Sentence:  She stopped flying into rages and <WSD>started</WSD> digesting her food ; she developed a peaches and cream complexion and a sunny disposition , and she asked for nothing more of life than that she be kept dry and comfortable and fed huge amounts of food at stated intervals and be carried to where she could watch activity going on around her . 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  take the first step or steps in carrying out an action