Tips to a Happier You in 2012~Made to Crave

7 July, 2012 by 6 Comments



Here are a few things I know about taste and mood: 

  • It makes us happy to eat something sweet…a comfort food.
  • If we eat a healthy diet, we feel better and are therefore happier.
  • A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. 
  • We feel happier—more satisfied—when our stomachs are full. 
And last but not least…
  • Food is often about relationships. Relationships between us and God, us and friends, and us and our own soul.
There have been tons of studies done testing what we eat with how we feel. We all know that certain vitamins—like Omega-3 fatty acids for instance—feed our brains and increases our overall well-being. 

Food is obviously an important topic to God, as the Bible is full of references to food. Many major events in the Bible took place around food. 

But the food—and the choice of food— was used as a gateway to Christ. Whether it was sacrifice, celebration, or miracle, the food was all about Christ. His body is the bread.

I’ll be honest. This is a tough topic for me. In research, depending on the exact point you search for, there are arguments in every direction. For more information about the arguing voices in my head, check out my post Acceptance in Christ—which honestly is not the best title considering it deals mostly with food. But oh well. 

One of the books I’ve read this year is Made to Crave, which is honestly the most unusual—but also the most enlightening—book about diets. Mostly because it is and is not a diet book. I’m afraid you will just have to read to see what I mean. But there’s one thing I learned (well, confirmed my thought anyway):

We crave whatever is a part of our life—what we do, who we see, what we eat, what we drink, etc. 

    • If we watch pornography, we want to watch more.
    • If we drink alcohol—or Mountain Dew—we want to drink more.
    • If we use drugs, we want them more (And I’m a witness to that one!) 

The neat thing is, though, that the flip side of this is true as well.

    • If we read about God, we want to know more.
    • If we become a volunteer, we want to volunteer more.
    • If we begin tithing, we want to tithe more. 
I’ll share a secret here. I almost didn’t write a blog post today. Not because I didn’t want to, it’s just that time got away from me this week and I found myself beginning this post at midnight last night. Only to hear David say, “What the heck are you doing on your computer NOW?” He really gets tired of seeing me on my computer. 

Well, he hurt my feelings. And as all great women do, I pouted. Most of the day today. Didn’t get anything accomplished. You know the video that surface a few months ago about the father putting a bullet in his daughter’s laptop? I think that’s what David would like to do to mine sometimes. 

But I realized something really important about myself today. I was made to write. It is one of God’s purposes for me. You may get this post a day late, and it may mean only a little to a very few people. But God compels me to write, so it must be for something! I just have to find more time alone. Hmmm….

Okay, back to topic. 

Our taste buds can deceive us. What we think makes us happy, may be only temporary. Since I’ve cut back on sugar, I don’t crave it nearly like I used to. And since I’ve been blogging and writing for God, I crave it more and more. As Lysa Terkeurst says, “We were made to crave.” 



We just have to begin putting away the bad, and starting on the good. 

“Whether we’re on the path toward victory or defeat is determined by the very next choice we make. Not the choices from yesterday. Not the choices five minutes ago.” ~Lysa Terkeurst

We must retrain our taste buds—whether it’s the ones in our mouth or those on our heart—to crave good. 

Especially to crave God.
From my heart,
Celeste

P.S. If you want to know more about the foods and vitamins that can physically enhance your mood, click here for the link to my Delicious stack, Diet for Depression.
Filed Under: Eating to Live, God's Pharmacy, Living with Purpose, Making Changes, Tips to a Happier You Tagged With: , , , , ,

Make a change monday~nitrates

2 July, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Oh how I wish I could find more time to write. My brain seems to overflow with ideas, none of which come to fruition on paper. And today’s topic—I’ll be honest—is not terribly exciting, but is very important. One that I’ve done more than my share of research on over the years.

Finding a prescription verse for today’s topic was a little tough. I don’t think the Bible actually addresses putting preservatives in our food. I could go back to Genesis 1:29 that I’ve used before about food that God gave us on the earth. I’m not about to jump into the whole clean and unclean meat thing. That’s a theologian’s battle, not mine. So I realize I took this verse out of context, but I thought the whole mutilate the flesh part fit. So cut me a little slack on the verse today 😉

Preservatives in meat. Have you ever really thought about what we eat when we fix a ham sandwich? Okay, we know it comes from a pig, but how old is the meat we are eating? How long did it take to get from the you-know-where to the grocery store? We are essentially eating old, rotten pig. Yuck! And it’s not just pork; it’s all meat products.

