Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1905-05-29

"A MAI AEIER "A. MEAL
ONE OF THE BEST ITEMS IN TIE
LIST OF LIFE PREsERvERs.
The Postprandial Restful Dose 10
an Aid to Good Health and More In
Accord with Physiological Re-
quirements Than Exercise.
The majority Of people take a meal Of
some kind between the hours Of II and
2 daily, says physician. With q nusn-
Der of persons this meal assumes the
form Of substantial dinner, while
with others 1t amounts to nothing more
than a light luncheon. In either case,
however, the repast requires to be d.
gested. and this>necessitstes some mod
ification of the activities Of the bsain,
since neither that organ nor those con-
cerned in the processes Of digestion are
capable Of good work when an attempt
Is made to put forth their energies 81
multaneously.
The exceedingly complex processes Of
digestion and assimilation whereby
dead animal and vegetable matters
are transformed into living human It's
sues demand for their rapid and
healthy performance an increased cir
culation Of blood IN the stomach and
ancillary organs as well as a concen-
tration Of nervous energy in the same
region. Now. increase Of circulation In
one organ or set Of organs entails q
diminution in the others. Consequently
the supply Of blood to the brain is cur
tailed Immediately after meal has
been eaten, and since the blood Is the
life the higher functions Of that great
organ are performed only with diff
Guilty If at all.
A tendency to drowsiness, confusion
Of thought and inability to make any
great mental effort are among the re-
suits Of diminished cerebral circula-
ton. These feelings are, therefore, ex-
perienced by most persons after a
meal, and they are the more pro-
nounced in proportion to the greater
amount Of digestive energy expended.
Since brain work Of good quality can
not be produced while the processes Of
digestion are in active operation it is
wise not to attempt it. It is never
prudent to thwart the benefcent inten-
lions Of nature. Many persons strug-
gle against the mental and physical
lethargy that accompany the earlier
stages Of the digestive act, apparent
IN y1n10Ns hn khnA oVY
given to the important business Of
building up and repairing their tissues
is time wasted. So far from this BE-
ing the case, a well spent postprandial
interval tends to the preservation and
prolongation Of life.
sleep should be allowed to prevail, for
the proverbiai "forty winks" is justi-
fed by science. A ten or fifteen min
utes' nap after a meal, curiously
enough, will enable many a brain
worker to arise refreshed who might
have spent an hour or two in a vain
and mentally confused struggle against
the "drowsy god" A cup Of tea or
coffee about an hour after light
luncheon Will facilitate and expedite
the last stages Of gastric digestion and
so assist in the rapid re establishment
Of mental vigor and clearness Of mind.
There are some persons who instead
Of resting after luncheon or early din.
ner take some form Of exercise, such
as walking or cycling. If the meal has
been at all substantial muscular exer-
else must tend to retard and weaken
digestion by Withdrawing a certain
modicum Of nerve energy to the hover
limbs and the centers which govern
their movements and diminishing the
circulation in the afmentary canal by
increasing 1t In the legs and arms. Un-
less their digestive powers are very
keen people who take active exercise
after food find that the process Of d.
gestion Is thereby only prolonged.
On many grounds rest after food II
more in accordance with physiological
requirements than exercise, and the
afternoon nap, 80 scoffed at by the
needless, is measure to be not only
defended but recommended. 1t is q
practice beneficial NOT only to diges-
ton, but to many Of the Other fInc-
tons Of the body. Rest Is the one
thing needful In this restless age, and
It Is never 80 necessary as In the small
hours Of the afternoon.
Among the many Generally unsus-
pected benefits conferred ON the post
meridian sleeper rest OF the heart and