The record-union., 1895-01-08
THE LATEST DIET FAD.

1t is an age Of new ideas and fads, and
the very latest halls from a New Eng
land city. The idea is that two meals
day are sufficient, and that breakfast is
one we do not need at all, and that at
meals we should drink nothing. It is
claimed that after night of sleep the
system does not require food, as rule;
that when the stomach has been resting
some hours it is not in condition to re-
ceive food Immediately. One is to eat,
say the new theorists. only when hunger
demands, and then he is to eat whatever
an unstimulated and normal appetite
Graves, for under such conditions the
richest blood is made and the body best
receives what it most needs.
We are told that in Norwich over one
hundred persons have practiced the new
plan for some months, with the most
satisfactory results, and these one hum
dred now assert that no one is really
hungry when he rises from night OF
ness at first from omitting breakfast are
simply suffering from a habit of which
they will soon be free if they adopt the
new dietary system.
We are told that many invalids and
people supposed to be going into decline,
and many supposed dyspeptics, have
been restored to vigorous health by the
''no breakfast system. The names of
merchants, ministers, teachers, editors,
clerks and others are given from among
the one hundred in Norwich who have
tested the new diet system and pro-
nounced themselves happy under it.
There is just enough of truth and of
error in this Norwich fad to make it
worthy of some attention. The rushing
from bed to breakfast is probably not
sicians will say that half hour between
rising and eating is better, and that TO
avoid drink at meals is good always. For
some whose occupations make light call
upon physical energy, two meals day
are ample. But that the practice of entire
abstention from breakfas by all, and the
drinking of much cold water frequently
which is part of the new system-is
best, we may we'll doubt. On the con-
trary, those who are dyspeptic find hot
water drinking on rising and prior to
breakfast to be most beneficial prac-
tice, and cold water drinking on an empty
stomach to be very injurious.
Here we have the Edenic food people Of
England telling US to eat only fruits and
nuts, and to drink no water at any time;
while the Norwich theorists would have
US eat anything that appetite Graves, to
take no breakfast and to drink during
the day cold water only and plenty of it.
Indeed, they go SO far as to say that one
should fast, avoid all food until hunger
demands it. One prominent citizen de-
clares that he continued his first fast for
reduced him to a mere skeleton; that
then healthful appetite developed and
he ate whenever he craved, avoiding
break fast, and in six months he was
nearly well, had gained his original
weight and is now on the highway to re-
covery.
Between the many advisors of the day
regarding health conditions, one must
turn in all directions or reject the lot and
be guided by the direction of progress
i've and Hberal-minded physician. That
is the sensible thing to do for all who are
conscious of need of some reform in
their dietary, and doubt as to what it
should be.
The no. breakfast idea Isl just a fad braced
by supposed benefits to people who owe
probably more to Imagination and men,
tai influence than to skipping their
breakfasts and flooding their empty
stomachs with cold water.