Wellspring Issue #103 by The Wellspring

SEPTEMBER 2024 // ELUL 5784 // ISSUE 103

Back-toBasics

Your Eyes and the Outdoors

Breakfast Bites

HEALTH NEWS you don't want to miss

Tame the Overwhelm Seasonal Stumpers

Improve Your Focus

Fit To Be Tied

Too Much to Carry

Kitchen Cures

"He wasn't gaining and we didn't know why."

Pregnancy Loss

Don’t Be Held Hostage By Guilt

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COPY & RESEARCH

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

Health Advisory Board Dr. Chayala Englard Chaya Tilla Brachfeld, RN

Food Editor Aviva Emek Recipes Yossi & Malky Levine Styling & Photography Malky Levine ART & PRODUCTION Cover Design Aryeh Epstein Designer Rivky Schwartz Digital Media Rivkah Shanowitz ADVERTISING

Content Contributors Rabbi Yehoshua Belsky LMSW Rabbi Eli Glaser, CNWC, CWMS Rabbi Y.Y. Rubinstein Baruch Niebloom Fitness Advisory Board Syma Kranz, PFC Esther Fried, PFC

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

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CONTENTS

40 SE P TE M BE R 2 0 2 4 / E LU L 57 8 4 / I SSUE 1 0 3

Cover Feature

Second Opinion

60 Seasonal Stumpers

Community

Well Answered

Marital Health

40 Fitness

WELL INFORMED

Ask the Nutritionist

Cup of Tea

Springboard

Medical Saga

Spiritual Eating

Intuitive Eating

Torah Wellspring

Gut Reaction

Health Updates

WELLBEING

LIVING WELL

60 SEASONED

Hakol Beseder

64 66

Let's Grow

Wallet Wellness

Mind and You

FAREWELL 98

Holistic

Farewell

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and fare well.

Thank you for trusting ODA with your care while Upstate. Have a safe trip home!

!‫בלייבט געזונט‬ WELLSPRING / ELUL 5784

Welcome

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WELLSPRING / SEPTEMBER 2024

EDITOR'S NOTE

uch of what we do is so ingrained that we fail to see the inanity of the habit. Take gift wrapping, for instance. This two-thousand-yearold practice (yes, it’s really that old) is presently setting Americans back almost seven billion dollars annually. Yet, this form of gift giving apparently has some merit, or we wouldn’t be wasting so much time and money ensconcing our valuable gift in markedly cheaper paper. There’s a subtle psychology at play when we are presented with a wrapped gift. We immediately recognize that beyond the item itself, thought has gone into the presentation. The statement is clear: “This is a gift. This isn’t merely something I picked up. I took the time to think about what you’d need and I prepared it for you with care.” Even without any indication of what is inside, the wrapped box is exciting, in part, precisely because we don’t know what we will find. There’s the guessing and anticipation, but ultimately, there’s the certainty that it is something we will like. Of course, it’s somewhat dependent on the giver, but since it’s a gift, we take it on faith that it’s bound to be something good. As the new year approaches, we increase our davening, but the more we daven, the more we realize how much is unknown about the year ahead—and that we don’t know what we should be davening for.

WELL-PUT

The parallel struck me. A new year is starting and we are beseeching Hashem to make it a good one. The older we get and the more years that pass, the more clearly we know that we truly don’t know. Life has starkly shown us that we can never take the “ordinary” days for granted.

Of course, we need to remember that all of life is good—a gift, to be appreciated and embraced. But it isn’t a lack of appreciation that has us concerned for the future; it is human nature to wish we could more clearly see whether our prayers are being effective. A small part of us naturally wonders why the outcome needs to be concealed from our view. The question isn’t new, but I’ll posit that with the right perspective, the fact that our tomorrows are still shrouded in mystery makes our “present” so much greater. The gift of the unknown is indeed twofold, which reminds us of the popular pun that “our present is the present.” Irrespective of which definition you assign to which present, the statement remains true. It is to our advantage that our present, the current moment, isn’t overshadowed by all that tomorrow holds. We get to embrace the here and now, precisely because we can’t yet worry about what’s to come. But even the wrapped present that is our future is infinitely sweeter because of the “wrapping paper.” We already know the Giver, and so we know with absolute certainty that whatever He gives us is good. The obscurity, then, is clearly for our benefit as well. There is an extra dose of time, attention, and Divine compassion in the way our future is presented to us. Hakadosh Baruch Hu knows that wrapping paper enhances the joy of receiving a gift because it ups the anticipation. It also protects us from that for which we are not yet ready. It is that Omnipotent insight into the human condition that has Him concealing what is still to come. Seven billion dollars is an absolutely exorbitant sum, but if the money spent helps us better understand even an iota of our Heavenly Father’s love for us, it might yet be a price worth paying. Wishing you all a kesivah ve’chasimah tovah and gut gebentchte yahr!

tz i v o k h s r e H i r i z T tziri@wellspringmagazine.com

“Leave things open to Hashem. He has far more creativity and goodness than any human can imagine.”