Well, the food and drug administration so generously allows the luncheon meat manufacturers to use sodium nitrate/nitrite in our meat so it stays “pretty in pink” until it makes it to our town, our grocery store, and finally, our refrigerator.

I could write a long sciency bunch of gooble-gobble about how sodium nitrate and nitrite convert to nitrosamines in your stomach depending on the pH of the juices there, and how certain levels of nitrosamines are actually fatal but the FDA makes sure we don’t get too much, and how the levels we are exposed to cause esophageal cancer, pancreatic cancer, thyroid disease, leukemia, colorectal cancer, heart disease, and diabetes just to name a few.

But I won’t.

I’ll just give you the link to my delicious stack that contains more information that you could ever want to know.

Obviously, today’s {make-a-change} Monday tip is to avoid luncheon meats that contain these preservatives. Applegate Farms (they have a great turkey bacon) is one of my favorite manufacturers of healthy alternatives, but here are a few more:


  • Coleman’s
  • Trader Joe’s
  • Berkshire
  • Niman Ranch
  • Boar’s Head All Natural
  • Hormel Natural Choice 
  • Grateful Harvest




Just read your labels. Trader Joe’s even has a hot dog that is made from chicken and it taste’s great! Don’t even get me started on regular hot dogs. Spend a little time educating yourself about labels from the articles in my delicious stack or do some research on your own. You know me; I’m all about little changes at a time. And this little change could prevent a big, scary change in your future! 

From my heart, 

Celeste


Filed Under: Eating to Live, Make-a-change Mondays Tagged With: , , , ,

Make-a-change Monday~My Neighbor, the Farmer

4 June, 2012 by Leave a Comment

I love the convenience of the grocery store. One stop shopping, everything in one place. I  try to buy organic when I can, shopping at Whole Foods or Earth Fare, but I do my share of Wal-Mart shopping as well. 


Well, my family and I went on a “Farm Tour” this weekend. That’s a sentence I never thought I’d say. Here in the Upstate, there are about 30 farms within easy driving distance that all participated in a tour to make people more aware of them and their products. There is a Buffalo Farm right here in Simpsonville! Real, live Yosemite Buffalo! And they are a breeding farm only…no killing. So I loved that. 


Anyway, one farm in particular really made an impression on me and got me thinking. Happy Cow Creamery, less than 10 miles from my house, works very hard to provide local, healthy milk to the community. The owner has grown the farm from the ground up. They have their own “closed” herd of cows so no disease or bacteria are introduced from elsewhere. They minimally heat the milk so any possible bacteria are destroyed, but the enzymes that are valuable to our health are not. Tom Trantham, the owner of Happy Cow, lives a good, but modest, life. He cares about people and wants to help provide his community with healthy milk. The kind of milk that has been shown to prevent cancer. The kind of milk people can drink even when they have been labeled “lactose intolerant.” And it’s affordable. He has even been to Washington on our behalf to fight improper labeling of dairy products that make the public think they are making healthy choices. 


I’ve bought Happy Cow milk in the past, but just when it was convenient. But Tom Trantham is my neighbor. He started this farm because he cares about me. He doesn’t know me personally, but I am in his community and he started this farm because he cares about his community. 


The second most important commandment in the Bible is this:

 B)”>‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
(Mark 12:31 ESV)

Let me repeat that. You shall love your neighbor as yourself is the second most important commandment in the Bible. Only behind the first: 

And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul 
and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 
(Mark 12:30 ESV)

I’m thinking that God puts a pretty high priority on the whole “love your neighbor” thing. 

Today’s prescription verse to stir up one other to love and good works and to encourage one another. 

I never would have realized how much Tom Trantham has done for our community had I not gone on that Farm Tour. He has made me realize the importance of supporting what our neighbors do for us. I’ve always liked to support local business for the sake of the economy. But this goes deeper than economy. This is about community. I will be making a point to visit Happy Cow not only for the great milk they provide, but to support my neighbor in his good efforts. To encourage and motivate him to continue his efforts to make us healthier. He is my neighbor. I’ll be taking that little country drive out to Happy Cow for my milk and cheese from now on. 

Do you support people in your community who are trying to do good works? 

My {make-a-change Monday} challenge is this: Don’t get so wrapped up in yourself that you forget about your neighbor. Do something to encourage and uplift someone in your community who is trying to make a difference. 

