Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 January 1909 — DIET FOR WORKING GIRLS. [ARTICLE]

DIET FOR WORKING GIRLS.

Headaches, poor complexion, nerves irritable temper, despondency and other ailments of a real character are complaints of the working girl leading a sedentary life. The seamstress has pains through the small of the back, the typewritist has shoulder blade paifis, eye strain and cramps in the hands. The one who must stand too long at her work suffers with pains in the back and limbs. But women can endure far more if they eat properly. It is estimated that 50 per cent of the working girls eat ice cream and sandwiches for their luncheon, and the ham cooked for sandwiches is never wholly done, because to cook it thoroughly done it cannot be cut into thin slices ano will fall apart. No working woman unless she is washing, scrubbing or doing hard physical labor, should eat meat three times a day. It takes all the strength of the human body to aid digestion. Coffee drinkes are estimated by the millions, yet a conscientious doctor will look at a palefaced girl, on her last nerve and third cup of coffee and think: “I would rather see you take a ‘pony’ of whisky to one cup of coffee.” But he is lenient and says: “Leave out coffee for evening dinner, then when you are convinced you can leaye it alone, do not take It at luncheon and .gradually decrease it at breakfast dntil you can do without it entirely. Do not expect to conquer the habit without much determination nor expect results in one week or one month.” Exercise is as essential as the food one eats, and, unless a girl or woman takes some exercise, digestion is retarded, and this means almost complete lassitude during working hours. Do not begin a series of exercises that will leave you tired and w’eak. A beginner should start with exercises that will take but five minutes a day, then ten, fifteen and lastly one-half hour. It will take seven weeks before the beginner can exercise the unused muscles without suffering some discomfort unless it is gradual. Before breakfast drink a cup of water. No girl would think of going to work without washing her face and hands, yet not one in fifty thinks of the stomach or the needful glass of water. Take another glass of water just before retiring. And about candy eating. Sweets are essential for energy, but not a great amount of sweets for the working girl. The athlete can eat a pound of candy without injury to himself; a dime’s worth of ' chocodates contains a whole day’s headache for the average working girl. Candy is converted into an acid as soon as 4t enters the stomach, and too much acid leads to an attack of bilious headache. It is a great trial and a great privation to adhere to just these few simple rules, but, if a girl would so so, she would find it costs nothing and is worth hundreds of dollars to her, for without health, the handicap to the working woman is like a milestone around her neck. You do not need to pay out all your wages for doctor bills if you have stamina enough about you to use a little will power and tel] yourself you do not want candy, when you know you would pawn your best clothes for even a peppermint drop.