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Encyclopedia of Diet: A Treatise on the Food Question, Vol. 4

Chapter 20: MENUS FOR CONSUMPTION
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About This Book

A practical, encyclopedic diet manual that explains the chemistry of food and the human body and prescribes dietary regimens to prevent and treat digestive and systemic disorders. It organizes lessons on digestion, malassimilation, and common conditions — obesity, neurasthenia, anemia, diabetes, respiratory and skin diseases, rheumatism, and more — and supplies seasonal, condition-specific menus, cooking and meal-planning guidance, and lifestyle advice such as exercise, bathing, and bowel regulation. Sections cover nutrition for pregnancy, nursing, children, athletes, laboring or mentally active people, and the aged, emphasizing assimilation, elimination, and simple recipes to restore vitality and normal digestion.

Two ears of tender corn

Two glasses of milk

One whipped egg

A small portion of ice-cream

Wheat bran

First Day: On rising, drink a cup or two of hot water, and eat a half pound of grapes, the Concord or blue grapes preferred, swallowing seeds and pulp whole, masticating and swallowing the skins. Devote as much time as possible (from three to five minutes) to deep breathing exercises before an open window, or in a thoroughly ventilated room.

BREAKFAST

(Half an hour later)

Half a cup of coarse wheat bran, served as an ordinary cereal

A bowl of clabbered milk, with a sprinkle of maple-sugar

Bran meal gems

LUNCHEON

A glass of cool water

Baked potatoes or corn

One fresh vegetable, such as carrots, parsnips, turnips, beets, boiled onions, or squash

Half a cup of hot water

DINNER

One or two fresh vegetables (See list suggested for luncheon)

Choice of green salad, cooked spinach, or celery

A baked white potato—eat skins and all

One egg white, or a very small portion of either fish or white meat of chicken; egg preferred

From one to two glasses of water should be drunk at each of these meals—half a glass of cool water at the beginning of the meal, and a cup of hot water at the close, would be sufficient; drink enough, however, to make the total moisture about 66 per cent of the whole.

A tablespoonful of wheat bran should also be taken at each of the above meals, either with a little water at the close of the meal, or cooked and served as a cereal at the beginning of the meal. A spoonful or two should be taken just after rising, and just before retiring, until the bowels act normally, when the quantity may be regulated to meet the severity of the condition.

Second Day: Same as the first.

Third Day: Same as the second, slightly increasing the food if demanded by normal hunger, or decreasing it if there is a sense of fullness after meals. It is always well to cease eating before hunger is thoroughly satisfied. When the body is kept slightly hungry, it assimilates all the food eaten, and insures natural digestion and elimination of waste.

Fourth Day:

BREAKFAST

One or two exceedingly ripe bananas, with cream and nut butter, and either raisins or soaked prunes

A glass of milk

One egg white

Boiled wheat, with thin cream and either nuts or nut butter

LUNCHEON

A sweet potato, with butter

Corn, fresh

A glass of milk

DINNER

Spinach, with egg white

A very small portion of fish or white meat of chicken

A baked sweet or a white potato

A tablespoonful of olive-oil may be taken at the beginning of each of these meals, and a cup of hot water at the close.

If the bowels have not become normal, continue taking the wheat bran and grapes according to directions for the first day.

Observe the general rules of exercise and water-drinking just after rising and just before retiring.

Fifth Day: Same as the fourth.

Sixth Day: Same as the first, repeating the diet herein given, day by day, for two or three weeks.

First Day: On rising, drink a glass or two of pure water. Take a short, brisk walk in the open air.

BREAKFAST

A cup of hot water

One tablespoonful of olive-oil or nut oil

Two exceedingly ripe bananas (must be black spotted), eaten with thin cream and nut butter (A few dates, if something sweet is desired)

Two or three tablespoonfuls of wheat bran, cooked

A potato—eat skins and all

LUNCHEON

Baked potatoes, with butter. Eat skins and all (Make entire meal upon this)

DINNER

Stewed pumpkin or winter squash

Corn bread

Choice of beans or a baked potato

Wheat bran, cooked

A glass of milk

Just before retiring, take a brisk walk for five minutes and practise deep breathing. Eat five or six soaked prunes.

