Diseased gums or tonsils can cause halitosis, but more often putrefactive bacteria, living on undigested food, form foul-smelling gases which are thrown off in exhaled air. Any deficiency that impairs digestion is a contributing factor. Volunteers lacking vitamin B6 developed foul breath, which disappeared after the vitamin was given them. When there is an odor to the stools, halitosis invariably occurs simultaneously. The condition is rectified by improving the digestion and destroying the putrefactive bacteria by taking yogurt or acidophilus milk or culture.

Normally rhythmic contractions of the muscles in the walls of the stomach and small intestines continue for hours after eating, mixing the food mass with digestive juices, enzymes, and bile and bringing the already digested food into contact with the absorbing surface of the intestinal walls. Without such contractions, foods cannot be well digested or absorbed.

A potassium deficiency causes the contractions of the intestinal muscles to slow down markedly or these muscles to become partially or completely paralyzed. Such a deficiency occurs following surgery, diarrhea, and other forms of stress; the taking of cortisone or diuretics; and the consumption of highly refined foods or too much salt. This condition, which allows gas pains to become excruciating, is usually associated with constipation. For instance, a study of 655 colicky infants--probably enduring the combined stresses of having no pantothenic acid and nervous, overanxious mothers--revealed that the lower the blood potassium dropped, the worse the colic became. When 1 gram of potassium chloride was given them by injection, the colic quickly disappeared. Pantothenic acid, added to formula or drinking water, would probably have been equally effective.

Antibodies, white blood cells, the complement, and lymph cells are all made of complete protein. A lack of this nutrient can prevent recovery from infections regardless of the amounts of vitamins obtained. When a low-protein diet has been replaced by one high in protein, the production of antibodies has increased within a few hours. Of single amino acids, methionine and tryptophane, generously supplied in eggs and milk, are particularly valuable. Of single proteins tested for their ability to build body defenses, liver, yeast, and especially wheat germ proved most valuable. Egg yolk, milk, meat, and soy flour, in this order, particularly increased the production of white blood cells.

The main problem in diarrhea is that food is forced through the body so rapidly that few nutrients can be absorbed. Not infrequently, diarrhea occurs when we are unconsciously trying to get rid of something we do not like about ourselves. A variety of nutritional deficiencies can result in diarrhea, however, particularly a lack of niacin amide.

A lack of folic acid, vitamin B6, or magnesium also results in diarrhea, which can be quickly overcome when the missing nutrient is supplied. Because a high calcium intake causes magnesium to be excreted, diarrhea brought on by a magnesium deficiency is common in bottle-fed babies, persons on conventional ulcer diets, and individuals who take an excess of calcium. As little as 1/4 teaspoon of magnesium oxide daily, added to milk, prevents or corrects such diarrhea, and should probably be given to all bottle-fed infants, particularly if they are wakeful or irritable.

A tremendous amount of research has proved that vitamin C is vitally important in overcoming infections, but the use of antibiotics-and greater profits made from their sale. In a single year no less than 45 research projects reported that vitamin C rendered harmless a wide variety of bacterial toxins, and inhibited the growth of whatever bacteria it failed to destroy; that its action was non-specific in that it was deadly to all types of viruses and bacteria; and that while small amounts could bring some immunity, huge doses were much more effective. When large quantities were given to guinea pigs already injected with bacteria, 99 per cent of the body cells showed evidence of bacterial destruction in a single hour.

When attacked by bacteria or viruses, the healthy body mobilizes its navy, air force, army, and marines so quickly that no infection occurs. These armed forces consist of lymph cells, white blood cells, antibodies, or globulins, which are ineffective without a co-worker, the complement. The viruses, and their toxins by engulfing and digesting them with the aid of enzymes or by combining with them, causing them to settle out, or by other means. An adequate diet can quickly increase all of these defenses even after an infection gets a foothold provided various nutrients are given in generous amounts the minute the first symptoms appear. The body's armed forces are identical regardless of the location of the infection or the types of viruses or bacteria involved. Because a physician is rarely consulted until illness is advanced, each individual should know the immediate steps to take to fight an infection.

When volunteers have been kept on diets mildly lacking in vitamin B2, the first symptoms were whiteheads and oily hair and skin. This condition cleared up soon after 5 to 15 milligrams of vitamin B2 were given daily. Dryness of the skin has resulted in volunteers lacking vitamins A, C, linoleic acid, or anyone of several B vitamins. The oils of the skin are unsaturated and appear to be made almost wholly of the essential fatty acids; therefore unless vegetable oils are consumed, the skin is invariably dry.

When the diet is adequate, however, both oiliness and dryness are usually corrected in a few weeks.

All nutrients that increase cortisone production must be particularly emphasized in the diet of any individual with arthritis. Because stress has caused a continuous destruction of protein, necessary before ACTH can be produced, the protein intake must be extremely high and obtained in small frequent meals. Volunteers lacking essential fatty acids quickly showed a decrease in adrenal hormones. Pantothenic acid can scarcely be overemphasized, and persons subject to arthritis may have an unusually high requirement for this vitamin. Men deficient in pantothrnic acid for only 25 days developed impaired adrenal function., days developed impaired adrenal function. Prolonged stress increases the nutritional requirements so much that deficiencies of pantothenic acid and/or vitamins B2 or C can be produced and cause the adrenals to become severely damaged; hence several weeks may be necessary for repair before improvement can be expected.

Arthritic patients have been referred to as "the most neglected segment of the medical population." The fact that this disease has not been readily produced in experimental animals has been a drawback to understanding it. One strain of mice spontaneously develops an illness similar to arthritis; and a high-protein diet delays its onset and decreases its severity. An abnormality simulating arthritis has been produced in rats deficient in pantothenic acid, and the amount of vitamin C in the blood of these animals becomes extremely low. If vitamin C is given them in huge quantities, it markedly delays the onset of the "arthritis"; pantothenic acid completely prevents or corrects it.

Abnormalities which frequently complicate diabetes are atherosclerosis, fatty liver, overweight, cataracts, retinitis, and gangrene. The prolonged use of inadequate diets high in saturated fats often causes the arteries of diabetics to become almost unbelievably filled with fatty deposits.

Most diabetics over 50 years of age have atherosclerosis, which is far more common in diabetics than in non-diabetics, and may be as damaging to the liver, brain, kidneys, heart, and other parts of the body. Vegetarian diabetics, whose diets supply B vitamins, potassium, magnesium, and vegetable oils but little saturated fat, have no atherosclerosis. Diabetic Trappist monks, who eat eggs, whole milk, and yogurt but no meat, have blood cholesterol levels well under 200 milligrams regardless of age.