Don't Forget to Drink Water While You Enjoy Your Summer Fun!

As I am getting older staying out of the hospital for any reason is a general goal.  What is shocking to me is to see friends have surgeries for a number of reasons.  Recently, our family came back from a lovely 8 day cruise where we did lots of signtseeing and touring and I got in an average of 14,000 steps per day, and that was just walking back and forth on the cruise ship.  The energy it took to manage that was much more of a challenge then it has been in the past and for that I am concerned.  When I got home it took me at least a week to get my energy back.  I may have picked up a virus, too, as there were crowded ships, airports and planes we passed through and there is a summer Covid strain to be aware of, as well as summer allergies. 

 I also don't drink enough water.  I usually make fun of the friends and family who carry large water bottles all day, but to be honest, I forget to drink enough water, and as I age, that may be more of a liability than I am willing to admit. It would be best if it were plain water but other sources such as fruits and vegetables contain some liquid, as well.  The scary part is that you don't even know you are dehydrated until things start going downhill.

  Symptoms to look for are feeling tired, nauseated, dizzy or confused. Check the color of your urine.  The darker it is the more dehydrated you are and light or no colored urine indicates positive hydration.  If it is cooler outside you may not notice feeling sweaty. The current recommended amount of water per day is 15.5 cups for a male adult and 11.5 cups for women. That would be equal to about five 16 oz. bottles of water per day for women and seven bottles for men, on average.  I even took out an old Yeti bottle and measured how much water it contains.  Three cups of water per fill up for those of you interested. That would mean you would have to drink four or five fill up Yeti bottles per day.  Does that happen? 

 It is interesting to me how our society behavior has changed since I was in college.  I joined a running group at Ohio State and learned to run the entire campus when I was 19 years old.  I dropped weight and met others who also enjoyed this activity.  After I had kids I started running again in my mid thirties and when the kids got into high school we ran 5 K's every month.  It was fun and good for all our health.  I have written a few times about the Blossom Run which just happened this Memorial Day and I am sorry to say that I don't run 5.5 miles within the average race time of 30 minutes to over and hour like my kids and the younger generation can.  This time I pushed the grandchildren in strollers and did the 1 mile walk.  It was fun and allowed me to participate rather than be a bystander.  We walked the 1 mile in 25 minutes.  I used to do a 5K in about that time.  Rather than feel sorry for myself I am going to keep exercising as I can and eat healthy and stay out of the hospital.

Pass the Turkey and Pass the Baton

 Today is the day after Thanksgiving 2023.  I felt sorry for myself as everyone in the family had another place to go for Thanksgiving dinner.  My oldest daughter, who is a family doctor in Columbus, was busy taking call over the Thanksgiving holiday and unable to join us.  I talk to her every day and have done so for going on the three years of her residency program. It helps me make sure for myself, and maybe for her, that she is okay and gets home safely as she drives from various day or night shifts to get to her apartment where she then crashes to sleep and barely eats.  Some of my other kids have in-laws to share the holidays with and that is lovely. I remember needing to do that with my in-laws years ago when they were alive.

I try to contact family and friends and let them know they always have a place to come to if they need for the holidays, actually any holiday. Many of them had plans with their own families and so began my pity party.  Until earlier in the week when I got calls from family who said their plans changed and they were coming.  It was lovely and exhausting!  I got to make gravy with my oldest brother like we used to and argue over recipes that I wanted to try for the first time but did not have proper pans or know the actual recipe.  My husband got to carve a big turkey like we did in the past when the kids were young and my deceased brother who passed away on Thanksgiving several years ago, as well as parents and other relatives, were still alive.  

But what is special about this and future holidays are my grandchildren and their cousins.  This next  generation is an inspiration.  We had kids playing piano and blocks and exploring the house.  We had macaroni and cheese and fruit available as the menu item of choice for them.  We made brownies and ate pumpkin pie with whipped cream out of a can. We also had disappointed faces all around when mom and dad said it was time to go home.  Everyone took home plenty of the extra food that was served and after running the dishwasher about five times that day I sat down and crashed myself from exhaustion.  I admit I am not twenty anymore but I look forward to the future and another houseful of noisy children big and small.

While you are Busy Saving the World...Don't Forget to Save Time for You

 I am watching the generation change..literally.  My closest friends from synagogue, family or neighbors, whom I loved to share stories about the "good ole days" with, are passing away with regularity.  It makes me so sad that I find myself weeping over it.  After my brother passed away some years ago I promised myself I would not attend any more funerals.  It hurt too much.  Then this thing called Zoom came along during the pandemic where you could listen to a funeral without actually attending and for now this seems to be a suitable alternative.  I try to voluneer for projects that bring me joy.  I am involved in putting together a cookbook for our synagogue that has been active for going on 160 years in 2026.  This congregation has had recipe files from the 1950's in metal boxes for sale and xerox copies of congregant recipes that were passed out and even recipes included in Tribute books of honories.  But never a real collected and professionally printed cookbook.  I decided it was time.  Obviously, I was not in charge of the cookbook, but, after going through several cookbook meetings and a Covid Pandemic, who knew that was coming, we are "back on the path", as I have written about previously, and hopefully by November we will go to print.  

Another area of concern is the heat, fires and earthquakes that occur.  Seriously, you cannot turn on the news and not hear about another tragedy occuring in a place that I have truly enjoyed visiting in the past.  Recently, we attended a family wedding on the east coast and the temperature was in the mid 90's and the humidity was intolerable.  It made the temperature feel like it was in the low 100's.  You couldn't safely be in this weather outside for too long without needing water and potentially passing out from heat exposure. Yet people work ouside, the homeless live on the streets, and yes, communities have cooling shelters, but are they used and will this ultimately turn into a normal way of life?  Where I live in the snow belt, one day we had two feet of snow and 80 degrees in the same day!  It was so weird.  Five years ago for my birthday I was treated to a trip to Maui, in Hawaii.  We had been there with the kids and my mother about 15 years before and had a great time.  Last week in the news Lahaina, the capital city for native Hawaiians, and one of our favorite places to visit, broke out in flames.  Many people died and lost their homes.  It is a tragedy.  I wanted to visit Morocco, as my friend recently went, and this city just experienced a massive earthquake.  