Second Day: Same as the first, slightly increasing or decreasing the quantity of food to meet the demands of normal hunger.

Third Day:

BREAKFAST

Prunes or dried peaches, stewed—no sugar

One egg, whipped very fine

Coarse cereal or wheat bran

LUNCHEON

Liberal portion of baked sweet or white potatoes

DINNER

Choice of two of the following vegetables:

Beans Onions
Beets Pumpkin
Carrots Squash
Corn Turnips

A potato, prepared choice

Fourth Day: Same as the third, increasing or decreasing the quantity of food according to hunger.

Fifth Day: Same as the first, repeating these menus for twelve or fifteen days.

While the yolks of eggs are conducive to rheumatic tendencies, only that portion, however, that is not naturally appropriated by the body affect these conditions. In other words, it is the excess that is harmful.


MENUS FOR BRIGHT’S DIS-EASE

BREAKFAST

Clabbered milk or two or three egg whites

Baked bananas

LUNCHEON

A Spanish onion, en casserole

Turnips or fresh peas in the pod

Two egg whites

DINNER

An onion, uncooked—small portion

Corn bread and a very small portion of dried fish

Peas, asparagus, or turnips

A potato

BREAKFAST

A melon or peaches, omitting cream

Two glasses of fresh milk

Bran meal gems

LUNCHEON

Peas or beans

Young onions

A small piece of corn bread

A glass of buttermilk

DINNER

Lettuce, with nuts

Corn or string beans

New potatoes or lima beans

Two egg whites, coddled, or cottage cheese

On rising Concord (blue) grapes.

BREAKFAST

An omelet of two whites and one yolk, rolled in cream and grated nuts; cook lightly

Corn-meal muffins

LUNCHEON

A sweet potato, with fresh butter

DINNER

A light vegetable soup

Celery or tender slaw

Carrots, parsnips, or turnips

A potato or fresh corn

BREAKFAST

A pint of clabbered milk—lukewarm

Whole wheat, boiled

Two tablespoonfuls of bran

LUNCHEON

A pint and a half of fresh milk

Corn bread—not sweetened

DINNER

Slaw, with nuts

Carrots, cauliflower, or winter squash

A potato or bran meal gems


MENUS FOR DIABETES

The diabetic patient should observe the usual rules for vigorous exercise and deep breathing, and for copious water-drinking just after rising and just before retiring.

The diet should consist as nearly as possible of foods in their natural condition, such as extremely ripe fresh fruits and fresh vegetables, and of the proteid group such as eggs, milk, cheese, gelatin, legumes, and now and then a limited quantity of fish.

BREAKFAST

Cherries, berries, or a baked apple, without sugar

Two or three extremely ripe bananas, with thin cream

A spoonful or two of nuts, or nut butter

A glass of milk; clabbered milk preferred

LUNCHEON

A small portion of plain wheat, or oat groats (grains), boiled until well done

One fresh vegetable—preferably onions, carrots, or peas

DINNER

A liberal green salad, with nuts and oil

One or two fresh vegetables, such as peas, asparagus, or okra

An egg or a bit of fish

A baked potato

Gelatin or junket

The bowels should be kept in normal condition at all times, either by vigorous exercising or by the liberal use of wheat bran.

Avoid extreme acids, sweets, white bread, and heavy starches found in cereal products.

A glass of water and one or two very ripe peaches just after rising and just before retiring. Devote thirty minutes, if possible, to deep breathing and vigorous exercise.

BREAKFAST

Melon, peaches, or any sweet fresh fruit

Two eggs, whipped very thoroughly, or two glasses of clabbered milk

Corn or a whole wheat muffin

LUNCHEON

Cauliflower, cabbage, or okra

Tender corn or string beans

Fish, chicken, egg, or clabbered milk

A baked potato

The fish, the chicken and the milk should be taken in limited quantities; vegetables should predominate.

