For those planning on fasting for Tisha b’Av (starting sundown tonight, ending at nightfall tomorrow), you ideally already stopped drinking coffee two days ago. If you didn’t have the foresight, or just couldn’t say no, trying doing so today. You may save yourself a pounding headache tomorrow morning. Along with laying off the caffeine:
- Eat lots of vegetables and fruits with high water content, such as watermelon and cucumbers.
- Drink lots of water. Then drink some more.
- Have a few glasses of juice throughout the day to boost your vitamin C count.
- Eat a filling last meal (broth/soup, lentils, potatoes, chicken), but make sure the salt content is low and the food isn’t too spicy.
- Traditionally a hard-boiled egg dipped in ashes serves as dessert, or the final food before the onset of the fast.
For spiritual and intellectual nourishment, read Tehilla Goldberg’s column this week “Tisha b’Av Transformations” and the IJN editorial “National Destruction“.
