Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-02-07
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Have YOU ever realized that nature.
like the business man, has q system OF
bookkeeping--t she keeps a run
ming account with us. charging US
with certain items, crediting us With
others-and that she exacts Immediate
payment as soon as the balance is on
the wrong side of the ledger?
This may not be the way in which
you have been accustomed to view life
but It is a good way to look at things.
As rule nature starts us out with q.
clean sheet. Our bodies and minds are
in good condition, and life with all it<
opportunities lies before us. What that
life IL TO be depends TO a large degree
upon the manner in which We keep
OGr accounts on natures books.
First, there is the Energy Ac-
count" Nature gives us the power to
90 &. certain amount Of work--to exert
a certain amount of energy. She also
stiptliates that We shall have GER
tain amount Of recreation. and that a.
specified proportion of our time shah
be spent i'll sleep-nature's process Of
recupera tioa that keeps US fit for the.
business affairs Of life
Another account is that of Diet"
Each human being contains within hiS
| body all the various kinds OF elements
that he can take into it by eating or
drinking. y chemical analysis of the
ashes Of It human body would show
the existence of the twelve mineral
compounds known as tissue salts, and
| to keep the living body in good health
it is necessary that these elements
should maintain proper relation one
to the other.
For example, there is certain
amount OF nitrogen in every human
organism, and it is proper that 1t
should be there. To maintain the right
ratio of nitrogen it is necessary that
we should eat a certain amount of nj
trogeneous food. The trouble comes
when, instead of maintaining the ratio
of nitrogen required by the body, We
force it to take care of q surplus by
eating more heterogeneous foods than
we Go anything else.
The foods that we eat may be said
TO consist OF two classes-sweets and
| sours. The sweet foods are acid form
ing N their effect; the sour foods are
acid combining. TO maintain cor
rect balance of health it Is necessary
| that we should balance our diet in
| such Il way as to bring about this re.
| suit. With the sweet or acid forming.
foods we must eat certain amount
OF sour or acid-combining foods. Thus
| il a dinner has been chiefly composed
OF alDuminous foods-meats, potatoes.
eggs, cheese, milk, and only a small
proportion of fresh vegetables, these
| foods should be accompanied by sour
/ ff.t,i F,,,. t,,;aa IT,
| pies, oranges. grape fruit. or lemons
| in the form or lemonade.
Tie danger in smoking and drinking
| is due to the fact that these habits
| give to the body superabundance OF
| clements of which they already have
| Il sufficioncy. Every time We do this
| nature enters the charge against us in
| the ledger that she is keeping, and
when the balance on our account
stands against us she commences to
call for Il settlement.
And there is no way in which these
debts of nature can be avoided. Ii is
! q case OF settle or go out of business
| Bankruptcy can bring no relief, for
the only bankruptcy proceedings that
| nature recognizes Is DEATH Ii by fal-
ing to banance our diet properly, Wa
charge our blood with poisons that Is
not natures fault. She has given us the
| foods with which we may change the
| character OF these acids. and we ara
TO blame IL we neglect to eat them. IL
isn't the foods We eat that do uS
harm; il Is the combinations in which
we eat them.
Although in this space l have been
able to mention but two of the ac-
counts there are many others that will
suggest themselves to those who will
take time to think about this matter.
And the point to be remembered Is
this: Every time we do the right thing
nature gives us full credit for this
act; every dime We do the wrong thing
nature enters a charge against us. 1t
| is up to US, therefore, to keep the ac-
| count straight. for once let the bal
ance get on the wrong side of tha
ledger end We shall find nature hard
creditor with whom to discuss the
| matter Of compromise Hood
in y. y. Globe.