Chapter III: Part 3

For instance, a diet consisting of an excess of acid fruits,
or sweets and starches, and at the same time an insufficient
quantity of other nutrients

3 By poisoning from the use of tea or coffee, liquor, tobacco,
and the various stimulating and narcotic drugs used by civilized
man

4 An excess of hydrochloric acid

SUPERACIDITY--THE SYMPTOMS

So far as the symptoms are concerned, all the above causes may be considered together, since the ultimate result is the same. The symptoms are named in the order of their various stages or the time acidity has endured:

1 [1]Irritation of the mucous lining of the stomach, expressed
by a burning sometimes called "heartburn"

2 Abnormal appetite caused by the irritation of too much
hydrochloric acid in the irritated cells of the stomach

Many people mistake these symptoms for evidence of good health, until overeating produces nervous indigestion, and sometimes a complete breakdown.

3 Fevered mouth, and so-called fever-sores on the lips and
tongue, both of which are a true mirror of the condition of the
stomach

4 [1]A sour fluid rising in the throat from one to two hours
after meals

5 White coating on the tongue

6 Faintness, emptiness; in the language of the layman a
"hollowness and an all-gone caved-in" feeling

[1] (See "Fermentation--The Symptoms," p. 426)

SUPERACIDITY--THE REMEDY

In all cases of superacidity all fruit, especially that of an acid character, except citrus fruits, should be omitted, and also all sweets except a very limited quantity of maple-sugar and sweet fruits--and these never in conjunction with the meal. Foods containing proteids (nitrogen, albumin and casein), together with fresh green vegetables, should form the principal part of the diet.

[Sidenote: One acid will not counteract another]

It has been the theory with dietitians that those afflicted with hyperchlorhydria (supersecretion of hydrochloric acid) should not take sweets, but should take acids liberally. This is one of the few instances in which medical guesswork seems to have a foundation of fact. For there is no doubt but that the giving of hydrochloric acid, the normal stomach acid, _before_ a meal, tends to retard and restrict the development of hydrochloric acid _during_ the meal.

It remains true, on the other hand, that the giving of hydrochloric acid after the meal tends always to increase the supply of free and combined hydrochloric acid in the stomach during the process of stomach digestion.

For list of foods to be eaten and omitted in cases of overeating, superacidity, fermentation and gas dilatation, see p. 433. For the importance of water-drinking, see p. 434.

FERMENTATION

Fermentation is the effort of Nature to dispose of or to dissolve things it cannot use; it is the first step in the process of decay.

FERMENTATION--THE CAUSE

The common causes of fermentation are the same as those of superacidity (see p. 420), the difference being that superacidity originates in the stomach, and is confined chiefly to it, while fermentation may take place throughout the entire intestinal tract. The causes are--

1 Overeating
2 Too much acid fruit
3 An excess of sweets
4 Stimulants of the alkaloid group
5 Overeating of cereal products

FERMENTATION--THE SYMPTOMS

[Sidenote: Difference between superacidity and fermentation]

The first evidence of fermentation is a burning sensation in the stomach, almost exactly as in superacidity, the difference being that in cases of fermentation the symptoms appear later after eating. Superacidity may appear immediately after eating, and the symptoms such as a lump in the stomach, or a sour fluid rising in the throat may also appear within an hour after meals, but fermentation, which produces the same symptoms, does not manifest itself until the acid has acted upon the food, which requires from two to four hours, governed by the time required to digest the different articles of which the meal is composed.

The patient may also experience a fullness; an unpleasant and sometimes painful distention of the bowels.

[Sidenote: Results of fermentation]

The gas generated by fermentation sometimes passes along down the intestinal tract into the ascending colon, accumulating at the highest point, which is in the transverse colon. This causes the transverse colon to become very much distended and seriously interferes with the blood flow, both into and out of the heart and the lungs.

(See "Gastritis," p. 447; also "Heart Trouble," p. 569).

In considering the symptoms of fermentation, it might be well to return to the question of causes. The primary cause of nearly all conditions of fermentation, either in the stomach or in the intestinal tract, is overeating, or an unbalanced dietary.

This practise indulged in from day to day causes two specific conditions:

1 Fermentation followed by various disorders, usually toxic
substances, and catarrh, and ulceration of the stomach

2 Intestinal congestion and physical emaciation

If the stomach and other digestive organs are capable of assimilating this superabundance of food, they force into the tissues an excess which Nature stores up in the form of fat, and if work or activity is not increased, or the food diminished, excessive fat or chronic obesity is the result.

If the first warnings are not observed, and the remedy applied, Nature gives to the disobedient one more impressive signals in the form of nervousness, irritability, abnormal appetite, and sometimes mental depression, which indicates one of the most advanced stages of superacidity.

FERMENTATION--THE REMEDY

The remedy for fermentation is first to eat only such foods as are in chemical harmony, and second to limit the quantity to the actual needs of the body. If the patient is _under_ normal weight, all acid fruits should be eliminated, and the diet should be about as follows:

BREAKFAST

Three or four egg whites and one yolk, whipped five or six
minutes; add a large spoonful of sugar and one of cream while
whipping

A baked white potato or boiled wheat

A tablespoonful of wheat bran

LUNCHEON

One whole egg whipped five minutes; add sugar and cream to taste
while whipping, mix with a glass of milk

A large boiled onion

A baked potato, with butter

Two tablespoonfuls of bran

DINNER

Two fresh vegetables--choice of carrots, corn, turnips, peas,
beans, or squash

Spinach, or a salad of lettuce and celery

The whites of two or three eggs, whipped; add sugar and cream
while whipping

A baked potato

Wheat bran, cooked as a cereal

From two to three glasses of cool water should be drunk at each meal.

It will be noticed that this bill of fare is composed largely of vegetables, which is right in cases of fermentation.

[Sidenote: Despondency, the result of superacidity]

The foods named in the above menus will remove the primary causes of fermentation, which in turn is the most prolific cause of that abnormal mental condition called despondency. Under the most favorable social and financial conditions, when every environment is pleasant and seemingly conducive to the highest degree of pleasure and interest in life, the one afflicted with superacidity and fermentation has been known to destroy himself; all life seems gloomy, all effort useless, and the thought "Why should I desire to live?" enters the mind unbidden, until it often takes tangible shape in some rash act. Possibly within the memory of every individual one of these rash acts can be recalled.

