Maintaining Health (Formerly Health and Efficiency)Alsaker, Rasmus Larssen
Science
Maintaining Health (Formerly Health and Efficiency)
Alsaker, Rasmus Larssen
Diet; Hygiene
As most people lack the self-control to eat a normal amount of food,
they should select foods that are compatible and that are not too
concentrated. Too much meat causes degeneration of all parts of the body
and hardening. Too much starch causes acidity and hardening. The fruits
and the light vegetables have a tendency to overcome these degenerating
processes.
Starch is surely the chief offender in aging people. It is such a
concentrated food that overeating is easy, especially when it is taken
in the soft forms, such as mushes, fresh bread, griddle cakes and mashed
potatoes. If people would masticate their starchy foods thoroughly it
would greatly reduce the danger of overeating. It is common to eat bread
three times a day and in addition to take potatoes once or twice a day.
Those who consume so much starch carry into the system more food than
can be used and more of the mineral salts than can be excreted. The
result is the formation of deposits, chiefly of lime carbonate and lime
phosphate; fatty deposits are also common.
In order to live long and comfortably it would be well to reduce the
starch intake to once a day. The meats also are objectionable when taken
in excess. To them can be attributed the chief blame for the formation
of gelatinous deposits in the body. However, they do not carry so much
earthy matter into the blood stream as do the starches. It is best to
partake of meat but once a day, or even more seldom. Meat should
certainly not be taken more than twice a day even by those who are
advanced in years. People who care enough for starch to take it three
times a day, or are compelled to live chiefly upon it, grow old and
homely more quickly than do those who are able to partake more
plentifully of the more expensive proteins. The flesh obtained from
young animals and birds is not so heavily charged with earthy matters as
is that which is obtained from old animals and birds.
Fruits and nuts do not carry so much earthy matter as do the starches
and meats. The sweet fruits could with profit partly take the place of
the starchy foods. The sugar they contain, which has the same nutritive
value as starches, needs very little preparation before entering the
blood stream. Thus a large part of the energy required for starch
digestion is saved. On the other hand, the use of too much refined sugar
is even worse than an excessive intake of starch. Nuts are not difficult
to digest if they are well masticated..
The objection to acid fruits during the latter years of life is that
they thin the blood and cause chilliness. This is true if they are
partaken of too liberally. It is not necessary to refrain from eating
acid fruits, but they should be taken in moderation and the mild ones
should be selected. Pears, mild apples and grapes are better than
oranges, grapefruits and apricots. Those who have learned moderation can
eat all the fruit desired, for they will not be harmed by what a normal
appetite craves.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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