Wellness Wednesday: Bathing

Did you know the in the Middle Ages, bathing was considered unhealthy? Indeed, they were not called the Dark Ages for nothing. 

Bathing has had a long history, dating back to ancient India, where it was done more than once per day for ritual reasons.  Elsewhere in the ancient world, Greece developed the ritual of bathing into a way of life, where it was integrated with the tradition of athletics and the life of the the gymnasium. Roman baths are famous as a social institution, where gossip and politics took place amidst the steam and the towels. Later as Christianity took hold, public baths went out of favor as being immoral, since they were associated with debauchery and hedonism. Bathing itself fell out of favor during the time of the plagues, as Medieval physicians felt it opened the pores and let in disease. Farther north, the Nordic people maintained a tradition of saunas, and unlike the other public bathing environments around the world, theirs bore no association with immorality or disease. 

During these dark times others kept the practice of bathing alive. European explorers marveled at the cleanliness of the Mesoamerican people. Across the sea, Japan had a rich bathing culture, using rock pools, furnace baths, and heated rocks with seawater to make steam. In later years the Japanese would refine the art of the public and the private bath, requiring separate cleansing beforehand, then a clean soak to establish tranquility before family dinner time. 

Today we use baths for cleanliness, relaxation and therapy. It is a simple intervention with pleasant results. With only a few precautions, baths are a great strategy. The precautions are these: 

Pregnant women in the first trimester should not take hot baths. This is because there is an association between elevation of core body temperature with failure of the neural tube to close, and conditions like spina bifida. 

No bath should be very hot, since this increases risk of heart attack and fainting in the susceptible. Very hot baths also dry the skin and can precipitate headaches. 

Bathing in warm plain water is best. However a tiny bit of scented essential oil or salt may be used. Bubble baths are hard on our tissues as is the use of soap, which should be restricted to the shower only for truly dirty or greasy skin, and never the perineum. The face should be cleansed twice a day with cleanser, not soap, and should be moisturized before fully dry. 

Enjoy bathing as a stress reliever. As Sylvia Path once said, 

"There must be quite a few things that a hot bath won't cure, but I don't know many of them."

References: 

http://www.history.org/foundation/journal/autumn00/bathe.cfm

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/s/sylviaplat107968.html

https://www.aad.org/dermatology-a-to-z/for-kids/about-skin/taking-care-of-your-skin/washing

Food Friday: Fruit Stands and Farmer's Markets

My dad and I didn't always get along. He was an old school businessman from the midwest and I was a California city girl. So much was off base. Nonetheless, I recall our trips to fruit stands with affection.

Whenever we drove out to the countryside in search of fruit stands with beautiful produce, everything became right. My dad had a childlike enthusiasm for such things. He would inspect everything that was set out, checking color and smell, and then speak earnestly to the farmers about the season and their particular varieties and cultivars. He would direct me to examine each astounding thing.

 He was particularly concerned with tomatoes. He could remember all their names, and was thrilled to see the varieties with unusual colors and dense sweet flesh. He liked nothing better than to slice the finest deep red ones onto a plate with a little salt. 

All this is brought back to me at this time of year, as I look forward to the farmer's market each week. I would encourage you to pack up and go. Bring some cash, some bags, a camera and the family.

Here are several great reasons to get out to the farmer's market: 

• You will see what is being produced in your area. 
• You will get the best tasting fruits and vegetables. 
• You can get large quantities for "putting up" ,i.e. canning, freezing, and drying. These projects can be simple like applesauce, pickles or jam, or complicated like salsa, relish or chutney. They can be for your families' delight or for use as coveted gifts at the holidays. 
• You can meet new people and see ones you already know. 
• You can get gardening tips. 
• You can find some unique gifts or get inspired to make your own. 
• You can use your fancy stroller and wear a big hat. 

