Dr. Curtis, the eminent physician to Mr. Garfield, said, "What parent is there who has not viewed with alarm how old Adam enters into the baby along with the first spoonful of chopped beef!" Gautier said, on this point: "The vegetarian régime, modified by the addition of milk, of fat of butter, of eggs, has great advantage. It adds to the alkalinity of the blood, accelerates oxidation, diminishes organic wastes and toxins. It exposes one much less likely than the ordinary régime to skin maladies, to arthritis, to congestions of internal organs. This régime tends to make us pacific beings, and not aggressive and violent."
To these we may add the testimony of Holy Writ, "Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh."
Physical Benefits of Joy
The emotion of joy finds physiologic manifestations exactly opposite to those of sorrow and grief. There is increase of function in the muscles, and expansion of the blood vessels. As a result of increased muscular activity, the joyful person feels light and springy. Children, when joyful, dance and skip and clap their hands. The expansion of the blood vessels brings the "flush of joy." This increase in the circulation causes increased secretion of the digestive juices, with increased appetite, and increased power of digestion and absorption. This means increased nourishment. "Laugh and grow fat" has a physiologic basis. Fat people are not good-natured because they are fat, but they are fat because they are good-natured.
Laughter has a wonderfully beneficial influence on bodily functions—a fact recognized centuries ago when the wise man said, "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine." Laughter is a potent stimulant to all the helpful bodily functions. It hastens digestion, stimulates circulatory reaction, promotes tissue changes, enhances glandular activity, facilitates elimination, and altogether radiates a most beneficent influence throughout the body. Laugh, and the whole body laughs, and counts its work a pleasure.—Dr. George A. Thomason.
STIMULANTS and
CONDIMENTS
by
ARTHUR N. DONALDSON, A.B., M.D.
of the Faculty of the College of Medical
Evangelists, Loma Linda, California