Wellspring Issue #1

WELL OF YOUTH: TEENS, WHY YOU SHOULD CHOOSE YOUR PILLOW OVER THE TELEPHONE

A LIFE OF NO FOOD

what it’s like to be allergic to everything

KIDS’ P ULLO SECTIO UT N PAGE 1 9

SICK AND TIRED OF KLEENEX?

FINALLY, A CURE FOR THE COMMON COLD

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH

DR. MIRIAM ADAHAN

FEBRUARY 2016 ADAR I 5776 ISSUE 1

Brought to you by:

EAT WELL: WELCOME VITAMIN C INTO YOUR KITCHEN WITH CITRUS-BASED FOODS LIKE CITRUS CHICKEN SALAD

Editor’s Letter Dear Readers,

I

I remember rushing home from work one day several years ago, my mind racing through my to-do list, as I was deliberating a stop at the supermarket to pick up some vegetables. While I was waiting for the traffic light to change, a bus came rolling down the street. The ad plastered across its side caught my eye. It read: You look tired. I took a step back. Just the way I feel! I mused, smiling at the ingenuity of the caption that surely reverberated with all its viewers.

As I hurried along my way, my mind lingered on the ad. I thought of the seminary girls rushing to catch that bus at an unearthly hour, their eyes still unused to the light after a too-short shuteye stint. I thought of the businessmen whose schedules were too packed to accommodate much of a recharge.

And, of course, I thought of the countless young mothers, their heads too preoccupied with menus and wash cycles and work deadlines, who feel oh so bone-tired, always.

By the time I got home, bags of squash and carrots in hand, I had spent so much time pondering that tactical ad that I came to this conclusion: We’re all in this together. Baruch Hashem, the blessings in our lives are accompanied by myriad responsibilities that could keep us awake around the clock, and we want to do them right, one by one. But do we want to be so exhausted that we can’t appreciate the gifts? Can there be a better way?

Editor In Chief Shiffy Friedman, CNWC Nutritional Advisory Board Jack Friedman, PhD Moshe Weinberger Fitness Advisor LR Wilen, PFC Managing Editor Esty Cinner Feature Editors Rochel Gordon Liba Solomon, CNWC Copy Editor Gila Zemmel Food Editor Levia Joseph

As frum women, our quest for health is a lot more than a desire to join the ranks of the thin. It’s our fulfillment of the mitzva n’shimartem me’od l’nafshoseichem—so important that the Torah uncharacteristically adds the word meo’d, very, to the command. It’s our responsibility to our growing families, the next generation of klal Yisrael. It’s an inherent part of our role as the ones who elevate the physical to the sublime.

Creative Director Miriam Bluming

And if you feel that the scary world of health is just not your thing, listen to the words of world- renowned author and lecturer Dr. Miriam Adahan. In her exclusive chat with The Wellspring, she says, “Be proud of the smallest change you make and the smallest harmful impulse you resist.” Leading a healthy lifestyle is not an all-or-nothing deal; every step you take in the right direction is huge.

Digital Marketing Goldi Feldman Simcha Nunez

I’m excited to present this inauguratory issue of The Wellspring to you, the first of its kind. As a monthly family magazine created to serve as your ounce of prevention, The Wellspring is here to enlighten you about topics of interest and relevant health and nutrition issues that will help you and your family live the wholesome, rich life you deserve.

Feel free to send us your comments and critique so we can make The Wellspring read a fun, informative experience. After all, we’re in this together.

To your health,

Shiffy Friedman

shiffy@wellspringmagazine.com

Art Director Chavy Shwartz

Write To Us info@wellspringmagazine.com 694 Myrtle Ave. Suite 389 Brooklyn, NY 11205 wellspringmagazine.com The Wellspring Magazine is published monthly by MaxiHealth Research LLC. 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 purposed 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.

WELL-PUT!

I love the line that Shani Taub quotes in her article on changing your mindset: “Once you control your mind, you can conquer your body.” Do you agree with that? Check it out on page 11.

Production: www.mediaotg.com

Content

19

TEENS’ SECTION

By Raizy Kleinman

7

WELLNESS PLATFORM

By Rabbi Hirsh Meisels

8

HEALTH TIDBITS IN THE NEWS

By Liba Solomon, CNWC

WELL OF YOUTH

WELL INFORMED

10

ASK THE NUTRITIONIST

By Shani Taub, CDC

12

IN GOOD SHAPE

By Esther Fried, CPT

14

COVER FEATURE: A LIFE OF NO FOOD

By Shiffy Friedman

32

HEALTHY HOME HABITS

By Batsheva FIne

34

MONTHLY DOSE Bid Farewell To Kleenex

By Rochel Gordon

DIARY As Told To Rochel Gordon

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

RECIPES: CITRUS SEASON

By Levia Joseph

NUTRITION FACTS IN A SHELL

By Devorah Isaacson

4 The Wellspring February 2016

12

38 42

EAT WELL HEALTH PERSONALITY Dr. Miriam Adahan

By Shiffy Friedman

44

ME-TIME

By Batsheva FIne

46

WELLBEING

FARE WELL

10

37

INKWELL

LIVING WELL

47

24

CHILDREN’S SECTION

By Dina

34

14

Well Informed

Wellness Platform

WHAT FOOD DOESN’T GIVE YOU

T

The quest for healthy living is thankfully becoming more popular over time. As someone who cares deeply about the quality of life of our community, I welcome this phenomenon with delight.

After all, if we don’t provide our body, a pikadon from Hashem, with the fuel it requires in order to function at an optimal level, how can we use it to serve Him to capacity?

Often, people ask me, “If I’m eating only healthful foods, is my body getting what it needs in order to thrive?” Even coming from an educated person, this question is indeed sensible. Especially if someone is meticulous about his intake, ensuring that every meal is balanced and that his menu includes foods from the various necessary food groups, he may be under the impression that he’s providing his body with an ample dose of necessary nutrients. If so, why the hype about vitamin supplements? Where do they come into play?

As an introduction to the irrefutable answer, I’d like to share some research findings with you.

Several years ago, a study was reported on a possible method of repairing kidneys that have been damaged by uncontrolled diabetes. In order to test for results, the researchers used 300 mg of a certain B vitamin—this was the amount they opted for in their quest to generate results, as opposed to the amount we consume in a daily diet, which barely tips

By Rabbi Hirsh Meisels 2 milligrams. And note that according to the RDA issued by the government, only 1.6 mg of this vitamin is necessary in your daily diet. So, suppose someone gets hold of this study and decides that in order to cure his kidney disease, he’ll make sure to consume the daily required amount of vitamin B. Will it make a dent in his kidney condition? Not a chance, because 2 mg doesn’t

“Is it possible to receive proper nutrition merely from the foods we eat?”

come close to 300.

When the above study was reported in England, the BBC concluded the findings’ update with the following words: “One should consume as much vitamin B as possible by maintaining a healthy diet.” How sensible is that?

Thus, our original question remains: Is it possible to re-

ceive proper nutrition merely from the foods we eat? And the answer is as follows: Perhaps, if our lives wouldn’t be as stressful as they are, we would never consume even a morsel of unhealthy foods, we would inhale only pure air, consume only organically planted produce as opposed to the genetically modified junk, as well as natural milk, meats, eggs, and fish, and receive an ample supply of the sun’s rays, then, maybe then, the sole nutrients from our foods would provide us with solid nutrition.

However, because the facts of life are otherwise, the average person in today’s day and age will not receive enough of the nutrients his body requires in order to maintain a healthy operating system.

That’s where supplements, Hashem’s gift to us, come into play. Because we want to ensure that we’re doing our utmost to fuel our bodies properly, it is absolutely necessary for us to utilize supplements in addition to consuming a healthy diet. That’s the only way we could raise a 2 mg intake to 300.

In this column, Rabbi Hirsch Meisels, a renowned expert on healthy living, will deliver vital health information culled from his years of experience as the founder and director of FWD, Friends With Diabetes. The information was originally transcribed from his lectures on his hotline, Kol Beri’im.

February 2016 The Wellspring 7

Well Informed

Health Tidbits in the News By Liba Solomon, CNWC

MOTHER’S MILK: A NEW FORM OF MEDICATION FOR MS? A study recently published in JAMA Neurology suggests that mothers with multiple sclerosis who nurse their babies exclusively during the first two months after giving birth could increase their chances of a 6-month reprieve from the disease.

A medical team in Germany, led by Dr. Kerstin Hellwig of Ruhr-University Bochum, surveyed 201 women over a 4-year period from 2008 to 2012. The volunteers, who were registered with the German national MS and pregnancy registry, expressed their intention to either breastfeed exclusively for 2 months, not to breastfeed, or to breastfeed with regular supplementary feedings.

The findings revealed that only 24% of the breastfeeding mothers suffered a relapse within the first 6 months after giving birth, in contrast to the 38.3% of mothers who either bottle-fed or only nursed partially.

If nursing works for mothers with MS, the effects are surely positive for healthy mothers, as well.

WELL, THAT’S STRANGE! Coffee for Sleeping Better?

In a Japanese study that examined how to make the most of a nap, people who took a “coffee nap”— consuming about 200 mg of coffee (the amount in one to two cups of coffee) and then immediately taking a 20-minute rest, felt more alert and performed better on computer tests than those who took a coffee-free snooze.

Why does this work? A 20-minute nap ends just as the caffeine kicks in and clears the brain of a molecule called adenosine, maximizing alertness. “As adenosine levels increase, we become more fatigued.

Napping clears out the adenosine and, when combined with caffeine, reduces its effects and amplifies the effects of the nap,” says Allen Towfigh, MD, medical director of New York Neurology & Sleep Medicine.

Another reason to hug your trusty cup of Joe for another few moments a day!

A HEALTHIER YOU: LATEST VITAMIN RESEARCH Fill Up on the D! You probably think that going to bed exhausted every night is normal, especially after packing it in all day. But here’s some intriguing research that might help you raise your energy levels so the tiredness is only what it has to be. In a recent study done by a medical team in Scotland, volunteers were asked to cycle for 20 minutes. They were then given either a placebo or a vitamin D and, two weeks later, were asked to cycle for 20 minutes again.

These were the results: Those participants who’d taken the vitamin D were able to cycle longer with less effort and showed diminished levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which can cause raised blood pressure as it narrows blood vessels.

