You can follow the menus given in previous chapters whether you wish to gain, lose, or maintain an even weight or to reduce high blood pressure. On the other hand you can make your own menus by selecting from the list given in the present chapter the requisite amount of food for the purpose.
For Weight Reduction you may choose from the list enough food to approximate 1200 calories daily; 3500 to 3700 calories for Weight Increase, and 1800 calories for Maintenance of Weight; or, to go more in detail, by experimenting you can determine the exact amount which is most suitable for your individual case. I will give you a few points as to how to choose wisely in order to guarantee a balanced menu. To reduce, choose from protein foods (chiefly meat, milk, cheese and eggs) 300 to 500 calories. From the fats (which include cream, butter and oil) 150 to 250 calories. Sweets and desserts should be eliminated. Concentrated starches such as bread and potato should be used sparingly. Of these, 200300 calories may be allowed, but no more. From the fruits and green vegetables the remain-der is made up. Thus, if the larger figures which I have just given have been used there will be only 200 calories left to be obtained from these. If the smaller figures are used through-out there will be 600 calories. It is preferable to use the fruit and green vegetables, particularly in the form of salads, instead of breadstuffs, potato and macaroni and thickened soups.
For Maintenance of Weight after Reduction, helpings of potatoes and bread may be a trifle more generous. It is not necessary to increase the proteins much although a trifle more may be added here if desired. The total for the day (about i800 calories) may be easily calculated.
Weight Increase demands considerably higher portions of fats and carbohydrates. This is most easily obtained by the use of breadstuffs, cereals, butter, cream, and olive oil as well as the starchy desserts. Both bread and cereals for breakfast with plenty of butter and cream, jams, jellies or honey make the best beginning for a menu to increase weight. It is also necessary to use bread freely at luncheon. Potatoes or macaroni or rice should also be used at luncheon. Ice cream, bread pudding or some similar dessert may be included if your appetite is sufficient. Thickened soups are the best for Weight Increase. They may be used both for luncheon and dinner if your capacity is sufficient to enable you to take the thickened soup as well as the rest of the menu de-scribed. For dinner, in addition to the usual meat course (and here meats rich in fat are an advantage) the use of bread and butter with potatoes or macaroni or some other form of starch, ending with a starchy dessert, will be desirable. The salads should not be excluded for they are part of a balanced menu, but it is difficult to figure the higher value (35003700) without including at each meal a generous helping of three or four of the following: butter, cream, potatoes, macaroni, rice, sweet potato, oil, and starchy desserts. In using the accompanying list it is sufficient to figure the calories to approximate the number desired for the day. The only attention which need be paid to the vitamine element is to see, in a general way, that there is in each day’s menu foods containing, firstthe Fat Soluble Vitamine A, which occurs in certain fats, chiefly butter, cream, yolk of egg, and the leafy vegetables; second Water Soluble Vitamine B, which occurs in whole grains rather than refined grains and in various vegetables and fruits as shown in the table; third Vitamine C, which is contained in fruits and green vegetables. A good point to remember is that oranges, lemons, tomatoes, spinach, lettuce, butter, and cream are rich in Vitamines, beyond most other foods.