Germs - Microbes

In this connection the question may arise as to the influence of germs or microbes in disease. Germs or Microbes of whatever character are utterly powerless to injure a thoroughly healthy man. If this were not so we would all die from germ diseases.

For, we live in an atmosphere of germs, breathing tuberculosis, diphtheria, scarlet fever, measles, etc. It is only when the body becomes reduced or brought down from its high plane of vigor and vitality to a low level that it succumbs or is at all influenced by Microbes or Germs.

If tubercle germs are injected into the skin of a healthy man he will not suffer in the least, and undoubtedly, as has been experimentally performed, a thoroughly healthy individual can swallow various germs and suffer no ill effects.

In many instances, it is a question whether germs are not a result of disease rather than the cause. It is not so much the germs themselves, which are so poisonous as it is their toxins or excreta.

There are many points about diseases yet remaining to be solved. We know that in many instances the bacilli of diphtheria may be found in the mouth of an individual, absolutely harmless to him. This may go on for an unlimited period, or again these bacilli may suddenty take an active or malignant form from causes which seem to be as yet not wholly understood. Unquestionably the body of a healthy man has the power to destroy any or all germs or microbes. This only emphasizes the importance of every individual cultivating habits of good living, thus putting him in a position of absolute safety or immunity. By a well regulated natural life we can keep our bodies in such a condition that they are resistive to disease of any kind.

The dangers of over-eating have been fully discussed in another chapter, the recognition and observance of which, forms the very foundation of the Keystone of Health. No language can be sufficiently strong to emphasize this, the predominate feature of Dietetic Errors. Why an individual should want to eat two or three pounds of food daily when one-third of this would be nearer the proper quantity for his requirements is one of those things unanswerable by reason : unless it be a result of force of habit.

In A Web

We are the creatures of habit, which has been aptly defined as "the facility which comes from the frequent repetition of an action." Nothing in life is stronger than habit, nothing is harder to overcome. Just as the excessive quantity in eating becomes a habit so does the manner of eating become also largely a habit; the long-continued practice of eating hurriedly, drinking at meal time without properly masticating the food, eventually establishing a habit, prenicious in its consequences, and only overcome by a system of considerable will-power and self control.

Notwithstanding that hundreds and thousands of men and women are fully satisfied they eat too much, yet they are utterly unable to loosen or free themselves from this habit of overeating. They are bound hand and foot, enmeshed in a web as it were, just as much as in the victim of intemperance in Alcohol, Tobacco, Morphine, Cocaine, etc.

If one wishes to realize what is meant by force of habit, let him try to abstain from the use of tea, coffee, cocoa or any other stimulating fluids and notice what a struggle it is to overcome their use.

Unquestionably the majority of people in this country never feel satisfied unless the stomach feels full.

This is an inheritance of Childhood's habits and always means the system is filled beyond the natural requirements. The stomach can be trained so that in one case an individual is only happy when the stomach is full, just as in another, one-half the quantity will afford ample comfort and satisfaction. Force of habit comes in here very strongly. The majority of people, from birth, have always eaten till their stomachs become distended and so overloaded as to be wholly unable to churn the food. A full stomach is never a satisfied one; while a satisfied stomach is never a full one.

As an instance of what training will accomplish for the the stomach, it may be said that when once the stomach of an individual becomes accustomed to recognize its normal or natural quantity, any excess of food instantly produces the full feeling of discomfort, and is a signal for immediate cessation of eating and drinking.

The predominance of over-eating as a factor of disease has escaped general attention. To follow this out to a logical conclusion would take us into the realms of medicine far beyond the scope and intention of this work. It is sufficient to say in this connection, however, that nine-tenths of disease results solely from dietetic errors, of which over-eating is the main one. We are likely to lose sight of these factors - Overeating and Overdrinking.

So much more attention is being paid to what we eat rather than to how much we eat. Chemistry teaches us that all food is alike, practically. So that notwithstanding all else that has been written upon the subject and looked at from any standpoint, it is really a question of not so much of what we eat, as it is of how much we eat and how we cat.

The underlying or foundation principle of correct eating lies first in moderation, whatever food may be selected; an excess of harmless food being productive of far more harm than the moderate use of any harmful food - if we may so speak of food. It is a question wholly of Excess, excess of anything; Meat, Eggs, Nuts, Fruits, Cereals, Water, Sugar; excess of one or all.

The idea of eating entertained by the ancient Greeks was expressed in the form of abstemiousness or moderation : not to over-feed the body so that "their bodies should sit as light as possible about their souls." This idea still stands as the classic one, an adherence to. which will give one more mental and physical power than can possibly be obtained in any other way.

We fail to recognize this idea, because it's a little out of* the ordinary way of thinking, nevertheless, if you think it out, it is quite true, tlie body literally sits upon the soul, otherwise hearty eating would not make one feel heavy.

The results of excess when summed up are : an excess of albuminous, nitrogenous, or proteid material is productive of uric acid, and may under certain conditions, also, be productive of ptomaine poisoning resulting from the action of microbes or germs in the intestinal tract. An excess of fat is productive of acetone bodies, fatty acids, and other irritating substances; an excess of the carbohydrates is productive of the deposition of fat itself in the tissues of the body.

If one wishes to be free of disease, then, he must eat and drink in moderation of the right kind of food and in the right manner. Attention has been called to the fact that food even when properly adapted to the requirements of the system, becomes harmful under conditions of excess, acting as a poison. This applies to the excessive use of foods of one particular kind, as the excessive use of meat or sugar, or it may mean the excessive use of food in its totality.

Sidney Smith evidently appreciated the meaning of excess, when he humorously remarked that according to his own computation, between the age of seven and seventy he had consumed in eating and drinking about forty-four wagon loads more than was good for him.

If we were trained from childhood to eat as little instead of as much as possible, we would likely attain, noth withstanding our excesses and eccentricities as adults, the happy condition of eating to live instead of living to eat.

Let me again remind you that Nine-tenths of disease is the legitimate outcome of overeating.