The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1929-12-04
IN PUBLIC HEALTH
News Letter Prepared for Gazette
Readers Under Supervision of
Minnesota State Medical Associa-
ton.

Some people eat too much or too
fast causing Indigestion, others eat
the wrong food and still others have
some organic trouble, but the pre-
sence of distress after meals may be
the opening chapter of a serious
story, the Educational Committee of
the Minnesota State Medical Associa-
ton warned in bulletin issued to-
day. Because indigestion is so COM
mon among people it is often disre-
garded. People who suffer from it
should watch the foods which they
are eating to discover the cause.
Cutting down the amount of food Of
ten eliminates the trouble.
'The most frequent cause of indi-
gestion is improper diet" declares
the bulletin. Either the amount of
food is too large or the character of
food eaten is improper, or it is eaten
too rapidly. 1t is wonder that the
human stomach does it's work at all,
considering the way it is abused.
You overload your stomach with all
manner of improper foods, and then
it balks and you call it Indigestion.
The prevention of this condition is
simply the application of common
sense-regular meals, proper food
and not too much, and thorough mas
tication.
There are many causes for indi-
gestion other than improper diet, and
it is these possible causes that make
it complaint that should be looked
into. Not infrequently it is the only
manifestation, to yourself at least, of
chronic appendicitis; it is the early
and usual advance agent of ulcer and
cancer of the stomach; it is the faith
full companion of gall stones. Kid
ney diseases are often preceded by
spells Of Indigestion; diseases of the
liver are almost constantly associa-
ted with indigestion, and it accom-
panies certain nervous disorders.
Constipation and indigestion are first
cousins.
considering the many serious dis
| eases, the first indication of which
may be indigestion, the question may
well be asked-'Why not discover
these diseases when first they appear,
at time when treatment may be eff
fective?' Why wait so long to know
what the actual cause of your indi-
gestion is, only to find that you have
some organic disease that is then
To- fo1 dive - Io
insurance against this possibility is
an examination by your physician.
If the only thing you need is correc-
ton of your diet, and you follow the
advice given, you will be well repaid.
If it is found that your indigestion is
the beginning of some serious dis
ease, it may be that this early know
ledge will make it possible to add
years to your life. If, however, you
elect to guess what the trouble caus-
ing your indigestion is, and you guess
diet, and your are right-you are
lucky. If you guess diet, and you
have the beginning of an ulcer of the
stomach you have made a mistake
that you must pay for. Guess work
is poor policy. 1t pays poor divid-
ends in both health and comfort.
isn't it plain that there is a cause
for your indigestion, and isn't it
equally plain that the proper treat
ment is the removal of that cause?
Do not get the habit of taking drugs
no matter how harmless you may
consider them. Don't get to be a
pill swallower.' Your stomach should
accommodate anything you ought to
eat without being drugged after each
meal with digestive mixtures Bak-
ing soda is not much good for can
Ger of the stomach, and patent medi-
cines' haven't very high score for
cures in chronic appendicitis.
eff you are having distress and in
digestion after meals, and if simple
regulations of your diet, such as eat
ing regularly and cutting down on
the amount of food and eating we'll
balanced meals fails to effect
prompt relief, lose no time in ascer-
tanning the real cause"
"Three good rules to follow when
eating are:
1. Don't put anything more into
your mouth until you have Swallowed
what you are chewing.
2. Don't voluntarily swallow.
8. Don't drink water or other Ii
guilds when you have food in your
mouth" :