DIET AND HOME SCIENCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22833, 14 September 1937, Page 13

DIET AND HOME SCIENCE

Sir, —Judging by "Sealander's" reply in the Hkrald of September 3, I must have put a lot more into my original letter than I thought! My query about seaweed was prompted mainly by a desire to gain information from a reliable source. Perhaps "Sealander" has never heard that many people suffer from deficiency diseases caused by insufficient mineral and vitamin elements in their diet. If the use of seaweed will help to remedy this deficiency quickly, as a preliminary to the adoption of a sdnsibly balanced diet, then its use is justified whether or not the Maoris used it, or anyone, else. I agree with "Sealander" that "we cannot change diet in one generation without harmful effects." Unfortunately, that is precisely what has happened in civilised countries and is glaringly evident in the "improvements" maclo in milling cereals. When people generally realise the close Connection between foods and many of their ailments, which they now attribute to germs, draughts, acts of God, and so on, they will be ready to take a sane view of eating and not rush to extremes or condemn out of hand, and with only a superficial knowledge, the findings of the scientist and the nutritionist. In the old days, when foods were oaten mainly in an unprocessed state and more people "lived off the land," the chances of getting a wellbalanced diet were comparatively high. Now that refining, processing, canning, preserving, flavouring and adulterating are all the vogue; now that the growth of plants and pastures is forced and little heed is paid to replenishing vital elements in the soil, the reverse is unfortunately true. Those who nowadays "oat what they like" without heed to or in defiance of proved nutritional needs run a grave risk of depriving their bodies of vital elements. Consider New Zealand's 20.000 backward and retarded children, her 36 per cent dental caries among children, her 75 per cent physical disability in children, her incidence of malnutrition greater than crowded London, her appalling goitre rate, her falling birth rate, her increasing ratio of mental disability, her almost stationary population . . . consider these things in relation to the possibilities of such a country as New Zealand and ask yourself if we are justified in continuing as we are doing. H. G. Markham.