DIET AND ARTHRITIS

First. It must show you how to reduce the number of calories you eat daily to the number of calories your body needs· to function.

Second. It must guide you in meal planning so that you will choose foods that maintain your nutritional requirements despite the fact you are cutting down on calories.

Third. It must allow enough of the foods you normally enjoy and permit you to eat your meals with other members of the family. It must not be so drastic that you become tense, worried and emotionally upset by the routine.

Don't start any reducing routine until you have discussed the problem with your doctor.

PRACTICAL HINTS

As a basic guide, remember that foods LOW in calories are usually thin, dilute, clear, fresh, watery or crisp.

Foods HIGH in calories are usually thick, oily, greasy crisp, smooth, gooey, sweet or sticky, compact or concentrated, alcoholic.

Use a minimum amount of such high calorie foods in cooking as fats, oils, sugars and flour. As much as possible, plan meals around meat, fish, poultry, vegetables and fruits.

Boil, broil, stew, bake or pressure-cook foods. Do not fry them. Keep seasoning with butter or margarine to a minimum.

Use condiments, herbs, spices, green pepper and onion for seasoning to avoid use of high calorie dressings and sauces.

Use poultry often but avoid eating the skin or the dressing. Make lean meats the backbone of your eating plan but trim off all visible fat. A void gravies and sauces.

Use fish, broiled, baked or boiled. Select fish without dark streaks.

Use fluid milk or non-fat dry milk.

Concoct low calorie salad dressings using commercial yogurt in place of sour cream. Seasoned tomato juice and fruit juices with lemon can make acceptable dressings. Serve a salad at the beginning of the meal. Use artificial sweeteners occasionally. Serve raw fruits that can be enjoyed without sugar. Drain syrup from canned fruits or use those packed without syrup.

Nibble raw vegetable snacks between meals if you feel hungry.

Use cottage cheese in salads.

Avoid hors d'oevres and canapes, those high calorie "go-

along" foods with drinks. I.

YOU MAY NEED TO GAIN WEIGHT

Because of the debilitating effects of chronic arthritis, you may be underweight or generally malnourished. That is why your· doctor may suggest you eat extra servings of the foods from the four basic food groups. He may suggest, too, that you eat more of the high calorie foods.

Underweight means lowered resistance, less insurance against emergencies, fatigue, and decreased physical and emotional stability.

If you are much underweight, it is wise to see your

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