Says the lead author of the study, Dr. Emad Al-Dujaili of Queen Margaret University, “Vitamin D deficiency is a silent syndrome linked to insulin resistance, diabetes, arthritis, and a higher risk for certain cancers.” And thanks to this study, you also know that it’s linked to lower energy levels. Can’t afford that, can you?

8 The Wellspring February 2016

AN OUNCE OF WELL Nothing like a dose of omega-3 to make your heart healthy. Shown in studies to reduce the risk of arrhythmia (irregular heart beat) and atherosclerosis (plaque build-up in the arteries), omega-3 fish oil is the answer to your heart concerns.

IN THE POLLS Dust Off Those Sneakers!

TAKE THIS TO HEART You May Be Older Than You Look A new Vital Signs report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that three-quarters of American adults (around 69 million of us!) have “heart ages” that are older than their actual ages, leaving them at a higher risk of cardiovascular problems such as heart attack and stroke.

“Too many US adults have a heart age years older than their real age,” reports CDC director Dr.Tom Frieden.

“Everybody deserves to be young—or at least not old—at heart.”

The study found that, on average, heart age for adult men is 8 years older than their actual age, while heart age for adult women is 5 years older than their chronological age.

Want to be young at heart again? No surprises there.

The researchers suggest lifestyle changes such as consuming more heart-healthy foods and revving up those muscles at the gym. In your heart, you know what’s good for you!

If you ever find yourself feeling lonely in the gym, this poll is for you. A June 2015 Gallup poll reveals that more Americans are exercising consistently each week, with 55.5% indicating frequent exercise, more than in any month since Gallup began tracking this trend in 2008.

In every month this year, more Americans reported exercising for at least 30 minutes three or more days per week than in the same month for the past two years, indicating that Americans’ exercise habits may be improving.

According to the study, men are more likely than women to exercise frequently and younger adults, aged 18 to 29, are significantly more likely to hit the gym than those who are older.

February 2016 The Wellspring 9

Living Well

Ask the Nutritionist By Shani Taub, CDC

No to Cake, Yes to Pleasure How To Enjoy the Wedding Season—Guilt-Free

Q

My calendar this month features lots of exciting circles, which equal to many nights out. I’m looking forward to the simchos, eager to air out and enjoy the celebratory atmosphere. But by me, the preparation for an upcoming simcha is accompanied by the niggling question: How will I handle the food situation? On the one hand, how can I not indulge when the mouth-watering sweet table laden with hot fudges and Viennese logs comes rolling out in my direction? But, the good voice then joins the mind talk, reminding me how empty those calories are and how fleeting the pleasure will be.

What can I do to enjoy the wedding season guilt-free?

Shani answers:

A

The food dilemma at simchos and weddings can be tough—if we’re not prepared for them, both mentally and physically. The key is advance preparation, which I commend you for doing.

Here are some of the tips I give my clients in preparation for the wedding season.

Focus, focus, focus The first thing that you need to know is that the focus at the wedding cannot be the food. You’re

10 The Wellspring February 2016

going to enjoy the actual simcha and the people at the simcha. Food is not the main player here.

As soon as you take your focus off the food, you’ll enjoy the simcha so much more.

In general, I find that weight loss and maintaining a healthy lifestyle mainly require the right frame of mind. Once a person learns to focus on what’s important, the temptations decrease tremendously. I was overweight all my years as a child. Food was so important to me!

But then, when I finally set my priorities straight and learned to live with the right mindset, I not only lost all excess weight, Baruch Hashem, but I

Once you control your mind, you can conquer your body. also have the tools to continue leading a healthy, junk-free lifestyle. A client, who apparently understands the gist of my work, recently sent me this quote: Once you control your mind, you can conquer your body.

But eating healthy can’t only be in the mind.

You have to make it work for your body by giving it what it needs in order to be well nourished. How can you arrive at a simcha and remain focused on the simcha, not the food? Not if you’re starving.

Not if you haven’t eat since lunchtime and your stomach is offering constant reminders. I therefore recommend that you eat your vegetable and carb before you leave to the wedding, and eat the protein and vegetable when the main dish is served. I find that this balance of arriving to the simcha after a mini-meal and still enjoying the food with the guests works great.

The Viennese Temptation So at the meal, you have your chance to partake of the main dish. The Viennese table, though, is a different story. (I usually allow cut up fruits and vegetables from the smorgasbord or the Viennese table, but the rest is off limits.) Depending on the personality of my clients, I offer one of the following mindset tactics.

Let’s say you’re saving up money to buy a diamond necklace. When you walk into a junk store and the rows of diamond necklaces sparkle from the shelves, do you feel deprived? You know that this is junk. This isn’t what you want! You’re totally okay to walk out of there empty-handed because you know you’re getting something you want much more. The same is true with the Viennese table. If you’re not hungry, and you know you’re achieving the goals you really want, you’ll feel good about what you’re doing and it’ll be easy for you to withstand your temptation.

You’ll know you’re getting something you want

much more, something of much greater quality that will last you a long time. As long as you have this clarity, saying no can even be an excitement for you. To you, the food on the Viennese table is treif in the same way the food in the non-Kosher restaurant isn’t for you. You not only don’t need it; you don’t want it!

The second tactic I give my clients is this: Remember that the bakery will always be selling Danishes and the mixer isn’t running away. In fact, I have some clients who will freeze certain delicacies they like to enjoy when they reach certain goals. Right now, you don’t want it. Right now, it’s not good for you, but don’t walk away with a sense of deprivation. Know that you can always enjoy it at a different time.

So, the key points to remember as you prepare for the wedding season are:

Pre-simcha prep: 1. Enter the right frame of mind that the 2.

simcha is about the atmosphere and the guests and not about the food.

Never go hungry.

At the Viennese table: 3. Remember that you don’t want junk food.

4. Know that you can always indulge later; now is not the time.

With these tools at your side, attending a wedding will not only be a won battle; it won’t be a battle at all. You’ll be excited to go and you’ll return home guilt-free and happy.

Please send your questions to the nutritionist to nutrition@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.

February 2016 The Wellspring 11

Living Well

In Good Shape By Esther Fried, CPT

Rev It Up!

Eight Ways To Boost Your Metabolism

We all know the basic logic of weight loss: burn more calories than you consume and the pounds will disappear. But how does burning occur? That’s your metabolism’s business. While some people inherit a speedier calorie-burning system than others, and men tend to burn more calories than women, even while resting, the good news is that we can all take certain steps to speed it up. Here are eight of them!

Build Muscle Even now, as you’re reading these words in a relaxed mode, your body is burning calories. The more muscle you have, the higher your resting metabolic rate will be. Every pound of muscle uses 6 calories a day just to sustain itself, while each pound of fat burns only 2 calories daily. That small difference certainly adds up over time. Especially after you’ve finished an intense strength training class, your muscles are activated all over the body, raising your average metabolic rate.

Time to renew your membership at the gym!

Timing is Everything It’s not uncommon for you to hear this at dinnertime: “I’m so hungry. I didn’t eat since the morning!” And, of course, this is reason for double (or triple!) portions. In addition to the added caloric intake, something else is wrong with the system of waiting too many hours between meals: your metabolism takes a long, long rest. Having a meal or snack every four hours keeps your metabolism cranking, so you burn more calories over the course of the day. If you know you’ll be out of the house for many hours, grab an apple or a packet of corn cakes to keep your metabolism rolling.

12 The Wellspring February 2016

A Little Bit Harder So when you’re at the gym, you’ll realize the different types of players in the class. If you want to rev up your metabolism, you want to push yourself to your max. High-intensity exercise, such as an aerobics class, delivers a bigger, longer rise in your resting metabolic rate than low- or moderate-intensity workouts.

The same goes for when you’re walking. Try to include short bursts of speed to get your insides moving.

Water’s Your Fuel Your body needs water to process calories, so even if you’re mildly dehydrated—which can happen easily, your metabolism may slow down. In one study, adults who drank eight or more glasses of water a day burned more calories than those who drank four. To stay hydrated, drink a glass of water or other unsweetened beverage before every meal and snack. Also, and especially if you’re not fond of plain water, snack on fresh fruits and vegetables, which naturally contain water, rather than pretzels or chips.

Spice It Up This is a fun one: Spicy foods have natural chemicals that kick your metabolism into high gear. Another reason to try adding crushed red pepper to your stir-fry! The effect is probably temporary, but if you eat spicy foods often, the benefits may add up. Look at it like a little nudge in the right direction!

Power Up With Protein You know that proteins are better for you than carbs, but here’s another reason why. When you eat protein, your body burns more calories digesting it than when you eat fats or carbs. Of course, you want to keep your diet balanced, but by replacing some carbs with lean protein-rich foods like chicken, eggs, fish, dairy, nuts, or beans, you could boost your metabolism at mealtime.

Green Tea Wonders Drinking green tea offers the combined benefits of caffeine and catechins, which are substances shown to rev up your metabolism for a couple of hours. Research suggests that drinking 2 to 4 cups of green tea may push the body to burn 17% more calories during moderately intense exercise for a short time. Another excuse for more couch-time!

Not For You Crash diets sound tempting, especially when that dress is beckoning from the closet and the wedding is two weeks away, but diets involving eating fewer than 1,200 (for women) or 1,800 (for men) calories a day are bad for anyone trying to speed up the metabolism. Although you may see immediate weight loss results from your torturous efforts, it comes at the expense of good nutrition. Plus, where do you think the weight loss happens? A lot of it is muscle loss, which in turn slows down your metabolism. In the end, your body will burn fewer calories and gain weight faster than before you started.

February 2016 The Wellspring  13

Living Well

14  The Wellspring February 2016

Cover Feature By Shiffy Friedman

No, Thanks A LIFE OF NO FOOD THE STORY OF 19-YEAR-OLD ALEX VISKER, WHO IS ALLERGIC TO ALL FOODS, AND THEN SOME.

O

ne summer morning,

I was sitting outside with some friends at our favorite spot—where the sun and shade merge into a perfectly pleasant fusion, enjoying the peace and quiet that only the mountains and lack of school-bus rushes allow. Our easy chat was suddenly brought to a halt when the day camp counselor came running our way, her skin drained of color and her breath heavy. “Your daughter,” she managed between gasps as she approached Dina, one of the women in the circle, “I think she has a reaction to something.”

In a flash, Dina sprinted away, out of the circle of calm toward the day camp house, frantically desperate to see what had occurred to her four-year-old daughter. Out of concern for my friend, I followed closely behind, praying silently as we ran.

