Wellspring Issue #84

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Drift Off 5 tips to cope with nighttime anxiety

JANUARY 2023 // TEVES 5783 // ISSUE 84

It’s a Brand New Day

A Heart for All

Ruchama Bistritzky-Clapman noticed the kids on the fringe way ahead of her time

12 contributors share how they fuel up at breakfast

Medical Saga

I thought I was having a stroke—at 24—in a foreign country

Wintertime Mini-Series

Banish the Blues

4 hobbies for darker days

FYI

Ear Infections

I’m Just Too Tired to Exercise The excuse becomes the motivator

The Battle of the Bulge Gets Only Fiercer Shani Taub on midlife weight gain

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Put Your Mind To It

30+ Samples experimented with mindfulness at their meals.

This is what happened.

A Good Boost With energy bars like these, who needs coffee?

Escort the Queen

The perfect nutritious dishes for winter melaveh malkah

Keep the Crunch

6 crouton alternatives that’ll amp the nutrition profile of your soup

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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

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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

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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.

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EDITOR'S NOTE

One Place at a Time

H

ere’s a recipe for a really good veggie side dish. Yes, I know this is not Seasoned, but I’m sharing a recipe with you right here, nonetheless.

But first, an explanation: this is a surprisingly delicious recipe that came about as a casualty of my multitasking attempts.

You see, with a few hours left until suppertime, I was eager to get that night’s split pea soup rolling. Knowing that the soup needs ample cooking time, I put it up during the late morning hours, while still in workfrom-home mode. Once I got the main veggie base sizzling, I scurried off to my office to jot down another few lines of an article. Satisfied with the aroma wafting in from the kitchen, I quickly started on an editing project—until I didn’t like what I was smelling. By the time I was back in the kitchen, I knew I would need to start again from step one. Not only does haste make waste; multitasking does too.

But just as I was about to dump the contents of the pot and start all over again, I gave a quick look at the browning veggies. They certainly wouldn’t work as a soup base (unless I wanted to end up with brown liquid—and no customers), but why couldn’t they work as a side dish? A well-done one, perhaps, but a flavorful one too.

This time, I ended up with a soup and a side, but who was I kidding that multitasking isn’t always worth its draw? We women are known to be especially blessed with the ability to tackle myriad different duties simultaneously, often enabling us to hold down the fort even while being pulled in too many different directions. But how this impacts the quality of these tasks remains in question.

N

owadays, a lot of attention is given to mindfulness. It seems that the advents of the 21st century virtually begged for this reawakening. First,

we were introduced to devices and gadgets (even the babies; check out this issue’s Updates) that enable us to be in a million places at the same time. But then, a renewed focus on mindfulness proved to be the crucial cure to a “blessing” gone awry. It was only a matter of time before the advanced world realized how detrimental it is to let go of the mind’s ability to laser focus.

Without putting an emphasis on mindfulness, it may just become a lost art.

As much as mindfulness evokes New Era vibes, for us, Yidden, mindfulness is an age-old endeavor that significantly deepens our avodas Hashem. We’re meant to connect to Hashem with intention, with kavanah, paying special attention to every part of our service.

It’s impossible to do that when we haven’t sharpened our ability to focus.

In this issue’s thought-provoking Sample, Libby Silberman and her lab team explore one significant area of mindfulness: how mindful eating impacts our eating habits. When the mind is racing and the to-do list is calling, it seems preposterous to start dedicating time and brain space to “only” eating (or doing anything, for that matter) mindfully. Why should I “just” eat breakfast when I can also catch up on my messages/ read the latest issue of Wellspring/chat with a friend?

But the rewards we reap are priceless. We don’t only perform the given task more completely; we also enjoy a sense of presence, peace, and wholeness as we do so.

It’s just so healthy. As a side benefit, we don’t end up burning our food.

Oh, and here’s the recipe: Sauté an onion until golden.

Peel and cube three carrots, chop five celery sticks, and add to pot. Sauté until ready. Unless you like it really well done, try not to multitask too much. That’s it.

n a m d e i r F y Shiff

WELL- PUT “When a parent places the call to help their child, what the parent is struggling with needs to be handled first.”

Ruchama Bistritzky-Clapman WELLSPRING / TEVES 5783

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CONTENTS

JANUARY 2023 TEVES 5783 ISSUE 84 Our next issue will appear on Wednesday, February 1st iy"H.

WELL INFORMED 10

Springboard

18

Spiritual Eating

24

Health Updates

LIVING WELL

58

30

FYI

34

Fitness

38

Sample

52

Cup of Tea

62

DIY

NOT ALL IN MY HEAD

WELLBEING

Medical Saga As told to Esther Retek

64

Banish the Blues

At the realization that I was losing all semblances of normalcy, I let out a yelp.

My poor husband was trying to figure out what suddenly happened until he managed to make out the situation from my slurred speech. I was sure I was undergoing a stroke—at the age of 24—and that I’d be doomed to disability for the rest of my life.

70

Tap In

71

OT@Home

FAREWELL 98

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SEASONED 8

WELLSPRING / JANUARY 2023

Holistic

The serial diary will resume next month.

20 EVERYTHING ELSE IS JUST A BONUS Torah Wellspring

By Rabbi Ezra Friedman We live in an era where the masses are shrouded in confusion. It seems as if they’re missing a compass, the clarity of yore to guide them toward what’s not only right but what feels right. The faculty in which this is most evident is the suffocating lack of simchah too many suffer from, a lack of connection and satisfaction. And so, they’re seeking and searching here and there, trying to find the elusive answer to the question that consumes them: where can I find happiness?

MIDLIFE WEIGHT GAIN Ask the Nutritionist

By Shani Taub, CDC I’m more out of shape than I’ve ever been. I don’t know if this is because I have more time on my hands than I did when I was raising my family, am experiencing different hormonal changes, or I’m simply more sedentary than I was over the last three decades. Is midlife weight gain a real thing? And how can I get back in shape and stop the weight gain?

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PEANUT BUTTER MANGO ENERGY BAR Rebranding

By Malky Rosenberg Dear classic ol’ peanut chew, please move over and make room for something exceedingly chewier, tastier, and a whole lot more nutritious.

WELLSPRING / TEVES 5783

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SPRINGBOARD

On Walnuts, Homeopathy, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, and More

No Guarantees Issue #82: Cup of Tea

I was very concerned by the article about home births making light of the dangers. A “low risk” pregnancy does not equal a guarantee of anything when it comes to labor.

I had a regular pregnancy and wanted a natural, no-epidural, minimal-intervention birth. I found an amazing doctor who was firmly in favor of natural birth in the hospital. As things turned out, when the baby was born, I experienced cervical tearing (extremely rare, but it happens). Since I was in the hospital, the doctor was able to catch it and treat the issue immediately. If 10

WELLSPRING / JANUARY 2023

I had been at home with a midwife and been transported to the hospital, it would have been very dangerous, and I could have lost a lot of blood.

of having the labor experience they want, while staying within a hospital setting.

I truly don’t understand why anyone would want to give birth at home when there are so many ways things could go wrong that are much easier for a doctor to address immediately. It’s possible to have a natural birth in a medical setting.

Many hospitals in recent years have become more accommodating of the issues mentioned in the article, like different positions for labor and even water births, and you can hire a doula to be your advocate. I strongly recommend anyone considering a home birth to think again about how they can increase the chances

New Jersey

Leah G.

Brain Food Issue #83: FYI

I was surprised that Faigy Schonfeld’s article on improving focus didn’t include walnuts. I clipped an article on how various foods resemble different body organs printed in Wellspring some time ago (by Libby Silberman), in

Quick Question

Question: My baby is six months old and weighs 11 lbs. She is unsettled during feedings, cries hysterically after most feedings, and has developed a chronic cough. I took her to the pediatrician, and he advised me to supplement with formula, but nothing has changed. She’s still crying and not gaining any weight. Any advice?

Answer: Based on what you describe—and it must not be easy for either of you—your baby may be suffering from silent reflux. Regular reflux is usually diagnosed by frequent bouts of vomiting (a baby can’t yet talk about heartburn or pain in the throat).

Silent reflux, however, is more difficult to diagnose. Its symptoms are similar to what you describe: stalled or slow weight gain, discomfort during feedings, constant crying, and chronic cough. A baby with silent reflux is in pain and would rather not eat than suffer. I would advise you to ask your doctor regarding this diagnosis.

If your baby is indeed suffering from silent reflux and you would like to continue nursing, try to stay away from chocolate, citrus fruits and juices, and acidic dips and sauces.

Give your baby a probiotic and natural supplements for reflux. (Zantac was removed from the market some time ago. Discuss possible side effects with your doctor before starting any medication.)

In order to encourage weight gain, you may opt to give your baby solids, such as baby cereal or cooked pears. (Apples may cause reflux in some babies.)

Be well, Miriam Schweid, health consultant and kinesiologist

which walnuts, closely resembling the human brain, are touted to be excellent for brain health and focus.

I’ve been munching on them as a daily snack ever since. Perhaps that’s why my focus has improved these last few months!

Thanks for an excellent, informative, and engaging monthly read.

Necha M. Brooklyn, New York

Seeking Support Issue #83: Inner Parenting

I am not the mother who submitted the question that was answered in

last issue’s Inner Parenting, but those words could have very well been written by me. As Rabbi Friedman points out in his thought-provoking response, being highly emotional is not an uncommon trait and, when handled properly, it can allow for such deeply beautiful moments of joy, tranquility, and equanimity.

The idea of taking note of when we were last triggered resonated so much with me. So often, I find that my day could start out right and then, somehow, as it progresses, I suddenly feel “deflated.” But I find that often, getting to the bottom of what we truly feel requires not only a lot of self-awareness and honesty, but also the counseling of a third party. After all, we’ve been living with our story since we know ourselves; untangling the details and being truly honest

with ourselves and what we’re really feeling underneath all those layers of what we’ve been telling ourselves all these years isn’t that simple. Especially when this kind of introspection is new to us, we can use the support of a “labor coach” as we give birth to new understandings about ourselves, and, ultimately, our own more beautiful, more whole self.

I, for one, would love to reach out to someone like that who can help me on my own journey. As a wife and young mother of four, I want to really be there for my husband, children, and myself, without all the blockages that keep getting in the way.

As an avid reader of Wellspring and Shiffy Friedman’s life-changing HEART messages, and having come away with the inspiring message of what kind of help is the only kind

WELLSPRING / TEVES 5783

11

The Doctor Is In

SPRINGBOARD

Question: Our family is planning to purchase a new car and we’re deciding if a third row is really necessary. Some of our kids are already in middle school and can sit in the front or without boosters. How do we know when to eliminate car seats and boosters and when we can move kids up to use the front seat?

Answer: Schlepping car seats and boosters between carpools and trips can be challenging. It’s no wonder that as soon as kids are old enough to ride without these, parents happily abandon these often unwelcome accessories. While it’s a rite of passage to start riding in a car without a booster, making the change too early can have devastating consequences. Each year, thousands of young children are killed or injured in car crashes. Many of these tragedies can be prevented with proper car and safety seats.

Infants and toddlers should start out in a rear-facing seat and stay as long as possible but at least until age two. It’s not uncommon for children’s feet to touch the back of the seat as they grow. This is safe and is not a reason to flip the car seat to face forward.

Toddlers and preschoolers can be moved to a forward-facing convertible or five-point harness seat once they have outgrown the rear-facing weight or height limit. Until children outweigh and outgrow the forward-facing limit for their car seat, they should use a belt-positioning booster seat either with or without a back. This typically doesn’t occur until they have reached 4 feet 9 inches in height and 10 to 12 years of age. It’s important to wait until this point since this is usually when an adult seat belt starts to fit without adjustments. An adult seat belt fits correctly when the shoulder belt lies across the middle of the

chest and shoulder, and the lap belt is low and snug across the upper thighs, not lower abdomen. The child should also be tall enough to sit against the vehicle seat back with their knees bent over the edge of the seat without slouching. After all that, they must comfortably stay in this position throughout the trip, not just for a few minutes!

While not always convenient for trips or car-buying plans, preteens should always ride in the back seat. Of course, even upon transitioning to the passenger seat, seat belts should be worn 100 percent of the time that the car is moving.

While car seats can be lifesaving, remember to never leave the child in a car seat unless the car is moving.

Babies should not be left to nap or sleep in a car seat outside of a car. Remember never to leave a baby unsupervised in a car or vehicle. Babies and small children can be forgotten in the backseat. Consider leaving your purse in the backseat while driving so you are forced to check the back before leaving and locking your vehicle.

Vehicle safety is not always easy or convenient.

However, taking these extra precautions and being safety-minded when traveling can add a layer of protection for all family members from newborns to adults.

Safe travels, Jennifer Berkovich, DO, FAAP Member, JOWMA preventative health committee

that really helps, I would love to reach out to someone who does this work from a place of purity and true giving, using their heart more than their mind.

Based on my research, however, I’ve only been given leads of women who live in Eretz Yisrael, and Zoom doesn’t work for me. The referral agencies in my frum community, where too much emphasis is placed

12

WELLSPRING / JANUARY 2023

on the kind of licensing and not the actual practitioner, had no leads for me at all.

If anyone knows of a woman in the tristate area who does this kind of emotional work with others from the heart, someone who isn’t driven by their ego or modern psychology, who helps people come closer to themselves and Hashem, I would really appreciate if they could provide

me with their contact information.

I can be reached via Wellspring.

With tremendous gratitude to the entire Wellspring team for a publication that is unique, full of tochen, wholesome, and a truly educational experience month after month, Name withheld upon request

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SPRINGBOARD

Smoother Process Question: How do I know if my child needs a probiotic supplement? Is just giving her yogurt enough to ensure she gets her fill of probiotics?

Answer: It feels like we learn something new about the microbiome every day. Having a healthy gut is essential and keeping that gut healthy only takes a few tasty bites. Yogurt, kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut, and miso are all wonderful sources of probiotics. They can be included in the diet regularly in order to help maintain the population and strength of the microbiome. However, there are times when a supplement is the right choice. A quality probiotic supplement can offer more strains and species of beneficial bacteria, as well as a much higher dose. Some supplements offer specific bacteria needed to treat certain medical conditions.

Does your child need a supplement at all?

Let’s say that probiotic-containing foods are great for health maintenance, while supplements are more appropriate for the treatment of conditions. Use a supplement during illness, during a course of antibiotics (two hours apart from the antibiotic), when experiencing gastrointestinal discomfort, and any other time your medical provider recommends it. In general, look for a product that is refrigerated and contains more than five strains and species of bacteria.

Yaffi Lvova, RDN 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.

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WELLSPRING / JANUARY 2023

Pediatric Nutrition

Issue #83: Cover Feature

Here’s another vote for goat milk when transitioning a baby to dairy. My older kids experienced digestive issues and rashes after I started them on cow’s milk. With my last two kids, I first introduced them to goat’s milk, which, as the article stated, has more similar properties to mother’s milk. Indeed, the process was way smoother.

No words to express my awe and appreciation for your magazine.

Michla D.

The Shlichim Holistic

I’m loving the new column, Holistic. I’ve picked up quite a few valuable tidbits there.

I’m happy to see that Dr. Chayala Englard is contributing in this space. At this opportunity, I want to thank you for being the shlichim toward introducing me to her. Chayala has been the incredible messenger of healing for my very serious case of diastasis recti that I’d been struggling with for over a decade.

May you all have much continued hatzlachah.

Name withheld upon request

What a Relief Issue #69: FYI

I’m writing to let you know that after struggling with pinworms in a number of my kids, I’ve seen an incredible improvement since implementing much of the advice from

Faigy Schonfeld’s FYI column. What a relief!

Many thanks, P. K. St. Louis, Missouri

Not in Isolation Issue #83: Sample

I’m a great fan of your magazine, and have put a lot of the valuable advice you feature to good use—with excellent results, baruch Hashem.

I was therefore surprised that the Sample article regarding gratitude didn’t draw more attention to the mind-body interface, a reality that Wellspring has opened my eyes to over the past few years.

The discipline of psychoneurobiology is slowly, slowly gaining considerable traction in conventional medicine, and rightfully so. Neither the mind nor the body function in isolation, and when one focuses on improving their emotional health—such as via maintaining a focus on gratitude, there’s no way that their physical health won’t be impacted in a significant way.

Yosef P. Los Angeles, California

Remedies Aren’t Magic Issue #83: Cup of Tea

Mr. Schrader makes a good point

regarding viewing the whole person in treatment, and not just particular symptoms, which really appealed to me regarding homeopathy.

However, I’m trying to wrap my brain around the idea that a remedy, no matter how potent, can actually impact one’s emotional state.

Healing emotional issues often takes years of hard work, breaking through a buildup that may have occurred over decades. How can ingesting or applying a substance get to the root of that? I would appreciate some clarity on the topic.

Adina S. Edison, New Jersey

Yechiel Schrader, CHC, responds: Thank you for your question. Here’s a brief answer.

On the simplest level, emotions are closely tied to physical health.

Changes in physical health precipitate changes in the emotional state, as well. Here are some examples: 1. If a person is breathing better, they will get more blood flow to the brain, which will improve their clarity of thinking. A change in thinking will lead to a change in feelings.

2. Breathing better will also lead to less muscle tension, which provides more of a sense of calm so the individual can think more clearly and will not be as intensely affected by stress on an emotional level.

3. The health of the digestive system

is very closely linked with the health of the brain. So, a change in digestive function impacts the brain as well.

4. When the body is healthier and there is less pain and imbalance, a person will sleep better as well, which will affect their emotional state.

They will also have more energy to deal with the daily challenges of life.

It is not possible to separate the physical and emotional parts of a person because they are so intimately linked together. When a person has physical stress in the body, they feel emotional stress. And when there is emotional stress, the physical body suffers as well.

It is also important to note that ultimately, the roots of healing take place on an energetic level. This is recognized in modern-day medicine most directly in its recognition of acupuncture as a valid and scientific form of healing. Acupuncture works by stimulating the flow of energy through the body.

To put this in more medical terms, when a medical professional works on healing the body, we think of them as working on the level of biology.

However, a simple study of science shows that to understand biology one needs a clear understanding of chemistry. And to understand chemistry one needs to understand physics. And what is physics? The study of energy.

If you want to think of energy in more familiar human terms, think about the feeling of being loved, or the feeling of someone looking at you when you aren’t facing them.

