I WRITE ESPECIALLY FOR YOU, MY DEAR LOYAL READER. I AM SO VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE HUGE NUMBER OF LOVELY COMMENTS. THANK YOU WITH ALL MY HEART FOR TAKING YOUR TIME TO SEND POSITIVE NOTES TO ME FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. YOUR OUT-POURING OF COMPLIMENTS ENCOURAGES ME TO MAKE “MANHATTAN MUSINGS” THE BEST PERSONAL DIARY OF MY ARTICLES AND KNOWLEDGE.
Note: There will be a health tip at the end of each Manhattan Musings. ‘What’s Up, Doc’ is from my background in health and from the international health newsletter (“Outreach”) which I founded, wrote, and edited when I first graduated from New York University and worked for the fifth largest medical center in the metropolitan New York area.
There are also a few laughs for you. PERSONAL PATTER and SHORT SHRIFT further down offer a chuckle.
I WAS BORN JUST BEFORE THE WORLD ENDED ….. THE GOOD WORLD
MANHATTAN MUSINGS
I am glad that I was born into a better world than what exists now: Before air flying was ruined because of terrorists; before AIDS and other diseases …. one could make love without critical consequences; before fast food became commonplace in too many homes and children develop poorly simply because they do not have adequate nutrition and NOT because of newly dreamt-up diseases; before every office building lobby had security!! (are you even able to remember how nice it was to enter a building, go directly to an elevator, and go to the floor that you needed?); before Wall Street was closed to traffic; before getting higher education (in universities and colleges) drained the assets of the average citizen … education once was affordable by anyone; before any of the things in this paragraph were even possible.
How life has changed from the way people lived in the United States in the 1950’s, 1960’s, and 1970’s. Where did it all go? There were family walks after dinner and getting an ice cream cone. In the winter, there was one more sleigh ride after dinner — And dinner was at 6PM for the whole family with freshly cooked food. What about reading the newspapers of which there were many (at low cost) and watching your favorite television shows which were on every year at the same time on the same day?! There was continuity which gave stability to lives. Continuity is very important in grounding individuals. It is important to be able to count on things remaining constant. Today, favorite products get discontinued. Favorite television shows are moved to a different day, or time, or are discontinued. Stores, shops, and bakeries simply close down. Did you ever think that B. Altman or Bonwit Teller department stores would shut down? ……and all due to foreign buyers who failed to know how to merchandise in the American market.
Do you even remember when there was not all this traffic? …. both in the streets and on the sidewalks? Roadwork changes traffic patterns while traffic becomes such an abomination that people just get frazzled.
What about the taste – years back – of a glass of milk when you opened the red quart carton of Sealtest? Of course, today I know better, and I drink goat milk which is compatible with the human digestive system. Oak Knoll Goat Milk at least provides a safe milk for me. Cow’s milk is really only meant for baby cows.
What about bakeries? There used to be the most heavenly breads, rolls, cakes, and cookies ….. all made from butter (not poisonous, processed oils). All the items were made right in that family-owned bakery and not by some production company that mass-produces items to be shipped to bakeries and supermarkets. Yes, if you go outside the big cities or you go to other countries, one does still find proper bakeries; however, in the metropolitan New York area, they have died away.
Speaking about bread, can you remember going to the store for your mother and pulling that fresh, soft, aromatic slice of Silvercup bread from the bag as you left the store in order to eat it as you walked home? It was so good and tasted almost warm.
There was marvelous music – “pop music” or “popular music” or “easy listening” – that you could hum, and it did not cause ear or brain damage to listen to it. Stars (singing stars; television stars …) had annual Christmas television specials unlike today where they are so greedy that most will not make a special that can only be shown at a certain time of year thus limiting reruns. Broadway shows used to be affordable, and the shows had top stars. That is why the theatres were full. Orchestra seats now are so high that if one takes a spouse and two children, you can easily need to spend almost $1,000: over $500 for four seats plus dinner at a restaurant. Do you know that in the 1960’s, an orchestra seat for a Broadway show was $9.85 (which was raised from $8.95)?
