FEBRUARY 2019 // ADAR I 5779 // ISSUE 37
Live Your
Life Strong The crux of women's health specialist Dr. Chayala Englard's work
Let's Be Selfish Beth Warren with 10 steps to practice self-care
Say Yes to Carbs
Why you should not eliminate a food group from your diet
New Column!
Work Out Smarter, Not Harder 6 ways to firm up faster and double your results
Diamonds And Pebbles Along The Route Rabbi Ezra Friedman on navigating your way to happiness Hypothyroidism Changing your diet is not always the solution
Practice What You Preach This is your favorite nutritionist's go-to breakfast
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Editor In Chief Shiffy Friedman, LMSW, CNWC Nutritional Advisory Board Dr. Rachael Schindler • Laura Shammah, MS, RDN • Beth Warren, MS, RDN, CDN • Tamar Feldman, RDN, CDE Nutrition Contributors Tanya Rosen, MS CAI CPT • Shani Taub, CDC Health Advisory Board Dr. Chayala Englard • Chaya Tilla Brachfeld, RN • Miriam Schweid Fitness Advisory Board Syma Kranz, PFC Child Development Advisory Board Friedy Singer, OTR/L • Roizy Guttman, OTR/L
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The Wellspring Magazine is published monthly by Maxi-Health 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.
2/10/19 4:08 PM
From the Editor shiffy@wellspringmagazine.com
There is someone {us} out there for you One great perk of being the editor of this magazine is constant communication with Zahava List,
the narrator of our fascinating serial diary. In Unveiled, Zahava, who writes under her real name with refreshing candor and sincerity, reveals what it’s like to live with mental illness. While she is always upbeat and hopeful in our conversations, the last time we spoke, she addressed a painful issue, not only on her own behalf, but on behalf of those who still feel so stigmatized due to their condition. Recently, Zahava shared, several trailblazers in her community organized a groundbreaking event on mental health awareness. The speakers offered important insight on the subject, giving participants a better understanding of what mental illness means, how it exhibits, and the extent of its presence in the frum community—all of which was a great comfort to Zahava and her peers.
However, Zahava noted, she couldn’t help but hear the commentary from those who preferred to remain in the dark. “Why should this be addressed in such a public forum? If it doesn’t concern everyone, it shouldn’t be spoken about to everyone,” Zahava has heard fellow Yidden complain, both about this event and about periodicals in which mental illness has been addressed. To Zahava and others who live with such conditions, this antagonism is deeply painful. “Cancer doesn’t affect everyone,” Zahava said to me. “What makes discussing cancer in public okay, while mental illness remains a taboo subject? This only serves to further stigmatize the condition.” In every issue, our objective is to cover topics that are both pertinent to the majority of the population and those that will help individuals with a particular condition. Providing this balance of information has been one of our goals since our inception. When we plan our content, we don’t have a prototype of one reader in mind. Through offering a variety of content, our goal is to provide food for thought both to
Well-Put!
the health-conscious reader, as well as to the “I couldn’t care less about health but I care about my family” individual, and everyone else across the spectrum.
The current issue is one great example of this structure. Unless you’re one of the 2% of the population who has gotten their dental care down pat, the cover feature will help you brush up on that arena. As Dr. Moshe Ziegler points out, taking good care of our teeth should be a priority of every individual at every stage of life.
And then there are articles, such as Dr. Chayala Englard’s fascinating conversation on women’s health, that do not pertain to every segment of society. In this issue’s “Cup of Tea,” this exceptional pelvic floor specialist addresses some of the common conditions that plague women, especially during childbearing years, offering valuable tips on how they can be prevented or treated. We bring such niche topics to the fore on behalf of those individuals to whom it will serve as relief, as the thread of hope they’ve been seeking in their desperate state. When we interviewed Dr. Englard several years ago, the influx of messages from women who were relieved to learn that there was someone out there who could help them with their plight only served to drive this point home. As the frum community’s health magazine, we receive inquiries on a vast array of topics, some of which pertain to many members of the community, others to a smaller number—but none of which go unanswered. When we deem an issue too sensitive to be published in a public forum, one of our health consultants will respond to the reader in private.