My dad made the acquaintance of an old Japanese man who sold a particularly fine dense large red tomato. He had brought it from afar, and developed it. It had no name. Late in my dad's life, he saved some seeds from this tomato and put them in an envelope scrawled with the following, " Gina, Hope these seeds produce. If so save some for me. " 

Many years later, after his passing, I found the envelope. I did not trust myself to grow them out, so I gave them to a neighbor who is very careful gardener. To our surprise they germinated and produced the lovely tomato. 

Food Friday: Picnics

Did you know that picnics were once only for the very wealthy? Picnics evolved from outdoor hunting parties in the 14th century in Europe. Such elegant outdoor meals were depicted in artworks and tapestries dating back to the Middle Ages. Picnics themselves became entertainment for the wealthy from the Middle Ages, through the Renaissance, and then into the Victorian era. They epitomized the virtues of the wealthy classes, which extolled sport, social life, the beauty of nature, and elegance. In the Victorian era, picnics became especially popular and extended to the emerging middle classes. 

The Oxford English dictionary defines picnics thus: “Originally, a fashionable social entertainment in which each person contributed a share of the provisions; now a pleasure party including an excursion to some spot in the country where all partake of a repast out of doors; the participants may bring with them individually the viands and means of entertainment, or the whole may be provided by some one who “gives the picnic”. 

Today, picnics are far more casual, though they still retain the aspect of having a festive meal outdoors. In our country, we tend to have picnics primarily in the summer. This poses some risk, since in summer temperatures, food borne illness is more common. Here are some tips to avoid problems: 

Pack safely: 

• Include materials to clean hands, with soap and water, sanitizer or wipes. 
• Pack ice, clean utensils, plates, leftover containers, paper towels and trash bags. 
• Pack cool food with ice packs to stay below 40 degrees. Open infrequently. Pack drinks in a separate cold cooler, since this drink cooler will be opened frequently. 
• Carry coolers in an air conditioned car, not the trunk. 
• If hot food is precooked, do not delay before finishing cooking on the grill. Any time lapse in-between is an invitation for bacterial growth. 
• Cook hamburger and other meats to 160 degrees, and chicken to 165 degrees. 
• Prevent cross contamination with drippings or marinades. 
• Do not reuse marinades. 
• Don’t serve on your prep platter.
• Discard food if left out more than an hour at 90 degrees. 

Pack creatively: 

Consider some alternatives to traditional cuisine. 

Classic American picnic foods, as for Fourth of July 

• fried chicken
• hot dogs
• macaroni, egg or potato salad
• corn on the cob
• iced tea, lemonade
• apple pie 

French picnic foods, as for Bastille Day 

• Baguettes and baguette sandwiches
• pate foie de gras or tapenade 
• Salade Nicoise 
• Perrier Sparkling water 
• macarons
• mousse or pots de creme

Italian picnic food: 

• salads: pasta, caprese, arugula
• bruschetta with toast
• limoncello soda 
• layered torta or pizza 
• salami, ricotta, fresh fruit 

Swedish picnic food for Midsummer celebration:

• grilled marinated lamb
• Gravlax
• pickled herring with sauces 
• seeded crispbread
• cheesecake with berries 

If you don’t recognize the dishes, google them or search on Pinterest. You have some pleasant culinary surprises in store for you. 

References: 

Chow.com

Food Timeline 

Pamphlet: Pack a Family Picnic

Foodsafety.gov

Home Food Safety 

FDA

Wellness Wednesday: Generativity 101

I must have missed a day during my Psychology rotation. If I could have planned it, I would have missed the part about Freud and psychoanalysis. Give me a social or a cognitive psychologist any day and I will be much happier. These types of psychologists study the development of personality and cognition, or the thinking process throughout the lifetime. One of the great social psychologists, Erick Erickson, viewed our lifespan as occurring in stages, eight to be precise. They are depicted in the graphic taken from the pages of simplepsychology.org. ( See reference below.) 

I am writing tonight to introduce a new concept: generativity. It is the eighth stage in Erickson’s concept, and this seems to indicate it pertains only to people who are middle aged. I think it pertains to all adults, young or old, and maybe even certain adolescents. In a prior post I highlighted the evidence behind the importance of creativity to health. In this post I would like to highlight the importance of generativity to health and wellness.