Don't misunderstand, I sympathize with the tragedy that befell these areas of the world and donate when I can to help. But one of the points of this mention is you have to take care of yourself first in order to be able to help others no matter what the trouble.  And there will always be troubles somewhere of all kinds. So how do you help yourself?  Get enough rest, take a day off, if you are able, read a book or watch a silly show on television. Listen to music, meditate when you can, take a walk, do a session of yoga, tai chi or swim.  As I have said before try to eat healthy.  More fruits and vegetables, proteins and healthy carbohydrates when you have the opportunity.  My favorite is to make a to-do list or write in a journal which is basically what I am doing now.  Happy New Year Rosh Hashanah 5784 L'Shanah Tovah! 

Endemic Wins! The Ups and Downs of a Long 2022

 I love reading my old blog posts.  I decided I am actually a great storyteller. That makes sense to me since I love listening to stories.  Particularly historic tales from family members.  It doesn't even have to be from my family.  Everyone has an interesting story or memory to tell.  In fact, since it is the holiday season and people have tried to get back together this would be a great time to take out your phone and record some family stories of the friends and family  when you visit.  My best story is about a beloved relative who was also interested in family archives and took out a tape recorder (kids you are going to have to Google that), in 1979, and recorded the stories from my husband's grandfather and great aunt. It was so fascinating to learn about life in the early 1900's and stories about WW1. The grandfather interviewed dies shortly after the history taking and if the memories had not been preserved, we would have never known, in their own words, what life was like for that branch of the family coming to America.  Recently, this year, the uncle who recorded the history also passed away.  We are all very sad.  He was a wonderful relative to know and talk to as he had many stories to share, as well.

 Unfortunately 2022 was a year of loss for many.  I must have counted at least a half dozen friends who lost parents or other family members this year.  Our head Rabbi from the synagogue in the 1990's also passed away.  He was our religious leader when our family was young. It is hard to believe the 1990's was thirty years ago.  When did this time pass?  Am I ready to step into the role my parents and grandparents took on with such joy and grace?  I guess so as my grandchildren have noticed I wear my glasses on my head like a headband and copy that and tell me they are "Nana".  Pretty funny and smart.  So maybe I should just relax and be in the moment.

As I mentioned in the title the Covid Pandemic turned into an Endemic which means that we are grateful as we do have vaccines for Covid and some of its variants. But the flu came back with a surge as well as a new virus called RSV, which is another variation of the cold virus.  We hear scientists are working on a vaccine for this for 2023, but we will see.  Unfortunately, all three viruses have returned at the same time in various parts of the country. We have a political divide as well as a "vaccine is or not necessary" divide where parts of this country do not believe in vaccines, and thus the viruses can't be contained. Coincidently, this is the same part of the country that still believe the election "was rigged" i.e. Past President Trump voters. 

 In a previous post I mention there were citizens who stormed the Capital on January 6th, 2021. Last week the Final Report from the House Select committee released an 800 page report that provided testamony from those who were informed of what was going on that day. The result of the report referred to the Justice Department four criminal charges to Past President Trump meaning he is criminally liable for his actions that day.  It was also recommended that he be barred from ever running for office again.  I told you this will become something taught in schools and universities forever now.

Technically, it is January 2023 when I post this blog and currently the House of Representitives cannot agree on a new Speaker.  The Republicans gained a small majority and thus can't agree on a leader.  Our country has not dealt with this problem since 1923.  I only mention this because it is historic and my grandchildren will be learning this in school, too.  This time of year is when everyone has suggestions for staying healthy.  Eating more fruits and vegetables, exercising thirty minutes per day if possible and trying to reduce the stress in your life are still great ways to stay healthy so we can enjoy this new year!

Advice From the Ladies Locker Room and Rosh Hashanah Hebrew Year 5783

 I was on my way to the indoor pool the other day for my usual swim session of lap swimming which I try to do a few times per week.  I like to brag to people that I have been swimming since I was five years old in 1963 when my mother made sure I received swimming lessons at Landerhaven Swim Club.  I love swimming just for the love of being in the water.   I was born in late February which makes me a Pisces and that is the astrological sign for that time of year.  I never put two and two together, meaning being a Pisces and my love of swimming, until a friend who is into astrology pointed this out to me.  

So the other day I was in the locker room and I heard a lady complain about how she looked in a bathing suit as she was analyzing herself in a mirror.  I walked by her and mentioned to her that I thought she looked perfect and then went on my way. I think she smiled.  I guess I just want people to be happy with the life they have in the moment.  Too many sad and frustrating things are happening in this world that we really have no control over.  We have our WW2 generation almost gone and I appreciate those that are still here. I enjoy a chance to listen to their stories.  My generation and especially younger generations are struggling to balance the role technology plays in their lives.  I truly thought that when internet technology first came out it would be a blessing.  But as days go by and new warnings of security and privacy invasions come to light at the local, national and even at the international level, I begin to wonder if technology and the internet is not a curse.

So how did I get from my joy of swimming to complaining ladies in a locker room to world security scares?  I am just thinking about this time in my life as we enter the Jewish New Year 5783.  Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are the beginning of the New Year in the Jewish calendar.  Our family had a full family gathering of twenty five guests which has not hapened in two years since the Covid Pandemic.  Everyone was so happy to be together and, yes, we went crazy on the holiday festival dishes.  There must have been five apple themed desserts alone not to mention healthy kugels meaning carrots and cauliflower replacing potatoes, yuck!, I mean yum!  Anyway I just want to remind myself that it is the blessings we have everyday that should be noticed and no technology in the world replaces the love we have for our friends and families as we share the time together on this earth. L'Shanah Tovah!

The Power of Grandma and The Road to Forgiveness

 This Passover season was upended by news of a trusted friend and community leader who took a stumble down the path and shocked everyone who knew him.  After a few days of disbelief I came to the conclusion that failure is a part of success and that it too must be embraced if we are to move forward on the path to a seat a God's table.

This metaphor of "a seat at God's table" was something I was taught when I was getting my Master 's degree in Judaic Studies over a decade ago.  If you can, visualize walking down a path, and then think about each step you take to move forward. Then add in doing a daily mitzvah (or a good deed) for each step. This then is the idea that each step or moment, will bring you closer to being a good person.  There are people in this world who have never had a kind word said to them or good deed done for them all day or in their entire lives.  That random "thank you" or "excuse me" or "have a nice day" that you remember to say to someone at the grocery store check out or any other place you go might just make someone's day better.  You will also feel better because you took the time out of your busy day to think of someone besides yourself.

