The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-08-07
Eating and Thinking.
~ n. ADpiNoToN BRUCE,
Author OF The Riddle Of Personality"
Psychology and Parcnthood." etc.

One great drawback to efficiency which many
people do not seem to appreciate Is overeating
Most OF US. in fact. eat more than Is good for
either our bodies or our minds.
And there are more ways than one In which
overeating weakens the power to think.
An essential to quick, clear. and accurate
thinking Is a good flow Of blood through the
brain, the supreme organ OF the mind. When
the blood flow Is diminished the brain functions
less effectively and tires more rapidly.
To some extent diminution occurs every
time food is eaten. the blood being drawn from
the brain to the stomach to assist In the pro-
cess of digestion.
The greater the amount Of food taken into
the stomach. the greater the quantity OF blood
drawn from the brain. Also. the more one eats
the longer this change in distribution persists.
For the more abundant the food the longer the
time required 20 complete digestion.
Consequently. light eaters always have an ad-
vantage over heavy eaters In point OF main
tanning a good bloodfow through the brain.
Moreover when too much food Is eaten i'm
perfect digestion usually results This means
that waste products, instead OF being properly
eliminated, get into the blood TO poison it,
Getting into the blood they carried 10 the
brain, with resultant damage to the thinking
power. For. in order to think well. the supply
OF blood TO the brain must not merely be copious
IL must also be pure.
II Is this two-fold process OF blood withdraw.
al and blood poisoning that causes the mental
inertia and drowsiness SO often observed after
every meal
4 Even tnOugn the lnertld ana drOwsiness are
not papably in evidence II still II demonstrabe
that said, most people eat more than
they should and accordingly are handicapped In
| the power to think.
| Decisive proof Of this was furnished some
years ago by the results OF a remarkable series
| OF experiments. These experiments unfortu-
nately have not yet led 10 general adoption OF
| the reform in eating habits to which they con
| vincingly point
| They made by Professor r. II. Chitten
| den Of Yale He took three squads OF men. and
| for several months put them diet in which
| the proteid OF their daily ration-especially
meat-was greatly reduced.
| One squad consisted OF college professors an
other OF college athletics in training, the THIRD
of soldiers OF the regular army. Thus the effect,
| Of diet reduction on both brain and muscle work
ers could be studied.
With regard both TO mental and 10 physica
| vigor. great benefit observed In every case
| The soldiers and athletes positively gained In
| muscular strength, as determined by numerou
tests. And the professors found that they coul'
think and teach much more effectively.
| The lesson of these experiments should no
be ignored.
as an aid 10 efficiency in thinking
That Is fanatical and absurd. and defeats II
end. for the body requires a certain amount o
nouriShment daily.
| But shorten your menu somewhat, cut dow
particularly the heavy foods, avoid overeatini
OF any food
i You will find. as Professor Chittenden's sub
jects found, that II pays and pays handsomely