Even if it is just buying the milk from their cow instead of someone else’s. 
From my heart, 
Celeste

 

Filed Under: Eating to Live, Making Changes Tagged With: , , , ,

Make-a-change Monday~A Yummy and Natural Sugar Substitute

16 April, 2012 by 1 Comment

I took today’s prescription verse from The Message—a modern-day language translation of the Bible. I’m not sure Solomon was really speaking of “fast food” here, but how well it applies to today!  

We’ve been talking about sugar lately—how it negatively affects us physically and emotionally. But the artificial sweeteners are just that—artificial. We reach for both sugar and artificial sweeteners because we want something fast and easy (and sweet). 
So today, I am giving you just a little easy tip for your make-a-change Monday. 
How many of us love sugar in our coffee? I’ve gotten a little better over the years; I used to drink a little coffee in my sugar! 
There is a natural sweetener that has gained a little popularity recently…enough so that it can be found at Wal-Mart! It’s Agave Nectar. Here’s you a picture: 
Last Monday’s make-a-change was to do a sugar fast…or a least a sugar decrease 😉 In that post I told you about how sugar causes our pancreas to produce insulin, therefore prohibiting it from producing glucagon, thus increasing our belly fat 🙁 This means it has a high “glycemic index. 
Sugar (glucose), or anything that rapidly converts to glucose in the bloodstream, has a high glycemic index. Foods that do not rapidly convert to glucose, but rather convert slowly, creating a lower and more steady level of blood glucose, have a low glycemic index and are much better for you. 
Here’s a link to tell you all you need to know about Agave Nectar and the beneficial effects. 
So when you hit the grocery store this week, pick up a bottle of Agave Nectar and try substituting it for your sugar necessities this week. 
It’s especially good in coffee and oatmeal! 
Let’s keep making those good little changes and see how far we’ve come by the end of the summer! Hopefully we will see happier and healthier versions of ourselves. 
I want to see the me God wants me to be. 
From my heart, 
Celeste
Filed Under: Eating to Live, God's Pharmacy, Make-a-change Mondays, Making Changes Tagged With: , , , ,

Tips to a Happier You in 2012~The Artificial Sweetener Conspiracy

14 April, 2012 by 1 Comment



Since we’ve been talking about how sugar affects your health, I thought it would be helpful to look into the plethora of sugar substitutes available to us today that are FDA approved. 


My research, most of which I already knew, brought me back to the conclusion I shared in an old blog post, God’s Pharmacy. We just can’t leave well enough alone. God gave us some great stuff when he created the earth! But we insist on manipulating it to suit our desires. 


Here is a great list of the FDA approved artificial sweeteners available to us I found in an article on the Spark People website: 


Acesulfame-Potassium (Acesulfame-K) goes by the brand names Ace-K, Sunett and Sweet One. It is a combination of organic acid and potassium that is often blended with other sugar substitutes.

  • 200 times sweeter than sugar
  • 0 calories per gram
  • Heat stable (can be used in cooking and baking)
  • Produces no glycemic response
  • ADI: 15 mg/kg body weight per day

Aspartame goes by the brand names Equal and NutraSweet. It is composed of two amino acids (proteins), aspartic acid and phenylalanine. Aspartame is one of the most thoroughly tested food additives, according to the FDA. People with the rare heredity disease phenylketonuria (PKU) should not consume aspartame.

    • 160-220 times sweeter than sugar

 

  • 4 calories per gram (metabolized as a protein), but because such a small amount is needed to sweeten foods and beverages, the calories provided by aspartame are considered negligible.
  • Not heat stable (cannot be used in cooking or baking)
  • Produces a limited glycemic response
  • ADI: 50 mg/kg body weight per day

 

 

Neotame is one of the newest artificial sweeteners approved for use in packaged foods and beverages.

    • 7,000-13,000 times sweeter than sugar

 

  • 0 calories per gram
  • Heat stable (can be used in cooking and baking)
  • Produces no glycemic response
  • ADI: 18 mg/kg body weight per day
  • Rapidly metabolized and excreted

 

 

Saccharin goes by the brand names Necta Sweet, Sugar Twin and Sweet ‘N Low.

    • 200-700 times sweeter than sugar

 

  • 0 calories per gram
  • Heat stable (can be used in cooking and baking)
  • Produces no glycemic response
  • ADI: 15 mg/kg body weight per day

 

 

Stevia (Rebaudioside A) goes by the names PureVia, Sun Crystals and Truvia. It is a steviol glycoside, one component of the stevia plant that provides sweetness.

