DIRECTIONS 
AND 
OBSERVATIONS 
RELATIVE TO 
FOOD 
EXERCISE 
AND 
S L E E P. 
LONDON: 
Printed for S. BLAD O N, in Pater* 
NOSTER-ROW. 
MDCCLXXII. 
[PRICE SIX-PENCE, J PREFACE. 
ILF, AT Part of thefe Directions and 
Obfervations was collected from Books, 
f ‘I 9 • • «• # , 
which treat of the Reftoration or Prefer- 
i i >1 / \ i ; ;i_ / I '.. •• : 
Nation of Health. They were dragon tip 
about a Tear ago, for the ufe of a Perf on in 
an extreme weak Slate of Health, A flriCt 
Regard to them was followed with Very fa~ 
hit ary Confequences to that Perfon; and it is 
apprehended, that an Attention to them will 
he beneficial to others. CONTENTS. 
Introduction . * , page i 
■ j v; • - ■ ; A Va 4 . v> c , 
CHAP. I. Of FOOD in the General 3 
II. Of the Different Kinds of 
FOOD . . ; . . . 12 
III. Of EXERCISE - ... 1* 
IV. Qf SLEEP,. 21 Directions and Observations 
RELATIVE TO 
FOOD, EXERCISE and SLEEP. 
INTRODUCTION. 
AS mention will frequently be 
made, in the following Di- 
rections and Obfervations, of 
the firft and fecond 
it cannot be improper to give at 
fhort Account of thefe. 
The firft ConcoCtion is perform- 
ed in the Stomach. By this all 
that has been Eaten and Drunk at 
a Meal is Conceded or Digested* 
which Word means the fame as the 
Word Conceded, into one uniform 
Mafs. The Parts of this Mafs*  lntroduction. 
proper for nourifhing the Body 
are, in its PalTagc thro’ the Intef- 
tines, feparated from the other Parts, 
and afterwards conveyed into the 
Blood i 
The fecond Concodion is per- 
formed in the Blood. By this the 
Parts, which after the firft Concoc- 
tion were conveyed into the Blood, 
are by a further Concodion ren- 
dered fit for Nouriflnng the 
different Parts of the Body. 
It is of Confequence to Health 
that both Concodions fhould be 
well performed: But it is of the 
greater Confequence thereto that 
the firft fhould ; it being agreed by 
the beft Writers upon the Subjed, 
that an Error in the firft is feldom 
correded in the fccond Concodion. CHAPTER I. 
Of FOOD in the General. 
TH E fupplying of the Blood with 
fuch Humours, as are neceflary to 
repair the Defeat of thofe Parts of the Body 
which arc continually flying off, or in 
other Words to nourifli the Body, appears 
to be the foie End of Eating and Drinking. 
If this be fo, it is evident, that the Eating 
or Drinking of more than is fufficicnt to 
anfwer this End has a Tendency to Pro- 
duce Diflempers; in as much as the Blood is 
thereby filled with Humours which are not 
wanted for Nourifhing the Body; and 
it would conftantly produce Diftempers, if 
the Body were not endued with Powers, by 
which the Blood is difeharged of the fuper- 
fluous Humours. As thefc Powers muft 
by a too frequent Exertion of them be im- 
paired, it is in the highefl Degree impru- dent, to make a Practice of Eating or 
Drinking more than is Sufficient for the 
Nourishment of the Body. 
It is the Duty of every Perfon to ftudy 
his own Contention, and to Eat and 
Drink of fuch Things, and in fuch Quan- 
tities, as he finds to agree beft therewith. 
If a bad Habit either in Eating or 
Drinking has been acquired, it ought to 
be changed for a better; But the Change 
ought to be very gradual for as every 
Habit is a fecond Nature, the hidden 
Change of any one would be attended with 
Danger j becaufe it would be doing, a 
Violence to Nature. 
A Perfon of a moift Habit ought, for 
the moft Part, to Eat Things of a dry 
Nature. 
A Perfon of a dry Habit ought, for the 
moft Part, to Eat Things of a moift Na- 
ture. A Perfon of a Difpofition to grow fat 
ought, for the moft Part, to Eat Things of 
a lean Nature. 
