ABSTEMIOUSNESS

(Moderation)

A gem of health wisdom

By

Kenneth S. Jaffrey

Published by the author

At

9 Mandalay Avenue,
Nelly Bay.
Queensland. 4819.
Australia.

1990

No. 23 in a series

First published 1990

COPYRIGHT

Apart from fair dealing for the purpose of private study,

research, criticism or review, as permitted under the
Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process
without written permission of the publisher.

Statement by the publisher

The opinions expressed in this book are based upon the naturopathic philosophy of health
and do not coincide with the currently accepted medical theories of health and healing.
The publisher does not claim that any advice given represents a "cure" for disease.

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 INTRODUCTION
(How I discovered the no-breakfast plan)

I am convinced that too many vegetarians and others, who have adopted a more natural
lifestyle, are committing a grievous nutritional error. In many cases they are guilty of
gluttony or gourmandizing.
While the quality of food being consumed may be of the highest quality it is often greatly
in excess of what is needed or desirable for total health.
I am therefore recommending that those who aspire to the achievement and maintenance
of high-level health should not only consume the highest quality of suitable foods but that
they should limit their intake to the minimum.
If this is done I am certain they will be gratified by the results achieved. This essay is an
effort to promote 'the adoption of the
No-breakfast-two-meals-a-day plan and to urge my readers to practice moderation in their
food intake.
More years than I care to remember, I discovered a gem of health wisdom. It was found in
that mine of information, the book, COSMOS MAN AND SOCIETY by Professor Edmond
Szekely.
There it was in its stark reality: - "Over-nourishment is always harmful".
"Suppression of breakfast and its advantages". "Morning hunger is only a matter of habit".
"It must be suppressed", "Once suppressed it never comes back" "The multilateral
advantages of the two-meals system”. "Artificial hunger is a bad habit formed by our
artificial needs”. "The real needs of our organism are minimal”. "We must cultivate
simplicity and abstemiousness".
My first reaction was one of shocked unbelief, but as I read the arguments put forward by
the Professor I was impressed by their sheer logicality.
I was so impressed that I immediately gave up my breakfast and for the past 55 years not
one morsel of food has passed my lips before midday.
I am so grateful for the results, that I am urged to pass on the good news. The
No-breakfast plan must surely be one of the most important discoveries ever made in the
field of human health.
Now, to discuss this much-neglected principle of natural living and natural healing.

Kenneth S. Jaffrey. 1990.

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 Part one
OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS! Is there such an organization?
To my knowledge there is not, but there ought to be. Perhaps a more appropriate name
would be GLUTTONS UNANIMOUS, but as gluttony is such an inelegant and unattractive
word, very few people would care to admit to being a glutton.
Only those "other" people who indulge in excessive eating are gluttons.
Since the subject has been raised, what is so wrong with a little over-eating that an
organization should be formed to combat it?
I believe that, apart from the consumption of unwholesome and wrong foods, one of the
commonest causes of many modern illnesses is the pernicious custom of overeating.
Even good foods can cause harm if eaten to excess. This fact has been known for many
years, to a few health-conscious people. Regretfully, this information has been largely
ignored. Hence my reason for writing this little book.
In 1820, the first naturopath, Vincent Priessnitz, stated that in his opinion, an excessive
intake of good food was a prime cause of much illness.
Since that time, this opinion has been echoed by all of the natural health pioneers,
including Louis Kuhne, Sylvester Graham, Isaac Jennings, James C. Jackson, Robert
Walter, R. T. Trall, J. H. Tilden, Herbert M. Shelton, James C. Thomson, Stanley Lief,
Sarma K. Lakshman, E. H. Dewey and Professor Edmond Szekely.
These eminent authorities are unanimous in their condemnation of overeating and in their
wholehearted support of abstemiousness.
Abstemiousness is a long word, which simply means moderation. Perhaps we could form
an organization called ABSTEMES UNANIMOUS. This society could promote the ideal of
self-control in relation to our eating and drinking habits.
Is overeating so harmful as to warrant such an attack? It is unfortunately true that too
many diseases are indirectly being caused by our modern lifestyle.
We are literally dying amidst plenty.
A surfeit of food is ruining our health and shortening our lifespan.
This has been known for many years but the truth has not gained the currency it
deserves.
Apart from those who pioneered the teachings of natural health there have been others
who have tried, albeit unsuccessfully, to get this important message out to the public.
In 1894, after several years of experimentation, Dr Edward H. Dewey came to the
conclusion that his patients gained more benefit from the simple adoption of his
No-breakfast Plan than they did from drug dosing.
So much so, that he gave up prescribing drugs altogether and concentrated on
prescribing a drastic reduction of food intake, and the total omission of the morning
breakfast.
Dr Dewey wrote three excellent books explaining his discovery of the benefits of
abstemiousness.
Dr Dewey was not alone in his belief.

