The twelve Animal Signs

for Men

Rat man
His physical background

Rats as a kind of animal may inspire disgust and fear to many of us. On the contrary, people born under the Rat sign of Chinese astrology are generally noted for their physical attractiveness and charm; more often than not, their outward appearance constitutes one of their best assets in life.

The Rat male has a relatively small head, with something that vaguely recalls the head of a rodent. Most noticeable are his high cheekbones, his elongated and somewhat hollow cheeks, his large ears and his pointed chin. One can hardly ever read this man's emotions or anger on his face which is always radiant with his extremely lively eyes and his ever-ready smile. Most Rat men wear an abundant mustache, which gives them an air of distinction and also of goodnaturedness.

The Rat male moves with a great deal of grace owing to his slender body and agile bearing; he is naturally gifted for dancing, and it is generally a pleasure to see him walk. After a few years of overindulgence in food and drinks - a weakness he is always tempted to commit - he may tend to grow stout and take on a somewhat awkward gait; but if he shows moderation he can remain youthful a very long time and appear, at the age of sixty, to be no more than forty. His overall demeanor is rather effeminate.

He is exceptionally clever with his hands. Many appreciate him as a resourceful conjurer, and his feats of legerdemain are another contribution to his popularity in society.

This subject generally enjoys a good physical constitution and good health. There is nothing basically wrong; but his organism may be put out of sorts because one of his most probable faults is to live on an erratic diet. He is extremely greedy and does not always want to control his appetite. In order to prevent disastrous consequences, he must make it a rule to take his meals at regular intervals, never to overeat, and to consume only small quantities of meat, starch or sweet things. He must also give his preference to citrus fruits, honey, popped cereals, wheat germs and wheat-germ oil rich in vitamin E; these foods are definitely beneficial to him. Orange-blossom tea can equally help as he is essentially a nervous person and often suffers from insomnia.

Among other health problems threatening the Rat male, mention must first be made of nervous breakdowns and stomach ulcers. Hating leisure and invariably wanting to overwork himself, he is reputed as a "high-pressure go-getter." One can easily find him among those afflicted with the so-called "holiday neurosis." If he is able to heed a bit of advice, he should realize that his nervous system is rather tenuous and can in no way bear constant ill treatment. He also has to keep a close watch over his blood pressure and entire cardiovascular system. Violent sports such as football, baseball and rugby are certainly not for him; but all sports requiring adroitness, among them table tennis, lawn tennis and fencing, can do him lots of good. In any case, he must remain attentive to his physiological needs, making place not only for work but also for play and sufficient sleep. Failing this, he is likely to be sooner or later relegated to his bed or, worse still, to a sanitarium. Moderation in everything should be his life motto.

According to tradition, the Rat man faces the danger of lung cancer. In addition to this, his respiratory tract as a whole is weak and vulnerable; a congestion of the lungs or a persistent cough are apt to come and plague him at any time - and yet he is an inveterate chain smoker! One cannot but strongly advise him to reduce the number of his daily cigarettes or pipes and to practice golf or horse-riding, two open-air sports most favorable to a good oxygenation.

The native is prone to treat his health problems by scorning or ignoring them. This is certainly an unwise attitude. Our body has its own requirements that could not indefinitely go unheeded without entailing more or less serious damage; on the other hand, as J.-J. Rousseau pointed out, "the weaker our body is, the more it commands; the stronger it is, the more it obeys."