Holiday Widow Alert: Listening to Mozart Can Make Us Fat

I'd like to think of myself as a watchdog for all widows.  In other words, people, I've got your back. 

Holiday time can be especially difficult for widows and others who have lost a loved one - no matter how long it's been.  Those sappy seasonal songs that we sing off key bring us back to a place we've tried all year to tuck away.

The old familiar ornaments we drag out and put on the tree are a sentimental reminder of holidays past, too.  We tear up at the memory of our husband slipping off the stepstool and landing on the pointsetter and then blaming us. 

I still profess he returned one of my gifts because I couldn't stop laughing.  But, hold on, this isn't about me.   

 With so many 'joyful' countdown days until Hanukah (oh, wait, that starts today) and Christmas we tend to eat extra and with greater gusto.  Aren't we entitled to 14 potato latkas?  And, it's just plain rude to say no to a homemade Santa cookie. 

Stuffing our faces is our way of saying we are doing our best to keep up the holiday spirit.  However, an article in this morning's Newsday revealed a study that may help us to look in the mirror without thinking: Pork Chop.  

Doctors ar the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center measured the energy expenditure of 20 infants born preterm while listening to Mozart in their incubator.  The findings showed Mozart lowered by at least 10% the quantity of energy they used. This means the babies may have been able to increase their weight faster.

To me, this screams out: Do not listen to Mozart!  You may be in danger of gaining weight.  So, go ahead and have that fifth glass of egg nog and wash it down with a chocolate snowman.  Just be sure that when you lift your glass to make a toast the background music is low brow, like Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer. (BTW: Used to think that song was funny...until I became a Grandma)