Domestic

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXV, Issue 37, 12 September 1907, Page 33

Domestic

By ' Maureen'

A -Source of Nervous Irritability. 1 ' The various forms of indigestion are' sometimes only indirectly indicated by symptoms ,that puzzle -the , sufferer. A distinctly bloated condition of the* stomach after eating is easily diagnosed as indigestion, and also when painful distress of a colic nature is manifest; but these are only a few of the symptoms of malnutrition and non-assimilation of the food. Another symp-., . torn commonly experienced is a pressure around the heart, which in some instances convinces the patient that this organ is affected. A great many imagined cases of heart trouble are nothing else than a form of indigestion in which the heart is affected . by the pressure of gas formed in the stomach. But probably one of the most common forms of-dys-pepsia is the so-called nervous indigestion. Sometimes the nervous, excited condition of the patient is the direct cause of ,the dyspeptic condition, aiid, again, chronic indigestion afiects the nerves in a peculiarly subtle way. <■ • ' • To call special attention to those forms of nervousness either directly or indirectly due to indigestion, it-> will be necessary to inquire into the nature of the foodand drink one is accustomed to. Over-indulgence in eating and drinking has its own penalty. Few intelligent people of a weak or nervous disposition can long stand high living. Indigestion and the accumulation of uric acid in the system must inevitably follow, and a long train of complex troubles come in due time to exact payment for the indulgence. > But improper eating is almost as direful in its results- as over-indul-gence. In this class the sufferers are not conscious, but ignorant sinners. They sin through lack of knowledge, and nature makes payment just as hard for ignorance as for wilful and deliberate indulgence in the good things of life. There are few people who can mix certain acids in the -stomach without suffering. The acids of fruits acting upon rich foods "frequently sour them in the stomach. vSpices serve as a distinct poison to some people. Fresh bread is the same, and pastry of different kinds. 'Fruit can be taken the first thing in the morning by almost anyone without harm, but not by all with a hearty meal. Nature demands a generous variety of food, but one must -find out what different kinds agree and 'mix well. Granting that one is nervous and irritable, and it • seems impossible to attribute the cause to any " particular form of living, it may be -well to inquire into the eating. When, nervousness is caused by indiscreet eating, it tends to react upon the stomach, and in time an attack of nervous indigestion may result which will be hard to deal with. A complete change of diet for a season will often determine this question. Make it -consist of very plain wholesome foods, eschewing all pastry and' rich gravies' and eatijng) only in moderation, preferably often and less in quantity at a time. If after several weeks of such a simple diet no direct benefits accrue, change once ' more, selecting li,q,uid foods for the diet to a large extent Milk, soups, and broths will supply sufficient nourishment, with a little toast and a small quantity of meat. If under neither of these diets the system recovers its tone in the least degree, it may ;be assumed that indigestion is not directly or indirectly the cause of the nervousness. But if the part liquid diet proves beneficial, it should' be adonted occasionally to give the stomach a rest, and enable the nerves to recover their tone. Dieting is the best way_to preserve health. Give the stomach the foods easiest and quickest to -digest l n milk and soups we have the ideal foods for such moments of intense strain. They nourish 'without taxing the- digestive organs. With proper eating, good air and moderate exercise, suitable clothes for the season' and sanitary living and sleeping quarters, there should be no reason why' the most obstinate case of nervous- • ness should not be gradually cured. But the process is oftentimes slow ; so slow, in fact, that many get discouraged before nature is ready to accept the compensation, and- once more resume its normal, healthy activity. * For Children's Hacking Hough at night Woods' Great Peppermint Cure. Is $d and 2s 6d....