Over the past three years, The Wellspring has become a welcome addition to many homes in Klal Yisrael. We’re grateful to have evolved into a source of education and empowerment to so many of you. As we take a giant step forward in order to provide more, we look forward to continue being that presence, rooting for you as you continue to take care of yourself and your family in a way that only you can. With a prayer for continued siyata di’Shmaya,
Sincerely, Shiffy Friedman
“Self-care boils down to knowing your worth.” Beth Warren, page
Adar I 5779 | The Wellspring 13
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Contents
WELLBEING
FEBRUARY 2019 ADAR I 5779 ISSUE #37
WELL INFORMED TORAH WELLSPRING By Rabbi Ezra Friedman WELLNESS PLATFORM By Rabbi Hirsch Meisels SECRETS OF A KOSHER DIETITIAN By Beth Warren, RDN HEALTH UPDATES IN THE NEWS By Rikki Samson FIGURES By Miriam Katz HEALTH ED Hypothyroidism By Laurah Shammah, MS, RDN WEALTH OF HEALTH Conference with Hindy Fried By Sarah Weinberger
22 26 28 30 36 38 42
80 82
LIVING WELL ASK THE NUTRITIONIST Can I Cut Out Carbs? By Shani Taub, CDC IN GOOD SHAPE 6 Ways To Double Your Results By Syma Kranz, PFC HEALTH PROFILE Client: Yonatan By Rachel Esses COVER FEATURE Mind Your Teeth By Shiffy Friedman AT THE DIETITIAN Constipation and IBS By Tamar Feldman, RDN, CDE CUP OF TEA With Dr. Chayala Englard By Shiffy Friedman MEMOS FROM A KINESIOLOGIST By Miriam Schweid
The next issue of The Wellspring will appear iy”H on March 20th.
16 Wellspring | February 2019
86 89
NEW COLUMN DIY By Miriam Schweid
EMOTIONAL WELLNESS By Esther Moskovitz, LCSW CHILD DEVELOPMENT Friedy Singer & Roizy Guttman, OTR/L SERIAL DIARY By Zahava List CLEAN SLATE By Shiffy Friedman
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Springboard
Letters
Tongue-Tie, Bedwetting, Order and Anger More on Tongue-Tie
Issue #35: Cover Feature
Thank you for your informative magazine.
Your article on tongue-tie was especially interesting, specifically that Racheli went to have the procedure for herself as an adult. Since at the time the magazine went to print she was still in the two-week span of her stretching exercises, her progress was not recorded. Could you share any update? I would love to hear about her post-procedure experience, and how her tongue-tie is faring now. invites readers to submit letters and comments via regular mail or email to info@ wellspringmagazine. com. We reserve the right to edit all submissions and will withhold your name upon request. We will honor requests for anonymity, but we cannot consider letters that arrive without contact information.
Thank you and looking forward to hearing from you.
Name Withheld
“Racheli” responds: My lip and tongue are healing very well, Baruch Hashem, and I love being able to lift my tongue properly! I was strict about doing the stretches to prevent reattachment, though it’s important to keep in mind that a new frenulum will grow back to some degree. I plan to start craniosacral therapy specifically for tongue-tie, so I can take the stretches further and hopefully release tension in my mouth and neck.
20 Wellspring | February 2019
As a side note, I experienced an immense amount of pain for 2-3 days after the procedure, even though I had been expecting to have an easy recovery, like my children. Apparently, the older you are, the more nerves and increased muscle memory you have. If you’re thinking about getting your children’s ties revised, do it sooner rather than later.
••• Thank you so much for the feature on tongue-tie. As a mother of three boys who were all affected by tongue-tie, one also with lip-tie, the information provided in the article was immensely valuable. As a professional who helps women overcome obstacles during the transition to motherhood, I encounter tongue-tie and lip-tie very often. The article and supplemental interviews covered every angle, explaining the conditions and how difficult they can be to diagnose, as well as providing information on where to attain a diagnosis. I was particularly impressed that the history of these conditions were covered, as well as why there is an uptick in diagnoses, which leads some doctors to believe the whole thing is a fad, and the possible genetic link. The advice
supporting extended nursing and how it impacts formation of the mouth was tremendously informative and encouraging. The article was thoughtfully researched and executed. I plan to hang on to my copy for use with future clients who may have questions. Yaff i Lvova, RDN
Our Bedwetting Experience Issue #36: Quick Question
First and foremost let me thank you for your very informative publication. I enjoy it each month. I would like to weigh in on the bedwetting issue, even though my two bedwetters are now married and parents themselves.