- Chavy Fruchter, Cup of Tea

WELLSPRING / ELUL 5784

SPRINGBOARD

On Forgiveness, Priorities, Healing, and more…

Help with Healing Issue #102: Let It Go

Over the past few months, reading Wellspring has become an entirely new experience. I so much appreciate the new subjects being explored. Your recent “Let It Go” feature on the topic of forgiveness was special. Tziri Hershkovitz bravely discussed a hot topic in an open, honest, and straightforward way. I’m sure every person can take heed of her descriptive and insightful words and apply them to life in a very practical way. The examples she brought were real stories from the trenches, without trying to whitewash it at all. The lesson she mentioned about forgiveness through bitachon is a tremendous one. This is the ultimate way to live, forgive, and forget.

WELLSPRING / SEPTEMBER 2024

In my line of work as a Creative Journal Expressive Arts instructor and emotional wellness coach, I have seen that there are lots of very effective, not-that-difficult backend techniques that can bring a person to a healthy point of forgiveness. These healing steps are important to take so as not to push or force forgiveness; rather, to see it come forth naturally. Pushing or promoting forgiveness without healing first can backfire and build tremendous resentment, which can be hard to clean up later on. Connecting with our inner parts is one of the greatest aspects of healing. Once we give our inner parts a voice, credence, and some long-overdue nurturance, the parts within us then healthfully yearn for love and peace, forgiveness and wellbeing. It’s important that an individual seeking to forgive takes the appropriate healing steps first.

This way, the person feels connected to Hashem as they go ahead and let their grievances slide away. The forgiving experience is then a wholesome, inner-body, genuine one. Thank you Wellspring for addressing this important topic in such a courageous and accurate manner. I look forward to more of Tziri’s articles in the future.

In the article, Rochel Leah explains what happens when she’s touching a part of someone’s body—that was exactly what happened when she had held my left calf and tears just started pouring out, letting go of all the stress I’d held there. I will forever be grateful to her for that! Thank you for bringing her work to light.

Pnina Schoss, CJEAI Emotional Wellness Coach

Parting with Pain

R.F., Monsey, New York

Prioritizing My People Issue #102: Marital Health

Issue #102: Cup of Tea with Rochel Leah

Reading the article on Rochel Leah Ismaili took me back in time. A few years ago, I needed desperate healing and didn’t know where to turn. A friend recommended Rochel Leah.

Wellspring has changed and I’m here for it! I love all your new columns and different perspectives on health. I found myself lost in thought after reading your latest issue. So much to mull over. So much I want to do! Your column on marital health was also thought-provoking.

SPRINGBOARD

Quick Question Question:

Is there any way to get rid of a UTI without taking medication? My doctor usually prescribes Bactrim, but I find I get even more sick from the medication. My symptoms include a burning sensation and persistent feeling of needing to urinate.

Answer:

For an immediate solution, use staphysagria and cantharis. These are homeopathic remedies that provide almost instant relief. Drink lots of pure water and don’t drink any juices or eat citrus or spicy foods. Additionally, taking vitamin C and probiotics have been shown to help. Miriam Schweid, Health Consultant

I like a lot of what Leah Richeimer was saying, and she makes some good points. I hope to better recognize the value of my family members—not only when they ask for my attention. When I find a free hour in my day, I hope to remember that my workload won’t care nearly as much as my kids or my husband. I need to shift my priorities and I’m grateful to Wellspring for reminding me of that. Avivah Weinberg, Lakewood, New Jersey

An Effective Perspective Issue #102: Let It Go

appreciate how it is filled with so much inspiration and hope. Last issue’s cover feature, “Let It Go,” particularly stood out for me. While I knew about the importance and benefits of forgiveness, I had trouble actually forgiving the people who’ve hurt me in the past. Tziri Hershkovitz writes, “If everything in this life is here for a reason, perhaps some people exist solely to help us grow.” That line has truly helped me change my perspective. The people I had thought hurt me didn’t actually do that—they were Divinely placed into my life to teach me many valuable lessons. The shift in perspective hasn’t immediately freed me of all the hard feelings, but it has made it easier to start letting go of the pain. Thank you again for the amazing work.

Thank you for creating an amazing magazine. It is evident that much thought and hard work go into it. I

Miriam K., Brooklyn, New York

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

WELLSPRING / SEPTEMBER 2024

ARY E

HER SHKOWI T Z

P R OD UC T I ON:

It’s a family on the verge of a crisis. Kalman, an energetic young man, is in sudden need of treatment for severe eye pain. His young innocent Zalman survived a stormy camp activity with a fracture in his eyeglasses. The outlook is grim. Will they pay the price? WELLSPRING / ELUL 5784

SPIRITUAL EATING By Rabbi Eli Glaser, CNWC, CWMS

Inscribe Us for a Good Life We say in our Rosh Hashanah tefillos, “U’kesov le’chaim tovim— And inscribe [us] for a good life.”