When Dina arrived at the day camp house, she found her Esther sitting on the floor, her face aflame.

“It’s okay,” she said to her, her composure slowly returning. “She’s had this before,” she turned to me.

“It’s never been this bad, but it’s only hives. I’ll give her some Benadryl and take her to the doctor.”

It turned out to be yet another allergic reaction to one of the world’s most popular triggers: peanuts, which meant that from that day and on, peanut butter could no longer serve as an option on my children’s lunch menu. This was the least we could do to save a life, I told my son when he whined, “But I love peanut butter!”

February 2016 The Wellspring 15

Living Well

Cover Feature

Life without peanuts, or life without eggs, could get tough, but it’s life nevertheless. What happens when the allergy becomes far more severe—when a person is allergic to food?

From a very young age, allergies were 19-year-old Alex Visker’s worst enemy. It started out with the basics. When his neighbors babysat him as a toddler, he was excited to taste the snack they were enjoying: peanuts, only to break out into a bad case of hives. From head to toe, his body was covered in red bumps, bringing an abrupt end to his snacking joy.

As he grew older, his symptomatic episodes occurred more and more frequently. At times, they were as mild as nausea, stomach pain, and headaches, but at other times, they presented in severe bone and muscle pain, sudden drops in blood pressure, chest pain, fatigue, and even stomach convulsions.

Anaphylaxis, a life-threatening whole-body allergic reaction, also became a frequent occurrence, rendering the use of EpiPens a common event.

Of course, his parents were desperate to help their son. By the time he was in fifth grade, the situation was so severe that they started to aggressively seek for answers. “Over the next six years, we took him to countless specialists, who performed numerous tests,” says Jodie, his mother. “But nobody could tell us what this was about. He was diagnosed with everything from constipation to anxiety.” Some doctors even ventured to say that this was all in Alex’s head, suggesting that a visit to a psychiatrist would solve his many problems, once and for all.

The one thing all tests and doctors agreed upon was that Alex

16 The Wellspring February 2016

had many, many food allergies.

As the months and years passed by, the list of foods he was allergic to only kept growing, their reactions intensifying tenfold.

“I could fill up pages and pages of foods that aren’t good for me,” says Alex. “And when I’m most sick, I literally fall into bed, lying in a curled up position and staring at the wall for hours.”

“It was then that I realized,” says Alex, “that I was, quite simply, allergic to food.”

The allergies that took a serious toll on Alex’s life, making him miss over 300 days of school, left his mother flustered. “We were ready to try anything to make him feel better,” she says. Of course, he followed one diet after the next, from elimination diets to alternative medicine regimens, only to be met by one reaction more severe than the one before.

“It was then that I realized,” says Alex, “that I was, quite simply, allergic to food.”

So what does he eat? Nothing.

In November of 2013, Alex essentially quit eating because the repercussions of this normally vital activity caused him too much pain and illness. The 6’2” young man, who weighed in at 155 lbs, lived on liquid foods that entered his body via a PICC line. Although he didn’t taste a morsel of food throughout that period, he felt better than he had in years. When the good feeling lasted through four months, his parents decided he should try food once again, hoping he’d grown out of his unusual condition. In no time, all the symptoms returned.

Now, the Viskers understood there was only one solution for their son: a feeding tube. Because he needs to provide his body with nutrition for survival all he consumes are bottles of hypoallergenic powdered nutrients. Akin to baby formula, he pours the liquid directly into his stomach via a permanent feeding tube in his abdomen.

Although the Visker’s family kitchen is fully stocked, every single item there could make him violently ill. “Every now and then, he’ll try something, just to see if his body has calmed down enough to handle it, but then he’ll break out in one way or another,” says his mother.

A short while ago, the Visker’s quest for a diagnosis led them to Dr. Gleich, who had worked at Mayo Clinic for many years and did research on similar types of disorders. Of course, they were relieved to have their assumptions confirmed—that their son has a real physical problem, possibly by the name of Mast Cell Activation Disor-

der. While mast cells normally help protect a person from disease and aid in healing wounds by releasing substances like histamine, when a disorder occurs, the mast cells build up in the skin, around blood vessels, and in the respiratory and other tracts, overwhelming the body and resulting in myriad unpleasant and even life-threatening symptoms.

Because this disorder is newly recognized, and it’s extremely difficult to test for an actual diagnosis, the medication costs are still prohibitive and treatment plans are mainly underdeveloped. Thus, for the meantime, Alex cannot eat any food.

He can’t go anywhere where there is latex, strong scents, chemicals, or places that are too hot, limiting his ability to socialize and spend time out of his home.

“Most people who have food allergies are allergic to four or five foods,” says Jodie, “but not to be able to eat food at all—that we’ve never heard of before.”

So what does life without food look like for Alex? He spends a lot of time with his grandmother on his hobby, wood carving. And interestingly enough, he always dreamed of being a cook. Even now, when food is completely off limits for him, he enjoys cooking for his friends and family and making food a pleasant experience for others. “Alex is a fighter,” says his mom with pride, “He has a great attitude and looks forward to the future with hope and happiness.”

The next time my son whines about his peanut butter-free menu, I have a story to tell him. And when I sit down for my next meal, sprinkling some salt over the steaming dish, my gratitude will be tenfold.

Peanuts for Peanuts?

You’ve probably heard this one countless times and wondered whether it was true or not. Now, here you have it, confirmed by the American Academy of Pediatrics. A recent study shows that peanut allergy rates fell as much as 81% when peanut-containing products were provided to children between the ages of 4 and 11 months, particularly those with severe eczema or egg allergies. Because peanuts can be a choking hazard, the AAP suggests giving creamy peanut butter to infants, carefully graduating to peanuts in their whole form by age 4.

About 5% of American children have a peanut allergy, which is higher than worldwide rates of 1% and 3%. In Israel, indeed, the rates are particularly low.

According to the latest findings, it may very well be thanks to the bamba diet many infants enjoy there.

February 2016 The Wellspring 17

Living Well

Cover Feature

Inside View A Chat with Hindy Bertram What was your introduction to the world of allergies?

When our oldest daughter was just under a year, she was diagnosed with severe allergies to milk and eggs. We also got an unconfirmed positive to peanuts, which means that although she hadn’t actually eaten any peanuts before the diagnosis, we knew to stay away from them until she’d outgrow the allergy. We took just as much care to avoid peanuts as we did with milk and eggs.

Which symptoms led up to the diagnosis?

From when she was about six months old, she started exhibiting reactions to eggs. Every time she ate anything that contained eggs, she would vomit violently. We picked up on the fact that this basically happened on Shabbos, which is when she ate matza balls and potato kugel, and the interesting observation was that she was totally fine until a second before and again a second later.

We thought she might have had a gag reflex, but when the vomiting didn’t let up, we found ourselves at the doctor once or twice a week. Closer to her first birthday, we tried giving our daughter scrambled eggs, and then a slice of cheese, and she vomited after eating both. We were intrigued by her reaction but had no idea what was causing it, until the one doctor in the practice we hadn’t seen before suggested that we take our daughter for allergy testing.

Do you know if she’ll ever outgrow the allergy?

She actually did. Today, at six and a half, she has no allergies, baruch Hashem.

She outgrew the peanut allergy at about two years old, the egg allergy at two and a half to three, and the milk allergy at around the time of her fourth birthday. It’s interesting to note that because she outgrew the milk aller-

gy at a later age, she never developed a taste for dairy—not even for ice cream. She’d rather have sorbet. I learned that it’s an aversion many kids have when they outgrow a food allergy. Another popular one is the aversion to licking peanut butter off a spoon as a sensory issue for children who aren’t accustomed to doing it for all those years.

How did you know when the allergy was officially over?

We kept testing every six months or so, and as long as she was testing positive we kept her completely off all three foods. Once we got a negative, we did a supervised food challenge—the first time she tasted those foods she did so under medical supervision just in case we’d gotten a false negative and a reaction would ensue.

What was life like for you as a mother of a child with severe food allergies?

In the beginning, I was devastated by the diagnosis. I thought life would never be the same. After all, which foods don’t contain eggs or milk or peanuts? They’re all over the place. But over time, I got accustomed to tailoring my menus and catering to my daughter’s needs. I also learned that when we talk about food allergies, the allergic reaction happens to the protein in the food, not the food itself, and when the protein is baked on 350 degrees for twenty minutes or longer, its properties change, thus eliminating the reaction. So, I used to bake cakes and cupcakes for my daughter while I had her stay away from cookies and scrambled eggs. We ended up making it work. Once we finally got the negative, I started giving her one bite at a time, gradually upping her intake.

Are any of your other children allergic to foods?

Our second daughter, who’s four today, was diagnosed with an oat allergy this summer. We actually tested her when she was nine months old because she had rough patches of eczema on her skin. It didn’t dawn on us to test oats back then, but this year we realized that a lot of the creams we were using contained oats and when we tried one that didn’t, her skin cleared up, which continued on page 31

18 The Wellspring February 2016

ut o l l u P n! o i t c e this s Dear Readers,

OF Y UTH

What comes to mind when you think of good health? A dry piece of rice cake? A boring plate of lettuce?

Leading a healthy lifestyle should be way more colorful than that! It’s a conscious decision to treat your body in a way that will help you develop into a healthy, happy adult. It’s making the choice to value Hashem’s gift to you while enjoying the vibrant world around you.

THE HEALTH MAGAZINE FOR YOUNGSTERS

In this section, you’ll learn about the various aspects of your lifestyle (such as sleep patterns, skin treatment, and of course, eating habits) that are affected by your choices, and how you can make the right decisions as you work toward your goal of achieving optimal health.

Recruit a friend and join this worthy endeavor. Get ready for a fun makeover!

Keep in touch,

Raizy

TEENS enSleep e T : e r u t 20 Fea 22 Teen Talk: Heart-to-Heart FEBRUARY 2016 ADAR I 5776 ISSUE 1

KIDS 25 Science Experiment 26 Body Language 28

Activities Brought to you by:

Well of Youth

Teen Feature By Raizy Kleinman

TEENSLEEP

B

ACK IN THE day when my life revolved around midterms, pimples, and licorice, I had a love-hate relationship with my bed. It worked like this: When I returned home from school, I secretly made my way to my bedroom, dropped my book bag, and relished the few minutes of bonding time with my pillow. That is—until my mother realized that the front door was left open. Once I was back in the kitchen enjoying her heavenly split pea soup, I was ready for the long night ahead. Somehow, one phone call would lead to the next and before I knew it it was past midnight.

