Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-07-19
DANGERS OF DIETING
UNDERFsEDING LIABLE TO WEAKEN
HEARTS ACTION.

Professor Alexander Haig, an Eng
Iish 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 more
uncrring guide than is nature is con
stantly gaining ground. I'm the good
old days men drank when they were
thirsty ana ate Of whatever they wished
until their hunger was satisfied. Now
science condemns such fOolishncss as
primitive. 1T prcscribcs one glass of
water one hour before meals and one
glass one hour after mcaIs-nO more.
no less. If you happen not to be thirsty
at those times. no matter, drink that
amount anyway If pcrchance 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 "abnormaly"
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 dlsCourSes
upon large calorics and the supreme
Importance of exactly maintaining our
nitrogen balance whatever 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 H. 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 1t will even
tually, provided he keeps on suppress
ing his natural and therefore unscien-
tific instincts
But just here lies a 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
when he attains to this condition his
digestive power will have been re
duced by one-half As a result he viii
lose from ten to thirty pounds in
weight; that is to say, his muscles and
| organs viii decrease hy 50 much in
bulk ana strength. Now, if the heart
decreases considerably in strength
there viii always be danger of its col
lapse, particularly if 1t be subjected to
any extra strain. as when one runs for
ear or rapidly up a fight Of steps.
Excitement alone may he fatal to a
weak heart
Rigorous dieting to reduce weight is
always dangerous. 4 better plan is to
work off the supcrfluous flesh by eX-
ercisc
Lack of sleep has a depressing 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-
larly if one is up late, is a good prac-
tlcc, it being most favorable to thor
ough body repair that the blood at
night be rich in nourishmcnt.
Accustoming the digestive organs to
n small amount of food results in a de
cline of appetifn. whereas our object
should be TO Increase appetite and
thereby strcnathcn our digestive pow
ers bv iudiclous exercise In the open
air or in n we'll ventilated room
If the doctrine that a small appetite
Is preferable to large appetite be
trua-aud tIis is what economy i'm
nutrition" tntchcs-thcn open air ex-
crcisc. which mauifestIv increases ap-
petite. must be injurious TO health Or
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 a man or an ami
NAL Is loss of appetite And usually
10 hrrId -, tho boort ond muscular
sr.ta,,, ,onor,Il,- we rruet vioorouslv
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