Horace Fletcher (1849–1919) was an American health advocate and self-help author. He popularized the practice of Fletcherism, a distinctive approach to eating and digestion. Dubbed ‘The Great Masticator,’ Fletcher championed the idea that thorough chewing, to the point of liquefaction, was essential before swallowing food.
Born in Lawrence, Massachusetts, Fletcher rose to prominence in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, challenging conventional views on nutrition and well-being.
Central to Fletcher’s philosophy, known as ‘Fletcherism,’ was the emphasis on meticulous mastication for optimal digestion and nutrient absorption. He believed that a deliberate, unhurried approach to eating—savoring each bite and consuming only what the body required—could contribute to improved health and enhanced vitality.
In his notable work, Fletcherism, What It Is, or How I Became Young at Sixty (1913,) Fletcher elaborated on his ideas, recounting his personal journey to health and longevity through mindful eating. The New Glutton or Epicure (1911) delved further into his theories on nutrition and underscored the significance of conscious eating habits. Despite encountering skepticism from the medical community, Fletcherism garnered a following, and its principles went on to influence later nutritional practices.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Horace Fletcher
Fear is an acid which is pumped into one’s atmosphere. It causes mental, moral and spiritual asphyxiation, and sometimes death; death to energy and all growth.
—Horace Fletcher
Topics: Fear
The underlying cause of all weakness and unhappiness in man has always been, and still is, weak habit ofthought.
—Horace Fletcher
Topics: Habit
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