I’m embarrassed to admit that on many nights, especially during play and exam times, I fell asleep in my clothes. Suddenly, I was in no mood to be under the covers. But when morning came around, and it came all too fast, the snooze button came to too good use. I guess you could say I went through high school mostly sleep deprived, which is sad, because sleep deprivation is actually a really bad state to live in. It affects your health, complexion, and your weight. In fact, some studies link sleeping less with an increased risk of obesity.

SO WHAT’S THE DEAL ON SLEEP? How much shut-eye do you need every night in order to develop into a healthy, peppy adult?

Here are the numbers.

On average, teens need about 8-1/2 to 9-1/2 hours of sleep each night. So, if you fall asleep at 10 PM (just an example!), you’d need to sleep until 7 AM to meet this requirement. I’ll let you do the math if you still see the clock past 12 PM—and don’t forget you must be in school on time. Sweet dreams, you say, huh?

Because missing sleep affects every part of your life—from relationships with friends, your ability to concentrate at school, to your mood, many teens end up missing out on making the most of their carefree school days.

So how can you ensure that you don’t fall into this category? You not only want to get enough hours every night, but you also want your sleep to be as restful as possible. Keep the following tips in mind to guarantee a more restful sleep:

The Wellspring February 2016 20

Establish a regular bedtime routine and stick with it. Once you see sleep as a priority, and you realize how important it is for your well-being, you’ll find the time to make this a real commitment.

Give yourself some well-deserved me time before heading to bed. For the last twenty minutes of your day, stay away from electronic devices and get into recharge mode. Enjoy a soothing bath or a long, hot shower and relax in your own company.

This could be a hard one, especially if Twizzlers are your BFFs. Eat less sugar, which can cause sudden rises in your blood sugar. Particularly if you eat them in the evening (or in bed!).

They may cause you to wake up in the middle of the night when your blood sugar drops low.

Do you enjoy brisk walking with a friend?

Great idea, actually. Exercise even helps you sleep better, but not when you do it right before bedtime.

If you’re like a lot of teens you know, you probably fantasize about a stick that extends your hand in the direction of the light switch. I remember countless nights when I just wished there’d be some way for that switch to follow my command from a distance! You’re probably best off turning the switch off right then and there, before you find yourself out cold. Light signals to the brain when it should go into wake mode and sleep mode, so by switching it off, you’ll help your brain sleep better.

When life gets stressful, you may find it hard to fall asleep. Even if you get to bed early because you’re super drained, your sleep won’t be fitful if something weighs too heavy on your heart. Talk to someone you trust and use this opportunity to connect to Hashem, so that you’ll hit your pillow with peace of mind.

TONIGHT, WHEN YOU CRAWL INTO BED, keep in mind the gifts you’re giving yourself.

Besides for having more beautiful skin, better concentration, and more patience and vigor, you’ll allow your body to recharge so that you can develop into a healthy, happy adult.

SLEEP FACTS YOU WERE PROBABLY TOO TIRED TO THINK ABOUT RISE AND GRIND Auto accidents increase by 17% on the Monday after Daylight Savings Time occurs, which is when people “lose” an hour of sleep.

SLEEP DEPRIVED? HERE’S HOW TO TEST YOURSELF! If it takes you anywhere less than five minutes to fall asleep, you’re considered sleep deprived. The ideal is between 10 and 15 minutes, which means you’re still tired enough to sleep deeply, but not that exhausted to feel sleepy by day. When you try this tonight, expect to resort to sheep counting!

DON’T TRY THIS! Talk about high school kids going without sleep for too long! Randy Gardner, a 16-year-old high school student in San Diego, California, stayed awake for 264.4 hours (11 days, 24 minutes). Gardner performed this stint as part of an experiment to see how sleep deprivation affects us. The doctor who monitored his health reported serious cognitive and behavioral changes, which included moodiness, problems with concentration and short-term memory, paranoia, and hallucinations. On the eleventh day, when Gardner was asked to subtract seven repeatedly, starting with 100, he stopped at 65.

When asked why he had stopped, he replied that he’d forgotten what he was doing!

After completing his record, Gardner slept for 14 hours and 40 minutes, awoke naturally at around 8:40 PM, and stayed awake until 7:30 PM the next day, when he slept an additional ten and a half hours.

SMART SOLUTIONS You know how much better life could be when you get a good night’s sleep. But what happens when you just can’t fall asleep? You’ve already counted sheep, thought through your day, and are almost seeing stars, but all you see is your bedroom ceiling. Melatonin to the rescue! Mel-O-Max is a unique combination of melatonin, passion flower, and valerian root that’s especially helpful when you want to regulate your sleep patterns, like when you’re returning from camp or a trip overseas. This natural supplement will ease you into a deeper, more fitful sleep and help you awaken in a calm, positive mood.

February 2016 The Wellspring 21

Well of Youth

Teen Talk By Tehilla Stern

Heart-to-Heart Tehilla: Let’s talk about your eating habits, Chani. We’ll start with the morning. What’s the first thing you eat on a usual school day?

NTH: THIS MO Meet: Chani J. Age: 16 Location: Boro Park, Brooklyn Favorite exercise: hoola hoop Favorite junk food: lasso (I like to eat it in clumps!)

Favorite healthy food: pomegranate seeds

Chani: A rugelah or two, and it’s usually during the first recess break.

My mother bakes all the time so I just pull some out of the freezer and stuff them in my bag as I run out the door.

On days that I’m up early enough, I’ll eat a bowl of cereal and milk before I leave the house, but that happens not more than once a week.

Tehilla: For how long does that keep you full?

Chani: By the time lunch comes around, I’m all ready to sit down for a meal. My stomach makes sure to remind me about that!

Tehilla: What do you generally eat for lunch?

Chani: Our school allows us to leave the building for about one hour during our lunch break. On most days, I go out with friends and we buy pizza or a sandwich. I usually buy a large salad and share it with a friend.

I stopped drinking cappuccinos last year because of their high sugar content.

Tehilla: That was a smart decision!

And do you eat anything until dinner?

Chani: (Laughs.) The other rugelach from my bag! I’m known as the rugelah kid around here. I like to have some snack during the last recess break, so if I’m out of my rugelach, I’ll buy something from the snack machine or eat what I brought along—like a bag of chips. I don’t end up eating a lot of sweets during the school day.

The Wellspring February 2016 22

Tehilla: And what does your dinner look like?

Chani: Especially in the winter, I love to start with a plate of soup. My mother makes the best mushroom barley soup in the world, and she makes it often, so I get to enjoy a plate of that at least three times a week, and then chicken and potatoes or pasta. We usually have cut up fruit for dessert.

Tehilla: Sounds like a well-rounded meal to me. Can you tell me what your eating patterns are like until you go to bed?

Chani: That’s a tough one because it’s totally unpredictable. On the days that I’m inspired by my friends who are diet-conscious, I’ll just drink some water and take more fruits.

On other nights, especially when I’m spending it with friends, I could really fill up on junk foods like lasso and jelly beans. Of course, I feel awful afterwards but it just happens on its own.

The Nutritionist Weighs In: Liba Solomon, CNWC In general, Chani, you seem to have a predictable eating pattern. Especially because you’re in school every day, your mealtimes are structured and consistent, which is a very crucial part of maintaining healthy eating habits. I commend you for giving up your cappuccino drink despite the obvious temptation. As you say, it is loaded with sugar. Also, it seems that your mother prepares you a wholesome dinner every night, which could wrap up your day really nicely— especially if her soups are full of veggies. Although there are several issues that could use improvement in order for you to lead a more nutritious lifestyle, I’ll address the most crucial ones: 1. Breakfast You’ve probably heard this too many times, but so much depends on how you start your day.

A busy teen may be tempted to skip breakfast, but it’s a bad idea. In addition to the physical drawback—you’re depriving your body of nutrients you need to function at peak capacity throughout the day, there’s also the psychological disadvantage. If you start your day right, you will probably want to stay on the right track for the rest of it. As well as keeping you focused, eating a balanced first meal early on in the day also helps you avoid those hunger pangs that have you reach out for your famous rugelach. So what does a balanced breakfast include? For someone in your age bracket who doesn’t have the time to sit down for a proper meal, focusing on the protein is important.

Quick, easy breakfast foods include yogurt (not the ones loaded with sugar!) with granola and whole-wheat toast with some natural peanut butter or eggs, and if you’re really pressed for time, you could grab a string cheese or two or a handful of nuts, which is preferable over skipping breakfast entirely. At your first recess break, you could enjoy a piece of fruit.

2. Whole Grains You don’t mention what kind of pizza or sandwich you eat for lunch, but this might be a good opportunity for you to learn about the bene-

fit of whole grains, especially for adolescents.

The difference between whole wheat pizza and regular pizza is far more than the color. When a grain is whole, you get the full nutrition package from it—100% of the original kernel—all of the bran, germ, and endosperm. Only in whole grains will you get a nice serving of protein (surprise!); fiber, which helps you feel full faster and longer, and aids in digestion; iron, magnesium, and several more fabulous nutrients.

In white flour, on the other hand, because the kernel was processed and stripped of all outer layers, all of those benefits are gone. Keep that in mind the next time you place your order!  Look out for this stamp on the products you purchase to ensure you’re getting the real deal!

3. Enjoy Life!

You say that you’re “inspired by my friends who are diet-conscious,” which tells me that you are observant and realize there’s something impressive in girls who are careful with their eating patterns. Of course, everything should be done within healthy limits. It’s important for a young girl to enjoy the healthy foods Hashem placed in our world— the rich array of fruits, vegetables, proteins and grains. Instead of indulging on sugar-loaded treats when you spend time with friends, enjoy some veggie sticks or cut up fruits, and continue filling up on water.

You’ll be surprised to learn how much lighter and clear-headed you’ll feel. We are meant to take pleasure in our meals and balance them in a way that we give our body the fuel it needs in order to grow and develop into healthy, happy adults.

Liba Solomon is a certified nutrition and wellness consultant specializing in guiding teens toward leading a healthy lifestyle. She can be contacted through The Wellspring Magazine.

To be interviewed for this column about your lifestyle patterns and to hear from an expert on how you can maximize your adolescence in order to develop into a healthy adult, please email us at teentalk@wellspringmagazine.com.

