This week I begin a series on health and nutrition. I know this is a controversial topic and, though I wrote this months ago, I've been scared to post it. But I hope as I share my journey, it can be an encouragement to you.
I
closed the book with a groan.
My interest in health had led me to
read yet another book on the subject. The author was convincing, but
now my mind was in a muddle. What should I do with the information I
read? I visualized all the food on my pantry shelves I had learned
were taboo—in the author's opinion. What would my husband say if I
carried out the recommendations in the book?
And
what about the book I read last month whose conclusions disagreed
with this book? Whose opinion should I follow?
My brain ached as I
tried to sort out all the information. I wanted to feed my family
nutritious food but I was confused and overwhelmed. I felt guilty
because I wasn't feeding my children the best. I feared my children
might become sick without the best. I was frustrated because I
couldn't afford the best. I was confused because I didn't know what
was
the best.
What
child of God lives in guilt, fear, frustration, and confusion? Where
was the “peace
that passes all understanding”
promised in the Bible?
Maybe
you grocery shop without worrying about the consequences of your
choices.
Or maybe you, like me, have sometimes turned every food
decision into an ordeal.
Many times my desire for good health has
caused me to be gullible and vulnerable to every slick advertisement,
product testimonial, website, or published book that falls into my hands. I
have found that seeking after health to give me what only God can
provide will never bring spiritual fulfillment.
I can definitely relate to this! In the corners of my cupboards you'll find various pills and supplements bought in one health craze or another, and then discarded when they didn't seem to deliver what the advertisement promised. Oh, this sounds just like me! I'm eager for the rest of your series. Thanks, Gina! - Mary Beth
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to this series. :-)
ReplyDeleteThe conclusions reached by the author of every book only reflect the opinins of that author.
ReplyDeleteI don't think any foods are completely taboo, every food has some good and some bad in varying degrees.
An excess of anything is not good, I think the best way is to follow your own instincts, a mixed diet of predominantly home produced foods can't be that bad.
Oh, I'll be paying attention! I am in the same predicament...I think alot of folks are.
ReplyDeleteGina, I am looking foreward to your post. Like you I too want the best for our family, but struggle with what is the best...what does God require of us in the health/food department? Can't wait to hear what you have to say.
ReplyDeleteAnita
I am very anxious to read the follow up posts. this sounds just like me! Blessings to you and yours!
ReplyDeleteSame boat here sister, just a few weeks ago I did a complete cupboard clean out in the bathroom, tossed all the excess vitamins this and that.
ReplyDeleteI didnt stop there, I realized I was sucking into the excess of other things too, health and un health items.. I even cleaned out the cookbooks, I mean really how many cookbooks does one need if they tend to just fix the family favorites..lol.. same went with the health books and farming books.. They pretty much share the same idea why would I need 5 of the same thing but different author..
PEACE came when I did that, especially when I only sought the LoRd to give me direction to be purposeful and realistic to my family
Looking forward to your future posts on this.
Jeannie
Thank you. I am looking forward to the rest of your posts on this topic. I feel the same way. Confused. Guilty. Questions.
ReplyDeleteMe too! Can't wait.
ReplyDeleteI worry that some of our 'natural' foods arent' even natural anymore. Or tainted with insectisides. Marketing uses alot of scare tactics to get us to buy this, and not that, etc etc etc. Even tap water has been contraversial for years. I very much look forward with the others, on your thoughts about all of this!
Thanks in advance!
I look forward to reading your series, Gina. As for myself, I like to look up things on places such as www.sciencebasedmedicine.org. There's a search engine there, and no one tries to sell anything (I have no connection to this site, I just like it). My personal approach is to eat a variety of healthful things without jumping on bandwagons.
ReplyDelete(signed)
Philippa
Waiting for the rest of this, have been reading articles on a healthy pantry, healthy meals and still do not know which way to turn, some of the receipes are just not tasty some expensive, need help. Love your post,check each day for a new one, they are so uplifting.
ReplyDeleteGood questions, Gina. I anticipate hearing what you have to share.
ReplyDeleteMuch grace to you, my friend!
Good for you, Gina. I look forward to hearing what conclusions you have come to.~Starla
ReplyDeleteAmen, sister! Isn't "real food" ultimately the Bread of Life?
ReplyDeleteGina, I am looking forward to reading more about your journey toward healthier eating. My family and I are on a similar path. Follow your heart and God will lead the way. ~Alexis on behalf of everyone at A Moment with M.O.M.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to this. I understand where you are coming from. We try to produce as much of our own food as possible and I TRY to always make healthy well balanced meals. Sadly it's so hard to eat healthy these days. There's so much bad stuff out there. You should also consider reading Healing Oils of the Bible by Dr. David Stewart. It is a wonderful book and has really opened my eyes concerning how to handle family health and sickness. It is WONDERFUL! Blessings.
ReplyDeleteSuch a good post. I hear every word. I want to use the info I have, I want to make better choices both for health and evironmental reasons. But hubby isn't adventurous with his taste, I don't have time to experiment with miss 21/2 in the kitchen and even more my choice to be a stay at home mum means we don't have the budget for it!
ReplyDeleteOh thank you for posting this series. I have been there too!