I came up with idea of the "power of grandma" because as I am learning my new role of grandma and telling my grandson and granddaughter every time how much I love them and they love me, too, it brings back the memories I had with my grandparents.  When I was a young mother my father had already passed away and so he never met my children.  My mother moved in with us and she helped me raise my girls and I am sure there many days my mother felt that she was raising my kids for me.

 I never appreciated enough how she was there for the kids and disciplining them and feeding them and playing games, driving them places, etc.  It was hard enough work when she was the parent in her thirties through fifties working multiple jobs and leaving me home alone. But to "parent again" in her sixties and seventies.  My mom made it work by being the "fun grandma" and getting involved in the kids lives and welcoming their friends into our home.  That was her power!  She was someone you wanted to be with and include in your fun.  She laughed at your jokes and sang songs and smiled.

When she disciplined you for acting out you did not want to disappoint her and so the two of you came to find common ground.  Respect for elders, manners and saying please and thank you are all things that are taught.  As adults you can easily tell who has been raised in a loving way with manners and respect and who has not.  All of this begins with the first step on the path so the next time you see a "grandma" say thank you!

Pandemic to Endemic to Normal?

 Habits and routines, we have been told, are very comforting and relaxing to the mind.  Everyday I make my bed in the morning and brush my teeth.  At night I brush and floss my teeth among other routines. This calms me down when my twice a year dental cleaning report comes out healthy.  It is a positive reinforcement of my routine choices. The Covid pandemic has not really been affected in this case.   Although it seemed scary to leave the house and go to the dentist, when our daily or yearly routines were impacted.  Many of us stayed away from dentists or doctor appointments, when you were not sure about the vaccine status of the people you might find in a small space, like a waiting room.

 It seems silly but with the rise of the ease of transmissibility of the Coronavirus Omicron Variant coming to the United States in the late fall and the relaxation of our lifestyle choices gone again, we are not only more fearful but, in fact, mad and angry at the turn of situation in our daily lives.  The "look back" photos on my phone, rather than bring me joy of memory of a fun trip or event with family and friends, now bring me sadness and question whether those glorious moments will ever happen again.   I know they will eventually.  The question to ask myself is how habit and routine will save me.

As a Registered Dietitian, I hear how people have gained weight as gyms and fitness centers have closed along with an increase in stress, anxiety and depression. This has been met with an increase in comfort eating and baking more than we ever have done. With the likelihood that this pandemic may convert to an endemic, meaning the infections will always lay at a baseline level in society, and never go completely away, what is the plan to get back to a healthy lifestyle? Thus, our habits and routines, those daily activities that keep us feeling normal and healthy become even more important than ever. A least and until we feel more comfortable getting back to the gym and the weather warms up so we can be outside.

As I usually recommend, try to fit Yoga and Meditation into your routine and try to exercise 150 minutes per week.  Eat as healthy as you can and try to limit the extra sweets. Get some sleep and perhaps lay off the information on the internet about things that upset you. This pandemic world we live in today will eventually settle down and I hope life will once again become so normal, it is boring.  I may never again take for granted arranging for a flight to somewhere exotic to see another part of the world.  But I will not be afraid to try when the world looks like it is ready for guests.  

 Good Luck and Taking It One Day at a Time 

So today is June 29th, 2021 and it is a very hot summer and I find myself sitting in a car dealership service center, waiting with other customers, for my car repair.  My husband and I now lease cars rather than buy them.  We felt that the lease cars under warranty replace the hundreds of dollars we were spending on service and car parts on cars we owned. We may have been wrong, but I am sure luck has something to do with this.  I never had this particular problem with my other leased vehicles.  

 As I wait and try to relax, I think about the history archives I have been working on at the synagogue as a volunteer, reading articles from the late 1880's through today and the celebrations over the years.  What we take for granted today were things of celebration back in those days.  Our congregation went from no building and using someone's home for prayer and celebration, to raising money to build a small building, then eventually one bigger and then the biggest.  Our Sisterhood membership began with men as leaders, 125 years ago, sewing burial shrouds for the Jewish funeral homes in town.  Women took over after the first year or so and we have been going strong ever since, although we stopped sewing shrouds about a hundred years ago.

 Longevity is a secret and no one really has the answer of how to live a long life.  A relative who is turning ninety-nine years and seems perfectly healthy overall, has no reason or trick they used to live this nice long life.  They attribute it to luck.  I should add that religion was important to their lifestyle, although not necessarily overly religious, just regular. They did not have any particular weight issues although siblings did.  The same with illness or cancer although it was in the family.  When asked "What is your secret?", which they get asked a lot, the answer is always "luck".  

Luck is about being ready, having a positive attitude and deciding the life you choose belongs to you. Others have put it in their own terms and you can read about it elsewhere but this may not be so easy for everyone.  As we slowly ease out of this pandemic, personal anxiety is at an all time high.  Fear of crowds and unwillingness to be around others, going back to normal activity pre-pandemic, or even travel and see relatives, has been vastly diminished. 

On the other hand, this time can be viewed as an opportunity to make changes.  This is where luck comes in.  We can look at this time and feel sad and depressed or we can look at at it and view it as an opportunity for change.  Things to do might be to make a new habit from something you used to do regularly. Try to improve your diet and overall health.  

Get some regular sleep perhaps a goal of 6-7 hours per night.  Begin an exercise program which includes strength training to build muscles that went soft when we were stuck in our homes.  Try meditation, yoga or tai chai to calm the mind and create that positive outlook that will channel your good luck in the future. Try one or all and the course of your luck will change.

 Finally, the young man said my car is ready...I happened to ask him as he walked by...that was good luck!

Back on the Path

It is a brand new world and things I wrote about in the last two posts have happened or almost happened. By that, I mean that our new President is Joseph Biden and history was made by electing Kamala Harris, the first women of African American and Asian descent, as our Vice President.  Great historic news!  Also, the biggest fear happened, a group of white nationalist, anti-Semitic, racists, literally stormed and almost took over the Capital building in Washington DC, on January 6th, 2021. These people created an insurrection that will be taught in high school and college history classes forever.  It was scary to watch in real time on television and Past President Donald J. Trump verbally led the charge.  He had a rally earlier in the day and suggested that he would be "by their side as they go and take back their country" and the rally attendees did exactly as was asked.  Congress conducted a formal "Second Impeachment Trial", to prevent the former president from ever attempting to run for office again. The vote was cast to acquit Past President Donald Trump after the Second Impeachment Trial. There remains strong supporters of citizens and members of our American Congress support Mr. Trump.  This is a scary moment in our history.  The state of Georgia "turned blue" and after the 2020 national election, the Georgia state legislature voted to meaningfully suppress the rights of voters.  Where in that state more people and people of color voted in two Democratic Senators in Congress. 

