Wellspring Issue #74

Flavors of Fruit Enhance your Tu B’Shevat meal with Berry Blast Chicken and other fabulous dishes

New Column!

Culinary Toolbox

by Charnie Kohn Kitchen gadgets that make nutritious cooking more efficient and fun

U C E

We redesigned our beloved classic for days of new traditions & original innovations.

New Look

able Availava ble in: ilain: 2

Also

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

Plain Plain · · Vanilla Vanilla · · Coffee Coffee · · Blueberry Blueberry

Product of USA

‫שמחת פורים‬

From Ezra, with care.

The greatest gift, is knowing that your health is in good hands.

718-686-7600 EzraMedical.org

it Please inquire about our new Medical Grade facials

Pop in for expert skin care and make an appointment with

YEHUDAH (JAY) WINZELBERG, RPA-C

Perfect for teenagers (boys or girls) Male and female providers available

D E R M AT O L O G I S T

WILLIAMSBURG

445 Park Avenue

B ro o k l y n, N Y 1120 5

718.963.0800

BENSONHURST

6010 Bay Parkway

B ro o k l y n, N Y 1120 4

BORO PARK

4714 16th Avenue B ro o k l y n, N Y 1120 4

KIRYAS YOEL

ParCare Rambam

Forest Corner Strelisk

Kishron means more

Jcmteam.com | 212.671.1301

See more from your comhab & respite services

It’s just a phone call away.

Whatever service you may benefit from, or if you wish to apply for any of the above, there is more to gain with Kishron.

718.635.3399 Kishron

The place where your interests and abilities come together

info@kishron.org

Make the call that will transform your child

HCBS • CW • OPWDD • COMHAB • RESPITE • COMMUNITY CLASSES • SELF-DIRECT • CAMP CONTRACT • REFERRALS

Servicing Boro park • Williamsburg • Monsey • Monroe

COPY & RESEARCH

Editor In Chief Shiffy Friedman Deputy Editor Libby Silberman Nutritional Advisory Board Dr. Rachael Schindler Laura Shammah, MS, RDN Tamar Feldman, RDN, CDE Bashy Halberstam, INHC Shaindy Oberlander, INHC Shira Savit, MA, MHC, CHC Esti Asher, MS, RDN, LD Nutrition Contributors Tanya Rosen, MS CAI CPT Shani Taub, CDC

.

Health Advisory Board Dr. Chayala Englard Chaya Tilla Brachfeld, RN Fitness Advisory Board Syma Kranz, PFC Esther Fried, PFC Child Development Advisory Board Friedy Singer, OTR/L Roizy Guttmann, OTR/L Coordinating Editor Liba Solomon, CNWC Feature Editors Rochel Gordon • Rikki Samson Proofreaders Faige Badian • Meira Lawrence

WELLSPRING MAGAZINE: 718-412-3309 info@wellspringmagazine.com www.wellspringmagazine.com 670 Myrtle Ave. Suite 389 Brooklyn, NY 11205

FOOD CONTENT Food Editor Esther Frenkel Recipes Yossi & Malky Levine Charnie Kohn Elky Friedman Styling & Photography Malky Levine Charnie Kohn Pessi Piller ART & PRODUCTION Cover Design Aryeh Epstein Designer Rivky Schwartz Digital Media Rivkah Shanowitz ADVERTISING Executive Account Manager Goldy Kolman 718-412-3309 Ext.2 ads@wellspringmagazine.com SUBSCRIPTION 718-437-0761 subscribe@wellspringmagazine.com DISTRIBUTION Weekly Publications INC. 347-782-5588

For Delivery Issues: Lakewood: Lakewood Courier 732-546-9333 list@lakewoodcourier.com Upstate: 845-782-1010 Brooklyn: 718-437-0761

The Wellspring Magazine is published monthly by Wellspring Magazine Inc. All rights are reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part or in any form without prior written permission from the publisher is prohibited. The publisher reserves the right to edit all articles for clarity, space and editorial sensitivities. The Wellspring Magazine assumes no responsibility for the content or kashrus of advertisements in the publication, nor for the content of books that are referred to or excerpted herein. The contents of The Wellspring Magazine, such as text, graphics and other material (content) are intended for educational purposes only. The content is not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your health care provider with any questions you have regarding your medical condition.

Heart.Works

KEY

UR T

W

E K OW N

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

7

EDITOR'S NOTE

The Joy in Creating Ripples

R

av Noach Weinberg zt”l masterfully ranked man’s levels of pleasure in a hierarchy system.

The lower-class pleasures, namely physical and material pleasures, are more easily accessible and sport a lower “price tag,” as Rav Noach calls it.

These pleasures are also meant for us to enjoy, but they don’t provide us with the same level of joy as those pleasures that rank higher. The higher a person steps on this ladder—experiencing more spiritual, authentic happiness—the more his pleasures resemble those of the Creator. One of the higher levels, Rav Noach taught, is the joy of creating.

It’s the closest we can come to emulating Hashem.

Although profound, it’s not hard to understand. If you’ve ever worked hard to put something together, whether a tangible creative masterpiece or a deep thought you developed and presented, even a detailed culinary spread, you know the joy in creating—the wonder of looking at the finished product and marveling at the work of your hands or mind.

On a recent visit from the States, my mother gifted the kids with a child-friendly cookbook they’ve been enjoying immensely. In addition to its many fun recipes and creative parashah-related food crafts, the book includes a collection of powerful essays that encourage youngsters (and the young at heart) to pursue what they love and take pride in their uniqueness. In one piece, the author, Raizy Fried, shares the joy she discovered once she

8

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

reconnected with her creative side, the pleasure it brought her to churn out artful masterpieces that enabled her to bring her ideas and talents to life.

While reading it, I was struck by the truth of this phenomenon. As human beings, we can only create a yeish mi’yeish, but the pleasure we experience is essentially spiritual. It’s the joy in giving of ourselves, our talents, and our resources—to make this world a more beautiful place.

o

n some level, this is the joy we experience every month once another issue of Wellspring hits the newsstands. A culmination of siyata diShmaya (of course!), team effort (with thanks to every single individual involved in this project), brainstorming, and lots of tapping into our creative resources (a special shoutout to our incredible director of design, Rivky Schwartz)—when the final product finally emerges, we allow ourselves to take a step back and marvel at the results of our labor of love.

As a magazine whose goal is to provide vital content to the community, we reap the pleasure of knowing that our work is enriching lives and bringing much-needed information to our readers. The awareness that what we’re creating generates ripple effects is supremely gratifying. Just the other day, when Shira Savit shared with me a victory of one of her clients, who’d reached out to her upon inspiration from her Wellspring column, I realized once again what joy this brings to my heart. Every

time we receive positive feedback, it’s that pleasure all over again. Wow, we remind ourselves, we’re making an impact in Yiddishe homes, bringing awareness and light and appreciation for living.

While every article goes through what I like to call a “birth process,” which entails both the challenges that come along with it (deadlines, writer’s block, the gamut), as well as the awesome experience when it’s all beautifully designed and shared with all of you, some are particularly close to our hearts. This issue’s Wellbeing feature is one example. Working on it was nothing short of moving. To hear from women whose spirits were lifted by one seemingly small gesture of kindness inspired us to tap into the joy of giving of our own reserves. Not only did the women who shared these anecdotes feel better thanks to a kind deed, but those good people who stepped in at their time of need experienced a profound pleasure, too—the pleasure of creating, of emulating Hashem, and of giving of themselves for another. When we give, we create a ripple effect of joy.

In the month of Adar, with a focus on the other, each of us in our own way can experience the pleasure of creating. Not only in the costumes or mishloach manos that we design or put together, but also in thinking of those whose spirits we can lift and with whom we can share our gifts.

A happy, joyous Purim to all,

n a m d e i r F y Shiff

WELL- PUT I still believe that Hashem invested carrot juice and ginger with fabulous healing properties, but it’s becoming clearer to me that it’s our inner world that plays the most prominent role in our health.

Faigy Schonfeld, FYI WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

9

CONTENTS

MARCH 2022 ADAR II 5782 ISSUE 74

12

Springboard

20

Spiritual Eating

u O r next issue will appear on Tuesday, April 12th iy"H.

22

Torah Wellspring

24

Health Updates

WELL INFORMED

LIVING WELL

44

ARE YOU A HEALTH NUT?

30

FYI

36

Community

38

Fitness

58

Sample

70

Cup of Tea

78

The Functional Dietitian

80

Compass

83

DIY

Cover Feature

By Libby Silberman As health knowledge abounds, new societies are forming at record speed.

Namely, the Health Nut Religion, the Health Nut Association, the Health Nut Society, and the Health Nut Relations.

Then of course, there’s the Health Nut Reconnaissance Movement. Plus, one million variations of the chassidim, misnagdim, and parevers of each of them.

Where do you belong?

WELLBEING 86

Emotional Eating

FAREWELL 130 Random

Wellspring extends our warmest Mazel Tov wishes to

99

SEASONED 10

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

Shani Taub and Family upon the birth of their son.

Wellspring extends our warmest Mazel Tov wishes to Tamar Feldman and Family upon the birth of their son.

88 LIGHTS ON Wellbeing Feature Compiled by Shiffy Friedman 35 women answer the question: Which pastime or gesture has lifted your spirits?

BUMPS AHEAD Ask the Nutrionist

By Shani Taub, CDC Since I have a pattern of my health commitments fading when I hit a stressful period in my life, I’m reluctant to head into the Pesach season without some support. I was wondering if you can offer any practical tips on handling stress in general, specifically during a hectic time.

41

123

THE PURIM FEAST Energize by Elky

By Elky Friedman No matter where you’re up to with your Purim menu, and whether you’re the one hosting the meal or are being hosted, there’s always room for some fabulous nutrition-loaded veggie sides. On this hectic day, you need good fuel more than ever!

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

11

SPRINGBOARD

On Athlete’s Foot, Women’s Health, Dieting, and More

Breath of Fresh Air Issue #73: Cover Feature

My immediate reaction to last issue’s cover was, “Oh no! Please don’t tell me that the frum community’s health magazine is now advocating putting young kids on a diet.” As I’m sure you’ve realized from the feedback you’re getting, so many in the community look to Wellspring as their source for all health info, gleaning wisdom and much-needed food for thought on this critical aspect of our lives. You’ve proven time and again to be a reliable, balanced, hashkafically sound source 12

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

and I thank you for that.

I was pleasantly surprised to read the actual article and realize that as the cover suggests, the solution to overweight kids is “not what most would expect.” Instead of trying to get them the best food plan or figure out a way to convince them that carrots are just as delicious as candy, Yaffi Lvova offered a refreshing perspective on a topic that has caused much too much heartache for young children who need their parents’ validation and unconditional love more than ever.

As a third-grade teacher, I especially appreciated the message in this

article. It was a breath of fresh air for me, and I’m sure for many others.

With much gratitude and wishing you continued hatzlachah, Mrs. T. Younger Silver Spring, Maryland

Balance Is Key Issue #73: Cover Feature

The cover feature about putting kids on a diet was very informative, eye-opening, and powerful. There

#1

Build 4 Life

Jcmteam.com | 212.671.1301

Watch your child flourish and grow under the care of our professional staff and team of energetic and trained counselors. At Shashuim you’ll uncover more love, more care, and more fun for your child.

‫א היימישע חסידישע קעמפ‬

HELP YOUR CHILD DISCOVER THE MAGIC OF SUMMER

Apply Today:

Register@Shashuim.org

• Personal counselor and therapy plan for every camper • Overnight and Day Camp Options available • In the Catskill Mountains • Opwdd services required • Capable of basic Daily Living Skills (ADL’s ) WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

13

Quick Question

SPRINGBOARD

Question: After complaining of severe stomach cramps for a while, my 14-year-old son’s pediatrician referred us to a gastroenterologist. Our son was diagnosed with severe colitis, and he receives a monthly infusion. However, toward the end of the month his stomach pain is unbearable, to the extent that he cannot attend yeshiva. What can we do about it?

Thank you, M.K.

Answer: I’m sorry to hear about your son’s painful circumstances. In addition to taking medication, your son should follow a diet that is beneficial for patients with colitis. This includes abstaining from or at least minimizing consumption of whole wheat, bran, nuts, seeds, beans, alcohol, spicy foods, and raw vegetables. If he is lactose intolerant, the list includes dairy, as well. Daily supplementation of a probiotic can be very helpful in supporting the health of digestive enzymes. It’s also important to note that stress considerably exacerbates digestive pain; it would thus be wise to minimize stress and for your son to learn effective stress-relieving techniques, such as deep breathing.

From my experience working with colitis patients, I’ve observed that many who followed these guidelines have been able to take their infusions with longer intervals, with their doctor’s approval.

To your health, Miriam Schweid, health consultant and kinesiologist

is so much merit to giving a child first and foremost what she needs most—a home that’s a safe place for her to be herself. However, I don’t appreciate that the anti-diet culture has been taken to such an extreme.

I understand the drawbacks in becoming so weight conscious that all other values fall to the wayside, but at the same time, I believe that when we take it to the other extreme, we don’t do anyone any favors either.

How about creating a balance? Yes, kids are allowed to know that broccoli is a better choice than chocolate. That is the truth, after all. True, they don’t have to see themselves as horrible people if they go for the chocolate anyway, but I think it’s important and wise for kids to grow up with an understanding that certain foods, although they seem to be giving us comfort in the moment, are simply 14

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

not good for us in the long run. An overweight child suffers, and I can attest to that from my own childhood.

Even if she’s showered with love at home, she doesn’t live in a bubble.

The reality is that her peers will see her in a certain way, and often, that way won’t be conducive to social success, which may severely impact self-esteem, as well.

True, in an ideal world, overweight children wouldn’t be viewed any differently than their peers, but until this changes, it’s the reality. If we can help our children develop healthier eating habits in a kind, loving manner—which often involves addressing why they’re so addicted to junk food—I believe we can create a win-win situation for them.

Name withheld upon request

Bubby’s Best Friend Issue #73: Cup of Tea

As the granddaughter of a very vivacious, loving Bubby, it was refreshing for me to read the interesting interview with senior advocate Caren Redlich, who is doing incredible work with the aging population. Although my grandmother isn’t part of her programs, and I will look into them for her, I can just imagine what her work can do for these women.

These elderly women benefit so much from social interaction. It was so painful to hear my grandmother’s loneliness during the COVID saga, when we weren’t sure how to visit her without putting her at risk for contracting the virus. Now that we’re

PARVE

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

15

The Doctor Is In

SPRINGBOARD

Question: My one-week-old baby and I are having a hard time getting nursing to work. My milk came in just fine, so I know that’s not the problem. A friend suggested I get my baby checked for a tongue tie. What is that and with whom should I consult about it?

Answer: Ankyloglossia is the medical term for tongue tie, or a tight membrane, that restricts movement of the tongue.

The membrane can be too short, too tight, or both. The baby may not be able to stick out her tongue past her lips, and her tongue may bow in the middle to create a heart-shaped tip. Also, many babies today are being diagnosed with “lip ties,” which are similar membranes under the upper and lower lips. Some believe that these membranes prevent a proper latch and should therefore be removed. Many others believe that they do not cause any problems and are best left alone. There is more evidence for repair of tongue ties than for lip ties.

A baby is more likely to have difficulty latching and the mother more likely to find nursing painful when the baby has these “ties.” It can be helpful to consult with an experienced lactation consultant, especially since there may be other reasons for the breastfeeding challenge.

If it appears that the tongue tie is the problem, an ENT, dentist, or sometimes a pediatrician can release it, either by “snipping” the membrane with tools or with a laser. Both are reasonably safe and effective methods. The baby is usually able to breastfeed straight after either procedure and heals quickly.

Babies with tongue and lip ties who struggle with nursing are usually able to drink from a bottle easily. So, some mothers choose to switch to bottle-feeding and some choose to bottle-feed their pumped milk. If you choose to bottle-feed and your baby has a tongue tie, the choice to repair it is less clear. Not every “tie” needs to be clipped.

Mothers may be warned that if they do not clip the tongue tie, their child will have speech problems, dental problems, sleep apnea, and more. Tongue ties do not cause speech delay, although they can lead to difficulty pronouncing some sounds. Also, a tight tongue membrane may stretch over time on its own. A speech therapist can help with these articulation difficulties and can recommend a tongue tie repair if truly needed. However, tongue and lip ties do not usually cause these problems.

While a baby can get a tongue tie repair without anesthesia, and an older child will need anesthesia, this in itself is not a reason to do it on an infant if the procedure is not really needed. Repairing a tongue or lip tie for reasons other than breastfeeding difficulties in an infant is more controversial. I recommend working closely with both a lactation consultant and your pediatrician.

Wishing you much hatzlachah as you embark on your feeding journey together,

Alisa Minkin, MD FAAP Pediatrician, Oceanside, New York JOWMA Preventative Health Committee

visiting again—and I try to do that at least once a week—I see how the sparkle in her eye has returned. I urge all grandchildren who still have the privilege to spend time with their grandparents to take advantage of this special opportunity. Both parties stand to gain from enriching this 16

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

precious relationship.

Much appreciation for a fabulous publication, Sara T. Monsey, New York

The Culprit Issue #73: The Functional Dietitian

I was gratified to see the topic of Tamar Feldman’s column in the last

PARCA

ROUDL Y

ST S HO

P RE

THE RENOWNED

ROSHAN GROUP AT OUR PRACTICE

Dr. Michael Abrahams

Dr. Ira Jaffe

O SON N-SITE OG U LT RAPH ROS S R E A D Y B HM FM Y

RES

SKIP THE TRAIN RIDE!

Manhattan’s OB/GYN leader is now in Williamsburg offering mothers-to-be full access to their world class obstetrics and care.

• MOST MEDICAID PLANS ACCEPTED •

Rosh MFM is affiliated with NYU Hospital

445 PARK AVE. BROOKLN NY 11205 | 718.963.0800

I’m Sephardi and my husband is Ashkenazi.

We are introducing foods to our baby, and I’ve been told by someone in my husband’s family that my usual foods are too spicy for a young child. Is this correct?

Answer: Some babies do just fine with spices. Others don’t tolerate the flavors or the heat quite as well. And there is only one way to know. I can tell you that by nine weeks of gestation, your little fetus has a mouth, a tongue, and the first tiny taste buds. Baby tastes the amniotic fluid, which reflects mom’s dietary choices. No need to stop now.

But, if this is someone involved in raising your baby, pick your battles. Different people will have their own unique relationship with your baby, and each may have a slightly different feeding style. As long as choking hazards, honey, and excess salt are avoided before 12 months, it’s okay if one person serves kasha varnishkes and another serves shakshuka. It all sounds delicious to me.

Yaffi Lvova, RDN

issue: low progesterone as the culprit for so many women’s health issues. I suffered for years with various symptoms— some of them severely impacting fertility—before a doctor finally came upon this as my root issue. Thanks so much for bringing this important factor to your readers’ attention. I look forward to reading Wellspring every month.

Name withheld upon request

Foot-Drying Solution Issue #73: FYI

First, I’d like to express my appreciation for your informative, enlightening magazine. You never fail to amaze us with the array of health topics you cover, all in such a pleasant, easy-to-read style and fabulously designed. Truly a treat every month!

The article on athlete’s foot was especially pertinent to me as we have several bachurim in the house, baruch Hashem, and it seems that sweaty, moist feet are definitely an adolescent issue. I’d like to share a footdrying solution that has really helped not only eliminate the unpleasant odor but also prevent athlete’s foot, with the help of Hashem. It’s a simple spray called Onox that can be purchased over the counter in the pharmacy. The solution is formulated with zinc chloride, boric acid, and miscellaneous inert salts. My kids spray their feet every night before going to sleep, and we’ve seen how it impedes the spread of athlete’s foot.

Yaffi Lvova, RDN, is a dietitian and food enjoyment activist who encourages positive nutrition through writing, speaking, and Nap Time Nutrition, her video blog and podcast. Find out more at babybloomnutrition.com.

F. H. Lakewood, New Jersey

Get in touch!

Wellspring invites readers to submit letters and comments via regular mail or email to info@wellspringmagazine.com. We reserve the right to edit all submissions and will withhold your name upon request. We will honor requests for anonymity, but we cannot consider letters that arrive without contact information.