Generativity is a term created by Professor Erickson to denote "a concern for establishing and guiding the next-generation." It has to do with creating something beneficial for those who come after you. It has to do with making the world a better place. In both Japanese and western culture it has to do with making your mark. Steve Jobs famously use the phrase "put a dent in the world". 

I have a hard time seeing that this kind of altruism is restricted to middle-aged people. The literature says that this personality trait does not have to be there initially to manifest itself later in life. But what if we were to hold it up as a desirable value? What if we were to make it trendy? Would more people embrace it and do so sooner in life? In Jewish thinking there is a phrase which I think relates to this. It is “Tikkun Olam”. This means to repair the world. It is something we are taught from early on.  It is one of the highest Jewish values.

In the field of psychology, there is actually a scale to measure generativity in a person. It is called the Loyola Generativity Scale or LGS. It is a point system in which the subject answers the following six questions:

1. I tried to pass along knowledge I gained through my experiences.
2. I have made and created things that have had an impact on other people.
3. I have important skills that I try to teach others.
4. If I were unable to have children of my own, I would adopt children.
5. I have have a responsibility to improve the neighborhood in which I live.
6. I feel that my contributions will exist after I die.

You get a zero if the statement does not apply to you, a 1 if it sometimes applies, 2 if the statement often applies, and 3 if  the statement always applies. The higher the score, the more generative you are. And not surprisingly, the happier you are. There is real research that indicates that a high score on the Loyola Generativity Scale is positively associated with life satisfaction.

Generativity is a new term for me. However it is an old and very useful concept. I am writing today to do my part to put it a little more on the map, and to encourage a conversation.

References:

What's generativity and why it's good for you at HuffingtonPost

Kristensargsyan’s Blog

Simplepsychology.org

Foley Center for the Study of Lives at Northwestern University

Psychology.about.com

Generativity in the Young, Midlife, and Older Adults. McAdams, et alia. Psychol Aging 1993;8(2):221-230.

Structure Sunday: The Structure of a Weekend

Did you know the the weekend as we know it is only about 100 years old ? I can't imagine life without the weekend. There is no natural correlate to the 7 day week. It is entirely man made and was probably designed in ancient Babylon. From there it was exported to the ancient Israelites and continued through the Jewish people through the idea of the Sabbath. 

However, it wasn't until 1908 in a car factory owned by Henry Ford, that Jewish and Christian cultures combined to give us the weekend. Before that time, workers would labor untold hours. Early labor rights were established after the French revolution, but even then their workweek was ten days on with one day off. Meanwhile in England, Sunday had evolved into the " Lord's Day" for rest and worship. 

In the late 1800s Europe was becoming more and more hostile to Jews. Immigration of Jews to America increased, and they entered the work force. Accordingly, the work force in Henry Ford's factory was composed of both Christians and Jews. The Christians took Sunday off, and the Jews observed Saturday as the Sabbath. To make everyone happy, the clever and diplomatic Mr. Ford created the two day weekend. Not only that, Mr. Ford popularized the weekend road trip... driving what ? You guessed it, his Model T. 

How did fewer working days effect commerce and productivity ? Somewhat paradoxically, research on the subject consistently shows that fewer work hours lead to greater productivity overall. Some say the sweet spot is a four day 8 hour work week, but that remains to be demonstrated. 

References: 

The Atlantic

American Public Media

Here is a rough version of what has been our ideal weekend routine: 

Friday evening: Dinner with family (with reference to the Jewish Sabbath)  something fun afterwards

Saturday morning: Catch up on sleep, brunch with family, outings, projects

Saturday evening: entertain 

Sunday Morning: brunch with family, clean house,  projects

Sunday evening: family dinner and get ready for the week

Here are some fantastic resources on having a great weekend: 

Lifehack

Reader's Digest

The Muse

Fast Company

Forbes

Entrepreneur

Pinterest 

Food Friday: Cooking With Family

You can't have enough cooks in the kitchen. 