If you want more information, I encourage you to do your own research on the subject.  I just couldn't continue without adding a historical update.  What does this have to do with nutrition and spirituality you may ask?  Well, as we still are in the midst of a Covid Pandemic and while in some areas of the country Covid 19 vaccines have become more available, people are still putting on weight.  People are still getting Covid 19 and still dying from it.  Praying might be helpful right now if that is helpful to you.  Meditation is another form of prayer, if you do not affiliate with a particular deity, and taking a few deep breaths when you are feeling out of control may help too. 

My focus today is how to get "Back on the Path" or finding your way back to normal or what will be the new normal once mask restrictions are lifted.  I believe the first thing to focus on is your personal health.  Go to a physician and get a check up to see what is your current health situation for your age group.  Is your blood pressure normal, 120/80 mmHg, how about your HgbA1C, (Hemoglobin A1C) which is the three month check of your blood sugar average. The range for normal is below 5.7%, Prediabetes is 5.7-6.4% and Diabetes is 6.5% and above.  Most people don't know these values but as we get older or maybe because of the Pandemic, these numbers take on a greater importance.  Finally, go step on a scale.  I know I hate it too! But unless you know where your starting point is, you can't make a healthy diet plan to get where you need to be.  Most people have put on at least 10-20 pounds during the Pandemic.  We are all so scared and food has that lovely side effect of making us feel better.

Obviously, this is my blog and my opinion and you as the reader can disagree.  The Covid-19 Pandemic we are still going through has created levels of anxiety that many have not experienced before and those who have some issues with mental stress have seen their levels rise.  We are strong and can benefit from what we learned about ourselves and family and friends. If we try, we can use this new information to change our behavior and perhaps feel even better when we come out on the other side.  Let's hope so anyway.

Living in the Bubble of Covid-19

 Many things have happened this year of the Covid-19 Pandemic 2020.  We are nervously waiting as a country, while our citizens vote early, in the most important Presidential race of my lifetime.  I wish I was exaggerating, but unfortunately I am not.  Our current President, Donald J. Trump was elected in 2016 and won by something we call the Electoral College, which was added to the Constitution in 1804, created by the framers of the Constitution. as the 12th Amendment. This was created as an alternative to Presidents winning by popular vote. The framers created it because they didn't trust the vote of the people and wanted the President elected by "enlightened people".  This is the end of your history lesson, by me, the rest you will have to Google.  President Trump did not win the popular vote in 2016, in fact, former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton won the popular vote, who was running as a Democrat, that year.  In my opinion, our country is openly racist, anti-Semitic and anti-Immigrant among other qualities.  We have slowly, but surely, undermined the Middle Class, torn apart our unions, created a wealth class and have neglected impoverished communities. These measures have destroyed the world I grew up in, and that my grandparents and parents worked hard for, in order to give me opportunities, they never achieved.  I have to admit it felt good to get that out of my system.

The Corona virus is circulating our world and causing sickness and death without our medical scientific world's availability to stop it quickly and we don't understand why.  In fact, our current President has done everything in his power to deflect and disagree with the scientific data that could help reduce or slow down the spread of this epidemic.  Our President Trump, who loves to make deals, may have already made a deal with pharmaceutical companies for a vaccine, when it is ready, because he probably bets both ways.

 The sad part is many people do not believe that Covid exists and refuse to put on the mask, social distance and hand wash frequently as way to, hopefully, keep the virus at bay. You just have to read the Torah to learn about plagues.  We have had them before in Prehistoric villages of China, in Athens in 430 BC, the Black Death traveled from Asia to Europe 1346-1353 and then again in the 1500 and 1700's, in Philadelphia there was the Yellow Fever in 1793, the flu pandemic in 1889 and Polio in 1916, the Spanish Flu in 1918, Asian Flu in 1957-1958, the AIDS epidemic in 1981, H1N1 in 2009, again I turn you over to Google for a full description.  The point is that this is not new and we have been lured into the luxury of thinking this would never happen in out time.

Normally, I use this blog to share some comforting words or information to stay healthy or relate some biblical moment and make it relevant to today. But on this day, experiencing an election so close in vote count, in the midst of contentious "battle for the soul of America" to quote candidate Joe Biden. And the religious fundamentalism on the rise, perhaps due to fear from a generation in transition as we move from a white dominated world to a diverse and multiethnic world, I admit I am worried.  As we wait for final voting results, which may not happen for another week, Joe Biden has the lead and I pray that he becomes President of the United States of America.  And if he does there is no guarantee that anarchy won't rule the day.  Even this morning there are Anti-Semitic and racist protestors in the streets of the cities where we wait for the voting results, who don't believe a fair counting is occurring, and are ready to cause a riot.  Our current President condones this horrible civic behavior which is why he must be voted out.

I write this as a record for my children and grandchildren and their grandchildren to read so they know how I felt during this fretful time in our history.  I hope someday soon this will be just a brief, but horrible, moment in what has otherwise been a fun and fruitful life filled with loving family and friends.

Amen.

Nutrition and Spirituality: Tips for Maintaining a Healthy Diet and Lifestyle ...

Nutrition and Spirituality: Tips for Maintaining a Healthy Diet and Lifestyle ...: Many of us are under some kind of workplace restriction and our local government has asked us to participate in frequent hand washing with...

Tips for Maintaining a Healthy Diet and Lifestyle during this Covid 19 Pandemic

Many of us are under some kind of workplace restriction and our local government has asked us to participate in frequent hand washing with soap and water, as well as, social distancing which means keeping at least six feet away from other people. So, now we are working from home and adjusting to the new normal of conference calls, job stress, and coordinating learning plans from schools or watching younger children. This all leads to hunger as a way to calm down the anxiety of the situation, and often ends with overeating.

In the body, your hormones control your appetite. When high stress situations happen, we ultimately look to food for comfort, although other measures such as smoking, drinking and sex are tried.  Cortisol, the hormone made by the adrenal glands that sit on top of the kidneys, rises with increased stress. Eating foods high in fat and sugar are often the fastest way to calm us down and lowers these cortisol levels.  High insulin levels and ghrelin, a hormone secreted in the stomach, stimulates your appetite which increases food intake and promotes fat storage.  This makes you overeat.  

