Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1897-06-17
THE FAT AND THE THIN
Hints on the Food Question.

10 avoid getting too tat, 1t Is pest 10
abstain from articles Of food which are
tat.producing; to reduce fat take such
exercise as will use up the surplus &C.
emulation in the body. Foods may
be divided into three classes: Muscle.
building, fat.producing, and energy
producing, the latter being in foods
which act as fuels, giving rise to animal
heat and activity.
To the three classifcations above
given we may add stimulants of all
kinds, (Which are not strictly foods
tonics, and so called nerve foods.
The human body is like an engine,
which is, in fact, continuously running,
and this uses up certain amount OF
muscular tissue and heat and energy
producing tissue. This wear and tear
must be replaced by the food taken.
The cause of fat accumulation is
that more fat or fat-producing food is
taken into the system than Is used up
by the daily activity Of the subject,
governed of course by the idiosyncrasy
or diathesis of the individual. In case
there exists no predisposition to fat
accumulation then the excess Of fatty
food or fat. producing food, must be
carried out OF the system through the
natural channels, or a clogging Of these
channels takes place and disorders fol-
low.
Muscle building foods consist Of nj.
trogenous articles, such as lean meats,
eggs, milk, cheese and the flesh Of fowl
and fish and all vegetable albuminoids;
in other words, all foods rich in albu-
minous matter.
Fat producing foods consist Of those
containing starch, sugars and other
carbo hydrates convertible into fat.
Such are potatoes, white bread, corn
meal foods, rice. sage, ETC., as we'll as
all sugars and sweet substances.
Energy and heat producing foods,
which are naturally nerve foods as
we'll, are the animal and vegetable
fats.
We have ceased to consider phos.
pilates and phosphate foods as nerve
foods and tonics, but class them with
the stimulants, and to this class we may
add all the condiments, spices, peppers,
salts, etc.,
WHAT HAPPENS IN DIGESTION AND
AFTERWARDs.
In action three things occur: First,
certain amount of nervous energy is
used which means the burning up of a
certain amount Of starchy and fatty
food. Second, muscular tissue is de-
stroyed, representing the destruction of
the heterogeneous food; from these two
processes an efete residue is produced
which must be carried out of the sys.
tenn through the natural channels.
The carbonic acid gas and water from
the lungs, the liver, like substances
from the kidneys and the undigested
excrementive matter from the small
intestines, represent the ash of this hu-
man engine.
If the action Is equal to the fuel sup
piled, there is no accumulation; if more
there is loss of fat; if less; there is an
accumulation Of fat.
While action builds up the muscle it
destroys the fat, and any extra storing
up Of fat in the body is simply the
economy of nature in laying in sup.
ply for future use.
Animal fats are almost Identical with
human fat, and they are assimilated
and stored up with little or no change;
on the other hand, vegetable fats,
starches and sugars must undergo
process of digestion, conversion and as.
similation before being used up in heat
and energy production. or being stored
up in the system.
The heterogeneous, phosphate and
other foods undergo process Of digest
ion and are metamorphosed into tissue
matter, repairing the loss Of the sys.
tenn by wear and tear.
1t is questionable whether print.
tive and natural state of health requires
condiments and stimulants in the hu.
man economy.
THE IMPORTANCE OF WATER.
AS the human body contains about
seventy.fve per cent of water, the part
this compound plays in the human
economy is very important. Water
serves simply as the solvent and carries
off the nutriment to all parts of the
body and is the carrier of much of the
effete matter from the blood into the
kidneys and skin; hence, in many cases
it is believed that too little water and
not too much is taken from day to day.
In the process of digestion and met.