ReplyDeleteIt can bring fear and frustration. Thank you and look forward to this series. Thank you for your godliness.
I've concluded that first and foremost, we must ask for the Lord to show us what He wants of us. The perfect creation He provided has become spoiled, and humankind has faced a struggle ever since to overcome the effects of the fall. That includes mothers. I see all around, however, God's abundant and merciful provision to help us meet the challenges in this environment. We don't need the provisions all at once; hence the dilemma for those of us who love to learn and have a plethora of wonderful ideas floating around inside our heads. I'm a lot older than you, and applaud you if you've reached peace about the matters you write about. I don't think there is one all-encompassing right way; there is only guidance for me and for you right now, for this day. . . because God is merciful and His supply is inexhaustible. For our family, provision has meant at different times a bountiful garden, access to healthful meat and fresh produce from neighbors or at a farmer's market, food supplements, pharmaceutical medicines, herbal remedies, etc. God has lots of ways to provide.
ReplyDeleteGina, a very needful discussion these days. I was sick for years and discovered how to weed out the American excessiveness in our diet, and turn to foods God made. Sure made quite a difference in my health and life. And it's much simpler to live and eat with less than the huge array of junk we call foods that has Americans trapped and diseased. No more pills and books for me, thank you. "-)
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to what you have to say in further posts.
~Marcia
Good morning everyone, I would like to start by thanking you Gina for your site & everything you do, your obviously a wonderfull person. God bless you for what you do.
ReplyDeleteI have been in the same predictement as all of you for the past year or so & here is my conclusion; Hope it helps!
I have started milling my own grains for my flour & try to eat grains in all my meals & of course I stay away from processed foods, including sugar (I replace this with sucanat) & eat vegetables, fruits, yogourt, meat etc...
If you haven't yet found the following site, I highly recommend you check it out & look at their free vedeo's & bundles of information. www.thebreadbeckers.com
They are wonderfull people
Have a great day everyone
CHEERS, Sylvie
I, too, have come to this same conclusion, Sylvie. I have suffered for years from thyroid issues and recently was put on a very restrictive diet by a holistic doctor. This diet excluded all grains, dairy, nuts and fruit. I followed it for about 6 weeks and was miserable. During this same time, a friend of mine told me about the Beckers. I listened to their CD and it all just made sense. I started to pray about it and in December my husband and I purchased a miller. I have been making all our bread, cookies, muffins, pancakes, etc ever since. I also started having dairy, nuts and fruit again. I am so at peace with this. I truly believe this is how God intended us to eat. The difference is that we are eating grains the way He intended, not the adulterated form that man has made. I can honestly say that I am feeling so much better. I am for the first time in a long time at peace with how I am feeding my family. God bless,Maureen
DeleteI to have struggled with all this before. Lately though God has been showing me His truth. One is to reprove every thought with Gods word. Gods word says the food is for the stomach.
ReplyDeleteIt is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment?
Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
We seem to be a world consumed with whether we are eating right. Are we eating wisely. Yet God wants us not to even worry about it. We are thankful to God for what we have and we ask Him to bless it. That is all that is required. Don't get caught up in the worlds ways,for you are not of the world.
I must bring up one more person who had this same thought.
And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. 6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. 7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked;
I believe that this is nothing more than the evil one disgracing us from Gods truth. And to the enemy i say:
Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
Peace be with you all, your sister in Christ
Christine
I'm looking forward to reading your conclusions on this matter. I have (in the way past) been concerned about all the findings on this food and that being unhealthy. I've concluded that all things in moderation, as the Bible seems to emphasize, is the best solution to this. My Mom raised some... what she called, "rediculously healthy" kids and I also did without listening to all the hoopla out there about this and that causing cancer or causing heart disease, etc.
ReplyDeleteMy husbands family agonize over their food choices. They seem to be healthy, but complain about all sorts of ailments... real and imagined. I think sometimes the stress of trying to decide what to have for dinner might just about drive me over the edge.
We eat well, stick to the outside aisles of the grocery store and the baking aisle, raise and eat LOTS of veggies, our own meat and buy our milk from the farm (because it's cheaper). We're healthy. My kids are healthy. My husband is healthy (except he has asthma), and my grandboys seem to be healthy. Guess we made it.
Dear Gina, first- never be scared to share your heart. We love you. :)
ReplyDeleteSecond, this is an important topic and should be discussed, so thank you for going there in your corner of the web.
Third, which I'm sure you've discovered, health and what we eat are important only to the degree that we are able to do God's work and bring Him glory. Yes, we should be eating whole foods, no we should not be overindulging in junk food, yes pure food is important but more important is this question:
Is God in control or you? I had to ask this question myself when I faced your same feelings a couple years ago. I've come to the conclusion that just as I can't store up money to be my security, I can't store up health to ward against the (usually inevitable) issues that we may face in this fallen world. I have family members who don't follow Jesus and they are consumed with worry and trying to control every bite that comes into their mouth. Not to mention blaming EVERY health issue on food.
In the end, it's these verses that I meditate on and come to again and again: Mt. 6:25-27 -
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important that food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air: they do not sow or reap or store away in barns and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"
I'm more than thankful for God's unchanging Word to guide us! :)