Page:Strength from Eating.djvu/82

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STRENGTH FROM EATING.

cated by some enthusiasts, has never in the slightest degree appealed to me. Though I have been willing to experiment on all sorts of theories in reference to diet, this exclusive meat theory always appeared to be entirely devoid of the slightest excuse for existence. The individuals who have held these theories have, no doubt, effected temporary cures in numerous cases, as the average individual, if confined to any one particular food, would usually recover under its influence for the simple reason that in nearly every case the principal cause of illness is overeating, and whenever one article of diet is used and all others avoided, the natural result is the quantity eaten is greatly lessened, and the entire system secures an opportunity to thoroughly cleanse itself. It might be well to note that these same persons who were able to recover under the influence of a meat diet would have recovered far quicker under the influence of no diet at all; in other words, by fasting.

I have never met but one victim of the exclusive meat-diet theory, and his appearance would not by any means have influenced me