume responsibility for growth and development in the mother's womb the growing mass of cells will be protected and nourished while undergoing a series of automatic and almost miraculous changes at the end of one month these cells have become an embryo about a quarter of an inch long and a tiny heart starts to beat as the third month begins the embryo is still less than an inch long but it is a well-formed individual now known as a fetus after approximately nine months the individual has grown to weigh six billion times more than the original fertilized egg the time has come for an eventful transition now begins the next step and from this time on the maturing of the individual's health triangle must depend to a great extent on outside influences throughout nature most newborn creatures are helpless and must be taken care of now does the parents who for a while assume responsibility for their development the young must be fed they must be protected they must be trained in certain tasks young animals mature quickly and are soon left on their own they will now be guided by natural instincts for all intents and purposes their health triangle is taken care of but the sides of the health triangle for young humans are still just beginning to grow the physical side is still a step ahead but the mental side now begins to grow rapidly too and learning the value of live and let live is one of the first steps in developing the social side as a rule physical development continues to be dominant but in the pre-teens the growth rate for girls is usually faster of course this can be a bit of a problem at times but it's not long before the boys begin to catch up for both boys and girls different parts of the body grow at different rates this often causes a lack of coordination or just plain clumsiness [Music] in the overall triangle of health the mental and social sides have been developing too natural curiosity sparks a desire to learn things there is increasing attention to studies well most of the time [Music] on the social side now there is an urge toward conformity separate groups tend to form by sex and may develop their own codes of behavior [Music] of course sooner or later individual boys and girls do begin to notice each other personal appearance becomes a matter of great concern and temporary blemishes common to most adolescents may cause undue worry these steps are perfectly normal they are taken sooner or later by each individual and they're an indication that an important point has been reached physical maturity has been achieved or nearly so this means that young people are now capable of having children of their own but there is a catch the mental and social sides still lag behind development will continue but now young people are on their own decisions and choices especially those affecting the sides of the health triangle become the responsibility of each individual responsible responsible consider if you please your health depends on taking on responsibilities you're responsible for your body you take your stomach thick or thin your physical side gets shotty when toss the wrong junk in so ask yourself this question of the trash you embrace will i get indigestion or just pimples on my face you're responsible for your thinking emotions you express your metal side gets tested under stress oh yes some minor irritation where trouble may be slight is [Music] remember you're not always right nor others always wrong the shaping of your suicide is up to you you see from the one it's your response ability only by accepting responsibility for yourself can all sides of the health triangle be completed and maintained and this after all should be our goal the health of man is equilateral triangle completely dependent on the length and strength of each side [Music] you