Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-07
DIGESTION AND HEALTH
SOME PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS
ON ART OF EATING.
The Stomach Should Be Neither Over
Worked Nor Given Too
Much Rest.


From Good Housekeeping.
Our digestive organs form the foundation
on which the whole living structure rests,
Their well-being is essential to our very ex-
istence. A man can survive with very few
brains; this is a fact of daily observation,
if not of experience. But when the diges-
tive system fails the whole body collapses.
The strongest muscles and best brain can
not save it. Its destruction is sure and
near. A good stomach with a moderate
brain is better than the best brain with
feeble stomach. The better the brain and
muscle the greater the need of good diges-
ton. The stomach is far older than brain,
or even muscle. 1t was almost the first
organ to take form in the evolution of the
animal kingdom 1t is worthy of all rev.
erence. To neglect despise 1t is about
as wise as the objection of the lady to
paying so much for the foundation and
frame of her new house because nobody
would ever see them.
The Stomach's Needs.
Certain hints as to the proper use and
care of this venerable system can be drawn
from it's purpose and structure. Its bust
ness is to dissolve and prepare materials
for the growth and repair of our bodies
and for fuel Three or four different kinds
of substances are required for these differ
ent purposes. We need albumlnolds iats,
starch etc. Each of these is needed IN
certain amount or proportion, but no one
article of diet contains the desired proper
ton of each and all. Lean meat, eggs
peas and beans are rich in alpumlrolds'
potatoes and grain are rich in starch; tur-
nips, onions and cabbages are poor in botn
A mixed diet is desirable. We may crowd
our alimentary canal with more than II
can possibly dissolve, we may eat and
digest a larger amount of certain sub
stances than the body can use. In both
cases loss and harm must result.
The stomach is lined by very delicate
membrane. In the folds of this lining
near the inner surface, are the glands
which secrete the gastric juice. These del
icate glands are evidently not benefited by
being parboiled with scalding tea and COT
fee or continually deluged with ice water.
Extremely cold or hot drinks should be
taken very slowly. The digestive fluids
are weak Too great dilution by large
amounts of water taken with the solid food
cannot be helpful. Shall we, then. drink
nothing with our meals? This would be to
rush to the other extreme. The food can
best be digested in the stomach when that
sack is moderately distneded.
The muscles of the tubular intestine work
best against a moderate amount of resis-
lance Food is all the better for contain
ing a certain amount of insoluble matter.
This stimulates the action of muscle ard
gland by the friction which 1t produces
Digestive Organs Need Exercise.
The digestive organs, like nerve and mus
Gle, improve by fair amount of exercise,
and degenerate through disuse. If We live
for long time on prepared, already semi
digested foods, the stomach forms fabits
of laZiness and rebels when a moderate
effort is required of it.. The woman who
tries to preserve her digestive powers by
requiring the least possible exercise from
them is almost as unwise as the man VINO
overtaxes them. An eccentric physician
once said of teachers: They live on tea
and crackers; their stomachs shrink; then
they can't fight. After that what is the
good of them" But only a very athletic
stomac can be helped by half mince pie
Just before retiring.
Certain very valuable foods may contain
but little nutriTnent. An apple or an orange
probably contains hardly more solid ma
terial than a large marrowfat pea. Yet
the juice of these foods contains water IN
a very refreshing combination. While the
sugar acid, etc, are the very best pro-
moters of health, especially in hot weather.
Spices and condiments have their place.
They improve the taste of the food. ana
this aids in no small degree in its diges-
tibility They stimulate the flow of saliva
and of other digestive fluids. Salt is not
only a condiment but a true food absorbed
and used by the tissues.