iment is needed, and will be felt
a dozen times a day if the food eaten at each of a dozen meals has
supplied only sufficient nutriment to produce the force expended between
each meal. If the meal is large and supplies sufficient nutriment to
produce the force expended in a whole day, then the one meal is all that
is required. Never eat to be sociable, or conventional, or sensual; eat
when hungry.

Professor Pavlov says: 'Appetite is juice'; that is to say, the
physiological condition existing when the body has run short of
food-fuel, produces a psychological effect, the mind thinking of food,
thereby causing through reaction a profuse secretion of saliva, and we
say 'the mouth waters.' It is true the appetite is amenable to
suggestion. Thus, though feeling hunger, the smell of, or even thought
of, decayed food may completely take away appetite and all inclination
to eat. This phenomenon is a provision of Nature to protect us from
eating impure food. The appetite having thus been taken away will soon
return again when the cause of its loss has been removed. Therefore the
appetite should be an infallible guide when to eat.

There is one further point to be noted. Food should not be eaten when
under the influence of strong emotion. It is true that under such
conditions there probably would be no appetite, but when we are so
accustomed to consulting the clock that there is danger of cozening
ourselves into the belief that we have an appetite when we have not, and
so force ourselves to eat when it may be unwise to do so. Strong
emotions, as anger, fear, worry, grief, judging by analogy, doubtless
inhibit digestive activity. W. B. Cannon, M.D., speaking of experiments
on cats, says: 'The stomach movements are inhibited whenever the cat
shows signs of anxiety, rage, or distress.' To thoroughly enjoy one's
food, it is necessary to have hunger for it, and if we only eat when we
feel hungry, there is little likelihood of ever suffering from
dyspepsia.

In passing, it is appropriate to point out that as when food is better
enjoyed it is better digested, therefore art, environment, mental
disposition, indirectly affect the digestive processes. We should,
therefore, remembering that simplicity, not complexity, is the essence
of beauty, ornament our food and table, and be as cheerful, sociable,
and even as merry as possible.

IV

HOW TO EAT

The importance of thorough mastication and insalivation cannot be
overestim