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Time of

Comfort

But aren't we still in galus?

The Sweet Truth Laura Shammah on foods diabetics can enjoy

Are You a Mindful Eater? Three questions to ask yourself

Master My Space What a house fire taught Adina Forouzan about holistic home organizing

AUGUST 2020 // AV 5780 // ISSUE 55

Why Does My Doctor Claim That Diet Has No Effect on My IBD? Tamar Feldman’s evidence-based take

Hell’s Itch

Trust me - it’s as awful as it sounds. The culprit? A sunburn.

Water Works

Takeout Tuesday Whip up these wholesome breakfast burritos in minutes

6 moves for an intensive pool workout

I Was There Too

Words I wish I’d heard while stuck in a rut

New Column!

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From the Editor shiffy@wellspringmagazine.com

All in the Relationship Recently, I started baking whole spelt challah for Shabbos after having used white spelt flour for several weeks.

(Before that, it had been whole wheat.) When my husband cut up the latest version of the fragrant loaves, and the kids noticed its dark interior, it was obvious that some of them were disappointed. They wanted white. And so, the next Shabbos, there was whole spelt challah for the takers, and white challah for those who preferred that. It’s been this way ever since because, the way we see it, and especially for Shabbos, we’d rather have our kids eat less nutritious fare but feel pleasure at the meal than the alternative. This is what works for us. On the other hand, I had a friend’s kid over the other day and, while enjoying some whole spelt garlic knots (made from challah dough, using the Fresh and Easy fabulous recipe), she said to me, “You know, I haven’t had white bread since Rosh Hashanah!” She shared this with a sense of accomplishment and pride. That, apparently, worked for her. How do we know what works for our kids in the long term? That’s always the question. Should we be more permissive now and let them make their own choices, or more restrictive now to foster more wholesome development? I remember once having this conversation with a woman I have great admiration for, Mrs. Perl Abramowitz. She told me that the stance we take as parents matters less than our approach to the approach. She’s had women tell her that they’re overweight as adults because their parents let them eat candy all day, and other women tell her that they’re overweight as adults because they could never have candy as kids. It’s how the mother feels about the stance she takes, Perl wisely noted, that impacts the child most. If the

8 Wellspring | August 2020

rules she sets emanate from love and kindness, and the mother is confident in her decisions, the child will absorb that. In this issue’s cover feature, dietitian Yaffi Lvova shows us how we can encourage our children to appreciate leading a healthy lifestyle by bringing them into the kitchen with us. Her approach, she posits, can help even the pickiest eaters enjoy their food. The logic behind this, I suspect, is that it’s all about the connection that is fostered in the process. So much happens when a child feels encouraged and supported. It’s all about the relationship, as Perl pointed out. The other details matter little, but what makes all the difference is the subtle feelings our children associate with the foods they’re eating — and in every area of their lives. The same is true for us, as adults. Two people can both be engaging in the same activity, yet how it impacts us can differ vastly — depending on our relationship with that activity. The best example for this would be… eating. Shira Savit, writer of the popular Emotional Eating column, whom I’m honored to call a friend, mentioned to me that every diet or non-diet approach can be detrimental or positive to an individual’s wellbeing. The determining factor is their relationship with food and themselves. If I’m eating this piece of chocolate because it helps me feel calm, because I feel that I’m treating myself, and it doesn’t significantly impact my physical health, then great. But if I’m eating it with a mission to assuage my guilt of unhealthful eating, or I know it will significantly impact my health, or I’m using it to stuff down my emotions, this very same deed is detrimental for me. In Shira’s words, “From my experience, it’s not about whether a person is on a diet or eating intuitively; it’s about their relationship with food and self. Interestingly enough, intuitive eating can become a diet just like