February 2016 The Wellspring 23

Well of Youth Topic

Children‘s Section

! s d i K Hey Did you ever get a special gift from your parents or teacher? You probably remember how you cherished it, how you kept it in a safe place and made sure to keep it far away from the reach of your baby brother because it was too precious to you. When something is important to you, you will do everything it takes to keep it safe and unharmed, right?

Do you know what Hashem’s most precious gift to you is? It’s worth a lot more than the gift your mother gave you. It is your body. Inside your body, an entire world operates meticulously, pumping blood to your organs, filling you up with energy and fuel so that you can live and grow and thrive.

So how do you treat this precious gift? You surely want to make sure to watch over it, right?

In this magazine, you will learn how to do just that. You will learn lots of tips for healthy living and also enjoy an array of fun activities that will enlighten you about the special gift you have. This is your chance to learn everything you need to know about being your body’s very best guardian—because no one can do the job better than you!

We welcome your input!

To your health, Dina

The Wellspring February 2016 24

Science Experiment By Leah Brach

WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR TEETH WHEN YOU EAT A PIECE OF CANDY? A sticky coating called plaque forms on your teeth. Plaque can cause you real trouble—it can lead to cavities, which are no fun at all. And if you want your teeth to stay nice and white instead of turning a dour yellow or brown, you know just what you need to do: brush your teeth. Perform this experiment to learn just what happens when plaque goes unchecked, and then, when you use that brush to take care of it. Toothbrushing can be a pain sometimes, but not after you see what wonders it performs. You’ll be brushing your teeth twice a day after this one—even before your mother sends you to the sink!

WHAT YOU NEED: One hard-boiled egg with white shell A glass A can of cola Toothpaste Toothbrush

WHAT YOU’LL DO: 1. Place the hard-boiled egg into the empty glass.

2. Pour the can of soda into the glass, making sure the egg is completely submerged in the liquid.

3. Try to guess what will happen to the egg and leave it in the cola overnight.

4. The next day, remove the egg from the liquid. What happened to it? How did it change from when you put it in?

5. Take the toothbrush and toothpaste and remove the stains from the egg’s surface.

Now, do you see what happens to your teeth when they aren’t brushed?

There’s a reason why you were taught the “Brush, brush, brush your teeth” chant back in nursery, huh?

February 2016 The Wellspring 25

Well of Youth

Body Language By Dina

Let's Explore Your...

EYES

The Eye in a Nutshell: HOW YOU SEE Your eyes are like a wonderful kind of camera. They take pictures of the world around you and send the pictures to your brain.

Similar to a camera, your eye absorbs light through your lens. Once the light passes through the pupil in the iris, the image is recorded on the back of your eye, your retina.

There, the image comes into contact with nerves that connect it to the brain, which tells you what you’re seeing. What a miracle!

TEARY-EYED? Here’s How It Happens!

You’re walking home from school on a windy November day when a breezy blast smacks you in the face. As your teeth start to chatter and you pull your jacket closed, you notice your eyes are tearing up. You’re not sad right now—you actually had a great day at school!—so what happened? Your eyes are watering. The tears from watering eyes help protect your eyes by keeping them moist and washing out dust and other foreign stuff that gets in there. Although they may be bothersome, they’re actually there to keep your very important body part intact.

Whether you’re crying or your eyes are just watering, the liquid in your eyes is created the same way. All tears are produced in the lacrimal glands, which are found under your upper eyelids.

Some of the tears drain out of your eyes through tear ducts—tiny tubes that run between your eyes and nose. Each tear duct is like a tiny bathtub brain. You have two such ducts—one near the inside corner of each eye. (You can see these holes if you gently pull down your lower eyelid a bit.) When the tears fill up your eyes, they drain out through the tear ducts.

If you’re crying really hard and the tears are flowing quickly, the ducts can’t drain them all so the tears stream down your face.

And have you ever felt uncomfortable when

The Wellspring February 2016 26

your nose started running while you were crying? That’s because some of the tears making their exit through the ducts end up coming out of your nose due to the overflow.

WHY TEARS? Your eyes can water for several different reasons, the most common of which is when you cry. But anything that irritates the eye or dries it out can bring on tears because the eye will try to wash it out or maintain its moisture.

You can’t always see the stuff that gets in your eyes. Have you ever walked into a smoky room? If so, you may have noticed your eyes tearing up as a protection against the smoke. Although the particles that make up smoke are too small to see, they can still bother your eyes.

Do you remember what happened the last time you cut up an onion? The fumes onions give off actually contain tiny chemicals that can get in your eyes and make them hurt.

So hey, it’s a good thing they were watering like that!

Because your limbic system, the system that controls your emotions, triggers the nervous system, which, in turn, triggers your lacrimal glands, the expression of emotion— intense happiness or sadness—will also lead to the production of tears. Now you have what to think about the next time you’re sobbing into your pillow!

10 Things to Think About: The average blink lasts about 1/10th of a second.

You blink about 12 times per minute.

Out of all the muscles in your body, the muscles that control your eyes are the most active.

Each of your eyes has a small blind spot in the back of the retina where the optic nerve attaches. You don’t notice the hole in your vision because your eyes work together to fill each other’s blind spot.

While it takes some time for most parts of your body to warm up to their full potential, like after you wake up after a deep sleep, your eyes work perfectly 24/7.

Your eyes are about 1 inch across and weigh about 0.25 of an ounce.

The cells in your eyes come in different shapes.

Rod-shaped cells allow you to see shapes, and cone-shaped cells allow you to see color.

Your eye can distinguish between 10 million different shades of colors!

Your eyeballs stay the same size from the birth to death, while your nose and ears continue to grow (not forever, though!).

Treasure your eyes!

An eye cannot be transplanted—more than 1 million nerve fibers connect each eye to the brain and as of today the medical world has still not figured out how to reconstruct those many connections.

February 2016 The Wellspring 27

Well of Youth

Children‘s Activities By Chavy

Moishy’s brother has a bad cold. Help him run to the health food store to purchase KiddieMax Yummy C.

1. What time did Moishy start running?

For your chance to win a special prize, send your completed and colored puzzle with your name and address to:

2. What time did he arrive?

Maxi Health Win 694 Myrtle Ave, Suite 389 Brooklyn, NY 11205

3. In the awning, write the name of the store you use to shop for Maxi-Health products.

NATURAL BUBBLE GUM FLAVOR

IMMUNE BOOSTER SUPPORT

The Wellspring February 2016 28

Can you redraw sick Zissy?

Circle the vitamins that you think will help Zissy recover quickly.

February 2016 The Wellspring  29

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And the best part is, the fight to take their vitamins is over! With R Maxi Health ’s delicious Panto CTM, Yummie C 250TM, Yummie C!TM, and Kiddie BoostTM, your kids will beg for the fun, animal shaped vitamins!

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n u F r i e h T n i u R o T d e No Ne

continued from page 18 prompted our new round of tests. Recently, when I brought a food containing oats into the house she vomited violently. Although it’s hard for her to stay away from her favorite cereal, which contains oats, we’re glad we got to the root of her allergy.

ents with food allergy specialists, where parents learn about the latest allergy research. They host a food-free Chanukah party for the kids and even send out food-free shalach manos!

What message do you have for The Wellspring How did you raise awareness regarding food readers regarding food allergies in chilallergies in children? dren?

After our older daughter was diagnosed, I wrote several articles on the topic regarding awareness and also providing allergen-free recipes. I also wrote a Purim survival guide for mothers of children with food allergies.

Are there any organizations that cater to the needs of these children?

In Lakewood, where we live, the Bikur Cholim is one of a kind. As far as I know, it’s the only Bikur Cholim in the world that has a food allergy department. They’ve arranged meetings for par-

I’d like people to know that food allergies is a serious thing. I remember that when my daughter was first diagnosed, people would tell me I’m overreacting. There were people who’d offer a cookie to my kid and say, “It’s okay.” On the other hand, others were so considerate. They wouldn’t let their kid go out with a cream cheese sandwich if they knew my daughter was in the playground. If a kid turns down a food, or a mother lets you know her child has an allergy, the least you could do is take it seriously—and appreciate that you’re not going through this challenge with your own.

You’re Allergic to… What?

With more than 50 million Americans who have an allergy of some kind, food allergies are estimated to affect 4 to 6 percent of children, and 4 percent of adults. And while allergies tend to run in families, it’s impossible to predict whether a child will inherit a parent’s allergy or whether siblings will have a similar condition.

You’re surely familiar with the basic foods that are prone to cause allergic reactions, especially in children. The eight types of foods that account for 90% of all reactions are eggs, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, wheat, and soy. However, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 160 foods have caused food allergy reactions. What are five rare ones?

1. RED MEAT

Common symptoms include nausea, vomiting, and itching, but because the allergic reaction is usually delayed diagnosing this allergy could be challenging.

2. RAW FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

Typically, the symptoms are contained in the oral cavity, such as itching in the mouth and

throat, and resolve on their own once the individual stops eating the offending food.

3. SPICES LIKE CORIANDER, CINNAMON, AND MUS-

TARD Spice allergy symptoms are similar to hay fever, but they can be much more severe. Because they’re ubiquitous in foods, it can be difficult to identify the source of the reaction and avoid the offending spice.

4. AVOCADOES, BANANAS, CHESTNUTS, AND KIWIS

These foods contain the same proteins as natural rubber latex, so people who are allergic to latex may experience similar symptoms when ingesting these foods.

5. CHOCOLATE

This is a hard one! Imagine being off chocolate for a day, a year, a lifetime… It’s good to know that most people aren’t clinically allergic to chocolate thanks to the extensive dilution process that occurs in chocolate production, so there aren’t that many people to feel bad for.

However, a small percentage of the population reacts negatively to the ingestion of the chocolate bean.

February 2016 The Wellspring 31

Living Well

Healthy Home Habits By Batsheva Fine

Tried and True: On Making Veggies Kid-Friendly

Miriam asks: I’ve read so much about the benefits of vegetables and how important it is for young children to receive the necessary nutrition from this vital food group. But, my kids are not in on my wishful thinking. As soon as they suspect there’s a vegetable in the plate, they won’t touch the entire dish.

Any ideas of how I can balance my idealism with their taste-buds?

