Miracles of Alkalizing Diet
July 26, 2007 Posted by
The human body is composed of various organs and parts, which are made up of tissues and
cells. These tissues and cells are composed of 16 chemical elements.
The balance or equilibrium of these chemical elements in the body is an essential factor in the
maintenance of health and healing of disease. The acid-alkaline balance plays a vital role in this
balanced body chemistry. All foods, after digestion and absorption leave either an acid or
alkaline ash in the body depending on their mineral composition. The normal body chemistry is
approximately 20 per cent acid and 80 per cent alkaline. This is the acid-alkaline balance.
In normal health, the reaction of the blood is alkaline and that is essential for our physical and
mental well-being. The preponderence of alkalis in the blood is due to the fact that the products
of the vital combustions taking place in the body are mostly acid in character. Carbohydrates
and fats form about nine-tenths of the normal fuel of the body. IN normal health, this great mass
of material is converted into carbon dioxide gas and water. Half of the remaining one-tenth fuel is
also con- verted into the same gas and water. This huge amount of acid is transported by the
blood to the various points of discharge, mainly the lungs. By virtue of alkalinity, the blood is able
to transport the acid from the tissues to the discharge points.
Acidosis
Whenever the alkalinity of the blood is reduced, even slightly, its ability to transport the carbon
dioxide gets reduced. This results in the accumulation of acid in the tissues. This condition is
known as acidosis or hypo-alkalinity of the blood. Its symptoms are hunger, indigestion, burning
sensation and pain in the pharynx, nausea, vomiting, headache, various nervous disorders and
drowsiness. Acidosis is the breeding ground for most diseases. Nepthritis or Bright’s disease,
rheumatism, premature old age, arteriosclerosis, high blood pressure, skin disorders and various
degenerative diseases are traceable to this condition. It seriously interferes with the functions of
the glands and organs of the body. It also lowers the vitality of the system, thereby increasing
the danger of infectious diseases.
The main cause of acidosis or hypo-alkalinity of the blood is faulty diet, in which too many acid
forming foods have been consumed. In the normal process of metabolism or converting the food
into energy by the body,. various acids are formed in the system and in addition, other acids are
introduced in food. Whenever there is substantial increase in the formation of acids in the
system and these acids are not properly eliminated through the lungs, the kidneys and the
bowels , the alkalinity of the blood is reduced, resulting in acidosis.
Other causes of acidosis are depletion of alkali reserve due to diarrhoea, dysentery, cholera etc.,
accumulation of carbon dioxide in asphyxia and anoxia as in circulatory and pulmonary diseases
and accumulation of acetone bodies resulting from starvation, vomiting and diabetes millitus.
Acidosis can be prevented by maintaining a proper ratio between acid and alkaline foods in the
diet. Certain foods leave alkaline ash and help in maintaining the alkalinity of the food, while
others leave highly acid ash and lower the alkali reserve of the blood and tissue fluids to a very
large extent. Eggs do the same but less strongly than meats. Cereals of all kinds, including all
sorts of breads are also acid-forming foods , though much less than meats. All fruits, with
exceptions like plums and prunes and all green and root vegetables are highly alkaline foods
and help to alkalinize the blood and other tissue fluids.
Thus , our daily diet should consist of four-fifth of alkaline-forming foods such as juicy fruits,
tubers, legumes, ripe fruits, leafy and root vegetables and one fifty of acid-forming foods
containing concentrated proteins and starches such as meat, fish, bread and cereals. Eating
sensibly in this manner will ensure the necessary alkalinity of the food which will keep the body
in perfect health.
Whenever a person has acidosis, the higher the ratio of alkaline forming foods in his diet, the
quicker will be the recovery. Acids are neutralised by alkalies. It is, therefore, imperative that
persons suffering from various ailments are given adequate alkaline ash foods to offset the
effects of acid-forming foods and leave a safe margin of alkalinity.