In both cases, you feel what’s called “energy”—something that doesn’t

WELLSPRING / TEVES 5783

15

SPRINGBOARD

have any physical form you can see, but something that is definitely there.

Ultimately, health comes back to energy, whether you look at it through the lens of acupuncture, modern-day science, or in our case, homeopathy. Homeopathy works by stimulating the flow of energy in the body as well. When the energy inside a person flows smoothly, as noted above, everything will improve.

Perhaps this can best be illustrated by an example. If you change a person’s energetic experience of feeling safety in their life, you will see dramatic changes across the board in how they experience the world.

This feeling of safety can be created through words and information, breathing techniques, physical movement, or giving the person an energetic sense of safety through various complementary medical techniques, including homeopathy.

When the person feels safer, many changes will occur, sometimes very quickly. On a physical level they will breathe more deeply, muscle tension will ease, the heart rate will decrease, digestion and sleep will improve, etc. At the same time, there

will be shifts on an intellectual level as they will be able to think more clearly about their challenges, make more thought-out decisions, have more perspective, be more forgiving of themselves, appreciate Hashem’s berachos more deeply, etc. On the emotional level, they will feel calmer and happier. When these changes are deep enough, there may be, and often is, an emotional release of even deep pain that has been present in the person for an extended period of time.

So when a treatment helps a person on a physical level and works on the flow of energy in the body, it is also simultaneously helping the whole person.

Of course, the healing process varies from individual to individual.

Sometimes there are fast results, sometimes slower. A practitioner will evaluate treatment and see if things are moving in the right direction and then modify the treatment to continue and enhance results.

There is also no claim that one method will definitely be the solution to any person’s challenges.

Concurrent with homeopathic treatment, a person may choose to

change their lifestyle by improving diet, exercise, and sleep patterns.

They may want to speak to a therapist to discuss emotional experiences.

Various forms of bodywork may also be helpful.

Homeopathy is not about magic solutions, but it is a tool to support energetic balance and healing in a very deep and holistic manner, addressing each aspect of a person’s life and experience.

It can never be overstated that, of course, all healing is done by the Ultimate Healer. Hashem sees the whole picture of each person and tailors our lives so that each experience gives us the chance to change and grow in a holistic way, improving our physical ability to serve Him, our intellectual understanding of Him, and our emotional ability to connect with Him from feelings of gratitude and love.

May Hashem continue to guide each of us to the healing that we need.

I hope this answers your question.

Please feel free to reach out if you need further clarification.

Never Suffered Again Issue #83: Community

Public Service Announcement Beware of This Remedy The flu remedy Oscillococcinum (manufactured by Boiron), which is being sold in local health food stores and pharmacies, is not only not kosher; it contains basar v’chalav and is made of duck liver.

Please look out for kosher brands instead.

A healthy winter to all, K. Langner

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WELLSPRING / JANUARY 2023

I suffered from carpal tunnel syndrome many years ago and was already scheduled for surgery.

Right before I was to undergo the procedure, I was referred to Dr. Sarno. He did not agree with my diagnosis even though I had an X-ray to prove it (no MRIs in those days). He gave me his book Mind over Back Pain, and encouraged me to read it. I attended his lecture in the Rusk Institute and followed his wise advice. I never suffered from carpal tunnel syndrome again. Dr.

Miriam S. Brooklyn, New York

Insist on a Good Evaluation Issue #83: Quick Question

I'm a huge fan of Wellspring.

As a pediatrician, I love all the great information about diet, sleep and exercise, which are all foundational to health.

However, I was very concerned when I read Miriam Schweid's response to the parent of the boy with possible ADHD. She correctly recommends that the parent speak to the boy's rebbeim and teachers. I agree with that as a first step.

She also lists some reasons why a child may appear hyperactive but not truly have ADHD. There are many other possible explanations

which include medical conditions, other learning and developmental issues, environmental causes and more, which can present like ADHD. This is a medical diagnosis and the next step should be a visit to that child's pediatrician or other health care professional.

Teachers and rebbeim should not be diagnosing children or recommending medication. While it is true that some clinicians are too quick to diagnose and prescribe medication for ADHD, that is not a reason to skip that evaluation.

If your child truly has ADHD, medication can be a life saver.

While non-medication alternatives such as an omega-3 supplement or neurofeedback may be helpful for some children, others need medication to function properly.

All medications have risks, which must be balanced with their benefits.

While both the stimulant and nonstimulant medications have side effects to consider, the seizures and palpitations mentioned by Miriam are very rare. Some children may be at higher risk of adverse effects which include children with underlying cardiac or seizure disorders.

The bottom line is to please consult your child's pediatrician and insist on a good evaluation.

Always remember that you are your child's best advocate.

And, as always, daven, daven, daven!

Alisa Minkin, MD FAAP JOWMA

Tap Tap

Issue #84: Community

A close friend suffered from vertigo, with symptoms ranging from mild to even frightening and disabling. She went through the gamut of blood work, MRI, neurologists, etc., but the only thing that has ever worked for her was EFT (emotional freedom technique). This treatment helped clear up a subconscious issue that was triggering the condition. It’s relatively easy to learn how to tap certain points on body in order to reach the subconscious mind.

Keep up your fantastic work,

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.

Sheila W.

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.

Sarno is no longer alive, but there are many practitioners who teach his groundbreaking method. It’s truly worth a try to avoid surgery and pain.

WELLSPRING / TEVES 5783

17

SPIRITUAL EATING

By Rabbi Eli Glaser, CNWC, CWMS

The Little Things Are Often Our Biggest Feats One of the primary reasons the Yidden merited redemption from Mitzrayim was the strength and sacrifice of the righteous women.

The first heroic example is seen with Yocheved and Miriam in their role as midwives, standing up against Pharaoh and refusing his command to kill the newborn males.

“The Hebrew women are unlike the Egyptian women, for they are experts; before the midwife comes to them, they have given birth” (Shemos 1:19), was their excuse to Pharaoh. An expected reply might have been, “Well then, just get there sooner.” But Pharaoh backed down, choosing to enlist his countrymen in infanticide rather than challenging Yocheved and Miriam.

“And it was because the midwives feared G-d that He made them houses” (1:21), the verse says, referring to the dynasties (houses) that would come from their descendants—Kohanim and Levi’im from Yocheved and Malchus Beis David from Miriam.

A show of supreme strength and courage—canonized for all time by meriting inclusion in Torah Shebichsav. Which begs the question: why weren’t their real names used instead of the nicknames Shifrah and Puah? Granted, Yocheved’s acts of beautifying the babies, “meshaferes”—literally, straightening out their limbs—and Miriam’s sweet, soothing sounds to comfort the newborns, “puah,” were certainly admirable (Sotah 11b).

But once they were being eternally memorialized in the Chumash, shouldn’t

their proper names have been used?

Perhaps the Torah is teaching us a lesson in true identity. Fearing Hashem is the foundation upon which a Yid stands, a bedrock trait seen in the midwives’ opposition to Pharaoh. However, Hashem is interested not only in how this middah expresses itself in extreme confrontations like this—which for most of us are few and far between—but how it’s revealed in the smaller, everyday things in life. The real greatness of Yocheved and Miriam was what they did on a daily basis—out of the spotlight and mired in the mundane responsibilities of family life.

Cleaning and calming the newborns didn’t appear to be heroic feats. In fact, it was probably quite a tiring task, given the multitude of births taking place among the Jewish women in Egypt. And that was the very reason the Torah identifies them as Shifrah and Puah—attesting to their true greatness and position as role models for all Jewish women, and for all of Klal Yisrael, until today.

This powerful lesson is relevant to all areas of our life, including safeguarding our health. Being persistent and consistent in improving our behaviors vis-àvis our health, especially in our eating, is the only way to inculcate lasting lifestyle changes. It’s not about waiting for the perfect moment; it’s all about doing the little things—every day.

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.

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WELLSPRING / JANUARY 2023

A new cardiac surgery unit A new patient experience We are thrilled to announce the ribbon-cutting for our newly renovated, state of the art cardiothoracic intensive care unit (CTICU).

The exceptional clinical care Maimonides provides as one of the nation’s top 50 hospitals for cardiac surgery will now be matched by a dramatically enhanced experience for the 1,000+ patients who choose Maimonides each year for cardiac procedures.

We are deeply grateful to the donors of our community who came together to fund this renovation. Their vision and generosity will benefit patients and families for years to come.

WELLSPRING / TEVES 5783

19

TORAH WELLSPRING

By Rabbi Ezra Friedman

Everything Else Is Just a Bonus What our Avos teach us about perspective

We live in an era where the masses are shrouded in confusion. It seems as if they’re missing a compass, the clarity of yore to guide them toward what’s not only right but what feels right.

The faculty in which this is most evident is the suffocating lack of simchah too many suffer from, a lack of connection and satisfaction. And so, they’re seeking and searching here and there, trying to find the elusive answer to the question that consumes them: where can I find happiness?

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We, Yidden, however, are blessed.

We’re blessed with the ultimate compass, whose dictates guide our every step. And so, instead of searching all over for the truth, it would be wise for us to look into this touchstone text of our own rich heritage. In fact, everything that has and will transpire over all the centuries since Creation is woven into the tapestry of the Chu-

mash. Looking into it with a desire to learn from the ways of our forefathers enables us to lead our best life even today, thousands of years later.

As Chazal have established, “Maaseh avos siman labanim.” Not only is the Torah our compass, but as descendants of these spiritual giants, we have the ability to tap into our DNA to uphold and live by those venerable standards.

It’s a world that keeps sending messages in which external “success” is equated with internal happiness.

But we’re smarter than that. We know that’s not true happiness. But, the question remains, how can we get to the real thing? What was the approach through which our Avos reached their place of true contentment?

One Struggle after Another

It’s Not Out There On the week that we conclude Sefer Bereishis, which essentially serves as a hashkafah sefer for us, let us take note of the wise, wholesome perspective through which the Avos and Imahos approached their lives, particularly in this area that most plagues our era. The lack of satisfaction many of us feel is heavily influenced by a mainstream fallacy that implies, “When I’ll have/be more, I’ll be happier.” Having bought into this subconscious belief, we can spend all our life chasing after an external acquisition, achievement, or other in the hope that this will facilitate our happiness. I just need to own this car, snag this position, look a certain way, or live in that house to finally feel happy, we erroneously tell ourselves. The ads we’re subjected to show a happy-looking individual using this or that product or service, flashing a smile that reveals dazzling white teeth.

One thing is clear to us: the lives of our Avos were not without their challenges. In fact, if we look at Yosef HaTzaddik’s life story, for example, we might call it a tearjerker. It’s a painfully sad saga in which no phase of life was smooth sailing. From his early youth, every day was rife with anguish and sorrow.

It started with the loss of his mother at a young age, and this fragile orphan grew up as the family’s scapegoat, constantly being taunted and ridiculed. As the outcast of the family, we can only imagine the feelings of rejection and loneliness he suffered through.

Later, at only seventeen, this same tormented Yosef was the victim of kidnapping, near-murder, and his last-minute “salvation” came in the form of being sold into slavery. He spent what could have been his most beautiful years far away from his loving father, in an unfamiliar country, perpetually persecuted. There, in

Mitzrayim, he was forced to languish in prison through no fault of his own.

A very poor excuse of a life, a spectator might say. But what was Yosef’s view on all of this? How did he feel about the wretched life he was living? We find the answer in a Rashi on Parashas Vayeishev (39:2).

Commenting on the verse, “And his master [Potiphar] saw that Hashem was with [Yosef],” Rashi notes that “the name of Heaven was frequently in [Yosef’s] mouth.” Yosef, that lonely slave, was constantly speaking of Hashem, referring to Him, thanking Him. Baruch Hashem, be’ezras Hashem, chasdei Hashem. These were the words he lived by, even in the depths of tumah, the depths of despair. This was Yosef HaTzaddik, the “ish matzliach,” who, the sefarim tell us, merited all that hatzlachah because of his positivity and emunah.

Like Father, Like Son From where did such a young man draw such reserves of strength to constantly see the good in his life, to live every day with so much contentment and joy despite the sorry circumstances? From whom if not his saintly father, Yaakov, whose “image was before him all his days.”

Like his son’s, Yaakov’s life was no fairy tale either. Both emotionally and technically, he endured his fair share of struggles.

From his early years, Yaa-

WELLSPRING / TEVES 5783

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TORAH WELLSPRING

How does the birth of a child cause a father to forget his past pain? It was Yosef’s conscious choice to focus on the blessings in his life that made his positive life a reality for him. kov suffered the pain of being the less favored son. Many can relate to the searing pain of this experience, of feeling inferior, less cherished, not worthy of love, especially knowing that he was trying so much harder to conduct himself properly.

As they reach the cusp of adolescence, Yaakov rightfully earns the bechorah, sold to him by an disinterested Eisav. Still, despite it being his, Yaakov, the ish emes, is forced to sneakily “steal” the bechorah back.

And then, he must run for his life— for accepting what was rightfully his!

Later, in lieu of execution, his own nephew robs him, and he’s left with absolutely nothing but his staff. He then spent 14 years far away from home, but nothing prepared him for the suffering he was to endure at the hands of Lavan. That was a new level of pain altogether—for seven years, then another seven, and then some more—as is evident in the pain he expresses to Lavan when speaking of the time he spent under his charge.

“I was [in the field] by day when the heat consumed me, and the frost at night, and my sleep wandered from my eyes” (Bereishis 31:40). How arduous!

Someone in such miserable cir22

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cumstances would have full right to feel all the self-pity and sadness in the world. From a perspective of modern psychology, he has an open permission slip for all these despondent emotions and their outcomes; a textbook case, indeed. By all accounts, Yaakov was a persecuted, denigrated being.

But, if we look at the perspective Yaakov Avinu had on his life, what do we find? How did he view his life and all its myriad challenges? One line sums it all up: “Katonti mikol hachasadim…” (ibid., 32:11), he expresses to Hakadosh Baruch Hu. “I have become small from all the kindnesses.” How indebted he felt! How grateful for every single blessing. It was from a father like this that Yosef drew upon his own reserves of positivity, of seeing the blessing in everything.

But what was the source of Yaakov’s koach to see such berachah even in such painful circumstances?

The remainder of the pasuk offers insight into the root of his outlook: “For with my staff I crossed the Yarden…” To him, everything in life was a bonus. “I crossed the Yarden with just a staff, and You showered me with so many chasadim.”

Yaakov Avinu recognized that be’etzem, he was not deserving of anything. All he needed was a staff to keep walking—everything else was just a bonus.

Indeed, when he later met his brother Eisav, he described his fiscal position from this perspective: “Yesh li kol—I have everything.” While Eisav flaunted his wealth, “Yesh li rav,” but still wasn’t happy, Yaakov humbly offered, “I have everything.” To him, whatever he had was just a gift.

The Shift When we start to focus on what we do have instead of trying to attain happiness by working toward acquiring more, we find happiness in the here and now. Yes, it’s important to give the pain a place, to recognize its existence and to face it as opposed to denying or numbing it. But at the same time, the more we focus the rest of our thoughts on what we do have, the more we’re filled with joy.

It was with this perspective that our Avos—and every pious Yid— were able to live a truly contented life despite their challenging circumstances. Indeed, this is the theme in the names Yosef Hatzaddik chose for his sons, Menashe and Efraim. “And Yosef named his firstborn Menashe, for ’Hashem caused me to forget my toil and [all the pain I experienced in] my father’s house…’” (Bereishis 41:51) How does the birth of a child cause a father to forget his past pain? It was Yosef’s conscious choice to focus on the blessings in his life that made his positive life a reality for him. He chose to see only the brachos, and thus the suffering from his past was out of the limelight.

In the same vein, the theme of the name Yosef chose for his second son also reflected on his choice of perspective. “And the second one he named Ephraim, for ‘Hashem has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction…’” (Bereishis 41:52) Com-

menting on this verse, the Rishonim explain that the name reflects the gratitude Yosef felt to Hakadosh Baruch Hu for strengthening him in the land that was at first so constricting, but then turned out to be so full of blessing.

Incredibly, even in the challenge itself, we can find the blessing if we are mindful to do so. To illustrate with a simple example, suppose you come to your car one morning, turn the key in the ignition, and nothing happens. All your plans for the day are nixed as you turn your efforts into getting the car fixed. How frustrating, right? But now, what happens if you take a moment to ponder the many blessings that had to be in place in order for this challenge to have happened?

If you have a car, you probably had the money to buy it, and also the ability to work. If you have the ability to work, you’re probably in good health, and so on. The plethora of berachah that lies inherent even in a challenge can be breathtaking—if we choose to take note of it.

When we look at Yaakov’s life and his steadfast emunah, how the katonti was a theme in his life, we understand from where Yosef drew such strength. The same perspective colored both their seemingly difficult lives, turning it into a magnificent picture. It’s a koach that is inherent in our DNA—to shift the focus on the berachah that’s already ours—one we can tap into regardless of our current circumstances.

Not Just a Few Cups We have much to gain from using the guide our Avos set forth for us to find the joy in the “small” things. The incident with the pachim ketanim is one excellent example of this manifestation. When we understand Yaakov’s perspective on his life, and the thought process behind it, it’s no wonder to us that he took the effort to retrace his steps in order to retrieve the pachim ketanim.

Based on the gifts he sent Eisav, we know that he was fantastically wealthy. Yet, he returned for those few “plastic cups.” He did so not because he was a miser, but because he truly valued everything he owned. And why? The sefarim explain that when someone realizes that everything he has is a gift from Hashem, and not something he deserves, he automatically cherishes every bit of it, even the “small” stuff. A “big” Yid is someone who sees greatness in the “small” things. When we cherish the small things, they expand our heart and enable us to feel immense love from Hakadosh Baruch Hu—and immense joy.

Rabbi Ezra Friedman welcomes questions and comments on this column.

Please write to rabbiefriedman@wellspringmagazine.com.

WELLSPRING / TEVES 5783

23

UPDATES

By Esther Retek

Exercise Prescription Can working out suppress cancer cell growth?

According to a study titled “Exercise is Medicine,” published in Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases, exercise is not just a medicine for occasional blues or a low-functioning immune system. It goes a lot further than that. This Edith Cowan University (ECU) research has revealed just how critically important it can be—even for those with advanced cancer.

Previous research has indicated that men with advanced prostate cancer can change the chemical environment of their body over six months of exercise and suppress growth of cancer cells.

