Diet.—A regular time for eating and no eating between meals. Do not eat too much or too fast, or anything that you know disagrees with you. Fried foods are generally harmful, pies, cakes, hot breads, strong tea and coffee and alcohol, gravy and highly spiced foods; vinegar pickles, preserves, etc., are generally bad. If there is acid belching gas on stomach, the starch foods should be restricted, particularly potatoes and the coarser vegetables. Potatoes fried in lard or butter are always bad unless you are a hard physical worker. Dr. Osler, England, says breads, pancakes, pies, and tarts, with heavy pastry and fried articles of all sorts, should be strictly prohibited. As a rule, white bread toasted is more readily digested than bread made from the whole meal. Sometimes graham bread is better. Sugar and very sweet articles of food should be used in great moderation or avoided altogether. Ice cream frequently aggravates it. Soda water is a great dyspepsia producer. Fats, except a little good butter, very fat meats, and thick greasy soups and gravies should be avoided.
Ripe fruits are good in some cases. Bananas generally are not digested.
Berries are frequently harmful. Milk is splendid diet for some people.
Cautions.—The bowels must be kept "moving" every day, try to do it by dieting, rubbing the abdomen and exercise. Bathing the abdomen in cool water is good. Go to the closet at a regular time every day and try to have a passage, as this helps. Never put off going to stool when nature calls. Dyspepsia is frequently made worse by constipation. Seek good cheerful company. Do not worry over your condition. By care and diet you will soon be all right.
Home Treatment.—1. Drink a glass of cold water an hour before breakfast, or hot water if it agrees better with you.
2. Do not eat much meat.
3. If the stomach wants tone, bitter tonics, like quassia, gentian, cardanum are good, even if drank as teas. When the tongue is coated with a white thick fur, golden seal is good. Medicines are not as essential as care and diet.
4. Charcoal in small doses is good for' a "gassy" stomach.
5. If a bitter tonic is needed the following is good:
Bicarbonate of Soda 1 dram
Tincture of Nux Vomica l to 2 drams
Compound tincture of Gentian, enough for 3 ounces
Mix and take one teaspoonful to a dessert spoonful before meals.