The most agreeable and convenient means of alkalizing the blood are citrus fruits and fruit
juices. The alkalizing value of citrus fruits are due to large percentage of alkaline salts, mainly
potash, which they contain. Each pint of orange juice contains 12 grains of potassium, one of the
most potent of alkalis. Lemon juice contains nine grains of the alkali to the pint and grape seven
grains.
Diet in Disease
In the diet during disease, breakfast may consist of fresh fruits, lunch may comprise raw
vegetables with acid and sub-acid fruits, and for dinner raw and cooked vegetables, or light
starchy vegetables like beet, carrot, cauliflower, egg-plant and squashes may be taken. Sweet
fruits may be added to this diet after seven days.
Foods are classified as acid-producing or alkaline-producing depending on their reaction on the
urine. Calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium present in foods contribute to the alkaline
effect, while sulphur, phosphorous and chlorine contribute to the acidic effect. Depending on the
pre-dominating constituents in a particular food, it is classified as acid-forming or
alkaline-forming.
The effect of food stuffs upon the alkalinity of the blood depends upon their residue which they
leave behind after undergoing oxidation in the body. It is an error to presume that because a
food tastes acid, it has an acidic reaction in the blood. For instance, fruits and vegetables have
organic acids in combination with soda and potash in the form of acid salts. When the acids are
burnt or utilised in the body, the alkaline soda or potash is left behind. Hence the effect of the
natural fruit acids is to increase the alkalinity of the blood rather than reduce it.
Based on the above observations, the following charts show the common foods with acid and
alkaline ash :
A - Foods Leaving An Acid Ash
(One-Fifth Class)
Barley
Eggs
Bananas (unripe)
Grain Foods
Beans L
entils
Bread
Meats
Cereals
Nuts except almonds
Cakes
Oatmeal
Chicken
Peas
Confections
Rice
Corn
Sugar
Chorolate
Sea Foods
Coffee
Tea
B - Foods Leaving An Alkaline Ash
( Four-fifths class )
Almonds
Melons
Apples
Milk
Apricots
Onions
Banana (ripe)
Oranges
Beets
Parsley
Cabbage
Peaches
Carrots
Pears
Cauliflower
Pineapple
Celery
Potatoes
Coconuts
Pumpkins
Cottage Cheese
Radishes
Cucumbers
Raisins
Dates
Spinach
Figs ( Fresh and Dry)
Soyabeans
Grapes
Tomatoes
Lemons
Turnips
Lettuce
The Holiness of the Word
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It was said of old that the Word is from God, Divinely inspired, and
thus holy; and yet it has not been known heretofore where in the Word
the Divine is. For the Word appears in the letter like a common writing
in a foreign style, and a style not so sublime or so lucid as appears in
the writings of the present ages. For this reason a man who worships
nature more than God, or in place of God, and thus thinks from himself
and what is his own (proprium), and not from the Lord out of heaven, can
easily fall into error respecting the Word, and into contempt for it,
saying in his heart when he reads it, What is this, or what is that? Is
this Divine? Can God who has infinite wisdom speak in this manner?
Where is its holiness, and from what source, unless from the religion
whose ministers it serves? and other like things. But that it may be
known that the Word is Divine, not only in every meaning but also in
every expression, its internal sense, which is spiritual, and which is
in its external sense, which is natural, as a soul in its body, has now
been revealed. This sense can bear witness to the Divinity and
consequent holiness of the Word; and can convince even the natural man
that the Word is Divine if he is willing to be convinced. (A.E., n.
1065.)
In brief, the Word is Divine truth itself, which gives wisdom to angels
and enlightens men. As Divine truth goes forth from the Lord, and as
what goes forth is Himself out of Himself, the same as light and heat go
forth from the sun and are the sun, that is, are of the sun out of it,
and as the Word is Divine truth, it is therefore the Lord, as it is
called in John (i. 1-3, 14). In as much as Divine truth, which is the
Word, in its descent into the world from the Lord, has passed through
the three heavens, it has become accommodated to each heaven, and lastly
to men also in the world. This is why there are in the Word four
senses, one outside of the other from the highest heaven down to the
world, or one within the other from the world up to the highest heaven.