18

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

Any health information, advice, or suggestions published here are the opinion of the letter writer and are not independently investigated, endorsed, or validated by Wellspring. Always seek the advice of a qualified health professional or medical practitioner regarding any medical advice, condition, or treatment.

Question:

Pediatric Nutrition

SPRINGBOARD

NO ARTIFICIAL GROWTH HORMONES*

THE

*No significant difference has been shown between milk derived from rbST-treated and non-rbST-treated cows

HOVER WITH YOUR CAMERA TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PROMISE

FIRST

Similac.com

AND ONLY

BADATZCERTIFIED

Liquid Infant Formula Registered for Sale in the US

ATZ D’KH ED

AL

B

CHOLOV YISROEL

KOSHER

EM

AR

U

GA T H H A B OS

BRAND

KOSHER DAIRY UNDER RABBINICAL SUPERVISION

CHOLOV YISROEL

K

D

T

INFANT FORMULA

ITNIYO

ACCEPTABLE FOR THOSE WHO CONSUME KITNIYOT ON PASSOVER

Similac On-the-go Ready-to-Feed, is convenient, portable, and ready for you and your baby. ®

Perfect for travel and late-night feeding

MILK-BASED READY TO FEED

Easy to use: No mixing or measuring

THE PERFECT BOTTLE ® anywhere, anytime.

FIRST

FIRST

EASY TO FIRST DIGEST

BADATZCERTIFIED

BADATZCERTIFIED

BADATZCERTIFIED

THE

AND ONLY

Liquid Infant Formula

THE

HOVER WITH YOUR CAMERA TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PROMISE

Similac.com

AND ONLY

Liquid Infant Formula

THE

HOVER WITH YOUR CAMERA TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PROMISE

Similac.com

AND ONLY

Liquid Infant Formula

Simply attach nipple and feed

INFANT 0-12 MONTHS formula with iron

NO

HOVER WITH YOUR CAMERA TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PROMISE

PALM OLEIN OIL Similac.com

BRAIN + EYE

DEVELOPMENT

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

19

SPIRITUAL EATING

By Rabbi Eli Glaser, CNWC, CWMS

Stumbling after Our Sweet Tooth

“You shall not offer any kind of leavening, or any kind of honey…” (Vayikra 2:11).

This particular prohibition in Parshas Vayikra, concerning flour offerings on the Mizbei’ach, is among the most important verses we can learn in preparation for Purim. Why? The Torah forbids using any kind of leavening agent or sweetener as an added ingredient in a Korban Minchah (flour offering) that will be placed on the Mizbei’ach. The reason for the commandment, as with all mitzvos, is simple: because Hashem said so.

The lesson behind it, however, is anything but simple.

The Sefer HaChinuch explains that this prohibition is nothing less than the paradigm of how a Yid should relate to food—particularly sweets.

Our dining room table serves as a remembrance for the Mizbeiach, which we no longer possess. Several customs and laws dictate how we should behave at the table in order to emulate the Kohanim’s performance of sacrifices in the Beis Hamikdash.

The Chinuch writes (mitzvah 117): The matter of avoiding honey is in order to guide and motivate our tender children that a person should minimize his running after sweet foods merely for their taste. For this conduct is the way of gluttons who are constantly drawn after sweets. A wise person focuses on food that is beneficial for the body, provides the needs for his sustenance, and guards the health of his limbs (and organs).

It is fitting for all people of common sense to not eat just for the sake of the pleasure of the taste, because running after the sense of taste is a shame and disgrace. Rather, it’s appropriate to focus on the pleasure of meeting the body’s physical needs (through proper eating). Furthermore, I heard another reason for this prohibition (of not having leaven and honey on the Altar) is that they represent arrogance (showing off oneself and running after one’s own desires), and this is an abomination to Hashem.

We see a similar theme connecting the relationship between eating and korbanos from the Maharsha. The verse toward the end of Hallel states: “Bind the festival offering with cords until the corners of the Mizbei’ach.”

The Gemara draws the following lesson from this verse: “Anyone who makes a fence around their eating and drinking on a Yom Tov is as if they built an altar and brought upon it a sacrifice” (Sukkah 45b).

The Maharsha, in his explanation of this Gemara, translates the word “isru” (bind) as “prohibition” or “boundary/fence.” He writes:

20

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

[A person] should make a boundary in his mitzvah of eating on a Yom Tov; meaning, don’t overeat and don’t drink so much that it would not be for the sake of Heaven. And the leftovers that he does not eat and does not drink will be considered as if he built an altar and brought upon it a sacrifice…for just as the Altar atoned (for transgressions) so does the table (upon which we eat) atone (for transgressions).

When we’re in the middle of eating a delicious meal, one of the most difficult things for us to do is to hold back when we’ve had enough. Our appetite is stimulated, our taste buds are dancing, and our desire for more is raging. It’s at that exact moment the Maharsha is telling us to stop anyway. We had our fill and we enjoyed it.

The leftovers—either the second portions still on the table or the extra food being taken back into the kitchen—are an awesome opportunity to connect with Hashem, to sacrifice our will, our physical desire for indulgence. We can use our table as an altar to associate with our soul and not get carried away with our already satisfied body. And that—especially when surrounded by the overwhelming quantity of treats on Purim—truly is the sweetest feeling of all.

Rabbi Eli Glaser, CNWC, CWMS, is the founder and director of Soveya and the author of the best-selling book Enough Is Enough—How the Soveya Solution Is Revolutionizing the Diet and Weight-Loss World, available on Amazon and at Barnes & Nobles and Judaica Plaza in Lakewood. He has worked with thousands of clients around the world and has maintained a 130-pound weight loss for the last 19 years. For more information about Soveya’s programs call 732-578-8800, email info@ soveya.com, or visit www. soveya.com.

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

21

TORAH WELLSPRING

By Rabbi Ezra Friedman

The More Frum, the More Simchah We may not realize what a cornerstone joy is in our avodas Hashem

Simchah, simchah, simchah. That’s the theme of the Yom Tov, the theme of the month. Essentially, it’s the theme of our lives. And, of course, it’s a primary theme in Yiddishkeit. As much as every year, we learn and know “Mishenichnas Adar marbin b’simchah,” we may not realize just how essential—just how much of a cornerstone— simchah is, particularly in avodas Hashem.

22

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

Based on past perceptions or skewed associations, we may be under the impression that a more devout Yiddishkeit is a more serious, severe, and stringent approach that leaves no room for the purportedly frivolous emotion of joy, but this couldn’t be further from the truth.

In fact, when we take a look at our tzaddikim, those who have completely dedicated their lives toward their avodas Hashem, those with no ego and a full heart for another Yid, we notice the common denominator among them, irrelevant of their affiliation; it’s the joy that shines from their countenance, the serene smile on their lips, the effervescent sparkle in their eyes. As counterintuitive as it seems, that’s davka because they take their Yiddishkeit very seriously, davka because they understand what an important role this emo-

tion plays in their connection with Hashem. To them, Torah and mitzvos are not a restrictive, punitive list of rules; Torah and mitzvos are the way through which they experience the ultimate pleasure in this world.

Of course, fulfilling the actual commandments is critical to Yiddishkeit, but doing so with an emphasis on leading a life of joy may be exponentially more important than we’ve come to believe. Let’s look at an eye-opening commentary on the Shulchan Aruch to understand the extent to which we should make joy our focus.

Everything Else Will Fall into Place The Rema, Rav Moshe Isserles, opens the Shulchan Aruch with the famous passage, “Shvisi Hashem lenegdi tamid—I keep Hashem before me, always,” a fundamental element in Torah observance. And his concluding words of Orach Chaim are, “Vetov lev mishteh tamid—A heart of feasting is always good.” These two passages, both of which contain the word tamid, are interconnected; one can’t fulfill the shivisi, placing Hashem before him always, if he doesn’t fulfill the obligation for simchah, and vice versa.

In fact, the sefarim explain the words pertaining to the korban tamid of Shabbos, “Ushenei semidim kehilchasam umusafim kehilchasam,” in connection to the two tamids that the Rema references in Shulchan Aruch. They note that when a Yid performs these two tamids properly—both placing Hashem before him and working toward leading a life of simchah—“umusafim kehilchasam,” everything else will already be as the halachah requires. When the opening and closing statements are fulfilled as they should, all the halachos in between will certainly be observed properly, as well. How far

simchah brings us in our Yiddishkeit!

One may counter, “But there is no explicit mitzvah in the Torah for us to be b’simchah,” and that’s correct, but as Rav Aharon of Karlin famously taught us, “Simchah in itself may not be a mitzvah, just like atzvus may not be an explicit aveirah, but the mitzvos to which joy can lead and the aveiros to which sadness can lead are numerous.” We ourselves could not be clearer evidence of that. Just notice how much more forgiving, positive, encouraging, and eager you are to engage in avodas Hashem when you’re in high spirits, and vice versa.

A boost of joy is all it takes to transform our Yiddishkeit.

Indeed, in the tochachah, Hakadosh Baruch Hu doesn’t chastise the Yidden for not having performed the mitzvos with adequate stringency or seriousness. They aren’t reprimanded for not practicing them with utmost devotion or perfection. Rather, they were rebuked for not doing so “b’simchah uvetuv lev.” It is this passage from which we draw the inference of the critical role joy plays in our service of Hashem, of how crucial it is for us ehrliche Yidden to place more of an emphasis on this aspect of our Yiddishkeit.

In his introduction to Mesillas Yesharim, the Ramchal states the purpose for writing what would become a touchstone text in mussar for generations to come. He laments that the Yiddishkeit of his times had become hyper-focused on performing mitzvos with a kind of austere severity, of seeing gilgul sheleg and other extreme ascetic practices as the ideal. No, he emphatically asserts. Frumkeit lies in the pleasure that an oved Hashem exhibits, in his ta’anug in performing Hashem’s commandments. That is true greatness in Yiddishkeit.

The More Stringent, the More Joy In the same vein, the Beis Yosef

states that on a year like this one— with a double Adar—one should prepare a seudah on Purim Katan. Adds the Rema, a “machmir” should celebrate with a meal on the second day, Shushan Purim Katan, as well. Based on this halachah, I once heard from my Rebbe, Rav Nachman Biederman shlit”a, that a true machmir may be different from what we perceive as a machmir: perhaps grim-faced and intensely serious. A true machmir, we understand from the Rema’s ruling, is one who is exacting on simchah, on increasing joy. That’s where his stringency lies.

Since simchah is so crucial to Yiddishkeit, the sefarim teach that if one cannot yet experience joy from actually performing mitzvos, he should engage in any practices that bring him happiness, as long as they’re not in conflict with halachah. It’s even this elementary level of joy that can spur him to perform many great deeds and also enable him to raise his level of simchah shel mitzvah, as well.

The underlying weapon with which Amalek came out in their war against us was “asher karcha baderech,” they intended to make us cold, to turn us into mitzvah-performing robots. To counter that, we celebrate the Yom Tov of Purim—and every day of our lives as Yidden—with utmost merriment and joy. Purim was the time we reaccepted the yoke of Torah from a place of love, a place of joy, because we internalized the importance of this approach and how critical it is to our service of Hashem. What Hakadosh Baruch Hu wants most of all for us is that we experience pleasure in this world, and the ultimate pleasure we can possibly derive is from deepening our connection to Him through His mitzvos, performing them with zeal and simchah.

May all of us merit experiencing this joy on Purim and every day, and to transmit a legacy of happiness to our children.

Rabbi Ezra Friedman welcomes questions and comments on this column. Please write to rabbiefriedman@wellspringmagazine.com.

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

23

UPDATES

By Esther Retek

Painkillers or PainInducers?

Yet another side effect of overusing these drugs Is Tylenol or any other form of acetaminophen your ever-present companion? You’re not alone. More than 60 million Americans resort to acetaminophen on a weekly basis.

Many studies have already highlighted the dangers of painkiller overuse, but despite all the talk, too many people are still heading for the bottles. Now, another study is pointing out its perils.

In a study published in Circulation, researchers found that over two weeks of use, painkillers caused blood pressure to rise in people who already had high numbers. It found that taking painkillers on a regular basis may also leave people with heart disease, or risk factors for it, and with much less pain tolerance.

Although raising blood pressure and increased risk of heart disease were always linked with other common painkillers such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), until this study was conducted, there had not been such evidence for Tylenol.

Previous studies on acetaminophen have found that peo24

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

ple who regularly use painkillers show a heightened risk of developing high blood pressure. But those types of studies do not prove the medication is to blame, said Dr. David Webb, senior researcher on the new study. The team set out to directly test the effects of acetaminophen on people’s blood pressure.

The researchers recruited 110 patients with high blood pressure and randomly assigned them to take acetaminophen or a placebo every day for two weeks, followed by a two-week wash-out period. Then the placebo users were switched to the real medication for two weeks, while acetaminophen users were given the placebo.

The results showed that compared to the placebo, participants’ blood pressure rose by an average of five points while they were on acetaminophen.

What about quick relief from a headache after a long Purim day? According to the authors of the study, using acetaminophen short term or intermittently is unlikely to be a concern.

THIS PURIM, GIVE THE GIFT OF MOSAICA for the creative soul

for the Rav

Presents responsa from the 17th century to the present day, finding themes that repeatedly engaged these many Torah scholars and the common sources on which they based their ideas.

for the yeshiva bachur

A proven formula for navigating the difficult journey of the teenage years and achieving greatness.

A journey through the Hebrew alphabet — their shapes, their numerical values, and their meanings, which reveal profound truths about Judaism, life, and the universe.

for the kids

Gorgeous illustrations and a delightful twist on the Purim story—told by the king's horse!

for the deep thinker

Takes on modern-day criticism without making compromises on the authenticity of Scripture and Chazal.

for your long-lost cousin

An inspiring and engaging collection of over twenty personal stories surrounding the central question of the day: Why be Jewish?

for yourself

Essays from the famed rebbetzin that inspire readers to cultivate a listening heart and be a true friend.

for your friends

Thought-provoking anecdotes and lessons from a community rabbi to educate and encourage the growth-focused individual.

FOLLOW US FOR DAILY UPDATES

VISIT US ONLINE AT MOSAICAPRESS.COM Mosaica Press books are available for purchase at MosaicaPress.com and your local Jewish bookshop.

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

25

UPDATES

Messy Mind Can brain clutter cause forgetfulness?

Declutter is the buzzword in our day and age—and especially in the pre-Pesach season. People are constantly trying to gain more space, minimize, and get rid of the overabundant “stuff” in their homes.

But clutter can do more than simply take up space in your home. Brain clutter, that is, may be the cause for forgetfulness, a new theory claims. Published in Trends in Cognitive Sciences, the theory explains that seniors struggle with memory not because they have trouble remembering things, but because their minds are too cluttered with a lifetime’s worth of memories.

Tarek Amer, a research fellow at Columbia and Harvard universities and lead author of the study, suggests that older adults’ memories are not impoverished or weak as previously thought, but quite the contrary. He says, “Based on a lot of evidence, we’re actually arguing the opposite. Older adults store too much information, so in a sense they have a harder time focusing their attention on one piece of target information and exclude all sorts of other distractions.”

According to these researchers, when we try to retrieve a memory, our brains quickly sift through everything stored in it to find the relevant information.

The younger we are, the less prior knowledge we have stored in our brains. This makes it easier for us to access the memory we are trying to find without being overloaded by many other reminiscences. Older people, however, have a much more difficult task as they need to dig through 26

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

a huge amount of prior knowledge.

In addition, seniors have a harder time suppressing irrelevant memories. According to brain imaging and other tests the team conducted, they will often pull out other memories that are in the way while trying to remember something else.

Interestingly, this new theory can be channeled in a very practical and beneficial way. The brain clutter older people have can actually give them an advantage when it comes to tasks involving creativity or wisdom. For example, seniors outperform younger adults when performing a psychological test where they are given a common object and asked to come up with out-of-the-box uses for it.

“You can think of older adults as having this extra information that allows them to form these broad associations between diverse bits of information,” Amer says. “Older adults are forming these cluttered memories, but once it’s actually time to use this extra information they can perform better on these creativity tasks.”

How can we cash in on this new piece of information?

You may want to consider asking the elderly for advice, several researchers suggest. Because of their bigger pool of knowledge, seniors can bring a lot more to the table than younger people in terms of using their life experience to come up with better solutions to some problems, as well as other creative ideas. But if you want to think clearly, you’re still best-off decluttering that desk of yours.

These statements have not been eval uated by the FDA. These products are not i ntended to di agnose, treat, prevent or cure any di sease.

sleep with serenity START THE CONVERSATION

Maxi Health is here to help you sleep deeper, calmer, and easier. We bring you potent products that enhance your slumber in a natural way. Prepared with raw and pure materials, our formulas are rigorously tested to ensure stellar quality.

For 45 + years, superior excellence has been our only standard.

Have questions about better sleep?

Email our nutritionist at info@maxihealth.com or give us a call at 718.787.1235 for expert advice and answers, any time.

UPDATES

Tip

19 in a series

Well Spent

True Values Somehow, the focus on budgeting is more Pesach-centered, but Purim is another time when bucks can easily be spent. Here are three ways to stay within your budget on this hectic, joy-filled day.

28

1. Stick to homemade

2. Plan the kids’ theme

3. Wrap ’em in bags

Buying ready-made mishloach manos is always the more expensive option, especially if you need a larger amount. Sticking to food that’s easy to make while keeping it classy may be much more appreciated than a few cookies or chocolates from a highend bakery. Vegetables, small rolls, or simple biscotti, for example, are always a pleasure to receive.

Purim is such an important Yom Tov for children and we want them to feel happy and joyous throughout. If their friends are giving mishloach manos it may be very important for them to give something too. Instead of splurging on expensive and plentiful junk, try to come up with a nice theme related to their costume, the Yom Tov in general, or to a meaningful quote on friendship.

How does that help? A theme will have them excited about their mishloach manos—with less focus on what or how much junk they’re giving.

Bags are a practical and inexpensive alternative to more costly packaging solutions, like boxes.

They’re easy to transport, keep things in place, and can be prepared in advance. The best part? You can find great deals on bags and order them in bulk.

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

29

ALTERNATIVE VIEW

BY FAIGY SCHONFELD

6 HEALING TECHNIQUES THE MORE I READ, RESEARCH, AND EXPERIENCE LIFE, THE MORE I MAKE THE CONNECTION THAT THE PAIN, ILLNESSES, AND SYMPTOMS WE EXPERIENCE ARE INTIMATELY TIED TO OUR EMOTIONAL WELLBEING. I STILL BELIEVE THAT HASHEM INVESTED CARROT JUICE AND GINGER WITH FABULOUS HEALING PROPERTIES, BUT IT’S BECOMING CLEARER TO ME THAT IT’S OUR INNER WORLD THAT PLAYS THE MOST PROMINENT ROLE IN OUR HEALTH.

30

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

We already discussed Mind-Body syndrome, what Dr. Sarno defined as TMS (tension myositis syndrome), in this space. Most people experience some version of Mind-Body syndrome at some point in their lives, in which the brain reacts to fear or stress by turning on pain signals—whether physical pain (chronic pain, sciatica, arthritis, headaches, skin conditions, etc.) or emotional pain (anxiety, depression, OCD, etc.). When trying to heal from Mind-Body syndrome, the ultimate goal is to calm the fight-or-flight response in the brain. Although I’m a great fan of The Sarno Method in any of its many different versions, there are a number of other ways to teach the brain that we’re safe.

Let’s take a look.

EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUE (EFT): Emotional Freedom Technique, or “tapping,” is also described as “psychological acupuncture.” The no-needles, noninvasive technique works with gentle acupressure, tapping the main junctions of the meridian points on the body. Meridians are the energy highways within our bodies, and tapping on these points can help relieve symptoms.

While tapping, you focus on your stress/emotion/worry/pain, accepting it, and accepting and loving yourself regardless of the discomfort you’re experiencing. The key principles are acceptance and surrender, and these work to heal on three levels: cognitive, emotional, and physical. The tapping disrupts the stress response by sending calming signals to the amygdala, the part of the brain responsible for the fight-or-flight response.

