Help Yourself to Health

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 4452, 30 January 1940, Page 3 (Supplement)

Help Yourself to Health

MIGRAINE

HITHERTO these articles have concerned various foods and their nutritional value, but

I propose from now on to deal with some of the common diseases afflicting mankind. The good effects of the use of wholesome food in suitable proportions are apparent enough to most people, but it is the therapeutic, or curative side of dietetics that deserves more attention, since the results obtained are so spectacular in many cases, as to warrant the description of “miraculous.” However, proof that more and more people are beginning to recognise the power of this modern way of treating disease is found by the fact that an ever increasing multitude is deserting the hit and miss methods of orthodoxy and are placing their faith in this new science.

Now let us take migraine, a complaint becoming quite common in recent years. Just what is migraine? To most it is rather a mysterious trouble, since it often seems to come from “ out of the blue,” take its toll of misery, and then as mysteriously disappears, leaving the sufferer breathing prayers of thanksgiving, but with a chill dread of a recurrence, sometime in the uncertain future. For be assured, one does not “ grow out of ” migraine, and unless definite steps are taken to check it, it will continue to torment you the rest of your life, or until it develops into something more serious, as gall-bladder trouble or even worse.

This disease is briefly, a poisoning of the whole system, due to the intake of foods not fitted to the sufferer. While health reigns, all nourishment taken into the body is digested, absorbed, completely oxidised, and its endproducts (carbonic acid, uric acid, and others) safely eliminated by the organs designed for this function, the lungs, skin, kidneys and bowel. While this state of affairs exists, no discomfort or disease will be felt, but few people seem to live a sufficiently balanced existence to maintain smooth working of their bodies for long at a time. Sooner or later some dietetic indiscretion is committed and this upsets the harmonious function which means health. Suppose an excess of certain hard-to-digest fats or protein foods unsuitable to the particular needs of the individual, are eaten, or as is quite likely nowadays with the dreadful mixtures used as food, both are taken at the same meal, then the digestive tract is thrown into a state of mild chaos. This may not be sufficient!}' bad to make itself apparent to the patient, but it exists all the same. Now poor digestion can upset all the rest of the body’s working, since digestion is the first stage in metabolism, and all else depends upon it. Toxic by-pro-ducts and even unbroken-down proteins are absorbed from the half-digesting mass, direct into the blood stream, and are carried to all parts of the body, including the head, which protests, with the characteristic headache, and hard, sore eye-balls. Now toxins, or poisons, spell death to all tissue, so the defensive powers of the body now come into force to deal with them, and the burden is thrown on one organ in particular, the liver. Its struggle makes itself known by the dreadful nausea usually felt, and this will continue until the bloodstream is once more in its normal state of purity, all the poisons being either eliminated through the usual channels, or, if suppressed by drugs, driven into the tissues to build up future trouble, which is the thing generally done. Now some people are more subject to migraine than others, the very fair type, and the nervous, highly strung intellectual person seem more than ordinarily

By PENROD TERRY, D.D.L., Dietitian.

liable. Why some never suffer from this complaint is explained by this: Every one of us has a particular diathesis, or tendency, and when normal health is upset then each will react according to his particular weakness. The T.8.-susceptible man will lose weight and more than likely his warning, hacking cough will be manifest, while some other types will experience gastro-intestinal trouble, which if not corrected may lead to ulcers or colitis. The “ migraine type ” will experience this disease, and so on. The point is that most of these troubles

arise from the same source, incorrect eating, which leads to a general toxemia, either acute and temporary, or chronic and of long standing. That is why the system of using thousands and thousands of drugs, each compiled to deal with some particular symptom, instead of the underlying cause of the disease is hopelessly inadequate, and real or lasting benefit can never be obtained from their use. Dr. 0. W. Holmes says: “If all the medicines and drugs were thrown into the sea, it would be good for the humans, but bad for the fishes!”

The cure of migraine, when an attack is on, lies in aiding nature in elimination by taking a large enema, or suitable purgative, glauber salts, being the most satisfactory of these. Stop all foods of a solid nature, and instead drink fruit juice for a day, orange and tomato being particularly helpful. This will generally break up an attack very quickly and effectively, and is far better than lying in bed with ice packs on the head, and taking cups of tea and drugs every hour or so, meanwhile suffering intense misery. No doctor will tell you it is entirely your own fault (he may lose your custom) but neverthe less it is perfectly true. Of course you may not know what foods are causing your trouble, but in these days of enlightenment, you need not remain in such a state very long.

Prevention is better than cure, and this is simply a matter of eating foods suited to your particular physical and mental makeup. One or two items commonly taken are notably injurious for those with a predisposition to migraine, and eliminating these from the diet is often all the patient need do to obtain complete and permanent relief. QUESTIONS. “ Wintry ” asks : What causes chilblains ? These are always a symptom of a shortage of calcium in the system. Lime - bearing foods taken in conjunction with a suitable Vitamin D concentrate will always cure these annoying and sometimes painful swellings. Inorganic lime as found in patent medicines is not recommended.

“ Mother ”: My baby, aged three, will not take milk, and is always putting pieces of coal in her mouth. Can you tell me why ?

Well the fact that milk is not taken will predispose to a mineral shortage, which the infant is attempting to satisfy by the unnatural habit. If straight out milk is not relished, there are ways of giving it that will overcome the disinclination for it. I am writing you about these. “ Susie ” asks: Are bananas fattening? I am sorry, I can only say it all depends. If, to an already adequate diet bananas are added, then they will be fattening, but used in the ordinary way, as part of the daily ration, then they will be no more fattening than potatoes, with which they compare very closely from a nutritional point of view. “ Digger ”; I broke a bone in my wrist three months ago. The doctor says it is not “ knitting ” properly. What would cause this, and would diet help? Where bones do not mend, it is generally a lack of calcium, vitamin C. and D. I have seen cabbage sandwiches given in a big institution for this trouble with very good results. Cabbage is a good calcium-carrier. But there are quicker ways than this. “ S.P.N. ”: I have been on a diet for some weeks now, but never seem to feel satisfied. Should this be so? I try toeat just enough to satisfy appetite. Continued Bottom Next Column.

No. A feeling satisfaction is normal and is the natural accompaniment of eating. A balanced regime, where all essentials are supplied in the correct proportion, will always result in each meal giving a feeling of complete satisfaction. Only then can one be sure that the diet is adequate for all bodily needs. “ Keen ”: I have recently bought a fruit-juicing machine. Do you believe in the giving of raw vegetable as well as the fruit juices ? Yes, at times raw juice therapy is very useful, but be careful not to take too much green vegetable juice. Without knowing more about your health, I would recommend to make four ounces a maximum for any one day.