Mastication should be very thorough, and a glass or two of water should be drunk at each meal.

DINNER

Vegetable soup

Salad, with nuts or oil

Corn or lima beans

A potato—sweet or white

A glass or two of water and a bit of fruit just after rising, followed by vigorous exercises and deep breathing.

BREAKFAST

Peaches, plums, or persimmons

Eggs, boiled two minutes

A bit of corn bread, bran meal gems, or a baked potato

A cup of milk or chocolate

LUNCHEON

Two or three glasses of buttermilk

A whole wheat gem or a muffin, with nuts

DINNER

Two fresh vegetables, such as beans, beets, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, okra, eggplant, or lima beans

Sliced tomatoes

A bit of green salad

Two exceedingly ripe bananas, baked—eaten with nuts and cream

Half a cup of wheat bran

BREAKFAST

A cup of hot water

Wheat bran, cooked

Two eggs, whipped

One exceedingly ripe banana, eaten with nuts and cream

Half a glass of cool milk

LUNCHEON

A cup of hot water

A baked potato

A large creamed onion

A cup of chocolate

DINNER

Onions, beans, carrots, or parsnips—any two of these

One or two eggs, whipped

A portion of wheat bran, cooked, or the whole wheat might be boiled until the grains burst open, and served with butter and cream. This is the best form in which cereal can be taken


MENUS FOR CONSUMPTION

For many centuries consumption, or the various forms of tuberculosis have preyed upon the human race, yet science has so far failed to give us one reliable artificial remedy. We must perforce turn to Nature, the only remedy now known being oxygen or common air.

The consumptive or tubercular patient should provide some way to live out-of-doors, day and night, winter and summer, unless the weather is extremely cold.

The next important factor in treating this dis-ease is food.

The diet should consist of the richest and the most readily digestible foods, in the following groups, given in the order of their importance:

PROTEIDS CARBOHYDRATES FATS
Eggs Honey Nuts
Milk Maple-sugar Olive-oil
Legumes Whole wheat Cream
Rice Butter
Potatoes
Corn

FRUIT-SUGARS FRESH VEGETABLES GREEN SALADS
Figs Oranges Asparagus Beets Lettuce
Raisins Pears Peas Carrots Romaine
Grapes Plums Beans Parsnips Parsley
Persimmons Peaches Green corn Squash Watercress
Bananas Apples Tomatoes Celery
Turnips
Cabbage

The patient should drink an abundance of water, take vigorous exercise and deep breathing, and eat liberally of grapes before breakfast, when they are in season.

A spirometer should be secured, and an effort made to increase the capacity of the lungs one cubic inch each day until their utmost capacity has been reached.

The following menus are merely suggestive. They may be changed, selecting the articles mentioned in the foregoing tables, when available during the several seasons of the year:

First Day:

BREAKFAST

A glass of clabbered milk, with a sprinkle of sugar

Two eggs whipped very thoroughly (See recipe, p. 678)

If constipated, take half a cup of coarse wheat bran, cooked. Serve as a breakfast cereal with butter or cream.

LUNCHEON

Three eggs prepared as per recipe, p. 678; add two glasses of milk; mix well; drink slowly

DINNER

Choice of two of the following vegetables:

Beets Cabbage or celery
Carrots Fresh corn or corn hominy
Lentils Navy or lima beans
Parsnips Turnips

A baked white potato, rice, or corn

One egg, prepared any way acceptable to the taste—preferably whipped

Something green should be taken at this meal, if possible, such as lettuce, spinach, kale, parsley, or watercress

Home-made ice-cream, in summer, or a tablespoonful of honey, in winter, may be eaten, if something sweet is desired

Drink from one to two glasses of water at each of these meals, but take no water into the mouth until mastication is perfect.

Just before retiring, drink a glass of water, and eat half a pound of grapes, then devote from ten to fifteen minutes to deep breathing exercises.