For one of my children, just giving her the responsibility to take care of her bedding and laundry worked miracles. For the other one, the only thing that helped was DDAVP (Desmopressin). Unfortunately, many years after the fact, we found out that he was abused in school, and his bedwetting was probably exacerbated by this. May Hashem give us health and nachas, and bring Mashiach quickly in our days. E.L. / New York
Quick Question
Q
My son recently started to urinate very frequently. After extensive testing, the doctors say he has an overactive bladder, which I think may be spurred by anxiety. Are there any vitamins that could help him? Also, which vitamins do you recommend that help get rid of fungus and bad breathe?
Name Withheld
Isn’t Anger a No-No?
Issue #35: Emotional Wellness
Thank you for your informative, professional publication. I look forward to it each month.
I’m wondering about the article about anger, in which the therapist discusses anger being used in a positive way. I notice that the article has no Torah sources.
In fact, Torah sources say that being angry is like worshiping idols (Rambam in Hilchos Dei’os and Gemara Shabbos) and that one who is angry subjects himself to all kinds of Gehinnom (Iggeres HaRamban). Mrs. Y. Homnick
Please see the response to this question in this issue’s “Emotional Wellness” column.
Order Does Matter Issue #36: Ask the Nutritionist
Thank you very much for your wonderful magazine. In the column “Ask the Nutritionist,” Shani Taub writes that “based on research, the sequence in which we consume our food has no significant impact on digestion.” I would like to point out the
A
Here are a few suggestions to help your son with frequent urination. He may have recently started drinking caffeinated drinks, which include coffee, hot chocolate, Coke, Diet Coke, and Dr. Pepper. These drinks are diuretics—they drain fluid from the body through increased urination, and should thus be avoided. I suggest your son take Maxi Health’s Maxi UTI™, as directed, for two weeks. This supplement helps support bladder health. If you believe that anxiety may be spurring his complaint, it’s important to deal with it appropriately.
Your questions about fungus and bad breath are related, since the appearance of fungus is a sign that the stomach enzymes are acidic, which also causes bad breath. Thus, I recommend taking acidophilus, which helps balance enzymes in the intestines. Maxi Health’s Maxi 5M™ is for younger children and Oraldophilus™ is for children who can’t swallow pills. Have your child chew 3 tablets, twice a day. This will reduce the acid, thus relieving the fungus and bad breath. If the fungus is on the nail, apply tea tree oil twice a day for at least 3-6 months. Take care,
Chaya Tilla (Tina) Brachfeld, RN, Health Kinesiology
Rambam (Hilchos Dei’os 4:6-7) does give an order in which food should be eaten, specifying that lighter food should be eaten first. Thanks again. C. B.
On Bedwetting and Tongue-Tie Issue #36: Quick Question, Springboard
Since the age of 3, my son has been way too large for his age, eventually becoming morbidly obese. We tried many different methods, from conventional medicine to alternative practices, to help keep his weight in check. When he was 14, we found out
about Mrs. Weider from Montreal and followed her method for cleansing the colon.
The belief is that many issues and conditions are rooted in a clogged colon. This was something we felt was worth pursuing, because my son had suffered from constipation since birth. Aside from it being the very first time my son successfully lost weight, we discovered a wonderful side effect: he stopped bedwetting completely! And although he ended up going off that diet after a few months, he never resumed bedwetting, b’chasdei Hashem.
In the article about tongue-tie, “Racheli” touched upon the issue of trauma in correcting tonguetie causing oral aversion. We ex-
perienced that with one of our babies. Yitty Friedman, a wellknown craniosacral therapist, does an amazing chessed with the newborns at the Aim B’Yisroel convalescent home. Whenever she sees the need for intervention, she does the procedure with utmost sensitivity and care. I actually saw my baby’s tongue come forward and relax while she was working on her, and, b’chasdei Hashem, we went on to have a beautiful nursing career. I enjoy your magazine tremendously. Hashem should give you further hatzlachah.
Name withheld
Mrs. Weider’s contact information is available through The Wellspring.
