Whodunit Wednesday: Lambert Adolphe Quetelet

With a new year come all sorts of New Years resolutions. Often people are concerned with their health and what they look like. This means that diets or losing weight are often at the top of the list of these resolutions. Trying to figure out if you are at a healthy weight has for years come down to your “BMI” - your Body Mass Index. 

Wikipedia tells us: “BMI is defined as the body mass divided by the square of the body height, and is expressed in units of kg/m2, resulting from mass in kilograms (kg) and height in metres (m).” BMI can be used as a general rule of thumb to classify people in broad groups, but its limitations have come to light through the years of its use. It is limited in predicting health when used on people of shorter stature or those with a high muscle mass. 

Amazingly, this index was devised between 1830 and 1850 by Belgian astronomer and mathematician Adolphe Quintelet. He never intended the index to be used as a medical assessment, but instead was interested in the “average man” and what would be considered as a social ideal. A decade later these ideas would be used by proponents of Eugenics. 

The modern term “body mass index” was coined in 1972 by Ancel Keys as he discussed the topic of obesity. He mentioned that the index could be used for a broad population, but not for individual studies or evaluation. In the end, Quetelet’s formula has been used to discuss obesity in populations, but is not used as much anymore to determine one’s own individual health. More nuance is needed in an individual evaluation. 

So, be resolved. Make decisions to be healthy or to take more exercise. Just don’t get lost in the larger group or broader calls for what “you” need to do. And remember to continue to put your focus own what matters most in life - knowing God and following Him every day. 

Whatsit Wednesday - Kwark

“Oh, you mean yoghurt?” No. “Is it cottage cheese?” No. So what is this white stuff that looks like cottage cheese or yoghurt but is something different and is found in various countries in Europe (including Belgium and the Netherlands)?

In Belgium, it is sometimes called “white cheese” or “flat cheese”. In the Netherlands it is simply called “kwark”. You can put your muesli in it with some fruit. You can spread it on your bread as a substitute for butter or margarine. You can make a sort of cheesecake out of it. But most of all, you can completely enjoy it and know that you are eating something healthy. 

Kwark is high in protein (14 grams per 100g serving) which is double the amount of Greek yoghurt. It is much lower in salt than cottage cheese which often tops out at 406mg per 100g. Kwark has 40mg per 100g. Add to all of those healthy attributes the delicious taste and you have a great food with a strange name.

Kwark (sometimes spelled ‘Quark’ in the US) is made by warming soured milk until it curdles. Lactic acid bacteria are added and the kwark is strained in a cheesecloth. It is hung up (which is where the name of one of the products “hangop” comes from) and results in a firm yet creamy textured product. Kwark is something you can make at home if you can’t find it in the stores. 

In Belgium it has been made for quite some time in Rotselaar, a city where we have brothers and sisters in the church. So far we have only enjoyed singing together and worshipping the Lord. But perhaps in the future we will ask about their “plattekaas” (flat cheese). 

Go with the flow

January ended with several members picking up the virus and needing to quarantine. This meant not meeting in person, moving our services back online. It has been a while since we met online. We are thankful that it is possible. Most of the members were able to be present. We even have members who have not been able to be present in person who were now as present as a computer screen allows. 

In the meantime at least 8 members worked their way through the various amounts of sick that the virus caused. For Scott that was what he recognizes as a typical week of flu: some high temperatures, plenty of sleeping during the day, sweating at night and basically working it out in about 4 days. Others had a bit less, some had a bit more, but it seems like we are through it all together. 

And that means that we can get back together again in person very soon. We are looking forward to meeting again in person and welcoming our new family from the north. We are thankful for the desire we all have to care fro one another, for the health God continues to give us, and for the possibilities we have and use to gather in praise of God who gives us daily and eternal life. 

As we move further into the new year, we as a congregation are looking at new things. When will we move back to sitting in rows as we did before corona? This allows for more people to be together. What will we be learning together as we head into a new year of studying the word of God? Our theme this year will explore how we can impact this world that we live in, since we do not truly belong to this world. We look forward to a summer of camp weeks and how to implement those. And we look at youth weekends down south. It has been a while since we had youth of this age in the congregation. 

The days are getting longer. It is not yet warm, but we can imagine the warmer days coming. And we know that we are able to do mighty things with God’s help, no matter what comes. So bring it on. We will continue to do our best to go with the flow and allow God to use us as He sees fit.  

The photo is of our creek at camp, when it is peaceful. This is the same creek that became a raging river this past year and swept some of camp away. Each season brings different challenges. God is there through every season. 

Take it easy!

On Monday we went to the doctor for Shirley’s check-up after the operation. He showed us the x-rays, talked about what they mean, mentioned that everything was looking quite good, and asked if there were any questions. Shirley had a few, which were easily and clearly answered: she is doing great and can do whatever is possible for her body. She just needs to listen to what her body is telling her.

Then I had some questions. I am the one who has been coming down hard on her about doing all sorts of things. I am overprotective, I admit it. But I want to help. So Shirley has chafed at not being able to even do some simple things – not because she is not able, but because I will not allow her. The doctor had now made it clear: Take it easy! That was directed at me, not at Shirley.

Thank you all for your prayers and emails, your encouragement and good advice. The next time Shirley has to go in isn’t until August for a six-month check-up where they will just check the implants and make sure all is still going well. As far as the doctor is concerned, Shirley is ready to roll (and I will try to take it easy while I try to make sure that she really listens to her body).