The team observed increased levels of proteins called “myokines,” which are produced by skeletal muscles and can suppress tumor growth and even help actively fight cancerous cells by stimulating a range of anti-cancer processes in the body.

But now, this new study shows that a single bout of exercise can elevate myokines even further and induce additional cancer suppression—even in patients with incurable, advanced cancer.

Nine patients with late-stage prostate cancer performed 34 minutes of high-intensity exercise on a stationary cycle,

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with blood serum collected immediately before and after, and then again 30 minutes post-workout. The team found the serum obtained immediately after this “dose” of exercise contained elevated levels of anti-cancer myokines which resulted in suppressed growth of prostate cancer cells by a whopping 17 percent.

“This is helping us understand why patients with cancer who exercise exhibit slower disease progression and survive for longer,” Professor Rob Newton announced. The researchers dubbed these results a “breakthrough moment in oncology.”

Professor Newton said that while there is still much research to be done, the results of this study could help shape the advice given to cancer patients immediately.

“The optimal dose of exercise is not yet known, but it is likely to be 20-plus minutes each day and must include resistance training to grow the muscles, increase the size and capacity of the internal pharmacy, and stimulate the myokine production,” he said.

If exercise helps heal, it is only self-understood how helpful it is for maintaining health. As for those of us blessed with good health, this serves as another reminder to tie our laces and get a good workout.

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WELLSPRING / TEVES 5783

25

UPDATES

Device Distraction How to stop that tantrum Your toddler starts throwing a fit just as you’re cutting up a salad. You quickly hand him your phone or other device to play with and keep himself quiet while you get things done. Sounds familiar?

Handing the child a device probably does the trick. He fiddles with the buttons (calling some surprised contacts along the way), looks at photos, or listens to uploaded songs, and stays quiet until you manage to prepare supper.

Whether the tantrum happens in the car, on the street, or while you’re trying to put the baby to sleep, many of us are quick to hand a device to a digruntled child in an attempt to calm them.

But if this is your go-to strategy, consider this. A new study published in JAMA Pediatrics shows that this simple act may increase your child’s risk for developing longer-term behavioral issues.

“If a child is upset and has big emotions and you hand over a device to distract them, it may keep the peace in the moment, but if this is the main way you soothe your child, it will be a setback in the long run,” says study author Dr. Jenny Radesky, a developmental behavioral pediatrician at the University of Michigan Health Children’s Hospital.

When we constantly hand our kids devices to calm them down and distract them, children can’t learn how to identify their emotions and develop self-soothing strategies, she says. “Kids who don’t build these skills in early childhood are more likely to struggle when stressed out in school or with peers as they get older,” Radesky adds.

These findings are based on a recent study in which the researchers looked at 422 kids and 422 parents, analyzing how often parents used devices to calm kids. Over a six-month period, the investigators charted kids’ emotional reactivity, such as rapid shifts between sadness and excitement, a sudden change in mood or feelings, and increased 26

WELLSPRING / JANUARY 2023

impulsivity. The kids who were frequently given devices to calm down were more likely to show signs of emotional reactivity, the study showed.

Devices overstimulate the brain with bright lights, loud colors, and jarring noises. When we hand them to our kids, researchers say, we may be teaching them that the way to calm down is by overstimulating the brain. Researchers advise parents to instead address their child’s emotions and not seek to distract the child from experiencing them.

“When a child has an emotion, it feels like a surge of negative energy or frustration and they can’t name or wrap their head around it, so they need an adult’s help to say, ‘This is what you are feeling,’” Radesky says. “When parents label what they think their child is feeling, it helps the child connect language to feeling states, but they also show the child that they are understood.” Teaching the basic emotions to your child using visuals can be a tremendous help.

Another interesting strategy Radesky offers is to use color zones to help young kids name and cope with emotions, preferably as a visual guide that is posted in a conspicuous place like the refrigerator. With this system, blue is for bored, green is for calm, yellow is for anxious/agitated, and red is for explosive.

Parents can use these color zones in challenging moments, she suggests. “If your child is in the yellow zone, he or she can do breathing, take a break, listen to music or make another calming choice instead of progressing to red,” she says.

For some kids, getting active, such as jumping on a trampoline, hugging a doll, running around, or squishing putty in their hands can also relieve them of the tension they’re experiencing.

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Part

2

in a series

Demystified

Myth: Reading in the dark is bad for your eyes.

Fact: Love reading under your covers but are afraid to do so because you always knew it would wreck your eyesight?

Seems like the evidence is a bit blurry. It turns out that according to most ophthalmologists, reading in the dark can strain your eyes and give you a headache, but it will likely not cause lasting damage.

Dr. Robert Cykiert, at New York University Medical Center, is adamant that the strain reading puts on your eyes — in poor light or not — is safe. “It may create fatigue,” he says, “but it cannot hurt your eyes in any way.”

Another ophthalmologist with the Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute, Richard Gans, MD, FACS, says, “There is no scientific evidence that reading in the dark does any long-term harm to your eyes.”

If so, how did this myth develop? Some suggest it’s based on an old study that showed children who slept with night lamps showed greater chances of becoming nearsighted. However, that study was refuted a long time ago, which leaves no evidence to support this popular myth.

Happy reading!

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WELLSPRING / JANUARY 2023

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29

ALTERNATIVE VIEW

BY FAIGY SCHONFELD

EAR INFECTIONS FIVE OUT OF SIX CHILDREN WILL HAVE AT LEAST ONE EAR INFECTION

BY THEIR THIRD BIRTHDAY, MAKING EAR INFECTIONS AMONG THE MOST COMMON CHILDHOOD AILMENTS (THOUGH THEY DO STRIKE ADULTS AS WELL). WHILE, THANKFULLY, THEY ARE NOT A VERY SERIOUS CONDITION, THEY ARE STILL VERY PAINFUL. REMEMBER THAT DULL ACHE THROBBING DEEP INSIDE YOUR EAR, INTERRUPTED BY THE OCCASIONAL STAB THAT FELT LIKE AN ICE PICK? IN THE PAST, EAR INFECTIONS MOST OFTEN MEANT ANTIBIOTICS, BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THINGS HAVE BEEN CHANGING.

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MOST COMMON CAUSE Nestled inside the ear are eustachian tubes, canals that act like a bridge connecting the middle ear to the upper throat and nasal cavity. When fluid containing bacteria or viruses gets trapped in the tubes, the fluid can become infected, building up in the back of the eardrum and putting pressure on the ear—all of which can result in a person feeling pretty awful.

WHAT CAUSES IT? An earache usually follows a bad case of colds or sore throat, or after blowing the nose too hard. It often occurs at night and the pain makes sleep rather impossible. Children are more prone to ear infections than adults, likely because their eustachian tubes are very small, and usually horizontal, making it harder for fluid to drain out of the ear. On top of that, most kids are not very good about blowing their noses, which leads to more fluid getting trapped behind the eardrum.

WHY NOT ANTIBIOTICS? First of all, they don’t always work. Many (or, some claim, the majority) of ear infections are caused by a virus—which means they won’t respond to antibiotics at all. But most importantly for your child (or you), antibiotics are no friends of a healthy gut as they kill off good bacteria along with the bad. And a healthy everything starts with a healthy gut. In particular, thrush and yeast infections are common in children after antibiotic treatment.

WELLSPRING / TEVES 5783

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ALTERNATIVE VIEW

WHAT’S ON THE MENU?

Minding your menu is always a good place to start. Allergies and food sensitivities can aggravate infections, and deficiencies in vitamins A and C may cause more mucus in the ear. Dairy is a common culprit; if your child is suffering from chronic ear infections, it’s a good idea to cut out dairy. In either case, it’s wise to avoid dairy while the ear is infected, as well as wheat and simple carbs. These are all foods that tend to contribute toward inflammation.

And while you’re at it, load up on the good stuff, like vitamins C and D. Echinacea is a highly effective herb that boosts the immune system and has been shown to reduce the likelihood of the common cold and flu, both frequent culprits behind ear infection.

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WELLSPRING / JANUARY 2023

PAIN RELIEF When I notice a kid tugging his ear, my first line of defense is usually hydrogen peroxide. Just a few drops into the affected ear have, besiyata diShmaya, transformed a screaming baby into a calm, paci-sucking (albeit mildly sad) little cutie.

Hydrogen peroxide not only relieves pain; it can act as a healing remedy as well.

Heat can also be very comforting. Some suggest using a hair dryer—set on low, hold a little away from the ear, and have the warm air blowing into the air. (Don’t do this for more than three to five minutes though.) A heating pad or warm compress on the ear can also ease the pain.

If the child is old enough, have them chew a piece of candy or gum (the joy of it might just cancel out the ear pain right there). Chewing and swallowing allows the eustachian tube to ventilate and drain the fluid, relieving the pressure in the inner ear. For babies, nursing or offering a bottle can do a similar job.

Salt is a super handy item too. Heat a cup of coarse salt, then pour into a cotton sock and place over the affected ear for ten minutes.

Another suggestion is a qigong massage. Place your middle finger in front of your ear and your index finger behind the ear, forming a V-shape.

Starting at the base of the ear, begin moving your fingers in an upward motion, pressing firmly but not too hard. As you move your fingers downward, release the pressure. Do this several times to help increase circulation in and around the ear, as well as allowing the fluid to move more freely, which reduces pain.

REMEDIES Several studies have concluded that homeopathic and/or natural remedies relieved ear infections at a faster rate than antibiotics. The conditions disappeared quicker, and the natural treatments left almost no unpleasant side effects.

I’ll start with my personal favorite earache remedy: garlic. Its incredibly strong antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties make it an effective cure for an ear infection, among many other ailments. Insert a small garlic clove (that has not been in contact with metal; is neither sliced nor trimmed, which could irritate the skin; and is not too small, so it will not enter the ear canal) into the ear (best to do it while the child sleeps!) and secure it with a Band-Aid. By morning, the ear pain will often be a thing of the past. Another way to use garlic is to puncture a piece, extract the juice, and pour it into the affected ear.

Also popular for treating ear pain is warm oil. Combine a tablespoon of pure almond carrier oil with two drops of lavender essential oil, two drops of chamomile essential oil, and three drops of tea tree oil to help treat the infection. These oils contain bio-active compounds with antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects that may help reduce both painful swelling and infectious bacteria in the ear. Heat this mixture until warm (not too hot) and insert two drops into the ear, twice a day. Oil of oregano is another super-oil (if this isn’t an official term yet, you saw it here first). Apply to your fingers and trace in a Y-shape behind the affected ear.

For lactating moms, mother’s milk is also a great remedy for earaches (among other ailments). Collect some milk in a clean container and use an ear dropper to squirt a few drops into the infected ear. (Do not administer directly as the pressure may be too much for an infant.)

SUPPLEMENTS A naturopath (or a nutritionist at the health food store) can offer information regarding specific herbs, such as goldenseal, which is known to speed healing by boosting the immune system; olive leaf, which fights infection; and St. John’s wort, an antiviral that helps reduce inflammation. There’s colloidal silver, a natural antibiotic; MR ear drops are a go-to for many parents; and there are homeopathic remedies, too. Belladonna is the most commonly prescribed remedy; it works well for throbbing, piercing pain. (Discontinue use of belladonna if the pain persists for more than three days.)

These ideas are all good and true. But, you know what I know: fluid does not an earache cause, and vitamins won’t take any ache away. So we can keep doing our hishtadlus, and keep having in mind that we’re all powerless. The earache shows up—and goes home—at Hashem’s command only.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. Please consult with a medical practitioner before administering any treatment or implementing lifestyle changes.

WELLSPRING / TEVES 5783

33

FITNESS

TOO TIRED TO WORK OUT?

By Chaya Tziry Retter, RDN, BS, CPT Chaya Tziry Retter is a Monsey-based Registered Dietitian, ACE-Certified Personal Trainer, and group fitness instructor. She is passionate about helping others lead healthier lives in a way that suits their needs. She can be reached at 845-540-4487.

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That’s exactly the reason to get moving.

We all relate to the current winter season differently, whether we embrace the cold and bundle up to enjoy the outdoors, look forward to our cozy slippers and hot cocoa after a long day, or simply can’t wait for spring to make its appearance again. Regardless of the preference that resonates with you, dark mornings and early evenings are often a recipe for exhaustion. But soon enough, the winter will be over. And whether we like it or not, we’ll likely still be tired!

One of the most common deterrents for beginning a workout is the famous “I’m just too tired.” And truthfully, we are so tired. But do we realize how much our tiredness and sluggishness contribute to endless procrastination, subpar performance, short fuses, and missed opportunities?

We’ve all been there, but could there be a way to actually end the cycle of bleary-eyed, half-hearted days?

We can’t attribute all our fatigue to lack of sleep. Of course, there are those nights—a late wedding, a teething baby, a stomach virus, or endless worries do keep us up at times. But there’s more to the picture. Our energy levels are affected tremendously by our hydration levels; intake of balanced, wholesome, and nourishing meals; hectic schedules; and of course, physical activity.

Researchers at the University of Georgia found that when otherwise healthy adults, who did not regularly exercise, engaged in as little as 20 minutes of low-to-moderate aerobic exercise, three days a week for six consecutive weeks, they reported an increase in energy levels and feeling less fatigued.

The University of Georgia study involved 36 sedentary healthy, young adults who reported persistent fatigue. The study called for a program of moderate-intensity exercise, low-intensity exercise, or no exercise for six weeks. The moderate-intensity group was prescribed 20 minutes of exercise on an exercise bike comparable to a fast-paced walk up hills, while the low-intensity group biked for the same duration and frequency, but at an intensity level equivalent to a leisurely walk.

Both exercise groups experienced a 20 percent increase in energy levels by the end of the study compared to the non-exercising group, with the low-intensity group reporting a 65 percent drop in feelings of fatigue, and the more intense exercisers reporting a 49 percent drop in fatigue.

Findings that low-intensity exercise improves feelings of fatigue come as no surprise to Pete McCall, exercise physi-

ologist at the American Council on Exercise. “If a sedentary individual begins an exercise program, it will enhance the blood flow carrying oxygen and nutrients to muscle tissue, improving their ability to produce more energy,” McCall said.

If you thought only a high-intensity exercise routine would nip the exhaustion for you, now you know there’s no need to be intimidated by that daunting task. This study has proven that low-to-moderate-intensity fitness regimens benefit the energy levels of an otherwise sedentary individual. If you work up your aerobic endurance and can tolerate a more intense set of fitness sessions, there are a plethora of health benefits that this kind of workout provides as well.

Another strong argument against using tiredness as an excuse for not working out is that over the long term, staying inactive is what actually causes and prolongs fatigue. A study conducted in 2012 by Greek, French, and German researchers demonstrated that a sedentary lifestyle makes people feel more tired. The body needs to make a significant effort to climb a few flights of stairs, lift heavy bags, or stand up. The less you take care of your physical fitness and practice moving your body, exercising, or using your muscles, the more likely you are to experience breathlessness, dizziness, and severe fatigue when doing these activities.

Working out more often will make it easier for you to move around in your daily activities, and help you feel less tired throughout the day.

In addition to feeling an energy high after your workout, you’ll also sleep better. Physical activity regulates your internal clock, helping you maintain a regular and restful sleep cycle. A Harvard Medical School study also recommends exercise as a way to improve your quality of sleep.

“Going for a brisk daily walk won’t just trim you down, it will also keep you up less often at night. Exercise boosts the effect of natural sleep hormones such as melatonin. Just watch the timing of your workouts. Exercising too close to bedtime can be stimulating. Morning workouts that expose you to bright daylight will help the natural circadian rhythm.”

It’s hard to imagine that something as counterintuitive as getting up to move when you want to rest will actually energize you when you need it by day and help you sleep deeper when you need to at night. But the proof lies within those who practice this advice and enjoy fuller days and longer nights.

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ASK THE NUTRITIONIST

By Shani Taub, CDC

Q

Midlife Weight Gain Does the Battle of the Bulge only get fiercer?

I’m currently in my fifties, and I find that with every passing year, it gets harder to maintain my usual weight. What bothers me most is that I’m more out of shape than I’ve ever been. I don’t know if this is because I have more time on my hands than I did when I was raising my family, am experiencing different hormonal changes, or I’m simply more sedentary than I was over the last three decades. Is midlife weight gain a real thing? And how can I get back in shape and stop the weight gain?

You’ve reached a wonderful stage in life, having raised a family and now watching them continue to grow on their own.

What a milestone!

Now, let’s discuss what’s bothering you.

There is certainly a lot of talk around midlife weight gain, and it is common for people who didn’t struggle with their weight in their younger years to suddenly face this challenge. However, before I answer your question, allow me to share that from my professional experience, I don’t see more women struggling with their weight in their fifties than in their thirties.

My clients range from young teens to seniors, and I don’t find that one age group collectively struggles more than another.

There are, however, certain age-related reasons that

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may lead to weight gain, some of which you mentioned in your question. Probably the most known reason is the hormonal factor. Hormonal changes during the menopause stage may make a woman more prone to gain weight, especially around the abdominal area. Estrogen, the hormone in the body that helps distribute fats, also tends to decrease, which often causes fat to deposit around the abdomen. Fluctuations of hormones like estrogen and progesterone can cause an increased appetite. Genetics also play a role in menopausal weight gain, so if your mother or sisters gained weight during this phase, you’re more likely to gain weight as well.

However, hormonal changes alone don’t necessarily cause weight gain. Instead, the weight gain is usually related to aging, as well as other lifestyle factors.

Your metabolism, for example, is likely slowing down because of the muscle mass being lost and because of lower estrogen levels. When the metabolism slows down, the body burns less calories. And so, if you consume the same amount of calories, you’re more likely to gain weight because your metabolism isn’t as efficient.

What’s the solution? As with any weight-related issue, there’s no magical answer. The hormones and other factors will continue to do their thing, but you can do yours by focusing on improved eating habits, more exercise, and being mindful of overall lifestyle habits such as sleeping.

Get Moving

Because of the slower metabolism, Mayo Clinic suggests that individuals in midlife consume about 200 calories less than they did previously. You may want to take some time to read the labels of the foods you’re eating. Many high-calorie foods can easily be swapped to low-calorie ones, which will be easier for the body to digest.

Here are some simple ideas to help you get more exercise in your day.

I also advise women who have a slower metabolism, especially as they’re aging, to increase their water intake. When you drink water, the body goes through thermogenesis (body heating) to process the liquid and heat it to body temperature. This is the same process your body uses to metabolize food. Using energy to create heat requires burning calories, and this can boost your metabolism by as much as 30 percent. While the process only lasts about an hour, it happens each time you drink water.