Adar I 5779 | The Wellspring 21
Well Informed
Torah Wellspring: Emotional Health By Rabbi Ezra Friedman
The Only Route to Happiness that is essentially our most pressing desire every month, is simchah, as the Shulchan Aruch states, mishenichas Adar marbin b’simchah. The sefarim tell us that true joy is the simchah that emanates from one’s avodas Hashem—Torah, tefillah, chessed, etc. In other words, our connection to Hashem ignites simchah in our hearts. The more connected we feel, the happier we are.
The hot topic this month,
There is no lack of comforts and counterfeit pleasures that an individual may turn to in his desire for happiness. True pleasure, however, is generated only by engaging in actions that connect us to Hashem. Conversely, when a Jew is distanced from Hashem, he feels dispirited and depressed. Every enjoyment in the world that is not derived from mitzvos and connection to Hashem does not have the capacity to give a Jew true pleasure. Every deed, both negative and positive, creates a malach. The tzaddikim say that the greatest limud zechus for klal Yisrael is that never has a malach created through an aveirah been born whole. This is because even if a Yid convinces himself that he feels good about what he did, in his heart of hearts he still experiences guilt. Since he isn’t fully present in the deed, it is incomplete, thus leading to the creation of an incomplete malach.
22 Wellspring | February 2019
When a Yid once confessed to his rebbe that he didn’t believe in Hashem because of the hardships he was experiencing in his life, the rebbe said to him, “I also don’t believe in the G-d you speak of. I believe in the Hashem who is good and loving.”
It may appear that an individual who engages in the pursuit of comfort and counterfeit pleasures is happy; he may do a great job in convincing others and even himself that this is the reality, but in a moment of truth he will admit that, as Chazal tell us, not only do counterfeit pleasures not bring him joy, but that the more he engages in them, the more dispirited he feels. If you want to feel simchah, you must find it in your connection to Hashem. But what if you’re engaging in Torah and mitzvos and you still don’t feel happy? Furthermore, what if you find you feel burdened and antagonistic, and you don’t see the connection between mitzvos and simchah?
G-d Is Not “Out To Get Us” In such a situation, one needs to regain the correct perspective concerning Torah and mitzvos. Hakadosh Baruch Hu granted us the Torah because of His great love for us. He knows that following its path generates the greatest pleasure a human being could experience in this world. “Ahavti eschem amar Hashem—I have loved you, says Hashem.” With an everlasting love—“Ahavas olam ahavticha.” The purpose of keeping Torah and mitzvos is not
If you’re finding my Torah to be a heavy burden, you’re carrying the wrong bag.
He knows that following its path generates the greatest pleasure a human being could experience in this world.
to “stay on Hashem’s good side,” and avoiding aveiros is not in order to evade retribution. Rather, “punishment” is a tool to cleanse us and bring us closer to Hashem, just like a washing machine is used not to destroy the garment, but to improve it. Hashem loves us and desires our closeness to Him. When a Yid once confessed to his rebbe that he didn’t believe in Hashem because of the hardships he was experiencing in his life, the rebbe said to him, “I also don’t believe in the G-d you speak of. I believe in the Hashem who is good and loving.”
The understanding of a G-d who is “out to get us” is an untrue belief held by other religions, and has no place in a Torah-true hashkafah. This is not our belief. Our belief is that Hashem loves us and is always on our side. When we are not infused with love of Hashem and fail to feel the excitement of keeping Torah and mitzvos, we are unable to be the happy, fulfilled Yid Hashem wants us to be. All humans are pleasure seekers. Hashem created us with a natural need for love and connection that is real and present, no matter how old or pious or self-sufficient we think we are. As a matter of fact, a profound understanding of this need is the secret to the success of all prominent PR companies. Their awareness of this need spurs them to create campaigns that leave us wondering how they managed to
convince the masses to spend big money on something as simple as a piece of plastic.
