Body and Soul: The Torah Path to Health, Fitness, and a Holy Life

 

Body and Soul: The Torah Path to Health, Fitness, and a Holy Life by Rabbi Alexander Seinfeld (Author), Dr. Daniel Grove MD (Author) is a good practical book about getting healthier despite being part of a culture and society that promotes overeating. 

Yes, I said it. Traditional Jewish life, nowadays isn't very healthy, and to be honest secular life isn't any better. One big difference is that eating plays a major part in Jewish Life, and most people would be embarrassed to serve a meal that looks "frugal," which can be a negative way of describing a healthy meal or kiddush.

Body and Soul conveniently includes an extensive section with the calorie count of favorite Jewish foods including things like gefilte fish and kreplach.

Personally, I've spent my entire life trying to keep my weight down, and usually failing, though I don't eat the sort of menu Seinfeld and Grove consider typical. I hate to think of what I would look like and my health if I ate that typical high sugar and fat menu.

Early in Body and Soul we read of the dangers of sugars, yes, there are many different kinds, and the many seemingly "healthy" foods rich in it. Rabbi Seinfeld and Dr. Grove also explain how to calculate the amount of calories each individual needs to maintain present weight and a realistic amount to reduce to lose weight safely. 

Because food and ritual eating is such an intrinsic part of Judaism, Body and Soul definitely has a market. Rabbi Seinfeld and Dr. Grove have written a very Jewish diet guide including typical, for many frum people, Shabbat/Chag menus, including what one noshes on at a kiddush. If you pencil in the calorie counts (from the guide at the end of the book) next to what you normally eat and then add it up, the chances are that you'd be horrified.

My most successful weight loss periods were when I kept a food chart, writing down what and how much I ate, plus the calorie counts. If you use a smart phone, that may be the best tool. There's probably an app which will make it easier. Rabbi Seinfeld and Dr. Grove also say that you really must know and keep track of what you eat. One of their tips is not to take second portions. For many people that makes a big difference in total calorie intake. And your total calorie intake is what's most important.

I would just like to add one of my suggestions. Simplify what you serve; make life easier and healthier. Don't give too many choices, because most people will try everything and eat more than they should. Serve just one carbohydrate. There's no reason to have both potato kugel and roasted potatoes. If you follow the custom of two and three kugel Shabbat, make spinach kugel, carrot kugel, along with either a noodle or potato kugel. There's no need to have three types of fleishik. One's enough, especially if you've started the meal with the first course of fish. Make lots of fresh salad and a choice of simple vegetables, no sugar/jam/honey added.  

Body and Soul: The Torah Path to Health, Fitness, and a Holy Life is a very readable book and can really help people by opening their eyes and making them aware of what's in the food they eat. I recommend it as a very good start in improving one's and one's family's life and health.

Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Jewish Spiritual Literacy Press (June 1, 2023)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 510 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1680259156
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1680259155

Kodesh-Chol, Body-Soul

One of the lessons of Purim is that "mikreh," "just by chance," or coincidence is all in control of G-d. The miracle of Purim is "being in the right place at the right time."

Mordechai just, by chance, happened to hear the plotters against King Achashverosh, and just, by chance, that was the page in the chronicles read to King Achashverosh, when he couldn't sleep. And just, by chance, Haman came in, and just, by chance, there were ready-made gallows...

And just, by chance, there was an Esther, beautiful and wise and dedicated to her people, willing to risk it all, body and soul...

Oh, yes, body and soul, Kodesh and Chol, the Holy and the "profane," or just plain ordinary...

One of the things that distinguishes Judaism from any other is the integration of the two. It's like our calendar, which integrates the solar and the lunar, making it the most accurate calendar of all. And to think that it was developed in a world that not only predates computers, also simple adding machines and calculators. Our ancient sages somehow managed to calculate it all very accurately.

Now how did I get to this? Yes, I remember.

I was sent two requests to publicize sites/blogs on my blog, Home Game and YK's Jewish Music Forum. The requests arrived within hours of each other, which gave me the message that I had to combine them.

Home Game is more than sports,

"Home Game" documents the story of graduating 12th graders, from the Israeli village of Netzer Hazani, during their last vacation before adulthood.

Their yearly summers of beach, ball and fun usually focused on the annual youth final four basketball competition. Yet their 2005 summer vacation turned into something else entirely because the Israeli government began to implement its plan to remove them from their homes in Gush Katif, Gaza, as part of the Middle East peace process.

And the Music Forum is more than just some music reviews.

Reviews and other fun stuff about JM

Chag Shiloh Purim Sameach!