CHAPTER XIX. 

 HYGIENE OF DIGESTION. NUTRITION. 



Digestion and Circulation. During digestion there must 

 be a large supply of blood in the digestive organs. It is 

 needed both to supply the material for the glands to make 

 the digestive liquids and also to absorb and bring away the 

 newly digested food. Therefore, during digestion there 

 must be less blood in other parts of the body. 



Digestion and Muscular Work. If one exercises actively 

 immediately after eating, the process of digestion will be 

 interfered with, because the bloo'd will be drawn away 

 from the digestive organs to the muscles. It is well to 

 rest for a short time after eating a full meal. 



Digestion and Study. For the same reason it is better 

 not to begin hard study immediately after a full meal. The 

 blood needed for the work of digestion will be called to the 

 brain, and digestion will suffer. 



Solid Foods digest Slowly. If a very hungry person 

 begins his dinner with solid food, he is likely to eat too 

 fast. Hunger is a demand of the system for food. It 

 takes some time for solid food to go through all the pro- 

 cesses of digestion, and be absorbed into the system and 

 satisfy hunger. 



Value of Soup. But if the meal begins with soup, which 

 is readily absorbed, the demand of the system will begin to 

 be met, and there will not be the same tendency to rapid 



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