Foods that Heal: Honey

     Honey is one of the most amazing foods that the Creator gave to us.  I have known about a lot of its healing properties, but just in the past few months I have been doing more research and finding out much more!  It is amazing to realize that honey is the only food that we consume from insects.  When God promised the Israelites a "land flowing with milk and honey", they probably knew what amazing things could be done with honey.  It is also interesting to me to see that the Word is compared to honey. What an appropriate analogy as you will see soon!  Not only does it sweeten life, but also brings healing and restores life!

     Now, when I speak of honey, I mean a particular kind.  The honey that you reach for off the grocery store shelf has been processed and heated to kill any bacteria. In the processing and heating, vital nutrients are destroyed along with the good bacteria.  When you search for real honey, purchase it from a  bee keeper or health food store making sure that it is unprocessed, raw honey.
     Honey is such an amazing food.  It contains its own bacteria fighting powers so that the worst infections are kept at bay.  At one time, a bacteriologist set out to prove that honey was fertile ground for growing bacteria and in the process, discovered the opposite!  He placed actual typhoid and dysentery bacteria in honey and within 48 hours all the bacteria were dead!  Amazing!  Those of you in countries that suffer with these ailments should find a local bee keeper or invest in some bee keeping equipment yourself!  What a valuable and simple way to kill off germs!  The amazing thing is that honey is so pleasant to the tongue, it would be no trouble to get your children to take it. 
     The antiseptic properties of honey extend far beyond internal healing.  Any external wound or skin ailment would heal much more quickly if covered in honey.  Before the invention of penicillin, honey was used extensively in both world wars to effectively heal battle wounds and was even used to treat gangrene.  The emollient properties of honey  would also reduce scarring and keep a wound moisturized.  I read testimonials over and over again of individuals who had some type of skin ailment or wound that would not heal with modern medicinal tactics, and after hearing of honey's healing abilities, had the problem cleared up in just days.
     Honey is also an amazing food that never spoils.  I remember hearing about explorers opening up an ancient Egyptian tomb and finding vats of honey that were still usable.  Honey does have its own way of preserving itself by crystallizing, but add a little heat, and it is as good as new.
     Because honey is a by product of the bee, then it has already been digested.  So, it is very easy on the stomach.  Its smoothness eases stomach upset and soothes the intestines.  Little tummies would benefit from a spoonful of honey now and then.
     I have been amazed to see that modern doctors are now telling parents to give their children honey in the place of cough suppressants.  The moisturizing ability and its smooth stickiness allows honey to coat the throat, keeping coughs at a minimum and effectively soothing a sore throat. 
     Honey is a lower sugar, so the body is not overwhelmed with a sugar high, like it would be with regular sugar.  Honey is a very effective energy booster, yet also helps to relieve anxiety.  Anyone who suffers with allergies would benefit greatly by eating honey that is from their local area.  The bees collect the pollen from the local plants, giving the eater an immunization of some sorts from the plants that they are allergic to. High cholesterol, skin problems, diabetes, weight loss, infection: the list could go on and on.  I read so much on this topic, I was overwhelmed with the information. If you have a particular ailment that you are interested in reading about, I suggest researching that ailment to see if honey can be used to heal it.  I also read a ton of amazing information at  www.whfoods.com which gave a wealth of information on the healing powers of honey.
     One word of caution, doctors warn mothers of young children not to give honey to an infant younger than one year of age.  Unprocessed honey can carry bacteria that may be too strong for an infant to handle.  Honestly, with compromised immunity from being bottle fed instead of breast fed, more infants would be affected by these bacteria.
     So, support your local bee keeper today and add honey to your natural medicine cabinet.  Your children will be happy you did!

The Theology of Sickness

     My pastor (and my father-in-law) preached a message Sunday night that ran right along the lines of my blog on keeping healthy. So, with his permission, I wanted to share it with you readers.  I hope you find it as interesting as I did.
     The Bible lists many reasons that sickness is allowed to come into our lives.  When sickness comes, our job is to determine the reason that God sent it and then act accordingly.

10 Biblical Reasons that Sickness Comes

#1.  Sickness unto Death   II Kings 13:14  Now, we all know that there will come a day that we will die, and we have to die of something!  We know that "it is appointed unto man once to die..." Heb. 9:27.  So, why do we fight it?  We need to be willing to determine if that is God's purpose in sending the sickness. Maybe it is just our time to go.  The doctors keep saying, "We could try one more thing." , adding more and more burden of expense to your family after you do go. If it seems that this is the time, take it gracefully. God will give you the strength you need.