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Horace Fletcher also wrote three books from 1903 onwards extolling the virtues of a much
lower intake of food, coupled with thorough mastication.
In 1905, after extensive research and experimentation, Professor Russell H. Chittenden
published the results of his labours in a monumental work entitled: - PHYSIOLOGICAL
ECONOMY IN NUTRITION. Professor Chittenden carried out his experimental studies on
United States Army volunteers at Yale University.
His conclusions were, to say the least, astonishing. Here is how Professor Chittenden
announced his conclusions in his final chapter:
"The impression in the mind of the writer was that there was no satisfactory scientific
evidence to support the views held by most, if not all, physiologists regarding the needs of
the body for food, especially nitrogenous or proteid food, and that the dietary standards
universally adopted by scientific men were of very questionable accuracy, being founded
mainly upon the customs and habits of mankind rather than upon any systematic study of
what the actual necessities of the body are. There is no question, in view of our results, that
people ordinarily consume much more food than there is any real physiological necessity for,
and it is more than probable that this excess of food is in the long run detrimental to health,
weakening rather then strengthening the body, and defeating the very objects aimed at. The
amount of proteid or albuminous food needed daily for the actual physiological wants of the
body is not more than one-half that ordinarily consumed by the average man. Excess means
waste, but of far greater importance is an unnecessary strain placed upon the body by this
uncalled-for excess of food material, which must be gotten rid of at the expense of energy
that might better be conserved for more useful purposes."
Admittedly that research was carried out a long time ago, 85 years to be precise, but have
things changed so much in that time I venture to say that things have changed, if
anything, for the worse.
Dr. C. L. Pathak carried out a smaller program of research in India, and in his report
published in the American Journal of Nutrition in 1958 came to the same conclusion as
Professor Chittenden, that: development, growth and maintenance of health are possible
with quite low intakes of food.
In the face of this evidence it would seem to be foolhardy to ignore this research and
disregard the obvious remedy. Those who, have tried abstemiousness can testify as to
the great health benefits it brings.
Perhaps the best way to test this theory of abstemiousness is to form a society of one.
Resolve to put the No-breakfast plan to a practical test.
Just go without your usual morning meal for one month.
Give it a practical trial.
Make your midday meal your first meal of the day.
If you try this plan for one month I am quite certain that you will be converted and that you
will be rewarded by a higher standard of health and a heightened feeling of general well
being.
The No-breakfast plan has the added advantage that it costs nothing. What are you
waiting for?
Try it tomorrow - You have nothing to lose but your illnesses!

