November, 2008 - Nutrition Workshop at Mehran Restaurant in Newark

The Muslim Support Network (MSN) marked the Muslim holiday of Eid ul-Fitr by hosting a Nutrition Workshop at Mehran Restaurant in Newark. About 50-60 people were in attendance, and half of them Senior Citizens; the rest were either accompanying them and helping translate or were those with elderly family members of their own.

The evening began with a recitation of the Holy Quran by Nabil Asif. Afterwards Zeya Mohsin introduced the work of MSN and three projects that it is currently facilitating: a monthly luncheon at the Fremont Senior Center, spiritual counseling for Kaiser Hospital patients in Fremont and Hayward, and the Community Ambassadors Program for Seniors which offers extensive training to volunteers on the resources available to MSN clients in the Fremont/Newark/Union City areas.

Awards were distributed by Senior audience members and were announced by Zeya Mohsin Vice President of MSN.  Three indispensable members as recognized were: Firdous Kamran who upon receiving the award from a fellow Senior audience member remarked, “The main reward in working with MSN is seeing the happiness of the Seniors you help”; Asiya Iqbal of Fremont who pointed out what she learned most from the patients is that “we must learn to slow down and become active listeners”; as well as Shazia Haque, new to the MSN team.

Additional awards were presented by MSN President Moina Shaiq to Asiya Asif and Zeby Mohsin who have been part of MSN’s efforts since day one furthering it on its endeavors, as well as to Mehran Restaurant for supporting MSN and hosting events.

Giving an encore presentation thanks to popular demand was guest speaker Noreen Malik presenting on the topic of Health and Nutrition for Senior Citizens. If everyone in the room walked away with one healthy habit and incorporated it into their daily lifestyle, according to her, Malik’s job would be well done.

The presentation began with a general diagnosis of symptoms associated with aging. As people age, they are less likely to maintain a well-balanced diet and are more prone to diseases. Some problems become more and more apparent such as less saliva production (which leads to over garnishing, spicing or salting of foods), and a slower metabolism which leads to weight gain even if you eat the same portions as you did 15 years ago.

Sometimes seniors will start to feel lonely and depressed so they won’t want to cook a meal for just themselves; they may resort to eating very little or skipping meals altogether. In this case, family members should try to invite their elders over as much as possible and eat together. Family members should also encourage physical movement. Bones greatly weaken with age and may cause some people to easily lose their balance Standing on one leg (hold onto a support with an arm) for 30 seconds or walking with one front right in front of the other are a couple of exercises that Malik recommended to help regain balance.

As this information started to sink in and the chatting came to a hesitant stop, in order to lighten the mood up a bit, the next item on the agenda was a game of icebreakers. Guests were asked to go around the room, speak to people they hadn’t met before, and fill out 12 boxes with names of others who incorporated healthy habits into their lifestyle such as finding someone who drinks at least six glasses of water a day or goes on a walk at least two times a week. For my scorecard I was most pleased to mark down the name of a lady in her mid-80s who when I asked her in Urdu whether she drank chai (tea), corrected me and said “green tea” and that she drank it on a regular basis.

Much of Malik's presentation was interactive and garnered the attention of audience throughout the night. She asked fun trivia questions of the audience such as whether or not it was true that the ancient Egyptians worshipped garlic for its medicinal (anti-cancerous) properties and awarded the true guesser with a clove of garlic.

Malik also handed out supplemental material that guests could take home and share with their friends. One such paper, Healthy Eating Tips for Seniors advised choosing foods high in fiber (aids in digestions), or healthy fats such as omega 3 fatty acids found in fish and spinach, increasing water intake, and incorporating as may different colors of foods as possible.

Family and friends can help their elderly family members cook appetizing meals, which include a variety of colors but also by checking sodium content of their meals. As mentioned, saliva production is slowed down in elders so their sense of taste diminishes which causes over garnishing, spicing, or salting of foods. Green tea, flax seed, turmeric, and tomatoes can be added to meals and will work wonders and aren’t difficult to acquire a taste for.

And for desert Why is Dark Chocolate Healthy lets the health-conscious reader indulge, in moderation, because dark chocolate, unlike milk chocolate or caramel and nougat-filled chocolate contains antioxidants that prevents bodily aging and reduces blood pressure. Dark chocolate does have a bit of a bitter aftertaste but if you drink a glass of cold milk, it will diminish any health benefits by preventing antioxidant absorption in the body.

Overall the audience, young and old, enjoyed the presentation, as they walked away with gifts, raffle prizes, garlic, flax seed, green tea sachets, and dark chocolate to get them started on their journey towards a heart-healthy lifestyle.

The Muslim Support Network is currently seeking volunteers especially for the Kaiser Spiritual Care Program. If you are interested in volunteering for the MSN or would like to refer friends and family, please send an e-mail volunteer@muslimsupportnetwork.com. The next CAPS volunteer training will be in January.