Practical Home Dietetics
By Minnie Genevieve Morse
II. The Rôle of Diet in Reducing and Increasing Weight
In addition to the natural and proper inclination to make the best of oneself, there is scientific reason in the stout woman's desire to reduce her weight, and the painfully thin woman's wish to take on a few more pounds of flesh; health itself is at its best when the body maintains its normal proportions, without serious loss or gain. Any considerable variation from the normal standard shows a disturbance in the balance of nutrition; either the vital fire is being fed too generously, and the excess of fuel, instead of being turned into heat and energy, is accumulating in the tissues, to be a burden to the organism and, perhaps in time, cause disease, or else the expenditure of force is greater than the supply of fuel, the bodily tissues are drawn upon to aid in feeding the fire, and all the systems of the body suffer from the insufficiency of nourishment. Stout people become increasingly disinclined to either physical or mental exertion; they are apt to suffer from indigestion and constipation, rheumatic troubles and shortness of breath; and, when a condition of actual obesity is reached, a fatty degeneration of one or more of the vital organs is liable. The insufficiently nourished person, on the other hand, is usually anæmic and nervous, the weak and faulty performance of many of the bodily functions testifying to the lack of proper nutrition.
With regard to the matter of physical attractiveness, the advantage of proper proportion between the weight and the height is obvious. The too-thin woman has fewer difficulties to contend with than her too-stout sister, in fulfilling fashion's requirements, for her figure can be modified to a far greater extent by the dressmaker's art. But the face and hands cannot be filled out correspondingly, and the thin woman early takes on lines and wrinkles, usually looking much older than a plumper woman of the same age.
Proper balance between the intake of food and the outgo of energy is thus necessary, both for the maintenance of good health and for the preservation of one's fair share of natural comeliness. The generally-accepted standard of weight in proportion to height which a woman should maintain, in order to fulfil these requirements, is as follows: Five feet one inch, 120 pounds; five feet two inches, 126 pounds; five feet three inches, 133 pounds; five feet four inches, 136 pounds; five feet five inches, 142 pounds; five feet six inches, 145 pounds; five feet seven inches, 149 pounds; five feet eight inches, 155 pounds; five feet nine inches, 162 pounds; five feet ten inches, 169 pounds.
The purposes for which food is taken into the body are two: the rebuilding of the bodily tissues, which are constantly consumed by physical and mental activities, and the production of heat and energy. During the period of growth, the body necessarily demands a large amount of tissue-building material, and it is natural and reasonable that a growing child should have a large appetite, and be ready to eat at all times of day. If, however, a person who has come to maturity continues to eat as heartily as in early life, more food is taken into the body than is required after the growing period is ended, a heavy strain is put upon the organs which remove waste products from the system, and there is likely to be a deposition of fat in the tissues. Another factor in producing these results is the fact that the adult usually leads a far less active life, physically, than the growing child, so that less food is needed for transformation into energy, as well as for the purpose of body-building.
This is even more true now than it was a few generations ago; the higher standard of luxury in the modern manner of life, labor-saving devices of every kind, and improved transportation facilities, which have almost reduced out-door exercise to a matter of country-club athletics, are among the reasons for the present-day lack of physical activity among both men and women. It must not be forgotten, however, that our high-pressure modern life also favors the existence of a class, who, instead of feeding their vital fires too generously, are inadequately nourished; among the contributing factors in this case are improper food, hasty and unattractively served meals, unhygienic ways of living, and the heavy, nervous strain that makes havoc of so many lives, in one way or another.
Considering first the case of the woman who is above the normal standard of weight, it may be said in the beginning that there are few stout people who cannot safely, and without resorting to any dubious measures, reduce their weight sufficiently to improve not only their appearance, but their comfort and general vigor as well. Such results are not produced in a moment, however, and patience, perseverence and a considerable exercise of will-power may be necessary.
Any decided deviation from one's usual manner of life should not be undertaken without the advice of a competent physician. Constitutions, have been wrecked, and even lives lost, by such tampering with nature's laws. Exercise and diet are the two great aids in reducing weight, but either, by being carried to extremes, or attempted under unsuitable conditions, may do more harm than good. One procedure which cannot be too strongly condemned is the use of the various "anti-fat" preparations, which are among the patent medicines that have afflicted a credulous world; such "remedies" are worse than useless, as they may do actual harm by upsetting the digestion, or otherwise disturbing nutrition, while it is beyond the power of any drug to control such a complex process as that of the balance between waste and repair in the human body. If the desired effect is actually produced, it is by a lowering of the general health.
