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Columnist, Cindy Adams (New York Post, 8/22/11) wrote about the East Side doctor who asked about a first-time patient's health insurance. The fellow replied he had none. The doc said: "I'm going to refer you to a specialist who deals with these kinds of ailments."
According to Sharon Begley, "The One Word That Can Save Your Life" (Newsweek, August 22 and 29, 2011), is No!
Dr. Rita Redberg says that "There are many areas of medicine where NOT testing, NOT imaging, and not treating actually result in better health outcomes. In other words, less is more."
There are many Yiddish health-related words that can also save your life:
1. "bankes" (cupping-glasses)
Cupping therapy is an "ancient medical
treatment that relies upon creating a
local suction to mobilize blood flow in
order to promote healing." Suction is
created using heat (fire) or mechanical
devices (hand or electrical pumps.)
2. "lakhn" (laughing)
Laughing is good for your health.
Certain health maintaining chemicals
are released during laughter.
Remember the story of the 4th grade boy who returns home after the AIDS awareness day at school. His mother asked him what he learned, and he replies, "I'm not quite sure, but I think we were supposed to stay out of intersections and buy condominiums."
3. "plazhe" (beach)
Take your family to the beach. Jones
Beach, Rockaway Beach...any beach.
Stand by "der yam" (the ocean) and
breathe. The air is "gezunt" (healthy).
But Ellis Weiner ("Oy! Do This Not That!)
warns, "Be careful people don't steal
your valuables when your back is
turned in the water." And remember
that "time that your father got hit in
the head with a Frisbee."
4. "fresn" (big eater; to eat greedily)
All that "fressing" is not healthy. Gerry
Blumenfeld writes that she once saw a
restaurant in Mexico City whose menu
under "Sandwiches" read:
Pastrami por Fressers 10 pesos
Pastrami (Double Decker) 15 "
por Grandes Fressers
Pastrami (Triple Decker) 20 "
por Grandisimo Fressers
(Source: "The New Joys of Yiddish" by
Leo Rosten)
5. "krank" (sick)
"Presenteeism" is a noun meaning "show
up for work when you're sick, even
though you can't perform well." Being
on the job while "krank" and ignoring
your health, can aggravate your condition, not to mention your germaphobe
colleagues.
6. "vants" (bedbugs)
NYC had 2 bedbug complaints in '02.
In '09, more than 11,000. A new law
requires new or prospective--not
current tenants--to be informed in
writing of previous infestations history.
Ask for it!
7. "druk" (stress)
Don't be a "stress puppy"--a person who
seems to thrive on being stressed out
and whiny.
8. "shpatziring" (strolling)
Whether you shpatzir around the mall,
Brighton Beach, or the "Vo'Luuke" (flea
market), the exercise is good for your
health. It controls weight, combats
diseases, and improves your mood and
boosts your energy.
9. "internets" (Internet)
Use the Internet to gather medical
information. Check out:
Askthedoctor.com
MDAdvice.com
Askadoctornow.com
Justaskmedical.com
hellomydoctor.com
onlinedoctors.ringadoc.com
10. "chazerai"/"khazeray" (junk/junk food)
"Chazerai" is food that is awful and has
poor nutritional value. From the
Hebrew "khazir," pig. Examples of
"chazerai":
Twinkies, Yodels, Hostess cupcakes,
nuggets, and cinema popcorn. Oreos
became certified kosher in 1997, and
Tootsie Rolls, Tootsie Fruit Rolls and
DOTS are also kosher. Halvah, that
eastern Mediterranean treat, is sometimes called "sweetmeat." Oh, go
ahead and eat it. Live it up!
11 "dokter" (doctor)
Going on a trip to Alaska? Look for
Joel Fleischman (Rob Morrow), the
"dokter" from the TV series, "Northern
Exposure." He is a Jewish physician and
the proverbial fish out of water from
NYC. He can be found in the Alaskan
town of Ciceli (population 815).
Remember what he said to Maggie
O'Connell: "Have a great time. Tell Rick
to feel free to drop by anytime so I can
sew up the puncture wounds from you
walking all over him in those heels."
12. "regn" (rain)
Remember the song, "Raindrops Keep
Falls on My Head" ("Trap'Ns Fin Regen
Oif Mein Kop")? Remember when mom
said to run for cover when it sprinkles
or you'll get sick? People don't get sick
from the rain. The only way you'll get
sick is if a bacteria or virus is present...
And don't forget your rubbers!!!
13. "tseyner" (teeth)
Remember the poster from your
dentist's office:
"YOU DON'T HAVE TO FLOSS ALL
YOUR TEETH; ONLY THE ONES YOU
WANT TO KEEP."
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Marjorie Gottlieb Wolfe adheres to the Yiddish proverb: "Don't live in a town where there are no doctors."
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