Dina M., Flatbush, mother of five: As an eating therapist in a school for young children, I read a lot about research that was done on this topic, which conclusively show that children who have initially rejected a food must be exposed to it at least 8-10 times for the food to be accepted. So, in my house, we have the “one bite rule.” Every time I serve a food that my child rejected in the past, she must take one solid mouthful of it. In general, after several exposures, the food will be more familiar to her and she’ll usually begin to rate it more favorably.

Shiffy F., Yerushalayim, mother of three: Here in Eretz Yisrael, the kids come home from school at lunchtime so they usually enter the house famished. I make it my business to have some cut-up vegetables available right away, so that even before they start eating their toasts or omelettes, they get a chance to fill up on lots of peppers and cucumbers. I find that they’ll eat many more vegetables when they’re still hungry than when I serve it with their meal. Also, I try to involve my children in the vegetable preparation process. My four-year-old son loves to peel carrots and his younger sister washes her hands with soap and then throws the cubes into the pot. When the soup is ready, they’re excited to taste “their” work.

Kayla D., Monsey, mother of four: I stuff veggies into the places kids would least imagine they’d find them. In chicken patties and potato kugel, I blend in lots of squash. Even in chocolate chip cookies, I blend in some carrots! I know it sounds outrageous, but as long as they get some vegetables into their system, I’m okay with that.

The Wellspring February 2016 32

Gila D., Monsey, mother of six: In our house, we do a “name the vegetable” ceremony every time I want to introduce a new vegetable to the family. The kids come up with cute, silly names that make them excited to want to try the new dish. When I introduce it for the first time, I try to make it look as enticing as I can, either cutting it into strips and frying (like carrots!), or serving it with a sweet sauce (like broccoli, which they call mini-trees).

Also, I never force my children to finish their food. Who says the amount I put in their plate is the perfect amount that they need?

As long as they take a few bites and they gave the food a chance, I’m happy.

Chaya T., Lakewood, mother of five: I believe that if you make vegetables a scary thing, they’ll be a scary thing. Don’t assume your kids won’t like something. Because most mothers come to the table with the attitude of “you have to try just one bite of this,” they’re almost foreshadowing that this is something the kids might not like, which starts to frame their reaction before they’ve even tried the dish. So, I just put some on the child’s plate and say, “Here’s some fantastic roasted broccoli I made,” and wait till he gives it a taste. It’s a lot about context and attitude and not jumping to conclusions that because something is healthy, I’m going to have to work extra hard to get him to try just one bite.

Fraidy B., Boro Park, mother of three:

I find that most kids enjoy crunchy foods. My daughter eats crispy foods much easier and happier than any other kind. So, even if I’ll prepare vegetable soup for the rest of the family, I’ll make sure to cut up some peppers just for her. She’ll take kale chips anytime for the same reason.

Next up: Purim’s around the corner and with it comes the inevitable sugar surplus in the house. How do you manage your children’s sugar intake to maintain a healthy balance in their bodies?

Is there a healthy habit you’d love to enforce in your home? Let us know what it is and we’ll do our work to get the conversation rolling in your favor!

Smart Solution Maxi-Health Joins the Conversation As a mother who cares about her children’s health, you want to provide your children with as many wholesome foods as possible, ensuring that they receive their necessary nutrition in order to develop into healthy adults. However, because children tend to be picky eaters and somehow, they’re magnetically attracted toward food that is chock full of artificial chemicals and what not, this battle could be tough.

With the advent of Kiddivite, you could give up the fight. When you give your child one strawberry-flavored chewable vitamins every day, you’re nourishing his body with 30 natural ingredients from whole foods, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, which are essential for childhood growth and development after his first birthday.

In an era when even our fruits and vegetables are grown using techniques that minimize vitamin and mineral content, the benefits of Kiddivite are tenfold!

So if you’re disappointed that your little daughter won’t even look at the roasted broccoli in her plate, rest assured that she’ll receive that—plus barley grass, carrot powder, citrus bioflavonoid, lecithin from soybeans, and so much more in her chewy daily treat.

February 2016 The Wellspring 33

Living Well

Monthly Dose By Rochel Gordon

BID FAREWELL TO KLEENEX A Look At The Miracle Supplement: Maxi Biotic

I

DON’T KNOW ABOUT you, but by this time of year I feel like a tissue-producing machine. When my seventh grade sister asked me if I had an invention idea for her for school, no wonder the thought that came first to my mind was a tissue pouch for moms. Along with the cozy, blessed season of winter come the not-so-blessed constant colds and flu rounds that make our nursing duty of motherhood exaggeratedly pronounced.

With the cold season underway, don’t you wish there’d be a magic cure that would whisk those coughs away? Year after year, day after day, the mountains of tissues keep growing, threatening to fill more trash bags than you could count. And when you’re feeling under the weather, cooking up a pot of hearty vegetable soup seems like a distant dream. At the time of year when you want to be there most for your family, listening attentively to their school tales and awaiting their arrival with boundless energy to nourish the body and soul, you can’t afford to fall victim to this seasonal ailment.

This year, make it a cold-free winter. This year, thanks to the potent supplement Maxi Biotic, you could enjoy the beauty of the season sans its exhausting side effects. The miracle supplement, a combination of pure Kyolic odorless garlic with Echinacea extract, Oregano extract, and Earthrise® spirulina, is the antidote to your annual struggle with the common cold. Because you want to ensure that you know what enters your body, you probably want to understand: What exactly does this supplement contain?

The Wellspring February 2016 34

The garlic used in the Maxi Biotic supplement undergoes an exclusive aging process that eliminates the unpleasant odor and other side effects.

First, for the main ingredient:

Welcome To The Lab

KYOLIC ODORLESS GARLIC. In addition to the

Ever wondered what goes on behind the vitamin production scenes? Now’s your chance to take a peek!

rich taste garlic lends to those creamy soups and dishes you whip up for your family, garlic bears healing powers. Among the few herbs that are universally used and recognized for their beneficial effects, its daily use aids and supports body functions in ways that no other herb does. This potent vegetable, from the onion family that also includes shallots and leeks, is believed to ward off heart disease, cancer, colds, and flu. Its consumption lowers blood cholesterol levels and reduces the buildup of plaque in the arteries.

The garlic used in the Maxi Biotic supplement undergoes an exclusive aging process that eliminates the unpleasant odor and other side effects.

Thus, what remains is an unadulterated form of an herb that contains antioxidant properties, chock-full of good-for-you nutrients.

WHAT IS ECHINACEA EXTRACT? Think of it as Hashem’s gift to your body. Widely used to fight infections, it’s an herb that is especially effective in battling against the common cold, flu, and other upper respiratory infections.

OREGANO is a plant originally cultivated in the

Mediterranean regions. The herb is rich in poly-phenolic flavonoid anti-oxidants such as vitamin A and carotenes and has been rated as one of the plant sources with the highest anti-oxidant activities.

EARTHRISE® SPIRULINA, yet another ingredient

in this miracle supplement, is the highest quality and purest spirulina available. A blue-green algae, spirulina is extremely rich in protein (65%).

Even before the cold comes your way, you know you want these vital nutrients flowing through your bloodstream. With the knowledge that you’re giving your body what it means, you’ll be well-armed to make this your most productive winter ever.

What is so unique about Kyolic garlic, the garlic used exclusively by Maxi-Health in the kosher market? Although garlic naturally contains healing powers, its negative side effects can make ingestion unpleasant. In Kyolic, garlic becomes all good.

The production of Kyolic odorless aged garlic extract, a main ingredient in Maxi Biotic, begins with garlic grown on Wakunaga farms under strictly controlled organic conditions without the use of chemical fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides. Wakunaga’s garlic crop is cultivated with time-tested procedures to enhance its beneficial constituents. Quality control begins when the harvested raw garlic is tested for conformity to specified quality standards.

The unique aging process applied in manufacturing Aged Garlic Extract distinguishes Kyolic from other garlic products available on the market. First, the garlic cloves are cleaned and sliced. Then, under carefully controlled conditions, the sliced garlic is stored in a stainless steel tank and naturally aged, without heating, for up to twenty months. Through this unique process, the harsh and unstable organosulfur compounds are converted into mild and effective compounds, including the sulfur-containing amino acids that are responsible for Kyolic’s health benefits.This conversion eliminates odor-causing components, resulting in the truly odorless Kyolic Aged Garlic Extract that contains safe, stable, bioavailable and beneficial compounds.

Because the extraction process is so meticulous, the result is a consistent amount of effective compounds. In other words, every ounce of extract contains the same amount of nutrition and benefits, a very important difference that separates Kyolic from other garlic brands.

February 2016 The Wellspring 35

Living Well

Monthly Dose

In a study done in 2001, one hundred and forty-six volunteers were randomly given a placebo or a garlic supplement, one capsule daily, over a 12-week period between November and February. All participants were instructed to track their health and record their common cold infections and symptoms in a diary. The results? The activetreatment group had significantly fewer colds than the placebo group, confirming the hypothesis that garlic-containing supplements can not only heal but also prevent attacks by the common cold virus.

(PubMed) In another study regarding the potency of garlic as a medicinal alternative, researchers found that the average length of cold symptoms was reduced by 70%, from 5 days to just one and a half days, for those who took garlic supplements versus the placebo.

DID YOU KNOW? If you’ve ever doubted the specialty of garlic, here’s the confirmation: there’s a national garlic day! Every year, on April 19, the world celebrates the existence of this potent little vegetable.

It wasn’t for naught that Hippocrates said, “Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food.”

Now that you’re excited about garlic’s healing powers, here are some ideas for its health uses: AWAY WITH THE ACNE Cut a clove of garlic in half and rub it over the affected area. If you do this consistently, the antibacterial properties found in garlic cloves will help clear up your complexion.

TREAT COLD SORES Like when treating acne, cut a clove of garlic in half and apply directly to the sore. This may sting a bit, but it’s been proven to work just as effectively as commercial treatments for getting rid of those unsightly sores. It’s definitely more cost-effective!

GOOD NIGHT, SWEETIE If your little one is suffering painfully due to an ear infection, let garlic step in to ease his pain and allow him a good night’s rest. Crush a few fresh cloves and wrap them in a small cloth. Place the cloth in the ear and let it sit for about 30-35 minutes to do its work.

The garlic will not only fight the bacteria causing the infection, but it will also reduce the ear swelling and pain.

The Wellspring February 2016 36

FROM HEAD TO TOE Here’s another garlic plus: It doesn’t like fungus, which makes its treatment for your athlete’s foot work wonders. Crush a couple of cloves and toss them in a foot bath filled with warm water.

