The digestibility of these various kinds of food is calculated for the normal stomach. By following the above table we can make the best choice of easily digestible food. Especially for aged persons we should choose such, and at the same time we should mince them, or give them in the form of porridge, which is still better. We must do this because aged persons do not possess, as a rule, good teeth, if any, and thus cannot fulfill the demands of mastication, which we will treat of later on in a separate chapter. The food should not be too hot nor too cold, as, if it is, the stomach, and even intestines may be damaged; on the other hand, as a rule, warm food disappears sooner from the stomach; but there are many exceptions to this rule. The keynote in the hygiene of food is moderation. We should never eat more than necessary to satisfy hunger. Most people know when they have had enough; and as a rule animals never eat more than enough to satisfy them, and then they will refuse more food. But with the intelligent human being it is different, and there are not a few who eat more than they require, and thus dig their graves with their teeth. Moderation is all important; it is, indeed, the cause of longevity of those persons who live about 100 years. We know the story of Cornaro, who became ill at 40 through immoderate living. He recovered his health by reducing his food to the necessary amount only, and then lived, happy and healthy, to 100 years. Mr. Horace Fletcher,[262] and many other persons, have recovered their health through moderation in food, after having come to the brink of death through immoderation. Such examples we may often see, and they are eloquent advocates of moderation in diet. Footnote 262: Loc. cit. We will show later that we can only digest food that we eat with relish; therefore never let us be persuaded to partake of food, or compel ourselves to eat, when we are not hungry. Therefore, at least six hours should pass between dinner and supper, and five hours between breakfast and dinner. It is more healthy, and especially conducive to healthy sleep, to have dinner at 12 or 1, and supper at 6 or 7. Meat should only be taken once a day, at dinner, and in the evening much less should be eaten than at noon. Meat should never be taken for breakfast. We would recommend the following diet:— BREAKFAST. Grape fruit or oranges, 2 eggs (soft boiled), cereals, stewed fruit, white or brown bread, fresh butter, a teaspoonful of marmalade or other kind of jam, fresh cherries, or fresh strawberries, or other fruit in season, especially grapes, half to one pint of milk. DINNER. Soup, fish or meat, vegetables, stewed fruit, fresh fruit, white or brown bread. SUPPER. Like breakfast: one pint of milk, or half a pint of sour milk, kefir, or koumiss. Also, if liked, sour milk during the day.