The practitioner should make it a special point to ascertain any adverse or depressed mental conditions of his patient and remove them, if possible, by encouragement, sympathetic counsel and optimistic views, all of which have a splendid psychological effect, and which, in nearly all cases of mental depression, are very important.

As the supersecretion of hydrochloric acid becomes less and less, fermentation will gradually disappear; the patient will at once begin to gain weight; the mental conditions will show an immediate improvement, and every part of the anatomy will share in the general upbuilding.

GAS DILATATION

So closely related are gas dilatation, fermentation and superacidity that it might be said they all come from common causes, such as excessive eating, over-consumption of sweets, acid fruits, starches, and the use of tobacco, stimulating beverages and drugs.

GAS DILATATION--THE SYMPTOMS

The symptoms of gas dilatation are practically the same as those given for fermentation, page 426. In addition thereto, however, there is often belching, loss of appetite, a weighty or draggy feeling, and vomiting sometimes an hour or two after meals, or late at night.

Scanty urine and constipation are frequently the results of gas dilatation. In severe cases the stomach drops down below its normal level, causing permanent stomach prolapsus.

To the trained eye, in severe cases, the stomach may be outlined, especially when it is much distended.

For remedy, see "Fermentation," page 428.

See also menus for Gastritis.

IN CASES OF OVEREATING, SUPERACIDITY, FERMENTATION AND GAS DILATATION

OMIT EAT

All acid fruits Bananas, very ripe
All sweets except sweet fruits Green salads
in limited quantities Liberal quantity of fresh
Cane-sugar green vegetables
Condiments Limited quantity of blood-less
Coffee and tea meat, such as fish and white meat
Cream of tender fowl
Fatty foods Limited quantity of coarse cereals
Gravies Limited quantity of eggs and
Pastries milk--sweet and sour
Stimulating and intoxicating Melons
beverages Nuts
Subacid fruits in extreme cases Potatoes
Tobacco Sweet fruits--limited quantity
White bread Wheat bran
Whole wheat, thoroughly cooked
Whole wheat bread--sparingly

IMPORTANCE OF WATER-DRINKING

The lack of body-moisture is one of the causes of supersecretion of acid, therefore water is of primary importance in removing the causes of the above disorders. It should be drunk freely immediately on rising, and just before retiring. From two to three glasses should also be drunk at each meal, especially in treating severe cases. Copious water-drinking also relieves irritation of the stomach, thus reducing abnormal appetite.

Patients afflicted with superacidity never have natural thirst.

CONSTIPATION

THE CAUSE

This disorder might be called "civilizatis," so universal has it become among civilized people.

Several conditions may conspire to cause constipation--

1 Premature stomach digestion

2 Neutralization of the bile by excessive acid

3 Eating too much starchy food

4 Flesh-eating

5 Sedentary habits or lack of proper exercise

6 A diet too refined--lacking in roughness, cellulose or "fodder"

7 The use of sedatives, stimulants, and narcotics, such as tea,
coffee, liquor, tobacco, and drugs, especially of the alkaloid
group

While most of these are direct causes, the primary cause, however, goes back to superacidity--premature stomach-digestion.

In cases of superacidity the liver is nearly always more or less inactive. Just why this is so is not definitely known, but in the opinion of the writer it is caused by the neutralization of bile by the excess of acid. Be this as it may, nearly all cases of superacidity are accompanied by intestinal congestion, commonly called constipation, or by intermittent diarrhea and constipation.

CONSTIPATION--THE REMEDY

[Sidenote: Laxative drugs an offense to the body]

It is believed by the medical profession, and generally accepted by the public, that certain drugs act upon the alimentary tract with beneficial effect in cases of intestinal congestion. This is untrue. The facts are the intestines act upon the drug. The drug is an offense to Nature, and when it is taken into the stomach and passed on to the intestines, the body-fluids are severely drawn upon to neutralize the poison, and to cast it out. The result, therefore, of taking poisons, miscalled "laxatives," is that each time the act is repeated, the liver and the peristaltic muscles are weakened, and rendered more and more abnormal, and less and less able to perform their natural functions.

[Sidenote: Suggestions for the relief of constipation]

That system of treatment which has been prescribed for fermentation will, in most cases, relieve constipation. The treatment should be varied, however, according to the age and the occupation of the patient, governed by the season of the year, or the foods available at the time of treatment. If diagnosis of the patient reveals the fact that constipation has been caused primarily by overeating, the quantity of food should be reduced, and the articles changed so as to include a generous quantity of cellulose (coarse foods).

The following bill of fare may be given under ordinary conditions:

Immediately on rising, take two or three cups of water, the
juice of one or two oranges, or half a pound of grapes,
swallowing the seeds and pulp whole, masticating only the
skins. Devote from eight to ten minutes to vigorous exercise,
especially movements Nos. 3 and 5, as shown in "Exercise and
Re-creation," Vol. V, pp. 1344 and 1345.

BREAKFAST

Half a cup of coarse wheat bran, cooked ten minutes; serve with
thin cream

Whole wheat, boiled five or six hours

One or two very ripe bananas, with either nuts or thin cream

LUNCHEON

One or two fresh vegetables

A "two-minute" egg or a very small portion of fish

A heaping tablespoonful of bran

DINNER

Two of the following vegetables: Corn, carrots, peas, beans,
parsnips, turnips, onions

A baked potato

Celery, lettuce, or anything green, with nuts

One egg

A tablespoonful of wheat bran

From one to two glasses of water should be drunk at each of these meals.

These menus are merely suggestive. They may be varied according to judgment, depending upon the habits and the environments of the patient. Curative feeding for constipation is one of the most important departments of this work, and will receive special consideration in the volume of Menus.

FOODS THAT MAY BE SUBSTITUTED FOR ONE ANOTHER

The menus may also be varied by substituting the articles herein given for other things of the same general class.

EXAMPLES:

{Evaporated peaches
Dried fruits {Evaporated apricots
{Prunes

The above are all in the same general class, and may be
substituted for one another.

