Show WHAT to EAT and a n WHY C houston goudiss reveals several reasons wh why Y food sometimes disagrees warns against eating when tired timed or worried by C HOUSTON GOUDISS A GREAT many people have the unfortunate habit of warning friends and acquaintances against this or that food on the ground that it is difficult to digest 11 0 or is almost sure to cause digestive distress especially if eaten at the wrong time of day or in combination with the wrong foods indeed to hear some men and women recount the various dishes that are bests best left alone is to wonder how they manage to find anything to eat at all in view of the many good foods they consider taboo certainly there is no objection to food as the topic of conversation it is so basic to good health that it should be uppermost in the mind of every individual who desires to promote physical and mental efficiency and it is also nai natural for a person to be guided by past experience in determining ter what he should eat and what it may be advisable for him to avoid but it is a grave mistake for one person to warn another against any food or combination of foods on the ground that it will cause digestive distress for the truth of the matter is that under proper conditions a normal healthy person should have no difficulty in digesting almost any food that has a place in the well balanced diet food dislikes often unfounded I 1 once met a woman who told me that her contented looking husband could and did eat most everything ery thing capt horseshoes menu planning was simple for her and how different from the problems of the homemaker home maker who must try to reconcile her menus both with the food dislikes of various members of the family and with the foods that they declare they cant eat for fear of digestive distress it is true of course that individuals differ greatly and occasionally sio nally a food that can and should be eaten regularly by most people will cause distress in an individual case but that thai is no indication di that the food will have the same effect on another person and it is misleading either to proffer or accept advice of this nature from friends it may be that the victim has an allergy to the food in question that he reacts to it differently than the majority of people but there is also the possibility that the prejudice exists because of some previous distress caused not by the food itself but by the circumstances under which it was eaten perhaps a clearer understanding of some of the mental and physiological factors influencing digestion would dispel many of the bugaboos buga boos that cause people to avoid various wholesome foods and food combinations and to warn others against them emotions influence digestion scientists have established that the stomach is capable of reacting to almost every emotion and sensation that is experienced by men and women thus how you eat becomes quite as important as what you eat and any food or combination of foods consumed when you are tired worried or angry may cause acute distress whereas the same food when eaten at another time may be digested without the slightest disturbance tur bance this indicates the folly of jump ing to the conclusion that you cant eat this or that and shows that one is scarcely justified in warning friends or relatives to avoid certain articles of diet there is a large amount of evidence that fear anger or anxiety have the effect of diminishing the gastric secretions and further of arresting or slowing down the movement of the intestines if food is eaten under these conditions dit ions it may remain stagnant in the alimentary canal with the subsequent formation of gases and decomposition products but instead of recognizing the true cause of the trouble many people erroneously blame the food itself I 1 medical men have fiade frequently noticed that people often develop gastric disturbances when they suffer financial reverses and continue to suffer from them until their financial condition improves a striking demonstration of the importance of banishing fear and worry never eat when tired almost any food may cause distress when one is suffering from fatigue so it is unwise to sit down to a large meal when exhausted from too much physical or mental work A brief rest before eating will put the body in muc much h better shape to receive and assimilate the food then if the meal is served in pleasant surroundings and if the food is flavorful and well cooked the chances are that it will be di satisfactorily by all normal individuals B be tranquil at mealtimes Meal times in view of the f fact act that tranquillity quil lity of mind is essential to the proper utilization of food homemakers should remember never to discuss unpleasant subjects at meal times dont nag the children about eating or choose that time to discuss their lapses from discipline dont talk about abou finances or take up real or fancied grievances with your husband let such matters wait until the meal has been digested if these suggestions were more generally followed it if is almost certain that we would hear much less conversation about foods that cause distress much more wholesome talk about the pleasures of the table C houston goudiss 1939 54 |