I reflect back on having kids, now that all mine are grown and I have become a grandmother. One of the most gratifying family times for me has been cooking with my kids and their friends. I think I stumbled upon this as an awesome parenting strategy. It turns out that it gives you time to talk. Because it also keeps you occupied, it helps to keeps the tone light.

Cooking a meal teaches everyone tolerance, though slowly. It promotes cooperation, planning, safety skills... the list goes on. It settles people's energy back on the home life and shows how much fun you can have together. I cannot recommend it enough. 

Start early and be relaxed about messes. Having said that, don't be afraid to teach kids to tidy up before beginning to cook; The French call it  "Mise en Place", or to put in place. Likewise, don't be afraid to teach them enthusiasm in cleaning up. And in this matter, lead by example. And to help yourself, have a great collection of cookbooks or Pinterest Pins at the ready for inspiration. 

For a great guide on age appropriate cooking activities, click HERE. This is from Rutger's, entitled "Cooking Brings Kids and Families Together".

Cornell Cooperative Extension has a great article HERE, titled "Cooking Together as a Family has Multiple Rewards". 

And from WebMD, "Cooking With Your Children" HERE. 

Here are some books on the subject: 

"Cooking Time Is Family Time: Cooking Together, Eating Together, and Spending Time Together", by Lynn Fredericks 

"The Table Comes First, Family, France and the Meaning of Food", by Adam Gopnik

And here are some fun blog posts on the subject: 

The Kitchn

Playground Dad

Toca Boca

It's fun to start in the kitchen with small children. But the good news is, it's even more fun when your kids have grown.

Bon Appetite!

Structure Sunday: The Structure of a Family Road Trip

Family road trips are traditionally fraught with stress. But yours doesn't have to be. The road trip season is upon us and you will want to prepare.

irst of all let the kids in on the plan. Get them involved in the preparations. It won't hurt them a bit to learn the organizational skills necessary for a small vacation. In fact you can delegate age appropriate chores to kids from 5 To 95 and that will make everyone all the more engaged. 

• Pick a destination. 
• Pick a route. 
• Research attractions along the route and at the destination. 
• Make sure everyone gets some say on the activities.
• Go over the fine art of packing light and packing layers. 
• Make sure everyone has a duffle and a backpack of their own.
• Choose some activities for traveling. Choose a mix of electronic and paper content. 
• Choose a mixture of packed food and culinary stops along the way. 
• Always plan for minor illness and inclement weather. 
• Plan your stops if there is any question of availability of lodging. 
• Encourage each traveller to document the trip in their own way, i.e. Diary, sketchbook, iPhone, camera, etc. 
• Confirm you have necessary charging and connectivity cords, batteries, etc. 
• As the trip leader, personally confirm the travel arrangements from the condition of your car to the AAA membership.  

What could go wrong? : ) We ourselves are on the road heading down to Missoula for the Lindsey Stirling concert. It is turning into a bit of a culinary tour since when I left home, I stopped by the natural food store and got a bag of healthy car foods and drinks. Then going past the lake, grandma offered us waffles with berries. In Ronan we stopped by a little red and white taco place and I just knew the tacos would be crispy and hot. They were. Our intentions were then set on a bakery further down the road whose reputation had preceded it. Alas it was closed, but it made a good picture. (See photo.)

Travelling is an important family activity when learning takes place and memories are made. Takes these steps to make sure that both are good. 

Food Friday: Food for the postpartum mom

Food is a traditional gift. But, for the postpartum mom, it is best given with some forethought. 

Consider whether it would be best to do a fresh, ready to eat meal or maybe a freezer dinner for later. Make sure to find out about any allergies or food preferences before you prepare. If you do choose a freezer dinner, make sure she has enough room in the freezer. If you need recipes for make ahead meals, there is a wealth of them on food.com, epicurious.com, and of course Pinterest. For a deluxe gift, get together with a few of her friends and assign each person a meal for each day of the week for the first week she is home.  Friends did this for me once and it was so much fun. 