#2 Sickness as a Chastisement for Sin Exodus 15:26  Often sickness is sent because God is dealing with an area of sin in our lives.  An illness should trigger an automatic reaction to search our hearts and see if there is sin that needs to be confessed and forsaken.

#3 Sickness for the Glory of God  John 9:1-3 Often God just wants to show His power in our lives. He wants to receive the glory for an illness that suddenly is healed and can only be attributed to Him! He delights in showing His power on our behalf.

#4 Sickness because of poor stewardship of the body.  Phil. 2:25-30 This passage mentions Epaphroditus  who had worked so hard for the work of the Lord that he neglected to care for himself and therefore became sick.  We often neglect the most obvious reasons that we get illnesses and they often come because of our lack of attention to the needs of our body. God created our bodies to  need a balance of nutrition.  When we lack something, the balance of our health gets out of line and sickness comes. Our current FDA approved foods lack the vital nutrients that our bodies need to function. Go back to the Garden of Eden and remember what it was that God intended for us to eat.  Food in its most natural state will keep your health in balance. Our bodies are a gift that God has given to us and we are to take care of them responsibly so that we are able to do the tasks that He has intended for us.  If we are ill, we will not be able to bring Him the glory that He desires.  How many people do we know that  have been put out of commission because they neglected the care of their bodies? Do you leave the care of your health in the hands of your doctor or do you seek ways to care for it on your own?  It is YOUR responsibility!

#5 Sickness to turn the heart toward God II Corinthians 12:7-10  God often sends sickness so that our hearts can be closer drawn to Him.  How many times have we seen the Lord work in the hearts of people when a serious diagnosis is given?  A life threatening illness will almost always get people to think of the future and how they need to be ready.  We have also seen many who have a malady that may last throughout their lifetime, and yet they work through the problem bringing glory to God by forgetting themselves and allowing Him to shine through.  Our example is the Apostle Paul, who had some sort of physical problem that he entreated the Lord for 3 times, yet, he allowed God to receive the glory. He learned not to see it as suffering, but as a special opportunity to be humbled and to allow God to be strong in his weakness.

#6 Sickness that comes as a result of guilt Psalms 32:3-4  A lot of sickness that is brought into our lives comes because of sin that we know of that needs to be dealt with. Our conscience weighs heavily and literally brings physical sickness as we agonize over what we have done and how we need to make things right.  Even worry can cause upset of the balance of health.  Taking care of spiritual needs is healthy!

#7 Sickness as a result of providential events Isaiah 38:1  Sometimes a sickness is sent because it is just part of God's plan for you.  He is in control and as we acknowledge His sovereignty in our lives we will realize that we can be used in any way by Him for His glory.

#8 Sickness that is incidental  Sometimes, we just get sick!  We come in contact with germs, they enter our body and we become ill. Our kids play outside and find bacteria and it causes problems.  There are sicknesses that just come because that is the way life is!

#9 Sickness that is communicable  Leviticus 13&14, Romans 1:27  The book of Leviticus is filled with laws that God laid down for the children of Israel.  God didn't just pull a bunch of "do nots" out of a hat. He had a purpose in every one of those laws.  Chapters 13 and 14 particularly deal with avoiding germs and serious illness that comes from contact with certain things.  Romans deals with sickness that comes as a result of sexual sins and the consequences of those.

#10 Sickness that is demonically induced  Acts 5:16; Job 2:7  The Bible obviously states that there are sicknesses that are brought on by demonic forces.    We believe that Christians cannot be possessed by demons, so this may not pertain to you. However, consider the story of Job.  Perhaps your sickness is a test of your faith.  God allows Satan to do things to test us to see how we will respond.  Will you respond in faith or in doubt? Will you allow the illness to strengthen your faith or cause shipwreck of your testimony?


    Keep these reasons in mind the next time you become sick or have been diagnosed with something serious. Search your heart and seek the Lord's purpose for the sickness. 


*Used by permission from Pastor Dan Deatrick.  You may listen to the entire sermon at:  http://www.fbcwayland.org/sermons

Avoiding the after Christmas blahs....