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Now, to discuss our topic in a little more detail.
Part Two
Abstemiousness is simply the exercise of self-control in order to produce moderation in all
things, especially resistance to excesses of food, drink, sexual activity, work, rest and
entertainment. An abstemious person is one who is frugal, moderate and economical.
One of the most important principles laid down by the early pioneers of natural living and
natural healing was that of abstemiousness or moderation in all things. It is regrettable
that this principle has in recent years been largely forgotten or ignored and neglected.
About the year 1828, Vincent Priessnitz, the discoverer of Nature Cure, said that one of
the principal causes of ill health was an excess of good food. Not only did Priessnitz
condemn the eating of unsuitable foods and foods of poor quality but he also strongly
condemned the excessive consumption of good foods.
Since that time many other natural health authorities have recommended the exercise of
moderation in eating and drinking. They have exhorted us to practice strict moderation in
our consumption of food and drink, and to limit our daily intake of food to no more than
will satisfy our needs. The practice of moderation is not a one man idea or fad. I claim no
credit except that I have been drawing attention to it for many years.
One of the earliest to embrace and publicize this system of eating was Luigi Cornaro, a
Venetian nobleman, who was born as long ago as 1467.
Some say that Cornaro lived to the age of 104 while others say that he died at the age of
99. However, his age matters little. What really matters is that he increased his enjoyment
of life and extended his life span by a delightfully simple procedure.
Cornaro developed a severe illness at the age of forty and after consulting many medical
doctors without success, finally came across a doctor in Milan who followed the Salerno
school of medicine.
Following advice, Cornaro restricted his intake of food to twelve ounces daily.
He lost his illnesses and excess weight, and later, reduced the quantity of food he ate
daily to as little as eight ounces.
On this meager ration of food he found that he was able maintain robust health and
vigour which he had not enjoyed for many years.
Cornaro wrote a booklet extolling the virtues of what he called a "sober" life.
This result was dramatic enough, but Horace Fletcher, the globetrotting lecturer and
demonstrator, wrote a remarkable book in 1899 entitled curiously enough THE NEW
GLUTTON OR EPICURE.
But Fletcher was anything but a glutton.
He told how at sixty he regained his health after years of illness and corpulency.
He lived on ten ounces of food daily, which he consumed at one meal. He masticated the
food thoroughly; chewing each mouthful thirty times, and became quite satisfied with this
greatly reduced amount of food.
In three months Horace Fletcher lost 56 pounds of excess fat and achieved a standard of
health, which was far superior to that of his contemporaries.
He was able to perform feats of strength and endurance against all-comers.

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Horace Fletcher toured the world several times, lecturing on the virtue of moderation in
eating habits and thorough mastication. He wrote three books on this topic, and even
now, they make fascinating reading if you are fortunate enough to be able to find one. He
also collaborated with scientists in an effort to substantiate his claims that reduced intake
of food and thorough chewing leads to better health.
Since the days of Cornaro - 500 years ago - and since the heyday of Fletcher ninety
years ago, others have adopted a more abstemious eating pattern. It is a great pity that
during the past few years this principle of moderation has been almost wholly neglected.
A noted exponent of moderate eating was Dr Edward H. Dewey but he failed to gain the
best results because he failed to realise the benefits and superiority of natural foods in
human nutrition.
Because of this his results were not as dramatic as they might have been had he known
the value of raw fruits and vegetables.
However, even using standard foods Dr Dewey was able to demonstrate great
improvements in health and dramatic recoveries from hitherto intractable diseases.
It is a fact that the human organism can only handle a certain maximum amount of food
daily.
Any food eaten to excess of this amount impairs our health and shortens our life.
While over-eating by adults is definitely inimical to health the harm caused to infants
infinitely greater.
If an adult eats too much food the discomfort is usually borne in silence but if an infant is
overfed it develops dyspepsia or flatulence, and registers its disapproval by crying.
Parents, relatives, friends, doctors and nurses usually regard the crying as an indication
that the baby is hungry and should be fed, so the infant, which is already in pain caused
by indigestion is given MORE food.
The immediate effect may be to relieve the pain a little but this is invariably followed by
another spasm of more pain.
The baby is given food again and so, ad infinitum. It matters little whether the baby is
being breast-fed, or if it is taking solid adult foods, the end-result is the same- a little
temporary relief followed by still further disturbed digestion, more pain and still more
crying.
These children invariably become hyperactive.
In these cases it is pointless to force more food on to a disturbed stomach when it is
unable to handle what it already has.
And, this rule applies with equal validity to a newly born baby and octogenarian.
Is it any wonder that babies who have been overfed from their day of birth grow into
dyspeptic adults with their digestions impaired and suffering from many avoidable
complaints?
Abstemiousness is not a principle which can be adopted and lightly discarded at will.
It is a prime requisite for normal health.
Those who over-indulge must pay a penalty in some way or other.
Nature cannot be flouted with impunity.

