MEDICAL BENEFITS

Opunake Times, 25 October 1935, Page 1

MEDICAL BENEFITS

FRUIT CONSUMPTION In these enlightened days we hear much bout the medical benefits of fruit consumption. Fruit is the enemy of poisons. It purifies the blood by directly attacking the poisonous matter in the system, and so produces bene ficial effects on the skin. Fresh fruit is essential for good health. Tomatoes—it is still an undecided question w hether they are fruit or vegetable—are excellent for the the liver and internal economy. The ideal is to take one pound once a day as a meal, with out any accompaniment. Gooseberries are believed to contain sulphur and consequently remove impurities through the skin and so beautify it. Raspberries, blackberries and loganberries are all alkalisers; they rid the blood of toxins owing to the acid they contain. The apple was considered by •he early Scandinavians as the food of the gods, who, when they felt themselves growing feeble, consumed this fruit to renew power of mind and body. To-day the apple is recognised as Nature’s toothbrush and a great aid to digestion. The citrus fruit, that is oranges, grapefruit ond lemons, are the greatest blood purifiers. The lemon is also famed as a liver stimulant. The sailor’s godsend it is a preventative of scurvy, which arises from the abscence of fruit and green vegetables in the diet. To be most efficacious the juice of one lemon should be taken in iold water on rising. Oranges are best specifics against influenza. What better digestive is there than pineapple P Probably that is the reason why Hollywood utilises it in its slimming cures. Obesity is often the result of imperfect assimilation. Grapes and their juice are a food medicine. Grapes are used in febrile conditions and are a great restorative in weakness and debility since they have tissue building and tissue repairing qualities. Grape juice will fill our hollows, for it feeds blood, body and nerve cells. A glass of this juice taken on retiring will prevent insomnia and assist refreshing sleep. For the best results fruit must be eaten ripe. Unripe or overripe fruit is apt to produce intestinal pain. All fruits contain certain acids and salts. By various chemical processes in the body these become changed and keep the condition of the body normally and healthy alkaline so as to resist disease.