The Dickinson press., 1906-08-04
DANGERS, OF, DIETING
UNDERFEEDiNo LIABLE TO WEAKEN
HEARTS ACTION.

ness In a Man OF AZ Animal IL Loss
of the Desire For Food.
Professor Alexander Haig, an Eng.
,lish dietary expert, has written from
London to the medical fraternity of
New York warning Americans against
the popular belief that the average
man eats too much. He says that the
increasing number Of deaths from heart
failure is largely due to undertaking.
The notion that science is a more
unerring guide than is nature Is on
stantly gaining ground. In the good
old days men drank when they were
thirsty and ate Of whatever they wished
until their hunger was satisfied. Now
science condemns such foolishness as
primitive. 1t prescribes n glass Of
water one hour before meals and one
glass II hour after meals-no more,
no less. If you happen not to be thirsty
at those times, no matter, drink that
amount anyway. If perchance you are
thirsty and would like two glasses you
must not yield; it is only nature that
prompts you, and nature is an unsafe
guide. Or, you may be 'abnormally''
thirsty at meals; nevertheless do not
drink then.
AS to u amount of food, we are
directed to consume SO many grams
Of the proteids, so many grams of the
carbohydrates and so many grams Of
fat, while we hear learned discourses
upon large calories and the supreme
Importance Of exactly maintaining our
nitrogen balance-whatever that may
mean.
precise numbers Of grams of the differ
ent food elements, for the simple rea-
son that our eminent authorities have
not yet agreed upon this important
point. All give different figures.
Scientists, however, following the
lead of Russell II. %Chittenden, PHI. D.,
IL. D., Sc. D., have pretty we'll agreed
that the average man eats twice more
than he needs. If half his customary
amount Of food does not satisfy him
it ought to, they say, and it will even
tually, provided he keeps on suppress
ing his natural and therefore unscien-
tiic Instincts.
But just here lies a danger. 1t is
true that one can accustom himself to
a much smaller quantity Of food than
that to which he has been habituated
and that eventually he will desire that
smaller quantity and no more, but
when he attains to this condition bis
digestive power will have been re-
duced by one-half. AS a result he will
lose from ten to thirty pounds in
weight; that is to say, his muscles and
organs will decrease by s. much in
bulk and strength. Now, if the heart
decreases considerably in strength
there will always be danger Of it's col.
lapse, particularly if it be subjected tt
any extra strain, as when one runs fol
a car or rapidly up a fight Of steps
!, Excitement alone may be fatal to 6
weak heart.
Rigorous, dieting to reduce weight IL
, always dangerous. Aibetter plan is. tt
; work off the s%uperfuous flesh BY. ,ex
ercise. .i. ~
Lack Of sleep has a depressing effecr
on the heart, for during sleep cerebra
circulation diminishes, when the BLOOD
:. can devote itself to the rest of the
body,
Eating before going to bed, particu
. Iarly if one is up late, is a good prac
tice, it being most favorable to thor
ough body repair that the blood a
night be rich in nourishment.
Accustoming the digestive organs tt
a small amount Of food results in a de
cline of appetite, whereas u objec'
should be to increase appetite an(
:. thereby strengthen u digestive pow
ers by judicious exercise in the oper
air OF in a we'll ventilated room.
If the doctrine that a small appetite
is preferable to a large appetite b.
true-and this is what ECONOMY IL
nutrition" teaches-then open air ex
ercise, which manifestly increases ap
petite, must be injurious to health. o.
why should we exercise to increase up
petite if we may eat only SO much?
The notion is wholly absurd. Tht
first sign of illness in a man or an ami
NAL is loss Of appetite. And usual!
appetite is a measure Of health.
To build up the heart and muscula
system generally we must vigorousl!
exercise the muscles.
. 1t is not enough that one should stuff
himself; it is all important that h
should desire every morsel he eats
and this he will do only If he under
!, goes general physical and mental ex
ercise. Food that is ingested, and evel
! digested, will be absorbed only b.
those organs that need it-that hav'
been exercised. This fact explain
why many persons that are good "feed
!. ers" are yet inadequately nourished
If they are brain workers and take n
physical exercise their brains Absorb
what nourishment they need; the res
Is excreted.
Ell Magnificent as are the results o
brain work we must bear In mind tina
there could be no result without tn
cooperation of the body, and that til
body in it's turn depends primarily O.
: the integrity of it's heart, lungs an
stomach.-G. Elliot Flint in New Yor
World.