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We can assert with certainty, that apart from the consumption of sub-standard milk, most
of the diseases and problems associated with infancy, are caused by over-feeding.
It has been my experience over more than fifty years that babies are fed too much and
too often.
It is also true that adults who have digestive and related problems are usually the product
of a dyspeptic childhood caused by over feeding, too-frequent feeding, and of course,
feeding on incorrect foods.
Those who are health-conscious take it for granted that unsuitable foods, drugs,
medicines and other harmful substances are all potential causes of ill-health, but fail to
realise that even if the food supply is nutritionally adequate it can still cause trouble if
taken to excess.
Infants should not be breast-fed oftener than three times daily.
Adults would do well to limit their intake of food to one meal a day if they aspire to
perfection.
If they are not prepared to do this they should have no more than two meals a day, one
no earlier than midday and the other at least six hours later.
Babies should be taken from the breast as soon as they show lack of interest.
They should be put down at once and should not be allowed develop a "second hunger".
Adults should cease eating as soon as they feel satisfied. They also should not continue
past the point of repletion.
Adults should also not eat until they develop flatulence.
There seems to be a tendency to overeat amongst those who have recently converted
from an omnivorous diet to a vegetarian diet.
The reverse should be true.
A natural diet has a higher nutritional value than an orthodox diet, so the newcomer
should really eat less then they have been accustomed to.
The average adult who does a normal-day's work should not eat more than about 50
ounces of food daily. This is the maximum amount permissible. If the adult is in robust
health it may be possible to reduce the daily ration to 33 ounces.
I am drawing my reader’s attention to the principle of moderation because there is a
tendency to neglect it and to accept the erroneous principle that the secret of good health
is an abundance of good food.
Nutritionally good food is certainly desirable but it should only be consumed in amounts
which will ensure that what is eaten is utilized.
The over-eating of good foods is to be condemned. It can only lead to ill health.
Coupled with the simple over-consumption of potentially good foods is the habit of eating
too quickly and of not masticating our food sufficiently.
When we eat too quickly and swallow our food partially chewed we literally "dig our
graves with our teeth.”
If we eat too quickly we fail to chew every mouthful until it is an emulsion.

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In order to digest our food thoroughly it is necessary for it to be converted from a solid to
a liquid.
When we swallow our food partially un-chewed the stomach is filled before hunger has
been fully satisfied and this leads to dyspepsia.
Food is digested in the stomach by being mixed with the gastric juices.
The more thoroughly our food is chewed the more intimately it can come into contact with
the gastric juices, consequently the more perfect and more rapid will be its digestion.
Over-nourishment, caused by an over-supply of food, causes an increased expenditure of
nerve-force, mechanical energy and chemicals.
This produces enervation, which depletes the body of vital energy and leads to toxaemia.
Toxaemia inevitably leads to ill health.
The excessive feeding of well people is potentially harmful but it is more harmful still in
the case of an infant because it is unable to control its intake of food and it is unable to
tell us what is wrong.
The compulsory feeding of sick people is a crime against the individual.
When the organism is clearly indicating by every means at its disposal that no food is
required it is dangerous to force food upon it.
When an organism is exhibiting symptoms of illness it is tacitly telling us it wishes to feed
itself exclusively from its own reserves of nutritional material stored in the bone marrow or
fatty tissues.
When this happens we should withhold food and undertake a fast.
Over-nutrition caused by over-consumption of normally wholesome foods leads naturally
to the generation of an excess of mechanical energy and nerve-force which must find an
outlet. So, the needless consumption of good foods produces an excess, which the
organism has to eliminate because it is unwanted. This uses up nerve-force needlessly,
leads to toxaemia and eventually to disease.
How can we best avoid over-eating? In the case of babies the remedy is in the hands and
mind of the mother. She must base her attitude towards her baby on science and not
emotion. She must exercise her will power and determination to do what is best for her
baby even in the face of ignorant opposition. She must cease feeding her baby as soon
as genuine hunger has been satisfied.
In the case of adults, the situation may be more difficult because disease processes may
have developed and habits may have become more deeply ingrained.
Motivation is the keynote.
When an intelligent adult is conscious of the need to exercise will-power that person will
develop the strength of will necessary to discipline himself, or herself to limit the intake of
food to the desired amount.
Those who wish to reduce their intake of food should eat very slowly and chew each
mouthful well before swallowing. If you eat too quickly you will eat too much.
More people die of over-eating than die of starvation.
Food is a stimulant so over-eating is over-stimulation, and over-stimulation leads to
enervation and toxaemia.

