The Arkansas advocate., 1830-05-05
MHSsgEEEzlAN N .
From the (philad,.) Journal of Health.
 QJAE,rfTY OF FOOD,

10 the question which has been Ire quently put to us--What quantity off food is best adapted to the preservation of health2-no satisfactory answer can be given, withouta a reference to the ha- bits, occupation, and age Of each indi- yidual; the degree of health he enjoys, as well as to the season of the year, and other circumstances. As general rule, it will be found, that those who exercise much in the open air, CT follow laborious occupations, viii demand larger amount of food than the indolent or the sedentary. Young persons, also, commonly require more than those ad- Vanced years; and the inhabitants of cold, more than warm climates. We say this is a general rule; for very ma ny exceptions are tobe found in each of these particulars. Thus, we not unfre- quently find that one individual requires more food to support his system than another of the same frame Of body and trade, and who partakes of the same de gree of exercise. In fact, one person will support his strength, or even be- come more robust upon the same quan- tity of food, which will occasion in anotsl- CT debility and emaciation.
 If we refer to the brute creation, which are guided in this respect by an instinct which but rarely errs, we find that one horse requires more food than another of similar age and size, and with the same degree of exercise; and if his accustomed quantity be diminish ed, he will become thin and spiritless. The same is true, also, in respect to other animals.
 Every person arrived at the age of maturity, or even before, should be d. bie to judge for himself, as to the quan- tity of food proper for each meal, as we'll as to the frequency with whiehit should be repeated during the day. Few ap- pear, however, to be aware of the im- portant fact, that the body Is nourished net in proportion to the amount, Or eyen the nutritious qualities of the food which Is consumed, but to the quantity which the stomach actually digests.-All be- yond this disorders the stomach; and if the excess be frequently indulged in, the latter becomes finally incapable of converting into nutrineht even a suffi- eiency for the support of the system.- Most persons act as though the strength, yigor, and health of the body, rise in proportion to the load of food they are capable of forcing daily into the stom- ach; and hence overlooking Is the com mon error, at least in our own country. A slight deficiency of food Is, however, far less injurious than too great an a. mount. The old maxim, $ If health be l your object, rise from the table before the appetite IS sated,n is founded in truth; and though the Epicure will sheer at 1t, yet were he wisely to ad- here toit, he would save himself from many gloomy hour of pain and suffer- ing.
 When the stomach is not labouring under disease, and the individual is oth- erwise in health, the natural appetite is one of the very best guides-the only one, indeed, as to the lime for eating, as well as the quantity of food. When ever such appetite exists, wholesome food may, and ought to be taken: we should cease from eating the moment 1t is satisfied.
 The eccentric author of Emilius, makes the following very judicious re- marks in reference to the diet of ehil- dren:-
 Whatever regimen you prescribe for children. provided you only accus- tom them to plain and simple food, you may let them eat, run, and play as much as they please, and you may be sure they will never eat too much, or be troubled with indigestion. But if you starye them half the day, and they find means to escape your observation, they will make themselves amends, and eat tiil they are sick, or even burst.
 $ Our appetite is only unreasonable, because we choose to regulate it by otl- CT laws than those of nature. Always laying down arbitrary rules, governing, prescribing, adding, retrenching, we never do any thing without the scales in our hands; and this balance is formed according to the measure of our fancies, and not according 10 tbat of o.tr stonaachs. '1
 The foregoing remarks will equally applyto the adult as tc the child. It important, however, that z the balance" of the stomach be not rendered untrue by the arts of cookery-in other words,