{Dates
Sweet fruits {Figs --All form another class
{Raisins

{Eggs
Dairy products {Milk
and Meats {Fish
{Fowl

These compose the nitrogenous group, and may be substituted for
one another.

{Carrots
Vegetables {Parsnips --Are in the same group
{Turnips

{Beans
Legumes {Peas --Are in the same general class
{Lentils

{Barley Rice
Cereals {Corn Rye
{Oats Wheat

Barley, corn, oats, rice, rye and wheat are the six great
staples, which grouped are called cereals. They form the
carbohydrate class of grains, and may be substituted for one
another. In cases of constipation, however, whole wheat and rye
are preferable, owing to the large amount of bran they contain.

{Dandelion
{Kale
Edible succulent {Lettuce --Belong to same class
Plants {Parsley
{Romaine
{Spinach

Citrus fruits {Grapefruit
{Lemons
{Limes
{Oranges

All citrus-fruits (fruits containing citric acid), so far as
their action upon the liver is concerned, have practically the
same effects, and substantially the same nutritive value.

[Sidenote: Milk may be laxative or constipating]

Whether or not milk is constipating depends entirely upon how it is taken, and the articles with which it is combined. In small quantities, from one to two glasses at a time, milk is constipating. However, if taken at intervals of fifteen or twenty minutes, a quantity is very soon taken, greater than the hydrochloric acid of the stomach can convert into curd, therefore the surplus quantity becomes rather laxative. In many years' experience I have rarely treated a case of constipation that would not readily yield to milk and to coarse vegetables, or bran, if taken in this way; however, the milk diet should not be given longer than two or three days at one time. After this period adopt the menus herein given, varying them by selecting different articles from the several groups named. When the bowel action has become regular, the milk period should be reduced, and the breadless diet extended until the milk is entirely withdrawn. (See "Emaciation--The Remedy," p. 482)

[Sidenote: Hernia due to abdominal pressure]

Man undoubtedly sprang from anthropoid stock. His original position of locomotion was upon his four feet. The intestines, therefore, rested upon a flexible belly surface, but since he has risen and changed his two front paws into hands, the intestines are inclined, with every step, to sag to the bottom of the abdominal cavity, and are prevented from so doing only by small ligaments attached to the abdominal walls. Hernia or rupture is exceedingly common owing to this downward pressure in the lower part of the abdominal cavity. The position maintained while walking, therefore, is not conducive to the relief of that pressure in the abdomen, which is the direct cause of hernia, and often the cause of very stubborn intestinal congestion.

[Sidenote: Remedial and counteractive exercises]

It is obvious, therefore, that this condition needs remedial exercise. It will be observed that all the movements given in the lesson on "Exercise and Re-creation" bring the trunk to a horizontal position with the body leaning forward. All of these movements are designed to counteract this abdominal pressure.

[Sidenote: Exercise a necessity in counteracting constipation]

I go thus into detail for the purpose of showing the great necessity of these exercises, especially in cases of constipation, and of insisting that they be executed vigorously and regularly. _The most beneficial diet that could be prescribed will not relieve and cure constipation unless it is supplemented by certain remedial exercises or movements._ This is true because Nature contemplates a certain amount of motion exactly as she contemplates a certain amount of nutrition, and her laws governing motion are just as mandatory and her penalties just as certain.

[Sidenote: Proper nourishment promotes natural desire for exercise]

Nutrition is of more importance because it is more fundamental, and it is more fundamental because when the body is naturally nourished, there is created a surplus amount of energy which will compel a certain amount of motion, and this in turn will cause deep or full breathing. Therefore the well-fed person will take his exercise because he has an appetite for it, or because the superabundance of energy forces him to do it in obedience to the same law that produces hunger. Hence the perfectly nourished body will conform automatically to the other two great physical laws of motion and of oxidation.

_Constipating Foods_ _Laxative Foods_
--------------------- ---------------
All white flour products All green salads
Blackberries Apples
Cheese Apricots
Chestnuts Beet-tops
Corn-starch Celery
Fine corn-meal Figs
Macaroni Peaches
Oatmeal Persimmons
Red meat Plums
Rice Prunes
Spaghetti Spinach
Sweet potatoes Turnips-tops
White bread Wheat bran
Whole wheat

_Constipating Beverages_ _Laxative Beverages_
------------------------ --------------------
All alcoholic stimulants Mineral water containing magnesia
Chocolate Unsweetened fruit-juice
Cocoa Water--lime-free
Coffee
Cream
Lime-water
Milk (In small quantities)
Tea

In cases of constipation:

OMIT EAT

Baked beans All fresh vegetables
Chestnuts Apricots
Cheese Bananas
Coffee, tea, chocolate Grapes--seeds, skins and all
Corn products Nuts
Cream Peaches
Flesh food of all kinds Plums
Intoxicants Prunes
Milk Succulent plants
Oatmeal Tomatoes
Rice Wheat bran
Sweet potato Whole wheat
Tobacco Rye
White flour products

Drink plain water with meals.

GASTRITIS

Gastritis is a word meant to describe a chronic and a painful condition of stomach and of intestinal irritation. When the stomach becomes much irritated from constant fermentation of food, and from the resultant presence of acid, certain articles such as milk, fruit-acids, and starchy foods will cause rapid accumulation of gas, which becomes exceedingly painful and sometimes dangerous.

[Sidenote: Gas, the primary cause of heart trouble]

The majority of deaths from so-called heart-failure is caused directly by the accumulation of gas from the fermenting mass of food in the stomach and in the intestines. These organs become greatly inflated, and their pressure against all the vital organs, and against the arteries leading into and out of the lungs and the heart so impair the circulation that the heart action becomes very irregular--first slow and faint; sometimes skipping a beat, and again violent and palpitating. When the congested blood spurts through into the heart it is called "arterial overflow," and the old diagnostician seems to have been content with giving this a name. It is certain they have not yet given the world a remedy, as the regular profession is still prescribing such drugs as bicarbonate of soda, bismuth subnitrate, and nux vomica, none of which can give more than temporary relief, and that is accomplished by neutralizing the acid at the tremendous expense of the cells that secrete it.

