Winter begins to die, flowers begin to bloom and the sun’s rays start to peek through the clouds. We are ready to dress in simpler, lighter attire. Our thoughts drift to what we might look like in these clothes, and we think about why we just can’t achieve the body we want so badly, no…
I lift weights a few days a week at a local gym. Mostly, I listen to NPR on my headphones and mind my own business, so I don’t have a lot of gym friends. But I watch other people all the time. What have I learned? There are lots of great exercises for abs, and…
For Americans 65 and older, falling down can be the worst thing to happen to them, according to statistics from the National Council on Aging: • One in three seniors experiences a significant fall each year • Every 18 seconds, a senior is admitted into an emergency room after losing balance and hitting the ground…
We’ve all heard about inflammation, but what is this mysterious thing exactly? Underneath the surface, our bodies are working hard to protect us every day. Countless tiny battles are going on in which our immune systems ward off invaders, carry away irritants or clean up dead cells. This natural process is called inflammation, and it…
As a child we lived with my grandparents in a red brick apartment complex in Queens, NY. I remember the pleasure of sitting on my Papa’s lap as he imbued me with love, kindness and wisdom. My grandfather Louis Blumenstock was a well-known philanthropist who founded the Hyam Salomon Home for the Aged. Later in…
Knowledge can enhance your health, your heritage and your community. We explore many facets of the lifelong quest for knowledge in this issue of Oregon Jewish Life. Because Ashkenazi Jewish women are more likely than the general population to have a genetic mutation that increases their risk for breast and ovarian cancer, our section on…
The numbers are sobering. In Multnomah County, more than half of adults are overweight or obese and at risk for chronic conditions including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, stroke and high blood pressure. The costs of obesity – both the personal health costs and the shared financial costs – are staggering. According to the…
The subject of women’s health is naturally tied to a bat mitzvah – for age 12 is when the average young woman will start to experience the time our hormones awaken. The average woman today may want to run away from all of the conflicting information and avoid doctors altogether! Beginning with menses – even…
Before Becky Johnson developed thyroid cancer, she said she didn’t even know where her thyroid was. Doctors told her that her symptoms were the result of menopause after tests showed her thyroid hormone levels fell into the very broad “normal range.” But in 2009, 10 years after she first complained of symptoms, she finally persuaded…
As Jews enter the most joyous and holiest time of year, most of us have much to be grateful for. The High Holy Days allow us to take time to reflect on another year gone by and think of all we did and didn’t get done. I’ve always thought Rosh Hashanah was a great time…