As we all know, a good life starts with good health, and good health starts with good eating—for proper nutrition is the fuel that gives our body its energy, vitality, and the wellbeing to learn Torah and do mitzvos. We beseech Hashem with all our heart to judge us favorably this year and give us life, a livelihood, and peace of mind. “Who will live and who will die…who will live in harmony and who will be harried…who will be impoverished and who will be enriched…” We say these words, but what is our part? Can we honestly ask Hashem to value us if we don’t value the body He gave us to function in this world? Are we going to return home after a long day of davening only to lose ourselves in the meal awaiting us? We have such a wonderful and immediate opportunity to back up our words of prayer through deeds of action by enjoying the special Yom Tov foods while still eating appropriate amounts that leave us healthy and feeling invigorated, not bloated and fatigued.

How many of us have risen to such elevated spiritual heights in our davening only to fress our way to a freefall of indulgence minutes later? It doesn’t have to be that way this year. We can ask for a good life from Hashem in shul and show we mean it through our actions at the dining room table at home. But it won’t just happen automatically. Like with any worthwhile achievement, it requires preparation—of both the physical and mental varieties. And the month of Elul is the perfect opportunity for said preparation. Just as we work on improving our middos so we can enter the period of judgment on the best possible terms, so too, we need to work on improving our daily relationship with food. This way, when we come home from an intense morning of Rosh Hashanah davening, we won’t be left with the same overstuffed stomach and a handful of empty promises following the seudah. This year, let the actions of our mouths complement the tefillos we uttered.

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

WELLSPRING / SEPTEMBER 2024

CHAPTER 1:

► AT THE OPTOMETRIST ◄ The plot thickens. A tall, muscular man enters the room and looks the suspenseful pair squarely in their eyes. Suddenly, with his friendly smile, the doctor, a top rated professional in his ﬁeld, dramatically slashes the tension into fragments. Leaving behind a friendly, playful atmosphere.

TORAH WELLSPRING By Rabbi YY Rubinstein

STRAIGHT TO YOUR HEART AND INTO YOUR SOUL Sometimes you hear something and it goes straight to your heart and into your soul. Recently I heard a story from a rav, and that’s exactly what happened to me. He told a true story about a Yid who lived in Eretz Yisrael and had enjoyed a successful business life. In the course of his job, he had been able to help thousands of Yidden. Now his financial position had left him able to retire comfortably. His plan was to learn in kollel and for him and his wife to enjoy their children and grandchildren. The Yid went to get a berachah from an ish gadol, who listened attentively as he outlined his plans. The gadol sat carefully assessing the man, who was waiting for a blessing. He asked, “Why exactly do you want to retire?” The Yid explained that he felt he had dedicated decades to the klal and had done enough. Now it was time to focus on himself and his family. The gadol was silent, and his visitor wondered what was going through his mind. Then the gadol spoke. “You know, of course, that the Torah and Yiddishkeit place special emphasis on the right side over the left. We find this concept in countless 22

WELLSPRING / SEPTEMBER 2024

halachos, as in the very first laws of the Shulchan Aruch, which deals with dressing in the morning. The right part of a garment is always put on before the left. The idea of the priority of the right appears throughout the Gemara, Midrashim, and Zohar.” The Yid nodded; he was familiar with that fact. Then the gadol asked him a question: “Which side of your chest does your heart reside in?” The Yid replied that the heart is situated toward the left side. “Isn’t that a little strange?” queried the gadol. “In every other sphere, the right is favored, but when it comes to the heart, the most essential of organs, it rests on the left.” The Yid admitted that he had never thought about it and had no idea why it was so. The gadol explained, “The heart only appears in the correct place, the right place, when another Yid is standing in front of you. It’s when someone has come to you for help, whether for tzedakah, advice, or comfort, that he sees your heart and you see his, resting on the right. If you are not

engaging with and helping someone else, a Yiddishe heart isn’t where it should be.” The gadol explained that he could not give a berachah that would leave his heart “be’yad smol.” He told him that no Jew can choose to retire from helping Klal Yisrael; we can never feel that we have “done enough.” The gadol’s message went straight to this man’s heart and into his soul. He abandoned his retirement plan and instead embarked on several new projects that outshone all his previous achievements. They included opening a yeshiva, two kollelim, and a gemach for poor people. A friend of mine recently pointed out that the word “am” (people) in lashon hakodesh and the word “im” (with) are spelled the same way: ayin-mem. The very essence of the peoplehood of Klal Yisrael is when we’re with other Yidden—together and as one. We declare this in the Shemoneh Esrei every Shabbos afternoon: “Atah echad ve’shimcha echad umi k’amcha Yisrael goy echad va’aretz—You are One and Your Name is One and who is like Your people Yisrael…One people in the land?”

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► A PRICELESS SERVICE ◄ Smiling broadly, father and son calmly stroll out of the doctor’s oﬃce. Kalman with his prescription in hand, Zalman with his new eyeglasses proudly perched on his nose. The super friendly service was above and beyond their expectations. And the price? Absolutely nothing! Fully covered by insurance. WELLSPRING / ELUL 5784