My best advice? Get a walking partner. There’s nothing like a daily brisk walk. And yes, I know it’s cold. All you need is the right gear and an entertaining partner who will be committed to keeping up the routine with you.

I also recommend drinking cold or hot water, as opposed to lukewarm. Both the cold and hot water will change the body temperature, consequently causing the body to burn more calories as it works to regulate the body temperature.

Decreased physical activity is another contributing factor to menopausal weight gain. Without realizing, most people (especially women) become more sedentary and homebound as they get older. You’re no longer running around doing errands as you did a decade ago, nor are you moving around your house as much as you did when the children were young. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly one-third of US adults over the age of 50 get no physical activity outside of work.

Although weight gain alone may be a motivating reason to push you to the treadmill, there are many other even more important reasons you may want to consider. According to a study published in Neurology, people who did moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity from middle age through to later life were less likely to develop cognitive decline 25 years later. Exercise in midlife years also slows cognitive decline and memory loss, and it helps preserves youth and strength.

So, while various biological and physiological factors may contribute to midlife weight gain, the good news is that if you focus on maintaining a healthy lifestyle and engaging in physical activity, you should be able to get into shape again and reap the blessings of your age with happiness and in good health.

Daily Walking

Swimming If there’s an option of swimming anywhere near you, take advantage of it. Swimming offers an array of health benefits, both physically and mentally. There are also plenty of light, easy-tolearn exercises you can perform while you’re in the pool.

Dancing Find yourself going out every night to a simchah? Use those weddings as an opportunity to work out. Don’t just stand at the side watching the young girls dance; join the circle! You’ll feel younger and more energetic by the time you leave the hall.

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.

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By Libby Silberman

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Mindful Eating Challenge It’s 11:00 PM and my fingers are tap-tapping, my eyes roving the screen that’s sending a scrunch to my forehead and a little ache behind my eyes. This article was due two weeks ago and by the grace of a super nice editor, I have hemmed and hawed and thought and eaten popcorn and folded another load of towels and procrastinated some more.

The gentle reminder emails from said editor have finally lost the gentle factor and here I am, willing my tired brain to deliver a product yet unseen by mankind.

It’s 12:20 AM and while there’s lots of cleaning and shining to do, a functional outline exists on my screen. I save the document ’cause I’ve learned the hard way, check my emails out of habit, power off that unthinking blinking machine that has stared me in the face for the past few hours, stretch my tired, tired, limbs, and gasp. There’s an empty family-sized bag of plain, unrippled potato chips on my office desk.

“Who put this here?” I ask no one in particular, for my family members are blessedly asleep.

When the answer sinks in, I am ashamed.

It was me again.

I have mindlessly consumed a bag of chips.

I didn’t even enjoy the food, I promise.

A 100-gram bag of chips contains 549 calories, 35 grams of fat, and 53 grams of carbs.

Never mind this was right before bedtime.

Mindless eating is likely the number one cause of weight gain, said I. When I start taking my eating habits into check, I realize many things. I drink my coffee while I write my list in the morning.

Too often, I eat breakfast at my desk, hardly registering what I consume. When my kids are around in the afternoon, an untold number of nibbles take place. Not because I’m sad, anxious, or stressed. Simply because I’m tasting dinner, noshing from the open bag of pretzels, and righteously eating the lunchtime leftovers.

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The Theory Paying attention to our eating can help us better manage our eating habits.

I knew I’d picked up that very sensible theory in some peer-reviewed journal, but I couldn’t remember the details. So on my research attempt I happily discovered that Healthline has been curious about this too. They have this awesome 19-day challenge, which I promptly signed up for.

Now here comes the shameful admission. The wheels in my brain just turn too fast for mindful eating.

It’s something I’ll be working on, someday, somewhere, somehow.

But for now, 19 days race by. I obediently open the challenge email each morning but forget to put the daily exercise into practice. Or, I do the challenges just for the sake of ticking it off my to-do list. Maybe it’s simply not for people like me.

And maybe it is for the many other people who suffer from the same mindless eating issues!

And so, I recruited my faithful Samples to try this out for me—and all of you.

The Experiment The 19-day challenge is composed of 19 exercises to help one foster a mindful way of eating.

Challenge participants receive an email each morning with the day’s challenge and are to keep track of their replies and thoughts via a journal.

First, allow me to share the challenge with you. Feel free to try this at home, make sure to do one day at a time for best results, and don’t read ahead (said your fifth-grade literature teacher, and I)!

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The 19-Day Mindful Eating Challenge, abridged (Healthline.com)

Day 1 “How mindfully do I eat?”

Mindful eating emphasizes the importance of focusing on the present moment and awareness of your senses while eating. Completing this challenge can help you manage your eating habits better.

The goal of the challenge is not to change what you’re eating—it’s to change how you’re eating. No special foods need to be purchased for the challenge. Set aside a notebook for logging your challenge responses or type them in a Word document or in your phone’s Notes feature.

For today’s challenge: Select one of your meals and eat as you usually do. After you’ve finished eating, answer the following questions in your journal.

• How much time did you spend eating?

• Were you multitasking (i.e., reading, scrolling through your phone, finishing a work project)?

• Are you satisfied with your meal?

How do you know when your meals are satisfying?

Day 2 Ask yourself, “Am I hungry?”

For today’s challenge: Ask yourself if you are truly hungry before you sit down to eat.

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more.

Focus on using your food for its intended purpose—nourishment.

If you’re not actually hungry, consider having a drink—a tea can be great—or postponing your meal for a bit. Perhaps you can try to distract yourself by placing a call, taking a short walk, or doing a brain teaser.

• What feelings do these situations evoke?

• Think back to a situation that triggered hunger, cravings, or overeating. Were you actually hungry or was something else driving your desire to eat?

Day 4 Day 3 Understand your hunger triggers.

Today, instead of focusing on food, we’ll concentrate on hunger and what triggers it. Hunger is your body’s way of telling you that your energy levels are low, and you need to refuel.

Hunger is driven by: • Low sugar levels • Stomach and intestinal emptiness • Hormonal changes However, sometimes you can feel hunger (or experience cravings) as a result of circumstances like boredom and stress.

Awareness of what’s triggering your hunger can help you decipher whether you are truly hungry and in need of food, or if you’re needing food for other reasons.

For today’s challenge: Think about the following questions and write down your answers: • What happens in your environment that triggers your hunger?

• Why do these situations stimulate hunger or food cravings?

Recognize your satisfaction cues.

Food is meant to be enjoyed, but sometimes, a craving can cause you to overeat.

For today’s challenge: When you’re not hungry, pick a favorite food— hot, cold, sweet, or salty—and eat it.

Without distraction, sit down and ask yourself the following questions, logging the answers in your journal.

• Did the taste of the food change after the first bite?

• Were you satisfied after the first few bites of food, or did you desire more?

• Did you enjoy the first bite more than the second or third?

Day 5 Notice your emotions while eating.

Many of us engage in emotional eating, which involves eating in response to stress or other negative feelings. Mindful eating can help you understand the types of emotions that surround your relationship with

food as well as how you are using food to cope with feelings.

For today’s challenge: Ask yourself these questions before you start eating: • Does this meal evoke any emotions? If so, which ones?

• Why do you think these emotions are coming up? (It’s okay if you don’t have definitive answers but try to come up with a few reasons why you might be feeling this way.)

• Are you eating this food because you’re feeling sad, stressed, or overwhelmed?

There are no hard rules for this exercise. Simply experience and honor your emotions around food. Then, write them down.

No matter what you’re feeling, try not to judge yourself. The goal of this activity is to become more aware of your emotional responses to food and develop a better understanding of how feelings can make you feel like eating.

Day 6 Take in nature.

Today’s challenge is slightly different. No focus on food at all!

We’ll be practicing mindfulness techniques by taking a walk in a nature environment.

Research shows that experiencing nature without distraction can positively affect you in many ways, including reducing stress, boosting your mood, and lowering your blood pressure. It can help you create deeper connection to Hashem as you foster an appreciation for your surroundings.

For today’s challenge: Take a walk that lasts at least 10 minutes—preferably longer—and appreciate the sounds, colors, and smells of your natural environment without distraction. If you wish, jot down your feelings or thoughts in your journal so you can refer back to them at the

end of the challenge.

Day 7 Identify positive feelings around food.

Being aware of the emotions that surface during meals can give you a better understanding of how food affects your mood and why you tend to gravitate toward specific foods when you’re feeling a particular way.

For today’s challenge: Focus on your positive feelings (or lack thereof) when enjoying a meal. In theory, food should make you feel good, as eating is a pleasurable experience.

(For some of us, food may not bring about positive feelings for several reasons, and that’s okay.)

When eating a meal, ask yourself the following questions. As before, jot down your answers: 1. Is this meal evoking any positive feelings? If so, what are they?

2. What is making you feel good?

Is it the food itself, the atmosphere, or the people with whom you’re enjoying your meal?

This challenge is simply meant to bring more awareness to the feelings you experience when eating (without judgment), so eating may become a more joyful experience for you.

Day 8 Eat a distraction-free meal.

Whether it’s working through lunch at your desk or noshing on chips while scrolling through your phone, distracted eating is common.

While it might seem harmless, it may encourage you to overeat.

A review of 24 studies found that distractions led people to consume more calories during a meal. It also caused them to eat more food later in the day.

For today’s challenge: As you eat,

avoid using your phone or computer, don’t read a magazine, and keep other distractions away. When you’re finished, ask yourself how this meal felt different than the ones with distractions.

Day 9 Eat slowly.

Eating too quickly can easily result in overeating. The science behind it is simple. It takes approximately 20 minutes for the brain to get the message that the body has had enough to eat. When you eat quickly, you shove in more food than you actually need before you can process your satiety.

Additionally, eating slower can also aid digestion and make your meal more pleasurable.

For today’s challenge: Don’t rush your meals. Try to wake up a little earlier (tall order, I know!) to give yourself more time to prepare and enjoy breakfast. Before you begin each meal, take a few deep breaths to center yourself.

Tips for eating slowly • Put your fork down between each bite.

• As you eat, continue to be aware of your breathing as you become full.

• After you’ve taken a few bites of food, try to take smaller bites than you did when you first started the meal.

• If it’s too hard for you to slow down for your entire meal, aim to eat slowly for the first five minutes.

Remember that mindfulness is all about slowing down, being aware of your feelings and thought processes, being present in the moment, and really enjoying every bite of food.

Day 10 Be thankful for your food.

Here’s one for those who appre-

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SAMPLE ciated last month’s Sample on gratitude!

Take the time to appreciate your food. Make a berachah while considering the origin of the food that nourishes your body. Think about Hashem’s awesome blessing of bountiful, delicious, fresh, kosher food that’s so easily available all the time.

This may lead you to make better decisions for your health.

For today’s challenge: Before eating meals and snacks, ask yourself the following: • Where did this food come from?

• Did this food have to travel a long distance to reach your plate?

• What went into raising or growing your food? How long did it take?

After asking yourself these questions, take notes about any feelings or thoughts you may have in your journal.

Day 11 Focus on food textures.

Today we’re focusing on how food feels as we eat it. This can help you chew slower as you’re eating, which can help make your food more enjoyable.

For today’s challenge: Chew thoroughly to enjoy each of the different textures. As you chew, consider these questions: •How does the food feel inside your mouth?

•Does it have one consistent texture or a few?

•How warm or cold is it?

•Is it easy to bite into or do you need to break it down by chewing?

•Are you craving certain textures (think crunchy, chewy, etc.)?

•How do you feel about the texture of your food?

Day 12 Think about each specific flavor you taste.

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For today’s challenge: We’ll help you dissect the flavors that help create a food’s overall taste. Here are a few questions to get you thinking: • Which different flavors do you taste?

• Do they have a salty side to them? How about sweet?

• Does your food taste differently when you first taste it? Does it have an aftertaste?

Make a mental note of how you feel about each basic taste. Which ones do—or don’t—you like?

Day 13 Engage your sense of sight.

Using your sense of sight to recognize the beauty of the individual ingredients in your meals can increase your appreciation and excitement for your food.

For today’s challenge: Take time to study your food before you eat.

When preparing your food or before your meals, ask yourself the following questions and take some notes: • What are the components of your meal?

• What colors are its individual ingredients?

• Do you think this meal looks good? If not, why do you think that might be?

If you don’t find your food appealing, try adding visual interest to your meals and snacks with brightly colored herbs, vegetables, or fruits.

For example, sprinkle a spoonful of chopped parsley over fish or top your plain yogurt with fresh berries.

Day 14 Involve your sense of smell.

Smell and taste are closely related, and the scent of food plays a large role in the satisfaction and joy we get from eating. Let’s continue to engage your senses by focusing on smell.

For today’s challenge: Close your eyes before you’re about to eat and

truly take in the aroma of your meal.

With your eyes closed—so as not to have visual distractions—ask yourself the following questions: • What smells are coming from this dish?

• Does the scent of the food make you hungry?

• Is one smell overwhelming, or can you smell the individual components of the meal?

• If you could only smell the meal and not see it, would you be interested in eating it?

As you’ve done before, jot down your answers in your journal.

Concentrating intently on the aroma of the food you’re about to eat can help bring awareness to your meal, enhancing pleasure while making you more mindful of your eating experience.

Day 15 Make a meal last 20 minutes.

It’s easy to eat meals too quickly, especially when you’re busy. But speeding through a meal can keep you from noticing your hunger and fullness cues.

For today’s challenge: Take at least 20 minutes to have your meal.

Research shows that eating slower results in significantly greater feelings of fullness and may even reduce calorie intake.

For this challenge, make your meals last for a minimum of 20 minutes. You can take notes on whether you noticed changes in your fullness or satisfaction.

Here are a few helpful tips to make your meal last 20 minutes: • When sitting down to enjoy your meal, take a minute or two to appreciate your food. Notice the color, texture, and aroma of your meal before digging in.

• In between bites, put your fork or spoon down and chew your food thoroughly before swallowing. Take a deep breath before picking up your utensil for your next bite.

Day 16 Engage all your senses to enjoy a small bite.

This is my favorite exercise by far.

This exercise incorporates all the senses—touch, smell, taste, sight, and hearing—and builds upon all we’ve done so far.

You’ll need three raisins and your journal for notes. If you don’t like eating raisins, you can use another small piece of food, for example: • chocolate chips • mini marshmallows • nuts such as cashews, peanuts, or almonds • grapes or berries Once you’re seated in a comfortable position, follow these steps: • Hold the raisins in your hands and examine them. What do you see?

• Next, notice how the raisins feel in the palm of your hand. What’s their texture like?

• Now, bring the raisins to your nose and inhale. What do you smell?

• Next, bring the raisins to your ear, moving them back and forth between your fingers. What do you hear?

• Finally, choose one raisin and place it on your tongue. Slowly move the raisin around your mouth, honoring any feelings or sensations that arise. When you’re ready, begin to chew slowly, noticing the taste and how it changes over time, then swallow.

Take notes on your experience of eating the first raisin before eating the next one.

Day 17 Enjoy your favorite foods—mindfully.

Today we’ll use the same principles from yesterday’s challenge to dive deeper into the appreciation of favorite foods.

Yesterday, you most likely noticed that the first bite of your favorite food was the most enjoyable, as well

as that your satisfaction increased while your desire for the food decreased with each bite.

For today’s challenge: Employ yesterday’s techniques but with different foods. You can choose to complete this exercise with a small amount of a few favorite foods or select just one.

After you’ve decided on a food, sit down and enjoy it slowly, paying special attention to each bite. Ask yourself the following questions as you eat, and jot down your answers: • How did the taste of the food change after the first bite?

• Was the first bite more satisfying than the second?

• Do you feel compelled to finish the entire portion or are you satisfied with a few bites?

Day 18 Observe how your relationship with food has changed.

On Day 6 of this challenge, you journaled about your emotions that surface around the subject of food and eating.

For today’s challenge: Revisit that challenge to see whether and how your emotions surrounding food have changed since the beginning of this mindful eating challenge.

Try incorporating some of the techniques you’ve learned over the past weeks, such as eating slowly and appreciating the flavor and color of your food, into today’s exercise.

Using your journal to record answers, ask yourself the following questions while eating a meal or snack: • Does eating this food evoke any emotions? If so, which ones?

• Why do you think these emotions are surfacing?

• Are you eating to satisfy hunger or to cope with a specific emotion?

• Have these feelings changed since the beginning of this challenge?

If yes, how?

Compare today’s notes with your notes from Day 6 to see how your

answers differ. Take time to reflect on how your feelings surrounding food have changed since beginning this challenge.

Day 19 Get social—mindfully.

Eating mindfully when in social settings, such as when you’re at a party or a restaurant, can be a bit more challenging than when you’re dining at home. Not only do you have less control over your food options, but there are many more distractions and social pressures, which can be intimidating.

However, you can use the mindful eating tools you’ve gained throughout this challenge in any situation.

For today’s challenge: Try to eat mindfully in a more public setting.

This can be while dining at a restaurant with friends, sitting at a wedding meal, or visiting the home of a family member.

When you’re in a social setting in which food is being served, try applying the mindful eating practices that you’ve learned over the past weeks, including the following: • Savoring the flavor of food • Eating slowly • Acknowledging food triggers • Honoring and accepting your feelings surrounding certain foods Try making a list of each practice on your phone and setting reminders on your phone to check in.

After you’ve returned home, reflect on how your eating behaviors in social situations have changed since adopting some mindful eating practices.

Were you able to eat more mindfully and appreciate your food without guilt? Were you able to stop eating when you felt satisfied?

The end!

We’ve shared with you for 19 days.

Now it’s your turn to share with us!

What did you gain from this challenge? What changed for you?

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How it went over: Most participants found this challenge to be an incredible tool in helping them develop more mindful eating habits. When I logged into my Wellspring email account every couple of days, I couldn’t keep up with the eager and excited correspondence.

Here’s a random cross section of what participants shared throughout.

To Libby@wellspringmagazine.com From Pessy Hi! I’m loving this challenge. My favorite challenge so far was taking in nature. I loved the present, appreciative, calm mode it put me into. I also find myself eating much less—causing me to lose two pounds so far! Hoping for more.

Sometimes at suppertime I’m not really hungry, but I eat for the comfort and the routine of treasured family time. What do you say to that?