These four senses are called the celestial, the spiritual, the natural
from the celestial and spiritual, and the merely natural. This last is
for the world, the next for the lowest heaven, the spiritual for the
second heaven, and the celestial for the third. These four senses
differ so greatly from one another that when one is exhibited beside the
other no connection can be recognized; and yet they make one when one
follows the other; for one follows from the other as an effect from a
cause, or as what is posterior from what is prior; consequently as an
effect represents its cause and corresponds to its cause, so the
posterior sense corresponds to the prior; and thus it is that all four
senses make one through correspondences.
From all this these truths follow. The outmost sense of the Word, which
is the sense of the letter, and the fourth in order, contains in itself
the three interior senses, which are for the three heavens. These three
senses are unfolded and exhibited in the heavens when a man on the earth
is reverently reading the Word. Therefore the sense of the letter of
the Word is that from which and through which there is communication
with the heavens, also from which and through which man has conjunction
with the heavens. The sense of the letter of the Word is the basis of
Divine truth in the heavens, and without such a basis Divine truth would
be like a house without a foundation; and without such a basis the
wisdom of the angels would be like a house in the air. It is the sense
of the letter of the Word in which the power of Divine truth consists.
It is the sense of the letter of the Word through which man is
enlightened by the Lord, and through which he receives answers when he
wishes to be enlightened. It is the sense of the letter of the Word by
which everything of doctrine on the earth must be established. In the
sense of the letter of the Word is Divine truth in its fullness. In the
sense of the letter of the Word Divine truth is in its holiness. (A.E.,
n. 1066.)
That the Word is Divine truth itself, which gives wisdom to angels and
enlightens men, can be perceived or seen only by a man enlightened. For
to a worldly man, whose mind has not been raised above the sensual
sphere, the Word in the sense of the letter appears so simple that
scarcely anything could be more simple; and yet Divine truth, such as it
is in the heavens and from which angels have their wisdom, lies
concealed in it as in its sanctuary. For the Word in the letter is like
the adytum [sanctum] in the midst of a temple covered with a veil,
within which lie deposited mysteries of heavenly wisdom such as no ear
hath heard. For in the Word and in every particular of it there is a
spiritual sense, and in that sense a Divine celestial sense, which
regarded in itself is Divine truth itself, which is in the heavens and
which gives wisdom to angels and enlightenment to men.
The Divine truth that is in the heavens is light going forth from the
Lord as a Sun, which is Divine love. And as the Divine truth that goes
forth from the Lord is the light of heaven, so it is the Divine wisdom.
It is this that illuminates both the minds and the eyes of angels, and
it is this also that enlightens the minds of men, but not their eyes,
and that enables them to understand truth and also to perceive good when
man reads the Word from the Lord and not from self; for he is then a
participator with angels, and has an inward perception like the
spiritual perception of angels; and that spiritual perception which the
angel-man has flows into his natural perception which is his own while
in the world and enlightens it. Consequently the man who reads the Word
from an affection for truth has enlightenment through heaven from the
Lord. (A.E., n. 1067.)
Optimum Nutrition for Vigour and Vitality
July 25, 2007 Posted by
Your food shall be your medicine.
- Hippocrates
Diet plays a vital role in the maintenance of good health and in the prevention and cure of
disease. In the words of Sir Robert McCarrison, one of the best known nutritionists, ‘The right
kind of food is the most important single factor in the promotion of health ; and the wrong kind of
food is the most important single factor in the promotion of disease. “
The human body builds up and maintains healthy cells, tissues, glands and organs only with the
help of various nutrients. The body cannot perform any of its functions, be they metabolic,
hormonal, mental, physical or chemical, without specific nutrients. The food which provides
these nutrients is thus one of the most essential factors in building and maintaining health.