EFT allows both the body and brain to release negative emotions and thoughts, clearing trauma and thus clearing limiting beliefs. Happy hormones like serotonin and GABA are also released, and these help regulate the stress hormone, cortisol. To really achieve the benefits of EFT, it’s advisable to work with a trained practitioner or follow a program, but here’s a quick tapping exercise to try on your own: Focus on what’s bothering you now; it could be general stress or a specific upsetting situation. Rate your stress level in relation to the situation, with 0 being the lowest and 10 the highest. Say a “setup statement,” in which you acknowledge the issue you want to deal with. For example, “Even though I feel/am dealing with/am worried about xyz, I fully and completely accept myself, and I make Hashem’s Will my will.”

With four fingers tapping firmly on the Karate Chop point (the outer edge of the hand, between the wrist and pinky finger), say your setup statement.

Move on to tapping the following meridian points, while expressing any feelings, worries, or statements that come up: the start of the eyebrow (near the bridge of your nose); side of the eye (near your temple); under the eye; under the nose; the crease between the chin and lip; the collarbone; underneath the arm; and the top of the head.

Repeat the tapping sequence three times, then stop and rate your stress level. You may choose to do another round or two of tapping for better results.

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

31

ALTERNATIVE VIEW

CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY Craniosacral therapy focuses on the craniosacral system of the body, which consists of the cranium, down the spine, and back up again. Its function is to help remove toxins from the body, bring nutrients to the neurons, and promote physical and emotional health.

A craniosacral therapist may work to get the brain into a state of “rest and restore.” The treatments involve very light-touch contact at selected points around the head, torso, knees, and feet. This light contact consists of gentle finger pressure, with no bone manipulation or forceful thrusts such as those used in chiropractic work.

The practitioner notes what he or she perceives at selected points on the body and in the craniosacral system (the membranes and cerebrospinal fluid that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord), as well as the client’s attitude and emotions. The goal of craniosacral therapy is to help get rid of restrictions in this system to improve the functioning of the central nervous system.

SOMATIC EXPERIENCING Somatic therapy is a form of body-centered therapy that operates off the idea that what happens to you in your life is stored not only in your mind but also in your body; past emotional stresses or trauma affect the central nervous system and cause changes in the body. Through developing awareness of the mind-body connection and using specific interventions, somatic therapy helps you to release the tension, anger, frustration, and other emotions that remain in your body from these past negative experiences. Within the framework of somatic therapy, there are several different modalities practitioners may employ.

Here’s a quick 4-step somatic exercise: Step 1: Listen to your breath without changing it. Just notice it while softening your face and jaw.

Step 2: Feel your feet on the ground while listening to your breath.

Step 3: Notice your hands, feeling the skin and the contours.

Step 4: Notice your hips and legs. Staying with the first three steps, feel the strength and support of your lower body.

32

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

JOURNAL THERAPY Journal therapy, also known simply as writing therapy, involves the purposeful and intentional use of reflective writing to further self-awareness and lead to better physical, emotional, and mental health.

One of the major differences between just keeping a journal and actual journal therapy is the way thoughts, emotions, and internal experiences are captured. Journal therapy allows you to write down, dialogue with, and analyze your issues and concerns by using writing prompts and exercises that support the work of therapy. The practice allows you to be reflective, introspective, and intentional about your writing.

There are many creative and effective ways that journal writing may be used in treatment. Many therapists like to use some of these techniques on occasion, while others employ therapeutic journal writing as the specified course of treatment.

Some examples of journal exercises and prompts you might see in therapy include: - Journaling with Pictures The client chooses personal photographs and writes responses to various questions regarding them. Questions may include things like, “What do you feel when you look at these photos?” or “What do you want to say to the people, places, or things in these photos?”

- Letter Writing The client is prompted to write a letter—to someone they know, someone they’ve lost, or to parts of themselves—addressing certain issues they are experiencing.

- Sentence Stems The client is given a series of open-ended sentences to complete. Sentences may sound something like, “I have trouble sleeping when…” or “My happiest memory is…,” etc.

- Timed Free-Writing After deciding on a general topic, the client writes for a short amount of time, such as 5–10 minutes.

- List of 100 The client lists 100 items relating to a certain topic. Examples of list prompts include “100 Things That Make Me Sad,” “100 Reasons to Wake Up in the Morning,” or “100 Things I Love.”

- Dialogue The client assumes two different positions or viewpoints, then writes a dialogue between these two entities.

For example, the therapist might suggest that the client carry out a dialogue between himself and his inner child.

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

33

ALTERNATIVE VIEW

HYPNOTHERAPY Hypnotherapy utilizes techniques that guide you to visualize yourself in a state of peacefulness, while confronting a fear or stressful situation, or exploring past experiences. In a hypnotherapy session, the client is guided to become deeply relaxed and reach a trance-like state that helps focus the mind and enables them to respond more readily to suggestions. (Contrary to popular misperception, the client is fully aware and in control throughout the session.) In this state, the hypnotherapist may make gentle suggestions for behavior changes that can help address an issue, or teach coping skills such as guided imagery or the STOP technique for confronting fears.

BREATHWORK Breathwork is an active form of meditation that allows you to disconnect from the mind and be guided by your body. While engaged in breathwork, it is much easier to quiet racing thoughts, feelings, and sensations, as opposed to when doing standard meditation practices. There are many different breathwork techniques, and each one has a unique purpose and effect on the body. In general, the goal of any breathwork therapy is to support people in achieving a greater sense of self-awareness and capacity for self-healing.

One popular breathwork is the Wim Hof breathing method. Studies have shown that Wim Hof breathing makes the blood more alkaline and induces hypoxia, a form of positive stress at the cellular level, which can help the body deal more effectively with other negative stressors. To try it, inhale deeply through the nose or mouth, and exhale unforced through the mouth. Repeat this 30–40 times in short, powerful bursts. You may experience light-headedness, and tingling sensations in your fingers and feet.

34

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

HEALTH KINESIOLOGY Our bodies are always striving for equilibrium—mental, physical, and emotional balance.

Any number of experiences, such as physical injury, emotional stress, trauma, surgery, etc., can create stress and imbalance in the human body.

This stress can lead to all sorts of issues, both physical and emotional.

Using gentle muscle-testing and energy-balancing techniques, combined with verbal questioning, health kinesiologists (HKs) tap into and communicate with your body’s unique energy system. This technique involves applying light pressure to a muscle (commonly your arm) and monitoring how it responds. They help locate what a client’s stressors are, what the source may be, and how to correct the balance. There are many types of HKs, and one practitioner may work quite differently than another; often, they will combine various methods to form a unique approach to healing.

THE ROOT CAUSE OF OUR PHYSICAL OR EMOTIONAL SYMPTOMS IS THE FEAR RESPONSE IN OUR BRAIN, AND BY EMPLOYING ANY METHOD OF HEALING, WE’RE SIMPLY TEACHING THE BRAIN TO FEEL SAFE.

BEFORE YOU START Before utilizing any emotional healing technique, it’s important to come to a certain level of awareness. (“Knowledge is the cure,” says Dr. Sarno.) It’s important to understand that the root cause of our physical or emotional symptoms is the fear response in our brain, and by employing any method of healing, we’re simply teaching the brain to feel safe.

Although it may not always be simple to achieve this, the key to healing, with the help of Hashem, is often inside our own mind.

Many tend to turn their emotional healing into a full-time job, but that just teaches the brain that there is something very broken about them. The best idea is to give yourself some time to employ whatever emotionally releasing technique you like—and then get back to living your life! Stop measuring, fixing, and wondering if you’re doing better or worse than the day before. Focus your mind on your life, your dreams, your daily aspirations, and eventually, your mind will let go.

As always, bitachon is the truest way of achieving a real sense of safety. And even when we don’t do the healing work to completion, we can relax, knowing we can rely on Hashem, the Only One who is doing the healing for us.

This column is for informational purposes only.

ISRAEL | LONDON | ANTWERP | ZURICH | MONROE | BORO PARK | WILLIAMSBURG

LOSE INCHES

EASILY!

Now open in Boro Park!

1635 48 Street 718 532 4701 www.prestoslim.com

in just 4

weeks*

Not sure what’s more exciting- the inch loss or the calmer, more peaceful sleep…

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

35

WELLSPRING COMMUNITY

Halitosis Relief

In this space, we feature a health-related question or predicament submitted by a Wellspring reader. Fellow readers are invited to participate in the conversation by sharing their tried-and-true advice and suggestions. Join the community!

I’ve been suffering from halitosis, the medical term for bad breath, for a long time and haven’t been successful in finding something to help permanently. I brush my teeth regularly and take care of my oral hygiene, but to no avail. I’m so self-conscious when I talk to others or when I simply stand next to people. I would greatly appreciate hearing what worked for fellow readers with this condition.

I find that when I consume high-carb foods, such as foods that have a high sugar content, my breath is automatically more foul-smelling. When I stick to healthier, cleaner choices, the bad breath disappears.

- Meira K.

The problem might not be stemming from your mouth (surprise, surprise!). It may be intestinal issues.

Celery may help naturally neutralize excess acid, which can come up to the mouth and cause bad breath. Peppermint leaves also work incredibly well because they help break down the food better, thus improving breath.

- F.F., Monsey 36

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

Sometimes dirt gets trapped behind tonsils, resulting in foul breath. It helps to gargle with diluted grapefruit seed extract. Beware of its bitter taste, though. Also, you mention that you brush your teeth regularly — but what about flossing? Food caught between teeth will decay and emit terrible odors. Flossing religiously — at least twice a day — may help prevent this.

- Aryeh Schwartz

What helped me is using a special copper tongue scraper. I would recommend Dr. Tung’s tongue cleaner, available on Amazon.

- Hudis K.

If drinking and eating often doesn’t help and you still find yourself with a dry mouth (which causes bad breath), ask your dentist for products that help for dry mouths.

Dairy can also be an offender. I eliminated most dairy from my diet and saw a significant difference, baruch Hashem.

- P. Deutsch

Have you had your mouth checked by a competent dentist? My son suffered from bad breath for a long time, and then a dentist pointed out that gum disease was the culprit. He did laser treatment on his gums and the bad breath is completely gone. A dentist can also check for other issues that may be the culprit, such as untreated tooth decay. Good luck!

- E.W., Lakewood

After trying so many different products and ideas, but still suffering from halitosis, I desperately turned to my doctor to find something that would help me. He did a full physical exam and found that sinus infections were the culprit. I later learned that diabetes and other medical conditions can also cause a bad breath. If you tried several basic ideas but to no avail, you may want to undergo a thorough physical exam.

- Name Withheld

Welcome to the club! Halitosis is my lifelong ordeal.

I’ve been to a dentist, ENT, and gastroenterologist, but they could not find the cause. I’m still trying to find some permanent solution (I’m actually looking forward to reading some of the advice in this column) but for now I resort to TheraBreath products (toothpaste and mouthwash), which help temporarily.

- In the Same Boat

Bad breath is a fairly common issue among men, women, and children, and there is no single solution. Rather, different people see results with different approaches.

Here are some of the ideas that worked for my patients.

1. Drink more water, especially when taking medications.

2. Reduce consumption of highly processed foods.

3. Stop using any alcohol-based mouthwashes.

4. Cut out (or at least reduce) coffee consumption, stay away from alcoholic beverages, and quit smoking.

5. One of the best methods of curing halitosis is oral care probiotics. Bacteria in the mouth produce a foul-smelling waste product that results in bad breath.

Changing your bacteria, therefore, can often change the odors from the mouth and sweeten the breath. Probiotics can help replace the odor-causing oral bacteria with “healthy” bacteria.

6. I've recently been introduced to the TheraBreath line of products. In 1993, Dr. Harold Katz, a dentist and bacteriologist, founded the California Breath Clinics and began his advanced clinical research into the problems of bad breath, dry mouth, and taste disorders. His primary motivating factor was to find something that would help his 13-year-old daughter with her unpleasant condition.

Through his research, Dr. Katz developed an exhaustive line of products that were introduced in 1997 and designed to deal with all of these problems. TheraBreath is available in several different formulas to meet any bad breath challenge. All of their products come with a guarantee to stop bad breath or your money back.

• TheraBreath Original Formula is available as a toothpaste, throat spray (with an extinguisher nozzle, especially for those with tonsils), chewing gum, oral rinse, and lozenges.

• TheraBreath Probiotics consists of a Multi-Symptom ProBiotic Kit with a proprietary blend of beneficial bacteria that help the body defend against the germs that cause cavities, sore throats, earaches, plaque, biofilm, gum disease, and bad breath. It requires nine treatments over seven days.

• TheraBreath Plus Extra-Strength Formulas utilize the combined natural powers of OXYD-8. It’s available as a toothpaste, oral rinse, power drops (just a few drops on the back of the tongue), and nasal sinus drops.

- Dr. Jacques Doueck, DDS

Next Up: I find that especially around this time of year, when I’m on my feet for long stretches of time trying to get a lot of housework done, I end up feeling my joints, mainly in my feet, too much. I’m not suffering from arthritis or other joint-related illnesses. Any solutions for everyday joint discomfort?

Please note: These suggestions should not be implemented in place of guidance from a medical practitioner.

When I was trying to lose weight and eating only three meals a day, I found myself with bad breath between meals.

It was so embarrassing, and mouthwash did not help. After discussing this with my nutritionist and doing some research on my own, I learned that some people develop bad breath when they don’t eat often enough. Training myself to sip water frequently and snacking on a cucumber or carrot between meals has helped me. I also know some other people who were helped with bad breath when they started eating smaller, more frequent meals.

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

37

FITNESS

S DIA TS A IS RECTI

By Chaya Tziry Retter, BS, CPT Chaya Tziry Retter is a Monsey-based nutritionist, fitness instructor, and ACE-certified personal trainer. She has a bachelor of science in human nutrition management and is currently pursuing her registered dietitian credential. She is passionate about helping others lead healthier lives in a way that suits their needs. She can be reached at 845-540-4487.

38

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

How exercise plays a healing role You may have heard of it. You may have had it. You may have it now.

(And you may or may not know how to pronounce it!) Let’s break down some of the basic information regarding diastasis recti so you can tackle this common issue properly.

What Is It? Diastasis recti occurs when the rectus abdominis muscles in the abdomen separate during pregnancy, leaving a gap that allows the belly to protrude. For some women, this results in still appearing pregnant even weeks or months after giving birth.

How Does It Happen?

The rectus abdominis is a pair of long, flat muscles that run vertically down each side of the stomach.

These muscles hold in our internal organs and stabilize our core. As the tummy expands during pregnancy, the connective tissue stretches, allowing the rectus abdominis to pull apart and separate vertically down the middle. Hormones and genetics also play a large role in muscle expansion.

Sometimes the tissue heals, and the muscles join back together after delivery when hormone levels return to pre-pregnancy status. But if this doesn’t happen within three to six months, a woman may end up with a gap that won’t close without treatment. This is an extremely common and easily treatable condition.

The most common question women ask is “How can I tell if I have it?”

There are a number of ways to find out, including finding a personal trainer or physical therapist experienced with postpartum issues who can determine the answer with

a quick checkup. Alternatively, you can do a self-test at home.

• Lie on your back with your knees bent, and place the soles of your feet on the floor.

• Place one hand behind your head and the other hand on your abdomen.

Your fingertips should be across your midline, parallel with your waistline, at the level of your navel.

• With your abdominal wall relaxed, gently press your fingertips into your abdomen.

• Roll your upper body off the floor into a “crunch,” making sure that your rib cage moves closer to your hips.

• Move your fingertips back and forth across your midline, feeling for the right and left sides of your rectus abdominis muscle. Test for separation at, above, and below your navel.

If you feel a gap of more than two and a half finger widths when your rectus abdominis is fully contracted, the gap doesn’t shrink as you contract your abdominal wall, or you can see a small mound of tissue protruding along the length of your midline, you most likely have diastasis recti.

How Can You Prevent It? Although weight factors and genetics contribute to the likelihood of developing diastasis recti, there are some activities you can try in order to prevent the issue, or at least decrease its severity. In your pre-pregnancy state, practice strengthening your core. This should include your pelvic floor and oblique muscles. It’s important to always use good form when performing abdominal exercises. Proper form is key to seeing successful results in all exercises. Avoid any movement where the tummy

bulges out or that causes the back to strain. To feel more confident in your form and for a list of recommended core-strengthening and pelvic floor-strengthening exercises, reach out to a certified personal trainer.

How to Heal The first rule in healing diastasis recti is to cause no further harm. You may feel inclined to race to the gym and hit the exercise mat to get back into shape, but hold on and double-check that your routine is okay for your body. Avoid any movement or exercise that places strain on the midline or causes the belly to bulge outward, like sit-ups and crunches.

Forcing yourself upward actually separates the muscles even more and can worsen the gap.

Also, skip heavy lifting, backbends, spinal extensions, and any exercises that involve twisting the spine or working the abdominal wall against the force of gravity—like curl ups or roll ups or reverse crunches. Think about it, the muscles are in your center; if you bring your upper and lower body closer together it will just open the gap at its sides horizontally and prevent any healing or toning.

Focus on movements like abdominal breathing compressions, pelvic tilts, toe taps, heel slides, single-leg stretches, and bridges with belly scooping. Always keep the belly pulled in, rather than doing any movement that pushes it out.

Each person’s body is unique, so reach out to a fitness instructor, personal trainer, or physical therapist for tailor-made recommendations, and try to stay focused on healing instead of image or scale numbers.

Your body will thank you.

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

39

40

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

ASK THE NUTRITIONIST

By Shani Taub, CDC

Q

Bumps Ahead Preparing for a hectic season Thank you for this wonderful column. It’s a great opportunity for us readers to ask our questions and get answers from experts.

Baruch Hashem, I was very successful this winter in maintaining my health and weight goals. However, as we are approaching the Pesach season, I’m started to get nervous. That’s because I often resort to overeating when I’m in stress mode. As a mother of several teenagers, come bein hazmanim and they’re home most of the day, which is certainly fun but also taxing. And when I let go, I simply find myself binging until late at night and resorting to food whenever I need to relax.

Since I have a pattern of my health commitments fading when I hit a stressful period in my life, I’m reluctant to head into the Pesach season without some support. I was wondering if you can offer any practical tips on handling stress in general, specifically during a hectic time.

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

41

ASK THE NUTRITIONIST

As you mentioned, stress is a big factor that impacts our eating, and the upcoming season, for many, qualifies as a highly stressful period. Unfortunately, we tend to turn to food mindlessly in an attempt to calm ourselves, but if we’re truthful with ourselves, we realize that this is to no avail. I cannot emphasize this enough: Junk food, especially in overabundance, will not relax us. On the contrary, eating too much and eating the wrong foods leaves us feeling heavy, out of control, and bloated, which in turn leaves us feeling even more stressed.

So what is the solution to stress?

As Yidden, our first step is always tefillah. Prayer is our most effective tool. A few words to HaKadosh Baruch Hu before the start of your day is the best idea. Throughout the day, keep talking to Hashem, asking Him for the strength to withstand the day’s challenges. Ask him for koach to raise His children and for the energy to fulfill His mitzvos properly.

Another powerful recommendation is maintaining some kind of exercise routine. Starting your day with a quick workout can magically improve your mood.

Exercise releases endorphins, hormones that will calm you down and help you remain upbeat throughout the day. If you feel stressed any time during the day, instead of reaching for a slice of cake, go into a room for a few minutes and do some movement.

My secret quick workout? Simple jumping jacks!

But if you can afford to slip out of the house for ten minutes, go for a quick brisk walk — aahh…. the fresh

42

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

air! Staying active throughout the day will keep you in great spirits. A great tip I recently discovered is ditching your slippers for a pair of lace-ups. It will make you feel more readily on the go, and less lazy to run up the stairs yet again.

Here’s another great stress reliever: music. I have one rule pertaining to Pesach cleaning; I need music playing in the background while I work. Listening to music or an entertaining podcast while working transforms the task into an enjoyable and pleasant experience. Get your teenaged children in the spirit too, by turning on the music. You’ll be surprised by what it does to everyone’s mood.

When clients complain that they don’t have time to prepare healthy foods, I tell them that grabbing an apple or a handful of baby carrots is just as easy as grabbing a cookie. It’s a matter of rewiring our minds and training ourselves to reach for the healthier options, even if we naturally gravitate towards unhealthier choices.

There are so many quick, healthy options that you can reach for when you’re short on time. You may want to take a few minutes before you’re hit with the Erev Pesach workload to compile a list of food options that will work for you. Some ideas include hard cheese and crackers, a protein bar, hard-boiled eggs, yogurt, nuts, sardines, chickpeas, or turkey. Leftover supper can easily be repurposed for lunch, and a slice of fish takes merely 15 minutes to bake.