I also notice myself searching for food mostly from boredom, emptiness, or not having a good day. Via tapping into my emotions, I can usually identify what it is that I really want, perhaps a good phone call with a friend or self-time.

To Libby@wellspringmagazine.com From P.N. I’m having so much fun! Is it considered distraction to sit with someone and chat?

To Libby@wellspringmagazine.com From Shira I loved the walk challenge! On that very evening, I attended my learning group where we read a book by Feigy Zelcer about being aware of the technology era we live in, focusing on being more in the moment, and lifting ourselves up. That night’s lesson was recognizing that we are stuck in the fast-moving world because of technology. Every time I wanted to distract myself on the nature walk I had to literally hold myself back from grabbing my (flip) phone!

Thank you for giving me the opportunity, it’s truly eye-opening!

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To Libby@wellspringmagazine.com From Esther Miriam Today my supper went like this: Finally, I got to sit down with my food. When I had just started eating, my newly married daughter called. So, I was chatting with her while I was eating. Then the baby started crying, so I tried eating while I fed her. While I was still trying to finish my meal, my son came home from yeshiva, so I found myself munching while serving him. Baruch Hashem, more kids came home, and I got busy finishing homework with the little ones and straightening up. The couple came for dinner, (and at this point I was eating again) so I would say that my dinner took about two and half hours from start to finish…

Random selection of journal entries: Day 1 • It took me four minutes to eat breakfast.

• Yes, I answered a text, rocked my baby in the stroller, placed a call (who knew I could get so much done in four minutes?)

• Yes, I feel full.

Day 3 A: Food is a distraction, a temporary escape. It’s like a pacifier in a hungry baby’s mouth, providing a temporary reprieve without providing the true need.

B: • No one is around, I can EAT! I have freedom to just eat. Also, I am absolutely starving. I will overeat.

• Stress from a long day doing-doing-doing: work, kids, cooking, errands, bedtime. Finally, I can do something for myself.

• Guilt, I feel overstuffed, I am pathetic • At mealtime, I was actually really hungry. When I was snacking, it was a form of mindless self-care. No one was around, and that alone was reason to celebrate with chocolate.

Day 4 A: I didn’t have the full taste experience after the first bite, I wasn’t satisfied since this was mindless eating. I enjoyed the first bite somewhat yet knew deep down that I wasn’t fulfilling my real needs here.

B: • No, the first and ensuing bites were all the same.

• I desired more. Even when I finished the entire Danish I wanted more (I wanted something salty, to be precise).

• I enjoyed the first bite most.

Day 5: A: • I feel relaxed.

• I left the house neat this morning, dinner is in the oven

on a timer. We’ll have food ready tonight. The cleaning lady came last night. The kids made it to their buses calmly and they all ate something decent. I picked up a salad and sourdough roll on my way to work so I feel in control.

• Absolutely not.

B: Meal evokes feelings of pleasure and security, i.e., I’m being taken care of. During our infancy, our feeding experience (the actual food/milk, along with the feelings of security and calm that come along with being cuddled, etc.) typically provided all our basic needs at that time.

This may be the source of a subconscious mistaken belief that even as an adult, food equals security and therefore becomes our automatic go-to when we feel “hungry.”

Day 6: A: This was an amazing and most rewarding challenge!

Incredible how I needed to catch myself not to reach out to my phone to catch up with a friend or make a doctor’s appointment. It felt so good. I noticed the beautiful trees and their stunning colors. I smiled at my baby and greeted passersby with a sincere smile. I’ll be doing this again very soon.

B: Spending time in nature helped me feel calmer and more grounded, as well as connected to both Hashem and to myself. This challenge came on the day that I found myself in the ER after yet another medical crisis with a family member, and I skedaddled to the beach that happens to be near the hospital. After spending just a few minutes deep breathing at the beach and taking in the scenery, I felt rejuvenated with renewed strength to move on. I truly felt Hashem’s presence: “I’m with you in your nisayon and am giving you the inner and outer resources you need to help you through it.”

Day 7: A: • I just had this delicious slice of plain old pizza. It’s been a while since I had pizza. I enjoyed every hot and gooey bite. Somehow, I feel like a kid—uncomplicated food and so happy to just eat this and enjoy.

• I’m sitting alone in a pizza store and enjoying the soli-

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tude. I’m literally the only person sitting here at this hour and the quiet is beautiful.

B: My meal evoked feelings of calm—from the food and flavor itself, and from the feeling of being taken care of— this meal was sent by some of my dear siblings to help me out during my challenging situation. Also, a feeling of relief upon discharging my obligation to nourish my body so that it can continue to help me fulfill my soul’s purpose in this world… Yes, despite my appreciation for good food, I do find meal planning and eating a pressure sometimes.

That’s why I’m enjoying this program so much. I made the commitment to do this so it’s now a legitimate item on my to-do list! As if being born human isn’t enough of a legitimate license to spend time mindfully eating a few times a day.

Day 8 A: Oooh this was a hard one! I feel unsettled, like I just wasted time eating.

B: It feels so liberating to have “permission” to just sit and focus on my meal. I’m also becoming more aware of the unhealthiness of the multitasking mindset that tells me, “You’ve got to keep doing, doing, doing. Need to eat?

Sure, but make sure to take care of some phone calls while you’re at it, or at least read something to nourish your mind or neshamah, which you don’t get to often enough… your body is just your lowly gashmiyus component; quickly give it what it’s asking for and move on!”

Day 9 This challenge took utmost concentration. My fork was already holding the next bite of food before I even finished swallowing the first. Try this yourself to understand how hard it is. For a change I chewed my food properly.

Day 10 A: After briefly visualizing on surface level the various people, ingredients, machines, etc., it takes to bring the food/drink to my mouth, I was overwhelmed by feelings of gratitude and security, in the arms of Hashem, so to speak. I literally felt “bishvili nivra haolam”—He is manipulating the world’s vast resources, climate, people etc., just to keep me alive and physically and emotionally nourished with pleasurable food.

B: This was a very eye-opening challenge. When I really thought of each item I was eating, a whole-wheat bagel with tuna, sour pickle, and tomato, and an iced coffee, it 48

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just made me so grateful. So much work went on before I had this delicious lunch in front of me. The wheat had to be grown, harvested, ground to flour, then go through the baking process, and then the delivery process—and that’s only until it reached the store. The tuna had to be fished from the sea and canned, and my vegetables had to be grown—from plowing to watering to harvesting to the supermarket, etc. And coffee needs to be grown and harvested as well…plus the process of making iced coffee.

Day 11 Scrambled eggs with cottage cheese, cucumber, and crackers. The hot and cold together is a nice combo, eggs are easily swallowed, cucumbers and crackers need to be chewed well. I did start to crave a sweet, so I had some jelly on my extra cottage cheese. I didn’t feel much about the texture of the food.

Day 12 I had plain tortilla chips. They felt dry and sort of salty, but not like plain salt, more like a flavored salt.

Day 13 A: I was doling out supper today when I remembered this challenge. I had a good look and wasn’t impressed.

Salt and pepper chicken, baked potato wedges, and baked cauliflower. All in the beige/brown family. I grabbed the parsley flakes and gave the potatoes a pop of color, then took out two coriander leaves from the refrigerator and garnished the cauliflower with a couple of leaves. Just for fun, I squirted a squiggle of ketchup in the corner of the plate. My husband was impressed. Of course, my plainJane supper tasted amazing.

B: Paying attention to the colors of the food gives added dimension to the pleasure of my eating experience, especially since I’m artistic by nature with an appreciation for color. It also deepened my feelings of gratitude to Hashem while eating, for the visual appeal of the food—aside from what I’ve been focusing on until now thanks to this amazing program.

Day 14 A: I smelled my scrambled eggs and the smell of toasting bread. I felt my appetite increase as I smelled the food. I

definitely would want to eat it even if I couldn’t see it.

B: Smell is a nice addition to food but not what actually makes me hungry. I’m hungry because I need to eat or because I want to feel full, not because of the smells food emits.

Day 15 A: Wow, this was the hardest challenge yet. I’m pretty sure I failed, I couldn’t last the full 20 minutes. It makes me antsy to eat so slowly. I did recognize that I got full sooner, but eating slowly was a challenge because I’m always in a rush.

B: I tried this challenge on three separate occasions and each time forgot and got carried away with doing other things or eating fast. I give up.

Day 16 A: Chocolate chip: Brown little slopes with a tip. They feel mushy in my hand, they’re starting to melt. I smell chocolate and sugar. I don’t hear anything except my fingers meeting as I roll the chocolate chip around. On my tongue, it feels sweet and warm. It melts as I swish it around and I feel the chocolate spreading across my mouth and on my palate. It’s hard to keep this one chip in my mouth for so long and I want to just get going and either eat more or do something else.

B: No bells and whistles excited me about my food after experimenting with hearing and smelling it. I did not find that the taste changed over time. I did however find this whole exercise to be a calming experience. Interesting…

Day 17 A: • I still very much enjoyed each bite, I even felt going back for the second or third was more satisfying, from “feeding” the emotional side • I wanted more but being mindful helped me control myself from taking more; I wasn’t hungry; I simply wanted more cookies.

B: I didn’t relate to these exercises at all, and actually found just reading them extremely unsettling. Despite being a deep thinker (or perhaps because of it?), my very being rebelled against the concept of micro-analyzing food and one’s feelings about it to (what felt to me) such an extreme degree. Today’s exercises feel to me like overdoing it.

Day 18 A: • Yes, calm, happy, in control • Putting my mindfulness to practice is really making me feel calmer and helping me make healthier choices, which helps me feel good.

• Eating to satisfy, its mealtime.

• Before the challenge for sure, I used to rush food in so I could run to the next thing on my list, I feel more conscious of my choices and how my body feels.

Day 19 A: First time I’m being asked why I’m so quiet while eating in the teachers’ room in school!

B: I had a hard time practicing mindfulness while simultaneously being social and didn’t feel as physically satiated at the end of the meal, even though it was pretty calorie rich.

C: It was a learning curve, but it felt good. Also, it took way too much time because I wanted to focus on conversation plus my eating.

The Spiritual Connection A participant shares While sharing my journal entries, some more ideas came to mind on how to keep the guilt out of mindful eating. Infusing this act with ruchniyus will satisfy my neshamah’s needs. On a basic level, recognizing that my body is a vehicle—or even better—a gift from Hashem to enable me to accomplish my mission in this world, gives me the awareness that eating or any other form of maintenance is a spiritual act. It is the mitzvah of “venishmartem meod lenafshoseichem.”

We were created with the need to eat in order to recognize and thank Hashem. We can develop our middah of hakaras hatov by feeling gratitude to Him for the many benefits we gain from the experience of eating, such as visual appeal, aroma, taste, feeling of satiation, “uveirachta”—and thank Him verbally. Then we can leave the table with the amazing feeling of accomplishment: we just did the ultimate of multitasking—we nourished body, mind, and soul all at once!

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Results: Y.G. I actually lost two pounds! I definitely started eating less just because I was deeply attuned to my thoughts, feelings, and mood. What left the biggest impact on me was the exercise to just take a walk in nature for sake of connecting.

I found this eye-opening and invigorating, especially since I’m a working mom of two living a hectic city life. One day, I even sat on a park bench before work on my own.

It was ahhh…watching the leaves falling to the ground and listening to the birds and smelling the crisp autumn air.

Overall, the daily exercises were a bit too detailed for me to maintain long term, but they all definitely left a huge impact. I can proudly say: I’m a mindful eater. I believe it all boils down to being present and aware, and really living life. It’s work and requires constant thought and effort, but so worth it. You can live a deep meaningful life if you only take the moment to tune in.

Malky I automatically make smarter choices and enjoy the food more. I get more full by eating less. I think that’s pretty cool. All it takes it some extra thought and effort but that’s with everything good in life. I’d say give it a shot!

Debbie From this challenge, I learned to stop eating when full even when I’ve almost finished my plate. I will leave it on table and finish the food the next time I feel hungry in place of a snack.

Rachel I gained practical ways to use mealtimes as a vehicle for spiritual growth. The various mindfulness exercises helped expand my gratitude to Hashem for the many aspects of the eating experience. I also found that doing the exercises was grounding and calming, especially on hectic days that didn’t allow time for my usual (non-food related) self-care breaks.

Focusing on a meal is a great form of self-care if done with that intention—it can recharge a harried, doing-everything-for-everyone-else Yiddishe mother by giving her a quality break that makes her feel nurtured and taken care of. I can’t honestly say that my relationship with food changed in a noticeable way, but I see potential for real lasting change if I continue doing the exercises long term, since it takes a lot of repetition for new ideas to make a deep, permanent impact. Thanks so much for this amazing experience.

Elisheva I started the Mindful Eating Challenge but unfortunately dropped out in the middle as it was too much of a hectic time for me. I will definitely try this again at a different time.

Leah I loved this challenge! I found that thinking before I eat whether I’m hungry, while I eat whether I’m still hungry, and identifying what’s pulling me to eat other than hunger to be the strongest challenges for me. I am now much more aware of my thoughts of what makes me eat and feelings around the foods I chose, which is great! I tend to eat without realizing, while at work, while feeding my kids, or while talking on the phone, or when I am too tired to think. In addition, I eat to cover up emotions, like when the baby doesn’t stop crying or after finishing a stressful phone call. On the days that I was 100 percent focused on being mindful, I felt fantastic emotionally. Instead of mindless or emotional eating, I enjoyed my food. I ate much less, and only when I felt the need to eat, either when I was really hungry, or when I wanted to enjoy the food. (I didn’t eat while my kids were crying or begging me for treats). Not eating to cover emotions gave me space to think about what the emotions are and enjoy the freedom to think about them.

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Shira WOW, WOW, WOW! I have so much to say I don’t even know where to start.

1. Weight: I do not own a scale (on purpose), but I have to say I did get a few comments the past few weeks that I look good and appear to have lost weight.

2. Emotions: I feel so good about myself. I feel in control of myself. It even went as far as to my parenting—one of my challenging children dumped a bowl of cereal on the floor (on purpose , because he didn’t get what he wanted, can you relate?). When I came into the room, my natural reaction would have been to yell and get really frustrated, but I took a deep breath and in a calm voice said, “This needs to be cleaned up now,” and left the room. And he cleaned up! I couldn’t believe it, and I know it was because of my calm and in-control demeanor.

3. Mindfulness: I am currently in a chaburah of women working on bringing our technology life to a more kadosh place (shoutout to LinkUp). It was amazing because the two lessons we did over the challenge weeks were about mindfulness—and being aware that technology pulls us away from being mindful, and it’s because of the technology age we are currently living in, regardless of what type of phone you have.

We are so obsessed with not missing a call or text and are thus unable to be in the moment—to enjoy that cup of coffee or be conscious that we just had a snack or lunch.

I have been trying to say it out loud to use it as teaching moments for my kids. When I get a new text, my kids hear the chime and say, “Mom, you got a text, here’s your phone,” and I reply, “It’s okay, just leave it. I’ll look at it later.”

They get nervous, “But someone texted you, what if it’s important?” I say, “I can look at it later. I’m in the middle of something else right now.”

This life of instant gratification and needing answers right away and problems being fixed right away feels like the nisayon of our generation. This Sample challenge brought this to my awareness. I felt like I was drowning before and now my head is slowly coming up and starting to be aware. I want to thank you so much for giving me this opportunity. Hashem should give you the strength to keep inspiring frum women around the globe.

Sara Bluma The challenge emails were beautiful, except that I struggle severely to be mindful and stay present. I thought that they would help me focus and grounded so I could be mindful. I kept on trying but was unsuccessful at keeping my thoughts present throughout the meal. I think I would need a prerequisite challenge in learning how to stay focused to be able to do this challenge. I also appreciated the idea of enjoying the food, but again, I am still a step behind, I still need support in giving myself permission to enjoy the food. But I will try to incorporate some of it in my day as I really feel that internalizing it would really help me.

Devorah I think it takes more time than the mere 19 or so days for a person to internalize new attitudes so deeply that it would be reflected by a genuine shift in attitude that can be seen in a journal entry. If everyone else did see major changes, good for you! But don’t feel disillusioned a few months or years from now if you find yourself in regression. True change takes time and effort. Just ask anyone who’s had braces—typically they need to be worn for years, need periodic adjustments, and even after the teeth are straight, need a lifetime of wearing a device to maintain the results.

All the more so with our minds. I experienced this program as an amazing jumpstart in the right direction, yet I imagine that to maintain results, I will need constant chizuk. That’s why I printed out all the emails and plan to bli neder do it (or at least parts of it) again every now and then.

Libby Reading everyone’s journals was inspiring and thought-provoking. I had a major rethink and decided to give the challenge a shot again.

I didn’t manage all challenges—I did most of them in the span of three days (the number of days it took to write this article). It’s hard work, especially for people with my nature. However, it’s amazing, even life changing. Not sure if I’m going to be keeping to this one, though…

WELLSPRING / TEVES 5783

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CUP OF TEA

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WELLSPRING / JANUARY 2023

Cup of Tea with

Ruchama Bistritzky-Clapman Ruchama Bistritzky-Clapman

OCCUPATION: Founder and Director of M.A.S.K. LOCATION: Flatbush, New York YEARS IN FIELD: 25 SHE WISHES PEOPLE WOULD KNOW THAT: If you change the music in your home, your kids' dance steps could change. Also, that children are not born with a parenting manual, and that every parent does their best.

Parents can never be judged by their child’s journey.

By Libby Kasten WELLSPRING / TEVES 5783

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CUP OF TEA

A

At the helm of MASK, an internationally recognized organization supporting kids, parents, and families through all mental illness, addiction, and school related issues, Ruchama Bistritzky-Clapman proves that you don’t have to be a therapist, psychiatrist, or politician to save the world.

With her go-out-and-do-it attitude, she is indeed doing just that, one family at a time.

MASK began twenty five years ago, when Ruchama saw that many children in the community were hanging out on the street and in pool halls. Realizing that this was a community-wide issue, she founded the organization.

From Notion to Action

Faced with this reality, Ruchama figured that when children who have been kicked out of school—or have left school of their own volition—are hanging out on the street, one kid tells another and the others follow, until twenty-seven children likely become fifty-four. And when there are children who are unhappy in their environment, the problem grows exponentially.

