Words to Ponder

In the last entry of Words to Ponder, I asked you to consider what your ancestors ate, what they did for exercise, and what living conditions were like. I even looked into air and water quality.

My ancestors in the 19^th century were from Austria and Poland/Russia. My Austrian family produced architects, and my Polish/Russian family produced commercial artists. Most likely, they lived in cities. In middle to late 19^th century Austrian cities, there was an increase in industrialization, more so in larger cities, like Vienna. Jewish professionals, mostly from Western Europe, became part of the expanding economy. Lower income, less educated Jews in cities participated in trades and crafts industries.

Overcrowded housing in Poland, Russia, and Austria burdened waste disposal systems, leading to outbreaks of typhus and cholera. Old water systems could not meet the demand for growing populations. It wasn’t until the late 19th century that new water systems near cities were being developed, significantly decreasing some of the prevalent diseases. Despite such changes, there was still air pollution from the increase in use of coal.

Diet

Those that were lower class in both regions ate mostly fermented foods, legumes and root vegetables. Meat was rarely available. Potatoes were a major staple. Rye bread was commonly eaten, as was herring.

General Health/Physical Activity and Exercise

Even though over-crowded housing, limited nutrition and air and water pollution took its toll on many Jewish citizens, they were a generally healthier population than those outside this population. Maybe the newly emerging concept of exercise for health was a factor. Those in cities experienced the rise of gymnastics.

To defend against a rise in anti-semitism, enaging in wrestling, boxing and weightlifting became part of a movement within the Jewish community to increase physical strength. Unstructured physical exercise such as swimming and walking was part of the life of city dwellers, seen mostly among the younger Jewish population. Younger women began engaging in swimming and gymnastics in the late 19^th century. Men often frequented organized sports clubs.

Despite stresses from growth in cities, the rise of more structured and organized physical exercise as part of daily life enabled the Jewish community as well as others to enhance immunity. This gave them a better chance of survival. More of us are now aware of the need for physical exercise in its many forms, organized or not. It is an integral part of my concept of Newtrition for building and maintaining a better, healthier life.

Please get back to me about what living conditions were like for your ancestors.

In the next Words to Ponder entry I am planning on exploring the many ways we can reduce and handle stress. I welcome your input. We can all learn from each other in a supportive community.