The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-27
Home Nursing
N V. JESSE LE1cH
4 Well Balanced Diet

W HEN the doctor told Anna Dale
 that she was suffering from the ef. fects of an ill-balanced diet, practically malnutrition, she looked first defiant, then angry. She said scornfuily that Fhe did not believe in nsw.fangled ideas and that what had been good enough Tor her mother to eat was good enough for her. What she needed was a good tonic. she was qInite sure.
 Anna Dale was past fifty and in rlinsd to regard fife from afar off with disapproying syes. She had lived a lonely life and she was entering upon a lonely old age with i'll health already placing its pallid hand upon her.
 8AlancSd diets are very important to health," the doctor told her aravely. We doctors sttech more importance to- day to dset and proper eating than we 60 to tonics. A thorough knowledge of food values, of the need of the body for a properly balaRced diet which pro. rides the necessary proteins and vita. mines is most important if one would pe healfhy and stay healthy
 And what are proteins?' asked Anna in unfriendly fashion.
 Proteins," said the doctor. ''are Foods that make blood. They furnish nitrogen to the tissues. Tissue-build- ing, which takes care of the growth, re- pair and upkeep of the body is i'm Dortaiit. Practically all foods contain a lttle protein. But some foods in com. mon use contain none. These are but. ter, cream and oil, and all of them foods which, while good for one in modera- fion, gre often partaken of too freely. There iS no protein in starch or suRar
 "Ye&L mutton and ham contain pro- &eins. Ham and eggs furnish dish azeA iM protein. Beef soup also con bAins protein. Among the vegetables are tomatoes, canned peas, asparag gus, Tadishes and spinach. All are rich in protelAs. Oatmeal contains an average anoutk of protein, while oranges, lemons and apples might be included aln0Ms the protein foods because they gre valuable to the body as blood -purf- Hers and tissue-repairers.
 sAmong the carbohydrate foods which are necessary to the body because they are fat-builders are the starches and apgars. The free use of carbohydrates fA o1e's diet makes one quickly over *Rho like candy. take a lot of sugar in their tea, on their pudding and per; hAps on their pie, and you will see that they are all little too fat. D
 Baked beans, corn, beets and tura hipg are vegetables containing cSrboby- dsates. All cereals are rich in this ele- fnent. Fruits and fruit syrup are al- rnpet 100 per cent carbohydrates. The carbohydrates taste so good that most people eat too many of them and pad the body with fat which restricts the nEtiyity of the organs and 50 in time affeets digestion.
 Finally, comb the vitamines," said fbe doetors We don't exactly know yet what vitamines are, but we do know that they control nutrition and that they are found chiefly in raw fruits and vegetables, milk, and also in lean meat to some extent. Our body re- QGires them for perfect nutrition
 Then you want me to go home and eat a lot of food I don't like and over- load my stomach?" asked Miss Anna doubtfuily.
 '.No. but want you to pay more at- Eention to the food you eat. Select it with thought of its value, and proper noifishment will give you strength and enefgy."