At that point, she knew there was an increasing number of the community’s children hanging around the pool hall on Coney Island Avenue. The community as a whole was unaware that this was a shared problem. Unlike today, families who were blessed to not have a child out on the street did not believe that there really were frum kids spending time in places like pool halls, and families who were struggling with their own children thought they were the only ones with such an issue. Thus, after discussing this with a

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group of mental health professionals, Ruchama decided to call a community-wide emergency meeting.

Ruchama began spreading awareness and support within the community, its politicians, and its therapists, trusting that the changes would eventually trickle down to the root.

That First Night The goal of the first community-wide meeting was making people aware that too many children were being kicked out of schools or dropping out on their own, many of them eventually finding themselves in unsavory situations. They advertised the meeting as an “emergency meeting about the community,” and the women who had joined the original meeting invited people they knew as well. Thus, in the hall at Rabbi Rosenblatt’s shul on Avenue M and E 16th, a crowd of 152 people showed up to what was later seen as MASK’s inauguration.

The MC, Rabbi Ronny Greenwald a”h, opened the meeting by announcing that many of our children are out on the street, spending time at places they shouldn’t be, and

involved in self-sabotaging behaviors involving substances and other at-risk behaviors. He then offered anyone in the audience the chance to take the mike and speak for up to three minutes.

ing its cause, MASK was born.

On that fateful night, 18 people took the mike and unburdened their feelings about this sensitive topic.

The month was February, and Purim was fast approaching. In that spirit, Ruchama chose the name MASK, an acronym for Mothers and Fathers Aligned Saving Kids. This name encompasses the core mission of MASK—removing the mask of the community and taking off one’s own mask in order to deal with this important matter.

Many extremely supportive individuals, like Rabbi Yakov Horowitz and Rabbi Benzion Twerski, spoke. Rabbi Twerski shared that he had been dealing with these problems with many families for many years, yet no one had discussed the situation publicly until this moment.

Rabbi Horowitz shared that he had recently opened the Project YES Hotline, but that due to the overwhelming call volume, he was forced to shut the hotline until they were able to handle the influx of calls.

The meeting went on for hours. Sometime during that evening, a woman stood up to speak. She said, “My daughter left two days ago, and I have no idea where she is.” All the women present surrounded the forlorn mother, holding hands to form a circle.

With this show of support on that first night, symboliz-

Down with the Facade

The very first referral organization in the frum community, MASK began with servicing kids of all ages and all stages who were struggling with any kinds of mental health issues, including addiction, with whatever was needed. After a while, it began tackling other core issues and rolled out programs and referrals to deal with the prevention of at-risk behaviors and all mental health struggles.

Currently in its 25th year, MASK has benefitted over 119,000 families with its wide range of services and programs. On a weekly basis, there is a Thursday night radio show on Zev Brunner’s Talkline Communications station. Additional support provided to families includes

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CUP OF TEA

the blended family meetings, after-school Zumba and art programs for girls, and weekly support groups for parents. The parenting groups are led by therapists, including Rabbi Dr. Benzion Twerski, Dr. Trish Attia, Dr. Debbie Ackerman, Yeshaya Kraus LCSW, and Dr. Shmuel Brachfeld.

lar weekly newspaper in the community for a column about the organization and the issues it tries to prevent and support our community through. “The initial reaction was disbelief: frum kids, hanging out, dealing with addiction and other self-destructive behaviors?

But they proved to be very welcoming right from the start. Baruch Hashem, nowadays, all newspapers and magazines address mental health issues.” And this year saw Ruchama presenting for over 300 frum therapists at the Agudah convention, a momentous statement of the recognition MASK has earned in the frum world.

“Over the years,” says Ruchama, “I’ve observed that when a parent places the call to help their child, what the parent is struggling with needs to be dealt with first. Every relationship is a delicate dance, and so supporting the moves the parents are having a hard time with is the first step to helping their child.”

As the MASK motto so eloquently puts it, “If you change the music in your home, your kids' dance steps could change.”

A huge part of the MASK initiative, and possibly the most important, is prevention and community education. This is accomplished by the seminars, events, advertising in print and on social media, and its weekly “Family Matters” radio show. Events and programs like these spread awareness about the effects of at-risk behaviors in the community and motivate parents and families to help themselves and their loved ones.

School and camp staff trainings are offered

by MASK as well, in addition to annual student mental health days. These programs encourage both kids and staff to reach out for help when warranted.

Off the Ground Like anyone who has taken the courage to bring to the fore and tackle a community-wide problem head on can attest, Ruchama faced her fair share of pushback and criticism in the early years.

Ruchama is also grateful to former assemblyman Dov Hikind and his wife Shani, who gave her the funds to become a 501c3 organization when learning about the families struggling with at-risk teens in the community. Ruchama reached out to the assemblyman to let him know that she wants to show him something on Ocean Parkway on Friday night. She, along with another MASK board member, walked over to pick up the Hikinds after the seudah. They strolled down Ocean Parkway until they reached Avenue L, where they arrived outside the pool hall and saw the many young kids from the community there.

Every so often, Ruchama found herself confronted by people who refused to believe that such a reality existed for so many Jewish kids, and they were shocked when confronted with the sad truth. Slowly, her organization became accepted in the community.

The assemblyman approached a young boy sitting on a bench, beer in hand, his head bare, and greeted him warmly. He then asked the boy if he’d like to share the beer. The boy challenged Hikind by asking him, “Will you drink from the bottle if I drink from it?” to which the assemblyman readily replied in the affirmative. The youngster cracked the lid off the bottle using the back of the bench and took a sip. The assemblyman, true to this word, drank, then continued schmoozing with the boy. The boy later admitted, “Looking the way I do, I didn’t think you’d even look at me,” and before long they were friends.

In its earlier years, Ruchama asked a popu-

The assemblyman then asked Ruchama

Ruchama recalls getting a lot of negative feedback from people in regard to honoring a specific individual who was very helpful to the organization at a MASK event in 1999.

56

The assemblyman approached a young boy sitting on a bench, beer in hand, his head bare, and greeted him warmly.

He then asked the boy if he’d like to share the beer.

Reminiscing about those early years, Ruchama repeatedly emphasizes that there are many amazing individuals who have stood by her from day one until today. She feels indebted to Dr. Leon Gersten, a”h, the owner of Interboro, who back in the beginning said to her, “I have therapists available for you with whatever you need,” and indeed, they have been and always are there to assist families with support and programs.

WELLSPRING / JANUARY 2023

to meet him on Motzei Shabbos. When she did, his wife handed her a check in the amount of one thousand dollars, and Hikind instructed her to incorporate as a non-profit organization, saying, “I want the zechus of paying for you to open the organization.”

Ruchama views the events that unfolded as imbued with siyata diShmaya. “Assemblyman Hikind later took his assistance up another notch and escorted me to Governor Potaki,” she recalls. “Hikind explained the issues facing the frum community, which MASK was set to support. The governor told her to write down a list of what was needed to get started.” Indeed, Ruchama sent in a list the next day and was provided with an office space, desks, and office supplies. And thus, MASK operations began.

Day-to-Day Ruchama says there is no one typical day at MASK, yet every day since its inception has been colored by a maelstrom of self-destructive behaviors and their many ramifications. She observes that while in the earlier years, the main struggles were alcohol and drug addiction, today, there is a significant increase in anxiety, depression, and eating disorders.

Standing 25 years since the night yiddishe mothers came

together in Rabbi Rosenblatt’s shul to do their part in helping the children Hakadosh Baruch Hu entrusted them with, Ruchama is awed by what MASK has evolved into. “I am blessed that I get a lot of nachas, with Hashem’s help.

I meet a lot of people all over and it’s a big zechus that I’m able to help these families.”

As I listen to Ruchama’s depiction of the early years, she’s driving down the Brooklyn streets to deliver a package and pauses to answer a MASK call, all while giving me her full attention, too, I get a glimpse of how she does it all. Still, a questions niggles, the soft tickle of a misplaced strand of hair on my face: Why? Why act upon the calling of a million individuals suffering in private? Why pry open a can of wiggling worms in the town square? Why deal with a topic so sensitive, it has the potential to unleash the wrath of those not ready to face reality?

In the moment of silence before Ruchama answers my question, I sense a power larger than life. Chesed is the legacy of her dear parents a”h, her father being one of the founders of Hatzolah. It’s the self-understood recognition that if something needs to be done for the greater good, you go out and do it.

“My parents left big shoes to fill and there’s lots more to be done. With siyata diShmaya, I hope to be able to make it happen.”

WELLSPRING / TEVES 5783

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MEDICAL SAGA

NOT ALL IN MY

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WELLSPRING / JANUARY 2023

I THOUGHT I WAS HAVING A STROKE— AT 24—IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY AS TOLD TO ESTHER RETEK It was a hot day. Hot, at least by my American standards. My husband and I had started the day relatively early, wanting to get a headstart before heading down south for a full day trip to the Dead Sea. This was our second week in Israel, where we came to spend our first summer together.

It started out as our dream honeymoon. Although we got married earlier in the winter, this was our first trip together as I worked in a school and had the summer off. I was also in my second trimester, which was also ideal considering I was past the first-trimester nausea and not feeling too sluggish yet.

We spent the first week up north, and then settled in a small, rented apartment in Yerushalayim, from where we continued touring and enjoying the beautiful country.

So there I was standing on this narrow bustling street off Geula, eagerly awaiting our day’s adventures.

The plan was that my husband would meet me downstairs after Shacharis, eat a quick meal at a local café, and have a driver take us down south.

Alas, plans don’t exactly go as we want them to. Who knew we were to land in the hospital for the day?

I remember feeling fine when I woke up, though my husband recalls that I complained of a headache as

soon as I opened my eyes. It was the vision loss, however, that threw me off. As I was observing the flurry around me, I suddenly began seeing stars, flashes and blinding colors. My eyes were beginning to hurt and I was struggling to simply see. My first assumption was that the beating sun was the culprit, and I retreated to the staircase inside the building, but to no avail. The dark, dingy hallway didn’t do anything to mitigate the weird symptoms. Instead, the difference in light made me feel dizzy and lightheaded.

Unsure of what was happening to me, I quickly sat down on the steps, and grabbed a drink from my bag. I was confident it was just a momentary dizziness that would pass as soon as I rehydrated. I then recalled my ob/gyn’s warning me that the Israeli heat can be difficult for women in my stage. She insisted that I drink a minimum of 12 cups of water and since I wasn’t too diligent about it, I was happy to blame that. But 2 cups of water didn’t do the trick either.

periencing. I couldn’t call my husband though because his Israeli number was saved in my contacts and I wasn’t able to make out any words on the screen.

It was one of the scariest moments of my life. I felt alone in a foreign place, and understood that something serious was happening to me.

Simply retelling the details is enough to retrigger the fear and panic I experienced.

I breathed deeply and tried to collect my thoughts, but while I was trying to engage in self-talk and calm my racing thoughts, the symptoms were getting progressively worse.

When my husband strolled in a few minutes later, I finally allowed myself to breathe.

“What’s going on here?” he asked me, trying to assess the situation.

He wasn’t expecting to see his ever-energetic wife sprawled out on the dusty steps of an old Israeli building.

By then, the mild headache I woke up with was turning into an angry monster. The pounding was becoming intense and unbearable and I suddenly felt ringing in my ears.

In a few words, I tried explaining what I was and wasn’t seeing, and how my head felt. My husband, ever the practical one, suggested we go back to our apartment, eat something and then see how I was feeling.

Panicking, I fumbled for my phone, barely seeing the contents of my bag because of the vision loss I was ex-

I slowly made my way up the three flights of stairs, but as soon as I got home the next symptom hit. My fin-

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MEDICAL SAGA

gers began tingling in a weird way and the sensations were traveling upward, numbing my entire arm. The first word that came to mind was stroke. “This is how a stroke must feel. This is how paralysis feels,” was my reaction.

At the realization that I was losing all semblances of normalcy, I let out a yelp. My poor husband was trying to figure out what suddenly happened until he managed to make out the situation from my slurred speech. I was sure I was undergoing a stroke—at the age of 24—and that I’d be doomed to disability for the rest of my life.

My husband suddenly remembered a magnet on the fridge that he’d previously noticed and quickly called MADA, the Israeli EMT services.

After nine agonizing minutes, the paramedics showed up and tried understanding the story despite our broken Hebrew and their scant English. They suggested that although my blood pressure was fine, we would be best off doing some testing in the hospital to ensure that my symptoms weren’t pregnancy-related. I was rushed to Sharei Tzedek’s maternity ward and underwent standard tests in triage. My imagination racing, I envisioned myself giving birth to a premature baby in a foreign country, without any family or friends at my side. (Did I mention that I have a wild imagination?)

Thankfully though, all that remained in the realm of imagination. After lots of tehillim, tears, and “beshaah tovah” wishes from the nurses, the staff confirmed that everything was well with the pregnancy.

With time, the numbness on my left side that had traveled all the way to my face had somewhat abated and I was regaining sensation in my fingers. But, my vision was still hazy and dizzying. The headache was also persisting and I was still feeling quite weak. We were therefore advised to remain in the hospi-

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tal until the reason for my symptoms was determined.

sound, and some feeling paralyzed on both sides.

With our day’s plans having gone awry, we agreed that running bloodwork and finding the underlying issue was indeed the right thing to do.

After this stint in the hospital, (and an uneventful rest of our trip!) I began experiencing these attacks more frequently. However, having a clear understanding of what I was going through—as opposed to my confusion during my initial attack—makes it all the more easier to deal with.

The attacks can come at work, while I’m out shopping, on erev Yom Tov, or just randomly. Some pass faster and others stay around for longer and are more memorable.

Spoiled vacations are never fun, but if it did happen to us, boy was I glad I was in Eretz Yisrael. It was incredible to observe the chessed around me. Many people, realizing we were an American clueless, helpless couple, tried helping us with information and food, despite the fact that they were in the midst of their own medical sagas.

Besides low iron, my bloodwork came back perfect, which ruled out several of the doctors’ suspicions, though we weren’t left with many options after that. While contemplating, one doctor mentioned migraines and asked me if I experience them on a frequent basis. I affirmed that I did and he mentioned this might be a migraine with aura. A quick phone call to my doctor overseas, and some more interactions between the doctors themselves, all seemed to point toward a migraine aura. Relieved, I begged the doctor to sign the discharge papers with this diagnosis and let us leave. After all the scary terms and diagnoses thrown around in the 6 hours we spent in the emergency room, I was hoping it would all end with a verdict as relatively innocuous as this.

I was feeling a lot better by the time we left, having regained my strength and no longer experiencing any vision problems. Later that night, after relaying all the drama and hysteria to my family overseas, I took the time to read up on migraines with aura (also known as migraine aura). The personal stories I found seemed very similar to the one I experienced that morning, some more intense than others. I then learned that people experience the attacks differently, some becoming more sensitive to light, others to

I find that the hardest aspect of these types of migraines is their unpredictability. One moment I can be walking along the street and the next one I simply can’t see. Although I’m relatively spared when I undergo the attacks and feel the symptoms coming up just in time to pop two strong painkillers, many people with these migraines don’t even have a chance to stop it, like I do. For me, the pain is the worst. After the initial vision loss and numbness, the pain starts, and no – it is not just a headache. It feels like someone’s hammering violently inside my brain. It can sometimes take me a day or two to get back to normal and look at light or hear noise.

Another difficulty is the skepticism I usually face when I tell people what the attack is. I remember shopping with my sister once and feeling an attack coming on. Without any painkillers on me, I asked her to sit down with me and let the attack pass as uneventfully as possible. At first, she tried to cajole me out of it.

“Come on, it’s all in your mind. No one gets such an attack from headaches. Let’s just move on.” But after watching me for the next half hour, she finally understood that this is not “just a headache.” When I have those attacks at work, I prefer keeping quiet and saying that I’m feeling faint or unwell. Saying that I have a migraine is usually frowned upon and viewed

SPOT IT HEAD-ON as irresponsible. The aura symptoms of a migraine attack make me extremely vulnerable and can make me feel temporarily disabled. An attack can last anywhere from a half an hour to 4 hours, depending on its intensity.

Unfortunately, there are no proven cures for these migraines. There will always be someone to offer ibuprofen or any other painkiller, but once the migraine attack starts in full force, nothing has proven successful at stopping it. Many health practitioners attribute this condition to a myriad of emotional and physical issues, but none of them managed to help me prevent them.

Over the years of living with these migraines, I have tried to identify the trigger. At one point, it was the wheat and sugar and dairy and a whole list of other foods. Then it was caffeine and alcohol, and later it was too little vegetables in my diet. I tried yoga, essential oils, avoiding trigger foods, and compresses, but none of them provided more than a very slight relief. I was willing to try everything, because the pain and the aura symptoms are so unbearable. I visited every practitioner who promised to be my savior. Alas, none of them were.

An aura is a collection of symptoms that occur before or along with a migraine. Aura is usually defined by the disturbances it causes in vision, sensation, or speech.

Interestingly, migraines with aura are fairly common. The American Migraine Foundation estimates that between 25 and 30 percent of people experience migraines with aura. Because an aura often begins before a migraine attack starts, it can often be a warning sign that one is coming. An aura typically begins about an hour before migraine pain starts and lasts less than 60 minutes. Not all migraine attacks involve an aura. That might be the reason why so many people experience these auras without even realizing they do.

However, in more unusual cases, auras can last for several hours and the symptoms can feel quite severe.

(Source: Healthline) People who suffer from these migraines quickly learn to identify aura symptoms and can deal with the migraine as soon as they feel it coming. Although these migraines are generally not dangerous and don’t need to be checked out every time, doctors recommend calling medical help if you are experiencing any new symptoms.

• Numbness, typically felt as tingling in one hand or on one side of your face that may spread slowly along a limb • Speech or language difficulty • Muscle weakness • Seeing zigzag lines, stars floating, or flashes of light • Sensitivity to light and sound • Intense head pain • Nausea

What I did learn was that these migraines are my body’s signals. They tell me to slow down in my tracks, to take care of myself and be more on top of my health. I noticed when I don’t take care of myself—such as when I don’t eat or sleep well—I can expect an attack. If I stretch myself too thin, the built-in alarm bells warn me to rest and give myself time. I’d like to think of this as the silver lining.

MIGRAINE WITH AURA OR STROKE?

It is my hope that telling my story will help people who suffer from migraine with aura to feel less alone, but more importantly, it’s my hope that people who don’t suffer from these migraines (or any other issue for that matter!) won’t judge what they presume to be a miserable, whining adult, making a fuss over “just” a headache.

