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A-Z Blogging Challenge: A is for 'An Apple A Day'

apples
An Apple a Day
So here goes with the first post of the A-Z Blogging Challenge.

For those of you who are not sure what my theme is you can find out by clicking here.

We're all used to hearing the saying 'An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away' but did you know that it is actually taken from an old nursery rhyme?

No-one knows for certain when it was first written but the first printed version of it has been traced back to 1866 although it is believed that it originated  long before that. It is also believed that the poem was written to encourage children to eat healthily.

AN APPLE A DAY
'An apple a day keeps the doctor away
Apple in the morning - Doctor's warning
Roast apple at night - Starves the doctor outright
Eat an apple going to bed - Knock the doctor on the head
Three each day, seven days a week - Ruddy apple, ruddy cheek.'

So you see - our 5 a day is really nothing new. Even two hundred years ago they were encouraging children to eat at least three apples a day and if I had been a child in medieval times I would have happily eaten 10 apples a day if it meant that I wouldn't have to risk a visit from this guy.

Medieval Physician

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Comments

Jackie said…
Hi, Welcome, I hope you enjoy the challenge!

My AtoZ Blog Challenge
1 April 2012 at 00:55
Anna (herding cats-burning soup) said…
Oh. My. Word. I'm so going to have nightmares over that physician! Yikes! Yeah I'd go for the apples too :)

Had no idea that the saying started as a nursery rhyme. Very neat!
1 April 2012 at 08:25
Denise said…
Hi Jackie. Thank you. I hope you have fun with it too!

Herding Cats - hope you don't have too many nightmares but he is pretty scary!

I had no idea it was a nursery rhyme either until I started researching it.

Good luck with the challenge.
1 April 2012 at 09:38
Anonymous said…
Hi Denise, I'm also in Team Tina for the challenge :-) You've chosen a really interesting theme here - the origins of words, sayings and rhymes etc is just fascinating. Looking forward to the rest of your posts!
1 April 2012 at 10:47
Glynis Peters said…
I had never heard the rhyme before! Thanks for teaching me something new, Denise. :)
1 April 2012 at 11:21
Denise said…
Hi Stacey and thanks. I have always been fascinated by the origins of words etc. too.

Good luck with the rest of the challenge!

Glynis - you're welcome :) I didn't know it was part of a bigger rhyme either until I started looking into it for the challenge.
1 April 2012 at 12:09
Unknown said…
People actually let this dude near their kids? Talk about Child Protective Services LOL
1 April 2012 at 14:50
Daisy Carter said…
See, now I'm going to want roasted apples all day. With cinnamon.... yum!
1 April 2012 at 14:57
Denise said…
Diantha - they were very scary. Apparently the beak part of the mask was filled with sweet smelling flowers and herbs so that they couldn't smell all the disease and infection around at the time and the stick was to stop people getting too close. Definitely wouldn't be allowed nowadays!!

Daisy - I hadn't actually thought of that until you mentioned it! Roasted apples, with cinnamon and sultanas and cream...
1 April 2012 at 15:19
laughing abi said…
Love your theme. It's always so interesting to find out why we've been saying certain things for years and years. One of my favorites, though not a nursery rhyme, is "hair of the dog". Turns out it back in the day if you were bitten by a rabid or sick dog they believed rubbing the dog's hair in your wound would help heal you. Not sure how that got translated to a modern day hangover cure!
1 April 2012 at 16:15
Laura Clipson said…
I never knew that saying came from a nursery rhyme! Thanks for the informative post :)
1 April 2012 at 17:01
N. R. Williams said…
I came over for the sad songs. I like your idea for the challenge.
Nancy
1 April 2012 at 17:37
Andrina said…
I never knew about those rhymes. Glad to have learned something new today. Excited to see what tomorrow's post brings!

:D
1 April 2012 at 17:54
K.S. Lewis said…
Very cute. I love learning tidbits about old rhymes. In hs I once wrote a short story about the true meaning behind the Ring-Around-A-Rosy childhood rhyme.

Good luck with the challenge!

K.S. @ Adjective, Not a Noun
1 April 2012 at 18:29
Anonymous said…
Hi Denise! I'm stopping by from the A-Z Challenge and I love your post! I always thought the "apple a day" quote was attributed to Ben Franklin. I'm not sure where I got that information, but I've always thought that lol. Thanks for clearing this up and also I love apples!
1 April 2012 at 18:55
Unknown said…
Interesting Apple post.. :-) popping by from the A-Z challenge.
1 April 2012 at 19:54
Denise said…
Abi - thanks. I love the origins of words, sayings etc. but I have to say that I didn't know about the 'hair of the dog' origins. Of course, now I'm going to have to find out how it became a hang-over cure :-))

Loopyloo - I have to admit I didn't know about it either until I started researching for the challenge.

Nancy - thank you. Loving the challenge so far.

Andrina - I'm loving researching the nursery rhymes to find out where they came from. I'm excited to see what tomorrow's post holds too as I haven't actually finished it yet!!

K.S. - Thanks! Ring-Around-A-Rosy must have been an interesting one to research. It's amazing how seemingly innocent children's rhymes can actually have more sinister connotations.

Loving the challenge. Good luck to you too.

Alisia - I love apples too.

As far as Benjamin Franklin goes, I have looked into it a bit more and I believe that he took the single line from the rhyme and made it into the popular saying that it is today. That's why a lot of people attribute it to him so you were right - he made it famous.

Hi American in Norway and thanks for dropping by and commenting. Enjoy the challenge!
1 April 2012 at 22:34
Shannon said…
Hi, checking out your blog for the A-Z Challenge. Great start. I'm really interested in learning more about nursery rhymes...I'll be back.

Shannon
2 April 2012 at 00:51
Rebecca said…
Love this theme!
2 April 2012 at 01:39
Denise said…
Shannon - thanks. It's an interesting subject!

Rebecca - thank you! I'm loving doing the research for it.
2 April 2012 at 10:43
Jenni Steel said…
Really great idea. So interesting, I look forward to the follow ups. Keep up the good work!
3 April 2012 at 08:49
Denise said…
Hi Jenni and thanks for dropping by. I'll do my best.

Enjoy the rest of the challenge!
3 April 2012 at 09:59
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