Links in the Chain

Hutt News, Volume 15, Issue 12, 20 August 1941, Page 8

Links in the Chain

It ' * iVi 'Wk K. kD. W. I] i * (Osteopaths). i ' ■* ■ ■£'" . < • ■ -• ..1

£ ■; ■ ,V t - ■. 1 ' ■ . >i ,? , -J* obltin is oi>lt|r as strong as lis ?i 2 wealcelst link. So are we. We are i o|tly asj strong or as healthy as our t_ 'ye*kej4 part or function.)': in this i - respect? -we are no better thaw any' i other Mechanical structure and fttft thermbfe, like any- other structute; ''' tie strength and durability of oiir ■ tissues Idependß entirely upon the qualify $f the materials out of which they:tta constructed. We have frfe- ' qtientty stressed the point that the. - humAnjbody 1b essentially a heit and enfergy producing machine, and like ahy other fuel - producing machine,? its output of heat and enftgy is gre&tly influenced by the nature. r of the fuel used. Our source oflheat > and energy is derived solely irom the food we N eat and from the oxygen We breathe. Oxygen is il list, as essential to our life processes jfl'the generation of heat and energy ag it' is in the combustion of petrol' vapour in the cylinders of a motor car or other internal combustion engftticT This, however, Is only one df' f the' many functions of food. One Of thi' most essential functions certainly; yet in view of the other functions ot food in furnishing materials for the production, or development, .ot the combustion chambers and the thousand and one channels through which this power is produced, it might even be regarded as one of the more minor rples of food. It might be contended and rightly so; that without the production ot heat and energy, no functional activity could take place and therefore iife itself could not exist, which on the face of it would relegate the heat producing propensity of food to that of highest importance. It must be remembered, however, that the fur- ' nace comes before the fire, or beiore you warm up a room it is essential to have a room to warm. Of course this is only splitting hairs, one function is more important than another, buj. it is sometimes necessary to emphasize the fact that iood does fulfil certain very "definite

functions in addition to thai of re-

.leving boredom by exercising' the \ functions of eating. 4 Edition -o giving us warmth amPprOviding Us with energy, food, also provides all the materials from " which our tissues are constructed. 1 We ,hp.ve frequently pointed out that building of a healthy and virile body requires the application of the same elementary principles as the building of any other form of construction. it the materials are of high quality and the workmanship isjfood, then you will secure a : satisfactory job from your engineer or builder. It is the same with the building of the human body, with this exception—we need be concerned only with the building'liiaterlals. Nature is both architect and craftsman—she spends millions of years in serving hec apprenticeship so what she does not know about building human beings is not worth knowing, but not even' Nature can' make a satisfactory job' out oi? shoddy materials or out of insufficient materials. Nature cannot make sound and, enduring bon«te out of anything but rhe right materials any more thtMi could a concrete mixer turn out good quality mix from anything but good quality cement, sand gravel -f.d water. Bones, sound and healthy bones, are composedof a' mixture of calcium and phosphorus, plus minute quantities of : some other substances and aldng wlt& the- assistance of a vitamin t© ensure k proper mixing and setting ;• •• ii l ''tlbto'i'slHSf dances are not is okr fbddo .n proper p#ojto> tfOhfyw • then l faiilfcj; construction iflabVf&Me, tttV .ngrcdients sire iJresenVitioar di#,"' but in insufficient amotifttvthenthe. main fault in structure wilt be un-' duly lightly fqrined Bones and tetith*' if there is insufficient calcium or insufficient phosphorus or ari insufficiency of any other ingredient, the fault will be one of structure or quality, rather than one of quantity Such bones are known to be mon subject to disease processes-than fully nourished bones. They are subject to rickets, tuberculosis, osteomalacia, etc.,. etc., whilst the teeth uecome the prey of dental caries and other defects. What is true of the boneß is alsb true of the other tissues of the body. If the food supply is lackihg in iron, then the blood is lacking in haeihoglobin for the red bood cells. The sufferers from this condition may merely call it anemia, but the tauScleß lack oxygen because the insufficiently nourish## red Tttfoodcells cannot transport it in large enough quantities from the luUgs. Consequently the energy outfrtit is low and iill the symptoms of'extreme debit' ity niay develop. It is the same with iill other structures. In every single instance, the question of quality of structure add, efficiency of function, is, in the last analysis, a question of quality and quantity of building materials out of wfcich the .tissues Are composed. - V

Of course wrong food is ftOt the only disintegrating, factor seta the e<tuflitiiflumof Theri are plenty oi other initteiidds In arid arouba ti| which th du« course sap our strehgth and vitality, but it is worth remembering ao Matter hoy evil be, tHjSir effect lh Ho way (UtriMM*? from-. - the incalculable 0 Bou»<ily constituted phyweaf OebiliUtiiig haWts- wlH' th«* ■. ; 1 ' ;V ;^

aiSlter will a iwiker "if natutfe hid tot .ttifc' s vAriimi body a single fobd ifid otim?then our h&aith problems, might [Bttf fhe|i BttbllitQiOos,4re widMy disiff v»tfiar ajhoupts yywughout an endless variety ot Mods and this places the onus on dUpelves to -mftke suitable selections aid ;to l tAka an intelllgettt.interest UUwhat We eat and drink. This means that we should know something about- the various proteins which are required for out muscles; something; about carbohydrates,, which supply us with the cheapest form of human energy. It becomes necessary to kn<fa a littleabout the twenty* Odd mineral elements whlph bestow density, durability, and strength to our tissual, and lastlyr we Should become- adquaintfcd with the viriOUs promote and sustain all our nunflejrCus funcifns. f It IS' mdrely a cdiffmerfplace ftiwntial. lt; I