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What is the
RATIONAL DIET
by
Michael A. Snyder
Wi th the astounding rise of cancer and hea-rt disease, scientists and laymen
a like are examining our food habits. What will they find?
W
HY SHOULD
it be in
this en li g htened
cent ur y - this
age of knowledge a nd
adva ncement- that
our hospitals are
filled with s ick
bodies and sick
minds? Wi th
the availabil–
ity of mod–
er n
re–
search by
way of elec–
tron ic a nd
print media, it
would seem that th is
century should produce
the healthiest people in
the recorded history of
man.
And , yes, sorne argue
tha
t
rnan is general! y
healthier in sorne areas of
the world than he has ever
been.
But lct 's examine the record.
Sanitation
Befare the 20th century, and in
this century's earlier decades, dis–
eases like smallpox, tuberculosis
and polio plagued man. Through
developments of better hygienic
conditions, primarily, a nd vac–
cines, secondarily, the onslaught
of these maladies was curbed. But
paradoxically, it seems that once
one diseasc falls befare medica!
December 1981
science, new and treatment-rcsis–
tant afflictions spring up in its
wake.
Major epi-
demics like chal–
era, sma ll pox
and diphtheria
have all but
been wiped out through improved
sanitation and mass inoculation.
But instead of British, European
and American deaths from cholera,
today thousands see their friends or
loved ones suddenly develop unusu–
al bleedings and discharges, or
slight lumps, and undergo debilitat–
ing chemical and radiation treat–
ment andjo"r surgery. Or they read
about it affi icting others.
And it's frightening!
Or instead of dying of acutc
tuberculosis, a close friend unex–
pectedly expires of a heart attack.
Even athletes aren't immune from
the no. 1 killer disease in the West–
ern world.
Why Early Death
There has to be a cause for every
effect! To research the underlying
factors in heart disease and cancer,
many large foundations and univer-
s ities have developed whole
staffs and facilities dedicated to
conquering . and eradicating
fatal diseases.
What has emerged as a
contributi ng factor of
maintaining good health is
nutrition. Virtually all au–
thorities agree that a bal–
anccd diet rich in certain
foods positively contributes
toward better health.
Agreement is widespread
that your diet-what you eat
every day-plays a substantial
role in both your mental and
physical well-being.
But the agreement stops there.
As Jean Mayer, a professor of
nutrition at Harvard University,
admits: "nutrition is nota 'finished'
science. We [the nutritionists and
dieticians] are constantly discover–
ing new facts."
One aspect indeed that has
accompanied nutrition through the
years is heated debate (and
thar's
~
putting it mildly!). Since nutrition
~
is such a new and unexplored
I
science, too many make themselves
~
an "expert."
.g
Accordingly, you can hear one
~
story about nutrition in the univer-
~
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