A Pcrfon of a Difpofition to grow lean 
ought, for the moft Part, to Eat Things of 
a fat Nature. 
A Perfon of a cold Habit ought to Eat 
and Drink things of a warmer Nature, than 
would be proper for a Perfon of warm 
jHabit. 
Every Thing which is Eaten ought tQ 
be well chewed; bccaufe it is thereby re- 
duced into fmaller Parts, and a greater 
Quantity of Spittle is mixed therewith; and 
confequently the firft Concodtion is render- 
ed more eafy. 
If one Thing of a fat Nature and ano- 
ther of a lean Nature arc to be Eatcij 
at the fame Meal, the former ought to 
be firft Eaten: Becaufe the Fumes, which 
frequently arife in the Concodlion there- of, are not fo likely to arife, when that is de~ 
pofited at the Bottom of the Stomach, and 
the Thing of a lean Nature upon it; as if 
the latter had been depofited at the Bottom 
of the Stomach, and the Thing of a fat 
Nature thereupon. 
It is wholefomc to Drink often at Meal, 
and but little at a Time; becaufe that 
which is Eaten is thereby more intimately 
mixed with that which is Drunk, and con- 
fequently the firft Conception is rendered 
more eafy. 
It is not wholefome to Drink any drong 
Liquor, before the Eating Part of a Meal is 
finidied: in as much as nothing does fo 
much conduce to the Perfection of the fird 
Conception, as that what is Eaten fhould 
to a certain Degree be mixed with fmall 
Liquor, before any drong Liquor is Drunk. 
Strong Liquor ought to be Drunk with 
fome Freedom by Perfons in Years, after 
the Eating Part of a Meal is finifiied; becaufe, as the Natural Heat is in them 
become faint, the warmth thereof is necef- 
fary to the perfection of the firft Con- 
coCtion : But the Drinking of too much 
ftrong Liquor, even by old Men, is un- 
wholefome; for by ftimulating the Stomach 
too fharply, it does frequently occafion a 
Difcharge of the Meal before it is perfectly 
toncoCted. 
Young Perfons, to whom the warmth 
of ftrong Liquor is not neceffary to the 
Perfection of the firft ConcoCtion, the 
Natural Heat being in them ftrong, ought 
to drink very little thereof after the Eating 
Part of a Meal is finifhed. 
The ftrong Liquor, which is Drunk, 
after the Eating Part of a Meal is finifhed, 
ought to be Drunk foon after, that the 
firft ConcoCtion may not be difturbed by a 
Continuance of Drinking. 
It is not wholefome to make a Meal, 
before the Dcfire of Eating and Drinking comes on; for the Stomach is never dif- 
charged of the laft Meal until this does 
come on; and if the Stomach be not dis- 
charged of the laft Meal, it is not ready for 
the Concodion of a new Meal. On the 
other Hand, it is not proper to delay the 
making of a Meal any confiderable Time 
after the Deftre of Eating and Drinking 
comes on, leaft the Stomach, whilft in a 
State of craving, fhould draw to itfelf noxi- 
ous Humours from the neighbouring 
Parts, 
If what has been faid, namely, that 
it is the Buftnefs of the firft Concodion to 
reduce all that has been Eaten and 
Drunk at a Meal into one uniform Mafs, 
be true* it is evident, that this Bufmefs 
muft be better and more fpeedily done, 
when only a few Things than when a 
great Variety have been Eaten arid Drunk of 
at the fame Meal. 
It is unwholefome to Eat and Drink too 
little at a Meal j for if that which i* Eaten and Drunk at a Meal do not bear a due 
Proportion to the Size of the Stomach, the 
Stomach cannot be fo contradled as that its 
concodtive Power may be exerted with 
proper Force; But it is vaftly more un- 
wholefome to Eat and Drink too much at 
a Meal; for, befldes that when the Stomach 
is too much diftended its concodtive 
Power cannot be exerted with proper 
Force, the Tone of the Stomach is in dan- 
ger of being hurt by the too great Diften- 
tion. Another Inconvenience does fre- 
quently arife from Eating and Drinking 
too much at a Meal; namely, that the 
Fumes produced by the firft Concodtion of 
a very large Meal fly up to the Head and 
bring on Sleep, which is prejudicial. 
