Semi-weekly herald., 1912-10-03
AUTO-INTOxICATION.

(By David II. Reeder, Chicago. Ill.
Comparatively few people under
stand anything about the chemistry
of foods and the chemical phenomena
which takes place in the body dur
ing digestion. Fo- that reason it will
he necessary to nia.,e few explana-
tions.
Digestion begins in the mouth (if
enough time is given by thoroughly
chewing and masticating the food)
and when the food is thoroughly
chewed and mixed with the saliva,
particles of it are absorbed before it
is swallowed into the stomach.
Starchy foods and sugar are acted
upon, that is, partially digestsed, by
the saliva and by some of the diges-
tive juices of the stomach for pc
riod of fifteen to thirty minutes often
they are taken into the stomach, then
their digestion ceases, to be taken
up again in the intestines. By starchy
and sweet foods is meant, potatoes,
white bread, rice, various puddings,
flour gravy, bananas, candy, syrup,
sugar, and some OF the fruits. Acids
srop the digestion o. starch, and su-
gar. That is why they are not di-
gcsted in the 8 on,ach, and tner also
is why, if one eats potatt cs and
other starches ard drinks len,o iade,
ore uses vinegar q, the SAM, meal,
Ia, nI rt,t
c .mfortabl, feeling in the stomas h.
Lowed by nd; ,csti..c and arating
Then, acids and starches should not be
eaten at the same meal. Acids may,
however, be eaten with meats and GER
tain vegetables. White bread, pota-
toes, rice and puddings should not be
eaten at the same meal, as they are
all mostly starch, and too much
starch overtaxes the intestines and
causes bloating and constipation. Fats
and starches should be eaten spar
ingly, if at all, at the same meal,
for the same reason.
An exclusive meat diet will not do,
as it is too highly concentrated as
food and often too greasy, for most
digestive organs. This is especially
true Of pork. A man working out
of doors such as a farm hand,
teamster, or laborer can eat GER
tain amount Of pork and other greasy
foods and find that he can handle
them all right. But for the woman
or man who works indoors, this diet
would be entirely unsuitable and GER
tainly result in auto-intoxication. The
ideal diet then, is properly balanced
diet containing little meat, and lit
tie starch, and some vegetables, all
thoroughly masticated; eaten at the
right time, in the proper quantity and
proportion, and not mixed with all
sorts of drinks, and rich highly sea-
soned pastries.
Suppose my digestion is all wrong
and my system loaded down with poi
sons what am to do?" someone asks.
Get the necessary information regard
ing yourself, your food, and your hab-
its; then use the brains that the Gre
ator gave you.
A gentleman recently wrote to the
Home Health club, giving long list
of symptoms, including constipation,
nervousness, and some kidney trou-
BILE, and occasional attacks Of rheu-
matism, and asked for help. For
years he had eaten his three squares"
daily, as a matter Of course. He was
given the necessary knowledge and
taught how to treat himself.
Some four or five months have
elapsed and he again writes that he
now considers himself well man,
and further states that this Is the
first time he was told the why and
how Of his trouble. xnowlsdgs With