—Field.
The man who pores over a book to discover the exact number of calories (heat units) of carbohydrates, proteins and fats his body needs, means well, but is wasting time.
In theory it is excellent, for it should ensure maximum work-energy with minimum use of digestive-energy, but in practice it breaks down badly, a weakness to which theories are prone. One man divided four raw eggs, an ounce of olive oil, and a pound of rice into three meals a day. Theoretically, such a diet is ideal, and for a short time the experimenter gained weight, but malnutrition and dyspepsia set in, and he had to give up. The best diet-calculator is a normal appetite, and fancy aids digestion more than a pair of scales.
In spite of rabid veget- and other "arians", most foods are good (making allowances for personal idiosyncrasy) if thoroughly masticated. The oft-quoted analogy of the cow is incorrect, for herbivora
are able to digest cellulose; but even cows masticate most laboriously.
Meat juices are the most digestion-compelling substances in existence, and a little meat soup, "Oxo" or "Bovril" is an excellent first course.
No one needs more than three meals per day, while millions thrive on one or two only, which should be ready at fixed hours; for the stomach when habituated becomes congested and secretes gastric juice at those hours without the impulse of the will, is ready to digest food, and gets that rest between-times which is essential to sound digestion. The man who has snacks between meals, and chocolates and biscuits between snacks can never hope to get well.
To eat the largest meal at midday, as is the custom of working-men, is best, provided one can take half an hour's rest afterwards.
Drink a pint of tepid water half an hour before every meal. If the stomach be very foul, add a teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda to the water.
The question of alcohol is a vexed one, but Paul's "Take a little wine for thy stomach's sake," is undoubtedly sound advice, though had Paul been trained at a London hospital, he would have added "after meals". Unfortunately, moderation is usually beyond the ability of the neuropath, and consequently he should be forbidden to take alcohol at all. Spirits must be avoided.