GASTRITIS--THE CAUSE

Gastritis is caused:

1 By the use of stimulants

2 Irritating foods, condiments, etc.

3 Overeating, especially of acid fruits, starches and sweets

4 Cirrhosis of the liver is sometimes one of the secondary
causes of gastritis

GASTRITIS--THE SYMPTOMS

The symptoms are usually a dull pain in the region of the stomach and upper intestines, a swollen full feeling, now and then biting pains, followed by a dark vomit, especially when the attack comes late at night.

Gastritis is often confused with gastric cancer, and in diagnosis it is difficult to speak with authority as to whether the case is ordinary gastritis, as above described, gastric ulcer, or gastric cancer. The diagnostician in making up his opinion must be governed largely by the time the condition has endured, and the immediate causes, giving especial care to the food and drink that has been consumed just prior to the attack.

GASTRITIS--THE REMEDY

In severe cases the patient should be given a glass of cool water. In fact, one of the best means of allaying the inflammation of gastritis--or as a matter of fact any other inflammation--is cool water.

All food should be omitted for at least twenty-four hours, then the patient should be given vegetable juice prepared as follows:

Grind spinach, carrots, squash, or turnips, any two or three of
these, very fine; cook about ten minutes in enough water to make
a pint of thin vegetable soup. Put through a colander; strain
through a coarse cloth, discarding the pulp. Give this to the
patient every two hours in quantities not more than one or two
ounces, dependent upon the condition.

The diet may be varied by changing vegetables, always selecting one green plant such as spinach, lettuce, beet or turnip-tops. As the patient improves more of the pulp may be used. After the second or third day a thin puree may be used, care being exercised not to overfeed.

[Sidenote: Foods to be used in the treatment of gastritis]

In milder cases the patient should be fed after the same methods, only more of the vegetable pulp may be used, thereby increasing the strength of the diet after four or five days; or, when the patient shows signs of substantial recovery, egg whites, baked potatoes, and the ordinary fresh vegetables may be given in moderate quantities.

Inasmuch as stomach fermentation is the beginning or parent cause of gastritis, the causes, symptoms, and menus given for fermentation would apply in cases of gastritis, limiting the quantity of food according to the severity of the condition.

In cases of gastritis:

OMIT (In severe cases) EAT (In severe cases)

Coffee Baked bananas
Condiments Egg whites
Flesh foods Lettuce
Fruit Puree of tender beans
Intoxicants Puree of tender carrots
Starchy foods Puree of tender corn
Sweets Puree of tender peas
Tea Spinach
Tobacco Squash
Vegetable juices

In the earlier stages of acute gastritis, all foods should be omitted except, perhaps, vegetable juices. (See recipe, p. 451.)

See also Fermentation and Superacidity, pp. 424 and 418.

NERVOUS INDIGESTION

[Sidenote: Mental effects of nervousness]

There are millions of nerve fibers leading out from the stomach and alimentary tract to every part of the anatomy, so that the nervous connection, especially between the stomach and the brain, is very direct and sensitive. The stomach seems to bear the same relation to the brain that a basket bears to a balloon so far as their nervous connection is concerned. Thus it is that the irritated stomach produces an irritable temper, insomnia, forgetfulness, and a lack of ability to concentrate the thoughts. These are the milder symptoms or first warnings.

NERVOUS INDIGESTION--THE CAUSE

The use of stimulants or narcotics, such as tea, coffee, liquor and tobacco are most prolific causes of nervousness. These drugs act upon the body in a dual capacity: (1) They excite or raise the nervous system above normal, only to drop it below when the reaction takes place. (2) In addition to this, they irritate the stomach and the intestines by causing superacidity.

Nervousness caused by sedatives and narcotics acts both upon the mental and the physical organism, and the source of such nervousness can be easily traced by ascertaining the habits of the patient.

[Sidenote: Abnormal appetite for sweets and starches]

When the patient has used stimulants and narcotics long enough to cause nervousness, the mucous membrane of the stomach is usually in a state of irritation. The presence of blood, under these conditions, causes abnormal appetite, frequently followed by overeating, especially of sweets, starches, and acids, for which the patient usually has a great craving. This is followed by fermentation, and comes into or envelops superacidity and must necessarily be classed with it.

Overeating and the constant use of stimulants and narcotics will, after a time, cause a chronic state of fermentation, and the stomach will seldom be free from acid, the constant presence of which will ultimately cause gastric ulcer, and perhaps stomach carcinoma.

NERVOUS INDIGESTION--THE SYMPTOMS

[Sidenote: Nature's final symptoms]

The more advanced stages of stomach irritation which are expressed by nervousness cause melancholia and a gloomy sort of pessimism. These are among the last signals the stomach gives to the brain before final collapse, and if these signals are not heeded, the victim may expect to go down in the maelstrom of nervous prostration within twelve months from the time the first signals are given. These fits or spells of melancholia often come on suddenly. The palms of the hands become moist with a cold, clammy perspiration, and the mind is flooded with a train of thoughts such as "What's the use of living?" "Why all this struggle for mere existence?" The victim of this condition invariably believes that his mind is becoming affected; that he is becoming insane, and will soon be a public charge, and shunned by those whom he loves. While under these spells many people take their own lives rather than face what they believe to be insanity and ostracism.

The patient should be made acquainted with his true condition, and shown that it is only temporary, and that all such thoughts are mere mental aberrations which will disappear when the causes of stomach irritation are removed.

The above-named symptoms always point with certainty to an irritated stomach, the severity of which can be determined by the symptoms above described.

[Sidenote: Difference between stomach and intestinal irritation]

_Stomach irritation_ is expressed largely through the _mind_, as in irritability, nervousness and melancholia, while _intestinal irritation_ is generally expressed by some _physical symptom_, such as restlessness, twitching of the muscles and a general lack of physical tranquillity.

There is another form of nervousness believed to be caused by overwork, business worries, etc. With these opinions the writer does not agree. If the body is properly fed one is not likely to overwork. Nature will demand rest, and sleep will come while at the desk, or when following the plow.