all the other diets out there. I always say, if it’s working for you, then great. But if you’re struggling or reaching out for help, then there’s a reason, so let’s see how we can help.” We’re living in a world that has embraced extremes. In terms of health, this may mean ingesting no sugar at all or having as much sugar as you please — abstinence or indulgence. The Torah’s way is that of the shevil hazahav, the golden middle (unless a health condition necessitates otherwise). There’s a large golden area between stepping on the bathroom scale twice a day and banishing the scale from our home with a vengeance. There’s also a large golden area between using the food scale to weigh a salad—shuddering that the extra cucumber will contribute to weight gain— and not using a food scale even to weigh recipe ingredients or challah dough strands. And it’s in this middle where living happens. It’s in this middle, with healthy boundaries in place, where we can connect to what we’re doing, as opposed to being driven by messages that don’t feel good or right to us, that are too restrictive or too permissive. It’s with the combination of love and boundaries that we, like our children, can thrive. While here at Wellspring we present many avenues that span the gamut of this middle, we see ourselves as offering a sort of smorgasbord. We introduce you readers to various approaches and concepts in healthy living, and we encourage you to choose a path that works for you — for your body, for your wellbeing. As the frum community’s health and wellness magazine, we

recognize the impact we have on our readers’ lives. We appreciate that. At the same time, we don’t take that lightly. It is our tefillah that we be the vehicle of only good, of encouraging only healthier, more connected, happier living. May Hashem help us be the good shlichim for you. The phenomenon of “it’s all in the relationship” is especially true in regards to our ultimate relationship— with Hashem. Mitzvos like Shabbos, kashrus, and tznius can feel so stifling, so restrictive, when the connection is lacking. On the other hand, when we feel that bond, when we experience a sense of connection in observing His commandments, observing these same directives fills us with profound joy. Through this, we satisfy our intrinsic longing for acceptance and connection. Speaking of the time before Moshiach, the navi Amos (8:11) prophesied, “Hinei yamim ba’im… lo ra’av lalechem… There will be not a famine for bread nor a thirst for water, but [rather] to hear the words of Hashem.” We’re a hungry nation, there’s no question about that. We turn this way and that, searching, seeking. Perhaps I’ll feel fulfilled if I take this course or follow that approach, feel happier if I engage in this pursuit or that one. But, at the end of the day, what we all seek is the same sense of inner peace, that satisfying relationship with Hashem that leaves us feeling unconditionally loved. May we merit getting our fill from the real thing. That will be our ultimate comfort.

To a happy and healthy Shabbos Nachamu and rest of your summer,

Well-Put!

Shiffy Friedman

Frequently, an issue that is perceived as physical is, in truth, emotional. Naomi Brudner, Cup of Tea

Av 5780 | Wellspring 9

Contents

AUGUST 2020 AV 5780 ISSUE 55 The next issue of Wellspring will appear iy”H on September 2nd.

WELL INFORMED

LIVING WELL

30 IN GOOD SHAPE Water Works By Esther Fried, PFC

TORAH WELLSPRING By Rabbi Ezra Friedman

20 SPIRITUAL EATING By Rabbi Eli Glaser, CNWC, CWMS 22 DENTAL HEALTH By Dr. Jacques Doueck, DDS

32 ASK The Sweet Truth By Laura Shammah, MS, RDN

24 HEALTH UPDATES IN THE NEWS By Esther Retek NEW

34 MEDICAL SAGA Sunburn Gone Bad As told to Roizy Baum

26 INSIDER The Lungs By Roizy Baum

38 COVER FEATURE I ♡ Healthy By Yaffi Lvova, RDN

MINICOLUMN WELL-SPENT

46 AT THE DIETITIAN How Diet Affects IBD By Tamar Feldman, RDN, CDE

WELLBEING 58 FEATURE I Was There Too By Shiffy Friedman 68 EMOTIONAL EATING By Shira Savit

48 CUP OF TEA With Adina Forouzan By Libby Silberman 52 BYE, DIET. HELLO, LIFE. Chapter 2: Background By Gila Glassberg, MS, RD, CDN

55 DIY Kidney Support By Miriam Schweid

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Springboard

Letters

On PCOS, Intermittent Fasting, Rebirthing, and More

PCOS, Revisited Issue #53: Ask

I was so excited to see that Laura Shammah will be responding to questions in the Ask column. It is so fitting that her first response was for PCOS. Not only has she helped me manage my own symptoms of this condition (I have since given birth twice, baruch Hashem), but the women I’ve referred to her have also seen much improvement. And this is all thanks to Wellspring for bringing Laura’s expertise in this important area to my attention. 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.