Nutrition, which depends on food, is also of utmost importance in the cure of disease. The
primary cause of disease is a weakened organism or lowered resistance in the body, arising
from the adoption of a faulty nutritional pattern. There is an elaborate healing mechanism within
the body but it can perform its function only if it is abundantly supplied with all the essential
nutritional factors.
It is believed that at least 45 chemical components and elements are needed by human cells.
Each of these 45 substances, called essential nutrients, must be present in adequate diets. The
list of these nutrients, include oxygen and water. The other 43 essential nutrients are classified
into five main groups, namely carbohydrates, fats, proteins, minerals and vitamins. All 45 of
these nutrients are vitally important and they work together. Therefore, the absence of any of
them will result in disease and eventually in death.
Research has shown that almost all varieties of disease can be produced by an under-supply of
various nutrients. These nutritional deficiencies occur on account of various factors, including the
intense processsing and refining of foods, the time lag between the harvesting and consumption
of vegetables and fruits, the chemicals used in bleaching, flavouring, colouring and preserving
foods and the chemical fertilisers, fungicides insecticides and sprays used for treating the soil.
Therefore, as a first principle of nutrition, one should insist upn whole meal flour and whole meal
bread and avoid the white stuff.
Research has also shown that diseases produced by combinatins of deficiencies can be
corrected when all the nutrients are supplied, provided irreparable damage has not been done. A
well-balanced and correct diet is thus of utmost importance for the maintenance of good health
and the healing of diseases. Such a diet, obviously should be made up of foods, which in
combination would supply all the essential nutrients.
It has been found that a diet which contains liberal quantities of (I) seeds, nuts, and grains , (ii)
vegetables and (iii) fruits, would provide adequate amounts of all the essential nutrients. These
foods have, therefore, been aptly called basic food groups and the diet contains these food
groups as optimum diet for vigour and vitality. It is described, in brief, below :
(I) Seeds , nuts and grains :
These are the most important and the most potent of all foods and contain all the important
nutrients needed for human growth. They contain the germ, the reproductive power which is of
vital importance for the lives of human beings and their health. Millet, wheat, oats, barley, brown
rice, beans and peas are all highly valuable in building health. Wheat, mung beans, alfalfa seeds
and soya beans make excellent sprouts. Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds, peanuts
and soya beans contain complete proteins of high biological value.
Seeds, nuts and grains are also excellent natural sources of essential unsaturated fatty acids
necessary for health. They are also good sources of lecithin and most of the B vitamins . They
are the best natural sources of vitamin C, which is perhaps the most important vitamin for the
preservation of health and prevention of premature ageing. Besides, they are rich sources of
minerals and supply necessary bulk in the diet. They also contain auxones, the natural
substance that play an important role in the rejuvenation of cells and prevention of premature
ageing.
(ii) Vegetables :
They are extremely rich source of minerals, enzymes and vitamins. Faulty cooking and
prolonged careless storage, however, destroy these valuable nutrients. Most of the vegetables
are, therefore, best consumed in their natural raw state in the form of salads.
There are different kinds of vegetables. They may be edible roots, stems, leaves, fruits and
seeds. Each group contributes to the diet in its own way. Fleshy roots have energy value and
good sources of vitamin B . Seeds are relatively high in carbohydrates and proteins and yellow
ones are rich in vitamin A. Leaves, stems and fruits are excellent sources of minerals, vitamins,
water and roughage.
To prevent loss of nutrients in vegetables, it would be advisable to steam or boil vegetables in
their juices on a slow fire and the water or cooking liquid should not be drained off. No vegetable
should be peeled unless it is so old that the peel is tough and unpalatable. In most root
vegetables, the largest amount of mineral is directly under the skin and these are lost if
vegetables are peeled. Soaking of vegetables should also be avoided if taste and nutritive value
are tobe preserved.
