Our Daily Bread?

When Jesus prayed "Give us this day our daily bread", I'm pretty sure this wasn't what He had in mind.  I've often wondered why they named it "Wonder Bread".  Perhaps it's because "it's a wonder it can even be called bread" or "I wonder how they make it" or even, "It's a wonder people can even survive on this".
     When you go down the bread aisle in the grocery store, you are faced with a multitude of choices.  Maybe for those of you who are thrifty, it's not hard at all, just look for the cheapest price.  Or, you may be loyal to a certain brand or a particular flavor/texture.  Perhaps you peruse the ingredient list or the nutrition facts.  Whatever you do, there is always a choice.
     Bread is the main staple to everyday mealtime in most homes. Even in every country there is some form of bread that is the foundation of every meal.  Flour is made from many different grains or plants and formed into some kind of flour to make a loaf, or patty, or tortilla, or biscuit.  So, it is appropriate that Jesus included this in His prayer.
     My simple challenge to you who are desiring to make simple changes in your diet, is to look at the bread you are eating.  We will talk about homemade bread in the future, but today, just look at the ingredients on your loaf of bread.  If the list of ingredients is a mile long, then there are too many additives and preservatives in it. What is the expiration date on it?  How long does it sit on your counter before it goes bad?  Homemade bread only lasts a few days. How much fiber is listed on the nutrition facts?  A good loaf of bread will have at least 3 grams per slice.  Be wary when reading the nutrition facts. Often, it lists the serving size as 2 pieces, so the fiber would be less per slice.
     Now, look at the piece of bread itself.  What color is it? If it is white, then it's not the best thing for you.  The flour in it has been processed and bleached so much that it can't even be called wheat anymore. Remember this old adage "The whiter the bread, the sooner you're dead"!  You need the whole grain bread that includes the fiber from the wheat in order to keep you running smoothly and keeping healthy!  Just because a bread looks brown, does not mean that it is whole wheat.  They often add coloring to the dough to give it a "healthy" look!  So, the next time you buy bread, look for bread that looks natural, includes whole grains and has at least 3 grams of fiber per slice. It may cost a bit more, but in the long run it will be worth the extra time and money knowing that your family is healthier.
     A side note to my missionary friends, I would highly recommend finding out what the local people you minister to eat for bread.  I believe that God has given everything people need in a certain area for complete nutrition.  Now, if you are in the city, follow the guidelines above.  If you are in a tribal situation, seek help from the people.  Eat how they eat.  Ask them to teach you how to make their bread, and in turn you may have an opportunity to introduce them to the Bread of Life!
     We will discuss homemade bread in an upcoming blog, but for now, try something a little healthier!

The Raw Truth

Beginning a meal with something real, You won't believe how much better you feel!

We've all heard it before: "An apple a day keeps the doctor away."  Some may scoff at this "old wive's" tale, but it holds a simple truth: raw fruits and veggies keep you healthy!  Our second simple step to improving your general health is to add something green or raw to every meal.  Now, when I say "raw", I mean fruit or veggies, not meat, or cookie dough, or anything undercooked.  This simple habit was instilled into me by my mom when I was very young.  Every sack lunch I ever took to school had an apple or carrot sticks in it.  But, why raw?  Aren't cooked vegetable just as healthy?  Let's look at the advantages of raw fruits and vegetables:

#1 Raw fruits and vegetables have digestive enzymes in them.  So, in other words, it's like they are already partially digested for you and they assist your stomach in digesting the other food you have consumed.  Anyone who suffers from regular stomach pain could help themselves by starting every meal with some raw apple or pineapple.

#2 They help build strong and healthy teeth.  Ever noticed pictures of tribal people in other countries?  They have never even heard of a tooth brush, let alone the thought of using one, yet they usually have beautiful white, straight teeth.  How does that happen?  Their main diet consists of natural, unprocessed foods that require more chewing and contain good nutrients for strong teeth and jaws.  As a child, I had extremely crooked teeth coming in after I lost my baby teeth, but I believe that all those apples in my lunches every day helped to realign my teeth and make them straight again-- without the aid of braces! As Ogden Nash so poignantly put it "Celery raw develops the jaw...".

#3  They help to keep you happy.  Seriously!  Leafy green vegetables contain a lot of b vitamins.  A lack of these essential vitamins can make you nervous, irritable and often depressed!  So, forget the Zoloft, just add some fresh spinach and romaine lettuce to your diet!

#4 They help keep you young looking.  Here's another crazy idea, forget Botox, just keep eating those leafy greens!  They are full of compounds that help prevent wear and tear on  your skin.  They help repair your cells as you get older.  Studies have shown that men and women who ate the most green leafy vegetables had the least wrinkles!

#5 Many, many other benefits: We all know that veggies contain plenty of fiber to keep things moving, lots of vitamin C to keep us from getting sick and lots of brain power to keep us smart!

So, try it today.  Just simply adding a small amount of raw fruits and vegetables to every meal, will make a big difference in how you feel!