MANNER OF TAKING 1OOD. 24* 



whom such food would be very injurious, and even highly danger- 

 ous, if used in a milder temperature. The proportion of animal to 

 vegetable food, therefore, should be greater in the winter and 

 smaller in the summer. 



Age of the Eater Every one understands that the digest- 

 ive organs of a young child are much more delicate and sensitive 

 than those of an adult, and that they cannot therefore bear the 

 same strong and rough food. This is true also of a very aged per- 

 son, who seems in body as in mind to experience a second child- 

 hood'. A nutritious, unstimulating, vegetable diet, as soon as warm 

 weather sets in, is very important to those whose digestive organs 

 are highly impressible or diseased. 



Modifying Habits This influence is very powerful. The 

 custom makes the man. If one who has been used to a vegetable diet 

 change suddenly to animal food, or vice versa, the whole system 

 receives a shock, and disease is likely to follow, especially of the 

 digestive organs. If a change in the manner of living is necessary, 

 it should be brought about very gradually. Even a change from a 

 bad to a good habit may be too sudden and violent. 



Food and Temperament It is obvious that a food quite 

 proper for one temperament would be entirely too stimulating for 

 another, and the reverse of this is also true; that is, it might be too 

 little stimulating for another. People of dull sensations and slow 

 movements, as a rule, will be benefited by a large proportion of 

 animal food ; while quick, susceptible and nervous persons require 

 a nutritious and unstimulating vegetable diet. 



MANNER OF TAKING FOOD. 



This is of very great practical importance, as the health of the 

 digestive organs very largely depends upon it; and this a thing so 

 fixed and certain that circumstances need hardly ever modify it. 



Regularity of Eating The character of the food, and the 

 age, health, exercise and habits of the individual, should determine 

 the intervals between meals. Every one will understand that the 

 digestive process is much more rapid and energetic in the young, 

 active and vigorous than in the aged, indolent and feeble, and food 

 must, in consequence, be taken more frequently by the former than 

 by the latter. Food may be digested in one hour in a young and 

 vigorous person, which would require four or five hours in others. 

 However, the average time of digestion will be from two to four 

 hours, and the stomach will require from one to three hours to 

 recruit its exhausted powers after the labor of digesting a meal, 

 before it is well prepared to enter upon a new task of the same 

 kind. 



Not too Frequent The secretion of gastric juice will be 

 insufficient, and the contraction of the muscular fibres too feeble and 