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Over-eating is one of mankind's most common and most harmful habits.
May I suggest that you try to overcome this habit by practicing the beneficial habit of
abstemiousness?
We need to practice self-control.
We should try to find the reason why we over-indulge.
When we remove the cause and exert a little will power we will be able to master the
scourges of over-eating and self-indulgence and by so doing be able to adopt the
principle of moderation.
On reflection it will be realised that the principle of abstemiousness was wisely
established by the pioneers of Nature Cure for the purpose of avoiding and combating
gluttony. It was devised not to destroy happiness, but to increase it.
Gluttony originally referred mainly to the excessive consumption of food and drink but
was later extended to include excesses in other fields.
People not only eat too much food and drink but they also indulge unwisely and to excess
in such fields as sexual activity, late hours and entertainment.
Sexual excesses are often the result of eating foods which have been perverted by being
artificially flavoured with, salt, pepper, vinegar, sauces, curry, mustard and spices, and
also as a result of the use of hormones in foods of animal origin. These substances are
not only very harmful from a chemical viewpoint but also cause excessive stimulation,
which leads to an abnormal sexual appetite. A drastic reduction in the consumption of
these items would do much to reduce an abnormal sexual appetite and thus help to solve
this problem.
The keeping of unduly late hours denies the organism the rest it needs, and by causing
enervation leads directly to toxaemia and ill health.
Excessive entertainment, loud noises, excessive vibration, all over excite the nervous
system and place a strain upon the whole organism.
Excessive excitement causes enervation.
Moderation and self control in all of these fields enables us to avoid the consequences of
gluttony in these important areas also.
Abstemiousness enables us to avoid excesses.
By practicing self-control and moderation we can avoid enervation and toxaemia.
Abstemiousness is therefore one of the prime requisites for health, happiness and
longevity. It acts as a preventative measure, which not only assists us to avoid illness but
aids in increasing happiness and enjoyment of life. Prevention is better than cure.
As abstemiousness can help us to prevent illness it offers us an opportunity to live
intelligently and biologically.

The evidence I have largely offered so far is only anecdotal evidence, which is generally
frowned upon by the medical profession.
They prefer what they call "hard scientific" evidence.

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Is there any hard scientific evidence to support the claim that abstemiousness in eating
habits is likely to benefit our health?
There is ample evidence.
Dr Van Sommeren had an opportunity to meet Horace Fletcher, to examine his principles
and evaluate them.
He came to the conclusion, after painstaking experiments, that what Fletcher claimed was
perfectly valid.
Professor Irving Fisher, the eminent physiologist of Yale University carried out extensive
research and published his findings in medical journals and books.
Possibly the best evidence is provided by the work of Professor Russell Chittenden,
whom I mentioned previously.
Chittenden found to his surprise that some of his subjects could maintain and stabilize
their body weight and perform feats of strength and endurance on as little as 3 or 4
ounces of food a day over long periods. His research indicated quite clearly that we
would all benefit quite considerably by reducing the intake of food. His book still remains
the classic in its field.
Having been convinced by the evidence, how does one commence the task of reducing
the daily intake?
Theory is valueless unless we put it into practice.
I can think of no better way to accomplish this than to first adopt the No-breakfast Plan.
This has been done by many people who all testify gratefully as to the benefits, which
accrue.
If I were asked to state the two most important factors in the achievement and
maintenance of health I would unhesitatingly nominate NATURAL FOODS coupled with
ABSTEMIOUSNESS.
Alongside gluttony has grown PERMISSIVENESS.
This is the allowance of almost any kind of conduct as long as it does not harm others.
The principle of permissiveness has given rise to what has become known as “demand
feeding" of babies.
This pernicious system has caused more illnesses and deaths than any other single
cause. The principle is to feed the baby little and often. It is wrongfully claimed that it is
best, to allow the baby to determine how often and when it wants food. We condemn
demand feeding and recommend instead moderation.
I recommend mothers to, if possible, breast-feed their babies three times a day. I am not
alone in this regard and the principle is not new.
In 1882, Dr C. E. Page wrote a book entitled HOW TO FEED THE BABY, in which he
said: - “No logical or physiological reason can be given for feeding an infant more than three times
in twenty four hours".
What is beneficial for infants is also beneficial for growing children and adults.
Growing children should not be allowed to develop a gluttonous appetite.

