Principles of Good Digestion

merely want to point out that it is the simple diet and one suited to the individual needs that is essential for health.

Dr. Metchnikoff^[1] called the world's attention to the Bulgarian peasants' acidophilus or yogurt diet years ago. But when taken with all the rich foods, it causes fermentation and acid reaction in the system. Acidophilus and yogurt stands or booths were quite a fad in the French Riviera some years ago; but the fad ceased when rheumatism set in due to this fermentation. An excess amount of lactic acid is one cause of sore joints and muscles. I have had numerous cases where their illnesses were the result of this acidophilus or yogurt idea having been overdone or carried to the extreme. In order to be beneficial, the acidophilus or yogurt should be taken in small quantities and only when it is fresh, as it reverts to plain lactic acid within twenty-four hours after it is made..

THE SECOND PRINCIPLE is that protein foods are digested entirely by the enzymes in the hydrochloric acid in the stomach. That is why protein foods should be eaten first when they are a part of the meal. This enables the proteins of peas, beans, lentils, cheese, etc. to swim in the juice in the stomach and become saturated with it, before all the other foods or drinks dilute this enzyme mixture of hydrochloric acid in the stomach. That is why it is a good policy not to drink with meals, and especially not cold drinks, as these lower the temperature at which digestion takes place in the stomach. Rich protein foods with fat in them can cause a real upset when a cold drink is taken with the meal. Cold drinks taken with a meal of animal protein can cause a serious illness afterwards - even more so than when the protein is a vegetable derivative.

I do not recommend high protein diets and concentrated foods such as brewers' yeast or fresh yeast. It is too clogging and upsets the vitamin balance in the body. In fact, I have found it necessary to take many patients off of this course of concentrated and artificial selections of supplements. This fad of a high protein diet is often the cause of illness, and when

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¹ Elie Metchnikoff, or Ilya Metchnikov (1845-1916), a Russian biologist, zoologist and protozoologist. He pioneered research into the relationship between microbes and the human immune system, which eventually led to the field of probiotics.