Secrets of Good Health.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 10472, 30 December 1927, Page 3

Secrets of Good Health.

DIET FOR THE ELDERLY. By Sir W. Arbuthnot Lane, Bart., 0.8. As the body approaches its allotted term of years, both its need for food and its capacity to deal with food material diminish. With old. age comes a slowing down of the chemical processes of the body and ar lessening of muscular activity. sThe fires of . life burn less brightly and the bodily .machine works at a slower pace and puts out less energy. The engines of the body require less fuel, . Also there is less breaking down of old tissue substance and less building up of new substance'. Therefore les® building material is needed for purposes of repair. ; The total quantity, of food taken should therefore be gradually lessened as we pass from a more active middle-age to the comparative quietude of later life. • Food taken in excess of the bodily requirements throws undue strain on -the digestive and. eliminating organs of the body. These organs are no longer in. their prime: thev are beginning to show, signs of wear and-tear even in tne

healthiest’. - , . . It is therefore, all the- more important ,to avoid overworking them. EGGS’ CREAM, AND, CHEESE., ; The ■ wise., individual of advanced years will, return to. the milk and cereal diet of early childhood—use eggs, cream; cheese, And fish rather than butcliefs’ meat, '• and also eat not more than, two- meats a day, breakfast and; mid-day—substituting .a clip of milk food • for the accustomed evening meal. -’j ' : i . ' It- rs remarkable on what a very lihliteil ■ dietary 'elderly people leading. a sedentary life can subsist, and yet' 'be capable of all bodily and. mental ''activity suitable' for their -y#ars. . It-..’is, > lmiic.h. 1 ;-mdre ; dillicult.p • indeed, tp ,eat - too little than to avoid eating in excess, of ..the body .requirements iii advanced, age;y 'y . y. . | These who; have' learned' ■ through lifer how: little ’and lipW; simple-is the fdod -they can- get ■ along- with,.,,, will •ayp;4 -tnany ,pf .the hoddy discomforts >■’ and rheumatic *afhlicy.tiohs wliieh' so often make life a burden for’- ohl folk.' ■■" ’ •;* • _ •