How to Detox After Pesach: Your Food, Your News, and Your Financial Life

Pesach is now behind us, and aside from counting the Omer, the focus leading up to Shavuos often shifts to dieting. It seems to be on many people’s minds as they decompress from the holiday. However, dieting can take many forms.

Food diet: In the weeks following Pesach, many people pursue healthier eating habits. After eight days of near-constant eating and consuming matzah, which is not ideal for digestion, people naturally seek a reset. I’m not a fan of fads, including juice cleanses, intermittent fasting, or keto, though I support the goal of feeling better before returning to the rich dairy meals of Shavuos (Oy! My poor Ashkenazic stomach!).

Media diet: Dieting, however, is not limited to food. The term can also describe what we regularly consume mentally, emotionally, and socially. This idea is especially relevant when it comes to news. Today, there are endless ways to consume world events, including podcasts, social media, television, and conversations with friends. The challenge is that not all sources are reliable, and many are biased or sensationalized. Regular exposure to angry or exaggerated media can leave us less informed, more agitated, and easily irritable. For this reason, I have committed to being more selective about both the quantity and quality of the news I consume.

On that point, recently, a friend asked if I had watched some interview with Tucker Carlson. I told him I had not. He argued that it is important to know what is being said about Israel and the Jewish people. I don’t fully agree with his point. Unless I am actively engaging in debate with propagandists and lunatics, there is little value in consuming content that I believe distorts reality. It is more likely to increase frustration and distract me from more productive or meaningful pursuits. Spending my time on consuming the truth and being a better husband, father, financial advisor, and enjoying life is a far better use of my time.

Financial news diet: A similar principle applies to finances. One of the greatest challenges investors face is tuning out noise. There is a constant stream of questionable financial commentary that can lead individuals and families to make poor decisions. Social media influencers, cable news commentators, journalists, and even financial institutions oftentimes promote ideas that are misleading or harmful. These can include fear-driven narratives, unrealistic strategies, promises of quick gains, or short-sighted tactics that ignore long-term consequences.

Recent coverage surrounding tensions with Iran is a clear example of how fear can dominate headlines. While geopolitical risks are real and concerning, they should not dictate your investment strategy or financial plan. It is not possible to consistently predict which parts of the market will outperform. Nor is it possible to eliminate all risks. Markets experience periods of volatility for many reasons, and typically the most effective approach is patience. Over time, markets have historically recovered, and well-constructed portfolios tend to regain value.

Rather than consuming financial content that encourages impulsive decisions or short-term thinking, it is far more beneficial to follow sources that provide perspective and emphasize long-term principles. This approach leads to better outcomes and greater peace of mind.

You are what you consume: It’s always important to remember that we are a summation of everything we feed into our body. This is true with food and information.

A smart approach to dieting, whether related to food, media, or finances, is rooted in selectivity, quality, and simplicity. With food, focusing on maintaining just a few consistent, nutrient-dense meal options can support a healthy lifestyle. With national news, limiting consumption to major stories that directly affect your life and skimming perspectives from different viewpoints can help you stay informed without becoming overwhelmed by negativity and conspiracy theories. In many cases, a quick scan of the top stories is sufficient. Avoiding propagandists on both sides of any story is a sensible approach.

When it comes to financial news, successful investing does not require constant attention to headlines or daily market movements. It is more useful to focus on financial history instead of forecasts. For example, during five major U.S. involved conflicts, markets have shown a consistent pattern of resilience. Following World War II, markets rose more than 20 percent in the first year and achieved strong gains over five and ten years, driven by the postwar economic boom. The Korean War period produced similarly strong results, with roughly 20 percent gains after one year and solid longer-term growth. The Vietnam era delivered more modest but still positive returns, with gains over one, five, and ten years despite inflationary pressures. The Gulf War was marked by a sharp decline followed by a rapid recovery, leading to strong returns over the subsequent decade. During the Iraq War, markets again posted positive returns over one-, five-, and ten-year periods, even with the Global Financial Crisis occurring within that timeframe. The lesson is clear: while wars create short-term uncertainty, long-term market performance has remained positive as economic fundamentals prevail.

Mindful days, lasting gains: During this time of year, counting the Omer is a reminder that growth happens gradually, one day at a time. By being more mindful about what we consume, physically, mentally, and financially, we can arrive at Shavuos wiser, calmer, and better aligned with what truly matters.

May the weeks leading up to Shavuos be a time of personal growth, clearer thinking, and, hopefully, greater peace in the world.