Second Day: Same as the first, slightly increasing or decreasing the quantity of food according to hunger.

Take an additional egg the second day for the noon meal; another the third day, then gradually decrease the quantity if the appetite rebels against them. Do not overeat. Assimilation is the primary object to be obtained.

Fourth Day: On rising, drink water and eat grapes, as prescribed for the first day. Devote much time to moderate exercise and deep breathing.

BREAKFAST

Two extremely ripe bananas, eaten with thin cream and either nuts or nut butter; also two or three figs or an equivalent quantity of raisins

A spoonful or two of whole wheat, thoroughly cooked

LUNCHEON

A large boiled onion, and a baked white potato, with butter and a dash of salt (If the onion cannot be procured, take carrots or parsnips)

Drink two or three glasses of milk

If the bowels are not acting normally, drink a glass of water and take a spoonful or two of wheat bran, after each meal.

DINNER

A liberal portion of baked white potatoes, eaten with butter

Four or five egg whites and two yolks, prepared as per recipe given for the first day

A small portion of any two fresh vegetables (A little ice-cream may be taken at this meal, if there is a craving for something sweet)

Fifth Day: Same as the fourth, omitting ice-cream.

Sixth Day: Same as the first, repeating these menus for about sixteen or eighteen days.

First Day: Immediately on rising, drink a glass of cool water, eat a few cherries or the juice of an orange, and devote five or ten minutes to exercises Nos. 3 and 5, as shown in Vol. V, pp. 1344 and 1345.

BREAKFAST

(Half an hour later)

A cup of hot water

Very ripe berries, with sugar—no cream

One exceedingly ripe banana, with nuts or nut butter

A small, baked white potato, eaten with butter

One egg, boiled two minutes

A small portion of wheat bran, cooked

LUNCHEON

One or two large Spanish onions, boiled

A small, baked white potato, eaten with butter

One or two whole eggs, whipped

DINNER

Choice of string beans, peas, or asparagus; if these cannot be obtained, take choice of:

Beets Carrots
Cabbage Parsnips
Turnips

Spanish onions, boiled

A baked white potato

Three egg whites, whipped

One glass of water, taken during the meal

Just before retiring, take two tablespoonfuls of wheat bran, drink a glass of water, and devote from five to ten minutes to exercises as prescribed for the morning.

Second Day: Same as the first.

Third Day: Same as the second, slightly increasing the quantity of food if necessary. Changes in the vegetables may be made, confining, however, to the vegetables mentioned, as nearly as possible, always taking fresh vegetables in preference to canned.

Fourth Day:

BREAKFAST

Fruit—choice

A small portion of plain boiled wheat, with butter and cream

A cup of hot water

Two eggs, whipped or boiled two minutes

LUNCHEON

Three glasses of milk

Two eggs, whipped

Wheat bran, cooked
(Take milk and eggs very slowly)

DINNER

One green vegetable

A tablespoonful or two of “Protoid”nuts

Junket, gelatin, or eggs

Just before retiring, devote from five to ten minutes to exercises prescribed for the first day.

If the bowels have not become normal, continue taking the wheat bran just before retiring, and a spoonful or two just after rising.

Fifth Day: The same as the fourth.

Sixth Day: Same as the first, and so on, repeating the diet so long as it appeals to the taste. If digestion will permit, the eggs and the milk may be increased.

Choice of the following menus:

I would advise two or three very ripe peaches just before retiring at night, and just after rising in the morning.

SUPPLEMENTARY DINNER

(To be taken if there is a craving for flesh or salty food)

One ear of corn (boiled)

Fish, lobster, or white meat of chicken

A small baked potato

A salad of lettuce or endive

On rising, devote from three to five minutes to deep breathing exercises before an open window, preferably movements 3 and 5, as shown in Vol. V, pp. 1344 and 1345. Eat a bunch of grapes, thoroughly masticating the skins, swallowing seeds and pulp whole. Drink two glasses of water. If the weather is cold, the water should be heated.

