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Jewish World Review Oct. 23, 1998 / 3 Mar-Cheshvan, 5759
Lisa S. Lenkiewicz
In a recent issue of Lilith Magazine, there was an interesting article
titled, "Why Jewish Girls Starve Themselves". The thrust of the piece was
about the high rate of eating disorders among Jewish women, discussing how
issues of food, body, sexuality, appetites, are "used and confused in
attempts to deal with interpersonal relationships, or to deal with pain" --- including
second- or third-generation Holocaust trauma.
I don’t know much about this psycho-speak, but I was intrigued by the title
of the article. The flip side of our overeating is the obsession with being
thin.
Too often lately you hear of young girls who decline dessert or birthday
cake, saying they are watching their weight. One eight-year-old girl was heard
complaining her thighs were too fat. When I was her age, I’m not sure I knew
where my thighs were.
My excuse has always been having two pregnancies close together and three
operations in two years. I did try to fight the battle of the bulge. I
bought the "Stop Kvetching and Start Stretching" exercise video. I bought the video
starring Gilad, that handsome Israeli who leads aerobics classes at exotic
locales in Hawaii. I have a Richard Simmons tape. But when my doctor said my
stomach muscles were shot, that was just the excuse I needed. No pain, no
gain they say? For me it was, yes pain, and yes complain. I simply stopped doing
the situps and voila! The pain went away.
Good advice.
"It is advisable for one to accustom himself to have breakfast in the
morning." This suggestion is from the Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish Law)
under "Rules concerning physical well-being." Our sages must have been right
--- every diet plan I’ve seen stresses the importance of eating a good
breakfast.
The Shulchan Aruch also says that it is best to omit one meal during the
week, in order that the stomach may have a rest and its digestive power be
strengthened. Not the advice my nutritionist would give -- something to do
with
metabolism and storing energy -- but it might be worth trying, nonetheless.
So, no guilt over that Hershey bar my son magnanimously offered up from the
goodie bag he got today. Tomorrow I’ll be first in line at the water cooler,
I
OY VEIGHT!
DO JEWISH WOMEN struggle
with weight issues more than other women?
CLEAN YOUR PLATE
We all have our excuses about how we ended up this way: When we were young,
our grandparents constantly urged food on us, saying, Ess mein kind; we
had to clean our plates out of guilt for the "starving children in Africa”" It’s
in our genes --- Jews don’t drink, we like to eat.
WHAT DO OUR TEXTS SAY?
I looked to our Jewish texts for some guidance on shmirat haguf (guarding
the body). Solomon wisely counseled, "Whosoever keepeth his mouth and his
tongue,
keepeth his life from troubles”" (Proverbs 21:23). In other words, one who
refrains from gluttony and guards his tongue from speaking except for what
is necessary, stays out of trouble.
REASON FOR OPTIMISM
Although statistics indicate eating disorders are prevalent among Jewish
women, there still is reason for optimism. The therapist who was interviewed
in that Lilith article said Judaism is a potential cure for dysfunctional
eating, what with our religion’s "enormous potential for renewal." I do
believe in teshuva -- that we can turn, change and do better. If I fall down in
my weight management from time to time, well, tomorrow is another day.
JWR contributor Lisa S. Lenkiewicz is Managing Editor the Connecticut Jewish Ledger.
