The Washington herald., 1915-09-28
Eating.
By JOHN ID. BARRY,


be used in growth occasionally rebel Those who
react Violently from ovcreatng are fortunate Ma
turc, by giving swift punishment teaches care
1t is those who can eat with comparative I'M
punity that are in the greatest danger. The over
worked stomach gradually leaves part OF its wor,:
undone, letting poison accumulate in the system
Eventually the poison is likely to break out into
disease, perhaps scarcely traceabe to food seem
ingly unrelated, in some instances less physical
than nervous mental.
The mind often becomes like mirror reflect
ing the ill-health OF the body. How absurd, then,
to doctor the mirror. And yet this kind OF alb
Surdry we arc constantly falling into.
10 leave the table with the feeling that one
could eat little more is excellent mental and
moral discipline. Perhaps the physical benefit is
the least important, great as it is to be- But
there are times when one iorgets or loses all sense
ot precaution and overeats shamelessly. Aiterward
the stomach makes its protest. 1t says: Il never
want to eat again. You have given me altogether
too much work to do. Now let me alone"
If we are WISE we will follow the advice. We
will skip at least meal, perhaps several meals.
Incidentally, we are likely to find help by drinking
water In this way VIC may escape punishment.
either speedy slow But VIC shall do we'll not
10 take advantage of our ability to protect our
selves. II VIC do, shall find nature growing
more and more rescntful
Fasting has its risks; but it also has its re-
wards. The old religions knew and took advan-
tage. Though they emphasized the spiritual ef-
icc they appreciated the value of the physical
discipline.
But among those who last in order to obev
rule imposed from outside there is likely TO be a
rebclilorS tcclIng that limits, altogether de
stroy>, the advantages Sometimes this attitude
makes people sick Through thinking that fasting
IS hardship. they make ii a means OF weakening
themselves Ii they entered into it svmpatbe,ica1Ir
they would find almost certain hcncft-tEat is
those OF them who were. physically able to meet
tho test And all religions discourage the unfit
from iastImg-thoSc whose reserve OF S,reuotb ;s
so slight that 1t needs to he constantly sustained
with nouri,hmcn,.
Just now there is a method OF treating the sick
and the weak, usually those suffering from nervous
disorders, known as overieeding 1t is absolutely
physical taking account OF the mind or IN .
spirit, except these are sustained nv ,he rh,
Sique. Often the results are excellent They lift
depleted system to the place where it can draw
on strength to maintain itself and TO go on incrcas-
ing its vlGor by means OF normal regimen
But II has the disadvantage OF working without
the cooperation OF the mind and OF the sympa-
tines. With some more sensitive physiques it NAV
make food revolving and lead to a reaction not
only defeating itself, but doing positive harm
Much depends, Of course, on the way il is done
There are certain kinds OF food that taken in
stlall quantities. supply large amount of nour-
'shIncnt BY their use the patients NAV be over
led without rebellion on the part OF the stomach
or the consciousness. But the sense of being fed
up like Thanksgiving turkey may in itself be a
nervous depressant, working a harmful influence
on the physical processes.
there are many cases where peoDIe 90 to
practitioners and say that for long period they
have been on strict diet and after being told to
go home and eat whatever they please follow the
instruction, and to their amazcment experience no
discomfort. The sense of power seems to cncn
springs OF power within. Wonderful as the change
seems, it could follow it we should probabIy
find it not wonderful at all, but normal
We all know people who say that they dislike
this kind OF food that. Ii we ask them WHY
we may find that they don't even know what the
food tastes like Prejudice has kept them even
from tasting it. Occasionally something happens
that makes them resist this prejudice Perbaps
they are in place where they have to eat one OF
those things or go hungry. To their surprise they
arc likely to find that it is good
Nearly all Of us subject ourselves to these fool
ish denials. As matter of fact with an effort
not SO much Of the will as OF the imagination. we
can learn to like almost any kind of food
Those specialists in eating who insist that food
must be - special kinds and of special preparation
never suspect how closely their indulgence is al
lied to self-denial Much as they know abou,
sauces. they know nothing about the finest of all
sauces, the adapability that makes all food whole.
snSna and anpetiznp.