You can also prep food for a few days in advance when you have an extra 10 minutes. Cut up several fruits and vegetables in small containers or blend them to have a refreshing drink handy when you need a boost of energy.

These are all quick snack and meal options, but try to have at least one proper meal throughout the day. Sitting down to a proper breakfast will jumpstart the day and allow you to work with optimal energy throughout the day — so really, you’ll only be gaining

“Ma, What Can I Eat?”

time in the long run. Winding down to a proper meal in the evening will rejuvenate you and allow you to effectively maximize the evening hours.

Another advantage of sitting down to a meal is the self-care aspect. The only way for us to remain calm through this hectic season is by taking care of ourselves, physically and emotionally. We want to be there for our spouse and children despite the extra workload, and the only way to give is if our own reservoirs are filled.

Try to carve out some time both on a daily and weekly basis to do something you enjoy.

Take a few minutes each day to work on a craft project, drink a tea in quietude, read a few pages of a magazine, or chat with a sister or a friend. On a weekly basis, try to find time for at least a half hour of self-care.

Take a walk at night with your husband, go to bed earlier with a book, go out with a friend for a cup of coffee, or head out to the gym for an hour. These few minutes of self-care will positively impact your work efficiency and provide you with more energy to keep going.

If you feel that your house never has enough food come Nissan, you’re not alone. With our older children (especially the boys!) home for all or most of the month, the pantry and refrigerator can never be stocked well enough. But who has time to serve gourmet meals and be busy with snacks every hour?

Instead, try to prepare healthy food in larger quantities so the teens don’t have to buy a sandwich daily, eat every last crumb of leftover mishloach manos, or dirty the frying pan (and counters and backsplash and every utensil) every morning. The following are simple suggestions, but having such foods easily accessible may very well motivate the kids to reach for these choices over the junk food options. Here are some ideas; adapt them to suit your family’s preferences. ◊ Cook up a few eggs and keep them in the refrigerator. ◊ Open several cans of tuna in the beginning of the week. ◊ If you’re still baking challos before Pesach, make some small rolls to keep in the freezer. ◊ Cut up vegetables and keep

a mayo-based dip in the refrigerator. ◊ Cut up chunks of fruit or keep the fruit drawer fully stocked with ready-to-eat fruits. ◊ Blend frozen fruit and freeze in cups for a quick, refreshing snack. Add yogurt, kefir, or nut butter to up the protein content. ◊ Cook a pot of whole-grain pasta with cheese and tomato sauce and keep in the refrigerator. ◊ Prepare — or have the teens prepare — energy balls, such as date balls. (This can be a fun activity too!)

Stock up on: ◊ Protein bars ◊ Homemade granola in portioned bags ◊ A variety of nuts ◊ Rice cakes, melba toast, and whole-grain bread ◊ Spreads like cream cheese, white fish, or nova lox

Please send your questions to the nutritionist to info@wellspringmagazine.com.

Shani Taub, CDC, has been practicing as a certified nutritionist in Lakewood for almost a decade, meeting with clients in person and on the phone.

She also owns the highly popular Shani Taub food line, which carries healthy, approved, pre-measured foods and delicacies sold at supermarkets and restaurants.

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

43

COVER FEATURE

ARE YOU A HEALTH NUT? 44

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

HERE’S HOW TO FIND OUT IF YOU’VE MADE IT INTO THIS HONORED SOCIETY

BY LIBBY SILBERMAN

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

45

COVER FEATURE

AS HEALTH KNOWLEDGE ABOUNDS, NEW SOCIETIES ARE FORMING AT RECORD SPEED. NAMELY, THE HEALTH NUT RELIGION, THE HEALTH NUT ASSOCIATION, THE HEALTH NUT SOCIETY, AND THE HEALTH NUT RELATIONS. THEN OF COURSE, THERE’S THE HEALTH NUT RECONNAISSANCE MOVEMENT. PLUS, ONE MILLION VARIATIONS OF THE CHASSIDIM, MISNAGDIM, AND PAREVERS OF EACH OF THEM.

remain healthy and live long happy lives. Living healthfully offers a sense of security, control, and even a dose of feel-good hishtadlus. Question is, what makes someone go for so-called health nut practices while others are smirking all the way to the ice cream parlor? And the most pressing question: what’s the fine line between healthy and strange?

A couple of things, as it turns out.

Upbringing If your mom used only organic produce, chances are that you believe a non-organic apple is no different from corn candy.

Finances

Where do you belong? That comes later.

In research on the matter, the primary nuggets of wisdom I walked away with were: 1) How we really are who we think we are 2) The awesome impact our mindset has on our physical health If you’ve come here for wisdom, there, you’ve gotten it already and you are hereby permitted to stop reading now.

A self-declared health nut I know delivers her babies at home, does not vaccinate her children, and doesn’t use a microwave due to its harmful rays. However, pizza and french fries from the fast-food place are on her regular dinner rotation. She feels like she’s living the healthiest life possible, and that’s what makes her health nuttiness tick.

When I hear that I say “huh?” but then I remind myself that life is a learning experience. My mind is opening to new concepts.

Another woman who participated in this Wellspring health nut survey, ticking the box called “I’m an avowed licorice mom,“ is surprisingly conscientious about her physical fitness and avoids trans fat like…I’d avoid licorice.

I’m slowly discovering the million shades of gray, and the health nut perspectives that are far, far more complex than I initially imagined. We’re all colorblind in a certain sense, because the health nut factors we’re looking at are different for each of us.

The bottom line is, we all want to live safely, responsibly, and carefully. We all have the basic human desire to 46

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

I’m not sure who decided that junk should be so cheap, that acupuncture shouldn’t be covered by insurance, and that your monthly vitamin restock should rival your mortgage bill.

Ease of access Why wash a pot when you can use the microwave? Why wait a month to see a chiropractor two cities away when the family doctor around the block (and covered by insurance, don’t forget) is available this afternoon? Why ferment and sprout and cook when you can pick up dinner for your family at the corner takeout for next to nothing?

This commitment can deplete you of your precious energy, and you must be of the belief that this is the place to channel it.

“The normal way to do things” stigma Who sees a voodoo healer for strep throat? Only the weirdos, of course. Being a health nut is often downright embarrassing. Quakingly, I hereby mention a certain former friend of mine, whom I still love dearly but cannot call her—even for her recipe for scrambled eggs—because I will have my ear chewed for an hour about toxins in tap water, air pollution, and the importance of giving kids vitamin XY and Z every single day. Thanks, but no thanks.

All hitches aside, can we at least try to understand each other’s nuttiness?

As a grassroots effort, Wellspring summoned women from across the spectrum of health nuts to share, enlighten, and open our minds.

The craziest thing? When asked to rate themselves, 96 percent of the participants said they would rate their healthy practices as “pretty normal,” a 5 on the scale of 1–10. Cue the applause. Thank you. I’m still looking for that elusive 1 and 10.

WHAT ARE THE TOP THREE CONDITIONS TO QUALIFY FOR BEING CALLED A HEALTH NUT—SCORING AN 8 OR HIGHER ON THE HEALTH NUT SCALE? HERE, SURVEY PARTICIPANTS QUOTE HEALTHY PRACTICES THAT ARE A TAD MORE NUTTY THAN THEIR OWN BAR. BIG OPINIONS, SAGE ADVICE.

Your whole day revolves around food (healthy ones of course).

You don’t ever visit the doctor’s office, except when in a life-threatening emergency.

You’d rather die than submit to taking an epidural.

Getting obsessive about food or exercise.

Being an ardent researcher or blind follower of one particular method.

Greater percentage of pantry space being taken by vitamins or supplements than snacks and baking ingredients.

When more than 20 percent of your thoughts are centered on how to further your existing health and wellness.

When more than 40 percent of your paycheck is spent at the health food store.

When more than 60 percent of your day is spent in the kitchen, ensuring that every morsel you serve is homemade.

You are super conscious about the foods you eat (i.e., you can list what you had last week Sunday for lunch).

You allow your health choices to physically affect your life on a day-to-day basis.

A sniffle brings you to the health food store.

You never use the full amount of sugar in recipes.

You sneak in healthy substitutes in all baked goods.

You teach your three-year-old to ask you, “Mommy, is that a pwotien or vegetable?”

Being 100 percent rigid about staying away from “unhealthy” foods, even in small amounts, and enforcing that on the family; doing extra exercise if you discover you’ve accidentally snuck in an extra calorie.

Not allowing your children to have any nosh or sugar, and sending kids to parties with bags of celery sticks.

When you think a concoction with avocados and pure cocoa unsweetened chocolate can be called “cake” and you actually serve it as dessert to your guests, who happen to be yeshivah bachurim.

Someone to whom healthyism is a moral virtue, an ultimate good and ends in itself. These are people who do the following: • Translate the deepest meaning of chinuch to the importance of keeping their kids away from food coloring, for the sake of their souls, of course. No mention of, like, quinoa being a sheilah regarding its brachah, and should we refrain from that for the soul’s sake?

• Understand “you are what you eat” in its most literal sense. There are two strings of licorice riding along the waves of your bloodstream now—of course you feel tingling. There’s friction as it passes your joints.

• Arrive at a simchah fussing with a bag of your own. Now, nothing wrong with that in some contexts, but there’s this look of self-righteousness and please-oh-please-askme-what-I’m-allergicto-so-I-can-start-myprepared-rant look all over your face, and for Heaven’s sake, there’s salad right there on the table. You can take a portion and leave over the sweet potato chips.

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

47

COVER FEATURE

Listen to other health nuts ranting opposing beliefs without interjecting one word.

There’s a big world out there and it’s good to stay openminded. Also, when reading health-related articles that you feel may convince you to live a certain way, remind yourself, “This is one writer’s/researcher’s/practitioner’s way of looking at things.”

HOW CAN ONE LIVE HEALTHFULLY WITHOUT WORRYING ABOUT GETTING CAUGHT UP IN THE HEALTH NUT CRAZE?

Nothing you do will make you live or die. It’s all in Hashem’s hands. Repeating these statements every day will help keep you balanced.

As long as I’m not asking anybody to prepare my meals, why would anyone call me a health nut or weirdo?

Who even cares?

Look after yourself and don’t worry about how anybody looks at you.

Why would I not want to be a health nut if it’s the right thing to do?

Retain perspective. Keeping our body protected is but one mitzvah among hundreds of other relevant ones, and it’s crucial to weigh the time and resources you put into this one as opposed to all others. You can’t base your morality on the virtues of kale; I’d say base your morality on the virtues of Ke-il. Ooh, pun.

Follow your intuition, not someone else’s agenda.

Try to eat out once in a while and choose the carbiest food on the menu. Check in with yourself later in the day and observe how you are still alive—not vomiting, choking, or fainting.

48

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

Find the one study that insists that chocolate is good for people with colds, so you decide it will probably help prevent you from catching one, too. And, did you know, dark chocolate contains antioxidants that are good for the heart? See, it’s practically a superfood!

Chocolate is not unhealthy if eaten with thought.

Just won’t fly.

Remind yourself that chocolate comes from cacao beans, which grow on trees, so you’re essentially eating salad.

HOW CAN I BE A HEALTH NUT AND EAT CHOCOLATE-COVERED NUTS?

The simple answer to this is that you’re just not a health nut then.

Let your kids lick off the chocolate, then eat the nuts— JK, do not try this.

Don’t think about it and just do it.

Suck the chocolate off and spit the nut out. By the way, these things were designed to be eaten that way.

Tell yourself you’ll just have one and then stop. And just one more…

It’s not all or nothing, you know. At least there are some nuts. Nu, nu, so some chocolate along with it. You’re doing okay.

Consume 85 percent dark chocolate.

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

49

COVER FEATURE

I never fry in any kind of oil. (Wondering about my word choice? It’s because frying in butter is different.)

I send meals to kimpeturins, etc. in oven-to-table dishes because I don’t use aluminum or plastic containers. (No worries, I offer to take the dirty dishes back.)

I call every healthy food by funny names so my kids will eat it.

I do not “containerize” my babies, meaning no baby swing, baby rocker, or baby seat in order to build core muscles.

Home births.

WHAT IS ONE HEALTHY PRACTICE YOU DO BUT OTHERS FIND STRANGE? I use only sourdough and treat most childhood ailments alternatively, i.e., craniosacral therapy, vitamins, 3d therapy, vitamins, garlic in the socks, onions in the room. I also practice yoga and meditation to help me sort through difficult emotions.

I use only Himalayan pink salt in cooking and eat one whole pomegranate every other day.

50

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

I do not own a microwave.

I spend a lot of time brushing my teeth. Never thought it was strange until my husband pointed it out to me.

I use quinoa and bulgur instead of pasta and couscous. I also only serve fruits in the afternoon before suppertime.

I never follow recipes. I always sneak in a bunch of health stuff in my baked goods.

I slather my kids in sunscreen every single day of the year except Shabbos and Yom Tov.

I strongly believe in alternative meds and have seen fascinating results. My husband, on the other hand, doesn’t believe the “hocus pocus.” I can see clearly that because he doesn’t believe in it, it doesn’t help him as much.

I ask questions. I challenge the health “knowers.” Horror of horrors. (My findings? The top organic-and-non-GMOobsessed people can barely define the terms.)

I would rather suffer pain than take painkillers. I have no fear of pain and have heard too many frightening stories about painkillers.

Hide those supplements and eat your healthy foods in hiding.

Use sugar/oil in foods when having guests over (of course, serve these foods only to them). Also, keep your fitness regimen a secret.

I’D LOVE TO DO CERTAIN HEALTHY PRACTICES, BUT I’M WORRIED ABOUT MY KIDS’ SHIDDUCHIM AND MY SOCIAL STANDING AS “NORMAL.” HOW CAN I CIRCUMVENT THIS?

Play the Science Game and The Humility Game. Health nuts are notoriously of the know-it-all brand of pseudo-science. When talks morph to anything from vaccines to essential oils to arugula, request hard definitions of terms and research to back them up. Pretend you know nothing and have no agenda and tell nobody that you buy organic eggs only because it makes you feel fuzzy inside.

It’s a morality thing.

Avoid talking about health topics and try not to expose your health views. Ever.

To anyone.

Go to the amusement park on Chol Hamoed. It’s generally harmless to your health, and somehow, only the Twizzlers kind of families do it. It’ll look good.

Talk and talk and talk about it, but start every sentence with the disclaimer “I’m not a health nut but…”

Don’t do anything strange in public, like serving your kids organic pretzels dipped in natural almond butter for Shabbos party.

Tell people you had a muffin for breakfast but don’t divulge its ingredients.

Try not to let any healthy practice get the better of your sanity.

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

51

COVER FEATURE

In the presence of at least five neighbors in the local playground, show your children how they can use the endurance bar to build their core muscles.

Serve very healthy homemade muffins to your kids in public, tell everyone how you got an appointment with that top reflexologist, and explain why you don’t go to the doctor.

Share random nutritional facts and health research.

Make sure to state your health opinions in public. Even when it’s completely off-topic. We all know such people. (Don’t be one.)

Recycle your bag from the health food store so your neighbors think you’re there every day. No one has to know you’ve recycled this bag yourself and haven’t ever seen the inside of the particular store.

Wear sport shoes when walking to the pizza place and only enter when no one you know is around.

IN A VERY POLARIZED WORLD WHERE SHIDDUCHIM, JOBS, AND SCHOOL ACCEPTANCES CAN BANK UPON YOUR HEALTH NUT AFFILIATION, HOW CAN ONE LIVE HEALTHFULLY AND WHOLESOMELY WITHOUT BEING JUDGED OR CONDESCENDINGLY CALLED A HEALTH NUT? 52

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

“I DON’T WANNA SOUND SMUG OR ANYTHING…” TOP TIPS FOR CONVINCING THOSE AROUND YOU THAT YOU’RE AN UP-ANDCOMING HEALTH NUT WITHOUT REALLY GOING THROUGH THE PAINS OF BECOMING ONE: Most participants said this in one variation or another: balance, the magic word.

Don’t count calories unless you need to. Exercise as much as feels good to you. keep a healthy stock of food choices but keep those frozen pies for a day you’re too tired to cook. Try subbing honey and applesauce as long as your family’s happy to eat it. Relax if you need to serve Chinese takeout. Don’t get worried about eliminating foods; rather, try upping the level of higher quality foods at home. Take antibiotic medication when sick but try boosting immunity whenever you’re well. Enjoy instead of fretting about food choices when eating out. Don’t stock your freezer with high-carb finger foods.

And another wise one…listen to your intuition.

It’s all your mindset! Read on with pride in your beliefs.

Know before you start that you might get affected. I’m this type of bigshot that will try to “prove” it to myself that I didn’t get affected. Honestly speaking, what’s wrong with getting affected in a good way?

Wait four weeks before implementing any advice you read. You will likely read the opposite advice within that time frame.

Read and absorb any normal advice. Any advice that will take an insane amount of time, money, and effort is not meant for you.

Tell yourself, “It’s for health nuts, I’m not one of ’em.” Seriously, follow your intuition and incorporate aspects that feel real to you.

“I’M ALWAYS ANXIOUS WHEN READING WELLSPRING OR HEALTH-RELATED ARTICLES IN GENERAL. WHAT IF I BECOME BRAINWASHED?”

It’s only an issue if you have too much time on your hands.

Make sure the articles are written by Libby Silberman and you’ll forget there’s an agenda.

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

53

COVER FEATURE

DEFINE YOURSELF IN TERMS OF HEALTH NUTTINESS: WHAT ARE YOU? SELECT ONE: I am a health nut and proud of it.

3 I am a health nut that pretends not to be one.

6 I am not a health nut.

11 What is that? I try to live healthfully, and I refuse to call myself a health nut on principle.

24 Other 4

A health nut and proud of it.

Caster sugar and Himalayan pink salt and no frying pans in sight. I eat raw garlic (when I’m not breastfeeding) and freshly squeezed lemon. I will always choose salad over pasta dishes.

A health nut and proud of it until 12:00 AM. That’s when the cake comes out.

Other: I am a Jew, a woman, a wife, a mom, an employee, and a billion other things. Somewhere far down the line, I also believe it’s good to ingest vegetables on occasion.

54

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

I am healthy because it’s the right thing to be/ do. I grew up with lots of healthy practices. We were taught to eat and cut up salads from tiny-tot age. We loved broccoli and were grossed out by candies. I feel much better when I am healthy and am so grateful that this is how we were raised. I pray to be successful with this upbringing with my own kids. Hashem has put the most awesome things into nature for us! I love using them (lemon, onions, garlic, pomegranate, strawberries), but my healthnut-ish tendencies are tethered by time and life constraints, which makes me normal.

Obviously, in the middle (that’s what everyone replied, no?) but leaning to the healthier side. Yes, I do send wafers and potato snacks to school with my children. Yes, obviously I feel guilty about it.

IF YOU KNOW WHERE YOU STAND IN THE WORLD OF HEALTH NUTS, WHAT IS YOUR POSITION? EXPLAIN WHY YOU ARE WHAT YOU ARE. I try to be as healthy as possible, but I’m not extreme.

I enjoy nosh and candy and all the unhealthy stuff, but I am mindful about how much and when I indulge.

I’m the kind of mom who has no junk in the house (pregnancy doesn’t count, obviously) most of the time, uses exclusively spelt flour, and ensures all meals are balanced. But to the extent that I am moderately health conscious, I consider it about as ethically virtuous as my weekly cleaning schedule. Works for me.

You could say in the universe of health nuts, I’d be part of the resistance. That such is the world we inhabit…

No one could ever call me a health nut as I enjoy the best things in life too much for that title. However, I have a secret admiration for those who take the time to be one.

I’d take a nice middle-ground stance. That’s ideal for anyone who doesn’t have a predisposition toward addictions.

Obviously, something like smoking is a no-no; however, I think enjoying Shabbos treats in moderation, making balanced meals, not saturating your meals with oil and sugars, and not sitting stagnant all day means you can be “normal” and healthy at the same time. Hashem created a beautiful world to enjoy, not to tiptoe around fearfully.