    • 250-300 times sweeter than sugar

 

  • 0 calories and 0 carbohydrates per gram
  • ADI: 0-4 mg/kg body weight per day
  • Metabolized by the body into steviol, which is not absorbed in the blood and therefore leaves the body unchanged

 

 

Sucralose goes by the brand name Splenda.

    • 600 times sweeter than sugar

 

  • 0 calories per gram
  • Heat stable (can be used in cooking and baking)
  • Produces no glycemic response
  • ADI: 5mg/kg body weight per day
  • Poorly absorbed and excreted unchanged

 

 

Want to know what they all have in common? They are all synthetic chemicals. 


I could write all day on the dangers of these artificial sweeteners. The lists are unending of the problems they can cause, the studies the have been done to prove their safety (or risks), and the questions they leave unanswered.


Now here’s a fun little list of possible dangers of artificial sweeteners: 

  • Weight gain (I know, quite ironic isn’t it?)
  • Headaches
  • Allergies
  • Depression
  • Anxiety and Panic Attacks
  • Gastro-intestinal disorders
  • Cancer
Pretty scary, right? 



The stevia seems to be the most promising of possibilities for a good natural sweetener, but  the form approved by the FDA sold in the US has been chemically altered. 


So why do we put these chemicals in our bodies? 


I’m going to give you some great articles to read if you’d like to read further, but I’m summing it up. 


In one of the articles I read on the safety of Stevia and the concern for it’s FDA approval, this statement stuck out like a sore thumb: 


In the U.S., we like to go to extremes,” adds toxicologist Ryan Huxtable of the University of Arizona in Tucson. “So a significant number of people here might consume much greater amounts.” (Nutrition Action)



Now read today’s prescription verse. Yes, I know it’s about wine—a little wine that is— but shouldn’t it apply to everything? It’s about moderation and using what God gave us. When it comes to sugar and artificial sweeteners, I’m going with plain old unsweet. If I must have something sweet, a little cane sugar (the most natural form of sugar we can buy) seems to be the safest answer. If the natural form of stevia is easy to buy, I will use it as well. As for all the rest, STAY AWAY! They are nothing but trouble. 


Hope you found this post helpful! 

From my heart,

Celeste



P.S. Here’s the link to my stack of delicious article if you’d like to do some more reading for yourself: The Artificial Sweetener Conspiracy


P.S.S. Don’t forget to read Monday’s post for make-a-change Monday. I have one great tip for you to help you change sugar habits that I didn’t reveal today 😉


Filed Under: Eating to Live, God's Pharmacy, How to be Happy, Making Changes, Tips to a Happier You Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Make a Change Monday~A Sugar Fast

2 April, 2012 by Leave a Comment

I am currently reading Made to Crave, by Lysa Terkeurst, and I love it. I’ll talk more about the book at a later date, but for now I just want to share one of Lysa’s suggestions for today’s make-a-change. 

Lysa explains we are made to crave. God designed our bodies to crave, but more importantly, he designed our soul to crave…Him. When we sacrifice something our body craves and replace that physical craving with a spiritual craving, we grow closer to God. It’s really that simple. 
But denying ourselves our physical cravings is not simple at all. It requires will power and prayer. 
On Saturday I shared with you what sugar does to your brain—how it affects your emotions. Today I want to share just one thing sugar does to your body that will help motivate you even more: 

When you eat sugar, your pancreas produces insulin to break it down. When your blood sugar is low, on the other hand, your pancreas produces glucagon to find something in your body it can break down to use for energy. The only time your body produces glucagon is when your blood sugar is low. Here’s the kicker…the glucagon targets fat in your body, especially around the belly area, to break down into glucose for your body and brain to use. 
I know it gets confusing and takes a little backward thinking, so think of it like this: 
The less sugar you give your body, the more fat your body will break down to use as energy. 
Giving up sugar is tough, but the less we eat it, the less we crave it. 
So today’s make-a-change is to give up sugar, or at least cut back. Word of warning though, don’t switch to “diet” drinks and “artificially sweetened” products. And if it says “sugar free,” make sure it doesn’t have the artificial sweeteners either. I’ll talk more about artificial sweeteners soon, but for now, know that the only sweeteners you should use in substitute for sugar are Xylitol and Stevia. 
So when you want that Pepsi—40 grams of sugar— at the movies, say a quick prayer, and choose water instead. (And save a few bucks!)