So what do we do to help ourselves?  Don’t panic! Get back to basics. Make sure you follow a healthy diet by eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. If chicken, beef or other meats are not available at the grocery stores, substitute protein sources with beans or tofu products. Eat whole grains and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.  Sometimes you eat food when actually what your body is looking for is hydration. Slow down on treats but don’t feel bad if you do eat them.  These are rightfully extraordinary times and your body chemistry is just looking for a way to calm itself down.

Since the family is home, use this opportunity to cook meals together. Bring out the cookbooks and practice. Plenty of restaurant chefs are offering live cooking lessons on YouTube where you can learn tips and secrets.  It is easy to bake sweet treats, but as we follow the home quarantine over the long term, it will be better and healthier to cook or bake lower calorie items that can maintain your weight or help with weight loss.

 Finally, exercise at least 150 minutes per week and use meditation, yoga and strength training to keep your muscles toned. Socialization is equally important during this time so keep up with family and friends with conversations via group chats or by phone.  All these suggestions will help to calm you down and reduce the worry over when this pandemic will end. 

The Wonder of Being a Grandparent

Nobody told me what a wonderful joy it is being a grandparent. I mean, I have been watching my friends become grandparents and heard them talk and brag, but when it happens to you, if you are fortunate enough, well it is different. Even my friends who are Great Aunts and Great Uncles or even Great Friends or Relatives have shared their joy when a new family member enters their realm. It is again something else said by my mother and her relatives and friends that I ignored. I definitely need someone to look me in the eye and say "you won't appreciate this now, but you are going to love this!".  My defense is that I love being a parent and I don't want that world to end. The good news is that if you are paying attention your children really never stop needing you.

 The new joy of my life I call "Mr. Magnificent", because he is, and every time I get to see him or hug him I feel this sense of joy.  My guess is if you took my blood pressure at that time it would be lower than before.  This has been a crazy year which is partly why I noticed I haven't written a blog post in a long time.  The baby came in the spring and it was emotional as the generation shifted for my family.  I have been sick with colds and flu off and on over the change in the seasons.  I blame it on the daycare setting but it could be lots of things.  I haven't been able to exercise as much as I wanted due to being ill and my husband had surgery so I was stressed out with worry.  All of these things are lovely to complain about, but don't compare to other peoples situations, which are more serious, such as coping with cancer or losing a spouse. This also happened to people I know this year.

I am so used to saying goodbye to family and friends who are aging, that I am not doing a proper job of saying hello to the next stage in my life.  Recently, at synagogue, there is a congregant who turned 100 years old. After many speeches by the Rabbi and loved ones who saluted the birthday boy, it was his turn to make a speech.  He said that if you could imagine, turning 100 meant that he lost all of his friends from his past, and that he needed to figure out a way to make new friends. So he found a group at the synagogue that met daily, our morning minyan, a short morning service where people come to pray, remember or mourn a loved one and then eat a nice breakfast together.  The morning minyan is another ritual in Jewish life that many people take advantage of especially when they have lost a loved one or if their spirituality calls them to daily prayer. The breakfast is an added bonus and if you are a regular minyan goer you develop heartfelt relationships with others who attend. For some people it helps them start off their day.  As another friend of mine, who is ten years older told me says, it gives him a reason to get out of bed in the morning.

Routines and traditions are important to create and to share with the next generation.  Eventually, our grandchildren will not be babies anymore, and you have limited time to make your impression on them, good or bad. Passover at Bubbies or going to shul with Grandpa are some ways of instilling memory, as well as, talking about your past. There are apps to record stories such as Storycorp.com that are simple to use and allow families to record family oral histories of grandparents to save or add to genealogical family records. These stories can be shared with their children and grandchildren.  Not everyone is lucky to have happy memories to share, so it is important to recognize the time when it is your turn to start a new tradition, routine or ritual.  You can change the direction of memory from negative to positive by starting a new tradition of your own. Host a holiday dinner, plan a vacation together or even just a regular meal. These events will make a lasting impression for everyone. Better yet, combine the best remembered parts of the past and update them to the future.  Happy New Year and I wish everyone health and happiness!

A Winter's Day, Memories, Mood and Diet

Looking out my window this morning I see a snowfall that poems are written about. Slow fat snowflakes falling onto tree branches which are coated with a fluffy white so beautiful that you see them in  artists paintings.  This puts me in a good mood and I haven't even left the bed yet.  I take a picture of this beautiful scene to look at again in the future and remind me of this quiet, pleasant moment.  Why is taking this moment to observe the scene so important you might wonder?  Well, for me, I have a childhood memory of my mother and I taking a rest on her bed and looking out the window of our home when I was a child.  It was quiet time for both of us from our busy lives.  My mother worked every day, most years, and didn't get the luxury of being a "stay at home" mom.  So usually at the end of a day, before dinner, we would have "quiet time" and cuddle and talk about the past or the future.

 We lived on a busy street corner and watch the cars go by.  Some cars would go really fast and make wild turns.  One time a car lost control and ran up the lawn before stopping suddenly and moving on.  Mostly though, we would notice color or not notice anything at all, and comment on the weather, if it were raining or snowing.  I miss my family time as a child, I can't deny it.

 I am now in what I call the grandparent generation, as it becomes my turn to move into that role in the spring.  I have cleaned out closets and drawers lately, and found old archival oral history recordings of family members, now deceased, that I recorded years ago. I hear them with a new ear for the small details of their family life, that I paid no attention to when I first heard them.  I feel like it is the wisdom from ages past.  Our meals back then were mostly high fat, salt and sugar laden foods and some family members smoked cigarettes and drank wine and liquor with no limits.  Many relatives died young or way before their time.  I think about it all.

Winter is a complicated season for many people.  Holidays become an emotional roller coaster depending upon the family relationships.  When I was actively seeing patients for nutrition counseling about ten years ago, I had patients tell me that their eating changes were often sabotaged by jealous family members who did not want to see my client succeed.  I learned that many family's had members placed in roles.  The successful one, the thin one, the fat one, the jokester, the idiot, etc.  So when my client was successful in dropping weight or bringing healthy changes to the family dinner, they were made fun of, and to fit in, had to cheat on their diet to survive. It occurs with other unhealthy habits like drinking alcohol, smoking and drug use, too. Seeing a physician for help is a must for these situations.