[Sidenote: Acidity the cause of worry]

Investigators are much divided on the question of whether worry causes superacidity, or superacidity causes worry. The experience of the writer in treating several thousand cases of stomach acidity has proved beyond a doubt that acid fermentation and stomach irritation are the primary causes, and what is commonly called "worry" is merely a symptom or result of this condition. It is quite evident, therefore, that all forms of nervousness must go back to the food question for final solution.

NERVOUS INDIGESTION--THE REMEDY

Nervous indigestion should be treated as follows:

1 The patient should employ his time in pleasant but useful
occupation

2 As to diet, _omit_ the following:

All red meats
Acid fruits
Bread and cereals
Condiments
Pickles

{Such as--
{Candies
Sweets {Cane or maple-sugar
{Dates and figs
{Desserts and pastries of all kinds
{Sirups

3 The diet should consist of--

An abundance of green salads
Baked potatoes (Including the skins)
Egg whites
Fats--limited quantity--

Such as--
Dairy butter
Nut butter
Olive-oil
Nuts

Fresh vegetables--not canned

{Beans
Legumes {Peas
{Lentils

In cases of Nervous Indigestion:

OMIT EAT

Acid fruits Baked potatoes
Bread and cereals Fats (limited quantity)
Coffee and tea Fresh vegetables
Condiments Green salads
Desserts and pastries Legumes
Pickles Limited quantity of milk (preferably
Red meats sour)
Stimulants of all kinds White of eggs
Sweets
Tobacco

The experience of the writer for many years has been that the _fewer the articles composing the diet, the better the progress could be made in treating nervous indigestion. In many instances, the mono-diet system (eating only one kind of food at a meal) has been adopted with excellent results_.

SUBACIDITY

Indigestion is a term used to describe the condition caused by food remaining in the stomach _over_ Nature's time-limit. In such cases there is usually a lack of hydrochloric acid. This disorder is sometimes called hyperchlorhydria. The expression of indigestion, which is a lack of acid, and the expression superacidity or hyperchlorhydria, which is too much acid, are often confusing, inasmuch as both conditions cause a feeling of heaviness or a lump in the stomach. (See "Superacidity," p. 419.)

SUBACIDITY--THE CAUSE

The most prolific cause of subacidity is sedentary habits or lack of activity. This is especially true of young people, while in adults, or those who have passed forty, the usual cause is incorrect eating, or an unbalanced diet.

Another cause of subacidity is the overconsumption of flesh foods. Flesh requires considerable acid for dissolution; sometimes more than is normally supplied by the stomach, and consequently results in indigestion or non-dissolution.

The over-consumption of either starchy foods or sweets may produce the same result. It is therefore obvious that this particular disorder is caused primarily either by overeating or by an unbalanced dietary.

SUBACIDITY--THE SYMPTOMS

1 Brown coating on the tongue--

The _white_ coating on the tongue always indicates too much
acid, hence predigestion; while the _brown_ coating indicates
insufficient acid, hence indigestion. The _white_ coating shows
the action of the acid on the stomach lining, while the _brown_
coating shows the decomposition of food matter in the stomach,
usually accompanied by an offensive breath.

2 Gas in the stomach--

Gas sometimes appears in the stomach immediately after eating.
This shows that food, in a state of fermentation, remains in the
stomach from a previous meal. It also shows that the stomach
may be prolapsed; that is, dropped down below its normal level.
A sort of pocket is thus frequently formed in which a small
quantity of food remains from one meal to another, causing an
immediate formation of gas after eating.

SUBACIDITY--THE REMEDY

The logical remedy is to limit the amount of food to the actual requirements of the body, and especially to balance the daily bill of fare in conformity to the chemistry of nutrition.

[Sidenote: Diet in cases of subacidity]

In cases of chronic indigestion or impoverished acid secretions, it often becomes necessary to prescribe a counteractive diet, the composition of which should be determined by the cause of the disorder. If the cause be over-consumption of meat, the patient should be given a breakfast of acid fruits, and nuts and salads; while if the cause be over-consumption of starchy foods, all legumes and grain products of every kind should be omitted, and a diet of subacid fruits, an abundance of green salads, and even some flesh now and then, such as tender fish or fowl, should be prescribed.

In all cases the special object should be to prescribe an amount of food for the first few days somewhat below the normal requirements of the body, and after the counteractive diet has been taken for three or four days, the menu should be balanced daily as to nutritive elements. By observance of these rules, together with a reasonable observance of the laws of exercise, fresh air and deep breathing, the most obstinate cases of indigestion or subacidity can be overcome.

In cases of Subacidity:

OMIT EAT

Cereals All acid fruits with meals
Coffee and tea Buttermilk
Flesh foods Fish
Liquors Fresh vegetables
Sweets Potatoes
Tobacco Sautern wine, sparingly
White bread Succulent plants
Tea
Tomatoes
Wheat bran
Whole wheat

See "Diet in cases of subacidity," p. 464.

BILIOUSNESS

Biliousness is the supersecretion of bile; that is to say, more of this fluid is secreted by the liver than is required for the ordinary processes of digestion, and the excess passes into the stomach.

BILIOUSNESS--THE CAUSE

Biliousness is caused, in a majority of cases, by the overconsumption of fats, milk, eggs, and sweets, or by taking stimulants, especially such as malted or brewed liquors.

BILIOUSNESS--THE SYMPTOMS

The presence of bile in the stomach interferes with the stomach-secretion, thus causing faulty digestion and severe headache, usually starting at the back of the head and ending in a severe pain over the eyes. The complexion becomes sallow and there is a general decline in strength and vitality.

BILIOUSNESS--THE REMEDY

The logical remedy is to remove the above causes by eliminating from the diet such articles as tea, coffee, distilled, brewed and malted liquors of every character, and sweets, selecting such foods as will give to the body all the elements of nutrition, and so combining them as to furnish these elements in the right proportions.

(See menus for "Constipation," Vol. III, p. 761).

In cases of Biliousness:

OMIT EAT

Coffee and tea Bananas
Cream Coarse cereals
Egg yolks Egg whites
Fats Fresh vegetables
Intoxicants Fruit
Milk Melons
Sweets Nuts
Wines and liquors of all kinds Succulent plants
Wheat bran

CIRRHOSIS OF THE LIVER

THE CAUSE

Cirrhosis of the liver, or Hanot's Disease, is a condition characterized by degeneration of the liver cells, usually associated with a fatty infiltration.