• A stroke is more likely to have what are called “negative” symptoms such as loss of sight in one eye or lose sensation in one of the hands or feet. A migraine is more likely to have “positive” symptoms. That means added sensations, like flashes in vision or tingling in the skin.

How to tell the difference The symptoms of a migraine with aura mimic those of a “mini stroke,” specifically strokes known as a transient ischemic attack (TIA). How can one tell the difference between the two?

• In stroke victims, symptoms usually come on suddenly. With a migraine, they happen gradually; the headache usually starts small and gets more painful.

•Young people are more likely to be experiencing a migraine. In older people, it’s more likely to be a stroke, especially if they’re never had a migraine before or have high blood pressure or an irregular heartbeat. (source: WebMD)

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DIY

e n u Imm t r o p p u S

By Miriam Schweid

With the help of Hashem, if one eats properly and gets enough rest, practicing the techniques that offer immune support and release tension will strengthen the immune system and help ward off disease.

Locations of acupoints: One of the most effective points for strengthening the immune system is located on the outside of the lower leg, about three inches below the knee. It boosts endurance in general and—when the right pressure is applied—is like a shot of vitamin C for the body.

Acupressure guide: Acupressure should be performed while in a relaxed position, either sitting or lying down. Each point should be massaged for about 30 seconds while you do deep breathing: Breathe in through your nose, hold your breath for several seconds, and slowly exhale through your mouth, all the while massaging the acupressure point firmly. Alternatively, you may apply stronger pressure for 10 seconds at a time, with 10 second intervals. Both are equally effective, depending on the tolerance level of the patient. The treatment can be done by the patient or someone else.

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h s i n a B Those s e u l B 4 hobbies for

wintertime wellbeing

TAP IN

SWEET DREAMS

HOW WILL I KNOW WHEN TO STOP?

HELP YOUR CHILD TACKLE NIGHTTIME ANXIETY

WELLBEING FEATURE

S ’ T I Y B B O H 64

WELLSPRING / JANUARY 2023

I T

E M BY

T S E

R E H

RE

K E T

WINTERTIME MINI-SERIES PART I WELLSPRING / TEVES 5783

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WELLBEING FEATURE

Hobbies in a health magazine? Yup, and here’s why. This is just one letter we received from a reader—we take all your feedback and requests seriously!—bringing our attention to the common experience of winter blues.

n that I’d io t s e g g u as o put out t d e t n a w ed some I ic t o n I d n d about, a love to rea ue hinting s is ’s k e e in this w comments rom it too. f it f e n e b s might s that other pe of blue y t e m o s l ple fee benefit Many peo ld u o w d n sa ter month in w e h t e to read in v lo d I’ . y b g up a hob in k ic p m o ps some r f a h r e p r o about this :) something s to offer a h m a e t l r insightfu ideas you

For this reader, and the many of us who are familiar with the heaviness of winter blues, we present you with this mini-series.

It is our hope that these ideas will help support and improve your wellbeing during the season of earlier nights and darker days.

The Editors

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Remember those “Get to Know You” questionnaires we were told to fill out every year at school and then later at every job interview? None of them were ever complete without the question, “What is your favorite hobby?”

Our hobbies are such an important part of who we are, and in the same vein, our hobbies can also help us become who we want to become. Also, and perhaps most importantly, they help us unwind and enable us to spend quality time in our own company.

I make it my mission to learn at least one new skill or devote time to an old pastime every winter. Besides making the winter months something to look forward to instead of dreading, I’ve learned several things along the way. For one, hobbies are a great tool to express creativity. For many of us, there’s very little room in our day-to-day lives for creativity (unless you consider making schnitzel again for supper creative). We’re busy crossing off our to-do lists, washing a load for the umpteenth time this week, dashing to the grocery again, and putting up another pot of soup. It’s almost as if our time is managing us, instead of us managing our time.

Regardless of what your hobbies are or which ones you choose to cultivate, spending time doing what interests you greatly enriches your life. Hobby time allows you to tap into yourself, to express yourself, to take care of yourself, and to recharge.

Still stumped by the old-time question, what are your hobbies? Take a look at this brief list (more to come next month) and see if there’s anything that interests you.

Brave enough to try one?

Let us know how it went!

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Get Those Pens Out Hobby: Writing Writing as a hobby is not the kind of dread-inducing writing you remember from school.

One of the hardest things about the winter is that you often miss out on the social interaction you come to enjoy in the summer. There are no outdoor afternoons, sunny Sundays to stroll the streets, or long Shabbos afternoons to meet family and friends. Writing, therefore, is a great way to spend this more secluded time because you get to express your thoughts while also having an opportunity to get those creative juices flowing.

Not a writer? Writing as a hobby is truly a no-pressure outlet. No need to conjure up the feelings you had before handing in a writing assignment. Allow yourself to simply get your thoughts on paper at a relaxed pace, whether you write about events that are happening in your life or an allegory that reflects your feelings. The process of writing when you’re doing it on your own terms can be very cathartic, no matter what you choose to write about.

Here are two daily exercises I find helpful: 1. Start the day with journaling. Devote three to five minutes in the morning (I do it alongside my coffee as soon as the kids are out of the house) to write down what you hope to accomplish that day. Try to avoid turning this into a to-do list. Instead, let the thoughts flow and create a paragraph of sorts. If you find it becoming a list, turn the exercise back to your hopes for the day or to what type of mother/wife/daughter [fill in the blank] you want to be today.

Another option is to simply spill your thoughts and emotions onto the page, in no particular order. Just let them come as if you’re talking to a good, old friend.

2. Allocate five minutes every night for journaling. You can journal the day’s events, feelings you experienced throughout the day, or write down a nice thought you had or heard. As a side benefit, journaling at night has been proven to be beneficial for a good night’s sleep. In one study, 41 college students plagued by bedtime worries were asked to journal every night for a week. The study found that journaling reduced bedtime worry and stress, increased sleep time, and improved sleep quality.

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Different Strokes Hobby: Painting Not an artist? Skip this hobby. Don’t.

Because neither have I ever been, but I still gave painting a shot.

The results? It’s super easy to create magnificent artwork these days. All you need is a complete paint kit that can be purchased on Amazon, a paint-by-number for adults, or simple painting tutorials.

The options are endless. I’ve created easy drawings for my children’s room by simply tracing shapes and cutouts and adding a punny phrase. And you can’t flop with modern art, so go for random brushes and strokes if you prefer. Either way, the drawing is a bonus. The time you spend on it is what counts.

However you choose to spend the long winter days, the most important part of hobby development is this: have fun!

Fresh and Wholesome Hobby: Breadmaking Thanks to the sourdough rage, more people have taken up breadmaking as a hobby. It started with sourdough, and then people quickly realized how easy any breadmaking can be.

Winter is the perfect time to experiment further and try your hand at breadmaking. Just the thought of having fresh, homemade bread right out of the oven when temperatures outside are below freezing is enough to motivate anyone. Besides the comfort, homemade bread is healthier than processed bread and ends up being more economical as well.

Not up for breadmaking? Just take your basic baking or cooking up a notch. Try your hand at one thing you haven’t done before, whether it’s pizza, focaccia, bagels, or sushi.

Piece By Piece Hobby: Puzzles Working on puzzles is a fun and challenging hobby you can do indoors, alone or with your family.

The act of putting puzzle pieces together is a great cognitive exercise. This hobby helps train the brain to look at the bigger picture, engage in visual-spatial reasoning, and improve processing speed and short-term memory. Puzzles also help sharpen problem-solving abilities because they require the use of trial-and-error skills. Being a good critical thinker and having the ability to see things from various perspectives are both important traits, and when you solve puzzles, you’re refining these skills.

There are many beautiful 1,000-piece puzzles out there, as well as some more challenging ones. Up for some fun? Check out the World’s Most Difficult Jigsaw Puzzle for some serious brainteasing.

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TAP IN

TAP IN

by Gila Glassberg, RDN, CDN, Certified Intuitive Eating Coach

A

Q

If I want to eat as much as my body needs without following a diet plan, how can I know that I’m not overeating? What if my body keeps telling me it wants more and more? Should I just listen to this inner voice regardless of whether the quantities and kinds of food make sense at all? The concept of intuitive eating sounds ideal, but eating without any boundaries doesn’t seem very healthy to me.

This was my question about Intuitive Eating as well when I first heard of it. From the outset, it sounds like a free pass to “eat whatever you want, whenever you want, and just accept your body at any size.” It may be hard to believe, but that is not what Intuitive Eating is about.

While there isn’t a specific order for applying the principles—I like to meet my clients where they’re at—I do usually put a few things into place first.

I like teaching about diet culture first to understand that the culture we live in idolizes weight loss and makes it one of the most important parts of life. The thin ideal is everywhere, and most of us associate thin with beautiful and right, while fat is considered ugly and wrong.

This perspective is not inherently true; it’s the culture we live in. A short time ago, fat was considered beautiful—an attribute associated with wealth—while thin was a sign of impoverishment. That’s the first piece to keep in mind: thinness as an ideal is purely an outcome of today’s cultural flaws, because what often scares women most in regard to trusting themselves with eating is that they’ll get fat.

Next, I like to talk about hunger/fullness cues and what foods the individual actually likes. Dieting has turned off this “signal” for most of us. Since it tells (orders!) us what to eat, when to eat, and how much to eat, when we’re not

on a diet, we may feel super confused. What does hunger or fullness actually feel like? How are we supposed to know if external diet rules have always dictated that for us? Working on listening to those cues again is key. We talk about which foods actually satisfy us, not just foods that were “allowed” in all those dieting years.

Once these things are in place, we start to explore why we may be eating in a way that feels out of control. Are we engaging in rebellious eating? Do we only have one coping skill—eating—when we feel any unpleasant emotion? We explore that together, often with some trial and error, and we put other coping skills into place. Sometimes, I will refer a client to a therapist or work hand in hand with the therapist to figure out this next step.

So, to answer your question more succinctly, Intuitive Eating doesn’t encourage you to keep eating without any boundaries. On the contrary, it encourages you to finally start listening to your fullness cues—which are intuitively yours.

On the other hand, Intuitive Eating doesn’t just command you to stop eating, either. Instead, it asks you to get curious about your eating. If you notice that you’re eating to the point where you feel physically uncomfortable, exploring why that is so will help you avoid this next time and help you heal your relationship with food and yourself.

Have questions about the Intuitive Eating approach? Send them to info@wellspringmagazine.com and Gila will be glad to answer them in this space.

Gila Glassberg is a Master's level registered dietitian and a certified Intuitive Eating Counselor. As a teenager, she was faced with constant diet talk, body shaming, and obsessive guilt around food, but now that she has found food freedom through the process of Intuitive Eating, she's eager to share its wisdom with others. Gila works privately with clients and she also presents workshops. The name of her podcast is Get INTUIT with Gila, and she writes blog entries on her website, www.gilaglassberg.com. She can be reached at 570-878-3642.

OT@HOME

I Can’t Sleep, Mommy!

The long winter nights can be cozy and serene for some. But for others, the nights are much more prone to anxiety. For some children, falling asleep at night can be challenging, as their minds race with interactions or events from that day. Other causes of nighttime anxiety include high stress levels due to struggles in school or family life, certain foods or drinks, anxiety disorders, a history of trauma or abuse, depression, and some medications.

Here are some of the common symptoms of nighttime anxiety.

-Restlessness -Rapid heart rate and breathing -Difficulty falling asleep and/or staying asleep

5 tips to cope with nighttime anxiety

by Miriam Frankel, OT

-Popping out of bed like a “jack-in-the-box” -Repeated requests for drinks, a bathroom trip, or for the parent to stay with them, perhaps to avoid being in the bedroom alone.

This list is not exhaustive, and the frequency and severity of these symptoms can vary.

Here are five ways to help improve your child’s ability to settle down:

1. Ensure your child has adequate exercise and time outdoors during the day, as this is a crucial element in helping them sleep. Most children need 45 minutes to an hour of outdoor play daily, in addition to the 30 minutes or so of school recess.

2. Socialization is another contributor to sleep. Most children get enough social time at school, but on non-school days, keep in mind that your child may need some socialization to help them sleep.

3. Encourage them to take a calm, gentle stroll around the house, with low lights and a warm drink in hand (caffeine-free, of course), saying, “Good night, kitchen…good night, playroom…good night, table and chairs…Let’s look out the window and say, good night, car…” This ritual can give closure to your child’s day and help them fall asleep more easily.

4. Journaling before bed can help an adult release their racing thoughts. For your child, you can help them do this verbally by listening to them recount their day to you. For some children, that could mean 10–30 minutes of listening, but the release this gives your child, enabling them to fall asleep peacefully, is well worth it.

5. Together with your child, focus on breathing through the nose and then an elongated, soft releasing breath through the mouth. This will help reduce adrenaline levels and calm the nervous system.

While anxiety is a normal human emotion, if it is affecting the quality of your child’s sleep, they may end up feeling more anxious, unable to concentrate, and tired or irritable during the day.

Treating their nighttime anxiety is therefore important so they can get good quality sleep by night and be their very best selves by day.

Miriam (Manela) Frankel is the founder of Bloom, which is unique in its combination of hands-on techniques and demonstrations of physical exercises. These can be used at home and in school as remediation, alongside guidance and emotional support for parents and teachers to give them the tools—along with their own intuition—to deal with different behaviors and challenges.

Miriam conducts interactive presentations and professional workshops internationally. She has more than 18 years of experience in the field of occupational therapy. She is the founder of The Thrive Group, with offices in Passaic and Brooklyn, and the author of The Parent-Child Dance.

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WELLBEING FEATURE

The New Look of

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JANUARY 2023 / TEVES 5783 / ISSUE 84

KEEP THE CRUNCH 6 SOUP CROUTON ALTERNATIVES

IT’S A BRAND NEW DAY 12 CONTRIBUTORS SHARE HOW THEY FUEL UP AT BREAKFAST

ESCORT THE QUEEN NUTRITIOUS MELAVEH MALKAH DISHES TO START OFF A GREAT WEEK

84 Rebranding: Energy Bars

By Malky Rosenberg

77 Escorting the Queen

By Yossi & Malky Levine

74

90 6 Crunchy Soup Crouton Alternatives

By Esti Asher, MS, RDN, LD

82

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SWAP

By Yossi & Malky Levine

It’s a Brand-New Day! Wellspring Contributors

WELLSPRING / JANUARY 2023

EDITOR'S NOTE

Dear Cooks,

Since this is the month when soups are probably the most consumed food on our side of the planet, Esti Asher’s informative article on six wholesome alternatives to croutons comes at just the right time.

Speaking of soups, there’s something I’d love to share with you—it’s a hack on getting the clearest chicken soup ever. I know that’s one food many of us prepare all year round, but this hack just came my way and there’s no better time to share it.

The content of this letter would probably be met with a grimace by the generations of Hungarian cooks before me. A hack for clear chicken soup, the bubbies would cry. What’s wrong with straining the golden (only golden) liquid twice or three times?

Just pour it over from one pot to another and hold that strainer really tight. Well, that’s just something I can’t do. While I love cooking wholesome, hearty, traditional foods for my family, I also want to prioritize the precious commodity called time and, thus, I’m an unabashed hack seeker. And so, I was gratified to discover that there is actually a way to look like the world’s greatest balebusta without having to try too hard.

Like every mind-boggling discovery, it happened “by accident.” (Thank You, Hashem.) As I was putting up my soup one Thursday morning, I noticed I’d run out of net bags for the chicken bones. (I don’t put any chicken into my soup as no one would go for it around here. I find that lots and lots of bones provide

all the chicken flavor that’s needed—and more.)

Having peeled and cut the mountain of vegetables and wanting to get started on my Shabbos prep, I decided to let the water come to a boil with only the vegetables in the pot while I headed out to the grocery to restock on bags. By the time I arrived back home (because errands never take as long as we think they will), the soup had already come to a boil, the vegetables dancing merrily inside. I quickly stuffed the bones into the bag and dropped it into the pot. On to sautéing the liver…

When I opened the pot of soup on Friday night, it suddenly struck me: this soup is way clearer than what I’m used to. While my soup was never very “dirty,” it often sported specks of what the kids call “stuff.” This time, though, I was looking at something else. The Hungarian genes in me did a little jiggle at the sight of it. And the rest of me marveled that I’d nailed a truly crystal-clear golden chicken soup without having as much as touched a strainer, paper towel, or who knows what else. I tried this hack the next week just to make sure it wasn’t a one-time fluke, and the results were identical.

So that’s the whole hack, dear readers. Simply add the chicken or bones only after the water has come to a boil, and you can serve your transparent soup feeling like the true balebusta that you are.

Enjoy the rest of this cozy season,

Esther

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TRADITION

QUALITY ‫כשר לפסח‬

VALUE

Escorting the Queen Nothing says winter like a piping hot dish of comfort food. With many a long Motzei Shabbos ahead of us, we can turn cold winter nights into cozy family gatherings and create the best of memories. Serve up these delicious comfort-food dishes and watch as the warmth spreads to all those around you.

Keep warm, Yossi and Malky

Recipes, Styling, and Photography

by Yossi & Malky Levine

ESCORTING THE QUEEN

Loaded Veggie Lasagna Using zucchini slices instead of lasagna sheets gives this a healthier spin. Load them up with your favorite veggies, and don’t be afraid to try your own version. Prep ahead by slicing the veggies before Shabbos and storing them in a sealed container in the fridge. When Motzei Shabbos comes around, just layer it up, bake, and enjoy.

1 26-oz can pasta sauce 2 zucchinis, sliced lengthwise with a mandolin 1 large onion, sliced 2 tomatoes, sliced 1 tsp salt 1 16-oz bag shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350°F. Pour pasta sauce into a 10x10-inch Pyrex dish (or 9x13-inch pan) to fill the bottom. Add a layer of zucchini, onion, and tomatoes, sprinkling each layer with salt. Pour a layer of pasta sauce over the vegetables and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

Repeat the layering until all vegetables are used, finishing off with pasta sauce and cheese.

Bake for 45–60 minutes, until zucchini is tender. Serve hot.

Yield: 8–10 servings

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ESCORTING THE QUEEN

Eggplant Toasts with Crunchy Feta Salad This recipe is inspired by Mediterranean cuisine, where eggplant plays a central role. It’s simple, comes together in minutes (you can prep the eggplant ahead of time), and offers an amazing combination of flavor and crunch.