Many systems of exercises have been recommended for reducing flesh, especially about the waist and hips, and, when used in moderation, and with a physician's assurance that none of the organs of the body will be injured by their use, the following out of such a system will not only aid in reducing the weight, but will improve circulation and nutrition, and increase the general bodily vigor. The exercises usually recommended consist principally of reaching, stretching and bending movements, but breathing exercises are also useful, as deep breathing aids in burning up fat. Stair climbing, with the body erect and only the ball of the foot placed on each step, is also highly recommended, and for reducing the fat on the hips the "standing run" is especially valuable. Tennis, golf, bicycling, and horseback riding, all aid in keeping down weight. Walking is, however, the exercise par excellence for stout people; not a slow and languid saunter, but a brisk pace, and a steadily increasing distance. Hill climbing, when there is no danger of overtaxing the heart, is even more effective than walking on a level.
A noted physician, who has successfully reduced many stout patients, lately made the statement that many fat people were willing to take any sort of treatment that was ordered for them, if only their diet was not restricted. It is upon restriction of diet, however, that the chief dependence must be placed, in the reduction of weight; exercise produces a more rapid burning up of fat in the body, but superfluous fat cannot be stored up, if the material for it is not supplied to the system. Many famous systems of reduction by restricted diet have been given to the world, but most of them are so severe that they should only be used under the direction of a physician. All of these systems require a reduction of the total amount of food taken, a restriction of the quantity of fluid allowed, and a more or less strict avoidance of those food substances which are most readily turned into fat in the body. Most of them also provide for light lunches in the middle of the morning and afternoon, as these additional meals tend to lessen the appetite at the heavier meals of the day.
The fat-making foods include sugars, starches, fat meats, butter and oil. It is not safe to deprive the body entirely of these groups of food substances, since proper nutrition depends upon a wholesomely balanced diet, but the amount of them taken by the average person can be very greatly cut down without any danger to health. It is not unusual for a single meal to include a cream soup, bread and butter, potatoes, macaroni, a starchy vegetable, such as beans, a salad dressed with oil, and a rice or cornstarch pudding,—a list of articles which, as may readily be seen, contains a much larger amount of fat-making food than is required by the actual needs of the body.
The woman who is in earnest to reduce her weight, then, should eat at each meal as little of the sweet or starchy articles of food and of the fats and oils as is compatible with health. Soup is best omitted altogether, not only because the cream soups and purées contain much fat-making material, but also because as little fluid as possible should be taken with meals. Among fish, salmon, bluefish and eels contain more fat than the other varieties of sea food. Fat meats and all forms of pork should be avoided. The potato is eaten so universally, appearing upon our tables at almost every meal, that its omission from the diet often seems a severe deprivation; however, it is one of the starchiest of foods, and should be cut entirely out of a menu planned for the reduction of weight. Most of the other vegetables grown below ground are also undesirable for the stout person; this class includes turnips, carrots, parsnips and beets,—not, however, onions or radishes. Peas and beans also contain a good deal of starch. It is almost impossible to eliminate bread-stuffs from the diet, yet much indulgence in the "bread and butter habit" is fatal to the woman who desires to grow thin. Bread has least flesh-forming power when thoroughly toasted; whole-wheat bread contains less starch than that made of the ordinary white flour, while gluten bread contains still less, and is the most desirable form for the stout person's use. Macaroni and spaghetti, rice, and the breakfast cereals are all included in the list of very starchy foods, and should, therefore, be avoided. Sweets of every sort—cakes, pies, puddings, ice cream, confectionery, chocolate, jam and preserves—are forbidden to one who is engaged in a flesh-reducing campaign. Very little butter should be eaten; no mayonnaise dressing or olive oil in any form, no cream, and not much milk,—none at all with meals.
The list of articles allowed includes almost all kinds of fresh fish; lean meats and chicken; eggs; bread in small quantities, when stale or toasted; all fresh, green vegetables, such as spinach, lettuce, celery, asparagus and tomatoes; and nearly all kinds of fresh fruits, except bananas, which are largely made up of starch. Fruits stewed without sugar are also permitted. This is neither a starvation diet nor prison fare, but it does mean a monotonous bill of fare, and considerable will-power is required to follow such a regimen for a long period. Where a reducing diet is adopted without the advice of a physician, it is a safer plan to eat smaller portions of the flesh-forming foods than one is accustomed to, than to cut them out of the menu altogether.
