MOM’S NATURAL WISDOM STILL HOLDS TRUE TODAY

By Evelyn Frederick Moll

Today’s world is filled with information about maintaining a long and healthy life. We are assaulted with warnings, advice, recommendations, opinions, counsel, and guidance on how to live well into our nineties in good health. Library shelves overflow with books on health tips, dieting programs, exercise regimens, and mental health training. When conflicting advice confronts us, we need to turn to Mom for answers.

After reading about the necessity of eating five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, I thought back to Mom’s heeding of eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. Mom’s approaching ninety and, although her memory has faded, she is healthy. She still eats her fruits and vegetables. Disease has not ravaged her body, major surgeries have not been inflicted upon her and she remains slim.

Did she spend hours at the gym, watch workout shows on TV or follow a strict exercise program? No. She did, however, work in our garden, tend the fruit trees, clean the house thoroughly every week, and walk to the store.

Non-smoking ads bombard us along with stern warnings to limit alcoholic beverages. Mom viewed smoking as a nasty, smelly habit. She didn’t need reams of medical reports to point out the obvious. Drinking consisted of the occasional “cocktail” during family gatherings or a cool glass of beer on a hot summer night. No need to overdo.

Sunscreen. I do think there is merit to using sunscreen. A must in today’s world. Thinking back, I don’t recall having sunscreen. When gardening, a time when Mom received most of her sun, she wore a hat and long pants. As for swim time, having a modest swim suit certainly helped. There was really no time for sunbathing. She spent time with her children at the lake each summer, but never long enough to cause severe sunburn.

Drugs to stay awake, drugs to fall asleep, drugs to feel good about one’s self, drugs to supply nutrients and vitamins we should be getting from a healthy diet.
Some of these items are getting bad reviews after years of promising the good life. Mom didn’t have trouble falling asleep after a full day of work and spending time with her children and husband. Early to bed and early to rise meant enough sleep to stay awake and enjoy the entire day. Reading newspapers, books and magazines in the evening kept Mom informed and relaxed for a good night’s sleep. Enjoying her family and the opportunities to connect with nature that our yard and surrounding woods provided, kept Mom happy and feeling good about herself. Enjoying nature was always emphasized. Bird feeders adorned the yard. As children we were encouraged to observe the squirrels carrying food back to their nests, admire butterflies and watch the fireflies at night.

An urgent email from a friend informed me of the importance of drinking a hot beverage with a meal. She explained that a hot drink helped dissolve any fats in the system. Cold drinks did not. Mom always drank a hot cup of coffee with her meals. It’s something that can still bring a smile to her face. After years of reading about the bad effects of coffee, recent reports suggest that coffee is not as bad as we thought.

We drank plenty of water. Nobody ate between meals. Various types of nuts provided a special treat when we had guests. Candy, soda and chips were available on rare occasions.

In addition to reading, eating right and sleeping well, Sundays provided a time to rest the body and spirit. Relatives and friends would come by to enjoy a delicious meal. Conversation was lively. Children went off after eating, to play board games or to enjoy the outdoors. If the weather was nice, the adults reclined on the porch, reminiscing and laughing. It was a time to catch up on what was happening in other families and offer support to one another. It was a renewal time for the mind to get ready for another work week.

We caught colds every winter. At our house, when we were sick, it meant bed time. Resting and sleeping were very important. Soup, tea, and juice provided relief and healing. Not too long ago, a co-worker returned to work after being off for one day to rest. Cough syrup, cold remedies, aspirin, miracle drops and super vitamins were lined up on her desk. She said she had too much work to stay home and rest. Her cold lasted for weeks, she infected people around her, and she was miserable. I was reminded of a headline that jumped out at me when I was checking out at the store the other day: “Sleep and liquids are the best remedies for cold and flu this year”.

We had a wonderful pet when I was young. A Labrador retriever who lived a long, healthy life. He kept us company, protected us and was a playmate. I recently read about how pets bring joy to nursing home residents, provide companionship to people living alone, and help special needs children. Pets add a special element to a household.

I read the latest report that popped up on my homepage today about the seven foods that should be eaten every day and knew someone had been talking to their mother.