1 eggplant, sliced on a slant (½–¾-inch thickness)

2 cups arugula

½ tsp salt, for sprinkling

4 oz feta cheese, grated

½ tsp garlic powder

½ cup roasted walnuts, roughly chopped

2 Tbsp tahini paste

¼ cup pomegranate seeds

2 Tbsp date honey (silan)

Sprinkle eggplant slices with salt and garlic powder on both sides and lay them on dry paper towels. Let sit for 30 minutes (this helps remove some of the natural liquid).

Preheat oven to 400°F. Lay eggplant slices in a single layer on a large oven tray lined with parchment paper. Roast eggplant until golden brown on top, about 10–15 minutes. Flip eggplant over and roast until golden brown and tender, about 10–15 minutes.

Drizzle eggplant with half the tahini and silan, layer with arugula leaves, and top with feta cheese, walnuts, and pomegranate seeds. Then drizzle remaining tahini and silan on top of salad.

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SWAP

SWA P

By Yossi & Malky Levine

Heavy Cream

Greek Yogurt

Heavy cream is rich, delicious, and great to cook with, but given its nutrition profile, it’s not what we always want as the star of the kitchen show. Turns out that Greek yogurt, a nutrient-dense fridge staple, does an excellent job when called in to sub for heavy cream. Some minor flavor differences aside, you can easily work this healthy go-to into recipes originally calling for cream.

When cooking with yogurt instead of cream, you can easily do a 1:1 substitution, and any difference is barely discernible.

Some Health Benefits of Greek Yogurt • Improves bone health because it is rich in calcium and protein.

• Since it’s protein-rich, it promotes satiety for longer, reducing appetite and hunger.

• Eating Greek yogurt as part of a balanced diet may help boost the metabolism.

• Greek yogurt contains probiotics, the good bacteria that restore a healthy bacterial balance within the gut.

• Greek yogurt is a form of probiotic-fermented milk, which has proven to lower blood pressure.

Tomato Cream Sauce 1 Tbsp olive oil 4 vine tomatoes, diced

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4 frozen garlic cubes

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.

4 frozen basil cubes ½ tsp salt

Add tomatoes, garlic cubes, basil cubes, salt, and xylitol. Stir and sauté for 10 minutes.

3 Tbsp xylitol (or other sweetener)

Remove from heat and transfer to a blender.

1 5-oz plain Greek yogurt

Add yogurt and blend until smooth and creamy.

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WHEN THE WINE SEALS THE VEAL L INEAG E C HO R EO G R A P H CLA RK S BURG, CA LIFO R NIA

{ { Herb and Shallot Crusted Veal by Chef Gabe Garcia and Tierra Sur

Rebranding With Malky Rosenberg

This Month: Energy Bars

It’s cold and we’re all cooped up inside, finally feeling comfortable with the uncomfortable. We have our winter routine figured out; we’re okay with the dark, dinner is punctual, bedtime is early. We’re kind of reveling in the long nights.

Well, it’s time to amp this winter up a notch. We’re meant to constantly grow, find more meaning, do more good deeds.

So, why don’t we get the fire going? How about waking up early and taking a brisk walk in our winter gear? Or calling up that friend from overseas?

There’s so much we can do with our time—and we can’t do any of that without an elevated burst of energy. So here’s my contribution to your productive month ahead: energy bars that are irresistible, flavorful, and guaranteed to fuel you up.

Malky

Styling and Photography: Pessy Piller

REBRANDING

Peanut Butter Mango Energy Bar Dear classic ol’ peanut chew, please move over and make room for something exceedingly chewier, tastier, and a whole lot more nutritious.

Yield: 8–10 bars

1 cup frozen mango, diced and tightly packed 1¼ cup rolled oats ¾ cup peanuts, divided ¾ cup crunchy peanut butter 3 Tbsp honey 2½ Tbsp sugar-free chocolate chips 1½ Tbsp chia seeds ¼ tsp salt (omit if using salted peanut butter)

Preheat oven to 450°F. Let frozen mango soften in warm water. Drain, then dice into small pieces, to fill one tightly packed cup.

Place oats and peanuts in oven and roast for 8 minutes.

In food processor, chop roasted oats together with ½ cup peanuts.

In a pot over low heat, mix peanut butter, honey, and chocolate chips until creamy. Add chopped oats, peanuts, ¼ cup peanuts, chia seeds, and salt (if using). Last, fold in mango.

Press mixture into a 2¼-lb deep, oblong pan. Allow to set in freezer and cut into bars.

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REBRANDING

Blueberry Almond Energy Bar Why buy store-bought energy bars when you can make your own and have the best of all worlds?

(1) Save money. (2) Choose the best high-fiber foods so you feel full and lose weight. (3) The texture.

(4) The taste. (5) The taste. (6) The taste.

Yield: 8–10 bars

1 cup frozen blueberries 2 cups puffed rice cereal (100 percent brown rice) ¾ cup roasted almonds ¾ cup unsalted almond butter ¼ cup honey 2½ Tbsp sugar-free chocolate chips 3 Tbsp cacao powder ¼ tsp salt (omit if using salted almond butter)

Thaw frozen blueberries in a plate of warm water. Drain, then mash lightly with a fork to halve them. (Do not discard the blueberry juice.)

In food processor, blend rice cereal and almonds.

In a pot, over low heat, mix almond butter, honey, and chocolate chips until creamy. Add blueberries. Stir in cacao powder and salt. Last, fold in chopped cereal and almonds.

Press into a 2¼-lb deep, oblong pan. Allow to set in freezer and cut into bars.

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6 CRUNCHY SOUP CROUTON ALTERNATIVES

TIDBITS

BY ESTI ASHER, MS, RDN, LD 90

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Temperatures are dropping and soup season is upon us. Whether you’re preparing your wholesome soup quickly on the stove or letting it simmer slowly in a Crock-Pot, this dish is very versatile and nourishing. To upgrade your soup to the next level, consider adding a non-crouton topping to mix in for additional texture and nutrition. These suggestions may work best for the blended variety of soup. Of course, traditional croutons are delicious and may fit into a balanced diet and lifestyle, but below are six examples of some additional soup toppings that can result in an upgraded final product.

Seeds

Crunchy Tofu

Varieties of seeds, such as shelled sunflower and pumpkin seeds, are additional examples of pareve proteins that can be added into soup (or salad) and will result in an increase in flavor, nutrient composition, and texture. Either raw or roasted seeds work well and can be a pantry staple. (Of course, be careful with young children, as seeds can be a choking hazard.)

Another versatile and pareve protein, tofu is a blank canvas with a lot of potential to retain whichever flavor profile you choose. If your goal is to make tofu crispy, it is important to opt for a firm variety and squeeze out excess liquid before cooking. Depending on the soup you’re pairing it with, you may want to simply sauté or bake with oil and salt or become more adventurous by exploring different flavors via dressings, marinades, or sauces.

Roasted Edamame

Roasted Root Vegetables

Delicious as a side, a snack, within a trail mix, or even as a soup topping, roasted edamame is a protein-packed savory ingredient that’s worthwhile having on hand. While it is simple to roast edamame on your own, there are often packaged varieties available in the grocery store for a prep-free option.

Unlike the other examples on this list, roasted root vegetables such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, parsnips, and beets are not a protein source, but rather an option that can provide a satisfying and dense bite to your soup.

Roasting root vegetables on high heat with some oil and salt helps facilitate a crunchier final product.

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TIDBITS

Omega-3 Fatty Acid Intake May Be Connected to Cognitive Function

(Meat) Crispy Deli For a meat option, using a crispy deli meat such as pastrami or turkey can really add a wow-factor. This requires an extra step of sautéing the deli first, but the final product will be well worth it.

(Dairy) Crumbled Feta Cheese For a dairy option, crumbled feta cheese (or any cheese, including parmesan, shredded cheese, etc.) can bring your food to gourmet status, while also adding protein and creaminess to your soup. If you’re using feta, keep in mind its salty flavor, and season your soup with a bit less salt.

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.

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Omega-3 fatty acids, found in foods such as salmon, tuna, sardines, nuts, and seeds, and plant oils, such as flaxseed oil and canola oil, have many health benefits. While most commonly recommended to help improve heart health, omega-3 fatty acids may also help control eczema, rheumatoid arthritis, and may play a protective role in cancer and other medical conditions.

Moreover, a research study recently published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, suggests that a diet with a modest amount of omega-3 fatty acids may help preserve brain function.

A group of 2,183 adults with an average age of 46 who were “cognitively healthy”—i.e. without a history of dementia or stroke—were studied. The group participants had their omega-3 fatty acid levels measured, took tests for abstract reasoning, and participated in MRI scans that measured brain volume.

The study showed that those who ate higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids had higher scores on their abstract reasoning tests, as well as larger average volumes of the hippocampus—an area of the brain that is connected to memory. These findings are preliminary and require further research, but they suggest additional support and reason to follow the current American Heart Association dietary guidelines of consuming at least two servings of fish per week.

Herbs and Spices Influence Gut Microbiome Sometimes, it is the small, consistent changes that can have a sustainable and positive impact on our overall health. The typical American diet is often lacking in many beneficial nutritional components, such as adequate fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein. The food we eat has an impact on our physiology and overall health.

A study published in The Journal of Nutrition concluded that adding herbs and spices, which are rich in polyphenolic compounds, to the diet of someone who is already practicing the typical American eating pattern can have a positive impact on their gut microbiome. Study participants were provided with a complete diet, including a mixture of 24 herbs and spices at the level of 0.5, 3.3, or 6.6 grams per day for a four-week period.

A shift in the gut microbiome was seen, with the main improvement observed within the Ruminococcaceae family of the microbiome. Ultimately, the addition of herbs and spices caused shifts in the composition of gut bacteria within four weeks. Further studies are needed to better understand this impact, but in the meantime, adding more spices is simple, delicious, and likely to be beneficial in many ways.

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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.

IT’S A BRANDNEW DAY! What does your typical breakfast consist of?

Laura Shammah, MS, RDN

I

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WELLSPRING / JANUARY 2023

I’m a Greek-yogurtand-fruit girl most of the time, changing up the fruit on most days.

Sometimes I go for cottage cheese as well.

When I have more time, I enjoy a hot breakfast, like homemade pancakes and waffles.

Shani Taub, CDC

Compiled by Shiffy Friedman

I

I sprinkle Fiber One as a topping for plain Greek yogurt.

Yield: 4 pancakes Ingredients 2 packets plain instant oatmeal 4 Tbsp of PB2 powder 4 egg whites Splenda, to taste Cinnamon, to taste

I

I’m a creature of habit and love having my one slice of toasted Franczoz whole wheat bread with a teaspoon of peanut butter and a drop of strawberry jam. I balance it out with an unsweetened coffee.

While I don’t love counting peanut butter as a protein, it really does satisfy my taste buds and keeps me going for two to three hours.

I recently introduced the new Royo brand of bread to my household.

This bread line, which is new to the kosher market, is very high in fiber and made with incredible ingredients. The bread tastes delicious and has a low net carb content since it’s super high in fiber, which is indigestible and actually brings the carb content down. This is my breakfast on repeat, every day of the week, including Shabbos.

Cooking spray, for frying

Sury Sprei, Holistic Health Practitioner

Mix all ingredients gently with a fork until fully combined. Spray a frying pan with cooking spray. Heat pan and pour ¼ of the batter at a time. Heat each side of pancake until lightly browned.

M

My all-time favorite breakfast is a smoothie bowl topped with berries and sliced bananas.

Dr. Rachael Teichberg

Directions

M

My favorite breakfast is two sunny-side up scrambled eggs, which I cook on a low flame with some coconut oil spray until crisp. I then flip the eggs over for a minute so the yolks are somewhat cooked but a drop runny. I dip three sliced Persian cucumbers into the yolk and eat them, and then place the eggs on rice cakes with dukkah seasoning and ¼ sliced avocado. I love how the various tastes and textures come together here, lending the right amount of crunch and creaminess.

This is a filling, low-calorie/low-carb nutritious breakfast, and it holds me for many hours. I love it, as do my kids.

Gila Glassberg, MS, RDN, CDN,

High-Protein Breakfast Pancakes

Shaindy Oberlander, BS, INHC

Tanya Rosen, MS, CPT

I

I love to start most mornings with these high-protein breakfast pancakes. They’re super filling and flavorful. When I’m on the go, I usually opt for a TAP muffin, TAP cookie, or TAP cheesecake—all of which are delicious!

O On most mornings, I eat a NuGo Slim bar or I use Tanya Rosen’s recipe for cottage cheese pancakes, which I prepare in batches and freeze. I have no problem eating cereal and milk either, but I find they don’t fill me.

I don’t like oatmeal, and I do like eggs, but I usually have some form of eggs for lunch.

When I notice that I’m very hungry, I might go for a grilled cheese sandwich on Dave’s Killer Bread.

This is what I do, but it’s important for people to find what really feels good to them.

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I

I always start my morning with a cup of coffee and approximately 500–750 ml of water before eating. Then, I usually have a banana together with my protein and whole grain, which would be either a Greek yogurt with homemade granola or an instant oatmeal pack (50% less sugar variety) with milk if I’m on the go. That keeps me going for a long while.

Thanks to my friend Chayala R. for this delicious granola recipe. It’s a staple in my house.

Esti Asher, MS, RDN, LD

Chaya Tziry Retter, RDN, CPT

MY TABLE

2 cups combined toppings of choice (sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, slivered almonds, pecans, pistachios, etc.)

M

My typical breakfast includes Greek yogurt, a fruit (frozen mango is a favorite, although a diced fresh fruit also works well) and some form of nuts (sliced almonds, ground walnuts, etc.). If I want a little extra something, I’ll toss in oats or cereal. On days when I have more time, and I want a heartier option, I’ll go for an omelet with toast and a drizzle of whatever condiment I’m in the mood for.

½ oil

M

My favorite breakfast is my plain, homemade Greek yogurt topped with chocolate granola and banana slices.

And a good cup of coffee.

Yaffi’s Instant Pot Greek Yogurt 2 liters whole milk 2 Tbsp kefir or yogurt (look for as many bacterial species and strains as possible) On an electric pressure cooker, use the yogurt button to boil your milk.

Cool milk down to 110°F or lower using an ice bath or by refrigerating the milk, covered tightly.

Add kefir or existing yogurt, stir, and press the yogurt button again to ferment for 14 hours.

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Sheindy Ungar, CDC

Yaffi Lvova, RDN

Bake at 300°F for about 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

Bina Gottdiener, CN, CHC

½ cup silan

M

My favorite breakfast of all time is a toasted sourdough sandwich with pesto and a veggie mozzarella omelet inside. Epic combination!

I

I start my day with a fruit. Fruit as the first food of the day is highly effective in “waking up” the digestive system.

When I need a more filling breakfast, I make a yogurtbased smoothie. I use plain, unsweetened yogurt and add frozen fruits to amp the flavor.

Here’s a sample recipe: 1 cup plain yogurt

Refrigerate yogurt for 2 hours.

1 cup frozen mango cubes

Using a cheesecloth, strain the yogurt until desired consistency is achieved. If the yogurt over-drains, add some liquid back into it and stir.

1 cup frozen strawberries

WELLSPRING / JANUARY 2023

Blend and enjoy.

cing nI t ro d ue r y f i r s t t i m e fo r t h e v EW N L L e L A h t A

WITH FILLED HEESE C CREAM

LO A D E

D WITH

J OY

Product of USA

Now available in the freezer section at your local supermarket

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HOLISTIC

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Stop and Check Stop and check throughout the day to notice when you are in parasympathetic immobilization (shutdown mode).

Rena Reiser

Intuitive Health

C I T S I L O H

WELLSPRING / JANUARY 2023

Thoughts: Are they negative? Pessimistic?

Emotions: Am I feeling down or despondent?

Body: Am I feeling lethargic? Do my movements feel heavy?

If your answer is yes, think “gentle.” Gently hold yourself in a fetal position or do some gentle stretching, give yourself a hug and gently stroke your arms, and slow down your movements.

Rena Reiser helps women tune into their inner wisdom to create space for Hashem’s shefa to flow into their lives. She can be contacted through www.renareiser.com.

Women’s Health

Dr. Chayala Englard Tamar Feldman, RDN, CDE

Our muscles do so much for us. They help circulate the blood, move our limbs to perform activities, support our GI tract, and give us the ability to smile :) They will extend themselves as much as we demand of them until they reach a point of fatigue.

Overnight, in deep sleep, the immune system gets to work on repairing the muscles to allow for a fresh start the next morning.

Let’s be kind to our muscles. Before falling asleep, take 5–10 minutes to just lie on your back, legs and arms extended, palms facing upward. (This yoga pose is known as the corpse pose). Allow your muscles to fully let go, releasing the tightness and/or tension, giving them a rest after a long day. You may feel joints shift as well. Sensations of tingling, vibrations, heat, coolness, etc., are all indications of muscles letting go.

Chayala Englard is a proud wife, mother, and Doctor of Physical Therapy. Her private practice, Life PT, is located in Lakewood, New Jersey, and is primarily focused on women’s health and pelvic floor rehab.

Shaindy Oberlander, BS, INHC

Nutritional Health

Gut Health

Let Them Go

Get Moving Our modern lifestyle, including insufficient intake of tough plant fibers, insufficient fluid intake, and lack of lifestyle-associated physical movement, are all contributing factors to the high incidence of slow bowel transit, with its associated health ills. The solution: eat more plants, drink enough, and move a lot!

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.

Where Sugar Sneaks In The real route to weight loss and overall health is by reducing sugar intake. Many people have many “healthy” treats daily, but their weight does not budge. It is important to understand that most healthy treats are dredged in sugars. For example, a bottle of green juice may sound healthy, but in reality it may be overloaded with sugar from a high concentration of green apples. Acai bowls, which are all the rage now, are topped with chocolate chips, sweetened nut butters, and granola made with a whopping quantity of sugars, making your very “healthy” snack not the best choice. Keep your snack truly healthy by reading the ingredient list or by having plant-based natural snacks only, such as fruits and nuts.

Shaindy Oberlander, BS, INHC, a graduate from Mercy College and IIN, runs her functional medicine-based nutrition practice in Toms River NJ and virtually. Shaindy has tracks for teens, nursing and pregnant mothers, women peri/post menopause, and tracks for women suffering from hormonal issues. She can be reached at 347.228.1198 or via her website at www. benefithealthprogram.com.

If you’re a health practitioner and would like to contribute to this column, please write to info@wellspringmagazine.com.

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