…And you may just get in a few more—or a lot more—conversations with God throughout your day! 

From my heart, 
Celeste
 P.S. For ways to decrease the sugar in your diet, check out my delicious stack of helpful articles with lots of tips and hints; but beware of those artificial sweeteners. There are still many believers in Nutrasweet and the like…

Filed Under: Beating Depression, Chronic Illness, Eating to Live, Make-a-change Mondays, Making Changes Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Tips to a Happier you in 2012~The Sweet Truth

31 March, 2012 by 1 Comment



What are the most common conditions for which we would consider a change in our diet?


•   High blood pressure? 
•   Obesity?
•   Diabetes?
•    
Those are the no-brainers. But what about your brain? Do you think about the food we eat being connected to our brain? 

Let me give you an example from personal experience: 

When I was finishing pharmacy school, I did a clinical rotation at Greenville Memorial Hospital in the Cancer Treatment Center. I had to be up on the 5th floor of the hospital at 7:00 AM to do rounds with Dr. Gluck. Every single morning, about half way through rounds, I got very light headed, weak, shaky, and I broke out in a sweat. My heart beat so hard I felt like I was having a panic attack. I’d go into the hall and sit down with my head between my knees afraid I would throw up or pass out, neither of which anyone had time for. 

After a few weeks of this everyday occurrence, Dr. Gluck examined me, but could find nothing wrong. The patients we were seeing every morning were stage 4 cancer patients at the very end of their lives—tough situations for a 20-year-old college student to handle at 7:00 AM every morning. We just figured the situations were getting to me. It was somewhat overwhelming, but I couldn’t believe it could make me physically ill. 

Finally, when I was about at the end of my rotation, the pharmacist I worked with asked me what I was eating for breakfast. Every morning I ate toast with grape jelly around 6:15 AM.

He suggested I switch to cheese toast and see if it would make a difference. 

What do you know? I was absolutely fine. 

When I ate jelly on my toast for breakfast, I was getting a sugar high. Then, around 7:30, my insulin was in high gear to take care of processing that sugar, and caused my sugar to drop so rapidly, it almost did me in. I ended up in a hypoglycemic state. It can be confusing to think of getting hypoglycemia when we eat too  much sugar, but it’s the insulin’s response to the high sugar that throws us into hypoglycemia. 

Look at today’s prescription verse. …Be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.
There is a definite mind-body-soul connection. What affects one affects the other.  

Our brain relies on a steady, balanced level of glucose to function properly. When we eat too much sugar, our body goes into overdrive trying to process it, causing a rise in adrenalin and cortisol (the fight or flight hormone). As I’ve stated before, this rise in cortisol will cause a decrease in serotonin and other hormones in the brain. Basically, everything gets out of whack. The more unbalanced our sugar intake is, the more unbalanced our mood is. 

Our brain and body need to stay in balance, so it is essential that our diet be balanced as well. 

Too much sugar does not a balanced diet make. Here’s the link to a great article I found explaining this phenomenon well: Conquering Anxiety, Depression, and Fatigue Without Drugs—the Role of Hypoglycemia
My reaction to sugar was somewhat extreme. Most reaction are much more subtle and not as easy to diagnose. Here are some symptoms to look for that could be blamed on sugar intake: 
•   Anxiety
•   Nervousness
•   Restlessness
•   Irritability
•   Depression
•   Forgetfulness
•   Crying spells
•   Inability to concentrate
…And there are many more. 

How incredible would it be to just balance your sugar intake and solve these problems without the use of drugs? It may or may not work, but all you’ve lost is a few pounds! 

Here are some suggestions from The Hypoglycemic Diet to start you in the right direction: 
1) Avoidance of sugar, coffee, strong tea, nicotine if possible, refined carbohydrates, such as white bread, white rice, cakes and sugary drinks, candy bars, colas, cookies, ice cream sweetish fruits such as bananas, grapefruit, melons, honey and dates (these fruits may be reintroduced at a later stage in moderation) etc.
2) High protein + complex carbohydrates snacks every three hours or sooner, to provide a slow release of glucose, and to prevent the hypoglycemic dip. A high protein breakfast must be considered the most important meal of the day. Good sources of proteins are eggs, white meat as in chicken and fish. Eat plenty of green vegetables and fruits and the more varied the diet the better it is.
3) Supplementation of diet with Anti-stress vitamin B-Complex tablets, including vitamin B6, B3, B12, chromium picolinate, magnesium, zinc + Vitamin C, and fish oil (omega-3 fatty acids), vitamin D. 
4) Other supplements that could slow down the absorption of glucose (thereby avoiding blood sugar peaks and the release of stress hormones) are: Psyllium Seeds Husks (1 tbsp. per day), Glucomannan including pectin (follow instructions on bottle), Grapefruit and Cinnamon.
So the sweet truth is that sugar is not so sweet after all. It can be downright mean. 

