One of my favorite relaxation activities is wandering antique shops with my mom. We love looking for those unique finds that really spark our interest, even though we struggle to rationalize how items from the 1980s are antique at some places. In one of our adventures, we came across a couple of tomes from Home Health Society and the Home Encyclopedia of Health published in 1915 and 1908 respectively. As a nurse and with my family history of medical service that dates back to the early 1900’s, I immediately had to have these as I wanted to dive into how healthy living was portrayed in the early 20th Century.

In thumbing through these books, it struck me how the core of how we care for our bodies has changed and yet at the same time come full circle. Our understanding of what is core to health now reflects a lot of the same beliefs from more than 100 years ago. Medicine has changed considerably in this time, we have cured diseases, lengthened our life spans, but we have also lost focus on the basics of health.

One of my key observations was on how we value health. I loved all the treatments for different diseases, but I was mostly intrigued by the recommendations for longevity. A few examples were: the art and science of cooking, kitchen equipment, natural bone broths, beauty masks, natural dwelling houses, playing, sleep, and sound mind.

It is incredible that some of the most today’s horrific diseases can be easily treated by antibiotics or surgery, but when we reflect back to the roots of health it is through those items like eating foods that are natural and contain the most basic ingredients that we can now, like in eras past, prove to be one of the key components to a healthy and jubilant life.