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

55

COVER FEATURE

WHAT’S ONE PIECE OF ADVICE ON THE TOPIC OF ALTERNATIVE VS. TRADITIONAL MEDICINE THAT YOU’D LIKE TO ANONYMOUSLY SHARE WITH THE REST OF THE UN/ENLIGHTENED WORLD, WITHOUT BEING JUDGED ON YOUR HEALTH NUT STATUS?

Traditional medicine is not just a big-pharma-driven scam, though it might be that too. Lehalachah it’s considered the consensus of the majority and that is—I’m sorry to inform you—binding in some specific instances. Cue the mob.

Never try anything peculiar just because it was suggested by someone Chinese.

I’d love to share the benefits of hypnobirthing, preparing for birth to be calm and confident.

Try it. You have nothing to lose. Except money, of course.

Be open to trying new things even if they’re not the most conventional. And go into it with an open mind.

I feel strongly about avoiding “containers” for babies, and the importance of having them spend time on their tummies.

56

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

SO IS LIBBY A HEALTH NUT? WHO REALLY CARES? Some time ago, I was chatting with Shiffy Friedman on the phone on an Erev Yom Tov while she was doing her grocery shopping with her kids in tow. Her first grader wanted mini packs of soup nuts as a special Yom Tov treat for the family. Shiffy agreed, and I heard her kids shriek in excitement in the background.

chuckle of the past, and whenever I feel extra virtuous, sprouts come from the farmer’s market stand in the mall.

“Soup nuts, Shiffy?” I wondered aloud. “Seriously? What happened to sour belts?”

I’ve gone through a three-pound bag of sugar in a week and other times in a half year. On the flipside, I have gone through a one-pound bag of chia seeds or flax in a month, and other times they’ve sat in my pantry for a year.

She laughed and said it was a fluke they were excited over soup nuts, nothing more, and that they get their fair share of sour belts too. She then related how she feels when acquaintances glance into her shopping cart to “check out” her health choices.

“Am I an impostor if there’s white flour in my shopping cart?” she mused.

While I didn’t have a good answer for her, I could totally relate. As a Wellspring researcher and columnist, I am often expected to be a role model in health and fitness among family and friends.

You may or may not be surprised to hear that I haven’t fermented in the past half year at least, sourdough is a

I’ve tried reflexology, Bowen, acupuncture, and some other alternative treatments in the past while, but have moved on from there. Not because I don’t think they’re amazing modalities.

Okay, so let’s talk tachlis.

What am I in the health nut world, a giant bluffing impostor? The professor minus all the credentials?

I am of the DWW society. I do what works. I do what I want.

You’re welcome to join my club.

As ma’aminim, we are obligated to do our part in protecting the body Hashem has granted us for safekeeping.

Doing more than that is likely to make you anxious about your health—and that’'s a surefire way to boost your rating on the health nut scale.

“JUST SAYING: HEALTHY, HEALTHFUL, NATURAL, WHOLESOME, LIFESAVING, INVIGORATING AND GOOD-FORYOU DO NOT ALL MEAN THE SAME THING, IT TURNS OUT.” —PERELA S. WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

57

SAMPLE

SAMPLE

By Libby Silberman

58

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

Off the Couch and Into Exercise Mode With a double Adar this year, we’ve had ample opportunity to tap into joy. Lighten up, and listen in, to the joys of— I hereby present our latest challenge.

How powerful is the promise of being featured in a magazine?

Huh? Yes, you got it. This month, we test the power of publicity.

Seriously, Libby, how does that relate to health and wellness? You promised to try out health stuff and let us know of their efficacy.

You’re right, you’re right. Hold it.

For this month, I sought out the 12 biggest couch potatoes I could find across the breadth of the Jewish universe. Women who must be tied in chains and dragged to the gym, kicking and screaming. Women who are chock full of excuses—great ones, by the way—and insist on remaining bound to their swivel chair or sofa.

Women who swear that typing and chewing are the best forms of exercise. We don’t know annnnny of them, right?

I challenged these women to create fitness goals, and to meet them for a duration of two months. The draw?

Be featured in a magazine.

Ranging in BMI from low to average weight to obese, all 12 women were well aware of the benefits of exercise. Still, they find it challenging to carve out the time or to muster the stamina to exercise regularly.

Will they succeed?

Will we at the Lab watch with pride as these Samples huff and puff their way to their goals? Or will we groan in disappointment, watching them dourly go through bags of rippled potato chips on the inactive treadmill at the gym?

How many will drop out of the race?

Much is at stake. The world is about to know just how lazy or not these subjects really are.

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

59

SAMPLE

60

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

Meet the Trial Participants: Rochel, 32, 198 lbs.

Nechy, 23, 150 lbs.

Leba, 45, 220 lbs.

Rivky, 24, 188 lbs.

Ilana, 41, 165 lbs.

Yenty, 35, 170 lbs.

Shana, 28, 143 lbs.

Esther Goldy, 28, 130 lbs.

Mimi, 22, 150 lbs.

Itta, 32, 144 lbs.

Chani, 21, refuses to divulge weight

Chayala, 28, 132 lbs.

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

61

SAMPLE

How It Went Over

Each participant filled out a detailed survey, writing concrete plans for achieving her goals.

My fitness goals: I want to fit into a certain gown at my brother’s wedding.

I don’t want to take up most of the space in the family photo at the next family wedding.

The mirror has no space for all of me.

I want more energy.

I want to be happier and look slimmer.

I want to get rid of baby weight and tighten my abs.

I really want to lead a healthy lifestyle but have no time.

I must lower my sugar levels and in general overhaul my lifestyle.

I want to feel happier.

I’m expecting my third child and constantly feel tired, sluggish, and clumsy. I’d love to walk up the two flights of stairs to my house without feeling completely out of breath, and also maintain a healthy weight.

I am perpetually rundown and tired even with adequate sleep. I’d love to have more stamina and energy.

I work from home and aside for waiting with my sons for the bus at the corner every morning, I don’t move much on a daily basis. I feel it in my creaking bones.

62

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

How I plan on accomplishing my fitness goals:

I paid my RD for eight sessions up front so it’s either show up or lose the money, plus, I signed up for twice-a-week exercise classes at the gym.

Planning to walk for 45 minutes, three evenings a week.

Half hour of swimming and one hour with a trainer each week.

Canceled my daily ride to work. I plan on walking instead! It’s a twenty-minute walk, twice a day.

Follow a video-based exercise routine every weekday evening. Two levels per evening.

Aim for third level at least once a week. (The entire routine takes about 30–35 minutes.)

Yoga video every night. Walk on treadmill whenever I’m having a long phone conversation.

Twenty sit-ups and five squats every morning. Twenty-minute brisk walk once a week.

Once a week personal trainer session and possibly half hour of swimming (if I can swing it in my full-time work schedule) Twice-a-week session in heated fitness cabin. Major dietary changes.

18-minute workout videos three days a week, plus twice a week Pilates at local women’s club.

Pilates at the gym once a week (35-minute class), followed by easy Zumba class. Intense cardio workout twice a week .

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

63

SAMPLE

What's your most morbid belief about exercising and your ability to stick to your fitness goals?

That I’m chasing an impossible goal. No matter what I do, I will be unable to change my body and I should just come to terms with it.

Prediabetes is a nice way of saying I’ll have diabetes in a year, so I should just get ready for it.

I should quit worrying about my weight between births. It’s bound to make my life stressful, and I should wait until I’m forty to start getting fit.

I should just wait for breastfeeding to bring down all the extra weight so why bother working hard?

months. Why bother?

I think it’s super important for women of all ages to take good care of themselves, but the stress it puts on us is just not worth the effort.

Mom’s overweight and happy, Dad’s overweight and happy, siblings are overweight and happy, hubby is overweight and happy, yours truly is overweight and happy. Why try to lose weight and be sad?

I’ve got no time to exercise as I work full time from home, have no babysitting arrangements, and no family nearby.

I’ll give up this challenge before it’s over.

Women need healthy bodies with fats. It’s a good thing. Exercise drains them of energy they need to reserve for their families and other important things.

The babysitter won’t show up when I want to go to a brick-and-mortar gym (and the gym is so expensive that maybe I can just count on housework as fitness).

The connection will crash when I’m finally ready to do an online exercise video.

As a kid, someone once said to me that being overweight makes it harder for kidnappers to snatch you.

What a consolation. So why should I get fit?

My motivation will peter out. Even if I follow through with this challenge, I’ll be back to couching in two

64

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

My first duty is my family—taking care of four little people and trying to be a good wife. The costs and headache involved in getting a babysitter and getting out makes the outcome not worthy enough.

It’s all in my head. If I want to be tired, I just need to act tired. If I want to be energetic, I just need to act energetic. Exercising doesn’t come into the equation at all.

I do all this exercise the whole day anyway: I pick up the kids from the sitter and school, do the groceries, shlep the tantruming kid up the stairs, pick up all the toys from around the house, and push the stroller up the hill. Why do I have to do more than that?

Tomorrow is a great day to start exercising.

What’s your most positive belief about your fitness goals?

We can do this!

I am capable of doing the things I want to do—if I want them badly enough.

It’s the very best gift I can give myself. Who am I kidding with all my kvetching?

I’m doing no one but myself a huge service by getting more fit.

Endorphins are a real thing.

Week 4: What’s making you stick through this challenge?

I wanna appear in a magazine.

Most supportive group ever.

The numbers on the scale are making me happy.

This group is stalking my life, no two ways about it.

My husband is coaxing me through this.

I’m feeling energized—I’ve lost a decade of age.

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

65

SAMPLE

Support Our Troops

Most participants wished to join a virtual “support group” to keep them pumping. As the researcher performing the experiment, I also joined the group and thoroughly enjoyed the action.

Mimi: I just changed into gym gear thanks to Itta and Leba’s incessant texts! They are so annoying, but sometimes, annoying can be a good thing! Go us!

Rivky: I’m trying this, too. Can everyone please pester me and text me until I do my exercise? Here’s my number…

Esther Goldy: I managed a 5-minute intense workout. It was great!

Leba: Ilana: That’s great! Didn’t you say these workout videos were too hard for you?

Esther G: I did but I decided to give it a five-minute shot.

Yenty: Yes to sleep!! I think if I’d go to sleep a little earlier, everything would change. I’d have time for a mini morning routine instead of going back to bed after my kids’ buses. Then I’d clock in to work earlier and get all my work done while my kids are out. I’d never have to work to make up hours in the evening and get to bed on time! Maybe push in a quick exercise routine when my kids are sleeping. #dreamon Nechy: Why dream on? That sounds pretty doable.

Shana: That sounds ideal, why wouldn’t it work?

Yenty: Was just my overtired overidealistic self writing that. Not happening.

Ilana: Guys! Get off the couch! My laptop died just as I was starting to sweat a few minutes into the exercise video…I almost cried…OK, I’m kidding, I was so excited! I’m excused for tonight!

66

of tired.

Yenty: Rivky, we’re all tired. Just think about how good you’ll feel if you push yourself.

Esther Goldy: It doesn’t have to be for long. Just get yourself pumping for 10–15 minutes. Have steps in your house? Run up and down ten times. Or do jumping jacks and some squats. Anything.

Rivky: Maybe I’ll do ten minutes. That much I can try.

Rivky: Hey everybody. Back to report that I decided to do a return at a store in the evening. Decided to run over while you were all on my back. Ten-minute walk each way!!

Esther Goldy: Nu…so how did that feel?

Rivky: Honestly? I’m tireder than tired. But also energized, if that makes sense.

Rochel: PSA buy the book Eat to Live, it’s amazing.

I’m working with an RD and following her plan but do think that the book is brilliant. Trust me, I’ve tried lots of plans.

Even if you’re not planning on changing your diet majorly, it’s worth reading.

Nechy: My somber promise for today: ten crunches after I come home from work, before I do anything else (but maybe after eating a cupcake). Maybe if I tell everyone I’m going to do it, it’s gonna motivate me to actually follow through. Besides, my words may just appear in a magazine…lol.

Esther Goldy: Did you do them?

But, I got the wire, went back to my room, plugged in the laptop, and started a new video…and I feel awesome!! Go for it!!

Nechy: I don’t know why I find these things so hard. I’ve never been able to stick to anything in my life.

Rivky: Am I the only one who hasn’t moved all last week? At night I get lazy and tired, but the real kind

Nechy: Update: I ended up doing those crunches yesterday, two minutes before I went to bed. But it

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

was literally only because I announced I would do them. I’m very proud of myself.

Ilana: Stuck to my gym plan for the past two weeks!

I am in agony—have never felt so old in my life lol.

Mimi: Okay, so I’m thinking…it’s predawn and I’m up with my baby and catching up with the hock here…If a sauna and all these steam exercises are so good, what’s the difference between doing a workout in a bathroom with a steaming hot shower running?

Isn’t that going to accomplish the same thing?

Rivky: I snapped into things…and feel so good. It was tough to do that first exercise class but I felt so amazing when I finished that the next class wasn’t that hard anymore! The instructor was super nice and it was good to meet people. Last time I went to the gym was about ten months ago, btw.

Mimi: I think we have to look at the topic of exercise and physical fitness as basic health stuff, such as wearing a coat when it’s cold. I don’t know about you, but when I feel like sinking into the couch, I act “couchy” and get kvetchy…not very conducive to a happy healthy home atmosphere. Look at exercise as an integral part of building your home. You’ll have more strength and patience for your spouse and kids.

Rochel: So true.

Esther Goldy: 100%! Exercise makes me so energetic afterward—no matter how tired I was before!

No, I’m not going to lie, I got dressed in gym clothes this morning planning on knocking myself out with a good exercise routine, but who was I kidding? I went to bed at 2:30 got up at 6:30, I seriously couldn’t do it with all my noble intentions.

Nechy: I’m still dreading having to do my exercise video. Just the thought of working so hard and getting so sweaty makes me want to sink lower into the couch. Yes, I feel great after doing it (after my shower obvs), but I can’t really see it as exciting…

Some people here are literally “oh my goodness, can’t wait to get moving, totally looking forward to my exercise!”

Do you think I’ll ever be like that? Is it supposed to change?

#stillacouchpotato Shana: Can I can be the first to post my successes?

I walked for about an hour last night, sometimes brisk walking and sometimes not.

Now my bones kill, but it felt good.

My hopeful success: I will start eating sandwiches at work instead of going home for lunch break and do a half hour walk instead.

Yenty: !!!!!!!!!!! Just wanted to give you all an amazing update. Ever since I gave birth a year ago, I’ve been suffering from a gastro issue. I was put on medication but never properly recovered. Ever since I’ve been doing exercise three times a week — it’s nearly gone! That’s a true story. Happened to me :). If I ever don’t feel motivated to exercise, the pain will come back to remind me to get into this again!

Leba: I used to think the worst pain was labor pain…but then there’s this cute little baby at the end.

I just discovered another kind of worst pain, but these are torture chambers. Heated fitness cabins with leather straps attached to resistance bands to your hands and feet. You need to lift your hands and feet despite the resistance. It’s like lifting 10 million pounds. Struggling to make it to the end of the routine? I’ll give you a beauty tip, just think, “It’s labor, it’s labor and I have no choice but push my way through. The pain will pass. I have no choice.”

And today that mantra helped me complete my ten reps (times three).

Unfortunately, there was no cute baby at the end.

And I still have my baby pudge.

Mimi: LOL Rochel: Hahaha Ilana:

you rock

Leba: Update on torture chambers/heated fitness cabins: One of my goals was not having to huff and puff as I walk uphill. I had another session and left the building hobbling like I had three broken legs, at a pace that would make a turtle snort. But as soon as I recovered slightly, I was able to walk home, uphill, without huffing and puffing! Instant results, ain’t that?

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

67

SAMPLE

Results: I failed. Fell out of it and gained 5 lbs, mostly throughout the latest donut festival. I’m also studying for major exams now and spent around five hours a day at my computer with popcorn, potato chips, and super snacks. I did pay in advance for the gym but turned up to 10 percent of the classes. The promise of being featured in a magazine didn’t work at all—this isn’t going in with my name, is it? I’ll do teshuvah though by going on a nightly walk as soon as my exams are over.

Mostly good! I didn’t stick with my original plan because it was way too idealistic. I cut down to a twenty-minute walk each morning plus skipping the bus whenever I could walk instead. But I really did stick to my modified goals. I didn’t lose any weight, but managed to fit into a gown I’d thought was a lost cause for a wedding. Extra bonus was having energy to keep dancing all evening like an 18-year-old. The group part of it kept me accountable and going even when I had zero patience. Recently, I struggled with babysitting arrangements and skipped my daily walk for a couple of weeks. I felt an instant effect on my mood, energy levels, and weight. It was the best message to me to keep this going!

I did it, I did it! This was the best thing that’s happened to me lately and I feel so super-duper energized! This is me, Mrs. Self-Declared-Exercise-Hater, and I’ve fol-

68

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

lowed through! A big part of it is that I set the bar low enough that it was realistic, and that this group literally forced me to stay in things. I am competitive by nature so seeing that everybody was behaving themselves sort of compelled be to stay in the game.

Um, I totally forgot about this. I logged out of the chat early on, thinking I’d do my own thing without all the chatter about weight loss and exercise. Oh well, but I’ve been enjoying a magazine on the couch in the time I planned on exercising. Also a good outcome.

I stuck to my fitness goals for four full weeks. I did an exercise routine for a half hour a day, four days a week.

After that, I dropped out because of pelvic pain, likely pregnancy related. I was using a prenatal fitness video but must have been doing something wrong. During the time I was exercising, I felt awesome, energetic, and proud that I was taking care of my health! The group part was tons of fun, and I loved updating the group when I met goals. I also felt hypocritical cheering others on when I wasn’t doing it myself—so that made me stick to things. The magazine incentive was thrilling! My husband also realized how good this challenge was for me, so he really pushed me to stay in it as long as possible.

I followed through on about half of my fitness goals,

but they were ambitious, so that’s pretty amazing! I do ten crunches every night and a brisk walk almost every morning. The funny thing is that although this challenge focused on exercise, what I improved in tremendously is healthy eating! Before I signed up for this challenge, I was lucky if I looked an apple in the eye more than once a month. Now, I snack on pepper sticks and whole grain crackers whenever I’m in the mood of noshing and eat at least one or two fruits a day. I’m more aware of my body’s signals, and chocolate and junk are reserved for Shabbos only. The group part helped me stick to it because whatever I did was public knowledge. I think my newfound taste for fruits and vegetables is here to stay, and we’ll see how long I will maintain my exercise routine. Somehow, though, I’m relieved this whole thing is over.

I lost 13.2 lbs for starters! And I now fit into all my pre-pregnancy clothes! I worked hard dieting and exercising, mostly on core fitness. The group challenge and having to be recorded on this official group spreadsheet initially gave me a huge push, but once I got into it, I didn’t need the external motivation anymore. (Libby’s note: yay you!) I am so excited to have lost weight and eager to go and buy myself some new clothes—I deserve it. The sad part is that I am not likely to maintain exercising right now. I give more hope to my diet, though.

I started off very excited and into things, but after two and a half weeks I hurt my foot while exercising. I did manage to lose 2 lbs in that time, and it’s a shame I had to stop. The problem is that once you’ve dropped out and stopped exercising, it’s hard to get back into it. Right now, I’d love to get back into it as my foot is all better, but the challenge is mostly over and group participation has really gone down. Too late for me.

I was super determined and stuck to my fitness goals for two weeks. I felt wonderful; light and fit. I stopped because I didn’t have time (maybe just because I’m lazy?). I do think that had I committed myself to a class or paid for something in advance, I would have stuck to my goals for much longer. The promise of being featured in a magazine did nothing to help me keep it up.

Maybe if I’d have been held accountable with a partner every single day, it would have helped. I’m super excited at having discovered a ten-minute yoga routine via the group. It literally gives me energy, clears my head, and makes me feel so healthy. Nowadays, I do at least three ten-minute yoga routines a week at home. I don’t feel hungry afterward like I do after regular exercising, and think my metabolism has improved tremendously from it.

I must say I was very apprehensive about joining this challenge. You see, I’m severely allergic to exercise and knew right from the outset that I’d fail. But, when I saw how the other women were taking it seriously on the group, I was pressured to start. I succeeded in sticking to everything I’d planned on doing, except the week of Chanukah. This included three intense 15–20-minute workouts a week plus a Pilates class once a week.

