INDIGESTION 
429 
to go by. One of the reasons why it has been so valuable 
is because it includes so many different products. Food 
standards have been established for the following: meats, 
meat extracts, milk, cream, butter, cheese, ice cream, grains, 
meals, flour, fruits, vegetables, flavoring extracts, of which 
there are twenty-four, tea, coffee, cocoa, vinegar, and salt. 
The wide range of patent medicines and drugs comes under 
the influence of this act and we can now read their composi¬ 
tion on the label. This is a great protection against mis¬ 
branding and cheating. 
338. Indigestion. — Few children that have an oppor¬ 
tunity to romp and play out-of-doors and have plenty of 
simple and plain food ever experience any ill feeling in 
the digestive canal. However, as children grow older, 
exercise less, and eat richer food, they may suffer much 
inconvenience from indigestion. 
Indigestion is a condition which rarely extends to all 
parts of the digestive canal; it is located either in the stomach 
or in the small intestine. This may indicate that certain 
kinds of food are not properly digested. Indigestion may 
be caused by eating the wrong kinds of foods or by over¬ 
loading the stomach. If the food is chewed thoroughly, 
the appetite is usually a safe guide as to the amount needed 
by the body. Moreover, food thoroughly chewed is more 
easily acted upon by the digestive fluids. 
To some people certain foods are indigestible at all times, 
while other foods are indigestible only at special times. 
We should learn to understand our bodies in this particular. 
Some of the causes of indigestion are: lack of sufficient 
regular exercise, too much rich food, and the failure to drink 
enough water. 
Students and professional men use their brains more 
than their muscles, but they require protein to repair nerve 
waste just as laborers require proteins to feed their tired 
muscles. Unless students and professional men exercise 
