45

THE THREE STAGES

Disease is one and the principle underlying the
rhe treatment is also one. But the exact mode of
application of the principle will depend upon
individual circumstances. For facilitating the under-
standing of the treatment/ I shall divide all digestive
disorders into three categories or stages The first
one marks the first stage in the progress of the
disease, that is, the beginnings of indigestion,
when the foundation is laid for the onset of
indigestion. The second is the acute stage, and
the third the cmcnic. In the third one I shal] make
a sub-division - an acute phase with a chronic
background and the genuine chronic stage.
Here it will be possible only to indicate how to
distinguish between the three stages of disease.
For a fuller understanding of the Nature-Cure
conception of disease, its beginning and progress/
the reader should go through my father's Practical
Nature-Cure.*

THE BEGINNINGS OF INDIGESTION

Indigestion is generally associated with pain or
a sense of acute discomfort in the upper abdomen.
As a result, people do not think that they have
indigestion unless there is some pain. But often/ in
the early stages, pain or discomfort may not be
marked. In fact/ generally, a feeling of pain is
an indication that digestion has been out of order
for some time. This is because pain in the stomach
is felt in a rather indirect or complicated way* So
in most cases pain starts only after indigestion has

* Practical Nature-Cure, by Sri. K Lakshmana sarma,
Published by The Mature-Cure Publishing Houso, Pudukkottai,
( Trichinopoly) South India.