Tag: mental health

Mental Health and Nutrition

Followers of this blog know that I have been dealing with brain fog as symptom of long-haul COVID. I have blogged about it twice: once in December and once earlier this month. I continue to work with a speech therapist, follow the advice of the integrative medicine specialist I met with, and play my daily brain games. As part of this process, I have learned about expected factors that can affect how well my brain is functioning.

It has long been known that exercise can have positive effects on our brains–not just with regard to preventing cognitive decline, but also in fighting depression and anxiety. An overall healthy lifestyle that combines exercise, good nutrition, plenty of rest, and good social connections can influence our mental wellness.

The connections between nutrition and mental health goes back about 3000 years when it was noted by the ancient Chinese; this continued through the Greek and Roman periods right up to the 21st Century. In the last 20 years there has been a surge in research about which foods can improve mental health, in what quantity, and prepared in which ways. I recently completed a continuing education course that focused on this very topic; the on-line instructor was Maggie Moon.

Several takeaways from the class were:

–The main mood-regulating neurotransmitters are affected by nutrition. Certain foods can boost brain health such as berries, oysters, chia seeds, salmon, walnuts, kale, water, and watermelon.

–When it comes to mental illness, there are nutritional strategies that can complement other treatments. Certain foods have been found to have high anti-depressant properties. Chief among them are foods that are high in Omega 3 Fatty Acids; the brain needs fat and is also hungry for foods rich in anti-oxidants.

–The top foods for fighting mental illness have been found to be: vegetables, organ meat, fruit, seafood, beans, meats, grains, nuts and seeds, and dairy. The most recent studies place special importance on more nuts and vegetable diversity.

–Some foods have a negative effect on mental health: butter or stick margarine, whole-fat cheese, fried foods, red meat, and pastries/sweets. These should be consumed in limited quantities.

The presenter suggested that the easiest way to follow these recommendations is to follow the Mediterranean Diet, the DASH Diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), or the MIND Diet (Mediterranean-DASH Diet Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay). The MIND Diet takes the best of Mediterranean and DASH with a few adjustments. Traditional diets (Japanese, Norwegian) are also good for reaching the same goals.

We all know that what we eat matters when it comes to our physical health. We may also know that certain foods can either help or harm our cognition. What is exciting is to know that the right nutrition can also improve our mental health.

Making the right nutritional choices is part of an overall healthy lifestyle–not only for the part of us below the shoulders, but from the neck up as well!

COVID-19 and the Mental/Physical Health Connection

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Researchers have long known that there is a connection between physical and mental health. Physical activity releases hormones that are mood lifters; exercise is not necessarily a cure-all for emotional or mental ills, but it is a contributing factor in better outcomes.

The COVID-19 Pandemic has taken a huge physical toll in our country–not just in terms of the 600,000+ who have died of COVID-related illnesses, but also in terms of the tens of millions who were sickened by the virus but survived (some with long-lasting effects). Even those who were not infected have suffered stress from the situation. Some of that can be attributed to the relationship between lower levels of physical activity during the pandemic (due to closed gyms, group classes being limited, etc.) and negative mental health outcomes.

Idea Fitness Journal’s September-October, 2021, issue reported on a recent study by McMaster University in Hamilton, ON, Canada; the research looked into why people seemed less motivated to be physically active and what the perceived barriers were. The data showed that those whose mental health had worsened the most were also those who were the least physically active; that same group also showed the most improvement when they became more active.

Based on the study, the article suggested that individuals can become more active (and have better mental health outcomes) by:

–Scheduling activities (to eliminate decision-making and choice

–Do activites they personally enjoy

–Listen to their favorite music

–Train with a friend

–Try lower-intensity activiites

–Get creative; use body weight or whatever is available

–Go outside and be in nature.

Of course, another option for those who are demotivated because of the recent surge in COVID-19 cases, is to turn to on-line classes and training that can be done from home.

The issue is a complicated one and, as I said earlier, more exercise is not a panacea. There can be deeper issues at work that make the thought of more physical activity anxiety-inducing. As always, it is best to check in with healthcare professional if depression or anxiety prevent a person from carrying out activities of daily living, including exercise.

