DIET AND HEALTH

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 39, 14 August 1926, Page 20

DIET AND HEALTH

THE VALUE OF FASTING.

Lecturing, recently, for the People's League of Health on "The Nature and Purpose : of' Food," Professor Leonard Hill (reports the "Morning Post") said that, there was not only no advantage in over-eating, that' was, in taking more food of good quality than- the fuel value needed, but disadvantage. People were—wrong in thinking that they .could become strong merely by good feeding. Strength was got by, exercise and exposure to sunshine and open air, which promoted appetite and good digestion of food and growth of muscle.- Flabbiness, weakness,, loss of appetite and disorder of health came from sedentary indoor life in' overwarm atmospheres. We should all piay. games,, young and old, and playing fields, allotments and gardens must bo provided to' secure healthy, happy people. In gardens fresh vegetable foods, rich: in vitamines, vould be raised, while the exercise of gardening promoted health. Summer time was a great boon in making games and gardening more possible for town, workers.

Dr. Hill went oii to say that occasional fasting not only did no harm, but good to those who over-ate. Store cattle could be underfed during the winter, and-money thus saved, and brought .-into r prime condition in the spring by good'feeding. Mice could be'kept in. oxcellent condition fasting one,-two, arid even three days a week. It was not necessary .then, to eat every day, and certainly not four or five meals a day. More ppeopie were probably kijled off too oarly by intemperance *in eating than by alcoholic intemperance. A man should keep his body fit, and it should be regarded as . disgraceful to become fat, gross, and of ill condition.' Most of us would do better for .being rationed and exercised as a racenorse is rationed and exercised. The following was a suitable die:—Breakfast, one egg, bread, jam, butter and fruit, or porridge and milk and fruit; for dinner, one helping of meat, potatoes and greens, a piece of bread, and a helping of pudding; for the evening meal, a helping of vegetables flavoured with a very little meat and gravy, or eaten with some* fish, or with an &gg, fruit or salad with some bread and butter, or cheese, or a milt pudding. A cup or two of tea or coffee might _be added to the morning and evening meals. Beer or wine should only be taken in moderation with meals, and' spirits altogether avoided. To eat, say, fish and sausages, or bacon and eggs for, breakfast, a meat lunch, afternoon tea with sweet cakes and. then a three or four-coitrse dinner in the evening, was to over-feed, and invite disturbance of health.