While there are many conditions that may cause cirrhosis, the principal one, perhaps, is excessive indulgence in alcohol. Thus the disease is frequently called "hob-nailed liver," "gin-liver," etc.

Cirrhosis of the liver is a disease that is almost invariably fatal in from one to two years--although, if the process is not far advanced, and the cause is removed, the patient may recover tolerable health.

It is absolutely necessary that further irritation of the liver, caused by the drinking of alcohol, be stopped. Close attention should be paid to the catarrhal condition of the stomach and bowels, which is usually associated with cirrhosis. (See chapter on Catarrh.)

CIRRHOSIS OF THE LIVER--THE SYMPTOMS

The symptoms are usually pain in the epigastrium; nausea and sometimes vomiting in the morning; general loss of vitality and ambition; sallow complexion. A dull aching or a throbbing pain is often experienced, followed by a heavy, sluggish feeling, especially on rising in the morning. Alternate constipation and diarrhea, and enlargement of the liver are frequent symptoms. In the atrophic variety, however, the liver shrinks in size.

CIRRHOSIS OF THE LIVER--THE TREATMENT

The diet should be nutritious, yet simple, so as to put as little labor as possible upon the already impaired digestion. Fats should be restricted, and starchy foods should be closely limited, so as not to set up additional fermentation.

A liberal service of plain wheat bran should be taken at least twice a week in order to insure active intestinal peristalsis.

All stimulants, narcotics, sweets, condiments and irritating foods of every character should be omitted. The patient should drink copiously of pure water at meals, omitting all other beverages.

In cases of Cirrhosis of the Liver:

OMIT EAT

Acid fruits, except the All legumes
citrus fruits Edible succulent plants
Condiments Fresh vegetables
Fats Green corn
Gravies Liberal quantity of wheat
Red meats bran
Stimulants and narcotics Limited quantity of--
Sweets Apples Oranges
White bread Bananas Peaches
Grapes Pears
Grape fruit Plums
Lemons
Nuts
Potatoes
Salads
Whole wheat thoroughly cooked

Cirrhosis of the liver is always aggravated by the overconsumption of sweets, starches, fats and intoxicating beverages. Sweet and starchy foods should be limited and intoxicants of all kinds should be entirely omitted. An abundance of pure water should be taken at meals.

PILES OR HEMORRHOIDS

THE CAUSE

Piles or hemorrhoids are usually the result of chronic constipation; or, they may occur from violent exercise, or a shock. The straining at stool when constipated has a most potent influence in causing piles, as well as the passage of hard, dry feces. In both of these cases the rectal mucous surfaces are torn loose or detached from the supporting walls, and the cells fill with blood, thereby becoming very greatly distended.

PILES OR HEMORRHOIDS--THE SYMPTOMS

The first symptoms are usually itching of the mucous membrane of the anus. In the second stage a bloody discharge will appear with the feces, and in the more advanced cases the rectal mucous membrane will protrude.

PILES OR HEMORRHOIDS--THE TREATMENT

[Sidenote: How to relieve the strain upon the rectal lining]

When it is first discovered that there is a slight protrusion of the rectal mucous membrane from the anus, great care should be taken in evacuation of the feces. The first or direct cause of this condition is usually congestion; that is, the feces in the rectal cavity forms into a hard mass. When this condition appears, just before each evacuation, inject into the rectum, with a small rectal syringe, a tablespoonful of olive-oil, followed by a pint or two of lukewarm water, taken as an ordinary enema, and retain two or three minutes. Then place the first and the middle fingers, one on each side of the anus, and press gently so as to relieve the strain upon the rectal lining. The feces, if very hard, can be worked back and forth until broken up, and evacuation made easy. By this means I have known many cases of bleeding piles or hemorrhoids to be permanently cured.

It is exceedingly difficult to cure chronic cases in which the membrane has been torn from the walls for many years. However, Nature never tires of doing her work of repair, and if these suggestions are religiously observed, even chronic cases can be greatly relieved, and sometimes permanently cured.

For diet, see menus for constipation and fermentation.

Every night, just before retiring, take a light enema and retain it over night; also, take an enema just after rising.

DIARRHEA

THE CAUSE

Diarrhea is in reality not a dis-ease, but a symptom behind which there are always primary causes, usually--

1 Overeating

2 Irritating condiments

3 Wrong combinations of food at meals

4 Poisonous laxative drugs

5 Excess of acids

6 Excess of sweets

7 Sometimes nervous excitement

Diarrhea caused by the last-named condition is usually of temporary duration. Sudden attacks of diarrhea are often caused by exposure, by changes of diet, or by the overconsumption of acids in the form of berries.

[Sidenote: Errors in eating the cause of diarrhea]

There is no abnormal condition of the alimentary tract that is more directly traceable to errors in eating and drinking than diarrhea and all forms of dysentery. This condition is most generally caused by chronic fermentation, or by the presence of some non-nutritive or foreign substance. It matters not whether this condition comes from the use of poisonous drugs called laxative remedies, or from foods containing foreign or non-nutritive substances, the result is the same.

The habitual taking of drugs sufficiently poisonous to cause the intestinal machinery to exert enough action to cast them out, is a painful and slow process of self-destruction. It frequently happens that the peristaltic muscles become relaxed and give way completely from the habitual use of poisonous cathartics, and chronic diarrhea or dysentery is the result.

DIARRHEA--THE TREATMENT

In ordinary cases of diarrhea one can pursue his usual work provided he observes the suggestions in regard to diet, given below, but in severe cases one should avoid labor or exercise, and remain most of the time in a reclining position. Drink copiously of pure water, and eat very sparingly.

OMIT EAT

Acid fruits Boiled rice (thoroughly cooked)
All green salads Boiled sweet milk
Coarse foods, such as cabbage, Cottage cheese
celery, turnips, spinach Ordinary white bread
Condiments Potatoes--
Desserts, pastry, etc. Sweet (baked)
Pickles and all foods preserved in White
acids Puree of rice
Red meat and flesh food of ever Sweet clabbered milk, including
kind except very tender fish the cream
and white meat of chicken and Very tender white meat of chicken,
turkey or turkey, or fish
Relishes
Sweets
Tuber vegetables except
sweet and white potatoes

Omit all beverages at meals except plain water, taking only about one glass.

