If you knew that there was a crisis on the horizon, what would you do? Think back to 1999. Did any of you stockpile food and water just in case there was a computer glitch in 2000? If there were some way to know if there was going to be an economic meltdown in a year, would you do anything about it? Most of us would start some kind of action plan to start storing up supplies and necessities just in case. If our favorite snack or cosmetic item or shoe brand were going out of business, we would try our best to find all we could locate to have a stash for future use. It makes me think of Joseph in Genesis. He knew about the famine coming and gave a plan to store up so that there would be plenty in the hard times.
I believe that our bodies do the same thing. If we are not getting enough of something in our diet, then our body starts "storing" it in different ways and in different areas. Here are some examples:
*Water: Do you retain water? Ever had water on the knee? Most obesity is a majority of water retention. If overweight people started drinking their 2 liters of water a day, they would see a huge change in just a short time because they would lose the water that their bodies had been storing up for so long. I once knew a girl who had been told by her doctor that she was allergic to water. She was very young, and rather obese as a result. I cannot imagine what that doctor had been thinking. The human body is made up of over 70% water, how could one be allergic to it???
*Calcium: Have you ever had kidney stones or heel spurs? The body stores up calcium in these ways. A doctor will tell you that you have them because you are getting too much calcium. I doubt that any person living today gets too much calcium. And, on a side note, if you are taking calcium, TUMS is not a reliable source of calcium. There are only certain types of calcium that your body will use, and it needs other nutrients in order to use it. Eating rocks and bones is not a good way to get calcium!
*Fat: Okay, those of you who struggle with weight issues, don't take this to mean that if your body is storing fat, then you should go buy some Krispy Kremes or something. However, it may mean that you are not getting the right kinds of fat. Your body needs fat. Your brain is made of fat. (Another theory of mine: have you ever seen a fat Alzheimer's patient? Me neither. Pictures of brain scans of Alzheimer's patients reveal a brain that looks like it had dissolved.) The right kinds of fats (olive oil, coconut oil, animal fats) will help you lose weight! A great book to read on this subject is Eat Fat, Lose Fat by Mary Enig.
Most doctors believe that if your body is storing something up, then that means that you are getting too much of that thing. However, I believe the opposite is true. You are just storing up for the future, because there is a limited supply of what you need. Think it over!
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Monday, September 12, 2011
The Bread of Idleness
I did a study in Proverbs 31 several years ago. I came to verse 27 that states "She looketh well to the ways of her household and eateth not the bread of idleness". We all have read that verse before and thought that Solomon's mother was drawing a picture to help get her point across: this woman is so industrious that she will not partake in idleness. But, what if the writer literally meant a kind of bread? I looked up "bread" in my concordance and each time it is used in the Old Testament it refers to literal bread! So, what is the "bread of idleness"?
Let's think about the times that this woman was living in. They didn't have a local Walmart. Obviously most things were handmade in the home kitchen. But, I can imagine the market place did have baked items for sale. It would have been easy to let someone else take care of making the bread for her household everyday. Those of you that make your own bread know that it is a time-consuming task. So, the "bread of idleness" is store-bought bread!! The woman spoken of here in Proverbs 31 was so committed to giving her time to her family and was against anything that would take away from what is best for them, that she refused to even eat of that bread!!
Think about the foods that are available to us today. We have become a nation of convenience! Anything that advertises that it will save us time is a real temptation. Store shelves are packed with foods that are ready to serve, or "just add water" or "heat and eat". So, are we guilty of eating the food of idleness?
Our next simple step to eating healthier is to make something homemade. Ready-prepared foods contain so many preservatives and chemicals to keep them from spoiling, and often they have been so processed that most of the good nutrients are gone. So, try something homemade. There are hundreds of recipes out there for homemade salad dressings, seasonings, breads, sauces and condiments that are so much better than what you get off the shelf. If you don't know how to cook something "real", ask someone who does. You most likely know an older lady who is a great cook and would be thrilled to teach you. Learn the lost art of making pie crust (you will NEVER buy a premade one again!) or gravy. Forget the dried potato flakes and surprise your family with real mashed potatoes. Ignore the cheap mac and cheese and try a homemade version. If you feel brave, try some homemade bread. Your family will never be the same!
Here is one of my favorite homemade recipes that is so much better than the store-bought version.
Homemade Taco Seasoning:
3 Tbsp. chili powder 2 Tbsp cumin 2 Tbsp seasoning salt (Lawry's)
2 Tbsp. oregano 1 Tbsp garlic powder 1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp. paprika 2 tsp cayenne pepper 6 Tbsp cornmeal
Combine all and store in a jar in the refrigerator. Use approximately 2 Tbsp per pound of hamburger.
