Part 9 (2/2)

Third: Most of the harmful products are destroyed by the intestines and liver.

Fourth: True, but see that you get good meat, and don't eat it in excess.

Fifth: Unanswerable--to be proved later by personal experiments.

In addition, they say that animal protein is more easily digested, that 97 per cent is a.s.similated because it is animal, and so it is much more to be desired, especially by children and convalescents; that vegetable protein is enclosed in cellulose, and only 65 to 75 per cent is used by the system; thus the diet is apt to be too bulky if the proper amount is taken.

[Sidenote: _Strong Vegetarians_]

It has been proved, however, by several endurance tests, that the vegetarian contestants had more strength and greater endurance than their meat-eating compet.i.tors, so there is no reason why we should be worried by one or two, or even more, meatless days, especially when animal product protein, such as milk, eggs, cheese, and the vegetable proteins, as in the legumes and the nuts, are available.

[Sidenote: _A Confession_]

I confess that for quite a while after studying vegetarian books I took a dislike to meat, but now I am in the comfortable state described by Benjamin Franklin in his autobiography. It seems that he had been converted to vegetarianism and had decided that he never again would eat the flesh of animals that had been ruthlessly slaughtered, when they so little deserved that fate.

But he was exceedingly fond of fish, and while on a fis.h.i.+ng party, as some fish were being fried, he found they did smell most admirably well, and he was greatly torn between his desire and his principle.

Finally he remembered that when the fish were opened he saw some smaller fish in their stomachs, and he decided that if they could eat each other he could eat them.

[Sidenote: _Most Noted Picture of B. Franklin Extant_]

_Protein Calories in 100 C Portions of Food_

In 100 C's Bread, 1 slice, (W.W. the highest) 12 to 16 C's P In 100 C's Cooked Cereals, 1 sm. cup, (oatmeal highest) 10 to 18 C's P In 100 C's Rice, 1 small cup 10 C's P In 100 C's Macaroni, 1 small cup 15 C's P In 100 C's Whole milk, 5 oz. 20 C's P In 100 C's Skim and b.u.t.termilk, 10 oz. 35 C's P In 100 C's Cheese, 3 heaping tbsp. Cottage cheese 75 C's P In 100 C's Eggs 1-1/3 36 C's P In 100 C's Meat or fish, Very lean 2-3 oz. 50 to 75 C's P In 100 C's Nuts, peanuts, almonds, walnuts. Peanuts the highest 10 to 20 C's P In 100 C's Beans 1/3 cup average 20 C's P In 100 C's Green peas 3/4 cup average 28 C's P In 100 C's Corn 1/3 cup average 12 C's P In 100 C's Onions 3 to 4 medium 12 C's P In 100 C's Potato 1 medium 12 C's P In 100 C's Tomatoes 1 lb 15 C's P In 100 C's Fresh fruits: berries, currants, rhubarb 10 C's P Others 2 to 5 C's P

6

The Deluded Ones--My Thin Friends

[Sidenote: _What!_]

I am going to sandwich you in between the food calories and my fat friends, and maybe you can absorb some of them. In the first chapter, you remember, I said I was not particularly interested in you, but I have changed my mind, and I will treat you tenderly and carefully. I will have to preach a little bit first, but I don't mind that; I love to reform people--Yes, you need reforming!

The first thing many of you have to do is to learn to accept the trivial annoyances and small misfits of life as a matter of course, for to give them attention _beyond their deserts_ is to wear the web of your life to the warp.

Elbert Hubbard never said anything better than that. Have that reproduced in motto form and put it on your bureau, and repeat it fifty times daily.

[Sidenote: _Good Philosophy_]

Adopt my philosophy. If I have a trivial annoyance I a.n.a.lyze it carefully. Was I to blame? Yes? All right, I am glad, because then I can see that it will not happen again, so I stop worrying. If I am not to blame, if I could not help it in the least, well, then I don't worry about it, for that will not help it any, and I wasn't to blame! If it bobs up in my mind again, I say: ”Now, look here, you annoyance, I have given you all the attention you deserve; avaunt, depart, get out!”

[Sidenote: _Simple_]

Now, how is this philosophy going to help you gain?

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