The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-08-21
FAULTY NUTRITION AND
 ARTHHITTR

nAsA hhAgh AAO
 Obstacles in tho way of progress in tho treatment of arthritiS are, first, the obsegsion that expoBuro to cold and dampness is c factor of the disease, and second, the obBes- sion that acid has something to do with it--uric acid, fruit acids, tho acid ash of certain kinds of food. Too often proper treatment is neg- lected for long periods while the vice tim purBues fadB and fancieB based on these obBeBsionS. Much harm has been done in chronic arthritiB by ili.advised attempts to exclude from the diet certain desirable foods which some charlatan tells gulllble people will produce "aei- dosis" or leave acid ash.
 There is no good reason why one with arthritiB should not have meat regularly. Tn fact most competent authorities agree that the diet should include liberal amount Of meat and fat. If anything iB to Dc restricted it iB tho carbohydrate iFis take, particularly refined Carbohy. drates -- white four, sugars, gyrups, refined corn meal, polished rice, -- tho things of which most people take too much for the good Of their health anyway.
 Many physlcIans have found that diets liberal in protein (fneat eggs, cheese, milk, peas, bean, fish), # supplemented with optimal rationS of vItamins, especially vitamins D, c and D, favorably influence the course of chronic arthritlB, Patients seem to do badly when they take too much carbohydrate, and Testric- ton of the carbohydrate intake alone will often relieve swelling and discomfort in c few days.
 Arthritis sufferers should take whatever fresh fruits arc in season or available, and especially the so- called "acid" fruits or fruit juices, or fresh or factory canned tomatoes or tomato juice. It is serious nlisS take to avoid these healthful fruits in the attempt to prevent ifnagin- ary "acidosIs," tor the fruit acids (except large amounts of prunes, plums or cranberrieg) are alkaline in their final reaction in the body. Moreover the fresh fruits are the best sources of vitamin c and good sources of vitamin A and vitamin B. This applies to fresh or factory canned tomato or tomato juice as well as to fruits.
 There is some experimental evi- dence that Q habltual insufficient Intake of vitamin Q may be Q causa- tive factor not only of acute in- fectious arthritis (rheumatic feyer) but also of so-called rheumatoid arthritIs (otherwise known as atrophic arthritis and arthritis dee formans), prolonged shortage of vitamin 0 in the feed will produce in animals c joint disease with many resemblances to rheunatoid arth- ritis. If there is 6 prolonged dea- ciency of vitamin D in the feed of pigs the animals develop form of arthritis, and this may he. prevented or cured by adding liberal rations of vitamin B to the feed. I do not mean to imply that others than pigs is pigs, but after all most of iis are somewhat piggish in respect to the delectable carbohydrates.
 As 6 general rule arthritis pa- tients who are not underweight, and especially patients who are overweight, should restrict the diet in total calories, mainly in carbohy- drate items, and take Q liberal amount of protein (meats, etc.) and 6 rather increased amount of fats or oils. Along with this they should be sure to take an optimal vitamin ration.