Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-06
FOOD AND HEALTH
By WlNIFRED STUART GIBBS.
Food Specialist.

Every one is familiar with the old
adage. Enough is as good as feast.
/ An interesting diet lesson might he
drawn from this adage on the sub
| ject of the advantages and health
! value of Il feast According to one
of the dictionary definitions, feast is
| rich entertainment" But there is
! less obvious and in one sense more
! important nutrition lesson Ia be driven
| home if we modify the adaGe and say
Enough Is enough,
So many dietary directions stress
/ the importance of providing the body
with sufficient food. neglectin- To pur
sue the subject just one step further
TO show that anything beyond this
quantity is not only wasted, but that
| 1t works actual harm
The most conscientious Of eaters
may. simply by INDUCING in overween-
/ ing fondness for sweets, let us say. or
| meat. completely throw out of balance
/ the diet" which he has followed so
| carefully. The balanced diet. il is
! true, il ready to do its part furnish
| ing. as il does the needed elements
! for complete nutrition. Then, just as
! the comfortably satisfied body is set
! Ting down to enjoy the well selected
! and adequate ration which the indi
viGual has prided himself on selecting.
| down comes IA portion of some espe-
| BILE begins.
| For the conscientious eater has
| yielded to temptation. Perhaps he
| saws to himself. Il have eaten my
/ balanced diet, now by way of reward
| why may ! not have that extra piece
of mince pie. or chocolate pudding"
! Alas, our friend forSets that
! enough is enough, and that anything
over and above enough is not only
Superfluous but that IT is apt to set
up serious trouble. Another deplor-
able result is that the innocent mince
! pie or other dessert, good food in it,.
self is blamed for causing indiges.
ton" when in reality ii is simply the
straw that has broken the camel's
back.
Mere from an artistic standpoint
restrain in diet is desirable just as
truly as in art or literature. The
added Indulgence. partaken of at the
close of an already adequate meal,
may have consequences far beyond
the immediate attack of sick head
ache" The sullen kidneys may thrust
their waste products out into the
| system with a don't care" attitude
as To what happens next. and what
! actually does happen next may pos
! s1bly be something that has, appar-
emily, no connection with the attack.
| For these waste products poison the
! body-that is the plain truth. And n
| poisoned body means usually a slug
| eish brain. The over-abundance Of
| rich food may lead finally to an I'M
| happy social or business experience.
! since it is we'll known that a clear
| brain IS necessary for quick thinking
or for that delightful social quality
| variously known as sparkle" or
charm
| Moreover. there ars character values
| involved. The outstanding individual
+: loathes the idea OF being a slave to
| any habit. While. occasionally, in.
: diligence in food beyond the require.
{ ments of the body is not very serious,
! it is fatally easy for II to lead TO more
/ frequent lapses. and then character as
/ well as nutrition is assailed.
i So let us remember that enough is
/ as good as feast. and that besides,
! it is. in a complete sense, enough,
) Copyright. 1920