What to eat and when

by Susanna Cocroft

PREFACE

THE subject of dietetics has only of late years begun to come into its own. For centuries it was thought that the body was a thing to be neglected and despised; that it was a clog to the soul. The teachings of dogma and the life of the hermit and the ascetic glorified the mortification of the body and the elevation of the soul.

The study of the functions of life and the manner in which those functions are upheld and vivified—the development of the sciences of Biology and Physiology—have placed the relations of the body and its inhabitant the soul on a more consistent and rational basis. It is coming to be recognized that the mind cannot function to its highest efficiency in a body below par; that in order to work harmoniously and to accomplish the most for humanity, the sound mind must dwell in a sound body, with all of its functions active, its organs in vigorous condition, kept so by a thorough assimilation and a forceful circulation. These are to be secured by means of daily exercise, abundance of fresh air, and healthful, happy, constructive thoughts.

It has been well said that the distinguishing feature between man and other animals is the fact that he is a cooking animal. Until he discovered fire man’s subsistence was little more than that of the brute. Out of his discovery of the varied uses of this element came modern civilization. Much of this advance was made possible through the added strength of mind that was given man by a more varied diet. His limited raw diet gave little scope to his inventive faculties. From the discovery of the possibilities in cooked food his mind was stimulated to research in other directions. With the lessened need for vigorous mastication, however, the degeneration of man’s teeth began and we are slowly learning now that exercise for the teeth and gums is as necessary for their health as it is for the rest of the body.

Dietetics is, in itself, both an Art and a Science. Food can be prepared so tastefully and its appearance made so pleasing as to become a fit subject for a painter. But the selection of food that shall give the body all the elements it needs in its work of growth and repair, with the greatest economy of effort, of purse, of time, and of energy, needs the trained judgment, the knowledge of comparative values and of chemical combinations possessed by a scientist. This is especially true from the fact that so many bodily ills result from a faulty digestion, due either to the food itself or to the condition of the organs which must handle the food.

The subject is so vast and its ramifications so many that all the resources of chemistry own themselves baffled at some of its intricacies. However, an intelligent working knowledge of the processes undergone by food in its progress through the body, and its transformation into vital force, can be attained by anyone.

This book is the outcome of years of experience in correcting bodily ills caused by wrong hygienic habits. It has been written out of a sincere desire to awaken the every-day individual to the important relation that food bears to his well-being.

Much has been written on this subject by medical men for the medical profession, in language too technical for the layman. It is believed that in this book the layman will find a fund of information hitherto not available to him, in language stripped of technicalities, plain and easily understood. I have tried to make it logical and interesting.

When the American people become convinced that a thing is needed they generally “go after” it, and sooner or later the desired thing is attained. When they arouse themselves to see that the food they eat is pure, well prepared, and taken into digestive systems vigorous by means of proper exercise and fresh air, a new and far more virile race will be the outcome.

Acknowledgment is here made of the valuable assistance of Winfield S. Hall, Ph.D., M.D., Professor of Physiology in the Northwestern Medical School, Lecturer, and Author of Nutrition and Dietetics; of Alida Frances Pattee, late Instructor in Dietetics, Bellevue Training School for Nurses, Bellevue Hospital, New York City, Author of Practical Dietetics.

The tables of Food Values and the classification of foods are kindly furnished by Dr. Hall and used by the courtesy of his publishers, while a few of the recipes are generously furnished by Miss Pattee. Recognition is also made of the good work of Miss Helen Hammel, former dietitian in Wesley Hospital, Chicago, in the preparation of some of the recipes.

The Author.