(iii) Fruits :
Like vegetables, fruits are an excellent source of minerals, vitamins and enzymes. They are
easily digested and exercise a cleansing effect on the blood and digestive tract. They contain
high alkaline properties, a high percentage of water and a low percentage of proteins and fats.
Their organic acid and high sugar content have immediate refreshing effects. Apart from
seasonable fresh fruits, dry fruits, such as raisins, prunesand figs are also beneficial.
Fruits are at their best when eaten in the raw and ripe states. In cooking, the loose portions of
the nutrient salts and carbohydrates. They are most beneficial when taken as a separate meal
by themselves, preferably for breakfast in the morning. If it becomes necessary to take fruits with
regular food, they should form a larger proportion of the meals. Fruits, however, make better
combination with milk than with meals. It is also desirable to take one kind of fruit at a time. For
the maintenance of good health, atleast one pound of uncooked fruits should form part of the
daily diet. In case of sickness, it will be advisable to take fruits in the form of juices.
The three basic health-building foods mentioned above should be supplemented with certain
special foods such as milk, vegetable oils and honey. Milk is an excellent food. It is considered
as ” Nature’s most nearly perfect food.” The best way to take milk is in its soured form - that is,
yogurt and cottage cheese. Soured milk is superior to sweet milk as it is in a predigested form
and more easily assimilated. Milk helps maintain a healthy intestinal flora and prevents intestinal
putrefaction and constipation.
High quality unrefined oils should be added to the diet. They are rich in unsaturated fatty acids,
vitamin C and F and lecithin. The average daily amount should not exceed two tablespoons .
Honey too is an ideal food. It helps increase calcium retention in the system, prevents nutritional
anaemia besides being beneficial in kidney and liver disorders, colds, poor circulation and
complexion problems. It is one of the nature’s finest energy-giving food.
A diet of the three basic food groups, supplemented with the special foods, mentioned above,
will ensure a complete and adequate supply of all the vital nutrients needed for health, vitality
and prevention of diseases. It is not necessary to include animal protein like egg, fish or meat in
this basic diet, as animal protein, especially meat, always has a detrimental effect on the healing
process. A high animal protein is harmful to health and may cause many of our common
ailments.
Daily Menu
Based on what has been stated above, the daily menu of a health-building and vitalising diet
should be on the following lines :
Upon arising :- A glass of lukewarm water mixed with the juice of a half a lemon and a
teaspoon of honey, or a glass of freshly squeezed juice of any available seasonable fruit such as
apple, pineapple, orange, sweet lime and grapes.
Breakfast :- Fresh fruits such as apple, orange, banana, grapes, or any available seasonal
fruits, a cup of butter-milk or unpasteurised milk and a handful of raw nuts or a couple of
tablespoons of sunflower and pumpkin seeds.
Mid-morning snack : One apple or a banana or any other fruit.
Lunch : A bowl of freshly prepared steamed vegetables using salt, vegetable oil and butter for
seasoning, one or two slices of whole grain bread or chappatis and a glass of butter-milk.
Mid-afternoon : A glass of fresh fruit or vegetable juice or any available fruit.
Dinner : A large bowl of fresh salad made up of green vegetables, such as tomatoes, carrot,
cabbage, cucumber, red beet and onion with lime juice dressing, any available sprouts such as
alfalfa seeds, and mung beans , a warm vegetable course, if desired, one tablespoon of fresh
butter, cottage cheese or a glass of butter-milk.
The above menu is a general outline around which an individual diet can be built. It can be
modified and changed to adopt to specific requirements and conditions. The menu for lunch and
dinner is interchangeable.
Do not drink liquids with meals. The water should be taken half an hour before meals or an hour
after meals. Milk, buttermilk, and vegetable soups are foods and can be taken with meals.