12 Wellspring | August 2020

Many thanks and tizku l’mitzvos, Shayna M.

It Takes Time Issue #54: Cover Feature

In the feature about the #EatClean community, one of their in-house nutritionists wrote this about stomach hunger: “This starts out as uncomfortable pangs and quickly turns to loud growls. This is the only sensation that warrants food intake.”

I think it’s important to point out that when you first start eating in a more healthy and controlled manner, you will

generally feel hungry — “stomach pangs” kind of hungry. It’s not the most fun thing, but your body has to get accustomed to not eating whenever you feel like it. It may take a couple of days or even weeks, but your body will learn that it doesn’t need food at 10:00 at night. So even stomach hunger, in the beginning, may not necessarily warrant food intake.

A grateful reader, P. Lefkowitz

This Is Not Functional Issue #53: Emotional Eating

Thank you to Shira Savit for an excellent column on emotional eating.

I can relate to overeating; I’m normal. But let’s be honest: should a daughter really be laughing with her mother over behavior that is not functional? If a mother engaged in a bit too much online retail therapy because of quarantine cabin fever, would she be laughing about it with her daughter or be worried that her daughter is subconsciously learning this behavior? (She will. Guaranteed.) She’s much more likely to tell her friend, who would understand her and tell her, “You know it’s really not your type of thing to do, it’s just the

Quick Question

What can I give my toddler as a natural pain reliever/fever reducer, as an alternative to Tylenol or Motrin?

First, massage bathing is an effective means to reduce fever. Do this by washing one area at a time, starting with the hands. Dip your hands into lukewarm water, to which you have added some drops of lavender oil, and briskly massage the child’s hands. Proceed with massaging your child’s legs and back. You can also massage the soles of his feet. Another way to reduce fever is to seat your child in a lukewarm bath for a few minutes. Avoid covering or dressing your child with very warm clothing or blankets as this will cause his body temperature to increase. Make sure your child is well hydrated, either by drinking lots of water or Pedialyte. If your child is in pain and you prefer not to use Motrin or Tylenol, use essential oils at the area of the pain. (However, if the pain is intense, do not hesitate to provide the child with an option you know will help relieve it immediately.) For stomach pain, use a few drops of peppermint oil and massage the stomach. For headache, in adults as well, combine peppermint oil and alcohol and massage into the forehead. For ear pain, use MR Ear Relief, PanAway oil, or Thieves oil to reduce pressure from fluid that is causing the pain. For teething pain, use clove oil or homeopathic Chamomilla 12. Report any unusual symptoms such as unresponsiveness, seizures, or stiffness to emergency medical personnel for further instructions and care.

crazy situation,” and they’d just laugh together about the ridiculousness.

Shira Savit responds:

G. Meisels

Thank you so much for your feedback. Contrary to what many people think, I actually believe that overeating is a functional behavior, as opposed to “not functional” (which is defined as having no purpose). Any time we eat for reasons other than physical hunger, there is a reason. Sometimes we’re avoiding uncomfortable feelings, sometimes we’re triggered by the environment, and sometimes we’re eating in reaction to feeling deprived from years of dieting and restricting. Regardless of the reason for overeating, we can learn from our behaviors. When we’re able to relate to our actions without self-criticism and anxiety, we’re putting ourselves in a better position to make changes. When we recognize why we are turning

to food, and don’t judge ourselves or feel guilty about our actions, we are functioning in a healthy and healing capacity. My anecdote about the mother reaching into the freezer for cookies and initially beating herself up was actually a real scenario from my practice. Over the course of her time working with me, this mother was able to learn the voice of compassion and tune in to why she was eating at times she wasn’t hungry. She was able to be forgiving of herself, which allowed her to continue to eat in a healthy way the rest of the day or week, even after she finished all the cookies. (By the way, whether or not a daughter is “guaranteed” to copy her mother’s behavior of excessive online retail therapy is not in our control. What is in our control is our voice of compassion.)

Dangerous Message Issue #54: Springboard

I’m afraid that Esther P.s letter in regard

to intermittent fasting can spread a dangerous message. What she describes as intuitive sounds like disordered eating to me. What is intuitive about fasting for so many hours? Doesn’t a body need food to function?

