THE DIET OF THE FUTURE.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXXVI, Issue 51, 7 December 1909, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE DIET OF THE FUTURE.

NO MEAT, NO TEA, NO SPIRITS

The Hon. Neville Lytton contributes to "l'/io National Keview' an article, entitled "Jhe Coming involution m Diet," winch is of paramount interest to every man wlio cares for IIIS health. The Keynote is tne discovery of JJr Haig that most diseases are tlie result of tne excessive formation of unit acid, and the moral that all uric-acid forming foods should bo abstained from. ihere are about 50 per cent, of English well-to-do classes whose health is below moderate, and many of llieso would give anything that would give relief to their sufferings. One of the first dangers of changing a diet that one been brought up on is under-feeding. To give roughly an idea of how much nourishment should be taken in a day a quotation is made from Dr Haig's table:— "A man or woman leading an active life ami weighing about ten stone would liaie to consume 17oz of bread, two pints of milk, loss of cheese, 2o■/, of rice, JIW. of vegetables and fruit.'' in case this division of foods) nils does not suit particular individuals, it may be as well to mention that hull' a pint of milk, four ounces of bread, and one ounce of cheese are all, roughly speaking, equal in nourishing value. Thus, if desired, more bread and lev.s mi lk can lio taken, or more milk and less bread, or more cheese and less milk and bread, etc. Nuts are twice as nourishing as bread.

Nearly all the men who have adopted l)r Hair's diet have easily been aMe r.o eat the quantity prescribed, hut, most ol' Lht! women seem to have iiuk-h less good appetites. For those whose appetite is (Kior, and who cannot lue out of doors enough to gfit a good one, Jio white of an egg can he substitill■ .'or every two ounces of bread short of this proscribed allowance. Cereals, mh !i as rice, sago, vermicelli, and macaroni, • f they are served dry and not cooki <i liquid, are equal by weight to bread in nourishment. Bread And other cere;ds should ho very wareJully chewed, and ,iot eaten like meat. Tea, coffee, and fhooolato must lie avoided, us they conoain xantliin, which is converted into uric acid by the physiology of the liody_ Phero aro certain other vegetable, substances which contain xanthin. These, aro peas, beans, peanuts, lentil.,, asparagus, mushrooms, and the. eoaiver Kinds of oatmeal. Jf one counts milk as a food, water remains as the only really satisfactory drink. Nearly ail mineral waters aro acid, and must therefore, he avoided; hut there arc certain exceptions, such as V'icliv or Kins water. These are solvents of uric acid (whereas the acid'water's are prc.•ipitants), and are useful when one is travelling and cannot depend on ordinary water.

The retention of uric acid, which results from cold, is one cause of the pre I'alence of spring illnesses. The wearng of scanty clothing is a great mistake.