Evening star., 1924-08-15

Answers to readers questions regarding diet
will be given by Winfield Stuart Gibbs, 1000
Questions should be accompanied by a self,
addressed. stamped envelope as only those ot
Column; others will he answered through the
mail Every effort will be made to answer
questions promptly but we DespeaR aIe hh
delay. The number Of letters received Is
large and each must take its turn; Aduress'
winifred Stuart Gibbs, 81 Vest 39th street.
New York City.
Do you consider it very important
to give young children two and four
years the heavy meal or dinner In
the middle of the day? Since the
warm weather started | have been
giving them just milk and pudding
or stewed fruits for lunch with
heavier meal at night. They usually
go for walk after dinner and to
bed at 9. With this system / get
finished much earlier. Will you give
me your opinion as to what you
think is beSt?-N. b.
The question raised is a very i'm
portant one, and while no one can
understand your problem as well as
yourself. must tell you that IL you
can possibly manage it, such young
children should have their hearty
meal at midday. They should rest
after this meal. and should go to bed
much earlier than 9 o'clock. Lack of
proper sleep is a frequent cause of
undernourishment, and although this
condition may not at once appear 1t
is one of the dangers that the chill
dren face if they do not have proper
rest. One-half hour in the middle of
the day and twelve to fourteen hours
sleep at night will do wonders in lay
ing a foundation for future health.
11l ;rI.
health. but my digestive organs are
very bad. over year my bowels
are only moving when ] take a laxa-
tive. and ! have always headaches.
Have fairly good appetite. I eat
common food and feel very much ex-
hausted after the least exertion.
Could you advise me what to do?-
r. W.
think you will probably find it
possible to cure the troubles in con-
stipation by means of diet and ex-
ercises although il means patient.
systematic effort over a considerable
period of time.
The modern way of beginning an
attack on constipation is to rid the
bowels of the products of indigetion
and to give them different kind of
material to work on radical
change of diet would be to leave out
foods that are putrefactive. using
instead a large quantity of starchy
food. This is the first step in such
ID program.
The second step is to insure in
testinal cleanliness by warm enemas
merely as a temporary measure.
The next step is to be sure that
YOU have plenty of bulky foods, such
as vegetables and fruits.
In this connection you may find 1t
advantageous to use buttermilll or a
proportion of milk sugar and dex-
trim. which is called lacto-deNtrin.
This is really concentrated food
and you can get il at most any drug
store. I should not advise you to
use it. however, without consulting
your physician. since its use should
be planned very carefully. This
lacto-deXtrin is one of the best ways
Of introducing the right kind of bac-
terra into the intestines.
To return to the bulky foods. Cut
down on meat and use such foods as
bran. both in the form of mush and
added to breads; raw cabbage. raw
carrots, turnips. all the lettuce you
can eat: dried fruits such as figs, raj
sins and dates. and juicy fruits.
Now as to the constipation itself.
II is very important to train the
bowels to move at the proper time.
and this can be done by taking
plenty OF time ana setting dSlue d
certain time every day. The meals
must be kept regular and should
also be eaten slowly.
Eat whole grains and cereals and
as outlined, green, fresh vegetables
and other laxative foods. Eat an
orange or apple at bedtime. Drink
a glass of cold water or glass of
diluted fruit juice on rising.
And now for exercise. The sim
plest is literally the best. If you will
make il YOUR business to exercise by