I’ve lost a couple of pounds in the process but I’m not sure exactly how much. This challenge was a great opportunity, not so much for the magazine part, but more because I was able to moan and kvetch with others. I will definitely be continuing with the exercising and dieting because I have a long way to go.

On day one of the challenge, I found the group very off-putting. Everyone was so competitive and idealistic—way too stressful for me. Nobody, but nobody, on the group sounded like they hated exercising quite as much as I did. But for me, this challenge did quite some good. I signed out of the exercise chat and instead signed up for two official exercise classes a week.

I lost 10.5 lbs in the past two months or so. Although I wasn’t part of the back-and-forth that much, this proved to be a huge success for me.

I would give myself a 70 percent for sticking to this challenge all the way through. I lost a grand total of 2.2 lbs (at least I didn’t gain anything!). I also started drinking an adequate amount of water. One thing that really contributed to my success was arranging a weekly exercise class with some neighbors that we paid for in advance. The magazine part was cool and did give me a push to keep exercising.

Curious about a health fad but don’t want to be the experimental subject just yet? I may want to experiment with that!

Send a message to info@wellspringmagazine.com, subject line “Libby’s the Sample.” Meet you in the lab!

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

69

CUP OF TEA

70

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

Cup of Tea with

Julie Devora Brown Julie Devora Brown

LOCATION: Ramat Beit Shemesh Aleph, Israel

AGE: 60 OCCUPATION: Certified Kallah Teacher, AAMET EFT Tapping Certified, Dimensions Method Certified

PASSION: Putting a smile on another person’s face SHE WISHES PEOPLE WOULD KNOW: When we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change!

By Roizy Baum WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

71

CUP OF TEA

If I think my interview with laughter therapist Julie Brown will expand my repertoire of witticisms, I’m wide off the mark. “Laugh for no reason,” she declares, dashing my hopes for side-splitting jokes. “Circumstances don’t have to dictate your state of emotion. You can decide what you want your life to be. You don’t need a joke to get you to laugh. It’s in your own hands.”

What prompted Julie Brown, a certified EFT therapist and popular kallah teacher, to further grow her job gamut?

Julie discusses how she began leading laughter therapy workshops. “I’m a very happy person by nature. I attribute my personal happiness and my desire to spread joy to my upbringing.”

Growing up in a home saturated with happiness defi72

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

nitely cultivated Julie’s cheerful personality. She gives credit to her parents who ran a home where everyone felt comfortable. Smiling was not reserved for when life was easy and smooth sailing. Rather, it was viewed as a conscious choice. “People would come and go and hang around just to be the recipients of my father’s caring, ever-present smile. It was a warm and friendly place to be.

“My father would say, ‘When I kvetch to someone else, two people are in a bad mood. But when I smile to another person, I’m happy and they catch my smile, too. You don’t even have to do anything. I’m just doing mine to make the world a happier place.’ The easiest way to ease someone’s burden is by helping put a smile on their face.”

With parents whose mission was to ease the burden of

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

73

CUP OF TEA

another Yid by spreading smiles, it’s no wonder Julie has chosen this goal as her unique profession.

stances, but the reaction to every situation is your choice. That’s on the emotional side.

“But the physical side,” Julie exclaims, “my goodness! Laugh for no reason. It’s worth smiling just for the physical benefits.”

From Beam to Business Many cheerful people inhabit this planet, but how does being a happy person morph into running laughter workshops? The kernel that eventually sprouted into a career was when Julie experienced a laughter therapy session herself. “A friend of mine offered laughter workshops every Rosh Chodesh.

My daughter joined me for one and we were hooked.”

It was a new phenomenon to Julie. “You can just do this thing called laugh. Nobody needs to tickle your funny bone; you don’t even need to hear a joke. And the emotional release that resulted during the session was profound. The peak of the exhilaration,” Julie recalls, “was at the end, when there’s a coming down to reality. We were laughing for no reason and, as a practitioner, I recognized how beneficial it was on countless levels.

And, once you laugh your kishkes out, all negative emotions are released. Ahh, the feeling!

I was thinking, This is powerful. It really was profound, and I knew I wanted to more and more people to experience the profundity. I knew this was awesome and something that I wanted to do.”

Our circumstances, Julie stresses, don’t have to command our state of emotion. An individual should have the awareness that she always has the choice of giving meaning to her life. Julie chuckles, “You don’t need to live a Pollyanna life, but you can decide how you want to live your life. With every feeling, you can feel the emotion of the moment— anger, fear, or something negative—and then choose how to look at it, how to respond, and then how to behave.”

It’s a concept often discussed by Chazal.

Within each human being rages a never-ending current of emotions. Some days, we’re dragged downward; on other days, we are pulled upward. You can’t change the circum74

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

The first looks Julie gets scream, “Are you nuts?” But before long, a small giggle morphs into a full belly laugh because you’re just doing it. “It’s incredibly cathartic.

It’s just so wonderful and so fun.”

Clearly in her element, Julie continues: “There are many different types of tears, and not all emotional tears are created equal.

Tears have different chemical makeups. You can cry because you’re feeling forlorn and sad, and you can cry from laughter and gratitude. And besides for the tears, those very emotions course through your body, bringing about positivity that flows through you.

A laughter therapy workshop brings you to tears,” Julie shares. “And those tears are happy, positive tears!”

There is one factor that can assist us in our mood battles, and that is choice. Julie asserts, “At any given moment, I have a choice to put a smile on my face and, just like that, every cell in my body becomes a little emoji smiley.

Just make your lips go up instead of down and you’ve done the magic right there.

“When a person is in fight, flight, or freeze mode,” Julie continues, “when they’re afraid or tense, certain parts of their body cease their function. If you want to be a whole person, you need to be in a calm state. You can choose to remain in fight, flight, or freeze or you can be in a peace-of-mind place, a looking-for-opportunity place, where all your organs and systems are on board.”

Workshops Work So how did Julie channel her inspiration as a laughter workshop attendee and turn it into a culmination of her own dream?

“Obviously, I took a course. Nothing happens these days without one,” Julie shares with a laugh as she explains the training method. “I was taught different techniques on how to conduct the workshop. For example, there are specific approaches you’d use for older crowds verses younger crowds.

And some workshops are done sitting in one

place, while others entail moving around.”

Although the goal is the same, the methods of attaining it do vary.

Julie begins every workshop with a bit of personal and professional background. “My introduction outlines where I’m coming from and what I’ll be doing. I teach the physical, emotional, and spiritual benefits and the overall idea that we are human beings with a choice. And then the fun begins!”

Laughter is the greatest stress relief, drawing people together in ways that generate healthy physical and emotional changes in the body. During a workshop, Julie models the facial expression, her lips stretching from a small smile to an ear-to-ear grin. She shares how it happens. “I issue a command, such as ‘Everyone, smile!’ and everyone smiles. Then, ‘Everybody, giggle!’ and ‘Everybody, laugh!’

The listeners follow the commands and mimic what I do. The main point I convey to my audience is that we can laugh no matter what and when. You can laugh for no reason. You can laugh for the sake of laughing.”

The first looks Julie gets scream, “Are you nuts?” But before long, a small giggle morphs into a full belly laugh because you’re just doing it. “It’s incredibly cathartic. It’s just so wonderful and so fun.”

The side-splitting laughter is then followed by physical activity, like dancing or exercise.

The audience flows from one activity into the next. Forty minutes into the workshop, they begin the final step—cooling down. With guided imagery and a summary of the points learned, participants are brought to a place of real calm. “I tell the women, ‘Notice and accept your emotions and when you’re there, aware and attentive, choose to be grateful,’” says Julie. “Participants end with the knowledge that their body is comfortable with bringing buried emotions up to the surface— and that they can feel.”

The all-common fear humorists grapple with is for their humor to completely fail to produce the desired effect. Did Julie ever you have workshops that fell flat? “Yeah, for

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

75

CUP OF TEA

sure!” Julie says, in all honesty. “Many times. And usually it’s the mood I’m in that is to blame, like waking up on the left side. Other times, I’m overcome with embarrassment.

It is an awkward job, who am I kidding? But I can always look back, pinpoint where it went wrong, and work on correcting it from there. You definitely learn from experience.”

Another common mistake Julie contended with was trying to please diverse age groups. For example, bas mitzvah workshops often cater to the 12-year-old girls and their mothers. To get a preteen and an adult to laugh, different buttons need to be pushed. And because a few mixedage workshops flopped, before Julie accepts a job, she makes certain the group is generally within a particular age bracket. She finds the seminary age to be just right.

“These girls are on the brink of life, eager to absorb and learn. They’re just fully into the experience.”

But unsuccessful workshops don’t dampen Julie’s spirit, because the good feeling of the effective experiences lingers forever. When the “I feel like a different person” feedback pours in, Julie knows she’s doing her share in ensuring people take their required laughter dose. “Supplementary chuckles and chortles are just what the doctor ordered. But besides for laughter being the greatest medicine, it’s a preventative measure too.”

Positive feedback like “It’s Rosh Chodesh, can you please come back?” keeps Julie going. “Feedback is nice,” she says, acknowledging the job is out-of-the-box. “You’re putting yourself out in the public in a weird, off, awkward kind of way, and appreciation means so much to me.”

Inner Joy Julies illustrates the power of laughter with a video she watched. “It stuck with me, and for good reason,” she jokes. “There’s this train full of people. Most passengers are immersed in their phones, one’s nose is in a book, another one’s head is buried in a newspaper. Nobody is talking to each other. Suddenly, the man sitting at the corner of the car starts smiling out of the blue. His smile turns into a chuckle, then a laugh, and finally, a guffaw. The passengers in the car shoot him looks, but the man is relentlessly chortling. It doesn’t take long until they all crack up. You can see the car practically vibrating with laughter.

The man, seeing he accomplished his goal, sneaks out and goes to the next car to pull off the same act.” Those two to three minutes depict the contagiousness of laughter. A 76

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

carful of strangers quickly turned into friends, fused by one common entity—a hearty laugh.

As a kallah teacher, Julie teaches her students, “If a person gives someone all the gifts in the world and the giver’s face shows discontentment, it’s as if the person received no gift at all. But if you receive a gift from someone with a beautiful countenance, it’s as if you’ve just received all the gifts in the world.”

She likes to use an example of a celebrity who never permitted herself to frown out of fear of wrinkling her face. “If you’re not convinced to smile yet,” Julie enthuses, “looking pretty may just be the final push! It’s a good reason too! Let’s just smile!

“Hashem looks at those people whose lives are tough and still, they smile. He says, ‘You have such a difficult life and yet you’re wearing a smile? I’ll open up the faucet and shower you with brachah.’”

One and the Same As an EFT therapist for close to 15 years, Julie shares how her two main areas of work are intertwined. “I’d say laughter therapy is like a power walk, while EFT therapy is an annual subscription to the gym—a lot deeper, and obviously a longer process, too. But whatever the trauma

Heart.Works

Quality, Quality, Quality.

We’re nuts about that.

UR

S | CRU

SH ED

UNDER 7 H IN

O

, GROUND

FRESHLY HARVESTED & PACKED

, AN

D PAC K E

D

may be, through acknowledging and dealing with the negative part of life, you’re on the healing path.”

Laughter workshops don’t negate that we have reason to cry. Julie teaches her students that we’re allowed to have negative emotions, only that we shouldn’t get hijacked by them. The takeaway? Choose how you want to feel.

While Julie has run workshops with groups of 25, it’s the smallest group that stands out. And with small, she means really small. “Have a session with the mirror and yourself. Look into your eyes,” Julie instructs, “and once a day tell yourself how beautiful you are. Bring a smile to your lips. You don’t need a joke to break your face into a smile—you know how to do this.

“I’m not a robot or a tzadeikes,” Julie rushes to clarify. “Of course, I overeat and struggle with laziness at times. Still, I deal with my negative emotions. I feel the fear, I feel the sadness, I feel the despair—I don’t deny myself the gift of feeling. But at the same time, I don’t let the negative emotions rule me. The general atmosphere flowing through my home is happiness—because I choose to be happy.

When it comes to your ingredients, it’s the quality that counts. Gefen’s freshly harvested nuts are sourced directly from Valencian and Californian orchards, where they are sliced, ground or slivered to give you the absolutely freshest and highest quality that’ll do any Pesach dish or baking pan, proud.

“I don’t know much about anything,” Julie adds candidly, “but I want my house to be a place where my kids want to be. They should be comfortable in their own home.”

The more we allow ourselves to smile, to experience joy, the more comfortable we become in our own skin, appreciating the life Hashem has granted us and all of the details that come along with it.

Sliced Almonds | Slivered Almonds | Ground Almonds | Ground Hazelnuts | Ground Walnuts / ADAR II 5782 77 For those withWELLSPRING Higher Standards.™

THE FUNCTIONAL DIETITIAN

The Science on Weight Loss

By Tamar Feldman, RDN, CDE

With more than 70% of American adults overweight or obese, chances are you or someone close to you is currently trying to lose weight. Although it is a tired subject for many, it is important to make sure you are on the receiving end of accurate information before investing time, money, and emotional energy into a weight-loss food plan. After all, you don’t want to be one of the many yo-yo dieter statistics.

Armed with the right information, you have a much higher chance of losing the weight and keeping it off for good.

78

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

Over-Reliance on Exercise Exercise certainly offers many benefits, and everyone should do their best to keep physically active, but the truth is, your workout routine may not be helping you slim down. Even worse, it may be stalling your weight loss, particularly if you are doing a lot of intense, appetite-stimulating cardio. We tend to drastically overestimate how many calories we burn while exercising, particularly if we’re doing something intense, like spinning or running. Research shows that even high-tech watches and other devices can overestimate the calories burned while working out. For people tracking what they’re eating and burning through exercise, the faulty math may be problematic.

It’s also common to reward yourself with food after a workout, which can interfere with your progress. Women, in particular, tend to eat what they expend in exercise, according to research on the subject.

Unknowingly, we put a little more food on our plates or have a heftier snack in order to replenish what we burned off.

Other research found that for those new to exercise or for those exercising less frequently, there may be a slight impact on energy expenditure, meaning it might provide a small drop on the scale. But here’s the bad news: Workouts among people doing large amounts of exercise didn’t show up on the scale, likely due to compensation from an increased appetite and eating more.

When it comes to losing weight, it’s more about what you put into your mouth than what you’re burning off.

My recommendation is to do a moderate amount of cardio for good health and a slight calorie burn, without overdoing it due to its appetite-inducing effects. In addition, I highly recommend that dieters engage in a significant amount of weight training to preserve muscle, which will prevent the metabolism from slowing down during the weight-loss process.

The Scoop on Calories While all dietitians will agree that calorie intake plays a significant role in weight loss, I — and many others in the field — believe that you cannot entirely rely on the calories in vs. calories out paradigm. Newer research suggests that overly processed foods are especially easy to overeat because they can be eaten more quickly and don’t produce the same level of satiety as more wholesome foods. On the flip side, whole and minimally processed foods typically take a longer time to eat and are linked with appetite-regulating benefits, so you’re more likely to fill up on portions that are right for your needs.

In one particular study, people were offered either a highly processed diet or a minimally processed diet for two weeks at a time. During the two weeks of the heavily processed diet, they gained two pounds, but on the whole foods diet, they lost that much. These were the same people who participated in each arm of the study. Furthermore, all the meals were closely matched for macros (protein, carbs, fat) and calories.

This suggests that your internal feel-full mechanisms kick in better when eating more whole and minimally processed foods, even if they’re identical in calories.

Timing of Food Intake One major missing factor in failed weight loss attempts is the focus on timing of meals. I have seen hundreds of cases where just shifting calories to earlier in the day, and staggering steady balanced meals more regularly caused a large enough shift in metabolism to boost those who were “stuck.”

As I like to explain, for example, if your metabolism should theoretically be able to burn 50 calories per hour, if the body is deprived of food energy, it may compensate and manage for many hours at only 30 calories per hour.

Not only do you experience the negative effects of the body’s energy-saving, including reduced brain function, lethargy, and feeling cold, you also lose out on being able to eat food that would have been efficiently burned off!

The takeaway: spread out your calories in a balanced way, consuming protein, whole carbs, and healthy fats steadily throughout the day for max burn.

Tamar Feldman, RDN, CDE is registered dietitian/nutritionist and certified diabetes educator who has advanced training in functional medicine.

She maintains a busy virtual nutrition practice, servicing numerous international clients. She specializes in sustainable weight loss and nutrition therapy for autoimmune disease, gastrointestinal disorders, and female hormone imbalances. She can be reached at 732-364-0064 or through her website, www.thegutdietitian.com.

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

79

SERIAL DIARY

COMPASS s e rial diary

by Dina Lieber with Libby Silberman

Chapter 7 January - February 2019

80

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

S

Recap: Every day during their intensive three-week stay at Mifne, the Liebers learn more about themselves and their autistic daughter, Lana.

I

had just spent a session playing with Lana in the therapy room and then handed her over to the care of a therapist as I left to observe. Through the glass, I watched as Lana cried and screamed her way through a 90-minute session. I felt myself growing hot and frustrated as I watched the therapist hold her, trying to comfort her.

What an awesome waste of valuable play therapy time, I thought.

At the end of the session the therapist came to find me and expressed with feeling, “Oh, Dina, she missed you so much. It was just so beauuuutiful!”

It was the second time someone had said this statement to me, and I found it somewhat comical. It was time I figured out what it meant.

The staff at Mifne has this refreshing and completely unique way of viewing life. Hanna couldn’t understand why universal treatment for autism often includes removing the child from their home. If the problem was disconnection, it was obvious to her that the way to solve it was to help the child want to connect. Connection was the ultimate goal, and it completely turned around the way we viewed typical child behaviors. The therapist found the fact that Lana wanted me versus her really inspiring.

In the months after leaving Mifne, I would often call there often with follow-up questions. One morning, I felt particularly frustrated because Lana had become intensely jealous of our baby, Menachem. If Eli or I would praise him in the slightest manner, she would pull his hair or beat him up.

Our Mifne liaison listened thoughtfully and then said, “Dina, that’s amazing news!”

I was seriously confused. “Don’t you understand?” she explained. “It means she’s vying for your attention— she wants you all for herself. Jealousy is the opposite of autism!” And suddenly, I was so proud of her for caring enough to be jealous.

In addition to the serious learning moments at Mifne, we experienced lots of funny moments too. At minyan one day, Eli met someone who inquired what we were doing in the area. When Eli explained that we were spending time at Mifne, he seemed confused. “What? Are you autistic?”

For the most part, we soaked it all in. We watched every nuance and asked a million and one questions. The Mifne staff patiently addressed every part of Lana’s life and functioning. They even paid attention to her sleeping habits. To attain a fuller picture, they asked permission to install a state-of-the-art camera over her crib to detect and analyze her sleep patterns. We were initially hesitant about

the idea, but we needn’t have worried as the camera didn’t last long—Lana pulled it right down and our nightlong struggles to put her to sleep continued.

Their attitudes toward feeding were starkly different to mine. They wanted her to feel and experience textures of food. I was not a happy camper the day they told me to stop using bibs for good. They served healthy, nutritious foods, always with something they knew she’d hate. I found it hilarious watching her eat foods like lentils and blackeyed beans for lunch—first with reluctance but eventually with obvious gusto—knowing that in the past she wouldn’t have gone near those foods with a ten-foot pole.

At lunchtime, we were served our meal in the dining room. Although, strictly speaking, the food was kosher, our rav advised us to avoid foods that required checking for insects. He also advised us to use a ma’aser coin. (This coin is used in a mini “ceremony” in which one separates 10 percent of the food on his plate and discards it in a napkin while reciting a short verse.)

It got a little trickier when Mifne therapists joined us for lunch, and we tried to ma’aser our food as sneakily and unobtrusively as possible.

Meanwhile, Eli was grappling with his own inner dilemmas.

As a dedicated ben Torah, his place was at his shtender.

Although we had known Mifne would be a three-week wonder program, the realization began to dawn upon us that actually, it was three weeks of creating a program—to be continued by us parents at home. And I couldn’t do it on my own while Eli was out learning most of the day. To add to his guilt, the professionals kept emphasizing that Eli had it in him to become one of Mifne’s own therapists, and that Lana needed his creativity and warmth in play.

The dilemma kept Eli up at night (but then again, he always had Lana for company). After discussing the matter with his rav, as well as Yair, a Mifne psychologist, he eventually came to a mutual place of peace. Learning would always be a top priority, and nothing Mifne advised could diminish its importance. However, for now we were dealing with our daughter’s health and future, and that took priority. For someone who was rarely late to seder, it was a large pill to swallow.

