McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1884-05-15
Advice for May. :

Warm weather, with its debilita.ing
influences, is already approaching.
The blood is still thick and rich, as
compared with its state in warm
weather, and needs improving. This
is effected in two different ways. The
blood, of course, is made from the
food, which, like milk, partakes of the
nature of the materials from which il
is made, the summer and winter food
differing as much as our clothing. This
is inferred from the varying appetite,
the carbonaceous elements being de-
manded in the winter and in cold eli
mates, such as the sweets, oils and
the starches, while the sub acid fruits,
the succulent vegetables, ETC., are de-
manded in warm weather. One fact
should be remembered, that the wealth
er often changes more rapidly, more
abruptly than the appetite. Hence the
danger that the appetite may not fairly
guide in the selection of food, the dam
ger being that the cold weather appe-
tite may be continued too long. Ii so,
the system being burdened by an ex-
cess of carbon, stomach and liver de-
rangements will legitimately result. 1t
is best, therefore, on the first appear
ance of warm weather, to use use less
and less of these "heaters," thus re-
lieving the organs of digestion, avoid
ing sbilIousness," whatever that term
may imply. Perhaps there is more
probability of the excessive use of
sugar and fine flour, with pastry, at
this season, than of other articles,
since the pleasantness to the taste may
exert an influence. The appetite
is a natural guide, but it is
not as reliable in health as in
sickness, and not as certainly 80 dur
ing the intermediate state as in the
middle of the winter or summer. But
the appearance of the fruit and veget-
ables, in their peculiarities, indicates
plainly what course to pursue. The
strawberries and currants, for exam
pie, show US what is right in this re-
spect, being more acid than those fell
lowing them, even in warmer weather,
after the blood has been purified and
thinned and the appetite has been reg
ulated. These acids are of the utmost
Importance in their influence on the
liver, exciting that organ to perform
its work of purifying the blood, elimi-
mating the carbon and the general
waste from the brain and nerves, so
that the heart and lungs may not spe-
cially suffer. And more, while there
is tendency at this time to constipa-
ton, the increased secretion of this
"bile" or waste-which is natural
cathartic--teEds to remove all obstruc-
tons, SO regulating the system as to
prevent the more usual diseases of the
season. But, if these acids are needful
now, the use of that winter food-su-
gar-counteracting their beneficial eff
fects, 1Iust be inappropriate in the
usual quantities. 1t is believed that a
moderate use of bread-with the ber-
ries, the early vegetables, the canned
fruit, ETC., would do much to prevent
spring diseases. This implies but mod
crate use of butter, sugar, meats-the
lean only-while fish, as the plain cod
and the like, may supplant much of
the winter food. The potatoes, most
ly water and starch, will afford
enough of the carbon for the season, a
simple form of this needed element.
Such food will tend to arouse the tor
pid liver and keep all in order.