How to Keep Young.

Otago Witness, Issue 2580, 26 August 1903, Page 62

How to Keep Young .

THE KIND OP FOOD WHICH AGES WOMEN.

It is an interesting fact that the most of the famous beauties who have figured' in history hare been authorities on health and diet. Have you ever wondered how some of the notable women who have ruled over men and changed the destinies of empires retained their charm, loveliness, and powers of fascination to an age when most- women are in the sere and yellow learT They have kept their charms because they have made the subject of food 1 , dress, and health their daily and hourly study. "Silly women bother me with their ceaseless chatter and questions as to my secret of ' perpetual youth,' " said a celebrated beauty the other day who is bordering on 47— and looks 30. "Hour do I keep my youth?" is my answer "In the same way that the famous painter mixed his colours — ' with j brains, madam.' That frivolous Mrs Anstey, who was a reigning beauty for two years, was sighing and bemoaning her lost looks. I should think she has gone off. She makes no sacrifice in the cause of appearance. Now, Beauty is a jealous, exacting goddess, and she demands of the votaries who serve at her shrine the constant sacrifice of human tastes and longings. By all means take your strong coffee and liqueurs after lunch and dinner, my dear. You are free agents. But I shall mark my displeasure by putting crows-feet and that look of 'high living' on your faces which is fatal to a woman's looks, says the stern goddess. Women constantly remark to me, ' Your life is so easy, lou have merely to live, and 1 you fascinate.' As a matter of fact it is as hard to rule in the world of beauty as it is for a maa to make his mark in politics. It's just one long round of self-denial. But it's woxth it." Says another great beauty: The modern woman eats rich, heavy, masculine sorts of meals, which her sister of 20 years ago would' never have dreamed of taking. Anchovies, savouries 1 , olives, foreign cheeses, devilled: bones, and dishes of that sort, with the wines appropriate to each, used to be relegated entirely to men. She tries to counteract the disastrous effect of this sort of diet on her appearance by face massage, steaming, electric treatments, etc. But it i - not a conspicuous success. You cannot eat your cake and have it — or, rather, you cannot indulge in this sort of food without' suffering for it in your looks. Restaurants, hotels, and flats where table d'hote meals are ~ served grow more and more on women's taste. Now, to live day in and year out on table d'hote diet is absolutely ruinous to health and beauty. The saving grace of the occasional roast of mutton and rice pudding of home life is lost in -these "residential flats."' Course after course of complexion-destroy-ing made dishes are eaten by unwary women, who don't realise that each mouthful of these seasoned, spiced, and unwholesome mixtures is hurrying on their age at galloping pace. "My appetite doesn't vary much from day to day. I eat very much the same amount at each meal,"' is a common sentiment. Instinctively you loot at the woman who says it, and' judge her to look five years older than she really is. You ought to carefully consider the quantity, quality, and circumstances of each meal ilany a woman who has been at a "big dinner" the night before will take sausages and bacon, pork pie, or something equally rich for breakfast next morning. Now, circumstances alter, or should alter, meals. A dinner-party the night before calls for a light, possibly a tea and toast, breakfast next morning. "You don't mean to say we are gourmets, and eat too much?" is the indignant response to such a suggestion. Not at all, my dear madam. But I know that when I go to a large dinnerparty, without eating too much, I take a great deal more than Tdo at home. I ''mix" dishes, and perhaps take more than one kind of wine. I break the laws of health and beauty a dozen times. Being a rational woman, I try next day, by a little judicious fasting, to counteract the effects- of the feast of the night before. Similarly, if I go out to an elaborate luncheon, I pass by two or more courses at the evening dinner. It's only common sense. But it saves illnesses, and diminishes the wear and tear in health and looks which social life forces on us. You must learn how to make health and beauty balance sheets. It's an art worth studying to make your profit and loss of looks destroyers and promoters approximate with some degree of accuracy. I went to a dance last night, sat up till 4.30 a.m., ate no end of ices, drank deleterious champagne or claret-cup, consumed pastry — so harmful to human health that it ought to come- under the Poisons Act. Of course, the exercise taken on the ballroom floor is a counteracting influence to the deadly nature of the ball supper. Turn where you will on the dance' buffets, it is almost impossible to find one sound, wholesome arciclo of diet. Everything is aspic-ed and 1 sauced, spiced and transformed till it has become & dishful of "warranted to cause indigestion, and liver." For two dtays- after such a dance eat plain wholesome food, go to bed early, and take plenty of outdoor exercise. This i will "count" to the profit account and

balance the loss ledger. And do not rest in a false security that food which does not cause indigestion, pains is therefore incapable oi spoiling your skin and prettiness. Nature gave us brains. $y using these alone are we able to discover hei precious secrets. — Home Chat.