Let’s don’t let something so simple as sugar control our emotions. And did you know when we stop eating sugar, we stop craving it? But that’s another blog post…
From my heart,
Celeste
P.S. If you’d like more great information on sugar and diet, here’s the link to my delicious stack of articles on The Sweet Truth.
Filed Under: Beating Depression, Brain Functions, Eating to Live, God's Pharmacy, Making Changes, Tips to a Happier You Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Make-a-change Monday~Rescue Your Fridge…and Your Family!

26 March, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Since we’ve been on the topic of food lately, I have a confession to make: 
I really don’t like to cook. 
For those of you who know me personally, I’m sure it’s no surprise. Cooking has always been a struggle for me. As soon as I get on a roll, I get in a rut. 
I begin with great intentions. 
•   I get together my recipes…some new and some old. 
•   I take a pantry inventory and make my grocery list.
•   After my trip to the store, I put away the groceries and keep my recipes out to use.
I typically cook the first few of my planned meals, but as the week progresses and schedules change, I end up with ingredients and leftovers in the refrigerator that I don’t use. 
That’s where I am now. 
Once again, my refrigerators (yes, two of them) are full of food that’s probably growing it’s own food by now. 
Today’s prescriptions verse is from Proverbs 31—you know, the “perfect woman” chapter of the Bible. This particular verse pretty much flattens my toes and really should be rewritten for me to say:
She does okay looking to the ways of her
household and tries not to eat
 the bread of  moldiness.
For those of you who cook every night and actually keep your fridge in good shape, you get this week off…or you can get motivated and make another change you’ve been thinking about. Leave me a comment if you do; it might be a change I need to make too! 
For those of you like me, today’s “make a change Monday” is to clean out the refrigerator—and make an attempt to keep it that way. 
And, so you don’t open the refrigerator door and stare blankly, here’s the link to my delicious stack of great articles to tell you what to do: Rescue Your Fridge…And Your Family!
Time to get busy looking to my household. 
…And my moldy bread! 
From my heart,
Celeste
Filed Under: Eating to Live, Family Focused, Make-a-change Mondays, Making Changes Tagged With: , , , , ,

Tips to a happier you in 2012~Acceptance in Christ (You are not what you eat)

