FEELING HUNGRY IS A NATURAL SYMPTOM OF NORMAL LIVING

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 78, 6 August 1948, Page 2

FEELING HUNGRY IS A NATURAL SYMPTOM OF NORMAL LIVING

(By the Department of Health) B j Feeling hungry is a natural sympI tom of normal living. As a matter J of fact, satisfying a really healthy I hunger can be one of life’s little [ joys, and a source of infinite bodily | comfort. It can also be a source of considerable discomfort. If people understood a little more about the body machinery, they would probably take a keener interest in keping it in proper working order. Most of us rarely spare it a thought until something goes wrong, and an overhaul is needed. The stomach is one of the most important parts of the human body. It is almost constantly at Work, and the way in which it stands up to that w,ork and to abuse is remarkable. What happens when the .stomach gets to work on food? After food is sfallowed regular muscular contractions of the stomach mix it thoroughly. At the same time dilute hydrochloric acid and -a substance called pepsin act chemically o,n the food and cause marked changes in the proteins and albumens. Before the food mass is ready to pass from the stomach, it has been reduced to a thick liquid. It passes through a valve into the small intestine,' where the most, intense digestion takes place. Here the pancreatic juice and bile become active, and protein, fat and starch are all Split up into simpler chemical substances that can be readily absorbed into the blood. When it is converted into a substance ' resembling milk in colour and consistency, numberless little finger-like projections on the intestine walls separate and absorb the useful material from the waste. This material is carried into veins, and from there into the smallest blood vessels. There is a marvellous co-opera-tion between the processes that keep the food moving and the supply of digestive juices. The food is met at each stage by the juices appropriate for each step in its digestion. So you see the transformation of food into body is a pretty complicated sort of business—so complicated that destructive emotions like fear and worry and anger, can upset it tremendously. But with ordinary care and adherence to a sensible diet, the stomach will be kept in proper working order and* continue to give wonderful service.