A fourth kind of profanation is to live a life of piety, by frequenting
churches, listening devoutly to preachings, observing the sacrament of
the Supper, and the other appointed forms of worship, reading the Word
at home, and sometimes books of devotion, and habitually praying morning
and evening, and yet making the precepts of life that are in the Word,
particularly in the Decalogue, of no account, by acting dishonestly and
unjustly in business and in judgments for the sake of gain or influenced
by friendship; committing whoredom and adultery when lust inflames and
urges; burning with hate and revenge against those who do not favor
their gain or honor; lying, and speaking evil of the good, and good of
the evil, and so on. When a man is in these evils, and has not been
purified from them by turning away from them and hating them, and still
worships God devoutly, as has been said above, then he profanes; for he
mingles his internals which are impure with externals that are pious,
and these he defiles.
For there can be nothing external that does not proceed and have
existence from internals. The actions and speech of man are his
externals, and thoughts and volitions are his internals. Man can speak
only from thought, and can act only from volition. When the life of the
thoughts and of the will is infected with craft, cunning, and violence,
it must needs be that these, as interior evils of the life, will flow
into the speech and actions pertaining to worship and piety, and defile
them as filth defiles waters.
This worship is what is meant by “Gog and Magog” (Apoc. xx. 8), and is
thus described in Isaiah:
“What is the multitude of sacrifices unto Me, meat offerings, incense,
sabbaths, new moons, appointed feasts, and prayers, when your hands are
full of bloods? Wash you, make you clean, put away the wickedness of
your doings . . . ; cease to do evil” (i. 11-19).
This kind of profanation is not hypocritical like the former, because
the man who is in it believes that he will be saved by external worship
separate from internal, and does not know that the worship by which he
can be saved is external worship from internal. (A.E., n. 1061.)
Those who give themselves up wholly to a life of piety, who walk
continually in pious meditations, who pray frequently upon their knees,
and talk about salvation, faith, and love at all times and in all
places, and yet do not shun frauds, adulteries, hatreds, blasphemies,
and the like, as sins against God, nor fight against them, such are the
kind that are more fully profaners; for by the impurities of their minds
they defile the piety of their lips, especially when they renounce the
world and lead solitary lives. Of this kind there are some who are
still more profaners; these are like those just described, but by
reasonings and by the Word falsely interpreted they defend their vices
as adulteries and lusts that belong to their nature, and thus to their
enjoyment. Such first regard themselves as free from danger, afterward
as blameless, and at length as holy; and thus under the veil of sanctity
they cast themselves into uncleannesses with which both themselves and
their garments are polluted. (A.E., n. 1062.)
To this class of profaners those especially belong who read the Word and
know about the Lord; because from the Lord through the Word are all
things holy that can be profaned; things not from that source cannot be
profaned. That is said to be profane that is the opposite of what is
holy, and that offers violence to what is holy and destroys it. From
this it follows that those who do not read the Word and do not approach
the Lord, as is the case with the Papists, still less those who know
nothing about the Lord and the Word, like the Gentiles, do not belong to
this class of profaners.
Those who belong to this class of profaners appear after death at first
with a face of human color, around which float many wandering stars; and
those of them that had been leaders sometimes appear shining about the
lips. But as they are brought into the light of heaven, the stars and
the shining of the lips vanish, and the color of the face is changed to
black, and likewise their garments. But the blackness of these
profaners tends to blue, as the blackness of the other kind of profaners
tends to red, for the reason that the latter profane the goods of the
Word and of the church, while the others profane the truths of the Word
and of the church. For red derives from the sun its signification of
good, while blue derives from the sky its signification of truth.
(A.E., n. 1063.)
The fifth kind of profanation is not like the others that have been
treated of, for it consists in jesting from the Word and about the Word.
For those who make jokes from the Word do not regard it as holy, and
those who joke about it hold it in no esteem. And yet the Word is the
very Divine truth of the Lord with men, and the Lord is present in the
Word, and heaven also; for every particular of the Word communicates
with heaven, and through heaven with the Lord; therefore to jest from
the Word or about the Word is to bespatter the holy things of heaven
with the dust of the earth. (A.E., n. 1064.)