For most people, however, it is just a matter of planning ahead and taking the first step. The rest should come more easily.

Will I Be Forgiven…Will I Forgive Others?

Mahatma Gandhi The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.

Kosher Fitness is supposed to be about Judaism and Fitness…so you may be wondering what the connection to forgiveness is.

Fitness and health don’t just refer to our physical being; it also means being spiritually and emotionally sound. No small part of mental illness is related to an inability to forgive others–hanging on to anger and disappointment–or an inability to receive forgiveness–or feel that we are unworthy of it.

This has been on my mind a lot since reading Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. This true story follows the life of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic athlete whose plane was shot down over the Pacific in World War II. He underwent an ordeal that most of us would not have come close to surviving; he saw terrible cruelty that was reminiscent of what was happening in concentration and death camps throughout Europe at the same time. After the war, he was able to find a way to forgive those who had done him so much harm; it was a way for him no longer to be controlled by them.

I learned about this in a class for rabbis many years ago that focused on anger. The teacher asked: Would you tolerate a renter in your home who never paid the rent? We answered: No. What if the person was loud and made noise at all hours of the day and night? Again, we answered: No! What if this person trashed their room and did damage to your home too? We answered: No way! And yet, our teacher pointed out, that is what many of us metaphorically do. We allow others to live in our heads rent-free, harassing us, giving us no piece and making a mess of our lives. One of the ways that we can “evict” them is by finding a way to forgive them. It is an act we do not so much for them, as for ourselves.

This is a very Jewish way of looking at things as well. Every year at the High Holidays we focus not only on the sins we may have committed against God, but also the ways in which we may have hurt or offended others around us. We should seek forgiveness from the Lord (only after we have done everything possible to rectify the situation), but we must also be willing to forgive others and ourselves. Every year, we engage in this process so that the hurt, estrangement and emotional pain do not fester. It is not easy, but it is rewarding and a HEALTHY thing to do.

Of course, this is also on my mind when I think about the heightened awareness in our nation around racial injustice. We have a system of justice that is broken; it does not treat everyone the same. Those with privilege (read, white skin) have much greater access to justice than people of color. It is a sad reality and it is long overdue that we deal with this.

Where does forgiveness fit in here? All of us have made mistakes. We have been insensitive. We have been unaware. We have looked the other way. This is true even for those of us who consider ourselves champions of justice and equality. To paraphrase Donald Rumsfeld, we cannot know what we do not know. But ignorance is no excuse. We have heard the cry of the oppressed (knowing what it is like to be oppressed since we commemorate it each year at Passover), and now we must act.

Are our past mistakes forgivable? Can we be released from the guilt of centuries of injustice–in which we have participated either wittingly or unwittingly?

A good Jewish answer: it depends. First, there is a difference between forgiving and forgetting. The first we are bidden to do, the second forbidden. Memory is essential to prevent the repetition of past wrongs. Second, certain sins cannot be forgiven: murder, sexual molestation, genocide, etc. The Talmud teaches that God Godself will deal with those who have committed these crimes. It is outside of human hands. For example, I cannot forgive the Nazis for murdering my great-grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins; the ones who would need to forgive were turned to ash and rest now in shallow pits in Europe. I leave this forgiveness (if it exists) to God.

This still leaves us a lot of room for our own personal interactions. When we wrong someone or offend them, when we are insensitive, when we fail to see the suffering of others…what should the reaction be? Is there room for forgiveness from others? What about when we are at the receiving end? Can we forgive?

Sometimes there is a vibe out there that when someone makes a mistake (not out of meanness, but out of ignorance or lack of sensitivity) that this person must be destroyed. Fire him! Ban her for life! We won’t be happy until that person is reduced to dust!

There is an expression (wrongly attributed to Ghandi, but it sounds like something he might have said) that says “an eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind.” Is the goal when someone “sins” to crush them? The prophet Ezekiel taught that the Lord does not delight in the death of the sinner, but rather that the wicked repent of his/her ways.” Instead of trying to destroy a person, are there opportunities for teaching and learning? Can we help them repent? Can we turn enemies or bystanders into allies?