24 March, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Last Monday, March 12, I posted about making a change to be healthier by eating foods that increase your body pH. I referred to several health “bandwagons” I jumped on in my search to cure myself while I was sick. It was conversations about that post that prompted me to write today’s tip to a happier you.
I was so easily convinced that each and every supplement, juice, and diet I tried was THE one to make me better. And even worse than me, those who convinced me believed their “product” was the one, true way to health. They were all well meaning; some were possibly just selling a product, but most genuinely wanted to help. 
In my desperate search to regain my health, I ended up very confused. How is it that everyone could believe such different things and all believe their way is the only way?
Fortunately, the Bible has our answer. I’m including all of the verses in Romans 14:1-23 because it helped me to read it all. I know it’s lengthy, but it’s scripture. Give me 5 minutes…
1 Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong. 2 For instance, one person believes it’s all right to eat anything. But another believer with a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables. 3 Those who feel free to eat anything must not look down on those who don’t. And those who don’t eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them. 4 Who are you to condemn someone else’s servants? Their own master will judge whether they stand or fall. And with the Lord’s help, they will stand and receive his approval.
5 In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. You should each be fully convinced that whichever day you choose is acceptable. 6 Those who worship the Lord on a special day do it to honor him. Those who eat any kind of food do so to honor the Lord, since they give thanks to God before eating. And those who refuse to eat certain foods also want to please the Lord and give thanks to God. 7 For we don’t live for ourselves or die for ourselves. 8 If we live, it’s to honor the Lord. And if we die, it’s to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9 Christ died and rose again for this very purpose—to be Lord both of the living and of the dead.
10 So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For the Scriptures say,
“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,
‘every knee will bend to me,
and every tongue will confess and give praise to God.’”
12 Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. 13 So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.
14 I know and am convinced on the authority of the Lord Jesus that no food, in and of itself, is wrong to eat. But if someone believes it is wrong, then for that person it is wrong. 15 And if another believer is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it. Don’t let your eating ruin someone for whom Christ died. 16 Then you will not be criticized for doing something you believe is good. 17 For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.18 If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too. 19 So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.
20 Don’t tear apart the work of God over what you eat. Remember, all foods are acceptable, but it is wrong to eat something if it makes another person stumble. 21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it might cause another believer to stumble. 22 You may believe there’s nothing wrong with what you are doing, but keep it between yourself and God. Blessed are those who don’t feel guilty for doing something they have decided is right. 23 But if you have doubts about whether or not you should eat something, you are sinning if you go ahead and do it. For you are not following your convictions. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning.
Does it seem like Paul was “beating a dead horse” when he wrote this? He certainly believed this was an important point. From the Garden of Eden right through to today, food has been a controversial subject both on the spiritual front and the physical front. 
Paul tells us “It’s okay.” As long as you believe in your heart you are pleasing God, it’s okay.
We need to continue to learn and be discerning, but we can stop torturing ourselves. God’s got it all under control. 
My son, Trevor, is one of the worst eaters I’ve ever known. There is not one fruit or vegetable that he likes and will willingly eat. NOT ONE! Yes, as his mom this drives me crazy. There have been many battles over our table with a loaded fork suspended in front of Trevor’s mouth, threatening or bribing him to eat. It took too long for me to realize the relationship was more important than the food. 
I gave his nutrition to God. 
Have I quit trying? Of course not. I want him to learn to eat new things and be healthy. I still put new things on his plate; I just don’t engage World War III trying to make him eat. 
I’ll keep providing tips that will make a healthier and happier you. And if you disagree, that’s okay! When we disagree, we are prompted to research and learn, all in the name of Christ. 
So today’s “tip to a happier you” is to stop obsessing, stop worrying, and stop judging yourself or anyone else for choices they believe to be right in Christ. And I don’t think Paul was only referring to our food choices in these verses, but I’ll leave that for another day…
From my heart, 
Celeste





Filed Under: Eating to Live, Family Focused, Living in Faith, Tips to a Happier You, Your Relationship with God Tagged With: , , , , ,

Make-a-change Monday~Maintaining a Healthy Body pH Could Save Your Life!

12 March, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Between my career as a pharmacist and the seven years I spent trying to fix myself, I learned a LOT about health and nutrition. 

One thing you can count on in the world of nutrition is everyone has an opinion and they believe their way is the best way. 
Through research and/or personal experience, I tried: 
•   Xango Juice
•   Barley Green
•   Juicing
•   The Hallelujah Diet (all raw food)
•   The 21-day Detox Diet
•   Juice Plus
•   Gluten Free Diet
•   Noni Juice
•   Adrenal Gland Support Therapy

…And that’s honestly just a few. I can’t even remember them all. 
It’s really so simple. 
God gave us everything we need when he provided fruits and vegetables for us to eat. We have to make everything so complicated! 
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the nutritional “bandwagons” I tried, but they are all very expensive, and really not necessary. There’s one trait they have in common: they all work to increase the overall pH of your body. 
Our bodies are at their healthiest when we maintain a pH above 7—an alkaline pH. Anything below 7 is acidic. Anything above 7 is alkaline. When we maintain an alkaline pH, we can fight disease, including cancer. 
Did you know that cancer is nothing but an overgrowth of abnormal cells in our body and we all battle cancer every day? Those if us never diagnosed with cancer just happen to be keeping those cells under control with our immune system and a pH that is alkaline. 
When my dad was diagnosed with stage 4-lung cancer, I tested this theory. My mom and I tested our pH and found our to be between 7.5 and 8. My dad’s pH was 3. Extremely acidic. Unfortunately, I didn’t have this knowledge early enough to try to save my dad, as his cancer was stage 4 when we discovered it. But God uses all things for good, and now I know.


