Show WHAT VV to EAT and WHY HY C houston goudiss counsels wise eating during the holiday season by C HOUSTON GOUDISS tone THE HE advent of the holiday season marks the beginning of one of the most difficult periods of the entire year for the homemaker to begin with she is busied with the hundred end and one details of christmas shopping the planning of holiday entertainments tain ments and the preparation of extra food for parties secondly the health and comfort of every member of the family depend to a considerable degree upon how they eat and what foods she serves during the weeks between now and january first guard against lowered resistance unfortunately statistics show that the common cold and other similar ailments greatly increase in in number directly after the first of the year that is also the period when we find more people suffering from fatigue than at any other season both conditions are frequently traceable to faulty habits or of eating and faulty hygiene durin during g the holiday season the person who is forewarned is usually forearmed therefore every homemaker who has the interests of her family at heart should plan now to arrange activities tivi ties so that strain and fatigue will be reduced to a minimum and more specifically she should see to it that she formulates a sound eating program far too many people at this season of the year suffer the ill effects of lowered resistance brought about by unwise eating and by overeating overeating of a poorly chosen diet is inadvisable at any time because it tends to overburden the digestive system but it is particularly ticul arly undesirable during the winter season when almost everyone tends to stay too long indoors frequently in overheated rooms and to take too little outdoor exercise regularity in eating a carefully balanced diet containing sufficient bulky foods to help promote regular health habits is of the utmost importance it if resistance is to be maintained at a high peak during the holiday season keeping body machinery efficient one should always remember that the body is a machine working as regularly and as accurately as a clock any good mechanic knows that a fine mechanism requires the same type of care day in and day out homemakers too should remember that the body does not function differently just because we celebrate a holiday with age old customs thus to keep every member of the family well and rested try not to allow the holiday celebrations to upset the ordinary routine of your household late breakfasts heavy dinners and suppers taken at odd hours do not constitute the best possible menu planning the unfortunate overemphasis over em emphasis on rich foods on special occasions may easily re suit in digestive disturbance unless great care is taken to avoid dietetic in discretions and to maintain always the i ideal eal of a balanced ration chi childs elds diet especially import important ant during the dark days of december the childrens diet requires extra thought and care too close confinement indoors and the lack of sunshine may easily have an adverse effect upon the temper and vitality of young children then too the excitement of anticipating christmas is bound to add to their general fatigue children seldom complain of fatigue which makes it all the more necessary for mothers to be on guard against or to look for the first intimation that it may exist A child who is tired is very apt to be irritable more afore than likely his app appetite etite will be poor and when he does eat he may not be able to care properly for the food he takes you may find if you allow him to become overtired over tired or feed him unaccustomed foods that it will be a struggle to get him to bed and even then he may not sleep soundly and it is generally recognized that disturbed sleep plus unwise eating may have most unfortunate consequences quen ces the ideal holiday diet holiday or no holiday both children and adults should have at least two fruits daily one of which should be a citrus fruit or tomatoes toma to help provide adequate vitamin C there should be two vegetables besides potatoes one of which should be of the green leafy variety an egg daily or at least three or four weekly a quart of milk for every child and a pint for each adult if your meals are built on this foundation there will be less room for the rich heavy foods which should only be taken in modera ion on and after you yon have helped to satisfy the appetite with the protective foods by making a point of eating generously of fruits and vegetables and by including a crisp raw salad in the daily diet you will be much more apt to consume sufficient bulk or cellulose t to 0 help maintain regular health habits christmas confections Confect ions we can scarcely speak of the holiday diet particularly where children are concerned without saying a word about chri christmas atmas confections confect ions and other goodies these are a part of the holiday tradition no homemaker would wish to deprive her family of such pleasures but it does devolve upon her to simplify the other meals in the day so that her children do not suffer er when they eat a large holiday dinner similarly she should make it her responsibility to either pre pare the special christmas treats from ingredients which she knows to be pure and wholesome or to purchase them from a reliable source if these goodies are then given to children at the end of a well balanced meal and not indis criminate ly between meals there should not be the upset digestions that make christmas a bugbear to some mothers instead of the joyous occasion occa aion it should be by following out these eions you can help your family to enjoy the holidays without regret you will feel fit and your good health will be the basis of good cheer questions answered mrs S al B your letter was the first of a large number I 1 received on the subject and I 1 am therefore answering you though my reply is also directed to an all the others who have inquired concerning a recent announcement that cereals might be harmful to the teeth I 1 have seen reports on this subject by two investigators and I 1 know that other investigators are now endeavoring to check their work As soon as there is further progress to report I 1 shall be glad to comment in the meantime I 1 would not hesitate to follow the advice of leading nutritionists and give your children cereals at least half of which may well be served in the whole grain form 0 C houston goudiss 1933 1938 41 tl |