_Diet_: If the entire nervous system is in a condition of pathological
irritability, as in cases of neurasthenia and hysteria, it is the object
of rational diet to keep all irritations from such a vibrating organism.
To prescribe: "No coffee, no tea, no alcohol, no strong spices and no
tobacco," will do no harm, and in most cases will prove beneficial.
Nothing is more absurd than the attempt to strengthen nervous people by
the use of alcohol. When forbidden alcohol entirely, it will very often
transpire that some symptom, like headache, neuralgia, etc., was due to
its use. Whenever the general conditions permit the continued use of
alcohol to a certain extent, it must not be left to the patient's
judgment to determine how far this may go, but definite quantities must
be prescribed in each individual case, although the patient's experience
may be of assistance in determining the quantity. (Moritz).
Good results have been obtained by limiting the meat diet of extremely
nervous patients, and prescribing for them a diet consisting principally
of milk, eggs, cereals, vegetables and fruits. In this way the
irritating effect of many of the meat extracts is avoided. At the same
time the digestive work of the stomach, reduced by the limited meat
diet, and the stimulation of stool, always promoted by a prevalence of
vegetable elements in the diet, exercises a beneficial influence on the
condition of the patient.
Disturbances of the stomach and intestines are very closely connected
with neurasthenia, loss of strength of the nerve-tissue, and hysteria,
in some cases being the cause, and in other cases, which occur more
frequently, the consequence of the same.
Excessive and, more rarely, defective secretion of hydrochloric acid by
the stomach cells, cramps, general atony or debility, of the stomach,
vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, tympanites (excessive production of
gases), may all arise from nervous causes. In such cases the diet must
be the same as given for nervous disease.
Not only in these cases, but in most instances of nervous diseases, a
diet which does not produce irritation and excludes alcohol, will have
to be prescribed. The danger of alcohol in cases of peripheric neuritis,
epilepsy and mental diseases, is obvious.
Epileptics, like other nervous patients, should receive a diet that is
mainly, but not solely, a vegetable diet, exclusive of all highly spiced
food.
The same principles govern in case of Basedow's disease, which is a
special type of irritating disease.
Absolutely necessary foodstuffs to be recommended in this case are
clams, sole and water cress, because they contain more organic iodine
than any other known food-stuff.
As iodine is the basic mineral of the thyroid gland, and other
preparations are poisonous or dangerous, the necessity of partaking of
these dishes becomes obvious, in addition to the fact that if properly
prepared, they are delicious. This organic iodine will regulate the
secretions of the glands.
A diet void of irritation is also most important for children who suffer
from nervous conditions, such as St. Vitus's dance, involuntary
urination during sleep, etc. Alcohol and alkaline and carbonated drinks
must also be avoided in all nervous conditions that are combined with
hyperaemia of the brain, as meningitis, apoplexia, tumors of the brain,
etc., since they produce congestions.
Special dietetic directions cannot be given for all of the innumerable
varieties of the various other nervous complaints. The general principle
must always govern, that sufficient food is the natural foundation, not
only of the self-healing tendencies of the organism, but also of any
effective therapy.
In special cases where neurasthenia and hysteria or nervous dyspepsia
prevail, it will be necessary to apply a special diet to be prescribed
by the physician, who must understand the underlying cause, which is, 9
times out of ten, the degeneration of the Vagus nerve. See article on
Influenza.