Diet plays an important role in building up health for gaining weight.
1. Nutrients which help keep the nerves relaxes are of utmost importance as nervousness causes all the muscles to become tense and the energy which goes into the tenseness wastefully uses up a great deal of food.
2. Although all vitamins and minerals are required for a sound health the most important ones are vitamin D and B6, calcium and magnesium.
3. The richest sources of vitamin D are milk, cod liver oil and the rays of the sun.
4. Calcium is also supplied by milk and yoghurt. Magnesium can be obtained from green leafy vegetables such as spinach, parsley, turnip, radish and beet tops. These vegetables should be eaten a salad, lightly cooked.
5. But what is the real secret to correcting underweight? Underweight persons should eat frequent small meals as they tend to feel full quickly. Meals may be divided into six small ones instead of three big ones.
6. These may consist of three smaller meals and three substantial snacks between them. The weight-building quality of a food is measured by the number of calories it contains.
7. To gain weight, the diet should include more calories than are used in daily activities so as to allow the excess to be stored as body fat.
The allowance of 500 calories in excess of the daily average needs is estimated to provide for a weight gain of one pound weekly.