BREAKFAST

Half a cup of wheat bran, cooked, eaten with cream

A small bunch of grapes

Two eggs, whipped about six or seven minutes; add a teaspoonful of sugar and a tablespoonful of olive-oil, while whipping

One extremely ripe banana; serve with cream and either nut butter or nuts (The banana should be baked, if not very ripe)

LUNCHEON

One fresh vegetable—carrots, parsnips, or turnips

A boiled onion

A baked potato

One egg, cooked two minutes, eaten with the potato skins

Fresh butter

A cup of hot water at the close of the meal

DINNER

Half a cup of wheat bran, cooked

Two or three eggs, prepared as for breakfast

One extremely ripe banana and a few soaked prunes
(A very small, baked white potato may be taken if something salty is desired)

A bunch of grapes

Just before retiring, eat a small bunch of grapes and drink a cup of hot water. Devote from three to five minutes to exercises which have already been prescribed for the morning.

These meals may be varied by changing the vegetables, and now and then substituting for the eggs a portion of fresh fish or a glass of buttermilk.

If the quantity of food prescribed does not seem sufficient, it might be slightly increased; however, do not increase it beyond the limits of normal hunger. The best combinations of food, when taken in excess of the bodily needs, undergo a form of decomposition, and become a prolific source of dis-ease.

BREAKFAST

Two very ripe, red bananas, baked

Nuts, cream, raisins

Two whipped eggs; sugar; flavor to taste

A spoonful of wheat bran

LUNCHEON

Three fresh eggs, whipped about six minutes, with sugar; pineapple juice added after whipping

A small portion of wheat bran, cooked

DINNER

Celery

A tablespoonful of olive-oil

One fresh vegetable

A potato

Whole wheat bread (very little)

Buttermilk or gelatin

The above menus have been selected and combined so as to counteract constipation, catarrh, nervousness, biliousness, etc. There is no specific remedy in foods for consumption. Foods will aid in curing this dis-ease only through the natural process of building up healthy tissue, and increasing the power of the body to resist all dis-eases.

Immediately on rising drink a glass or two of water and take a very little of some juicy fruit. Also take a brisk walk in the open air before breakfast.

BREAKFAST

The strained juice of one sweet orange, or a few very ripe berries, without cream

Two or three coddled eggs

A small whole wheat cracker

One baked banana

A spoonful of wheat bran

LUNCHEON

A whole wheat muffin with butter, and a dessert-spoonful of honey

A glass or two of milk

Wheat bran

DINNER

Bean soup or pea soup

Peas, asparagus, spinach, or any fresh vegetable

Corn bread or a very small portion of whole wheat

One coddled egg

A small portion of wheat bran, slightly cooked

From one to two glasses of water should be drunk at each of the above meals.

If there is a marked tubercular tendency, from six to nine eggs may be taken daily for about three days in each week, taking with the eggs a small quantity of acid fruits at each meal—either orange juice, berries, or a spoonful of strained pineapple juice. The acids should be diluted (half water), and taken without sugar.

Take a brisk walk and deep breathing exercises before breakfast.

BREAKFAST

A cantaloup or a pear

Wheat bran, cooked

A liberal portion of baked sweet potatoes

One whole egg, either coddled or whipped

A pint of sour milk or a cup or two of chocolate

LUNCHEON

A liberal portion of tender corn, steamed in the husk

A lettuce and tomato salad

Nuts

DINNER

String beans, corn, or carrots

A baked potato

A very small portion of tender fish, an egg, or clabbered milk

Melon or peaches

If the patient is performing labor that would require more food than herein prescribed, the quantity may be increased.

The following menus are laid out with the view of giving the greatest amount of tissue-building food which require the least effort in digestion.

There is nothing more valuable in the treatment of lung trouble than extreme deep breathing. After pure blood is made, the way to keep it pure is to keep it charged with oxygen, and the only way to do this is to breathe an abundance of fresh air into the lungs.

BREAKFAST