EMACIATION OR UNDERWEIGHT

Underweight, or lack of adipose tissue, is a condition with which the practitioner will often have to deal, as under nearly all abnormal conditions of the body, called dis-ease, the first result or evidence is loss of weight.

The tendency of a perfectly normal body, after it passes the forty-fifth year, is to become muscular, or what is termed "thin." In all countries those who have lived to a very great age have been termed emaciated. However, there is a normal body-weight that can be maintained, and which indicates normal health.

[Sidenote: Effects of emaciation]

Emaciation is usually followed by general anemia and a weakening of nearly all the functions of the body. The memory, sight, hearing, all become impaired, while the taste or appetite usually becomes keener or more sensitive. This is caused by irritation of the mucous membrane of the stomach and the consequent presence of too much blood therein, the same as when intoxicating liquors are taken just before meals.

Overwork, loss of sleep, unbalanced diet, worry, grief, or a period of extreme emotional tension, all have a tendency to disturb and derange the processes of metabolism. Under these conditions the body is very likely to lose weight, but there is always a fundamental cause which should be discovered and removed.

EMACIATION OR UNDERWEIGHT--THE CAUSE

There are a number of things which usually conspire to cause emaciation. Named in the order of their generality, they are as follows:

[Sidenote: Physical causes of emaciation]

1 Overeating

2 Superacidity

3 Stomach and intestinal fermentation

4 Constipation

5 Autointoxication

6 Under-drinking of pure water

7 The use of tobacco, coffee and tea

All of these things tend to cause malassimilation, which is the secondary cause of emaciation. In a majority of cases the loss of weight begins while the body is surfeited with food. In fact, it is nothing uncommon for those suffering most from this condition to consume from three to four times the necessary quantity of food; overeating becomes a habit, and consequent fermentation and toxic substances, usually known as autointoxication, are the results.

The causes of emaciation, according to most authorities, are impoverished blood and malnutrition. With these opinions the writer fully agrees, but the intelligent reader will naturally inquire--What are the causes of impoverished blood and malnutrition? The answer goes directly back to the food question.

[Sidenote: Mental causes of emaciation]

All mental influences, business, social, or financial worry, contribute their share toward physical emaciation, but when the body is perfectly nourished it is more capable of withstanding these drains because it is made fearless by perfect health. Behind all forms of business and financial trouble is the demon "fear," and fear rests on the uncertainty of our ability to provide creature comforts and necessities; therefore when we have mastered the science of feeding our bodies, and have learned how simply and cheaply this may be done, the mere possession of such knowledge does more than all else to make of us philosophers and students, eliminating fear and worry of every kind, as in health the mind is usually in a state of optimism and tranquillity.

EMACIATION OR UNDERWEIGHT--THE SYMPTOMS

The symptoms of emaciation, of course, are so apparent that it is only necessary to say that when the above-named errors are corrected, and the following symptoms are observed, the normal weight can nearly always be maintained.

So-called cold-sores, fevered lips and canker-sores on the tongue, intestinal congestion, torpidity of the liver, slight headaches, fullness after eating, alternate constipation and diarrhea, are all symptoms that point to the causes of emaciation.

EMACIATION OR UNDERWEIGHT--THE REMEDY

Emaciation is sometimes caused by organic or hereditary dis-eases, but the usual causes are to be found within the field of dietetics. The remedy, therefore, is first to naturalize or normalize the diet as to quantity, selection, proportion, and combinations of food.

In the majority of cases, those who come to the food scientist for treatment will be those who have tried every conceivable remedy except the natural one, therefore they come in a chronic state of emaciation, poisoned by overeating. Never having been instructed in regard to diet, exercise, breathing, bathing, or any other hygienic law, they will, in most cases, require a counteractive or remedial diet. There may be a number of supplementary causes to be considered, but the most important things for the practitioner to ascertain are:

1 Time the patient rises

2 Hour the first meal is eaten

3 Of what that meal consists

4 Time the second meal is eaten

5 Of what the second meal consists

6 Time the third meal is eaten

7 Of what this meal consists

8 All mental influences under which the patient is laboring,
especially fear or worry

9 The condition of the bowels as to congestion

10 The amount of liquid taken during the day and at meals

In nearly all emaciated cases it will be found that the patient is suffering from premature fermentation, intestinal and stomach gas, and a congested condition of the bowels commonly known as constipation.

[Sidenote: Foods that are necessary in the treatment of emaciation]

The first remedy lies in the selection and the combination of foods which are readily soluble and assimilable, and which contain the best flesh and cell-building properties. The chemical properties or elements most necessary are albumin, phosphorus, casein, proteids and carbohydrates. These elements are supplied best by milk, eggs, nuts, sweet fruits and coarse cereals, followed by a limited quantity of fresh green vegetables.

[Sidenote: Value of milk and eggs in the remedial diet]

The nutriment contained in the egg is all that is required for the young chick, while the nutrient contents of milk is all that is necessary for the young animal. Therefore these two articles contain the most reliable and speedy counteractive elements known to chemistry, but in dealing with the adult they should be supplemented by fresh vegetables, coarse grain, wheat bran, raisins, and the seeds and skins of grapes.

[Sidenote: Constipation must be overcome in cases of emaciation]

It must be remembered that milk has a constipating tendency when taken in ordinary quantities--from one to two glasses at a meal. Therefore in laying out the diet for the emaciated, it is vitally important to avoid constipation, which may be done by giving milk during the first two or three days in quantities ranging from two and one-half to three and one-half quarts a day, together with a liberal quantity of coarse cereal. (See "Constipation--The Remedy," p. 436.)

These remedial methods may be repeated day by day until a substantial gain in weight is noticed, when the diet may be normalized--such articles selected as will give to the body all the required elements of nourishment in the right proportions.

