SEARCHING FOR HEALTH

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 6 April 1935, Page 13

SEARCHING FOR HEALTH

FASTING AND ITS CURES CRAZE OF THIRTY YEARS AGO BY “PHYSICAL CULTURIST.”

There ,is no doubt that the late Mr I Lloyd Jones was the father of the fasting cure in New Zealand. The craze, if I may so term it, had its origin in Wanganui. There is not the slightest doubt, the average man and woman I eats and drinks too much. How often have I been asked the question of “What shall I cat?” I could not say, but .my invariable reply is, “Eat and drink whatever you choose, so long as .what you choose agrees with you.” Some years ago the “no breakfast” plan became all the rage. It was claimed to cure all the ills that flesh is heir to. However, there is one weakness attached to it, which I, and a good man}’ others condemn, and that is to unduly gorge at the midday meal. About thirty years ago this system was very much in vogue iu Wanganui, and I did without my breakfast for fourteen weeks. A young fellow, a photographer, started the craze going in Palmerston North. He used to board in the house where I used to stav when

in- that town. The boardinghousekeeper used to say that while it was all right, that he ate no breakfast, when he came to the dinner table he would swallow enough for two. I found, as a general rule, it was the same.

It is ea.sy to go without breakfast, but when it comes to the midday meal the temptation is to eat too much. It is from the latter fact that I disagree with the “no breakfast” plan. It is all fight for those who can control their appetite, but for those that can-

not I think it far better to eat their breakfast. As I have said, there is no doubt the average mati and woman eats and drinks too much.

• The late Mr Lloyd Jones took his courage in both hands when he introduced the fasting system to the New Zealand public. Mr Jones was a middleaged man when he took up the system, his health having broken down many years before. When he died he was aged SO j’ears, which was well past the span of three score years and ten. He was for many years searching for health and when the late Eugene Sandow visited Wanganui in December, 1902, one of his lecture riiodels, Janies Young, gave a display of health-giving exeri cises in Mr JJones’ firm’s shop window. This so impressed Mr Jones that he approached Mr Sandow with a view of what best to do to renew his health. Mr Sandow then advised him to join my school. I well remember one night when he remarked to me that it.seemed funny that it was in the very room which we were using as a dressing room that his health broke down, and now he came to get it back. It then transpired that he used to use that room for an office. Mr Jones regained his health and became one of my most enthusiastic pupils. In his search for health he took up fasting. In the meantime, I removed to Wanganui and Mr Lloyd Jones became an enthusiast in fasting and induced .many other sto follow his example. In the meantime, he became an authority on the subject and in--1912 published a book, “A Plea for Health Reform,” with evidence in its favour. This book, which consisted of 64 pages, was published at bare cost, he had become such an enthusiast.

Several Wanganui residents, “well known,” who suffered from various ailments, put in many days of fasting and claimed to have been cured. I well remember the case of Thomas Mitchell, who fasted for 52 days. Mr Mitchell was what I term “a ham fat man,” and during that 52 days he threw off about six stone of surplus flesh and got cured of his complaint, so that evidence is overwhelming in favour of fasting. I may say that this fast took place in 1909.

’ Just here, I may tell a little story which has the merit of being true. It was while fasting was becoming fam-

ous that I visited the river town. I was just entering the Avenue from Taupo Quay when I met a friend whom I had not seen for some time. Some-

thing in his appearance impressed me,

I passed the remark, “Good gracious, have you been ill?” when he said, “Oh, I’m all right.” I told him that he looked thin, to whic-h he replied, “So would you look thin if you had not had anything to eat for a month. I then learned that ne had just completed a fast of 21 days. I wrote to him a few weeks ago inquiring if he still believed in fasting, and in reply he sent me his diary of impressions taken during his fast of 21 days, and writes me that he is as keen as ever. This friend is near the three-score years and ten mark and is well and happy and still following his occupation with the firm that he has been with for upwards of half a century. The Chinese have a proverb which says “we dig our graves with our teeth,” which is substantially correct.

While for the average man or woman I do not advocate fasting or the “no breakfast” plan for reasons already explained, there is not the slightest doubt

that we overload the stomach, and if the human race would practise self-

denial a little more there would be less need to consult doctors.