Sunday, April 28, 2013

Listening to God

When will I ever learn to listen? Lord, I make so many excuses and then end up regretting that I heard you but didn't listen and obey.

Last week I cut up a veggie turkey roll in to slices to refreeze for Victor's sandwiches and such. I knew I shouldn't eat any because they have eggs in them. Thursday of this week, I got some out for the kids and ended up eating a couple slices, thinking as I did so, "a little won't hurt." And it didn't seem to. Friday, I made gf biscuits and gravy putting some 'turkey' pieces in the gravy. I didn't eat very much turkey, but as I was doing so, the God said, "You had some yesterday, you shouldn't have any more." But I knew better. Ha.

That night when Victor got home from Moab, he unloaded his box of food and there were some potato chips, low-fat. I had one and then God said, "Oily, don't eat them for your own good." I didn't listen again. I ate a bunch of them. Sabbath I was good. I had a green smoothie for breakfast and some muesli (oats, coconut milk, banana, pineapple juice). Lunch I stuck with vegan foods, except for one bite of chocolate cake, and one bite of Joshua's noodles to see what was in them.

In the afternoon, we headed up for Zion to do some hiking. It was fun and pretty, wore the kids out. But I was miserable pretty much the whole time. As we were leaving the house and driving out the gate, and into Hurricane, the twinges of a gallbladder attack were coming on and God kept saying, "Turn around and go home. At least you could get some flax seed tea and take the melaleuca oil to help keep the inflammation down." But did I listen? No. I heard but I thought, 'It won't be that bad, I don't want to take the time.

So, half the time we were hiking, I was woozy, had a pain in my ribs, wanted to sleep. And by the time we got home, my gall bladder was swollen and inflamed. I spent most of the night in and out of sleep in the rocking chair and just now am beginning to feel better.

Help me, Lord, to hear your voice and listen and obey. You really are always trying to protect me from myself.

Sunday, April 21, 2013

Health Part 2

Ok, so this a continuation of my previous post.

God gave us guidelines in the Bible as to taking care of our bodies. Science has been slow in catching up, but over the centuries, scientists, doctors, scholars, and lay people have and are discovering that a lifestyle that includes plenty of plant foods is healthier than one that is mostly animal foods.

So, when I started college, I had become interested in health. As a result my major was a health oriented one. Since then, I have continued reading, researching and studying in all areas of health with an emphasis in diet. Four of my favorite books right now (this list will change, I'm sure as it has in the past :) ) are, in no particular order:

The China Study by Dr. T. Colin Campbell
Forks over Knives by Dr. T. Colin Campbell and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn
The PH Miracle by Dr. Robert O. Young
Wheat Belly by Dr. William Davis

I got started originally by reading the very full of fact book by Dr. Young, "Sick and Tired?" I was hooked by all the hows and whys of disease so I got The PH Miracle which was a little more simplified but just as good a read. Then I found the China Study by Dr. Campbell. Astounding! So when he and Dr. Esselstyn put together their video Forks over Knives I watched it bought the book and then the cookbook to go with it. Soon after that I found, by way of my mother-in-love, Wheat Belly by Dr. Davis. Amazing!

Ok, so what did I learn from these books and their corresponding websites, videos and blogs? First of all, that I wish someone would put them all together into one book. Second of all, that they each take a part of the whole picture for the most part and expound on that one aspect.

Here's what I learned from each book.

The China Study: I learned that a diet high in animal protein causes an increase in cancer while a diet high in plant protein does not. That's it in a nut-shell.

Forks over Knives: A diet high in plants not in animal products reverses and prevents most common diseases.

The PH Miracle: Disease is caused by mutations in the cells of the body which are caused by an acidic environment. If the body has an alkaline pH, there will be less chance for disease to take hold.

Wheat Belly: Modern wheat has been modified by hybridization and is not longer the healthy wheat of our grandparents. Most grains, wheat in particular, cause blood sugars to soar which is not healthy in the long run.


There is so much more to each of these and so much more about diet about how processed foods affect your body and why it's healthier to stay close to the original diet of Eden but it would take many more books to tell them all!

Anyway, to put these all together: Animal products and grains are acidic, which is why they actually cause more disease and which is also why leaving them out has such a positive effect on health. Eating a diet with as much of an alkaline plant base as possible has so many benefits that I cannot stress it enough: God made the perfect diet in the beginning.

I highly recommend those who want to be healthier, read these books, visit their blogs, watch the Forks over Knives video.

My advice is to start with the video and the book that goes with it. Then read PH Miracle. It tells some of the science behind a plant based diet. Also read Wheat Belly to be convinced of the science behind that. If you really want some more deep science read "The China Study" and "Sick and Tired?" which are both somewhat heavy reads. "Sick and Tired?" is much more so than "The China Study".

Gen 1:29  And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Health part 1

Hi, just a few thoughts.

I've been staying away from the wheat and most processed foods, including free fats/oils. Why? Because the wheat of today is one step away from gmo, processed foods are full of chemicals and oils and oils are taken out of their original form. All of these things cause acidic conditions in the human body, which creates a disease promoting environment.

I have read and reread several different books and websites which talk about why a plant based diet is better for the human body. When I went to school at Weimar Health Institute, I knew that being a vegetarian was healthier and I learned that vegan was even better. But I didn't really know why. I learned that animal products caused diseases and that free oils were radicals that caused damage to the arteries.  I learned alot about the digestive system and diabetes. I still didn't know all the whys. I never will.

However, as I have studied and read more over the last 10 years, I am realizing more and more about how foods affect the body. Each of the authors that I have read, points to one aspect of lifestyle or nutrition and says 'This is what causes cancer', or 'This is what causes disease'. Or they pick apart diet and say, "You need this much protein, so make sure you eat beans if you don't eat meat"; "You are a vegetarian so make sure you get enough greens so you get enough calcium."

Many nutritionist and dieticians, doctors and health authors, have been taught this complicated view of health. Each person needs 'this' amount of Carbs, protein, fats, calcium, etc. And they educate through this view. Does it need to be this complicated? I don't think so.

God in the book of Genesis created a perfect world. He gave man a perfect diet. Genesis 1:29 says, "Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed,m which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed, to you it shall be for meat. " After sin, He added, in Genesis 3:18, ". . .and thou shalt eat the herb of the field:. "

It wasn't until after the flood that God allowed meat to be eaten but only with specific guidelines. I believe that it is time to get back to the diet that God gave in the beginning.

I will say more next time about the things I have learned and why I believe the way I do.


Monday, April 1, 2013

Resurrection weekend

This weekend most of the Christian world remembers the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the wonderful salvation He brought us.

 Our local church does an easter egg hunt in the park for the neighborhood kids followed by telling the story of the Passion week. It was a beautiful out so we went outside and had some fun in the sun.

Sabbath afternoon we got out the kites and flew them in the field next to our house. A few of the neighbor kids joined in.

  



Sunday we went to the park and joined in the candy eating fun as well as flying kites again and taking some pictures for the record.


Sarah is 8 months old now and very active. She's almost crawling and starting to pull herself up on things and people. Isn't she cute?! She has 2 1/2 teeth and another beginning to swell the gum.