The Meal made at Supper ought to be a 
moderate one; for as the Time of fleeping, 
which docs ufually commence foon after 
“Supper, is the proper Time for the fecond 
Concodtion, if the concodtive Faculty be 
diverted during Sleep from the Bufinefs of 
the fecond Concodtion; in order to do the Bufmefs of the firffc Concoction of a large 
Meal, the fecond Conception cannot be fo 
well performed. 
A Perfon in Years ought to make more 
Meals in a Day than one who is Youn- 
ger; but he ought not to Eat much 
at a Meal: Becaufe as the Natural Heat, 
which is neceflary to the Perfection of the 
firfb Conception, is in him become faint, 
there would be Danger from Eating much 
at a Meal of extinguishing it entirely; In 
the fame Manner as the faint Flame of a 
Lamp is fometimes extinguished, by the 
putting of too much Oil at one Time into 
the Lamp. 
Such Perfons as labour much or ufe much 
Exercife ought to Eat more at a Meal, 
and of Things of a more nutritious Na- 
ture, than Perfons who lead a fedentary 
Life. 
It is unwholefome to Eat between two 
Meals; for if this be done before the Con- coflion of the former Meal is finifhed, it 
obftrupfs this; and if it be done after, it 
leffens the Appetite for the next Meal. 
A lefier Quantity ought to be Eaten, and 
a greater Quantity ought to be Drunk at a 
Meal in the Summer than in the Winter. 
That which is Eaten in the Summer 
ought to be eafier of conception than that 
which is Eaten in the Winter. 
TheFlefh which is Eaten in the Summer 
ought in the General to be boiled; and 
that which is Eaten in the Winter ought 
in the General to be roafled : But it never 
ought to be over-boiled or over-roafted; 
becaufe it would thereby be in fome Mea- 
fure deprived of its more nutritious Juices. 
The Liquor, which is Drunk after the 
Eating Part of a Meal is finifhed, ought 
not to be fo ftrong in Summer as in the 
the Winter. In the Spring and Autumn a middle way, 
both as to the Quantity and Quality of 
of what is Eaten or Drank, between that 
which ought to be done in Summer and 
that which ought to be done in Winter 
ought to be purfued. 
CHAP. 11. 
Of the Different Kinds of FOOD. 
FLESH is more Nutritious than any 
Vegetable Food ; for as the Flefli of 
every Animal is compofed of the more nu- 
tritious Parts of the Food on which the 
Animal lived, it follows, that the Flefh of 
an Animal, which lives altogether on Ve- 
getable Food, muff be more Nutritious 
than Vegetable Food; and a fortiori the 
Flefh of an Animal which does in Part 
live on Animal Food muff be fo. 
Lamb is more Nutritious than any kind 
of Poultry, Mutton than Lamb, Veal than Mutton, and Beef than Veal; But Pork is 
more Nutricious than any of thefe; for the 
Juices of Pork, which is more like Human 
Flefh than any other Flefh is, are more 
adapted to the Nourifhment of a Human 
Body than the Juices of any other Flefh. 
Lamb is harder of Concodion than any 
kind of Poultry ; becaufe the folid Parts of 
the Flefh of a larger Animal are of a firmer 
Texture than thofe of a fmaller one, and 
confequently the firft Concodion of the 
Flefh of the larger Animal is not fo eafy. 
Mutton is for the fame Reafon harder of 
Concodion than Lamb, Veal than Mutton, 
and Beef than Veal. 
Fifh are not fo Nutritious as Flefh; but 
Sea Fifh are more fo than River Fifh. 
If the Eating Part of a Meal has been in 
a great Meafure compofed of Fifh, more 
flrong Liquor ought to be Drunk than at 
other Times; becaufe Fifh are of a cold 
Nature. More Bread ought to be Eaten with 
Fifh than with Flefh, that the firft Con- 
coction of the Fifh, which are of a cold 
Nature, may be forwarded by the warmth 
of the fpirituous Parts with which Bread 
abounds. 
