The Digestion of Food 129 



full meal. It is well to lie down, or sit quietly and read, 

 fifteen minutes before eating, and directly afterwards. 



Severe exercise and hard study just after a full meal 

 are very apt to delay or actually arrest digestion. 



196. Practical Points about Eating. We should not eat 

 for at least two or three hours before going to bed. In 

 many cases of sleeplessness, however, a small quantity of 

 some simple food, especially if the stomach seems to feel 

 exhausted, often appears to promote sleep and rest. 



The state of mind has much to do with digestion. 

 We should laugh and talk at our meals, and thus aim 

 to drive away anxious thoughts and avoid unpleasant 

 topics. 



The proper chewing of the food is an important element 

 in digestion. Hence, eat slowly and do not "bolt" large 

 fragments of food. 



Do not drink too much with the meals, for the flow of 

 the saliva is checked and digestion is hindered. If we 

 drink freely of ice water during meals, it takes some time 

 for the stomach to regain its natural heat. 



It is a poor plan to stimulate a flagging appetite with 

 an undue amount of pepper, mustard, horseradish, pickles, 

 and highly seasoned meat sauces. They may stimulate 

 digestion for the time, but they soon impair it. 



NOTE; The table on the next page shows the results of many 



experiments to illustrate the time taken for the gastric digestion of a 

 number of the more common solid foods. There are a great many 

 factors of which the table takes no account, such as the interval since 

 the last meal, state of the appetite, amount of work and exercise, 

 method of cooking, and especially the quantity of food. 



197. Hints about the Care of the Teeth. If an ounce 

 of prevention is ever worth a pound of cure, it is in keep- 

 ing the teeth in good order. Bad teeth and toothless gums 



