In the strain of business life, returning at once to work, after the eating of a heavy meal in the middle of the day, calls all of the surplus blood to the brain; this, in many cases, results disastrously. For this reason, the taking of the heavy meal at night, when the system may relax and time be given to proper digestion, has come to be an institution of city life.
More frequent meals, served in lighter quantity with greater regularity, so that the system is not overloaded at any one meal, is rational for delicate or undernourished nerves and tissues.
The reason invalids or those whose digestive organs are delicate should have the heaviest meal at midday, is because the vigor of the system is greater at this time than later in the day; the increased temperature in fever in the late afternoon retards assimilation. Those whose digestive organs are delicate should not be confined to three meals a day if less food taken oftener is better borne and assimilated, but the meals should be at regular times.
Effect of Exercise and Breathing on Digestion
Food is stored in the muscles for immediate use when needed. If all of the food supplied to the muscles is not used for their daily needs, an excess accumulates unless the muscles are exercised sufficiently to use up the supply. A constant accumulation results in obesity. This condition, by overlaying the organs with fat, compresses them and hampers their activity. If the accumulation continues it ultimately causes a degeneration of the tissues. Apoplexy occurs in those carrying an excess of fat due to a weakening of the walls of the arteries of the brain.
The blood, owing to variations in the external temperature, has a tendency to retreat from the skin through contraction of the capillaries and to engorge the internal organs. Exercise brings the blood to the skin and muscles, causing the waste, broken down by the chemical activity going on every instant of life, to be picked up by the blood and carried to the eliminating organs. Therefore, since the blood is needed in the digestive organs during digestion, active exercise should not be taken immediately after meals.
Exercise taken in the proper amount and at proper times uses up the excess of material, benefits digestion, aids the work of the liver and intestines, keeps the circulation active, the waste eliminated, and results in a feeling of vigor and fitness for one’s work whether physical or mental.
Exercise should be counted as a necessary part of one’s daily activities—as necessary as eating one’s meals. If faithfully done the habit will be formed and the system will soon call for exercise as it does for food.
The young child’s blood circulates freely, his breathing is unrestricted, the waste of the system is fully burned up, potential energy is released, and the result is, he must be active. The effort of the teacher, or of those having the care of children should be, not to restrain the child but rather to direct his activity in advantageous and effective use of his energy.