CHAPTER XV
FOOD
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
Necessity for Food
Food is defined as nutritive material absorbed or taken into the body of an organism for purposes of growth or repair and for the maintenance of the vital processes. Food is derived from two sources—the animal kingdom and the vegetable kingdom.
The body is composed of materials which are constantly wearing out under the processes carried on in the functioning of the body, and this tissue must be replaced with new material. This is supplied in the form of food that is taken into the system and acted upon by the secretions in such a way as to break up and properly combine the chemicals so that Innate Intelligence may bring about an assimilation in the tissue cells.
The variety of articles that Innate can use as food in the body is varied. It is not necessary to have a perfect food or a perfectly rationed diet in order for Innate to maintain the anabolism of the body. The ease with which the processes of digestion are carried on depends upon the freedom with which mental impulses are transmitted to the organs of digestion.
As there is a constant flow of mental impulses through the nerves and a constant expression in the tissue cells so there is a corresponding change taking place in the tissues of the body. To this change there must be a constant adaptation so that new tissue will be provided to replace that which is worn out. To accomplish this there must be a proper supply of nutrition at properly stated intervals.
It is not the purpose of chiropractic hygiene to say what a person should or should not eat. Innate Intelligence is the best judge as to that. Chiropractic philosophy teaches that a person may eat anything that does not disagree with him; or to put it otherwise, a person should eat what agrees with him. It also teaches us that pain and discomfort from eating that which does not digest is Innate telling the educated mind that this particular article is not being digested and that he should not eat it. This lack of digestion is not the fault of the food, but is due to an interference with transmission which prevents Innate from bringing about an adaptation to this food. In other words, the interference with transmission prevents Innate from producing the secretion that is needed in the digestion of this particular article or diet.