Jerusalem Post
BySHIRLEY YOSEF
Uncertain times can unsettle us and our children, but Maimonides’ practical tools—breathing, movement, sleep, and nutrition—can strengthen body, mind, and family resilience.
Maimonides wrote that “air is the beginning of health”
(photo credit: SHUTTERSTOCK)
BySHIRLEY YOSEF
OCTOBER 22, 2025 14:00
The children have returned to their routines after the long holiday breaks, and we as parents also need to reorganize. Pressures and inner questions arise: Will my child manage? Will his or her emotional wellbeing be affected by a teacher or certain classmates? And also – am I a good enough mother?
These are exactly the kinds of questions that came up for me with my three children. My advantage today compared to the past is that I use tools I’ve received from Maimonides’ medicine, from Kabbalah, and from recent research to strengthen myself and them.
1. Breathing – “The Key to the Soul”
This is not a cliché. Maimonides wrote that “air is the beginning of health.” Breathing helps us lower the stress response and calms the sympathetic system – the one that tells us to fight or flee.
It’s no coincidence that we tell a child to “count to ten.” As adults, we can also use breathing before important meetings or in situations that cause emotional turmoil.
Deep, mindful diaphragmatic breathing for 5–8 minutes, three times a day, improves oxygen flow, balances the nervous system, and instills a sense of stability. Teach your children short breathing exercises before an exam or after a stressful day.
2. Grounding – Returning to the Earth
Walking barefoot on soil, grass, or the beach reconnects us with nature, reduces cortisol levels (the stress hormone), and improves sleep quality.
I discovered that a short evening walk and physical contact with the grass in the neighborhood with my kids, without phones, is a wonderful way to relax and strengthen both body and soul together.
3. Sleep – The Most Accessible Remedy
Sleep is a natural healing mechanism. Lack of sleep intensifies anxiety and harms attention and concentration. Maimonides recommended that adults sleep 7–8 hours a night and finish eating 3–4 hours before bedtime. Children need more sleep and shorter fasting times.
Create a calm sleep routine for yourself, eliminate stress factors such as news and screens, ensure a balanced diet containing vitamins, minerals, proteins, and fats, and add suitable physical activity. I recommend incorporating relaxing herbal teas such as chamomile and lemon verbena into the bedtime routine, as well as soothing and balancing medicinal herbs like valerian and passionflower.
4. Movement – Releasing Tension Through the Body
Moderate physical activity such as walking, dancing with your children, or family yoga releases endorphins, reduces sadness, and improves self-esteem. Maimonides emphasized the importance of movement for the health of the body and mind and said that “movement preserves health.” Even 20 minutes of outdoor play after school can make a big difference.
5. Proper Nutrition – Fuel for a Stable Mind
Food has a direct effect on mood, for both children and parents. Therefore, follow these guidelines:
• Reduce processed and sugary foods: They cause sharp rises and drops in energy, making it harder to concentrate at school and work.
I weaned myself and my children off eating cornflakes with milk and chocolate milk in the morning, as well as coffee with two teaspoons of sugar. For the kids – try a fruit breakfast instead, and for adults, start eating about 3–4 hours after waking up.
• Add foods rich in tryptophan: Oats, nuts, dates, and sweet potatoes increase serotonin (the happiness hormone) and promote calmness.
• Drink calming herbal teas: Such as lemon balm, passionflower, or chamomile.
• Make sure to get vitamins B and D: Deficiency in these vitamins can affect anxiety and emotional instability. You can find plenty of B vitamins in natural foods – fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and animal-based foods. You can get vitamin D from fifteen minutes of sunlight – it’s recommended to combine this with physical activity so the vitamin D can enter the cells.
The beginning of the year brings with it much uncertainty, stress, and insecurity. These feelings cannot be completely prevented, only managed by developing habits that help us cope. Combining breathing, grounding, proper sleep, daily movement, and balanced nutrition will allow us and our children to go through such times with a sense of control and emotional resilience.
Maimonides taught that “a healthy soul resides in a healthy body.” Every small step taken for the body strengthens the soul – in us and in our children.
The author is a lecturer in Maimonides’ medicine. Want to learn more about strengthening body and mind through Maimonides’ medicine? Click here.
