Fruit or Fasting

Treatment of disease by fasting has come into fashion of late, and there
is really no lack of proof as to the benefits to be obtained from
abstaining entirely from food for a short period. I know of an elderly
man who fasts for a fortnight every spring, and gains, not loses, weight
during the process! He accounts for this by explaining that certain
stored up, undigested food particles come out and are digested while he
fasts. Whether this is the correct explanation I do not know, but the
fact remains, and it is not by any means a solitary case. Of course, the
majority of people lose weight when fasting, but this is very quickly
recovered. Now I do not think fasting should be undertaken recklessly,
but only under competent direction. But an excellent and safe substitute
for a fast is an exclusive fruit diet.

Acute Illness

The simplest and quickest method of recovering from attacks of acute
illness, fevers, inflammatory diseases, etc., is to rest quietly in bed
in a warm but well-ventilated room, and to take three meals a day of
fresh ripe fruit, grapes by preference. If the grapes are grown out of
doors and ripened in the sun so much the better. I have found from two
to three pounds of grapes per day sufficient. If there is thirst, barley
water flavoured with lemon juice should be taken between the meals.