Drinking liquids with meals is conducive to increase in weight: not more than one small cup of tea or coffee, or one small glass of water, should be taken with a meal. Water should, however, be taken between meals; it is dangerous to cut the amount of water taken in twenty-four hours down to a small quantity, as a deficiency of water in the system is liable to prevent the kidneys from doing their proper work. Chocolate and cocoa are fattening. Beer and ale are well known to have flesh-forming properties, and all alcoholic beverages are better avoided.
Napping after meals aids in putting on flesh, and should not be indulged in. Standing for twenty minutes or half an hour after meals is a help in preventing the deposition of fat about the hips and abdomen, the erect position promoting a more equal distribution of the products of nutrition.
Any tendency to constipation is to be prevented. Laxative fruits and vegetables, such as oranges, apples, spinach and lettuce, will be helpful here, as will a glass of cold water taken on rising in the morning.
The dietetic treatment of excessive thinness usually appears to one who is engaged in trying to reduce her weight as liberty to indulge in all the good things of this life. However, it is sometimes more difficult to build up a thin person than to reduce a stout one; restriction of diet and persistence in active exercise are practically certain to cause a loss of weight, while many factors, besides a too-slender diet, may be at the bottom of the thin woman's condition. Diseases of many different organs, a run-down nervous condition, too much hard work and too little rest, improper food, and disorders of the digestive tract are among the causes that may produce malnutrition, and the first measure adopted by the painfully thin person should be a frank talk with her family physician, as the diet required may not be that intended especially for increasing weight, but one that shall improve nutrition by remedying the defective working of some organ or system of the body.
It is practically hopeless to attempt to build up a patient when the proper conditions cannot be secured; where there is no possibility of relief from a severe physical, mental or nervous strain, where a sufficient amount of sleep is impossible, or where there can be no escape from an unhygienic way of life, the wisest dietetic measures will accomplish as much as can be expected of them, if they merely enable the body to hold its own without further loss of weight and strength.
Under favoring circumstances, however, the sugars, starches, fats and oils, which the stout person must avoid, are the food substances from which the thin person may expect the most beneficial results. Foods difficult of digestion should be excluded from the menu, as an attack of indigestion might mean a considerable set-back, but many of the most nourishing and fat-producing articles of food are readily digested and assimilated, though they should not, of course, be used to the exclusion of other kinds of food.
A quart or two of milk a day, when taken in addition to the regular meals, will often work wonders; the cream should be stirred into it, not removed, and a raw egg may be beaten into an occasional glassful. Butter should be spread with a generous hand, salad dressings should contain as much oil as is practicable, and a tablespoonful of pure olive oil, taken after each meal, will be an effective aid, and also promote the free action of the bowels, that is so great a help in bringing about a condition of general good health.
Properly-made bread, potatoes, starchy vegetables, like beans and peas and corn, macaroni and spaghetti, rice, and the whole array of well-made breakfast cereals, with a generous supply of sugar and cream, should be well represented in the thin person's diet. Cream sauces should be used frequently with meat, fish or vegetables, and cream soups and purées are to be preferred to bouillons and other thin soups. Ice cream, milk puddings, and other nourishing desserts may have a place in the menu, as may all sorts of sweet fruits, chocolate and cocoa, honey, maple sugar and syrup, and even simple and pure confectionery. There are few articles of food that are forbidden to the woman who desires to increase her weight, except those which put a strain upon the digestion. A luncheon in the middle of the morning and one in the afternoon, with a glass of hot milk before retiring, assist very greatly in the building-up process, while a nap, or at least a quiet rest, after the midday meal, enables the system to put to the best uses the fuel which has been supplied to it. Long hours of sleep, avoidance of hurry and tension, regular hours for meals and pleasant surroundings, and conversation at mealtimes, are all aids in overcoming the tendency to excessive thinness.
With regard to both the stout and thin, it may be said that while the quantity and kind of food which is put into the body is unquestionably the greatest factor in maintaining a proper balance between its waste and repair, its income and outgo of energy, it is necessary to take a common-sense view of all the circumstances of each individual case: to make sure that there is no organ of the body whose functions are improperly performed; to avoid alike the temptation, on the one hand, to decreased activity, and, on the other, the tendency to over-exertion; to lead a well-balanced and hygienic life; and to practise, not only with regard to the pleasures of the table, but in everything that pertains to both physical and mental health, that wise choice and accustomed self control that are the mark of the highest type of humanity.
When thou dost tell another's jest, therein
Omit the oaths, which true wit cannot need:
Pick out of tales the mirth, but not the sin.
He pares his apple that will cleanly feed.
—George Herbert.
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