Page:Book of health.pdf/16

Rh Q. What tends most to promote hunger and digestion?

A. Bodily exercise, especially in the open air.

Q. Is it best to eat simple food?

A. Yes. It is destructive of health to partake of many different dishes, or of such as are prepared with much art; for they are very difficult of digestion, and afford bad and unwholesome nourishment.

Q. If our food be not sufficiently chewed and converted into a pap-like substance, what is the consequence?

A It cannot be digested sufficiently; and undigested food yields bad nourishment to the body, overloads the stomach, and induces a weak, morbid state of the whole constitution.

Q. Is it good to drink much at meals?

A. No; too much drink renders our food too fluid.

Q. Does fluid aliment afford wholesome and strong nourishment?

A. No. Food of whatever kind, in order that it may afford proper nourishment, ought to be substantial; it is therefore necessary to eat bread with fluid aliment.

Q. Is hot bread or cakes wholesome?

A. No; they are very unwholesome; they may cause sickness and death.

Q. Are potatoes wholesome?

A. Yes, and very nourishing.

Q. Are ripe fruits and acid substances wholesome?

A. Yes; they cleanse and refresh the body.

Q. Are fat meats wholesome, and is it good to give much butter to children?

A. No; butter and all fat aliments are difficult of digestion; and prejudicial to health.

Q. Is dried, smoked, salted, or high-seasoned meat wholesome?