Sleep : Restorative of Tired Body and Mind
July 24, 2007 Posted by
Sleep is one of nature’s greatest inventions and blessings of life. It is a periodic rest of the body
which is absolutely essential for its efficient functioning. It has been called ” most cheering
restorative of tired bodies. “
Sleep is the indispensable condition to the recuperation of energy. We go to bed fatigued and
get up refreshed. Sleep repairs the wear and tear of the body and mind incurred during waking
hours. Nothing is so restorative to the nerves as sound and uninterrupted sleep. Sleep is thus a
vital element in a total way of life. It is a basic need in man’s mental as well as physical life.
During sleep most of the functions of the body are carried on at the lowest level possible in
health. Heat production is from 10 to 15 per cent below the basal level. The mechanism
regulating the body temperature are less sensitive than in the waking state and are depressed
by 0.5 to 1.0 degree F. The rate of the heart is reduced by 10 to 30 beats per minute and a
decline in blood pressure of about 20 mm occurs in quiet restful sleep. The urine volume is
considerably reduced, but its concentration in solids is increased. The tone of all the skeletal
muscles is lessened. The eyes are usually rolled upward and the pupils constricted.
Loss of sleep exerts seriously detrimental effects upon the nervous system. Long periods of
wakefulness may cause profound psychological changes such as loss of memory, irritability,
hallucination and even schizophrenic manifestations. During the last World War, prisoners in
Nazi concentration camps who kept awake for days by strong lights and blaring wireless sets,
collapsed.
Sleep versus rest
For correct living, it is essential to differential between sleep and rest. At rest the body is
disturbed by all exterior noises ; but in sleep it is screened from them by partial loss of
consciousness and also by what is called ” dream protection. ” One useful purpose of the dream
is to convert outside noises that might awake the sleeping person, into fantasies that do not
disturb him.
During rest the limbs are normal, but in sleep they swell. Blood flows from the brain, distends the
arteries, and makes the limbs bigger. IN sleep more muscles are relaxed than in rest, though the
sleeping person changes his position about 35 times in one night, without knowing it. Many
organs which work during rest suspend their activities in sleep. Thus the recouping value of
sleep is much more than that of rest or simple lying down.
Theories of sleep
Many theories of sleep have been advanced to explain the temporary loss of consciousness
which we know as sleep. The oldest theory is that sleep is induced by a reduction in the blood
supply to the brain or at least to conscious centres. This is known as ischemic theory. Even the
ancient Greek physicians were aware that the carotid artery was in a way concerned with the
onset of sleep. The name itself expresses this belief. The Greek word ‘ Karotides’ for carotid
arteries is derived from karoo which means ‘put to sleep.’ In modern times, the drowsiness after
a meal, presumably due to the diversion of blood from the brain to the digestive organs, is cited
in support of the ischemic theory.
Another important theory about sleep is the chemical theory. As a result of experiments in the
metabolism of sleeping subjects, it is considered that the fatigue inducing sleep may be a mild
form of blood poisoning or toxaemia. This ” poisoning” is believed to be brought on by the
expenditure of energy during the waking hours.
According to this theory, every contraction of a muscle and every impulse passing through the
brain or the nerves breaks down a certain amount of tissue. The debris from broken down tissue
is then thrown into the bloodstream. In the waking state, much of the waste from broken down
tissue is got rid of through the natural eliminating processes of lungs, kidneys, bowels and skin.
But there comes a saturation point when there is such an accumulation of waste that it cannot
be disposed of by these processes and it then invades the grey matter of the brain. In such an
eventuality, mental and physical altertness are impaired. It is nature’s warning that the waste
product must be reduced to replenish the lost energy. So we get tired and the urge to get sleep
becomes irresistible.
During sleep, the cells and tissues that break down to produce toxic waste become less active
and the production of toxic waste is vastly reduced. Simultaneously, constructive activities take
place within the body during sleep, which rebuild the broken down tissue.