It is not for me to dictate to others how to carry out a movement for racial justice. I only hope that there is room for listening…for atonement…for teaching…for compassion…and forgiveness. I know that I have not done as much as I should in the past–and even now; I understand that this should be met with righteous indignation, but I also hope it is accompanied by help and guidance. This is the Jewish concept of Justice AND Mercy.

These are Jewish values but also human values. We live in a society that is unwell; the fever is getting worse, but there are signs of healing as well. I want to be part of the healthy nation that will emerge. I hope that I am up to that challenge and will prove a worthy ally.

Not every sin is forgivable. My hope is that all of us will find the spaces where we can forgive without forgetting.

Will I Be Forgiven…Will I Forgive Others?

Mahatma Gandhi The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.

Kosher Fitness is supposed to be about Judaism and Fitness…so you may be wondering what the connection to forgiveness is.

Fitness and health don’t just refer to our physical being; it also means being spiritually and emotionally sound. No small part of mental illness is related to an inability to forgive others–hanging on to anger and disappointment–or an inability to receive forgiveness–or feel that we are unworthy of it.

This has been on my mind a lot since reading Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. This true story follows the life of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic athlete whose plane was shot down over the Pacific in World War II. He underwent an ordeal that most of us would not have come close to surviving; he saw terrible cruelty that was reminiscent of what was happening in concentration and death camps throughout Europe at the same time. After the war, he was able to find a way to forgive those who had done him so much harm; it was a way for him no longer to be controlled by them.

I learned about this in a class for rabbis many years ago that focused on anger. The teacher asked: Would you tolerate a renter in your home who never paid the rent? We answered: No. What if the person was loud and made noise at all hours of the day and night? Again, we answered: No! What if this person trashed their room and did damage to your home too? We answered: No way! And yet, our teacher pointed out, that is what many of us metaphorically do. We allow others to live in our heads rent-free, harassing us, giving us no piece and making a mess of our lives. One of the ways that we can “evict” them is by finding a way to forgive them. It is an act we do not so much for them, as for ourselves.

This is a very Jewish way of looking at things as well. Every year at the High Holidays we focus not only on the sins we may have committed against God, but also the ways in which we may have hurt or offended others around us. We should seek forgiveness from the Lord (only after we have done everything possible to rectify the situation), but we must also be willing to forgive others and ourselves. Every year, we engage in this process so that the hurt, estrangement and emotional pain do not fester. It is not easy, but it is rewarding and a HEALTHY thing to do.

Of course, this is also on my mind when I think about the heightened awareness in our nation around racial injustice. We have a system of justice that is broken; it does not treat everyone the same. Those with privilege (read, white skin) have much greater access to justice than people of color. It is a sad reality and it is long overdue that we deal with this.

Where does forgiveness fit in here? All of us have made mistakes. We have been insensitive. We have been unaware. We have looked the other way. This is true even for those of us who consider ourselves champions of justice and equality. To paraphrase Donald Rumsfeld, we cannot know what we do not know. But ignorance is no excuse. We have heard the cry of the oppressed (knowing what it is like to be oppressed since we commemorate it each year at Passover), and now we must act.

Are our past mistakes forgivable? Can we be released from the guilt of centuries of injustice–in which we have participated either wittingly or unwittingly?

A good Jewish answer: it depends. First, there is a difference between forgiving and forgetting. The first we are bidden to do, the second forbidden. Memory is essential to prevent the repetition of past wrongs. Second, certain sins cannot be forgiven: murder, sexual molestation, genocide, etc. The Talmud teaches that God Godself will deal with those who have committed these crimes. It is outside of human hands. For example, I cannot forgive the Nazis for murdering my great-grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins; the ones who would need to forgive were turned to ash and rest now in shallow pits in Europe. I leave this forgiveness (if it exists) to God.

This still leaves us a lot of room for our own personal interactions. When we wrong someone or offend them, when we are insensitive, when we fail to see the suffering of others…what should the reaction be? Is there room for forgiveness from others? What about when we are at the receiving end? Can we forgive?

