DIET AND BEAUTY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 66, 11 December 1907, Page 3

DIET AND BEAUTY.

One who ought to' know writes to the queen : Tho sccrot of a good complexion is careful dietary. Perfect health will bo attained by those who feed wisely." And ve arc beginning to realiso this so thoroughly that much earnest thought is now directed to the subject, and all kinds of theories are being started Jrom time to time. It is a natural instinct in women to strive to look well, and, though greediness is not' quite banished and self-denial is not altogether a virtue that -appsals to the self-indulgent pleasure-lovmg society folk, still thero are many who are prepared to follow any course provided it qpn bo shown that, at no very great cost to themselves, they can follow certain rules ' plainly . laid down. Many people are denying themselves alcohol m every shape m .order to be thin, wliilo. bread is abjured for tho same reason in favour of toast and biscuits Without doubt, many aro hampered for l.fe and their skins irretrievably ruined by a bad digestion, brought on by eating too much and food not suited to them. Greasy skins and flushed countenances can nearly always be traced to that cause.

Some enthusiastic folk will toll you that abstaining from meat will aispel irritability, makei tho intellect clear, spread a senso of happiness through the frame, and other most] desired lesults. Many of us doubtless would look ten years younger if wo simply, ate half the usual quantity we allow ourselves but fclion impossible to lay down any liard-al'if-o Hid (•?' N ° U '° PBOpIG are entir e'y alike, and there aro many who do ~not eat onough, so that if you halved their present l ot the face would got thin and haggard black lines would conic under, the eyes, and a general want of alertness would cl a acteriso tho whole system. ■ Ac Thoso who tako vigorous exorciso can eat more than the sedentary, , vn d while somo good-looking women, fair as a in y flesh, with clear eyes and upright oarrLo boast of their diet being only peas, lentils beans, tho yolks of eggs, and ninshrooms and various vegetables of sorts, others aro depriving he squirrels of their fair share of nuts and thriving on them. ■ . It happened to the writer to bo entertaining a party of ladies at what she hoped was a little uncheon, when one of tho guests whispered in her oar that she indulged in none of tho good things, but could she have some cheese and nuts? The hostess had provided a delicate cream cheeso of a spcchl make, some Grutoro, and grated I'armesan • but she would have none of these and a raid was mndo on tho kitchen Dutch cheeso and somo ono despatched for nuts The kinds that she permitted hersolf to oat were filberts, pignolias, walnuts, chostnuts Brazil nuts, and almonds; and then we loiked 'it my fair friend. She was between forty and fifty, and had been singularly handsome Now her skin was shrivelled, hor eyes lacked lustro, but sho seemed possessed of superabundant energy; but whether tho lustreless eyes and flabby flesh were tho result of the nut and cheeso food or whether tho food had been chosen to obviato them we could not find out.

Wo determined in our cult of beauty of face to see what effect such a course of food lvould liavo. Those who were its enthusiastic supporters claimed for. it that it robbed old ago of many of its drawbacks, producing vigour, and consequent- improvement in tho personal appearance, which old age is apt to lack. If this is so tho enjoyment of meat-, fish, fowl, coffee and tea is hardly worth it. Tho lack of teeth, the rheumy eye, the pallid, attenuated faco and skin are' all, so tliev affirm, tho result- of unsuitable) food, which shortens life. How all this time, -if such theories bo ■true, wo havo neglected tho virtues of nuts, which represent their weight in bread multiplied by three or four. If they aro cooked they do not need so much mastication. Almonds arn rendored digestiblo when fried in oil. Milk is tho fluid that is ordained to replace alcohol and the rest. Tho loss of teeth, the bad coniploxion, and tho stiff and enlarged joints arc all duo to improper food, so argues the inventor cf tho now regime. Nothing shows porfect, health so certainly *\ S a i , c ' c;lr > healthy skin, and everybody should find out for themselves what dietary brings this about; and, though wo may vastly improve a bad complexion by cream's and lotions, tho .beauty culturists of to-day aro foremost in showing that it is the health of our bodies, depending upon diet, pure air, and exercise, which ensures a clear complexion. It is this that fills up the thin faco, eradicating tho lines and wrinkles, aided by the best faco creams and lotions. It is tho duty of all mistresses of homes to look to tho ways of tho household, and seo that- tho food which conies into the houso is wholesome. Thoso who wish to be thin need not then tako lemon juico in their tea and deny themselves potatoes in order to reduce their proportions, in nino cases out of ten making their faces flabby. ■ It would seem that if the disciples of any of tho many theories of diet- aro right, wo have only to adopt their codo and enjoy inn )Cr^ existence. Wo shall attain to 100 years, with all our faculties clear to tho end, havo no bodily deformities, our faces > radiant intellect, and muscles well nourished, no headaches or rheumatism, no rod noses or eyes, no severe colds. All that is required of us to bring about such desired results is that only .certain foods should bo eaten and very thoroughly masticated— bread, milk, rice, chcesc, nuts, fruit and vegetables, the whites of .eggs, macaroni, oatmeal, wheat rusks—-these are what aro recommended.

But those who would he fair in face without making such radical changes in diet would do well to remember that sweets pastry, now bread, too rich food of any kind are bad for tho complexion, and so is alcohol unwisely taken. Tea should not be indulged m too much: ices suit few digestions. lon may take it for certain that all disfigurements of tho skin, clogged pores, and had complexions proceed from disorders of the -internal organisation, produced by impaired digestion. Fruit, vegetables' and cereals, with a moderate amount of meats suit the_ majority. Fruit and vegetables aid m keeping the body in good condition. Health begets happiness, and good looks and happiness preserve health; health and happiness go hand 111 hand, and diet has the most potent influence on . health. There is, however nothing truer than "What is one man's ineat is another man's poison," so it is quite impossible to lay down any absolute rules as to diet. Some peoplo cannot bo healthy without fat, ..while to others it is simply nauseating and disgusting, and shows JSa** j '" l