Daily Los Angeles herald., 1878-08-03
FAT OR LEAN.
Diet for Increasing or Decreasing stOut1ess
IBy Miss Juliet corson.l

The physical conditions of oh. s.
ity and leanness are generally con-
stitutional, and often hereditary;
and, while they are susceptible OF
modification, they can never he
wholly overcome.
| The province of fat in the system
is important. 1t is essential to the
perfect development of the brain
and nervous system; and, If it does
not actually enter into the compo-
sition of the muscular tissue, it
fills all the interstices and acts as
lubricating agent for the cOmpli-
Gated human machinery. 1t is
also one of the chief respiratory
ailments, and aids largely in keep
ing the temperature of the body at
the proper point; undue depriva-
tion of it often produces consump-
tive and so-called scrofulous con-
ditions of the system. On the
other hand, an excessive uso OF
fatty foods is apt to cause indiges-
tion and biliousness. But il is
more of ell advisable to increase
its proportion rather than to di-
minish it, unless its excess is
physical burden. If any modiiica-
tion is attempted the effects should
be most carefully noted. Atten
ton should be paid to the regular
performance of all natural fuue-
tions; plenty of open-air exercis
should he taken, and the Turkish
bath should be employed once or
twice week, together with "A
daily sponge bath of salt and water,
accompanied by active friction.
Obesity depends not only upon
the quantity of fat present in the
Tissues, but also upon their capac-
ity for retaining fluids; and, there
fore, if II diminution of flesh is de-
silable, W. must restrict the diet;
We must decrease the supply to the
system and increase their diminu-
tion; all foad and drink must be
chosen with direct reference to
their physical effects, and they
must be used in quantities suffi.
cient only to meet absolute require
store of vitality. The greatest care
must be taken lest the supply be
diminished so rapidly as to reduce
the system too suddenly; and in
ordinary cases a change of diet will
serve the purpose better than any
excessive decrease in the quantity
of food.
This change of diet should he
made in accordance with the uc-
cepted classification Of foods into
the nitrogenous, or flesh forming,
carbouacsous, or Matchmaking, aud
phospha ic or brain and nerve
| foods.
The elements to be avoided are
| the heat foods, such as milk, fresh
white bread, potatoes, leguminous
vegetables, vegetable and animal
oils and fats, aud all forms of sugar.
The quantity of drink should be
limited. and what is taken should
consist al nj .derately cold water,
or some wine and water, and weak
tea. lean meat and game may be
used daily; green vegetables, suc!:
as onions, cabbage, spinnacb, let.
tuce aud celery, may be moderate.
ly used. Beets, parsnips, corn, car
rots and sweet fruits are undesira.
BILE on account of the excess of
sugar which they contain. Eggs
may be used if desired. Dry bread
and toast SHOULD entirely replace
fresh bread.
The following is a modified spec
linen dietary for decreasing flesh:
Breakfast - Half II pint of tea
with not more than two tablespoon
fuls of milk, and very little sugar;
one or two boiled or poached eggs;
two ounces each of lean meat and
toast or dried bread.
Dinner-Half pint OF soup mat de
from lean meat and vegetables,
as indicated above, with all the fat
carefully removed during it's prep
aratinn; quarter of pound each of
lean meat and green Vegetables;
two ounces each ofpIain boiled po-
stale bread; half a pint of mo ler-
ately cool water; one gill of light
wine or one gill of table beer; plain
pudding made without milk (such
as roley-poley), and plain boiled
milk may be used when The diet is
not vigorous.
Supper - This meal should he
light, consisting of half n pint of
,ea, two ounces each of dry toast
/ ind meat, and an ounce of cheese.
If the appetite Graves more than
'he above quantities, the bread,
green vegetables and lean meat
nay be increased.
la any case the above diet is only
Approximate, aud must be modified
)y season, climate and personal
idiosyncrasies.
, The chief point is that the change
pr Limitation OF nutriment should
not impair the general health ; and,
consequently, it should be made
under the supervision ofa physician
cognizant of all personal character
istics. Neither curiosity nor fancy
should find indulgence at the
expense Of general health.
I have submitted these food facts
to you with the hope that they may
be useful in indicating an outline
of the application of definite ali
mentary constituents to the phys
ical conditions to which they are
suited. In one brief lecture it is
impossible to do more than suggest
possibilities which every profess
sional worker must apply in person
to use among his or her patients,
and from that application verify
the general alimehtary principles
which underlie the physiology of
nutrition-the exact scientific
ground whose borders only 1 am
| ans;tI,l "a In In, ,>prcttif nf ,,,u