Sometimes there is a vibe out there that when someone makes a mistake (not out of meanness, but out of ignorance or lack of sensitivity) that this person must be destroyed. Fire him! Ban her for life! We won’t be happy until that person is reduced to dust!

There is an expression (wrongly attributed to Ghandi, but it sounds like something he might have said) that says “an eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind.” Is the goal when someone “sins” to crush them? The prophet Ezekiel taught that the Lord does not delight in the death of the sinner, but rather that the wicked repent of his/her ways.” Instead of trying to destroy a person, are there opportunities for teaching and learning? Can we help them repent? Can we turn enemies or bystanders into allies?

It is not for me to dictate to others how to carry out a movement for racial justice. I only hope that there is room for listening…for atonement…for teaching…for compassion…and forgiveness. I know that I have not done as much as I should in the past–and even now; I understand that this should be met with righteous indignation, but I also hope it is accompanied by help and guidance. This is the Jewish concept of Justice AND Mercy.

These are Jewish values but also human values. We live in a society that is unwell; the fever is getting worse, but there are signs of healing as well. I want to be part of the healthy nation that will emerge. I hope that I am up to that challenge and will prove a worthy ally.

Not every sin is forgivable. My hope is that all of us will find the spaces where we can forgive without forgetting.

Reasons to be Thankful…Really

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As the Jewish year draws to a close, many of us are thinking about our successes and failures, triumphs and tragedies over the last 13 months (it was a leap year). We also begin to think about the changes we want to make in the coming year.

One area upon which we should be reflecting is “what are we grateful for?” For sure, we have no problem coming up with what didn’t work right, what is annoying, and what is just a hot mess. Most of us probably spend a lot less time thinking about what is going right: the people in our lives, the many blessings we enjoy, the love that surrounds us. It reminds me of people who complain when a flight is delayed (which is an annoyance for sure), with little thought for the wonder of flight and little regard for the fact that just 100 years ago the same trip might have taken days or weeks.

A study reveals that developing a greater sense of gratitude is good for our health–mental and physical. It is described in this article: https://dailyhealthpost.com/gratitude-rewires-brain-happier/?utm_source=link&utm_medium=fb&utm_campaign=sq&utm_content=dhp&fbclid=IwAR1Jaqb8PoCWfKtVmcG8YprLSbpisoYATjfM1mR1byrtV8lVtg5C-lPcXvU.

People who developed a practice of recognizing and expressing gratitude had a more positive outlook and had less health problems according to the study. The more optimistic you are the less likely you are to have sleep disorders, inflammatory diseases and heart failure.

The neuroscience also shows that it is possible to nurture our sense of gratitude and actually rewire our brain (through new neural pathways) so that we can strengthen these healthy tendencies. Of course, this means we will emit more positive “vibes” which will rub off on others. This can create what the article calls a “virtuous cycle.”

This will not happen automatically. We need to create patterns of thankfulness. In the study, participants were asked to keep a log of positive things that happened, or things for which they were thankful each day. This along heightened the sense of gratitude. It went beyond just the rote recitation of the words “thank you,” often stated quite thoughtlessly.

Psalm 92 says “It is good to give thanks to the Lord.” This is true, but now there is scientific truth that backs it up…and we can achieve that “good” by thanking those around us too.

Thanks for reading this!

Mental Health and Exercise

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A lot has been discussed in the past several days since the mass shootings in Gilroy, El Paso and Dayton regarding mental health.

I am always bothered when mental health gets dragged gratuitously into discussions about gun violence. Mental illness occurs all over the world, and yet we still have a terrible record in the United States when it comes to gun violence and mass shootings. Additionally, the same elected officials who focus on the role of mental illness in our violent culture are often the same ones who have worked to provided greater access to mental health services. (End of that sermon).

As a personal trainer and a rabbi, I am by no means an expert in mental health. I do have some background in pastoral counseling, but I also know when the issue at hand is beyond my training and capabilities; then I refer to a professional. I have also dealt with mental health issues in my family–who hasn’t? A lifetime of living tells me that there are no easy answers, that you cannot just “get over it.” Depression, anxiety, panic disorders, etc., are real and they can be debilitating. The good news is that most mental illnesses are treatable, and success rates are highest with early intervention–which is why it is so important for all of us to work toward de-stigmatizing mental illness.