As the end of the program drew near, we realized we had no clue how we were going to continue living the “Mifne life” on a practical level back home. The staff encouraged us to invite our families over to Mifne from across the ocean, and we complied.

Things were about to get interesting for us in our remote corner.

To be continued…

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

81

SERIAL DIARY

Remember that Israeli Falafel?

So do we. These organic falafel balls were rolled with that inspiration - crispy on the outside and perfectly soft on the inside so every bite takes you back to that falafel shop on Machane Yehuda. Bake them for 15 minutes, then stuff your pita, load with tehina, or crumble over salad!

Heart.Works

!‫בתאבון‬

82

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

DIY

Nail Fungus Solution

By Miriam Schweid Nail fungus is a common condition that begins as a white or yellow spot under the tip of the fingernail or toenail. As the infection spreads, the fungus may cause the nail — or several nails — to discolor, thicken, and crumble at the edge. Since medication for fungal nails may have some side effects, you may want to take the natural route first. This anti-fungal oil blend has proven to be very effective in softening the nail and getting rid of the fungus.

20 drops cinnamon oil 40 drops clove oil

Mix all ingredients in a glass jar. Apply to nails every night.

15 drops eucalyptus oil 35 drops lemon oil 10 drops rosemary oil

Please consult with a medical practitioner before using essential oils, especially for children.

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

83

WHEN YOU'RE HAPPY, EVERYTHING FALLS INTO PLACE.

84

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

MY HAPPINESS BOOST 35 WOMEN SHARE WHAT LIFTS THEIR SPIRIT

NO MORE HIDING FACING OUR TRUTH IS CRUCIAL TO HEALTHY LIVING

EMOTIONAL EATING

By Shira Savit

Come Out of Hiding

What we gain from stripping away the mask

Like many women I work with, Miri carries a lot of shame around her food behaviors. In a recent session, what stood out for me was the issue of hiding.

“I’m so ashamed of what I binged on,” she confided. “I hid all the wrappers in the garbage.” Other women describe hiding in their room while they’re snacking on something “illegal.” “I don’t want anybody to see me doing this. I’m too embarrassed that I’m eating candy when I’m supposed to be on a diet.”

Hiding behaviors aren’t necessarily restricted to food; many of us hide in relationships and often hide from our true feelings in general. I didn’t tell my husband how much money I spent at the store. I hid the receipt so he wouldn’t find it. If he 86

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

knew what I spent, he would be upset. This woman is scared that her husband will think less of her, so she hides both the experience and the evidence.

Similarly, some of us hide our true selves from our friends: “I was at the park sitting with my friends and the topic of conversation, of course, was dieting. They were all much thinner than me and complaining that it was hard to stay on their meal plan, and they wished they could lose more weight. Here I was, struggling beyond belief, and these thin ladies were complaining about being a size two instead of a zero. I was so upset inside, yet I appeared totally fine on the outside. When I came home, I binged it all away.”

Often, we give over one impression to those around us yet feel something very different internally: “I told my friend I loved her dress, but really, I thought it was very unflattering. I was just trying to be nice, you know?”

with our true selves. So, how do we get out of hiding mode?

First, we must become aware of the areas in life in which we hide. For example, Sari recognized that stopping at the bakery and buying a cinnamon bun on her way home from work was prime hiding. “I never told my husband that I do this. I’m too embarrassed of myself!”

Step two is extending compassion toward the parts of ourselves that we feel the need to hide. “Sari,” I asked her, “if your daughter told you she’d stopped at the bakery and bought some treats, how would you respond to her? Would you tell her she should be ashamed of herself? You might say, ‘Honey, it’s perfectly fine that you stopped at the store on your way home. You were probably hungry. Or maybe you weren’t, but you wanted something sweet. Whatever you do, I love you no matter what. You can share anything with me; I won’t judge you for being honest!’

We can give a similar compassionate message toward ourselves.”

Sari Step three is being real and authentic in day-to-day life. It recognized that doesn’t mean telling the world that you sneak cookies into stopping at the bakery your room. It might be sharing an opinion, making a and buying a cinnamon decision that reflects your bun on her way home from values, speaking up at work, advocating for yourself, aswork was prime hiding. “I And perhaps, most signifiserting yourself in a healthy cantly, many women report way, doing an exercise you never told my husband hiding from their own bodies: actually enjoy, or saying yes “I’m terrified of the feeling of when you mean yes and no that I do this. I’m too being hungry, so I eat all day in when you mean no. order to avoid the hunger.” Or: embarrassed of One woman I’ve been working “If I actually feel the fullness in my with, Tali, has been seeing the conbody, then it means I have to stop myself!” nection between becoming authentic Women also describe hiding from feelings: “I didn’t want to feel, so I distracted myself with technology.” “I numbed myself with food so I wouldn’t feel lonely.” “I took melatonin at night because I didn’t want to feel my sadness; I just wanted to sleep it away.”

eating! And I don’t want to stop when I’m in the middle of binging.” Women share that they “hide” at home and avoid social settings because they have shame about their body size and physical appearance.

Some women hide from connecting to their physical sensations—important cues for self-regulation—such as noticing the rate of their breath and heartbeat; feeling their feet on the floor; paying attention to the sights, smells, and sounds around them; and even noticing if they are physically comfortable where they are sitting or how they’re standing. This hiding is a form of disconnect: “It’s not easy to just stop and pause and connect to my body. I’d rather just stay busy, busy, busy!”

Whatever type of hiding we engage in, there is an underlying theme: not being authentic, congruent, or aligned

in “regular” life and her eating habits.

She recently shared the following: “I posted some stuff on my social media page that were authentically me. I’m trying to share on that platform as a ‘practice’ to putting myself out in the world more authentically.”

Purim teaches us a lot about the concept of authenticity.

On the one hand, we might think it represents the exact opposite: There are so many masks, so many costumes, so much disguise. Isn’t Purim about hiding? Yes, and no. When it was necessary for Esther to hide her Jewish identity, her hiding was authentic, but when it was necessary to reveal it, this eventually led to our salvation. In contrast, when hiding is shame-driven, it perpetuates a negative self-image and harms relationships. Hashem gave us one day a year to “hide” in celebration. Let’s enjoy our hamantaschen out in the open.

Shira Savit, MA, MHC, INHC, is a mental health counselor with multiple certifications in nutrition and health. She specializes in weight loss, emotional eating, and binge eating. Shira incorporates both nutritional and emotional components in helping her clients reach their goals. Shira has a private practice in Yerushalayim and works with women in any location via phone call or video sessions.

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

87

WELLBEING FEATURE

88

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

89

WELLBEING FEATURE

90

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

Music!

Ariella F., 32

An early morning hike or walk in nature.

Sury Rosner, 38

Going to Tammy Karmel (a young mother who’s been living with ALS for the past few years). Just seeing her, the glow that surrounds her, and watching her emunah-saturated video recordings is a balm to my spirit.

Honestly? Good food.

G. Haltovski, 28

Faigy S., 29 After my second child was born, which was the first time I gave birth in Eretz Yisrael, I came to get her from the nursery to take her home, only to be informed that her bilirubin levels were dangerously high.

Nature. Exercise. A good schmooze with a friend.

Shoshana Frenkel, 41

Talking to a good friend.

Also, shopping in antique and second-hand stores.

Toby Engel, 26

Exhaustion is usually the main cause of low spirits for me. If I get a good nap and wake up refreshed, all’s well.

Rivka T., 30

I was directed to the nursery on a different floor, where I found my baby under a blue light, completely undressed (besides her diaper) with a mask over her eyes. It was Erev Shabbos and they told me I’d have to leave her there over Shabbos. A postpartum mom, I fell apart, bawling my eyes out.

Most of the staff was just moving along, but one nurse was exceptionally nice to me. She made an effort to speak English, and she comforted me by saying she had the same with one of her babies and it was really hard for her too. At one point, she even gave me permission take my baby out for a short time so I could nurse her for a few minutes.

It’s been more than six years and I still remember that nurse. She was literally a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day.

P. Spiegel, 30

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

91

WELLBEING FEATURE

Years ago, my husband and I married off a child in Eretz Yisrael. My sisterin-law, who is Israeli, arranged for her two sisters to take turns bringing us supper during the days leading up to the wedding. I had told her we didn’t need it, that we would just get takeout and be fine. But she didn’t listen to me.

I will never forget that first night, after running around to find a different apartment five days before the wedding, when their supper arrived.

When we sat down to eat, we felt like we had received mahn from Shamayim. A home-cooked meal hits the spot better than the best takeout. We could feel the love in every bite. Those meals smoothed over so much pre-wedding stress. I would never have imagined that food could affect me that much, but these meals fed our souls. I still tear up when I remember the love and concern shown for us during that happy yet stressful time.

Exercise, the greatest gift to mankind! Whenever I start getting grumpy, my husband points out that I didn’t do my exercise regimen for the day. And he’s right every time!

Toby D., 29

My knitting. It’s my ultimate mood lifter, and I do really cool projects (lucky grandchildren!)

Mindy, 49

A fun evening out.

Shira T., 36

Devora Miriam K., 54

A really good davening, when I feel that I really connected. That is priceless.

Socializing.

R. Baum, 28

Yocheved L., 32 Several kind gestures come to mind for me. First, the nice welcome package from family and friends when we moved to Eretz Yisrael. The breakfasts and lunches delivered to my door when I hurt my ankle or after I gave birth. Also, when friends came over to help me pack up my house before we moved. And, of course, when my husband “takes over” the morning routine or any other time of day so I can catch up on some sleep.

Gitty H., 31

92

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

Taking a bath. Being in water has the most calming effect on me and I’m always in a better mood for a good few hours later.

Along the same lines, water aerobics.

I did this for a while and it was fantastic but, unfortunately, it doesn’t work with my schedule anymore.

Brocha G. Levy, 31

We had been living in Eretz Yisrael for about a year and returned to the States for a family wedding. When we came back home, an Israeli neighbor had put a welcome home sign on the door and left us a bottle of Coke with some rugelach. Even though we were still kind of settling in here, that sign really made us feel like we had really come home.

Perel Z., 39

My weekly dance classes. A treat for the body and soul!

Baila P., 24

One powerful way to instantly feel a boost in spirit is to take note of how cherished and taken care of we are by Hakadosh Baruch Hu. When we choose to pay attention to the gifts He showers us with, to realize His Hashgachah Pratis in every detail of our lives, we are suddenly filled with a rush of positive energy.

This is essentially the ultimate feeling of being loved, one we yearn for constantly as human beings, and one that we can constantly tap into if we simply choose to take notice.

Whether we mentally review the blessings in our life, we keep a gratitude journal, or we express our appreciation to Hashem in our own words, any way through which we focus on His love for us does the trick to boost our spirits. When we make the choice to see life through this perspective, we're signing up to be a member of the authentic Happiness Club.

Classical music (violin).

Shaindy Lowy, 34

The muffins an employer-turned-friend brought over when she learned that I’d had a miscarriage. Even more than the actual muffins, I cherished her visit! It was such a sweet gesture and made me feel so good, even if I was a few weeks afterwards already.

Malka B., 23

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

93

WELLBEING FEATURE

When I had difficult pregnancy and we were concerned about the baby, my mother-in-law treated me to a new nightgown and UGG slippers (in addition to the regulars she showers us with). Sometimes, it’s these “small” things that make such a huge difference. I found it so touching and thoughtful and felt so pampered.

(Baruch Hashem, the baby was born healthy in the end.)

Hindy M., 30

I’m married a few years already and we haven’t yet been blessed with a child. My younger sister-in-law got married to the first boy she met, both of them being the first in their classes to get married. While I’m genuinely happy for her, the wedding was a combination of fun dancing and awkward moments. The uncles giving us brachos, the 21-year-old chassan trying to figure out what to say to his 30-yearold new brother-in-law, etc. Never mind all the aunts and cousins who tried to discern if I was pregnant or if I had just gained some weight.

Spoiler alert: hormones make some people gain weight! Anyway, a few months after their wedding, I found out that my sister-in-law was pregnant. This was after her avoiding me for a few weeks, going so far as to ignore me when I spoke to her. It was obvious she didn’t know how to handle the situation. So besides for working through my feelings, I was left in the dark.

One day, I posted about my situation anonymously on a neighborhood chat, asking for chizuk. I didn’t give many details, but the outpouring of love and support warmed my heart!

I spent all day reading beautiful responses and having a few private conversations with fellow members who asked me to private message them. The next day, I went to work with a spring in my step. I was in a cheerful mood, feeling hope and comfort at the same time.

Going on vacation.

Chassia K., 26

When I really, really, really need a boost I take out a siddur and cry to Hashem. He knows exactly what I’m going through and He is the only one who can really help me.

When I’m done, I usually feel so refreshed, and that I have the kochos I need to carry on.

Devorah, 28

When the phone rang, I was not expecting to hear about a delivery as I hadn’t ordered anything. When I got home, I found an acai bowl at my door. The colors looked gorgeous, and it was delicious and refreshing. The note on the bag said simply: Dear Rochel, Just wanted to show you I care. Love, Faigy. Faigy was one of the women I chatted with the day before. I was so touched! I emailed her, thanking her for the thoughtful treat. She wrote back that I’m always welcome to reach out when I’m feeling low. I was so strengthened!

The little acai bowl was delicious, but it did something way for me than treat my taste buds.

I realized how lucky I am to have what I have. Mi k'amcha Yisrael!

Rochel J., 31

94

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

After I got divorced, a few not-suchclose cousins of mine sent me a breakfast, with a note attached that they’re thinking about me.

I felt so warm and loved and thought about. It was wonderful—just the perfect thing, since reaching out with a phone call would have felt intrusive.

Ettya P., 29

Journaling helps me clear my mind and connect to the calm place within.

Tova O., 27

When my father was diagnosed with the machalah, Rachmana litzlan, one of my friends left a very thoughtful card at my door. I really appreciated the gesture because it was done without any fanfare or nosy questions, yet she wasn’t pretending to keep the reality hush hush...

Painting and drawing does the trick for me.

Brocha A., 42

Dina W., 28

When my husband and kids were under the weather, my sister-in-law cooked up a pot of chicken soup and sent it over. It was so heartwarming to receive something so warm and delicious when I was being the full-time nurse!

Debbie G., 34

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

95

WELLBEING FEATURE

When I was in high school, I went through a hard time in a specific area that severely impacted in my self-esteem. One day, I met a teacher in the hallway and she said to me, “You know something, I was thinking the other day that if there is one person I would want my kids to look like in fifteen years from now, it would be you.

Your personality, your commitment to Yiddishkeit, your capabilities, etc. I just love being around you!”

It’s now years later, and a day hasn’t gone by that I don’t think about this teacher’s comment. Any time I’m feeling low, this comment reiterates that I’m much more valuable than I perceive myself to be. This teacher had absolutely no idea what I was going through then, and she definitely has no idea that I am who I am today because of the motivation she gave me then to forge onward. The power of one kind sentence!

Chaya P., 31

Shortly after I moved to Eretz Yisrael, I was so lonely and was having a really hard time adjusting. When an aunt of mine planned to visit, she called me and asked if I needed anything brought over. That in itself was really nice, and I had my siblings drop off a few very important things that I needed from back “home.”

Then this aunt called me again. This time, she said, “Now give me a list of all the things that you don’t really need, but really miss. Don’t worry about size or weight!”

I was so touched! I would never ask someone to bring me a bottle of Mr. Clean, or peanut chews, or other random items. It was so thoughtful of her, I nearly cried.

Yehudis M., 32

Window shopping.

Tehilla M., 27

The beach.

Goldy S., 24

96

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

When my baby was in the NICU and I was going through a really tough time, my sister sent us a breakfast package. It was so thoughtful and special just to get some delicious wholesome food and know that someone was thinking of us.

T. G., 35

A good read.

Talia D., 36

Rav Yisrael Salanter zt”l famously said that since our face is public property, we’re obligated to exhibit a pleasant facial expression. Building on this perspective, by virtue of living among others, we have constant opportunities to take advantage of our “public” standing, not only by smiling, but in our general demeanor, as well. Not a day goes by where most—if not all—of us don’t interact with others, be it at home, at work, or elsewhere. And each interaction is another opportunity to “turn on the light.”

Lifting another person’s spirits is not only limited to when that individual is experiencing a known challenge. As some of the contributors to this article attest, a kind word we say or thoughtful gesture we engage in without even knowing about a particular struggle our receiver is facing can go far in bringing sunshine into their heart.

No good deed, no kind word, ever misses its target.

Drawing inspiration from the vignettes the women shared in this piece, we can turn every interaction we have with another human being into a chance to be that switch.

A compliment, a small gift, a short note, an encouraging word, or a positive affirmation of their strengths can create a ripple effect of joy for them and those whose lives they will touch, thanks to our kindness. And when we give of ourselves to others—even by “simply” giving our heart—we fill ourselves up with boundless joy, too.

In her practice as an LMSW, Shiffy Friedman realized that her knowledge in psychology was not helpful in healing the infinitely profound nefesh. An intensive search led her to discover the Torah’s direction toward a more connected life. To sign up to receive Shiffy’s email messages on this subject, write to emotionalwellnessthroughTorah@gmail.com.

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

97

WELLBEING FEATURE

E X P E R I E N C E

RA S H I

B L AC K

Rashi Black is a rich and satisfying experience. Intense flavors of ripe dark cherries and sun soaked blueberries collide with hints of boysenberry jam and elderflower.

98

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

MARCH 2022 / ADAR II 5782 / ISSUE 74

THE PURIM FEAST VEGGIE SIDES EVERYONE WILL WANT DOUBLES OF

2 FABULOUS FISH DISHES

WHICH FISH IS BEST FOR YOU?

THE MAGIC OF THE MANDOLINE SLICER

120 Good-For-You Fish

By Esti Asher, MS, RDN, LD

123 Veggie Sides

By Elky Friedman

105 Fish on the Menu

By Yossi & Malky Levine

100

115

128

Mandoline Slicer

By Charnie Kohn

Good Morning, Purim!

Wellspring Contributors

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

TURA

Imported by: Royal Wine Co. New York

P

AT I

102

EN

N

Estate Winery

IO C E & I N S P I RAT

A collection born from love, patience and inspiration.

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

EDITOR'S NOTE

Dear Cooks,

I love taking note of how my mishloach manos comes together every year. Some years, I’m in the mood of going all out with a baking spree; others, not so much. Some years, I’m excited to connect our little packages with the theme of the family’s dress-up. Other years, I just go with something classic, or the family has no dress-up theme at all.

So what’s the story this year? I got into Purim mode pretty early, thanks to the double Adar, and so I already froze a nice quantity of muffins. Moist whole-grain muffins are a great way to get my mishloach manos running, especially if it’s something the recipients have come to expect. As several contributors in My Table point out, for many of us, Purim is a day when we end up eating what’s most available. So anyone who’s harried and didn’t yet get a chance to sit down to a wholesome meal can at least grab a muffin and feel satiated and fueled at the same time.

Another one of my usual offerings that make it into the yearly package are peanut-date balls, which are also packed

with nutrients, provide instant energy, and taste really great.

Checking the dates is quite a project, but once we get that step out of the way, the rest of the process is pretty smooth.

One of the great perks of these balls is that like the muffins, they freeze especially well. In fact, I sometimes attach a note recommending that they be frozen and enjoyed while slightly defrosted. That’s when they’re most chewy and delicious.

The best feedback I’ve ever gotten on these balls was from friends and family who admit to “never touching any of those healthy things.” It’s only after they enjoy these balls (which taste pretty similar to peanut chews!) and they learn of its simple ingredients that they marvel at the fabulous results — and ask for the recipe.

If you’re reading this letter, you probably don’t need convincing that healthy foods can taste really, really good.

Check out this issue’s tantalizing array of Purim-related recipes for further proof.