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Children who habitually over-eat will be certain to develop chronic diseases and will
eventually develop Healing Crises one after another.
Self-control in childhood will ensure that the babies and children of today will grow into
adulthood without having the customary childhood diseases. Now, isn't that a worthy
objective?
Think about it.

Bibliography.

Cornaro, Luigi, DISCOURSES ON THE SOBER LIFE. 1930 C. W. Daniel Co.

London. England.
Dewey, E. H., M.D. THE TRUE SCIENCE OF LIVING 1904. 323 pp C. C. Haskell &
Co. Norwich Conn. U.S.A.

Dewey, E.H., M.D. A NEW ERA FOR WOMEN. 1903, 371 pp. C. C. Haskell & Co.
Norwich. Conn. U.S.A.
Dewey, E.H., M.D. THE NO-BREAKFAST PLAN AND THE FASTING CURE. 1900
207 pp. L. N. Fowler & Co. London, England.
Chittenden, Russell H., Ph.D., L.L.D., Sc. D.
PHYSIOLOGICAL ECONOMY IN NUTRITION. 1905. 478 pp.
William Heinemann. London.
Fletcher, Horace. THE NEW GLUTTON OR EPICURE. 1899. 328 pp. F. A. Stokes
Co. New York. U.S.A.
Fletcher, Horace. THE A.B.Z. OF OUR OWN NUTRITION. 1903. 426 pp. F. A.
Stokes Co. New York. U.S.A.
Fletcher, Horace. FLETCHERISM, WHAT IT IS? 1913. 115 pp. Ewart Seymour &
Co. Ltd. Kingsway. W.C. England.
Page, C. E., M.D. HOW TO FEED THE BABY - 1882, 160 pp. L. N. Fowler Co.
London. England.
Pathak, C. L., M.D. NUTRITIONAL ADAPTATION TO LOW DIETARY INTAKES.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Vol. 6. No. 2. March-April
1955.
Szekely, E. B. COSMOS MAN AND SOCIETY. 1935. 842 pp. C. W. Daniel
London. England

Other books by K. S. Jaffrey: -

HOW TO FAST.
NATURAL FOODS.
LIVING NATURALLY.
WHAT IS NATURE CURE?
REARING YOUR BABY NATURALLY.
NATUROPATHIC FIRST AID.
HEALTH & HAPPINESS THROUGH POSITIVE THINKING.
THE COMMON COLD.
THE CAUSE OF DISEASE.
FEVER-NATURE'S OWN HEALING PROCESS.
LESSONS ON HEALTH.
HOW NATURE "CURES.

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RADIANT HEALTH FOR BEGINNERS.
TELL ME SIMPLY.
OVERCOMING MENTAL DEPRESSION.
THE FOOD COMBINATION FALLACY.
THE COMMON DENOMINATOR.
THE PLACEBO.
MEDICINE ON TRIAL.
THE FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION OF CHIROPRACTIC.
A THEORY OF IRIDIAGNOSIS.

Copyright © 2009
Double K Pty Lt
Australia
www.thehealtheducator.com.au

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