My own fitness journey really intensified about 11 years ago after my mother passed away. It was not that long after my divorce and after the end of an engagement that did not lead to marriage. I was not at my best. For several years, I had periods when I would go to the gym more regularly and others when I would not. After my mom passed away, a fellow mourner at synagogue services gave me some advice (I have mentioned this in a previous post): “take good care of yourself, this will be harder than you think.” I resolved from that moment to take good care of myself; I made visits to the gym a regular thing and was more careful with my diet. Those decisions–along with the support of family and friends–made a difference. Mourning for a parent was harder than I thought it would be, and taking care of myself was an important part of getting through it. I have stuck with it ever since and it has helped me through emotionally trying times.

Anecdotal evidence aside, there is a firm basis in science for the effect that exercise can have on our mental health. We know about the benefits to our cardio-vascular system, brain health, and musculo-skeletal system, but we do not often talk about what it does for our mental well-being. There are several good articles out there on this topic, and google will be your friend if you want more info.

A few points worth mentioning. Exercising releases chemicals in our bodies that create a greater sense of well-being–in particular, endorphins. The latest research also indicates that increased blood flow, nutrients, and oxygen to the brain as a result of exercise can aid in neurogenesis (the creation of new neurons) in the hippocampus–the part of the brain that helps regulate memory and emotions. For more on this topic, go to: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/what-works-and-why/201803/how-your-mental-health-reaps-the-benefits-exercise.

Additionally, depending on the exercise we are doing, we can develop greater capacity for mind calming (running, swimming, yoga). Small group classes can help build a supportive community. A personal trainer can create a plan to help us reach our physical fitness goals; many of my clients talk about the emotional well-being they feel as a result of the experience as well.

Exercise will not solve the mental health care crisis in our nation. Exercise will also not put an end to violence and mass murder in our society. Exercise is, however, one piece of the puzzle–not just to improving physical health, but mental health as well.

The world we live in is difficult–harder than we think. The advice I pass along: take good care of yourself. Exercise is one way to do that.

On the way to a funeral for a 25-year-old

Yesterday I performed the Mitzvah of Nichum Avelim–Hebrew for the commandment to comfort the bereaved. A family that played a significant role in one of my previous congregations lost a son and grandson who was active duty in the military. Although I only barely remember the young man (I left that community 17 years ago), I felt I needed to be there for the family; Jewish tradition says that we do not really have a choice but are commanded to be there for others.

On the way to the funeral I was listening to NPR and there was an hour-long discussion about suicide. (This was not the cause of death.) As a member of the clergy, there was not a whole lot that I had not heard before, but still it was a great segment and a good reminder.

Much of the program dealt with what to do when we hear/see/sense something wrong with a friend. What are we supposed to do? What should we say? In a number of different ways, they spoke about how one of the most important things we can do is let the other person know they are not alone, that there are others going through the same thing as well, and that there are places to get help. They all emphasized how significant it is for those who are having suicidal thoughts to feel connected to others.

They also talked about a kind of systemic change that needs to occur. We still place too much of a stigma on mental health. Our healthcare system does not always provide health insurance or treatment parity with physical illnesses. This means that open discussions about how friends, family, co-workers, etc., are doing do not take place often enough. We can begin to create change in our own families, places of work, school, by encouraging those conversations–checking in on others even when they don’t seem to be distressed. Sometimes those with mental illness are very good at disguising their distress, and all it takes is making the effort to connect.

I know that I will try this myself. The more we make conversations about mental health no different than those about physical health, the more likely we are to create situations in which those needed help will comfortable to seek it.

The funeral I attended was not a suicide, but was tragic nonetheless. I cannot imagine what the family is going through. I hope my presence made some difference. As we rethink mental illness, we can all make a difference.

This was not the segment, but still very helpful: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/04/20/707686101/reach-out-ways-to-help-a-loved-one-at-risk-of-suicide