Going back to my opening line: “I am glad that I was born into a better world than what exists now” because it is nice to have existed, albeit briefly, in a more peaceful life without 24-hour instant communication: no mobile phones; no fax; no computers; no emails. When you left your office (and not a home office), you left your office! There was time to be with your family and also to just do things for yourself. Life was less complicated.
Of course, it is nice to have medical advancements although the doctors of days gone by had greater knowledge of nutrition and general medicine. Every doctor was not a ‘specialist’, and prescription drugs were not foisted upon every patient before considering what else could be done, such as a change in diet.
I do feel that a special part of the world ended between 1980 and 1990. Before that, there was a graciousness of living, respect for different aspects of life and loved ones, and, as I wrote, there were consistencies. Those things that were “constant” gave stability to our lives ….. they gave us something upon which we could rely.
If “Manhattan Musings” suggests anything to you, it would be to try to maintain some civility of life in what you do: your attire; how you speak to others; how you live. If people could do that, then they would enjoy some constancy and consistency which then provide stability to our lives.
‘WHAT’S UP, DOC’
As Precious As Wealth Is Your Health ……… Here is your tip today:
So many people worry because their heart skips beats. Suddenly, as they say, their heart “flutters” and they become breathless. When this happens, cough! Yes, cough in order to get the heart beating back in its normal rhythm. Do not cough your brains out; just cough firmly because the coughing will re-establish the beat.
Now, if this fluttering happens often, the body is probably short of calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D3 which work as a triumvirate in SO many ways in the body not the least of which is a steady heartbeat. No one needs megadoses of these nutrients. I can tell you what we use from Douglas Laboratories in Pittsburgh (speak to Bill): calcium in the form of microcrystalline calcium hydroxyapatite (250 mg. tablet twice a day); magnesium chelate (200 mg. tablet three times daily); vitamin D3 (1,000 IU tablets 5 times daily). It is helpful to the body to spread out nutrient supplements because they will digest better. These three supplements should be taken after the stomach has some fatty food in it because these nutrients are fat soluble. Take the calcium and magnesium at separate times in order to enhance digestion of the individual tablet.
If someone is having a heart attack, they can keep their heart beating by coughing until paramedics or medical help arrives to give aid.
SHORT SHRIFT (within each blog, I will offer a laugh which, aside from a great inheritance, is terrific for your well-being)
Quote: Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first! The true originator of this often-used (and many times mis-credited) quote is Ernestine Ulmer. I adore dessert, and a lovely waitress happily told me that I suit the quote since I most enjoy hearing about special desserts right at the beginning of a meal.
Point to remember: Do not cheat yourself out of a nice dessert by thinking that you will have fruit in order to save calories. Fruit on top of food rots everything in the stomach and causes digestion to back up for anywhere from 24 to 36 hours. Fruit is meant to be eaten on an empty stomach only! The best time for the body to digest and utilize all the nutrients in fruit is first thing when you wake up. Breakfast is the correct time for fruit. Proper food combining is critical for good health.
PERSONAL PATTER
Children do catch up (and even pass us) age-wise. Here is a funny story:
When my little niece was 5 years old (the most beautiful little girl, with curls and ringlets and a gurgling, enticing voice), it was my birthday, and Denise Alexandra said to me: “Carole, I can’t remember how old you are. Remind me.”
“Well,” I said, “don’t worry Denise because you are 5 years old, and I am 15 years older than you. When you are 15 years old, I will be 10 years older. When you are 35 years old, I will be 5 years older. And when you are 50, I will still be 40!! So, don’t worry about it now.”
Little Denise laughed her gurgly laugh, and laughed some more, and said: “Ohhhh, Carole, you are sooo funny. I love you.”
SEE YOU SOON! DO KEEP WATCHING AND READING WITH ME …… I AIM TO GET “MANHATTAN MUSINGS” OUT AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE. PLEASE JOIN ME AGAIN.
