Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 217, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 September 1917 — What is Real Food Economy? [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

What is Real Food Economy?

By DR. SAMUEL Q. DIXON,

Commissioner of Health of Pennsylvania

• Hysteria of the Individual Is very catching, often becoming an epidemic. Community hysteria In a representa-

tlve form of government destroys Its efficiency. Hysterical people are apt to run to great excesses and neglect those things In life which are of the greatest importance, not only to the success of the Individual but of the community. At present, we find Individuals and whole commu-

nlties hysterical on the economy of foodstuffs, even to the extreme of confining themselves to a maize (corn) diet instead of having a well balanced diet with the variety of food that will pot only stimulate the appetite and the digestive glands, but will meet nature’s demands. Man Is an omniverous being. We can best economize by eating what agrees with us. To resist tuberculosis and other wasting diseases and to keep In the best form for the working of our physical and mental body, particularly In these times of high nervous tension, we ‘ should have meat or some good vegetable protein as a substitute in moderation once a day. In addition to this we want fat, preferably butter or cream or fats of animals, the latter only cooked sufficiently to heat them through. With the proteins and fats we want a carbohydrate (starch or sugar). Today there are many diet lists being given to the public worked up into tables based upon their heat-producing power. The trouble with these diet receipts is that they are based upon tests made upon those having perfect

digestion and a normal amount of physical exercise In a normal atmosphere. Life la a factor scientific medicine cannot measure. -It forbids human body from being compared with an Inorganic machtoe or test tube experiments In the laboratory. The digestive tract and Its many glands that vary In their powers to prepare food for the assimilation of the body, are governed by the nervous system. They vary greatly In their life power to produce digestive secretions. For the reasons given each individual, after once realizing that meats, fat, starches and sugar are necessary In various proportions to maintain his health, will have to make an Intensive study of what digests, so as to give him the best health and keep up his weight to give him energy, and permit him to sleep, and to be of good cheer. You will always find that people differ from each other in their selection of foodstuffs, some doing well on a large proportion of vegetable food, others doing better on a reasonable amount of meat and carbohydrates or starch, while others have to avoid starches and sugar to prevent violent indigestion and ill health. We often find powerful men who live on very little food, while many frail, illy nourished people have good appetites and eat plenty. These things are hard to explain. The laws of nature are so profound that even today in this scientific age we find the digestion of people differs so that we must at present attribute it to the variation of life force. From our actual experience in life, after long devotion to the feeding of people, we have learned that a mixed diet is essential to good health. The practical experience of the individual must be a factor in guiding him in the selection of foods and the quantity he can eat.