Thank you for a thought-provoking, much-needed magazine.

Just trying to understand, Dear M. B.,

M. B.

We sent your question to Esther P. Here is her response:

I understand you for thinking this way. You are not the first one to ask me this question. Many in the intuitive eating camp feel the same way. However, I believe the key word in your concern is “to me.” Yes, it is true that fasting for long periods of time can be a form of, or part of, disordered eating. It may be a symptom of

Any health information, advice, or suggestions published here are the opinions of the letter writers 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.

Take care, Miriam Schweid, kinesiologist

Av 5780 | Wellspring 13

Springboard

Letters

Quick Question

What is the best (or least harmful) type of sweetened water? Lately, I have a hard time drinking enough plain water. I usually avoid sweetened water, but since I’m currently pregnant and it’s the summertime, I want to ensure that I stay hydrated. Please advise.

It’s great that you’re taking the initiative to include more water in your daily diet. Drinking a sufficient amount of water is vital, especially during pregnancy. Your best option would be to drink water infused by fruits or teas. Slice some citrus fruits such as lemons, limes, or oranges. Add to your pitcher and refrigerate for two to three hours. You can try this with cucumber slices as well. Fruit-flavored teas can work wonders too. Make yourself a cup of tea and add it to your pitcher of water. If this flavoring is not enough, and you need it to be sweeter, add a half a packet of Truvia or Stevia to the fruit-tea infused water. This is always a better option than commercially sold sweetened water. I hope this helps!

orthorexia or anorexia. At the same time, however — and this depends solely on the individual’s intention, mindset, and body — it can be strictly intuitive. Often, it may even be difficult for the person themselves to know exactly why they’re doing what they’re doing, which is why it may be wise to work with a coach or an individual with whom they can be transparent. If we feel deprived in any way, or our body lets us know that this isn’t what it needs, that may be a sign it’s not for us. All the best, Esther

No Agenda

Issue #54: From the Editor

I am so moved every time I read a new Wellspring issue. It’s clear to me that you have no agenda, only to inspire and educate our community and that means so much to me. I feel the emes, which is why I’m so drawn to every new issue.

I especially appreciated the editor’s letter in the last issue, titled “Beneath the Surface.” When we get introduced to new concepts, such as a new diet or an approach of shunning diets, we’re often quick to either embrace or reject it. We see it from our own perspective, with our own baggage, but if we take a step away, we notice that there are good parts and not such good parts to everything. It’s our job as thinking human beings to make decisions that work for us. I am in awe of how you manage to present both sides —

14 Wellspring | August 2020

Stay well, Shaindy Oberlander, INHC

all sides — while constantly relating this important nuance.

Lauren K.

Queens, New York

My Rebirthing Experience Issue #54: Wellbeing Feature

What a joy to read your exquisite feature on rebirthing! I loved the clear, Torah-based descriptions of the process and the wisdom that lies behind it.

I actually gave rebirthing a try because I found myself getting out of breath too often. Several times a day I’d feel like my breath had gotten stuck in my throat, like I needed a good yawn to clear it up, and I was curious about it. I knew I didn’t have a respiratory issue, but I couldn’t imagine what was behind this source of discomfort. When my sister-in-law mentioned the concept of rebirthing to me, I was in-

trigued and decided to give it a try.

At rebirthing, I realized that this was not a physical “blockage,” but rather a subconscious mechanism I had developed over time in an effort to “quiet my voice.” Releasing the baggage I was carrying there was an incredible experience, one that has changed my life in ways I couldn’t have imagined.

It’s important to note that, as Yair Shilo points out in his fascinating conversation, while the process can bring up dormant emotional pain, a good practitioner eases you into the process. You start out feeling very relaxed about it, learning how to breathe calmly, and only after two to three sessions do you start to get in touch with the oxygen-deprived areas. I believe knowing this takes away a lot of the fear people have about trying this incredible Heaven-sent mode of healing. If anyone has more questions on the topic, I can be reached via Wellspring. With much appreciation for the amazing work you do,

Gitty S.

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