 Today it seems the reverse.  I know my holiday meals look nothing like they did when I was a child or even five years ago and though we are not vegan yet, it is a much different table.  We definitely have many dietary choices such as low sodium, vegetarian and gluten free available at our holiday now. The changes are welcome and now I cannot eat some of the family favorites because my tastes have evolved.  Staying healthy is a full time job as we age.  As a nutritionist, I say this often and will as many times as necessary, along with dietary changes comes exercise at least 30-45 minutes a day, 5-7 days per week.  Meditation or yoga as often as you can and strength training 1-2 times per week.  Putting together a plan for a healthier you for the new year is important!  If you haven't had a physical exam and have your blood pressure taken in a while, now might be a good time to do that.

Well, out my window now the snow has stopped and the sun is starting to come out.  I see a blue sky and the snow is melting off of the tree branches.  I believe it is time to get outside and smell the fresh air.  It is time to exercise and plan for some family fun this weekend. To make new memories for my family to share. I hope you do the same! Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

Distraction and Noise

I am a people watcher. I always was since I have been a young child.  I learn from watching how others behave and then decide if that behavior would work for me, or not.  It goes along with my love of history.  I believe strongly that you have to learn from the past, so you do not repeat the mistakes.  Being Jewish and hearing the stories of my grandparents and parents, we, along with other immigrant children learned of the treacherous paths our families tread to provide us with a safer life in a new land, America.  We enjoy a quiet peaceful life, for the most part.  I worry that very slow and subtle changes to the world we know, not only here in United States, but overseas, where we traveled as a family for two weeks, throughout Europe, are happening.  I can use my vote as an American to speak for me, but I cannot help but worry for the future, at least at this moment in time. That is how I feel about what is going on in our world today.

What does this have to do with nutrition you ask?  Stress is actually a large factor in your health.  There is a medical relationship between stress and the body's ability to keep blood values at normal levels.  Medical research has identified inflammation as a reaction to elevated stress levels and many conditions are related to this inflammation, such as heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure, among others.  What does this have to do with distraction and noise?  The distraction is the daily worry every time one reads a paper, turns on the news, or even has a conversation with family or friends.  The noise is the internet constantly intruding in your life with hourly teases of something potentially important, but often, not important at all.  The answer, of course, is to turn off your phone or turn down the sound.  Easy to say but hard to do.

I can tell you I was not raised this way.  I do not have the skill set to take it all in and try to maintain my center.  I love vacations that have no internet access. Even that is changing, as on my last trip. I was the one who arranged international internet availability.  I felt it was necessary for emergency access, and, of course, my internet carrier made it quite convenient to do so.  I used it to keep in touch with the news from home.  I admit, it calmed me down as we enjoyed a nine hour flight to Zurich.  I downloaded podcasts and listened to them as I fell asleep for several hours.  I used to watch movies or, god forbid, read a book, but listening to stories of the news did the trick.  Maybe I have changed. 

 Medical science suggests that to help keep a healthy brain you need to learn new things as you get older.  I recently turned sixty and attend classes at the local college center for seniors.  I have been doing this for years, and I am usually the youngest in my classes.  That means everyone else is in their 70's, 80's and 90's, and all healthy.  These are some of the smartest people I have ever met.  In their working life they were physicians, attorneys, business owners and regular working class people who somehow lucked out on the health game.  I want to be them when I grow up.  Every time I take a class thinking it's going to be boring, I eventually learn something new and then find out that these people already knew it.  

I also hang out with the Millennial's, those in their 20's and 30's.  I can't help it, four of them belong to me, and they have friends.  They are also very brilliant and also physicians, attorneys, future business owners and regular working class people.  I admit it. Our trip to Europe wouldn't have happened or gone along so smoothly if it weren't for them.  I mean, to take a land tour as thoroughly as we did, with all the trains, planes, trams, buses and boats we took.  We flew five separate airlines and stayed in four different hotels.  I believe I finally got to experience the European trip I could never afford when I was in college.  I thank my kids for the experience and I hope we do it again sometime.

The Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, is a month or so away and I want to make a deal with myself, to take the time, and cut out some of the noise and distraction in my life.  Give myself permission to sit down and take a break.  We had a busy year last year. I recommend to you to do the same, and while you are at it, go get regular check ups. It is necessary, and important, no matter how old you are.  Here is the spirituality part of the story. Distraction and noise equals stress. Elevated levels of stress translates into disease no matter how healthy of a diet you are following. Of course regular exercise is part of the lifestyle, and if you are dragging your feet, you should start today.  But, stuff happens, even to the health gurus, so try to include some quiet time off the grid.  I will keep following my senior friends to figure out their secrets and hopefully the Millennial's will follow me.  Here is to a very long and quiet life!

Water Rituals that Cleanse Body, Mind & Soul

 Water Rituals that Cleanse Body, Mind & Soul



Water to cleanse your body and soul is a consistent theme throughout history. It is necessary for human survival, literally, and fought over politically in battles large and small. But in this moment, I want to talk about the lesser known, but important uses for water spiritually and physically. It is first mentioned in Genesis 1:1-10 when the world was covered in water and the later divided in forming the land from the seas.  Even the story of Noah's Ark is a essentially a cleanse. An opportunity to begin all over again.  So it is no wonder that during the Jewish New Year from Rosh Hashanah through Sukkot many people, religious or not, take advantage of a tradition called Tashlich.  In this tradition, we find a body of moving water, perhaps near a local park, and toss bread crumbs or leaves into the moving stream.  As we do this. we say blessings and share feelings of regret or things we could do better.  We say we are sorry to ourselves and others. Our family tradition includes inviting friends to participate.  It is a meditation, of sorts, which allows a person a chance to say out loud things they might keep to themselves.  This experience unburdens the spirit.  It can be done privately or within a circle of family or friends that is safe and loving.

 Mikvah  is another ritual that involves cleansing of the body and spirit.  This is a ritual created during biblical times which solved a cleanliness issue for menstruating women. Today participants can be male or female and are free to use mikvah as a spiritual renewal for any reason.  Brides often include mikvah before marriage and it is also used for those converting to Judaism. In Christianity, a baptism is similar to the idea of spiritual renewal and historically is derived from the use of mikvah in ancient days.  Family celebrations are often a part of the spiritual renewal ceremonies for both Jews and Christians.