Soak for about half an hour to see incredible results.

AND NOW, FOR FUN! If you’re really adamant to make use of every clove in your veggie bin, here’s more.

GONE IN A JIFFY Garlic can be used as a pesticide in your garden, as well as a repellant against mosquitos and other insects. Either rub it on your skin to ward off those blood-sucking pests or leave out a few cloves in areas where they tend to flock.

SHINE AND SPARKLE If you ever run out of disinfectant, grab some trusty garlic cloves. Chop up 3-4 of them, toss them in a spray bottle filled with white vinegar, add a few drops of lemon juice, and you’re good to go!

Inkwell

18 January

Diary As told to Rochel Gordon

My New Lease On Life Life has been anything

but a picnic for me for the last sixteen years. When I was 22 years old, a young mother of one toddler, I was finally diagnosed with Crohn’s disease and colitis. I say finally because in a way, the diagnosis came as a relief. After years of suffering severely no matter what I ate, I welcomed the affirmation that yes, I did have a condition that caused my digestive system to react negatively toward a host of foods I was innocently feeding it. For years, I had uncomfortable symptoms like severe abdominal pain and cramping, and I felt weak and fatigued at all times.

Once I received my diagnosis, I looked at life in a new way. Although Crohn’s disease has no cure, I learned which foods were good for me and which foods to not even bring into my home because they’d flare up my symptoms.

I learned to pack my meals before leaving on outings or to occasions so that I wouldn’t starve while everyone around me was enjoying delicacies of all sorts. Over time, life took on a new routine. I got used to living with my condition and tried to make the best of it.

However, one side effect that continued to affect me over the years despite my religious treatments and precautions was anemia.

Because of the chronic intestinal bleeding that my body experienced, I ended up having an iron deficiency, which left me feeling wiped out. No matter how well I ate and how many hours of shuteye I treated myself to, I just didn’t feel energized. Imagine waking up every morning—after eight or nine hours of sleep!— feeling like you just don’t know how you’ll get the kids off. Throughout the day, I kept pushing myself to be productive, to manage the house, to provide for my family’s needs, but I knew that something wasn’t right.

You’re probably wondering why I didn’t do something about the anemia that was sapping me of my strength. But the problem was that I was trying. For years, I religiously ingested the required dose of ferrous sulfate, an iron supplement, to raise the iron levels in my blood in the hopes that this supplementation would at least alleviate my symptoms and at best liberate me from my lethargic state. And although I didn’t see much of a difference, and neither did the guys at the blood lab, I maintained this practice for fear that otherwise I’d be completely bedridden.

This was the story of my life for over a decade. But it is the story of my life no more.

On one of my visits to the doctor for a routine blood test, I expressed my frustration at my low iron levels despite my consistent ingestion of ferrous sulfate. That’s when he said to me, “How about trying a different brand?” His simple suggestion had a bulb light up in my brain. To me, iron was iron no matter which way you looked at it. How could one brand’s iron do the trick that a different brand just couldn’t? What happened next proved my faulty assumption wrong.

On my way home from the doctor, I made a stop at the local health food store. “Which iron supplement would you recommend?” I asked.

The kind woman led me to Maxi-Health’s liquid iron supplement named Ferrochel.

“Take these drops every day and you’ll feel like a new person,” she added.

Two months later, I returned to my doctor for yet another blood test. This time, I was delighted to learn that I wasn’t anemic anymore. Indeed, it is now three years later and I haven’t missed a day of Ferrochel. Why would I? My iron levels are doing great ever since and I am loving the new, energized me.

How has your health and wellbeing improved thanks to Maxi-Health? To receive a free bottle of the supplement that changed your life, send a summary of your story to inkwell@wellspringmagazine.com.

February 2016 The Wellspring 37

A simple beet.

Endless possibilities.

Organic, whole, peeled, cooked and ready to eat.

Available in your local supermarket.

Eat Well

Recipes By Levia Joseph Styling & Photography By Malky Levine

Dear cooks, What’s a health magazine without a recipe section, right? Food, after all, is a vital source of nutrition for our bodies. For some, though, the image of healthy recipes brings to mind boring, tasteless results. Can something really be good and healthy?

Before we sat down to conceptualize Wellspring’s “Eat Well” section, I jotted down my vision for the column with this misconception in mind. I wanted these pages to be filled with luscious photos and ideas that would tempt your palate—even its sweetest buds! But more importantly, I wanted the recipes to create that magic fusion of nutrition and flavor. While you provide yourself and yours with the nourishment you need, you shouldn’t give up on the culinary delight you deserve.

I hope that “Eat Well” makes that happen for you.

-Shiffy

Citrus Season

Your first step in fighting colds this frosty season starts in the kitchen! By adding citrus fruits to your menu, your dishes will be loaded with the much needed immunity booster, Vitamin C, as well as superb flavor and color.

-Levia

Pomegranate-Citrus Drink 2 small grapefruits 3 juicy oranges 3 tangerines 1/2 lime or lemon arils of one pomegranate

1. Juice the grapefruits, oranges, tangerines, and lime.

2. Juice the pomegranates (about 2/3 of a cup juice) into a separate bowl.

3. Divide the citrus juice among 3-4 glasses. Top with pomegranate juice.

4. To achieve the graduated color effect, use a medicine dropper to insert the pomegranate juice at the bottom of the glass.

Yield: Serves 3-4

February 2016 The Wellspring 39

Eat Well

Recipes

Citrus Chicken Quinoa Salad

This is a hearty, healthy salad with creamy avocado, nutty quinoa, chicken, and lots of bright citrus flavors. The perfect 1. Cook the quinoa according to package instructions– 1cup light dinner or easy lunch! quinoa to 2 cups water. Add salt to taste.

2. Pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the lemon juice into a Salad: large skillet over medium heat.

1 cup cooked quinoa 3. Add chicken, and continue cooking for a few minutes.

2 cups water Add the roasted garlic.

2 Tbsp olive oil, divided 4. Cook for 5 minutes and add 2 tablespoons of honey. Stir 4 Tbsp honey, divided and cook until the chicken is done and has a nice brown 1 cup juice from a lemon 1 pound skinless boneless chicken breast, chopped into color. Set aside.

5. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 2 tablespoons honey to 1-inch pieces the cooked quinoa and mix. Add salt, if desired. Place the 2 cloves roasted garlic, chopped quinoa in the skillet and fry without adding oil, constantly salt to taste stirring, until crispy. (Alternatively, this step can be done in 2 large oranges, peeled and segmented the oven, but is more time consuming.)

1 ripe avocado, peeled and cubed 6. Add cooked chicken, oranges, avocado and sliced Sliced strawberries (optional) strawberries to the quinoa. Stir to combine.

Slivered almonds and sesame seeds (optional) 7. To roast the nuts and sesame seeds, place them in the oven on 400 for about 10 minutes until they get a nice Dressing: golden brown color. Sprinkle on top of the salad.

1/4 cup fresh lemon or lime juice 1 Tbsp fresh orange juice2 8. To make the dressing, whisk all ingredients together.

1 Tbsp olive oil Pour over the salad and toss to coat everything evenly.

2 Tbsp honey Yield: Serves 4 Make ahead tip: This is a perfect recipe to make ahead of time because the flavors taste great after the salad marinates. Simply prepare the salad, cover tightly, and refrigerate overnight.

Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

40 The Wellspring February 2016

Citrus Braised Short Ribs

The citrus in this recipe lends a tangy flavor to the meat.

1.5 lb short ribs 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided 1 onion 1 carrot 4 garlic cloves 1/4 cup semi-sweet red wine 1 cup water 1 cup tomato sauce 3/4 cup juice from orange 1/8 cup apple cider vinegar 3 Tbsp honey 1 Tbsp apricot jam 3-4 squeezes from a lemon Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 325 F. 2. Sprinkle salt and pepper on the short ribs. Heat up a sauté pan up over medium-high heat with one tablespoon of olive oil. Sear your short ribs until they’ve developed a nice, brown crust. Set aside in a pan.

3. Slice the onion and carrot, and cut the garlic into small pieces. Heat up the sauté pan on medium heat and add the onion, garlic, and carrot. Sauté for a bit and add the red wine. Stir the vegetables every so often, until most of the wine has evaporated.

4. Add water, tomato sauce, orange juice, vinegar, honey, apricot jam, and lemon juice. Cook for a few minutes.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Pour sauce over the meat (in the pan).

6. Cover tightly and braise for 3 hours on 325 F. 7. Uncover and bake for another half hour.

Yield: Serves approximately 3

Does the thought of citrus fruits in your steak make you want to reach for the ketchup instead?

Be bold. Enjoy nature’s bounty!

February 2016 The Wellspring 41

Eat Well

Nutrition Facts in a Shell By Devorah Isaacson Here’s the place to check out nutrition labels for the nutrition-laden produce that come in their natural peels-- just so you know what wholesome goodness you’re feeding your family and yourself!

This Month:

Butternut Squash It’s good that the butternut squash has gained incredible popularity over the past few years, because its rich taste and impressive nutritious value make it a welcome addition to your kitchen.

(Source: USDA National Nutrient database) Principle Energy Carbohydrates Protein Total Fat Cholesterol Dietary Fiber Vitamins Folates Niacin Pantothenic acid Pyridoxine Riboflavin Thiamin Vitamin A Vitamin C Vitamin E Vitamin K Electrolytes Sodium Potassium Minerals Calcium Copper Iron Magnesium Manganese Phosphorus Selenium Zinc

The Wellspring February 2016 42

Nutrition Value 45 Kcal 11.69 g 1.0 g 0.1 g 0 mg 2 g

Percentage of RDA 2% 9% 2% 0.5% 0% 5%

27 µg 1.200 mg 0.400 mg 0.154 mg 0.020 mg 0.100 mg 10630 IU 21 mg 1.44 mg 1.1 µg

7% 8% 8% 12% 2% 8% 354% 35% 10% 1%

4 mg 352 mg

0.5% 7%

48 mg 0.072 mg 0.70 mg 34 mg 0.202 mg 33 mg 0.5 µg 0.15 mg

5% 8% 9% 9% 1% 5% <1% 1%

Butternut squash, the winter vegetable that adds a rich, deep flavor to your soups and vegetable soufflés, contains a whopping amount of vitamin A—even more than is found in pumpkins. A natural anti-oxidant, vitamin A is vital for the skin’s health and for optimum eyesight (the same vitamin found in carrots, which is how your mother probably coerced you into cleaning your plate in a jiffy). Research also suggests that natural foods rich in Vitamin A help the body protect against lung and oral cavity cancers. Butternut squash contains no saturated fats or cholesterol, but is a rich source of dietary fiber. Indeed, squash is one of the common vegetables often recommended by dieticians in the cholesterol controlling and weight-reduction programs.