Flefh or Fifh, which has been falted or 
dried, is not fo wholefome as other Flefh 
or Fifh; for by the faking and drying, by 
which it is preferved from Putrefaction, it 
is not only deprived of great Part of its 
Nutritious Juices, but it is alfo rendered 
hard of ConcoCtion. 
Brains and Marrow are very Nutritious. 
Broth, befides being very Nutritious, is 
proper Food for fuch Perfons as have 
weak Stomachs; the trouble of concoc- 
ting that of which it is made being 
fpared. 
The Y oik of an Egg is very Nutritious: 
but the White of an Egg affords little 
Nourifhment, and it is hard of Concoc- 
tion. Milk is very Nutritious; and by Eat- 
ting Sugar therewith the turning four 
upon the Stomach, which in fome Per- 
fons it is apt to do, is prevented. 
Butter is very Nutritious, and if Eatea 
in a moderate Quantity is wholefome. 
Cheefe is in itfelf hard of Conco<slion . 
Bat a fmall Quantity thereof eaten toward 
the end of a Meal forwards the firft Con- 
ception of other things. That Cheefe is 
moil Nutritious which is neither new nor 
very old. 
Bread is very Nutritious; and befides 
being in itfelf quite eafy of Concodion 
does, by the warmth of the fpiaituous 
Parts with which it abounds, forward 
the firft Concodion of other Things. 
Brown Bread is more wholefome than 
white, and there is not fo: much Danger 
of its being adulterated. That Bread is 
moft wholefome which is neither new nor 
very ftale. Peas and Beans are Nutritious; but they 
are mod: wholefome when Eaten without 
their Skins. 
Turnips are very wholefome, and more 
peculiarly fo to fuch Ferfons as have weak 
Lungs. 
Every Thing of the Cabbage Kind, if 
Eaten in a moderate Quantity, is whole- 
fome. 
Muftard, Horfe-radiih, Crefles, Celery 
and Onions are wholefome, and more pecu- 
liarly fo to Ferfons of a cold Habit. 
IfLettice or any other Vegetable of a cold 
Nature be Eaten, fomething of a warm 
Nature ought to be Eaten therewith. 
Apples are very wholefome, and more 
peculiarly fo to Ferfons of a coftive Habit. 
Cherries, Plumbs, Grapes and Figs are 
wholefome when ripe, and more fo when 
they are dried. Pears and Peaches, which are of a cold 
Nature, ought to be Eaten with great 
Moderation. 
Cucumbers, which are of a very cold 
Nature, ought only to be Eaten by Perfons 
of a warm Habit ; and if any are Eaten 
Pepper ought to be Eaten with them. 
As very little Nouri/hrnent is derived 
from any bort of Nuts, very few of any 
Sort ought to be Eaten; and if any are 
Eaten dried Grapes ought to be Eaten with 
them. 
Perfons of a cold Habit, and fuch as 
have weak Lungs, ought to Eat very little 
Vinegar. 
The Liquor proper to be Drunk during 
the Eating Part of a Meal is Water or 
Small Beer. 
Strong Beer or Wine is more proper to 
be Drunk after the Eating Part of a Meal 
is hnilhed than any diddled fpirituous Liquor; for although the latter fhould 
be fo diluted, that a given Quantity thereof 
would not contain more fpirituous Parts 
than the fame Quantity of Strong Beer or 
Wine, yet as the fpirituous Parts, which 
have been once feparated by Diftillation 
from the other Parts, would be more apt to 
fly off, when heated in the Stomach, than 
the fpirituous Parts of Beer or Wine, it 
is not fo wholfome ; becaufe the End 
of Drinking fpirituous Liquor after the 
Eating Part of a Meal is finifhed, which is 
that the warmth of the fpirituous Parts 
thereof may forward the firft Concoc- 
tion, would in a great Meafure be frus- 
trated. 
Strong Beer is more Nutritious than 
Wine. 