Swimming is another water ritual that many people enjoy.  If organized religion is not of interest to you, but the feeling of quieting the mind, improving flexibility and muscle strength does, then this is your jam. What swimming offers is the isolation, mobility, weight force and freedom to only concentrate on one thing, getting from one side of the pool to the other. This is a sport that can be enjoyed and taken into advance age.  Working out in water offers a controlled resistance that is less strain on a person's joints than routines done on land. Noise and distractions are limited as the only senses in use are the eyes, and the touch of cool water.  When I swim I put in ear plugs so I cannot hear and I blow out air so I cannot taste. I wear swim goggles that do not work well above the water, but like a miracle, allow me to open my eyes under the water to see quite clearly.  I swim for thirty minutes at least one day per week which relaxes me physically and calms me spiritually.  When I ask people if they swim some tell me they are afraid of water or never learned.  I hope they try to learn as an adult. Many people with muscular or arthritis diseases have found comfort and relief in the pool.  Water aerobics is another way to increase strength and mobility for people who do not swim.  Many compare swimming to yoga as a sport that helps with strength, flexibility and calm.

Blessed and Horrified My Summer of OMG

Sometimes I get a major writer's block that I can't shake.  Probably because my life is a little too crazy to concentrate on any one thought.  Interestingly, I find solace in my previous writing pieces.  I am really good at this writing thing if I would take it more seriously.   Other people try to give me advice, but I take after my father who was incredibly stubborn, and I can only trust in the advice and thoughts I give out through my writing.  Sort of like a lecture to myself.  Here is an example of my crazy life.

This summer began in the usual way with our family braking out the tennis shoes and looking for local 5K races.  We try to participate in one or two a month and we enjoy traveling across the county for new locations. The VeloSano Bike for a Cure, sponsored by the Cleveland Clinic, is a ride that raises money for cancer research.  My husband, a family physician at Cleveland Clinic South Russell, and I have participated in this event for three years.  This year was different.  On Mother's Day weekend we went on a practice uphill bike ride on Saturday and then walked a 5K on Sunday.  Mark just did not feel quite right. He seemed more fatigued than usual and took it upon himself to call his cardiologist to check himself out.  When he found out his test results he was not pleased.  He required more tests. After sharing the scary news with the family we went with him to the hospital where he had a cardiac catheterization. This is an outpatient test where a dye is injected and the small arteries of the heart are available to view to determine arterial blockage.  If the blockages are small enough a small piece of wire or a stent could be placed to keep an artery open.  Any larger blockage and bypass surgery is required. In his case there were blockages found that could be cleared up with a surgical bypass procedure. Most of our friends and family were shocked and horrified to find this happening to Mark.  I was too, but I counted it as a blessing.

After the surgery, Mark took up the challenge and the gift he was offered and immediately began the routine back to good health. He followed a healthy diet.  In fact, we all did.  He entered a cardiac rehab program which he still follows. He is more mindful of his work time and allows himself breaks when he feels he needs to stop.  Now, seven weeks later he looks and feels much better.  It's almost like being reborn.  I hope he maintains this new outlook on life.  One day he said that no food was worth have major heart surgery. I believe him.

My husband has two brothers. One younger who, gratefully, has no medical issues and one older who in an unfortunate coincidence, also required bypass surgery.  He recently came out of the hospital and is on his journey to finding a new zest for life.  Interestingly, neither parent had heart issues.

So what blessings are appropriate in this case.  About five years ago I wrote about the Shehecheyanu blessing. In this post I describe this prayer as sort of an all purpose prayer to use when something new or unusual occurs.  It doesn't have to be health related. There is a prayer called the Mi Sheberach prayer, this is specific to illness, and getting back to good health. In this prayer we ask G-d for strength in healing and spiritual strength to get us through this time of illness. It was funny, when we went to the synagogue we couldn't decide which prayer to say.  My husband was healing and returning to good health, yet he is still a work in progress.  Which prayer to say? The one for healing or for something new.  After a few minutes of discussion at the bimah in front of one hundred congregants waiting, we did what any group of Jews would do...we said them both.

Meditation, Mindfulness and Prayer

    I decided to begin a meditation program to help with stress reduction. Meditation is a form of spirituality and many religions have their own unique methods.  Prayer is also effective and when I go to synagogue I find a sense of peace there.  Exercise is also something I do to relax and quite often I feel better about things after a workout. The goal here is to proactively calm down and so I started including meditation time in my day which, hopefully, will help me reignite my exercise routine.

Today, diet and exercise are taken more seriously by the medical community as an alternative to medications alone. It is a way to keep people from stepping onto the path of chronic disease.  Diabetes and Hypertension are two diseases that start out quietly, but can and do often evolve into major problems later in life that are difficult and expensive to manage. The easiest way to overcome these problems is to not have them occur in the first place.

Stress is hard to keep in check in our social media world today, as well as, unforeseen events which always seem to happen.  You and your inherited gene pool might not have drawn the lucky straw which protects you and gets you into your 90's, but do not despair, there is a way back to a healthy lifestyle if you choose to make a few changes. Meditation might be the way to help find a diet and exercise program work for you.  There are Meditation classes, YouTube channels and Meditation apps for your phone, to help you find your way.  Guided imagery or silent time with or without a coach will be the method in finding meditative peace to a calm center and focus.

Meditation and Healthcare Costs 

In the workplace, businesses and insurance companies may give financial discounts to those who can maintain healthy blood screens and other markers that show you are a good risk.  The reward is better health care benefit plans at better cost.  When this health benefit movement started about ten years ago, whole work groups or living communities would go on a diet and then be rewarded by these companies.  The health and exercise industry evolved with the financial backing of Big Business sponsoring companies like Curves and Weight Watchers.  This worked great for some, but others resisted and dropped out because they couldn't follow diets easily or were not ready for the pressure of being herded and coerced into a program. The result is that the employees who were unsuccessful did not care or mind overpaying and therefore the first attempt to keep employees healthy and working through forced dieting failed. Now with the Affordable Care Act under repeal and replace, by the recently elected Congress, there may be even more people at risk for healthcare.

A healthy employee is a fiscally valuable employee.  They take off less sick time, use hospitals less often and generally are more productive and stay with the company longer.  At least that was what early research on this subject identified.  But you cannot make someone lose weight or make other healthy behavior changes when the person them-self is not invested in doing so.  This is where the Behavior Modification/Mindfulness comes into the picture.