Here’s a link explaining pH a little more and how to test your pH: Restoring pH Balance in the Body. It’s as easy as putting a little strip of paper on your tongue! Click here to order online or they are available at most health food stores (Whole Foods, Earth Fare, GNC)
So today’s “make a change” just might prevent you from ever having to battle cancer. And it’s so easy! 
Begin eating and drinking foods that will increase your body’s pH. There are plenty of options, some you already eat. Our challenge is to add one new item to your diet this week, and continue for weeks following. 
Here’s a list of foods provided by a great article: Alkaline Foods to Increase Your pH Level


Slightly Alkaline Foods
These foods are only slightly alkaline, and can be used when your pH is only slightly low:
* Peas
* Watermelons
* Apples
* Blueberries
* Pears
* Grapes
* Onions
* Bananas
* Raspberries
* Peaches
* Tomatoes
* Oranges
* Lemons
* Apricots
* Grapefruits
* Potatoes (sweet or white)
* Strawberries
* Tangerines
Medium Alkaline Foods
* Cherries
* Limes
* Green Beans
* Dried Dates
* Raisins
* Avocado
* Pineapple
* Cauliflower
* Mushrooms
* Rutabagas
* Radishes
* Cucumbers
* Green Soy Beans
* Brussels Sprouts
* Beets
High Alkaline Foods
These foods have the highest alkalinity you can find in natural food sources. They can be helpful if your pH level is extremely low. If it’s not very low, consider trying some of the lower alkaline foods first.
* Broccoli
* Cabbage
* Rhubarb
* Lima Beans
* Lettuce
* Sauerkraut
* Watercress
* Chard
* Dried Beans
* Carrots
* Dried Figs
* Celery
* Molasses
* Beet Greens
* Raw Spinach
Here are some ways to increase your pH in what you drink from the article, What Drink Will Increase the pH Level of My Body?

 

 

Lemon and Lime Juice

Although lemons and limes, like all all citrus fruits, are highly acidic, they are actually an alkalizing food. Water with lemon or lime added is one of the best drinks for raising your pH level. Many restaurants serve water with lemon. Even if you’re in a restaurant that doesn’t, you can usually request it. Another great thing about water with lemon or lime is that it does not matter if the water is from the tap or filtered.

 


Vegetable Juice

Vegetable juice is an ideal beverage for increasing your pH level. Any combination of vegetables will get the job done, with the exception of corn and olives. In addition to increasing your pH level, you will also be given your body a good dose of other powerful vitamins and nutrients.

Almond Milk

Almonds are one of the best foods for lowering your acid level, so it’s a good thing that almond milk has become increasingly popular and can be found in almost any grocery store. If you can’t find almond milk at your local grocery store, you can order it online. Almond milk tastes great by itself but it’s also good on cereal.

 


Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/485450-what-drink-will-increase-the-ph-level-of-my-body/#ixzz1opIDyIhW

So keep it simple and listen to the instruction God gave us in our prescription verse and again in Genesis 9:3. 

…And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything.


From my heart,

Celeste



If you’d like to read more about body pH, here’s the link to my Delicious Stack containing the articles mentioned above plus a few more: Maintaining a Healthy Body pH
Filed Under: Beating Depression, Chronic Illness, Eating to Live, Make-a-change Mondays, Making Changes, Physical Wellness Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Make-a-change Monday~Just drink water!

30 January, 2012 by 2 Comments

Since New Year’s Day, our local YMCA has been packed. No parking spaces, no machines available, and classes full. It’s January 30th. I give it two more weeks. 
We love to make big promises to ourselves and start fresh, but in reality, it’s impossible to make big changes all at once. When I began writing, if I’d realized all that was involved, I never would have started. I’ve learned little bits of information at a time, and looking back on the last year, I’m blown away at how much I know now about writing, blogging, publishing, etc. 
It’s all about small changes. Let new habits begin to infuse into your life a little at a time. So I’m officially declaring every Monday to be “Make a Change Monday” so we can begin to make changes in our lifestyles to be more productive, healthier, and happier. 
Join me in introducing these small changes into your life, and see where you are a year from now. I’d like to be thirty pounds lighter, much less in debt, and have a book at the publisher! But those goals are overwhelming all at once, so I’ll take one little step at a time. 
This week, every time you reach for something to drink, choose water. When God created earth, He gave us water to drink. If you really want your tea or soda, at least make yourself drink a 12oz glass of water first. Water can help with so many problems: It can decrease or eradicate a headache, it will keep you fuller so you don’t want to eat as much, and it’s free!
Remember, it’s all about small changes…
From my heart, 
Celeste
If you liked this post, you will also enjoy Small Beginnings & New Habits
Filed Under: Beating Depression, Chronic Illness, Eating to Live, Make-a-change Mondays, Making Changes, Physical Wellness Tagged With: , , , , , ,