I just sprinkle it over the top of my meat after it is browned, add a little water and let it simmer a few minutes. It makes it great to adjust a recipe, too. If you like it spicy add more mix, etc.
P.S. I noticed in the concordance that Proverbs also mentions the "bread of wickedness".........hmmm. 'Might have to look into that one.
Let's think about the times that this woman was living in. They didn't have a local Walmart. Obviously most things were handmade in the home kitchen. But, I can imagine the market place did have baked items for sale. It would have been easy to let someone else take care of making the bread for her household everyday. Those of you that make your own bread know that it is a time-consuming task. So, the "bread of idleness" is store-bought bread!! The woman spoken of here in Proverbs 31 was so committed to giving her time to her family and was against anything that would take away from what is best for them, that she refused to even eat of that bread!!
Think about the foods that are available to us today. We have become a nation of convenience! Anything that advertises that it will save us time is a real temptation. Store shelves are packed with foods that are ready to serve, or "just add water" or "heat and eat". So, are we guilty of eating the food of idleness?
Our next simple step to eating healthier is to make something homemade. Ready-prepared foods contain so many preservatives and chemicals to keep them from spoiling, and often they have been so processed that most of the good nutrients are gone. So, try something homemade. There are hundreds of recipes out there for homemade salad dressings, seasonings, breads, sauces and condiments that are so much better than what you get off the shelf. If you don't know how to cook something "real", ask someone who does. You most likely know an older lady who is a great cook and would be thrilled to teach you. Learn the lost art of making pie crust (you will NEVER buy a premade one again!) or gravy. Forget the dried potato flakes and surprise your family with real mashed potatoes. Ignore the cheap mac and cheese and try a homemade version. If you feel brave, try some homemade bread. Your family will never be the same!
Here is one of my favorite homemade recipes that is so much better than the store-bought version.
Homemade Taco Seasoning:
3 Tbsp. chili powder 2 Tbsp cumin 2 Tbsp seasoning salt (Lawry's)
2 Tbsp. oregano 1 Tbsp garlic powder 1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp. paprika 2 tsp cayenne pepper 6 Tbsp cornmeal
Combine all and store in a jar in the refrigerator. Use approximately 2 Tbsp per pound of hamburger.
I just sprinkle it over the top of my meat after it is browned, add a little water and let it simmer a few minutes. It makes it great to adjust a recipe, too. If you like it spicy add more mix, etc.
P.S. I noticed in the concordance that Proverbs also mentions the "bread of wickedness".........hmmm. 'Might have to look into that one.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Good Medicine
"A merry heart doeth good like a medicine" Proverbs 17:22
Our next little step to better health is : JOY! That's right. We can take the prescription written above from the Great Physician and cash it in to the pharmacy of heaven. It has been proven that laughter is good for you. All doctors know that the attitude of the patient determines the length of recovery. Take the time to look up "joy" in your concordance and see how many times that it is mentioned in Scripture. Even in His prayer, Jesus mentioned that His purpose in coming to the earth was that He could speak the words of the Lord so that we "might have my (His) joy fulfilled in themselves" John 17:13. It is the Lord's will that you be joyful! I recently taught a teen girls' Sunday School class on what Jesus was like as a teenager. Before that study, I had always pictured Jesus has a hermit-like individual, sullen, somber and "other-worldly". But, my eyes were opened when we considered the passage that mentions that "Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man" (Luke 2:52). The author of the Bible study highlighted the part that states that He grew in favour with man. You can't find favor with man if you are sullen and somber. Jesus fulfilled all Scripture-- He was joyful, a delight to be around, and a person that was pleasant. I heard a great sermon on Sunday morning all dealing with being joyful. It is something that we often forget. It's so easy to let circumstances rob us of the joy that should be evident in our actions and on our faces. I know, our favorite saying as moms is "If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy." It's too bad that we "mamas" let the little things that happen in our day determine the attitude of the day!
Let's bring it down into a practical light. The Bible plainly states that having a joyful spirit is like a medicine. The verse written above continues: "...but a broken spirit dryeth the bones." Proverbs 17:22. Have you ever known a bitter woman? Did she also suffer from osteoporosis, bone spurs, kidney stones, or even bone cancer? A broken spirit can do that to you!
So, take the time today to laugh. Children can detect a joyful or bitter spirit a mile away. Show them your joy with your actions. A smile isn't the only way to show joy, you can show joy in the way that you walk and work. Take this simple step to better health and reach for joy instead of bitterness.
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