History of Mindfulness

In the early 1970's Behavior Modification was a new idea whose purpose was to get people to change their behaviors.  Research identified that to change a habit, you needed to look at the behavior and then use whatever means necessary to change it.  Often negative strategies were used to change behavior such as isolation, deprivation, or emotional or physical abuse.  It worked, but no lasting results, and other more destructive behaviors resulted.  In recent years, a reinvention of behavior change is introduced and called Mindfulness. This is where no positive or negative judgement is imposed on a behavior, just an awareness of what is happening in the moment.  In this way a person can identify what factors are involved in how a decision is made and situations are identified for future reference.  Meditation is a method of turning your thoughts away from distractions and focusing in on the present.  Mindfulness uses a nonjudgmental view of behavior and when combined with meditation, it can be very effective.  Whatever method you choose adding some peace to your thoughts can go a long way toward achieving happiness and a healthier life.

Back to School- Food Service industry Dirty Little Secret

I graduated in 1980 from The Ohio State University with a Bachelor degree in Human Nutrition.  In 1983 I received a Master's degree in Nutrition Education, and in 2010 I received another Master's degree in Judaic Studies, so its safe to say I love going to school. Today, I am sitting in the main library at Ohio University while my oldest child, a Master's in Health Policy degree professional herself, interviews for medical school.  As I am waiting for my daughter and it's lunchtime, I head over to the cafe in the library.  I am struck by how different food choices are today for college students, and what is available to them, than it was in my day.  I am sure we had vending machines, but I don't remember food being so available.  I know that I signed up for the meal plan, but if I wanted food I had to walk to my assigned cafeteria and not have a card that allowed me to eat wherever.  I also know that the food was homemade right in the kitchens on campus that day and not by a food service corporation and trucked onto campus.  Today, I went to a local chain drugstore looking for a diet soda and discovered that the 20 oz variety costs $1.89, but if I wanted a 1 Liter it was $1.10 and if I purchased a 2 Liter it was $.99.  What a scam!

  In the cafe by the library they do not sell soft drinks.  Only coffee and teas for hot beverages and for cold beverages only bottled teas and lemonade.  If you want a Red Bull or Monster drink loaded with sugar and caffeine, well, there are plenty of those. What happened  to choice in an institutional setting?  It seems that universities and Big Food have made a partnership. While new students are distracted by learning and developing a social life, colleges have been signing food contracts with food corporations or third party food service organizations.  Its a win for them all. The universities receive lots of income and Big Food or third party groups use Millennials to introduce new brand items for future customers.  The irony is that all the pressure parents and school districts put on food manufacturers to provide healthy food during the elementary, middle school and high school years is all forgotten once students leave the nest to attend college. There is fresh money and no parental interference in food choices. There is also no mandatory nutrition course to explain to students drinking Red Bull a few times a day may not be healthy for you at 27 grams of sugar for one 8.4 oz can.  Nor is there anyone to explain that you might feel better eating a healthy diet, getting some exercise everyday and making sure you get a good nights sleep.

 This is not to say that there is no healthy food served at the cafe at the library.  I just finished a "Which Came First Salad" which I finally figured out means that it is a salad with a sliced hard boiled egg and cut up chicken nuggets and cheese. Get it? I didn't when I ordered it but I do now.  It was fine, though I had to pull out many lettuce pieces because they were spoiled.  It was expensive for just a salad, but if I were a student, I would be using my meal credit card and not paying attention to cost.  A few years ago another daughter of mine realized that at her university she would never eat in food the amount of money she was paying for her meal card, and so she would go to the cafeteria/food store and buy up all the non-perishable items and bring them home at the end of every semester.  She realized before I did what over payment she was making every semester during her undergraduate years and by buying out the food it was her way of fighting back.  It was very clever.

 The problem of course is there is no refund or "carrying over" accounting for meal plans at colleges and universities.  That would defeat the purpose of schools overcharging students for food in the first place. In an article entitled "A Lesson in College Foodservice", fast casual service is what the Millennials are looking for on college campuses, leaving traditional fast food brands from the past, out of favor.  Slowly, the farm to table movement will be incorporated into institutional food life at college campuses, as long as Big Food and national third party vendors like Aramark and Sodexo can figure out how to monetize it. But in the mean time, everyone involved in this industry realizes the long-term profitability of engaging this demographic into a favorite brand. Once they are hooked on a brand it becomes part of their memory and looked upon fondly.  That is until one day they go to the doctor and realize their blood sugar is too high.  Oh well, that is another post.

Mind over matter

At the start of 2016 I determined that a page needed to be turned and some of my lifestyle habits needed to be reevaluated to a new level of heath and well being.  However, the idea of eliminating chocolate chip cookies out of my life is most likely an unachievable goal.  I tell you I have tried.  I have made or purchased low sugar, low fat, gluten free, whole grain, and no egg varieties.  It seems to be a waste of time, energy and money. Instead, I decided to try to change other behaviors in my life and work around the cookies.  In doing this, I started meditation.  It turns out there are several apps on meditation I can download to my smartphone that have free trials before purchase.  My daughter helped me out in this experiment. She and I exercise an adequate number of hours amount per week so non-compliance for aerobic activity really was not the problem. What I felt instead was that there was so much daily stress in my life and what seemed to be missing was the deep sense of calm or quiet that I remember having.  

 One day my daughter showed me one of these meditation apps and we decided to follow the plan.  It  took only ten minutes of time and used quick animation videos, on occasion, to help illustrate the point of that day's session.  At first it seemed funny and uncomfortable.  It was hard to believe that taking just ten minutes a day of guided reflection could make any difference in the stress level of one's life.  But after doing it for close to the ten days I really do believe it has made a tiny difference.  If only just to give me a pause before I make a knee jerk decision about something.  For example, I was in a hurry to get to a class for which I was late and did not remember to pack a lunch.  I was going to run through a fast food drive line to buy food that was quick but unhealthy.  In the short time it took me to drive to where the fast food restaurant was located I had taken an extra minute to reevaluate whether I really needed the fast food or just go home where I can make a healthy lunch. I chose to go home and probably saved some money and calories.  I attribute that decision to the meditation because before I started meditating I am pretty sure I would have gone out for lunch.

Taking the time, even just for a moment, to include another thought rather than just moving along on auto-pilot is the purpose of meditation.  This time it was a rather non-serious crisis but big poor choices are just a lot of small decisions added up.  I have had an enormous amount of stress in my life over the past few years and probably made many poor food choices.  I could run marathons and not fix the overall problem of too much stress.  But taking ten minutes to decompress and learn how to ignore distractions or be less critical of myself and others might just allow the better decisions to come to light.