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214
The Ministry of Healing
of faintness, more food is eaten. By indulgence this wrong practice
becomes a habit and often so firmly fixed that it is thought impossible
to sleep without food. As a result of eating late suppers, the digestive
process is continued through the sleeping hours. But though the
stomach works constantly, its work is not properly accomplished.
The sleep is often disturbed with unpleasant dreams, and in the
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morning the person awakes unrefreshed and with little relish for
breakfast. When we lie down to rest, the stomach should have
its work all done, that it, as well as the other organs of the body,
may enjoy rest. For persons of sedentary habits, late suppers are
particularly harmful. With them the disturbance created is often the
beginning of disease that ends in death.
In many cases the faintness that leads to a desire for food is felt
because the digestive organs have been too severely taxed during the
day. After disposing of one meal, the digestive organs need rest. At
least five or six hours should intervene between the meals, and most
persons who give the plan a trial will find that two meals a day are
better than three.
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Wrong Conditions of Eating
Food should not be eaten very hot or very cold. If food is cold,
the vital force of the stomach is drawn upon in order to warm it
before digestion can take place. Cold drinks are injurious for the
same reason; while the free use of hot drinks is debilitating. In
fact, the more liquid there is taken with the meals, the more difficult
it is for the food to digest; for the liquid must be absorbed before
digestion can begin. Do not eat largely of salt, avoid the use of
pickles and spiced foods, eat an abundance of fruit, and the irritation
that calls for so much drink at mealtime will largely disappear.
Food should be eaten slowly and should be thoroughly masti-
cated. This is necessary in order that the saliva may be properly
mixed with the food and the digestive fluids be called into action.
Another serious evil is eating at improper times, as after vio-
lent or excessive exercise, when one is much exhausted or heated.
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Immediately after eating there is a strong draft upon the nervous
energies; and when mind or body is heavily taxed just before or just