[Sidenote: Chronic emaciation--its cause and remedy]

It sometimes happens that the body is thrown into a chronic state of emaciation on account of a catarrhal formation over the mucous membrane of the intestines, which closes the "winking valves" that take up nutriment from the alimentary tract. In such cases coarse cereal or wheat bran, the seeds and skins of fruit, especially grapes, together with milk and eggs, form the best foods known. The milk and the eggs may be forced, not only beyond the limitations of hunger, but beyond the normal needs of the body. By thus forcing them for a short period of time (twenty to thirty days) a physical "trial balance" can be reached, and the body brought to its normal weight, which can be maintained for an indefinite period of time, if the bill of fare is again balanced or leveled according to the chemical requirements governed by the three natural laws, namely, age, temperature of environment, and work.

[Sidenote: Diet for extreme constipation in emaciated cases]

There is another condition of chronic emaciation which, in the beginning, should sometimes be treated in exactly the opposite way. For instance, when the forcing of casein proteids, albumin and nitrogen (the principal nutrient elements in milk and eggs) produces complications, such as extreme constipation, it becomes necessary to put the patient on a diet composed of coarse cellulose articles and fruit for a period of from three to six days. This should be done in the following manner:

Immediately on rising drink two or three cups of water--lime-free.

BREAKFAST

(One hour later)

The strained juice of two or three sweet oranges, or a bunch of
grapes; grapes preferred

A cup of wheat bran, cooked; serve hot, with thin cream

LUNCHEON

Plain wheat and an equal quantity of coarse wheat bran, cooked
until very soft; preferably simmered over night

A salad of celery, lettuce and tomatoes, with nuts

DINNER

About four tablespoonfuls of boiled wheat; also one of bran

A baked potato

One fresh vegetable

Drink copiously of water at all meals.

Just before retiring, eat half a pound of grapes, when in season.

After the first or second day this bill of fare may be increased
in quantity, and heavier fruits added, such as pears, prunes,
and very ripe bananas. After the fourth or fifth day, a salad
and a few of the lighter vegetables, such as onions, romaine or
cabbage, celery, carrots, or other fibrous vegetables may be
included.

After the first week the diet should be composed of fresh
vegetables, coarse cereals, eggs, bananas, nuts, salads, and
wheat bran.

Those who are emaciated should drink an abundance of water immediately on rising and at meals. They should also take a sufficient quantity of plain wheat bran, or grapes if in season (Concord preferred), eating skins, seeds, and pulp, in order to keep the bowels in normal condition.

In cases of extreme emaciation, loss of appetite, or fermentation, the patient should, for a time, adopt a diet of milk and eggs, alternating as follows:

The first, second, and third days, drink from two and a half to
four quarts of milk, in small quantities--one glass at a time.
For the next three days, reduce the quantity of milk, and begin
taking six eggs a day, increasing the number, until twelve eggs
are taken. Alternate between the milk and the eggs, for a month
or more, unless the patient responds in weight in a shorter
time. When there is a perceptible gain in weight, and normal
hunger has been restored, reduce the milk and the eggs, and add
the solid foods already suggested.

In cases of Emaciation:

OMIT EAT

Acid fruits Bananas
Coffee Cheese
Condiments Coarse cereals
Tea Eggs
Tobacco Fruits
Wines and liquors Dates, figs, raisins
Milk
Sweet milk or buttermilk
Nuts
Vegetables, such as--
Beets Lettuce
Cabbage Parsnips
Carrots Potatoes
Celery Spinach
Cauliflower Turnips
Green beans Green peas

The proteid and the carbohydrate foods should predominate in the
diet.

OBESITY OR OVERWEIGHT

[Sidenote: Diet, the governing law of body-weight]

It is generally supposed that obesity is a natural result of modern civilization. This theory has no foundation in fact or physiology. Man can be genuinely modern without being obese. The law that governs the growth and graceful symmetry of the human body is based upon dietetics, and the indispensable adjuncts of diet are exercise, oxidation and elimination. A body that is filled with vitality by a perfectly balanced diet will experience the same appetite for motion or exercise that it does for food or drink. Exercise forces more blood to the lungs, and more thorough oxidation is the result. The properly fed young animal, whether brute or human, plays and exercises involuntarily, and the older animal, adequately nourished without being overfed, does not lose its youthful instincts. An observance of the above laws will prevent the accumulation of an excess of fatty tissue.

The following table gives the normal weight of natural healthy adults according to height, also the weights considered thin and obese:

-----------+-------------------+-------------------
| MALES | FEMALES
-----------+-------------------+-------------------
Height | Weight | Weight
-----------+-----+------+------+-----+------+------
Feet Inches| Thin| Fat |Normal| Thin| Fat |Normal
-----------+-----+-----+-------+-----+------+------
5-- -- | 95 | 126 | 110 | 93 | 122 | 111
5-- 1 | 98 | 132 | 115 | 94 | 128 | 116
5-- 2 | 100 | 138 | 120 | 96 | 134 | 118
5-- 3 | 106 | 144 | 125 | 102 | 140 | 121
5-- 4 | 110 | 149 | 130 | 105 | 145 | 126
5-- 5 | 114 | 155 | 135 | 109 | 151 | 131
5-- 6 | 116 | 158 | 138 | 112 | 154 | 134
5-- 7 | 118 | 161 | 140 | 114 | 157 | 136
5-- 8 | 121 | 164 | 143 | 117 | 160 | 140
5-- 9 | 126 | 173 | 150 | 123 | 169 | 145
5-- 10 | 131 | 178 | 155 | 126 | 173 | 150
5-- 11 | 133 | 184 | 160 | 128 | 179 | 155
6-- -- | 136 | 190 | 165 | 131 | 185 | 160
6-- 1 | 140 | 192 | 170 | 135 | 187 | 165
6-- 2 | 148 | 201 | 175 | 143 | 196 | 170
6-- 3 | 152 | 207 | 180 | 147 | 200 | 175
-----------+-----+------+------+-----+------+------

OBESITY--THE CAUSE

A very exhausting treatise could be written upon the cause of obesity, but, summing it all up briefly, corpulency is invariably induced through a direct or indirect violation of the laws of nutrition, as exemplified in their wonderful processes of transforming material called food into pulsating life.