Some time ago my friend, Larry, mentioned that his mother had, for years and years, written a column on health and nutrition for her local paper.  When he mentioned that they had been helping her to clean out her house recently, I asked him to keep an eye out for copies of those columns.  What had she had to say all those years ago, before the subjects of health and nutrition became so popular?

Yesterday, I was rewarded with a stack of her articles!  Rosalind’s essays are filled with wisdom, collected for decades and likely passed along, from mother to daughter, for centuries.  Here are some of my favorites:

On Stress

“Give yourself time to relax and minimize the effects of stress.  Meditate, take long walks, watch the sunset and add years to your life.”  Rosalind Lerman ought to know; she’s 94! 

“People who laugh, and who make others laugh, tend to have better immunity.  Telling a joke is also a good way to improve your memory and can help delay the onset of cognitive decline.”

“Research finds that a full social network can contribute to good health and resistance to disease  Stress is lessened by emotionally reassuring relationships.  Friends and family help you put your stress in perspective, in the opinion of Dr. David Spiegel of Stanford University School of Medicine.” 

“Find something to think about each day, and do something for others.”

On Food

“Insoluble fiber, as in wheat bran, can relieve constipation but does not lower cholesterol.  Soluble fiber, as found in oats, beans, oranges, and baked potato with skin, can help to reduce cholesterol.”

“A five-year study of 805 Dutch men, ages 65 to 84, found that those who consumed high amounts of tea, onions, and apples seemed to benefit their hearts by reducing formation of plaque and by lowering their blood cholesterol and blood pressure.  The ingredients these foods have in common are flavonoids, also termed bioflavonoids…. Good sources are grapes, plums, apricots, cherries, blackberries, black currants, grapefruits, oranges and lemons.”

“Researchers regard a diet rich in spinach, collards, kale, and other greens to be helpful in delaying the onset of age-related macular degeneration… A study of more than 850 participants found benefit for those who ate foods rich in carotenoids, such as spinach, collards, carrots, tomatoes, broccoli, and winter squash as often as two to four times a week.”

On Activity

“Physical activity benefited the mental function of a group of people, age 65 to 72, who walked regularly.  After 16 weeks, their aerobic capacity increased, and their scores on cognitive function improved.”

I look forward to sharing more of Rosalind Lerman’s insights in the weeks and months ahead.

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