     Yes, it's that time of year when everyone is having a party and you are invited. All that sugar and cream cheese and candy starts to take its toll on you and by New Years, you wonder why everyone is sick. Of course, when crowds of people get together, there is bound to be a virus floating around, but there are some things you can do to avoid what I call the "After Christmas Blahs".

#1.  Try to keep the sugar to a minimum. We all love to show off our culinary skills this time of year, and all of those traditional recipes are loaded with sugar.  Every gift you receive has something sweet in it.  When you are at a party or get together, don't load your plate with sweets.  Maybe try one or two of them so you don't overdo it. Even the drinks are loaded with sugar and will give you a high that will make you feel great at first, and then drop you later.  Remember that white flour, corn, potatoes and white rice also turn to sugar in your system, adding to the problem.  Some of the signs of sugar overdose are: dry mouth, dizziness, sleepy or sluggish feeling, and a  headache on your forehead.  Some things you can do to quickly bring your blood sugar under control are: drink a large glass of water, take a jog ( or some other form of exercise),  or eat some protein (nuts, eggs, cheese, meat). Cinnamon is also great for  regulating blood sugar.  Take a 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon in unsweetened apple sauce to help keep your levels normal.  My mother-in-law also gave me another suggestion.  She is freezing some of the holiday candies that she was given and saving them for later so she doesn't overdose on them now!

#2.  Eat something raw with the meal.  Those veggie trays are there for a purpose.  Eating something raw with all of that junk will add some raw enzymes to your digestive juices to keep things working. You will also benefit from the antioxidants that will keep your immunities up!  Carrots, celery and raw broccoli are also great sources of fiber to keep things running smoothly.

#3. Prepare for battle. You know that there are viruses and bacteria floating around you, so get your body ready to fight.  Start taking Vitamin C to boost your immunity.  If you feel like you are about to come down with something, start taking nature's own antibiotic: Garlic.  Taking 2 or 3 pills (Kyolic is a good brand at Walmart, doesn't make you smell like you have been eating garlic!) a day will help your body fend off the sickness and may even end one that has already started.  If you feel a sore throat coming on, drink hot tea with honey. The honey will soothe your throat, and the "hot" will help to kill the infection. Salt water is also a great virus killer. Gargling  with it (1 tsp. salt per 1 cup water) or using it in a nasal spray will fend off an infection and will quickly dry up mucous.

#4. Take advantage of your vacation time. In other words: RELAX.  Take that extra nap or sleep in some of the mornings.  We all stay up and out too late during this time of the year.  Not getting enough sleep is another way to make you more prone to illnesses.  If your body is tired, it doesn't have the energy to fight and it won't. 
 
#5 Fill your plate with better choices. Bean dip and salsa with corn chips is better than potato chips and sour cream dip.  Whole grain crackers and cheese will fill you up and keep you filled up much better than chocolate cake and ice cream.  Veggies and fruit will keep you energized and healthier and won't drag you down like punch and cookies.  Keep the sweets to a minimum and fill up on the better choices.

#6.  Watch out for food poisoning.  That crab salad or pasta dish may have been sitting on the table for an hour or more.  Be careful.  Mayonnaise can go bad very quickly.  If you are the hostess, place salads like these on ice so they can stay cold. We are very careful about paying attention to this in the summertime because of the heat, but when you get a large group of people in one area, the room can get just as warm as summer heat!  Make sure that food is properly cooked to the correct temperatures.  According to guidelines for safe food handling, meat dishes need to be cooled as quickly as possible.  Consider the food you serve if you are going to something where you know it will be sitting out for awhile. 

#7.  Don't gorge yourself.  Eat slowly, and chew your food completely.  When you feel satisfied, stop eating.  It is at these times of the year that the food is out all evening and we keep grazing the entire time and make ourselves miserable later.  If your stomach is too full, it can't do its job and you will end up feeling sick and possibly even getting sick.  Use a smaller plate (it tricks your brain into thinking you are eating a lot!), take tiny portions if you must try everything, and don't stand near the food!  If it is out of your line of sight, you will be less tempted to grab some!


     Of course, even when taking all of these steps, there will still be sickness floating around.  But, we may be able to avoid some of the down time by making smarter choices and being prepared for sickness to come.  Who knows, maybe you will be one of those who don't get it this year!