Red Wine is more Nutritious than 
White : But Sack and other white Wines 
of a generous kind are more proper for 
fuch Perfons as have weak Lungs than red. 
Thatftrong Beer or Wine is mofl whole- 
fome which is neither new nor very old. chap. in. 
Of EXERCISE. 
EXcrcife to a certain Degree is neceffary 
to the Prefervation of Health : For by 
increafing Perfpiration it makes room 
in the Blood for new Humours, of which 
a conftant Supply is neceffary for theNou- 
rifhment of the Body. 
Riding is the more proper Exercife for 
the Reftoration of Health; Walking for 
the Prefervation thereof. 
During the increafe of warmth occafion- 
ed by Exercife, the Blood is more generally 
diflributcd to all Parts of the Body than 
at other Times, the confequence of which 
is, that the different Parts are more nour- 
rifhed at that than at other Times. 
The moft proper Time for Exercife is 
immediately after riling in a Morning; 
becaufe at that Time the Humours, which were conveyed into the Blood from the 
Food of the preceding Day, have daring 
the Night undergone the fecond Concoc-r 
tion, and confeqaently are fit to be diftri- 
buted jor the Nourifhmcnt of the different 
Parts or the Body. 
Another proper Time for Exercife is a 
little before the making of a Meal ; that if 
there be any fuperfluous Humours in the 
Blood, they may, by the increafe of Perfpi- 
rafion occafioned by the Exercife, be dis- 
charged before another Meal is made, 
from which new Humours will be con- 
veyed into the Blood. 
Exercife, which is in any Degree vi- 
olent, ought not to be ufed foon after the 
making of a Meal: Becaufe it has a Ten- 
dency to open the upper Mouth of the Sto- 
mach ; the Confequence of which would 
be, the letting out Part of that Heat from 
the Stomach which is neceiTary to Con- 
codion : Or to open the low o Mourh of 
the Stomach ; the Confequence of which would be the Difchargc of the Meal before 
it is well concodled. 
It is wholefome to dand upright or walk 
gently foon after the making of a Meal ; 
for by thefe, which have a Tendency to 
keep what is in the Stomach at the bot- 
tom thereof, the firft Concodtion is for- 
warded 
That Sort of Exercife with which the 
Mind is mod: pleafed, as Hunting or Shoots 
ing, is mod wholefome. 
CHAP. IV. 
Of SLEEP, 
TH E Time of Sleeping is mod proper 
for the iecon 1 Conception: Becaufe 
the natural Heat is at that Time greater in 
the interna P rts of the Body than during 
the Time of being awake. If this be fo is is evident, that Sleep is neceftary to the 
Prefervation of Health. Sleep is moreover 
neceftary, that fuch Parts of the Body, as 
are fatigued may by Reft be reftored to 
their Vigour. 
It is not poftible to lay down any Rule 
as to the Length of Time neceftary for 
Sleeping; for as this does in a great Meafure 
depend upon Age, Habit and other Cir- 
cumftances, it ought in different Perfons to 
be different; But it feems to be agreed, that 
it ought not in the general to be lefs than 
fix nor more than nine Hours in a Day. 
It is not proper to fleep foon after Dinner, 
and more efpecially foon after a large Din- 
ner ; becaufe Sleeping at that Time does 
frequently bring on a Heavinefs and Pain 
in the Head. 
It is not wholefome to go to Bed with 
the Stomach quite empty, leaft noxious 
Humours fhould be drawn by the Stomach, 
whilft in a State of craving, from then eigh- bouringParts, Another'lnconvenience does 
frequently arife from going to Bed with 
the Stomach quite empty; namely, that 
the uneafinefs occafioned by the craving 
of the Stomach prevents fleeping. An 
Hour and half, or two Hours, after Supper 
feems to be the proper Time for going 
to bed. 
It is wholefome to lie during Sleep on the 
right Side, and with the Head raifcd higher 
than the other Parts of the Body; for by 
both thefe, which have a Tendency to 
keep what is in the Stomach at the Bottom 
thereof, the firft Conception is forwarded. 
It is very unwholefome to fleep in a 
prone ot fupine Pofture. 
FINIS.