The Antitoxic Laxative Diet

Every constipated person, then, requires a bill of fare consisting of antitoxic and laxative foods. It is most essential that his diet should eliminate flesh foods of all sorts, including fish, oysters, fowl, as well as beefsteaks, chops, and other red meats. In many cases it is also wise to avoid eggs, or at least to use them very sparingly. Many persons find themselves able to digest the yolks of eggs, who cannot take the whites either cooked or raw without suffering inconvenience, because of the readiness with which this form of albumin undergoes putrefaction in the intestine. When eggs are freely eaten, especially if hard boiled or poached, or in the form of an omelette, portions of undigested albumin may always be found in the stools, and in a state of very advanced putrefaction. The gas formed in the colon when eggs are freely used consists largely of sulphuretted hydrogen, which is toxic as well as offensive, and affords most substantial evidence of the luxuriant growth of putrefactive bacteria in the colon.

Those who have been accustomed to the free use of meat and eggs are sometimes afraid to dispense with them lest they should suffer from an insufficient supply of protein; but the experiments of Chittenden and the extensive practical experience of the Battle Creek Sanitarium have shown most conclusively that the amount of protein required by the body is so small that it may readily be furnished by food derived exclusively from the vegetable kingdom. In other words, eggs, and meat, and even cow's milk, are quite superfluous as food, when a good variety of fruit, cereals and fresh vegetables are available. If, however, an additional supply of protein is required, it may readily be obtained from nuts. Peanuts, pine nuts, English walnuts and almonds are all rich in protein; a pound of pine nuts, in fact, contains fifty per cent. more protein than a pound of lean beef, and besides, contains twice as much more nutrient in the form of a most easily digestible fat. Practically the same thing may be said of almonds and peanuts. Any possible deficiency in protein may readily be made up by taking at meals a handful of any kind of nut meats. It is only necessary to take care to masticate them thoroughly, so that the protein present may easily be accessible to the digestive juices. A somewhat extensive study of the laxative and antitoxic properties of various foods will be found of practical value.

Cellulose-Containing Foods

All vegetable foods contain more or less cellulose, but the amount differs very greatly. This element, as has already been mentioned, is highly necessary as a means of securing normal bowel action. Indeed, bulk, not simply in the food itself, but in the residues left- behind after the absorption of the nutritive portions of the food, is of first importance. This quality in food is even more important than the antiseptic properties, for the reason that putrefactive bacteria may always find in the bile and other intestinal secretions abundant material to support their growth, provided sufficient delay occurs to encourage putrefactive changes. The thing most necessary in the prevention of putrefaction is rapidity of movement of food residues and body wastes along the intestine to the exit.

The following tables show the amount and percentage of cellulose found in the dried substance of various food stuffs:

Vegetables

Fruits

Chart Showing Proportion of Cellulose in Some of the Common Vegetables and Fruits - Also Grains of Cellulose per Ounce.

Cereals

Diets. Normal Diet. Fruit. Green Vegetables& Graham Bread

Cracked Wheat.

Ordinary Mixed.

White Bre»d and Milk.

Meat.

Chart Showing Proportion of Cellulose in Some of the Common Cereal Foods - Also Grains of Cellulose per Ounce.

Cereals

Vegetables

Fruits