OCR Text |
Show THE FASTING FAD. A Most Valuable Remedy that is Often Of-ten Abused. (By Dr. R. R. Daniels.) Tho recent death by starvation of the California tailor who fasted for over sixty days, illustrates the great harm to come from overdoing a good remedy. There is no question but what no small part of our ills aro caused either directly or indirectly by overeating and improper eating; hence going without food for a short time removes the real cause of many of our illnesses and assists tho cure. But the man who fasts to such an extent as to lower tho vitality and deplete tho tissues is carrying fasting to an extreme; such treatmont will do much harm. When to Fast. The most valuable use for fasting is in our acuto illnesses and minor disorders. A good per cent, of such sickness is tho direct result of overindulgence over-indulgence in food, hence a rest for the stomach and liver, which also means a rest for the kidneys and heart, will permit tho body to unload tho surplus food and to bring about a cure. Furthermore, when wo aro ill from any cause the actual consumption con-sumption of food by the body is greatly diminished; the vital forces aro busy in eliminating tho disease, in restoring tho normal state of affairs. af-fairs. Undor such conditions we should not hamper tho euro by taking food. now to Fast. Thero is no harm to come from fasting' for a day for tho relief of a cold or an attack of indigestion, and still doing the usual work, providing tho work is not unucually hard physically. phys-ically. 3 at if one is to fast for a longer time than a day, as a rule all physical effort should be avoided; frequently it is best to rest in bed with heat" to tho feet and plenty of ' frvsb air In hv twmr Tho bowoU 1 should bo moved dally, preferably with tho enema. Tho fast should be broken by taking liquid foods the first twenty-four hours, following which solid food should bo cautiously resumed. |