Are you Thriving or just Getting by? Part 2

Last week’s blog post was on thriving in our spiritual lives, but this week I want to talk about thriving physically.

About twelve years ago, my husband and I implemented better food choices to get healthy. We started on minerals and vitamins and gave up white flours, sugars, and potatoes.

Six years ago, I started Trim Healthy Mama and gave up most grains and all sugar. I know unbelievable, right? I was fortunate; sugar addictions and withdrawals did not affect me when I stopped eating sugar. My husband and I feel better; we have little inflammation (because sugar and grains increase inflammation) and seldom get sick (as a biologist, I know all bacteria feed on sugar).

Think about how sick most people get between Halloween and the New Year when we eat the most sweets and desserts.

Don’t even get me started on high fructose corn syrup.

After I got sugar out of my system, I noticed my food tasted better. I now like certain foods I had not liked before. And if I eat something sugary now, my joints and body get sore and stiff. I have even gotten sick to my stomach. My body now hates sugar.

I should mention that I am NOT talking about naturally occurring sugar in fruits and vegetables.

I believe God made us to eat for our health, not to self-medicate or to satisfy our sweet tooth.

Balance is God’s way for us physically and spiritually.

I am not suggesting we never eat for enjoyment either. God gave us food to be pleasing to the eyes and taste buds. I enjoy food now more than ever, but what I eat is much better for me and tastes better, too.

Children are getting Type 2 diabetes younger and younger. Obesity is getting just as common among children as it is among adults.

Eating habits are not just eating how we were taught as children, but why we eat as well.

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Depression, loneliness, fear, pain, and guilt, among other things, cause us to medicate with food and drink. A lack of nutrition causes many of our diseases. We need vitamins and minerals like magnesium, calcium, zinc, potassium, and vitamins A, B, C, D, and E to keep us healthy and our bones, muscles, nervous and digestive systems to operate as they were designed.

We find most of those vitamins and minerals in foods grown from the ground, not in processed foods or at McDonald’s…

Many people may wonder why we do not see as many healings as in the Bible. I have even heard people claim that Jesus only heals us in a spiritual sense, but not physically. I don’t believe that.

 But, could it be we don’t see as much healing because Jesus wants us to take responsibility for what we put in our mouth? OUCH! Sowing and reaping apply here.

I believe God can heal anything/everything. I am not suggesting He won’t heal because we eat donuts and candy. He alone knows when and how He wants to heal our bodies, but sometimes it may not be until Heaven.

Steps for taking control of our body’s health:

1. Examine your eating habits and pray.

2. Ask God if you need to do better, and if so, ask for His help.

3. Pray about balance within your diet.

4. Invite Jesus to keep you accountable or to send someone who will.

5. Seek healing for any reason you may over-eat or self-medicate with food.

6. Know God wants the very best for you.

He wants us to live free from sugar addictions and self-medicating. He is the Healer of our minds, bodies, and emotions.

Seek Him if you are hurting. Forgive and bless those who have caused you pain. Freedom comes only through Christ.

1 Corinthians 10:32 (NLT) says, “You say, ‘I am allowed to do anything’—but not everything is good for you. You say, ‘I am allowed to do anything’—but not everything is beneficial.”