Another theory places a sleeping centre in the hypothalamus. Many of the bodily changes in
sleep such as constriction of pupils, reduced frequency of heart beat, increased gastric tone and
secretion are manifestations of the activity of hypothalamus nuclei, especially parasympathetic
centres. Perhaps some of the sleeping pills affect this centre in the brain.
Although the various theories have certain amount of experimental evidence to support them,
none has really solved what is the most mysterious process in our lives. All we know is that
sleep substitutes constructive measures for the destructive processes of our waking hours. We
cannot live without sleep.
Duration
Another mystery about sleep is that no two persons need the same amount of sleep. Dr.
Nathaniel Kleitman, Associate Professor of Physiology at the University of Chicago, who
conducted years of extensive experiments at the University’s “Sleeping Laboratory” says that
there is no more a normal duration of sleep than there is normal height and weight. A study of 25
subjects spread over thousands of nights showed that the average amount of sleep needed to
feel well rested is seven-and-a-half hours, though individuals varied from six to nine hours.
According to Dr. Demmis Williams, a noted authority on sleep, the amount of sleep needed for
an individual’s well-being, is determined by what he feels he needs, not by what other people,
including the doctor, think is reasonable.
On the whole, women sleep from 45 minutes to one hour more than men. The amount of sleep
required varies at different ages as follows :
New Born : 18 to 20 hours
Growing children :10 to 12 hours
Adults : 6 to 9 hours
Aged persons : 5 to 7 hours
The depth of ordinary restful sleep fluctuates throughout the sleep. In most adults, sleep
deepens through the first hour, after which it lightens rather sharply and then more gradually
until morning or until the usual time of wakening. IN growing children, however , sleep deepens a
second time for a little while. According to Dr. Lindlahr, a famous naturopath, two hours before
and two hours after midnight are the most valuable for sleep of all the twenty-four hours of the
day. In these four hours, mental and physical vigour are at their lowest ebb and sleep is
soundest and most natural.
It is believed that three-quarters of our sleep consists of whatis called ‘ slow wave sleep.’ The
restorative processes occur during this time. The remaining quarter is taken by what is called
‘rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.’ It is also called paradosical or dreaming sleep and it comes
in episodes of about 20 minutes duration about five times in a night. It involves dreaming,
irregular heart rates, raised blood pressure and erection of the penis. It is in this phase of sleep
that normal healthy young men may have wet dreams. Both forms of sleep are considered
equally important, being normal sleeping rhythms.
Sleeping positions
There are many theories about good and bad sleeping positions. Practically everyone changes
positions several times during sleep. Hence how one starts out is of no consequence. It is a
good thing we do turn about in our beds. If we did not, we would awake in the morning stiff,
having maintained the same position all night. For proper sleep, however, one should not sleep
on one’s back but on the side with one or both legs brought well up and the head and the
shoulder slightly forward
effective when taken continuously. They lower the I.Q. dull the brain and can prove fatal if taken
in excess or before or after alcohol. The side-effect of sleeping pills include indigestion, skin
rashes, lowered resistance to infection, circulatory and respiratory problems, poor appetite, high
blood pressure,kidney and liver problems and mental confusion.
Sleeping well is an art. It needs a perfect blend of healthy habits and control of mind. A clean
body and mind, relaxed mood, physical exercises, and perfect dietary control are some of the
basic sleep-inducing methods.
Unpleasant situatins at bed time such as arguments, quarrels, watching a horror movie, listening
to loud music which would create anxiety, fear, excitement and worries should be avoided. Such
situations stimulate the cerebral cortex and tend to keep one awake.
The sleeping place should be well ventilated, with balanced temperature and free from noises.
The bed should be neither too hard nor too soft, but comfortable. The pillow should not be too
hard or too high. The bed clothes should be loose-fitting and light coloured. Another important
rule is not to have heavy food shortly before bed time.
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"How to be live to a Hundred"
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