The breastfeeding mom needs between 300 and 500 calories or extra nutrition after the delivery of the baby. She especially needs high quality proteins, healthy fats and fluids. As far as food restrictions because of baby, there really are none. I have always taken the view that baby will to learn to like garlic, chili and chocolate just like I do! There really are no medical reasons to avoid strongly flavored foods when you are breastfeeding. 

Food gifts do not have to be meals. They can be baked goods or even a basket of healthy snacks or a case of healthy drinks like Pellegrino water. 

Gifts do not even have to be food! If you are fairly familiar with the new mom and her home, consider a gift of housekeeping, gardening, pet care or personal shopping on her behalf. You can draw up a cute certificate to present to her if you like, and she can cash it in when she prefers. 

Just remember that the new postpartum mom is bound to be tired. While your gift is almost certainly welcome, your postpartum friend might not be up to a great deal of socializing. So keep your visit short and sweet. 

If you are interested in information about breastfeeding and nutrition, please see the links below at on drginanelson.com. 

Breastfeeding 
Nutrition 

In other news, I am happy to report that all of the pages on drginanelson.com finished. Of course we are still polishing them, adding new handouts, and perhaps an occasional new graphic. Nonetheless, our collection of topics provide a cohesive overview of knowledge from Obstetrics, Gynecology and healthy lifestyle that is up to the minute in accuracy.

In the next week or so, I will be reorganizing the site a bit to make navigating this content simpler and easier, especially for mobile. In all cases, your input about content and ease of use would be most welcome. There is a feedback box you can access in the left menu bar from every page on the site. 

Stay tuned for more posts on Structure Sunday, Medical Monday, Wellness Wednesday, and Food Friday. 

Food Friday : Party Food

Despite my intense interest in nutrition, I believe the highest and best use of food is to forge bonds between people. Food is a natural centerpiece for social gatherings. It puts people at ease, and makes them feel good. It can, if presented correctly, cause us to slow down and connect with one another. 

I am blessed with a large extended family and group of friends. It has become our tradition to have frequent large gatherings which I think people really appreciate. Here are ten tips about parties and party food which I have learned along the way. 

1. Entertain for traditional and nontraditional occasions. It's great to observe birthdays and holidays, but it is also fun to celebrate different things like graduations, the spring equinox, or the Academy Awards. Do not limit yourself to dinners. Brunch and lunch can be fun too, though a great deal of preparation has to be done the night before. 
2. Partial pot luck is a very successful format. Partial pot luck is, as far as the guests are concerned, pot luck. They are each assigned a dish of your choice and mutual agreement, since you have made sure the menu is balanced. Behind the scenes, you make sure you have a flexible main dish, enough for almost everybody, and good beverages. You may also have your signature dish, which in my case is large fruit platter. That way you have the backbone of the meal covered, in case of no shows and dishes turning out poorly. 
3. Be aware of any special dietary needs or preferences of your guests. I know it is extra work, but if you want to host you are obliged to have something for everyone. This includes vegans, vegetarians, diabetics, the pregnant and those nursing, the gluten intolerant, and those who do not eat pork or shellfish. 
4. Set a beautiful table. Be creative. Check Pinterest. 
5. Serve the meal in stages and take your time.  After you take a guest's coat and introduce them, offer them something to drink. We offer things like Perrier, Pellegrino, and club soda. With a sit down meal you can control how fast the courses come out. With a buffet you can do the same the as the dishes go onto and off the buffet table. 
6. Its a party! Have several courses. Consider appetizers, a fancy salad (with multiple dressings on the side) , main dish, side dish, always a fruit platter with cheese, and at least one dessert. It is fair to have both cake and pie. I usually omit bread, rolls, rice and potatoes. Why ? Because dessert. 
7. Consider a culinary theme like Mexican, Japanese, Italian, you name it. Rehearse your recipes ahead of time if need be. Do not perform culinary experiments on your guests.  
8. Go ahead and have a rich fancy dessert. However, be sure to have something savory to go with it, such as cheese. Many people feel poorly with they have a big serving of sweets without anything to buffer it. Always offer coffee and tea afterwards. Be sure to have attractive decaf coffee and tea options. 
9. Have enough predesignated helpers before, during and afterwards. Make sure no one person is burdened with cleanup. Even a pair of buddies in the kitchen washing dishes can be fun. 
10. Be confident and know that it does not have to be perfect. Send invitations at least two weeks in advance, and plan the details of the event at least one week in advance and you will be fine ! 

