The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-04-15
WHAT TO EAT.
Food and it's Relation to Health-.French
and English Customs. ..,s.,.s2~.


The first meal of the day, or break
fast, is now in this country-with those
in health, at all events-a fairly sub
Btantial one, although some people try
but, thank goodness try in vain-tO
assimilate French and English customs
in regard to breakfast. France and its
folks are different from England, with
its solid men and women; It's climate is
different from ours; its notions as re-
CARDS eating and drinking can never be
engrafted on English bone and muscle.
Yes, breakfast ought TO be n hearty
one, eaten early in the morning, and
eaten slowly, SO as to preclude the pos
sibility OF eating too heavily, which
would materially interfere with the busi-
ness of the day.
A man or woman who is no break
fast-eater must either be q heavy-over-
avy-suppcr-cater. or be in a bad
state of health. A person who requires
the stimulus of q cup of tea. or any
other stimulus or stimulant whatever,
before partaking of solid food is not i'll
the heyday of health. like to see 81
man have his breakfast first, and then
feel around for his cup of coffee, tea or
chocolate. | have known the strongest
and healthiest of men positively forget
all about the liquid part of their break
fast, and leave the table without it. |
have known men who scarcely ever
touched a drop of liquor of any kind
from one weeks end to another, and
who, nevertheless, were in ruddy and
robust health.
What person eats for breakfast Of
ten gives me clew to the state of his
health. One example: if, while sojourn-
ing at an hotel | see a man come down
to breakfast between 10 and IL, and sit
down to deviled kidneys with plenty of
sauce (piquanD, and perhaps one poor
puny egg to follow, would be willing
to aver that he carries white tongue,
and that his liver sadly needs seeing to.
Ham and eggs, bacon and eggs, or
beefsteak or underdone chop, with
boiled eggs to follow, and then cup of
nice tea, is a sensible breakfast for a
man who is going away out into the
fresh air to walk, or ride, or work till
noon, but not for a person who has to
sit all day in the same position at man.
ual labor. l emphasize the word man.
ual because intellectual or mental work
conduces to appetite. An author hard
at his desk, if his ideas be flowing free
ly, if he be happy at his work, and time
flying swiftly with him, soon gets hun
CRY, which only proves that we must
support the body well when there is
strain upon the mind, so that no extra
expenditure of tissue may lead to de-
bility.
Cheerful conversation insures the easy
digestion of good breakfast. 1t is a
pity that in this country the custom of
inviting friends to the matutinal meal
is not more prevalent 1t may seem a
strange thing to say, but / would ten
times sooner go out to breakfast than to
dinner. One is, or ought to be, fresh
est in the morning; he then needs no
artificial stimulus to make him feel
bright. witty, happy, rs he so often
does after the duties of the day are over.
The midday meal, or luncheon to
those who dine in the evening, and who
have work to do in the afternoon,
should be light one. am not quite
sure that do not quite approve of the
city "snack." 1t puts one past, it sus-
tains nature, it leaves the mind free to
think and to do its duty, and, above all.
it enables the stomach to have u rest
before the principal meal of the day.
Now, about this meal; l have TO say
that, if partaken of alone by ones self,
it ought to be an abstemious one. Even
in company it need not be 4 heavy one.
No matter how many courses there are
there is not the slightest necessity of
making too free with them.
But it is fact, which every one must
have felt, that even moderately heavy
meal is quickly and easily digested, if
accompanied with and followed by
witty or intellectual and suggestive con-
versation.
I'm a dyspeptic; l must not dine
out" l have heard a gentleman more
than once remark.
Well, my impression is that it does
dyspeptics a good deal of good to dine
out, if they can eat in moderation and
judiciously, never being tempted to call
in the aid of artificial stimulus to enable
them to do as men of more robust ply
sique are doing around them.-Famiiy
Doctor in Cassetps Magazine, London.