Andrew W. Saul

… Those who would speak only of the eccentricities of the health “faddists” marginalize their many lasting medical contributions. Too much of what the public hears today effectively distracts it from the real success nature-cure advocates have achieved. When we dwell less on the practitioners’ personalities, and focus more on their actual treatments, we see an ahead-of-the-times emphasis on physical activity and eating right. It is strikingly difficult to find any modern scientific basis for condemning the essential “health faddist” lifestyle. Regular exercise and eating high-fiber, nutrient- rich foods is urged by today’s most respected health authorities. Long ago, Macfadden’s “Physical Culture Creed” specifically called for “Reasonable regular use of the muscular system” and a “wholesome diet of vital foods.” Such advice is beyond reproach.

Poor health may result from consuming too much of the wrong thing as well as eating too little of the right thing. It was the health-food “faddists” who were first to promote abstinence from tobacco, alcohol, junk food, and overeating. From long before Jackson to long after Macfadden, what the “faddists” then insisted on is now universally regarded as part and parcel of good health.

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