Evening star., 1944-03-07
This and That
By Charles E. Tr1ce1DeU.
@ STREET.

y ~ AAe41IAs
Dear Sir: -t
you seem to know something about
everything, so am writing you to tell
me something about reducing. I weigh
$50 pounds and my husband thinks that
Is too much. So do I.
do you think it is safe for me to
reduce? I am extremely healthy, and
as far as I can see have no real ills of
any kind, but I have heard so much
about the dangers of reducing that I
am afraid to start.
II realize you are not a doctor, but
from reading your words every day
know you have plenty of common sense,
which is commodity which seems to
be growing rarer each day.
If you have any suggestions I would
appreciate them very much.
Sincerely yours, M. H."
Thank you, madam.
We are, indeed, no doctor, but fat
persons do need help, heaven knows.
One has but to read any doctor
book" OF which there are many on the
market, to see the maladies which lie
In wait for those who eat more than
they should
Excessive fat is caused in most cases
by eating too much. Some cases are
the result of disordered functioning,
and such persons must see a doctor If
they wish to reduce. No doubt all fat
persons should see good medical man,
but the fact Is that many of them will
not do so.
No one more than 20 pounds over
weight should try to go it alone. Our
correspondent, definitely, should see a
doctor
Dieting Is dangerous business unless
you know exactly what you are doing
and why.
1t is not funny, as some people mis-
takenly think.
The first thing to remember is that
the one bent on losing fat should not
talk about it. That is, of course, the
very thing he or she wants to do. 1t
is great mistake The moment other
people learn about it they begin to look
for signs of illness, and always profess
to find them. Nothing is more dis
couraging. BY all means make a secret
of it,
The next thing to realize is that per-
slstence is necessary. But it must be
persistence backed by knowledge This
knowledge includes the basic protein re-
quirements, above all. III effects of diet
more often come from a disregard of
this factor than anything else. The
need for vitamins, minerals and some
carbohydrates is something which must
not be forgotten.
Never try a freak diet, whatever YOU
may or may not do.
freak diet may be known, in most
cases, by its inclusion of just few
foods. This is a sure sign of such a
diet, no matter what it is called Let
it alone
1t must be realized that reducing
can only be successful when the body
uses up stored fat for food When the
scalp fat begins to be used up, the hair
will suffer Tissue resistance, one of the
precious balances of the body economy.
may suffer injury without realizing it,
Common sense cannot emphasize too
strongly that reducing on ones own,
as it were, is really a dangerous busi-
ness Even if one reads and studies
before beginning, there is still the
danger that one will fail to recognize
symptoms which should be recognized
Only good doctor can do that.
Besides, when one pays for thing.
one is more likely to stick to it. Since
faithful persistence is one of the main
ingredients in any Weightreducing pro-
gram, doctors encouragement is the
best that can be had because it is based
both on real knowledge of what should
be done and recognition of such
inimical symptoms as may arise in even
the best conducted diet.
Think twice, therefore. before deciding
to 60 1t alone. Remember that fools
rush In where angels fear to tread