The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-07-22
WHAT OUR REFINED FOOD
 LACKS

WnA1 OOUk EeLE 1INGO VOOW
 LACKS
 That the diet of modern civilized man lacks something essential for optimal nutrition seems to be the belief of physiologists, nutritionists, chemists, dentists and some physi- cians, however, men who have achieved more or less eminence in the profession by upsetting various traditions and establishing new con- cepts, occupy their hours between calls by writing blasts against "the vitamin craze" or the mineral de- ficiency fallacy," and offer as war rant fo rthetr objection to these newfangled notions the confession that practitioners of their class rarely diagnose conditions which in their judgment are due to nutri- tional deficiencyl It was Marie An- toinette who asked why the mob, if they couldn't get bread, did not eat cake.
 The mineral deficiency in our diet that gives the greatest concern is lack of calcium (lime), and inti- mately associated with this is lack of phosphorous, for these two elements naturally occur in combination. Lack of iron is perhaps next in impor- tance. There appears to be little sound evidence that everyday food is seriously lacking in other ele- ments. By sound evidence we mean the observations and scientific tests made by physiologists, chemists, bi- ologists and physicians of standing. One must beware of the plausible vagaries of self-constituted "dieti- tians," flood specialists" and other apostles of freak dieting.
 Who cares how many elements are essential for good nutrition or how much of each element the body re- quires from day to day? The human body is not a mere machine, but a vital organism infinitely more efti- cient than any machine. It does not require fuel of particular kind or quality but is capable of adapting itself to wide range of fuel mate rials without impairment of func- ton.
 In due course lists of foods which are good sources of calcium, phos- phorous and other elements will be given. Here it is important to state that an adequate intake of vitamin D is quite as essential as calcium, since the absorption or assimilation and utilization of calcium in the body is controlled by vitamin D. Vitamin D also controls the phoS- phorous metabolism and maintains the normal balance between the two clements in the blood stream, the bones, the teeth, the nerves and other tissues. The only natural foods containing significant amounts of vitamin D are salmon and some other sea fish fresh or canned, egg yolk, milk, cream and butter. Fish liver oils are not natural foods of civilized man. These sources, even if the diet is unusually well planned cannot be depended on to furnish enough vitamin D for the infant or growing child, and hence 1t is gen. orally advisable to give supplement. tary daily ration of vitamin D in one form or another to every infant or young child. The action of ultra violet light on the naked skin, sum- light or light from carbon arc lamp or a mercury vapor quartz lamp produces vitamin D in the body, and the more the skin is ex- posed to such irradiation the less the individual needs the supple mentary feeding with vitamin D There is now good ground for the opinion that if the vitamin D supply is adequate the calcium-p -phosphor- ous metabolism will be good ever though the diet is poor in calcium or phosphorous or both.
 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Dozing
 What will keep person awakei Coffee soon loses its effect when take it regularly. No matter hoy good a nights sleep I get, fal asleep when I try to study. (S. O.. Answer-Perhaps the room is to' warm or insufficiently ventilated o the air excessively dried out, or thu lighting is not properly arranged.
 know nothing that will keep on awake.
 Calories for Fat
 Please tell me the caloric value O the following food items. am try ing to keep my intake within 1,80' calories day, which I understand is sufficient for maintaining norma i health but low enough to bring about some reduction. (Miss D. T