p. 532 | SOWING FOR PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL HEALTH

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 21, 1900

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 77, No. 34.

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SOWING FOR PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL HEALTH

By David Paulson; W. S. Sadler

David Paulson W. S. Sadler

STRUCTURE BUILDERS, OR THE PROTEIDS.

Hindrances to Proteid Digestion.

(Concluded.)

FRIED FOODS.

The proteids can not be absorbed without being dissolved by the action of the digestive fluids. They can not be dissolved unless brought into immediate contact with these digestive juices. Therefore, it is clear that any particle of proteid substance that is inclosed in an envelope of fat, as it necessarily must be in fried foods, such as hot buttered toast, fried eggs, etc., will not be subjected to any digestive activity until it has passed on into the small intestine, and has been brought in contact with the pancreatic juice and the bile. These digestive juices have the power to dissolve and digest fat, thus freeing the proteid from its envelope of fat, and making it possible for it to be acted upon by the final digestive process.

GERMS AND DECOMPOSITION.

It is a matter of common observation that the germs that naturally live upon proteids produce the most poisonous and toxic substances. This is what gives the foul odor to decaying dough and stale bread; this being due in both to the decomposition of the gluten. It is because of the activity of these germs that cheese becomes such a frequent source of dangerous poisoning. It is because of the presence of these same germs, and the poisonous products which they produce, that severe illnesses, and often death, result from eating tainted meat.

A greater or less number of germs are always present in the alimentary canal. And if the natural antiseptic properties of the digestive fluids are overwhelmed in the attempt to disinfect a variety of unseasonable and unfit food substances, which have been loaded upon it, then these microbes will have a favorable opportunity to begin to prey upon the proteid substances; and the same process of decay will take place in the alimentary canal that would have occurred under similar conditions outside of the body.

The poisonous and injurious substances resulting from this decomposition are mainly tasteless and odorless, but none the less dangerous. And as these poisons are absorbed into the blood, and carried to the brain as well as to every vital tissue of the body, they will become active agents in producing headaches, and in laying the foundation for serious diseases of the kidneys, liver, and nerves, at the same time resulting in mental and moral depression and physical suffering, when a harvest of health and happiness might have been reaped instead. Thousands of lives have been ended prematurely as the result of bacterial activity preying upon proteid substances in the alimentary canal.

ICES AND ICE WATER.

Laboratory experiments have demonstrated that the digestive juices are active only at a temperature very near 100° F. When the stomach and its contents are chilled by eating frozen foods, and drinking iced drinks, such as ice-cold lemonade, ice cream, fruit ices, etc., there is a complete cessation of all digestive activity until the stomach contents have been again warmed up to very nearly the normal standard (100° F.). Meanwhile, the germs that are present have had abundant opportunity to flourish, and to begin the destructive work already described, which is directly responsible for the many cases of sickness following ice-cream socials, etc., as well as being the cause of the habitual indigestion of those who partake of foods at such an unnatural temperature.

OVEREATING.

When a larger amount of proteids is eaten than the system can utilize, it is a much more serious matter than the overeating of carbohydrates (the starch family). If too much starch is eaten, the liver will store up the surplus, and deal it out as the system demands; but there is no similar provision made for storing up the excess of proteids. The excess of these must be crowded upon the tissues, and, after overwhelming the digestive activity, will lay the foundation for rheumatism and kindred evils.

EATING BETWEEN MEALS.

The law of rhythm seems to run through all the operations of nature: there are established certain laws from which there can be no deviation without a forfeit being exacted. When the digestive glands are compelled to continue to pour out the digestive juices to act upon food substances at short intervals, and at irregular times, they soon become worn-out and deteriorated. To such a man, the food passing along the alimentary canal, from the mouth down, instead of becoming a source of nourishment, becomes more dangerous at each successive stage; for it becomes more and more saturated with poisons. And so the food, instead of being a source of strength to him, becomes an active agent in producing diseased conditions.

TOO GREAT A VARIETY.

Experiments have demonstrated that the tears of joy are somewhat different from the tears of sorrow. It is a well-known fact that the saliva produced by a dog when he is angry is much more dangerous than that produced when his temper is unruffled. Likewise there is every reason to believe that the gastric juice differs in some respects for each variety of the proteid family. And when a large number of different food substances are eaten at the same time, experience and experiment have both shown that the digestive efficiency is lowered, and the result is much less beneficial to the man than when living upon a more simple dietary.

TEA, COFFEE, AND CONDIMENTS.

The use of tea and coffee is in reality a lighter form of tippling. They contain no nourishment. They act upon the nervous system similarly to morphine, cocaine, and liquor, only in a less degree. Condiments that can blister and irritate the outside of the body will the more readily blister and irritate the inside when applied to the delicate mucous membrane of the stomach, and will cause it to pour out in self-defense a large quantity of mucus. Under the use of these, little by little the normal glands of the stomach shrink away, and their place is taken by mucous-glands, until, as is often the case with an old dyspeptic stomach, practically nothing is secreted except mucus, which of course has no digestive power.—Boix, Liver of Dyspeptics.

TABLE SHOWING THE PER CENT OF PROTEIDS IN VARIOUS FOOD SUBSTANCES.


FLOUR.		VEGETABLES.
Graham	11.7	Sweet Potato	1.
Wheat	11.1	Asparagus	1.8
Rye	11.6	Squash	1.1
Barley	11.4	Peas, Green, Garden	6.4
Oat	15.1	String Beans	2.7
Corn	9.7
BREADS.		LEGUMES.
Whole wheat	8.7	Peas, small	24.6
White	5.3	Beans, field	25.
Rye	6.1	Beans, white	26.9
Zwiebach, White	8.5	Beans, lima	21.9
Macaroni	9.	Lentils	25.9
NUTS.		MILK AND BUTTER.
Chestnut	14.6	Cows' Milk	4.1
Walnut	15.8	Cream	2.7
Hazelnut	17.4	Skimmed milk	4.
Sweet Almond	23.5	Buttermilk	4.1
Peanut	28.3
Coconut	5.6	MEATS.
VEGETABLES.		Lean Beef	19.3
Cabbage, White	1.9	Lean Mutton	18.3
Potato	2.2	Veal	16.5
Beet	1.3	Pork	9.8
		Poultry	21.
		White Fish	18.1
		Entire Egg	14.

FRUITS.

The common fruits contain less than one per cent of proteids, or nitrogenous material, with the exception of the strawberry, which contains about one per cent, and the banana, which contains almost two per cent. Dried fruits run from one to three per cent; the date contains nine per cent. Raisins contain over two per cent, and figs four per cent.