The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1906-11-20
DANGERS OF DIETING
UNDERFEEDlNG LIABLE TO WEAKEN
HEARTS ACTION.

usually appetite Is Mc"Sufe VI
Health, and the First Sign of ILL
ness In Il lian or an Animal Is Loss
Of the Desire For Food.
Professor Alexander Haig, an Eng
lish dietary expert, has written from
London to the medical fra tcrnity 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 con-
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 one glass of
water one hour before meals and one
glass one 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 our 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-whateve that may
mean.
l have purposely not mentioned the
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 well 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.
tific instincts
But just here lies danger. 1t Is
true that one can accustom himself to
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
digestive power will have been re-
duced by One-half. AS result he will
lose from ten to thirty pounds II,
weight; that is to say, his muscles AMI
organs will decrease by so much In
bulk and strength. Now, if the heart
decreases considerably in strength
there will always be danger of its col
lapse, particularly if it be subjected to
any extra strain, as when one runs for
q car or rapidly UP a flight of steps.
Excitement alone may be fatal to q
weak heart.
always dangerous. \ better plan is to
work off the superfluous flesh by ex-
ercise.
Lack of sleep has a depressir 6 effect
on the heart for during sleep cerebral
circulation diminishcs, when the blood
can devote itself to the rest Of the
body.
Eating before going to bed. particu-
larry If one is up late, is good prac-
tice, it being most favorable to thor
ough body repair that the blood at
night be rich in noIrishment
Accustoming the digestive organs tc
small amount of food results in de-
cline Of appetite, whereas our object
should be to increase appetite and
thereby strengthen our digestive pow
ers by judicious exercise IN the open
air or in we'll ventilated room.
If the doctrine that small appetite
Is preferable to large appetite be
true-and this is what economy In
nutrition teaches then open air ex'
ercise, which manfestly increases ap'
petite, must he injurious TO health. VI
why should we exercise to Increase ap'
petite if we may. eat only so much?
The notion is wholly absurd. The
first sign of illness in man or an ami
NAL is loss of appetite. And usually
appetite is measure of health.
To build up the heart and muscular
system generally we must vigorously
exercise the muscles.
1t is not enough that one should stun
himself; it Is all important that ne
should desire every morsel he eats
and this he will do only Il he under