FOOD AND MEALS.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1030, 31 January 1882, Page 4

FOOD AND MEALS.

Two good hearty meals in the day are sufficient for health, one before going to work, and the other after work is over ; that is, breakfast and supper, or, what is the same, late dinner. Some lunch is needed between these meals, but this should be light. A heavy meal in the middle of the day may suit children, but if hard work has to be resumed, it interferes with the work, and the work with digestion. Hot heavy suppers taken shortly before going to bed prevents refreshing sleep, and are among the most frequent causes of attacks of indigestion. At the same time an empty stomach is to be avoided; a few biscuits, or something equally light, is all that is required. Variety of diet is of importance to health ; the stomach gets weary of a repetition of the same every day. Hurry at meals is to be avoided —eat slowly and chew well. Bodily toil and manual labor can be best supported by a vegetable diet, as bread, porridge, &c., with (the addition of milk, eggs, butter and cheese ; meat is much inferior to these as a supplier of strength. But it is very different with mental labor ; here a mixed diet with animal food in moderation, is best Fermenting drinks will always have a place among articles of diet, through health can be maintained best without them. The most wholesome are those which contain the least amount of alcohol, such as good beer or claret; these when taken moderately with meals aid a weak digestion. The practice of drinking stimulants as aids to work is a serious mistake ; it checks the desire for wholesome food, leads to excess, and sooner or later injures the health. Tobacco should not be smoked just immediately before or after meals, as it weakens digestion. Too much smoking is a harmful habit, causing nervousness, shaky hands palpitation of the heart, want of appetite and sleeplessness ; when any of these occur tobacco should be left off, or used very seldom. The practice of boys learning to smoke cannot be too strongly condemned. They think it manly, while they are really injuring their health and growth, so preventing themselves from becoming manly. Excessive tea-drinking is an evil not unusual among working women, producing ill-nourished mothers and weakly babes. Tea should not be taken more than once or twice a day, and should never take the place of a substantial meal. Health depends greatly on good cooking ; the object of good’cooking is to render food digestible and attractive, and to give at tho same time the greatest amount of nourishment with the least amount of waste. Every opportunity of learning and improving in this art should be •eagarly seized.—J. S. Holden, M.D.