Simchas Purim to you all,

PINCH OF HEALTH

Esther

With the Erev Pesach season on the horizon, I’d like to share a tip that really works for me. In order to make sure that I have nutritious carbs at hand even during this busy time, I prepare a large batch of quinoa early in the week and combine it with my protein and vegetables — often for both lunch and dinner — for a well-rounded, satiating meal. My prep method doesn’t even require the use of a pot: I simply empty the contents of entire bag of vacuum-packed quinoa into a deep half-size (8.5x5.5” pan) disposable pan, drizzle generously with olive oil, season with salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder (and dried rosemary when I’m in the mood of herbs), fill the pan with water (almost till the top), and cover it well. I stick it in a pareve oven set at 350°F for about one and a half hours, and we get to enjoy this hearty food in salads or as a side dish all week long.

Miriam Danziger, Montebello, New York

Have a healthy cooking tip to share with the Wellspring community? Please send it to info@wellspringmagazine.com.

Heart.Works

WELLBEING FEATURE

O

UR

S | CRU

S H ED

UNDER 7 H

We’ll never cut corners, so your cake makes the cut.

,

IN

, GROUND

FRESHLY HARVESTED & PACKED D

104

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

D PAC KE

Sliced Almonds | Slivered Almonds | Ground Almonds | Ground Hazelnuts | Ground Walnuts

AN

When it comes to your ingredients, it’s the quality that counts.

Gefen’s freshly harvested nuts are sourced directly from Valencian and Californian orchards, where they are sliced, ground, or slivered to give you the absolutely freshest and highest quality that’ll do any Pesach dish or baking pan proud.

For those with higher standards.™

Fish on the Menu What better time to share two fish dishes with you, both with unique cooking methods?

Curing fish utilizes exciting techniques, and can be done in advance — which works to your advantage when preparing for your Purim seudah.

Both dishes can be served at room temperature, which is perfect for a come-and-go seudah, or when no one is sitting down for long enough to actually be served a full-course meal. The saltcrusted fish has the additional benefit of being self-serve, so you save yourself the bother of plating individual portions on such a busy day.

We've included step-by-step instructions as well as a plating guide so you can try these with ease. We'd love to hear how your dishes went down!

Simchas Purim to all!

Yossi and Malky Levine

Recipes, Styling, and Photography by Yossi & Malky Levine

FISH ON THE MENU

Beet-Cured Gravlax with Garlic-Dill Cream Cured salmon is delicious, healthy, and a fairly miraculous process. Sugar, salt, herbs, and spices draw out moisture from the delicate fish, bringing about a beautifully flavored delight.

Enjoy it in salads, with a bagel, or on its own.

Using beets in the curing process imparts a stunning deep color to the flesh surface, as well as a subtle beetroot flavor. When sliced, the vivid contrast of colors between the beetroot red and the orange salmon flesh is guaranteed to catch everyone’s attention.

1½ lb salmon fillet (middle part) 2 cups beetroot, grated or diced ½ cup coarsely chopped dill 1 cup salt ⅔ cup sugar zest of 1 lemon ¼ cup vodka or wine Garlic Dill Crème 8 oz dairy or pareve cream cheese 5–6 sprigs dill 1 Tbsp lemon juice 1 clove garlic ¼ tsp salt For Serving cucumbers, peeled into slices, lengthwise beet chips (such as Terra) fresh dill

106

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

In a bowl, combine beets, dill, salt, sugar, zest, and vodka or wine, and mix well. Lay a large piece of plastic wrap on a baking pan. Place half of mixture on the wrap.

Place salmon skin side down onto mixture. Cover with remaining mixture, and wrap salmon tightly.

Place another baking pan over salmon. Place pan in refrigerator and put a heavy book on top to help extract water from the fish. Rotate fish every 12 hours so that salt and herb mixture seeps in on both sides.

After 36 hours, unwrap salmon and brush off and discard herb and salt mixture. Dry salmon with a paper towel before slicing thinly on an angle.

For the dill cream cheese, combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. Transfer to a piping bag with a round tip.

To plate: Pipe three puffs of garlic-dill cream cheese at three different ends of your dish. Place 2–3 slices of gravlax at the center. Twist or roll them to your liking.

Roll up cucumber slices and place them near cream cheese, about 3 slices per dish. Top with a beet chip and garnish with fresh dill.

FISH ON THE MENU

108

1

2

3

4

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

109

FISH ON THE MENU

Salt-Crusted Sea Bass Why bake a whole fish in salt? The salt is not just an impressive party trick; it actually yields incredible results. By encasing the fish in salt, you gain two subtle but noticeable benefits. First, the salt enclosure acts as a semi-sealed cooking environment, trapping steam as the fish cooks. This steam hardens the salt into a shell-like crust and bathes the fish in moisture. The result is a delightfully moist and juicy fish.

The second benefit is even better. If you've ever cooked a whole fish before, you may have noticed that not all parts of the fish absorbed the flavor evenly. With a salt crust, however, the entire fish is awash in the aroma of herbs and lemon slices, and you can taste the flavor in every bite.

5–6 lb whole sea bass, sliced open (or any other fish) 2 cloves garlic, crushed 5–6 sprigs of thyme ½ lemon, sliced kosher salt black pepper 6 egg whites 10 cups table salt

Preheat oven to 200°F. Rinse fish under cold water and pat dry with a kitchen towel.

Stuff cavity with crushed garlic, thyme, and lemon slices, and season with kosher salt and pepper.

Whisk egg whites until they start foaming up. Place salt in a large bowl, then pour egg whites over salt.

Use a spatula to mix until salt feels like wet, dough-y sand.

Place fish on a large baking tray. Use about half of salt “dough” and cover fish. Carefully flip fish and cover with remaining salt. Stroke salt “dough” with wet hands from head to tail, making sure there are no cracks forming on the surface.

Place fish in oven and cook for 40 minutes. To check for doneness, stick a metal skewer through salt crust into fish. If skewer feels hot, the fish is done. If skewer is only warm, continue to cook for another 5 minutes.

Remove fish and let rest for 5–10 minutes. Run the tip of a sharp knife around the crust to mark a cutting line. Then, cut into the crust along the line until you’re able to remove the top part. Remove carefully.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

110

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

FISH ON THE MENU

112

1

2

4

5

7

8

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

3

6

9

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

113

114

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

TOOL OF THE MONTH MANDOLINE SLICER

CULINARY TOOLBOX If you’d like to prepare foods like cucumber salad, roll ups, and gratin, you’ll need to produce really thin, uniform slices. The secret to achieving that? Introducing the mandoline slicer, your new culinary best friend.

A basic mandoline slicer is comprised of a board with a sharp blade. My preferred choice is a blade on which slice thickness can be adjusted. Some slicers are sold with multiple blades, giving you the option of more intricate cuts. Prices run the gamut from $20–120.

When purchasing a mandoline slicer, be aware of its safety features. Choose one where the blade can be locked when not in use. You’ll also want to use a safety guard when slicing your food. Most safety guards get poked into the fruit or vegetable and you use the guard to cut the slices. For smaller produce where the guard is not ideal, be sure to wear cut-resistant gloves. Never slice without protection. My scars are proof!

Happy slicing,

Charnie

Recipes, Styling, and Photography by Charnie Kohn WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

115

PICKLED VEGETABLES

CULINARY TOOLBOX

Real-food mishloach manos has thankfully made a major comeback. Throwing chocolates and other sugar-loaded food in a box is no longer the in thing to do. This year, surprise your family and friends with jars of homemade pickled vegetables.

Pickling liquid: 1 cup apple cider vinegar 1 cup white vinegar 2 cups water 1 tsp peppercorns 1 Tbsp salt 1 Tbsp honey 4 bay leaves Vegetable options: Carrots Red radishes Daikon radishes Jalapeños Kohlrabi Turnip Garlic Cucumbers Dill

Place all ingredients for pickling liquid in a pot and bring to a boil. Turn off heat and allow liquid to slightly cool.

The liquid should be hot, but cool enough that you can touch it.

Use a mandoline slicer to slice all vegetables. Layer in a jar. Pour pickling liquid over vegetables, add several sprigs of dill to each jar, and cover with a tight lid.

Once liquid is mostly chilled, refrigerate up to four weeks.

116

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

BREAKFAST JARS

CULINARY TOOLBOX

Purim is arguably the most hectic day of the year for most families. During the frenzied morning rush, breakfast often becomes a missed meal. So why not give your recipients something they can enjoy immediately?

6 bananas 30 strawberries, washed and checked, or frozen Granola: 4 cups old-fashioned oats ¾ cup honey ½ cup oil 4 Tbsp craisins 4 Tbsp slivered almonds ½ tsp vanilla extract Dressing: 1 cup plain yogurt Juice of 2 oranges 4 Tbsp honey

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine all ingredients for granola on a sheet pan and bake for 15 minutes. Mix well and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Allow granola to sit for 10 minutes before mixing again.

Combine all dressing ingredients and mix well.

Use a mandoline slicer to slice strawberries and bananas.

Place all components in separate jars.

118

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

TIDBITS

By Esti As, her MS, RDN, LD

You probably already know that salmon is healthy for your heart, but there are other types of good-for-you fish — all with unique and helpful benefits worth noting. In the spirit of Adar, whose mazel is fish, this article highlights six types of fish of which you may want to include in your Purim menu. Your heart, your health, your busy days, and your kids’ palates will thank you!

Salmon In addition to being a great source of protein, salmon contains vitamin B12, potassium, iron, and vitamin D. Also, its high amount of omega-3 fatty acids may lower one’s risk for cardiovascular disease, dementia, Alzheimer’s, and some types of cancer. The beautiful and vibrant color of salmon also adds visual appeal to any meal.

Gefilte fish I have fond childhood memories of my grandfather saying: “Of all the fish that swim in the sea, gefilte fish is the fish for me.” Nutritional contents of gefilte fish vary, and while its calorie count and sugar content may not be the most impressive, gefilte fish may provide other benefits such as comfort, tradition, and memories. So, if gefilte fish makes an appearance at your Shabbos or Purim table, enjoy it and appreciate the memories and tradition it’s linked to.

Sea bass Nutritional benefits of sea bass include protein, vitamin B12, potassium, and selenium. A powerful antioxidant, selenium helps strengthen one’s immune system, among other benefits. Sea bass may also decrease one’s risk for cardiovascular disease and anemia.

Tuna Similar to salmon, tuna is also an excellent source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids. In addition, it contains a high level of B12, which helps with the formation of new red blood cells and therefore may help prevent anemia. A convenient lean protein option, cans of tuna are often considered a pantry staple. Throwing together some tuna patties is a great way to prepare tuna if you (or your kids) prefer not to eat it straight from the can.

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

121

TIDBITS

Green Mediterranean Diet for Your Brain Thinking about going green? Increasing your green tea intake and minimizing red meat consumption may result in incredible health outcomes.

Fish sticks This kid-friendly food is enjoyed by picky eaters across the globe. Fish sticks also come to the rescue for the busy and tired Mommy who wants an easy and quick, go-to protein for lunch or dinner.

Fish crackers A fun addition to trail mix or on their own, a benefit of fish crackers is that they are cute, fun, and offer a nice variety from the standard nosh of pretzels or chips. If possible, opt for crackers that are baked, not fried.

Esti Asher, MS, RDN, LD, is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Self-Care Enthusiast on a mission to help women reach their ultimate health and wellbeing potential inside and out. She shares credible, clear, and inspiring nutrition information with women via her virtual private practice. To contact Esti with feedback or inquiries regarding her nutritional services, please email her at: esti@estiashernutrition.com or visit estiashernutrition.com.

122

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

An Israeli research team at Ben Gurion University recently published a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Their 18-month clinical trial divided 284 participants into 3 diet groups: Healthy Dietary Guidelines, Mediterranean Diet, and Green Mediterranean Diet. All participants received guidance for physical activity as well as free gym membership. The Green Mediterranean Diet group included a higher amount of polyphenols and lower intake of red/processed meats, and participants included an additional 3–4 cups of green tea per day, along with a Mankai green shake (which is particularly high in polyphenol levels). Researchers concluded that there was a significant increase in the neuro-protective effects from the Green Mediterranean Diet.

Looking to Boost Growth? Millet May Be the Answer Malnutrition has many harmful effects on children (and adults). In particular, growth may be negatively impacted. While there are many suggestions of ways to reduce malnutrition around the globe, a new study suggests a swap to promote growth in children who are at risk.

A recent study published in Nutrients concluded that providing millet as a replacement for rice was linked to enhanced growth in children. Researchers found that there was an increase in height, weight, mid-upper-arm circumference, and chest circumference in children who had millet substituted for rice in their diets. The nutrient contents of millet include protein, amino acids, and minerals that help with bone formation, such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and zinc, among other nutrients.

ENERGIZE y k l E h it Hi all,

w

No matter where you’re up to with your Purim menu, and whether you’re the one hosting the meal or are being hosted, there’s always room for some fabulous nutrition-loaded veggie sides. On this hectic day, you need good fuel more than ever! Here are two of my favorite recipes that will not only leave you feeling satisfied, but also look beautiful on the plate thanks to their eye-catching array of color.

Enjoy in health!

Elky Friedman

Recipes and Text by Elky Friedman Styling and Photography by Pessi Piller

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

123

ENERGIZE

Potato, uZ cchini, and Tomato Stacks This side dish is simple and easy to prepare. Another wholesome recipe that adds beauty to the plate!

5 medium red potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced 2 zucchini, peeled and thinly sliced 2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced 3 Tbsp olive oil 1½ tsp fresh or dried thyme leaves 1 tsp oregano, plus more for sprinkling 1 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 400°F. Prepare a parchment-lined baking sheet and spray with cooking spray.

Combine oil, thyme, oregano, and salt. Brush potatoes with some of the oil mixture.

Arrange on a baking sheet in stacks, 3–4 potato slices per stack, not fully overlapping.

Toss zucchini and tomato slices with remainder of oil mixture. Layer 2 zucchini slices over potato stacks, then place a slice of tomato on top. Sprinkle with oregano.

Bake uncovered for 20 minutes or until edges of potatoes appear golden brown.

Yields: 10 servings

124

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

125

ENERGIZE

Perfect Grilled eV getables Use simple fresh ingredients and transform your veggies from plain and healthful to special and truly delicious — but still healthful, of course. Slice, marinate, grill, and wow! Enjoy the flavor popping in your mouth.

1 large zucchini, sliced 1 yellow squash, sliced 1 large red pepper, cubed 1 red onion, cubed any other vegetables you prefer Marinade 3 Tbsp olive oil 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard 3 cloves garlic 2 cubes frozen basil handful fresh chopped parsley or 1 cube frozen parsley salt and pepper, to taste

Whisk marinade ingredients together. Brush onto vegetables. Let marinate for at least 10 minutes.

Grill 8–10 minutes, turning halfway through.

This marinade also works well as a salad dressing. Just add 1 tablespoon of honey and presto, you have a fabulous dressing right there.

Yield: 4-6 servings

126

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

127

THIS MONTH

In the pages of Wellspring, we share expert advice from some of the community’s most popular and competent dietitians and nutritionists. In this column, you get to see how they practice what they preach in their own kitchens. Pull up a chair at “My Table” and join the chat.

GOOD MORNING, PURIM! What do you usually serve your family (and/or yourself) on Purim morning so you know there’s some nutritious fuel in their body before the party starts?

128

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

O I try to have a pot of oatmeal or some whole grain toast and eggs cooked in the morning.

Filled tummies have an easier time resisting the junk food lying around!

Laura Shammah, MS, RDN

Tamar Feldman, RDN, CDE

Compiled by Shiffy Friedman

W

I do my best to prepare almond flour pancakes for my family on Purim morning. It doesn’t always happen—but when it does, I feel proud they ate a wholesome breakfast. Starting off with a filling breakfast they all like will help them make decisions not out of hunger, but out of choice as to what they’d like to treat themselves to.

T

On Purim morning, my husband and I love to make something exciting yet filling for the kids and ourselves. This way, we’re satisfied and are less likely to overconsume junk food the rest of the day.

These healthy protein waffles have Greek yogurt and oats, but hey, the kids won’t ever know because they’re that delicious!

Healthy Protein Waffles Ingredients: ⅓ cup dry old-fashioned oats 2 egg whites 3 oz low-fat Greek yogurt (about half a container), flavored or plain ⅛ tsp ground cinnamon, optional 2 tsp Splenda or sweetener of your choice (omit if using flavored yogurt) ⅛ tsp baking powder Pinch salt

Shaindy Oberlander, BS, INHC

Tanya Rosen, MS, CPT

Shira Savit, MA, MHC, INHC

T

I don’t have a “usual food” I serve on Purim morning. I try to make myself something nutritious and filling, and if I don’t have time, I’ll have a protein bar with some rice cakes and natural peanut butter.

Regarding the kids, I don’t even attempt to give them a healthy breakfast. We get knocks on the door from very early in the morning, so they end up eating the variety of baked goods we receive for mishloach manos. Not the most nutritious options, but I like to let them enjoy the day and enjoy their food!

I’ve found that when I let go, and let my kids do what they want with their abundance of treats, they naturally make more balanced decisions.

W

Purim morning is hectic, but not unlike every morning. We’re always rushing (my kids are out by 8:00 daily) and trying to make the schedule work, so why skip breakfast on this particular day? We start our day with our typical breakfast options, have lunch a few hours later, and of course a few goodies in between. Yes, the kids do get an insane amount of nosh and candy on Purim, but they do save their nosh responsibly and use the “a nosh a day” mantra for their personal snacks.

T

Yogurt with a yummy (sometimes homemade) granola has been our perfect go-to breakfast on Purim morning.

1. Blend all ingredients in a blender until oats are smooth and batter isn’t chunky.

2. Heat waffle maker.

3. Pour half the batter on a mini waffle maker and let heat until batter is set before removing.

4. Repeat with remaining batter.

Yield: 2 waffles

C

Shani Taub, CDC

Esti Asher, MS, RDN, LD

Instructions:

We always start our Purim morning with a filling meal of bread, eggs, and vegetables.

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

129

RANDOM

Age: 29 Location: In my home garden, tending to my microgreens

Questions for

Occupation: Founder of Kale & Love, Alternative Health Coach with specialties in Fermenting, Oil Pulling, and Charcoal Detox (dropped a lucrative career in interior design to fully dedicate myself to this virtuous profession)

Kaila Lev

Family: married, 3 kids (Smartest ones on the planet—ever met a kid who politely turns down an offer for a Shabbos treat? If you’re curious, it’s usually an exotic blend of organic carrots, beets, and apples, sweetened with agave and sprinkled with 100 percent cacao bean powder. Yum!)

My favorite health food:

One misconception I used

Sprouted beans soaked in a divine blend of avocado oil, cashew butter, and chia seeds (try it once and you’ll be hooked too!)

to have about health:

That I can just run up a flight of stairs instead of taking the elevator and count that as my exercise.

Those were my ignorant (dare I call them blissful?) days.

130

WELLSPRING / MARCH 2022

One would be preposterous. I mean, do you even know what toxins non-organic apples are contaminated with?

My favorite exercise: How can I choose just one? My regimen includes yoga at sunrise, 50-minute cardio once my energy levels peak, and a quick Pilates class before bedtime. I also enjoy a daily run while my husband puts the kids to bed. Self-care and all that making-a-better-mommy stuff.

One interesting thing I’ve learned about health: How devoting myself to this goal has impacted my life so profoundly—without becoming an obsession in the least.

Healthy supper in a pinch: I’m sorry, no such thing as “in a pinch.” Nothing is more important than tending to our health, so why leave meal prep to a last-ditch attempt?

Every supper is deserving of advance planning and attention to detail, including a trip to the farmer’s market, lovingly picking out the perfect organic produce, and remembering to sprout your beans and other proteins well in advance. Everything else can wait.

Rub crushed garlic on any and all wounds for incredible results. (Open wounds may burn temporarily, but the antimicrobial and antibacterial properties in allicin are unmatched, which makes it totally worth it.)

To answer these questions for an upcoming issue, please write to info@wellspringmagazine.com, subject title “Random.”

One food I avoid at all costs:

WELLSPRING / ADAR II 5782

131

Skillfully Crafted

Artisanal Sourdough

Av ai la

bl e

in

Cl a

ss ic

,S

es

am

e, &

Ev er y

th i

ng

m m m M Heaven & Earth sourdough challah rolls are flash-frozen immediately after baking so when you warm them up - for just about 10 minutes you’ll get the finest, freshest taste of sourdough challah.

OVEN

to TABLE

2 ROLLS

YOSHON

MADE

in the USA

Hearrt.Works

SOURDOUGH IS ON THE RISE