Also rich in the B-complex group of vitamins like folates and riboflavin, butternut squash can be an especially important addition to a woman’s diet. Time to get to work with the cutting—you’ll work up your muscles on that one, as well!

Get Cooking!

A member of the pumpkin family, butternut squash has a pleasant nutty flavor and mildly sweet taste.

Fresh raw cubes add special tang to vegetable salad!

Toss some spray-oiled butternut cubes in a pan with your favorite spices: Onion, garlic, black pepper, paprika, and don’t forget the Cajun. A fabulous substitute for sweet potato fries—your husband won’t know the difference!

Lately, I’ve become so much of a butternut squash fan that I add it to a variety of foods. In addition to the soups and chips I create from this highly nutritious ingredient, I’ve seen delicious results when using it in vegetable pies and soufflés. Even the kids love the taste and color!

Try this!

This has become a favorite in our house: Butternut puree over brown rice. Sauté onions, garlic, and some butternut cubes. After adding the basic spices, blend the mixture and pour it over cooked rice.

The sweet, nutty flavor that the squash lends to the rice will give you the pleasure of empty plates— even from the younger set!

February 2016 The Wellspring 43

Wellbeing

Health Personality By Shiffy Friedman

A CUP OF TEA WITH...

DR. MIRIAM ADAHAN

PLACE OF RESIDENCE: Ramot, Jerusalem OCCUPATION: Therapist PASSION: Spreading the word about the importance of vitamin B SHE WISHES YOU WOULD KNOW: That most physical problems can be solved by lifestyle changes

AS AN ACCOMPLISHED THERAPIST WHO’S AUTHORED TENS OF BOOKS ON PSYCHOLOGY AND RELATIONSHIPS, WHAT LED YOU TO BECOME SO FOCUSED ON HEALTH AND NUTRITION IN YOUR CAREER? I spent the first thirty years of my life in and out of doctor’s offices and hospitals. As a child, I was spirited and creative, but often moody and physically sick. I was allergic to dust, wheat and milk, which felt like being allergic to the entire world. As an adult, I had almost every problem in the book, from colitis to anemia to hormonal issues, and eczema. But I wasn’t getting answers!

Every doctor tried something else, plying me with pain killers, steroids, and cortisone—one went so far as to remove my thyroid, which today I know could’ve easily been solved with iodine. I was a total mess, craving sugar all the time and feeling very agitated.

SO HOW DID YOU FINALLY FIND THE SOLUTION TO YOUR ISSUES? When I was thirty years old, with a child to care for, I was so sick I could barely eat. Imagine my shock when my gastroenterologist decided

The Wellspring February 2016 44

that my colon needed to be removed. One day, I stopped by a health food store close to my home, which I’d never entered before as I thought such places existed only for weirdos. Hashem had decided my time for healing had come. There, the saleslady gave me the name of a naturopath, Dr. Alan Nittler, who put me on a two week juice fast in order to cleanse my intestines and gave me natural supplements to build my strength.

WASN’T THAT INTENSE FOR SOMEONE WHO WAS ACCUSTOMED TO POPPING SUGAR THROUGHOUT THE DAY? It was agony. In fact, I remember calling him that first night, crying, “I’d rather die than stop eating sugar!” He calmly assured me that within three days, my cravings would ebb and by the end of forty days, my taste buds would revive so that healthy foods would actually be tasty. After six weeks, I felt transformed.

WHAT DID YOUR GASTROENTEROLOGIST HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT? Full of enthusiasm for my new way of life, I typed up a one-page explanation of Dr. Nittler’s

diet and made an appointment with the doctor. I naively thought he’d be delighted to learn how to help his patients, but instead, he tore up my page in disgust and retorted, “This is nonsense! What you eat has nothing to do with your digestion!

It’s all in your head!” That’s when I realized that, like most conventional doctors, he focused on medicating the symptoms of disease rather than treating the causes.

WHAT DO YOU THINK WAS THE REASON FOR HIS UNYIELDING STANCE? I’ll tell you what another doctor recently told me when I needed him to refill my prescription for thyroid medication, the only drug I still take. He joked, “Miriam, from you I don’t make any money!”

SO YOU FEEL THAT MOST ISSUES CAN BE SOLVED

BY CHANGES IN LIFESTYLE AND EATING PATTERNS?

NOW THAT YOU’VE BEEN AVOIDING THESE TRIGGERS FOR THREE DECADES, HOW DO YOU FEEL? Today, I’m in my seventies and I have more energy than when I was 20. My grandchildren know that when they come on walks with me, we’ll be going fast! But I do have to tell you that it’s important to take this lifestyle one day at a time. It may be overwhelming to think of a lifetime without sweets or other favorite foods. If you crave sugar, have chocolate (70%), but avoid products with artificial sweeteners. Yes, I’ve missed out on a lot of luscious desserts, but I have my healthy, which is far more pleasurable.

Today, I’m in my seventies and I have more energy than when I was 20.

Definitely. I do have to clarify that mental illness does not respond to nutritional intervention, but problems like emotional distress, auto-immune illness, headaches, migraines, reproductive issues, skin problems, issues with digestion and sleep, and of course, allergies, can easily be treated in this way.

I was lucky to discover that my problem actually has a name. It’s called MTHFR (methyltetrahydrofolate reductase), which basically means that my body doesn’t know how to utilize vitamin b9 and b12, and it affects a large portion of the population.

WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE TO THE WELLSPRING READERS?

I want women to know that choosing health is a decision they will never regret. It fills you with energy and self-confidence. In fact, my grandson told me the other day that he had an urge to potch a kid in his class, but then he thought to himself, “If my savta can be so strong and not touch sugar for 30 years, I can surely be a gibbor and resist hitting my friend.” Be proud of the smallest healthy change you make and the smallest harmful impulse you resist! And don’t forget to pray for help in breaking old habits. With Hashem at your side, you’re on the sure path to victory.

HOW DID YOU TREAT YOUR PROBLEM? I stopped ingesting toxins, which include sugar and white flour. I’m also a major fan of the vitamin B group, which is so crucial for the body’s development and maintenance, especially for women in the child-bearing years. People don’t know that with their own doing they drastically educe the vitamin B level in their bodies, draining themselves of energy and efficiency. The main behaviors that cause this trouble are eating white sugar and white flour, lack of protein, lack of sleep, artificial sweeteners, and lack of love and joy.

February 2016 The Wellspring 45

Wellbeing

Me-Time By Batsheva Fine

You deserve it!

PROGRAM THIS MONTH: Rejuvenating Herbal Bath Take one evening this month to relax in a warm bubble bath.

Especially now that we’re deep into the winter, what better way is there to spend a calm evening? To maximize this hour, try an herbal bath— which enhances the relaxation and even helps with healing. You don’t need to run out to the store for dried herbs because most options are available in your kitchen cabinet.

SAGE— uplifting, calming, and great for people with oily skin or back acne ROSEMARY— relaxing and great for alertness PEPPERMINT— energizing, clarifying CHAMOMILE— extremely relaxing and calming, perfect for dry or irritated skin GREEN TEA— energizing and mood stabilizing, also antioxidant, anti-aging, and healing Of course, lavender, rose petals, and orange peels work too.

HOW TO TAKE AN HERBAL BATH: While you could make little herbal bath bags, the best way is to brew a very strong tea ahead of time using the herbs. Brew 1-2 cups of very strong herbal tea. Strain and add it to your running bathwater. Then, take the remaining brewed herbs and place them in the middle of a washcloth. Gather the washcloth together at the top and tie tightly with a string or hair tie. Leave it in the bath as you soak, then scrub well with it before getting out of the tub.

The esteemed Rebetzin Zehava Braunstein a”h was known to say that if she’d have been able to rewind her life and redo it differently, the one aspect she’d change would’ve been to hire more cleaning help.

“The floors could be cleaned by anyone,” she’d say, “But only I could’ve been there for my kids.”

As mothers, we Jewish women are constantly juggling countless tasks simultaneously. While running from one (or more!) chore to the next, it’s not hard for us to forget about ourselves. Life has a way of taking over every crevice in our hearts and minds, leaving no space for us to think of the person who’s running the show. When that happens, we end up depleting ourselves of all energy, and what remains is a drained, exhausted shadow of a woman.

In order to maintain solid physical, emotional, and mental health, every woman should allow herself some me-time—small opportunities to shift her mind away from the daily obligations so that she can recharge her Mommy power.

In this column, you’ll learn some fun, cost-effective, and quick ways to boost your energy on a weekly or monthly basis. And when you’re carving out some precious time for yourself, remember that this is only another one of your selfless tasks— you’re making a better mommy for your children.

Sh! Me-Time in Progress

THE BENEFITS OF SPENDING TIME WITH YOURSELF

1. ENJOY YOUR OWN COMPANY. Many people relate being alone with being lonely, but that’s just not the case, especially if you

do fun activities you’d normally do with other people. Engaging in solitary experiences that are enjoyable puts us back in touch with our own interests and reminds us that we have the ability to make ourselves happy, creating a stronger sense of self.

2. CHEER UP. When we’re overwhelmed, stressed, or sad, we tend to focus on the negative side of things. In fact, even the

day-to-day hustle and bustle has a tendency to drag us down. By taking the time to actively process your emotions, you can head off emotional overload even before it starts.

3. SWEET DREAMS Every night, while we’re sleeping, our minds process the day’s events, consolidate memories and digest emotions, according to Shelby Freedman Harris, PsyD, director of the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program SleepWake Disorders Center at Montefiore Medical Center. Not only is it tough to fall asleep when your mind is running rampant, but many people who are stressed or anxious report spending most of their night physically sleeping, but feeling like their minds never turned off. If you get into the habit of performing stress-decreasing activities before going to bed, you’ll prepare your mind for a deep rest.

4. A BETTER YOU. Solitude has proven to help improve concentration and increase productivity. Look at it as preventative medicine to combat burnout!

The Wellspring February 2016 46

Fare Well

Food for Thought

There is no one giant step that does i�.

February 2016 The Wellspring 47