Diamonds or Pebbles If Yiddishkeit fails to connect us to Hashem, if keeping mitzvos fails to kindle in us a love for Hashem and a feeling of being loved by Him, then of course they do not imbue us with happiness. Conversely, they become a burden of do’s and don’ts. And in our quest to fill the need for connection, we erroneously turn to counterfeit pleasures. Thus, having the correct hashkafah is at the cornerstone of finding joy in Yiddishkeit. The Dubno Maggid tells a powerful mashal of a diamond dealer who went on extensive travels to acquire some precious stones. After hiding the diamonds well in one of his bags, he checked in to a hotel to get some rest. When he was offered to have a porter carry his luggage to his room, he initially declined, fearing for the safety of his treasures. But upon the porter’s further urging and his vow to deliver all of the goods in their original state, the diamond dealer acquiesced. Upstairs in his room, the dealer waited impatiently for his luggage to arrive. When a few minutes passed with no sign of the porter, he
started pacing his room, nervous and sweating. Finally, the porter knocked on his door and delivered all of his luggage—except for that one bag. When he asked about its whereabouts, the porter consoled him that one more bag would be coming up next.
Several minutes later, when the dealer heard another knock at the door, he hurried to open it. To his great disappointment, he soon noticed that something wasn’t right: the porter was sweating profusely, panting from the weight of the heavy suitcase he had just lugged upstairs. “If carrying this bag was so exhausting for you,” the dealer said to the porter, “this is not mine. My bag contained just a few stones that don’t weigh much.”
The Chioce of Purim Similarly, Hashem tells us: If you’re finding my Torah to be a heavy burden, you’re carrying the wrong bag. “Lo osi karasi Yaakov,” you’re not observing My Yiddishkeit, “ki yagat beYisrael,” because you’re working too hard. My Yiddishkeit is a pleasure to keep. My Yiddishkeit feels light on the heart.
On Purim, something wondrous occurred: the Yidden reaccepted the Torah. This time, the Gemara notes, was
Adar I 5779 | The Wellspring 23
Well Informed
Torah Wellspring: Emotional Health By Rabbi Ezra Friedman
However, the avodah of Purim is considered to be on a higher madreigah, because serving Hashem through love and joy is the ultimate approach in observing the Torah. profoundly different from the first time the Yidden accepted the Torah: they accepted it mei’ahavah, from love. If they were anyway obligated to observe the Torah, what made choosing the Torah so special?
Embrace Haman and Mordechai The sefarim tell us that the way the Yidden originally accepted the Torah, without a choice, is not the ideal way in which Hashem wants us to observe it. He wants us to embrace the Torah, to be emotionally connected to it, not to fulfill its commandments because we must. He wants us each to internalize ki hi chayecha v’orech yamecha, to feel that without Torah we simply can’t function. Ubacharta bachaim, he wants us to choose Torah, to see the life in it and to make an active decision to pursue it. The sefarim tell us that Yom Kippur is only “like” Purim, that there is an element in Purim that is even greater than the holiest day of the year. Yom Kippur is a day of fear. Yes, yirah is also an important component in the service of Hashem. We must have boundaries to live by. Saying that we love Hashem without following His guidelines is not authentic Yiddishkeit either. However, the avodah of Purim is considered to be on a higher madreigah, because serving Hashem through love and joy is the ultimate approach in observing the Torah. We first needed the kafah aleihem har kegigis—to be compelled to keep the Torah, but the ideal way to serve Hashem is out of love. Consid-
24 Wellspring | February 2019
er a child who doesn’t yet understand what’s good for him. There are times when he needs to be coerced into doing what’s best for him. As he matures, he begins to understand this independently. What starts out as coercion must metamorphose into actions done from his own free will. For this reason, Purim has a greater kedushah. It embodies the ideal approach to Torah—embracing it with love, with simchah. Fasting and self-affliction is not the ideal service. Once a Yid grasps that Hashem loves him always and he thus understands that everything that happens in his life is for his good, he no longer differentiates between Haman and Mordechai. He is grateful for every part of his life, both the tzaros and the simchos, with the same fervor. He simply feels Hashem’s love all day, every day.
WHEN YOU'RE HAPPY,
EVERY THING FALLS INTO PLACE.
The Gemara tells us that when Rav Masna started his discourse on Purim, he cited the verse (Devarim 4:7), “Ki mi goy gadol asher lo Elokim kerovim eilav… bechol kareinu eilav.”
No Nation Like Us The essence of Purim is this: Which nation is like us, so close to Hashem, that whenever we call to Him He answers us? Purim is a time when His love for us, and thus His desire to hear from us, is reinforced. Living with such a perspective makes keeping Torah and mitzvos a fulfilling and joyous experience. May we merit connecting to the true joy of Yiddishkeit and to feel the love of Hashem in our lives.
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