Food Friday: Food is for Celebrating !

January and February are big birthday months for our family and I'm glad. After the holidays, and with the weather, these months can seem kind of dismal. Don't let this happen. Research from many fields indicated that we are happier and healthier when we connect with others. And, it is an ancient human tradition to connect over food: To break bread with one another, or in our case, cake. 

I generally make most of our gatherings pot luck. This way, everyone can contribute and no one person is overburdened. Plus, you get more variety. Yes, you have to clean and spruce your house and buy a few extra groceries, but it is well worth the fun. You may choose an occasion as a reason to get together, or have none at all. We have done board game nights, movie nights, a mocktail party, and of course gatherings for birthdays and holidays. My friend's son once had a Braveheart party. And about birthdays: don't think anyone is too old for a birthday party. Just do it. 

If you would like to learn more about how social connections are associated with longevity and happiness, let me refer you to the book Thrive, by Dan Buettner. It is not to be missed. It is about the lifestyles of those around the globe who are very long lived. You might be surprised at what you learn. This book is listed in my " Retail therapy" section of the website in my Amazon store. 

Structure Sunday: Holidays, the Happy Disruption

I have been meaning to write a post about how routine is the basis of all health maintenance.  It has to do with how small simple tasks repeated over and over in time, create health. Or wealth, for that matter. Everyone knows that small consistent contributions to a savings account make large gains over time. One could also argue that consistent routine is the basis of most work or creative productivity. 

But health is our wealth, and what I want to emphasize is the regularity of just a couple things: nutrition in three healthy meals and snacks, and regular 6 days per week of exercise. If these could be done simply, moderately, and consistently, without a lot of stress or fanfare, it would be awesome.

However, it is the holiday season. Holidays can be disruptive, to health, wealth, nutrition, exercise and work. And as you have seen, I am a bit off schedule in certain things. For example, I took some time off from the blog due to sheer merriment and kids being home from college. But I have been thinking about you all, and how you are faring, during this festive and sometimes disruptive season. 

Here are my simple suggestions for keeping the happy in the holidays. Try to keep to your exercise above all, especially since you're perhaps eating richer food this season. Even if you eat treats, such as those on this holiday table, don't fret. Sample them in moderation, by all means, but be sure to include healthy holiday food in the menu. 

And since it is the holiday season, I feel I can ask for a few more things. Have ice water or plain club soda on every table, and ladies, no more than one 8 ounce glass of beer, wine, or champagne per day. Try to sleep at least 7 hours per night. Finally, develop a holiday month plan, right down to gifts, wrapping, invitations, and meals. I am a big advocate of plotting all this on a calendar, and refining what works bests year after year.

Routines, large and small, will help you keep the holidays merry and bright. 

Food Friday: Step out !

Home cooked food is always best. But once in a while, it's great to dress up, step out,  and go out to dinner. We were so inspired this evening by our local Culinary Institute of Montana. We couldn't think of a better way to support the college and see the great things they are doing there. We are so fortunate to have this caliber of culinary school in the Flathead Valley.

I must encourage you in the strongest possible terms to save up and splurge by coming to " The Chef's Table" given every Friday night during the term. But I caution you, they sell out quickly. If you live outside of the Flathead Valley and in the type of town which might have a cooking school, it would be worth a phone call or two to see if their students serve to the public. 

And without further ado, I will share with you illuminated ice swans with palate cleansing sorbet, beautifully plated food, flaming crepes suzette, and gilded chocolate strawberries with cream puffs. Inspiration !