Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Healing Foods

©Millie McNabb

The doctor recently recommended some dietary changes for my husband. Philosophically, I agree with the changes, but psychologically and physically it takes effort to establish new habits. The two most significant changes impact my time: no more cold cereal for breakfast and avoid preservatives (i.e. restaurant food.) I’m back in the kitchen again.

Over the years I have read many books on healthy eating. I remember a thought in one book that the research was always showing new things, but you couldn’t wait for all the results before deciding what to eat, or you’d starve to death. That inspired me to look at the Bible, since what it said wasn’t subject to changing research.

I eliminated pork and shrimp from our diets at that time. I consider them to be in the “lawful, but not profitable” category. What about the land “flowing with milk and honey” and Jesus being “The Bread of Life”? How did that square with the natural health advice of avoiding dairy and breads? More research revealed that our modern methods of preparing flour and pasteurizing/homogenizing milk had created products that little resembled the Biblical mainstays.

I have found it relatively easier to eliminate the “bad” foods, than to add new “good” foods. So when I made changes in the past, our diet became very narrow. This time, I’m purposefully adding something new each week.

It hasn’t taken long to see the benefits of the changes we’ve made, but that shouldn’t be surprising--that’s in the Bible, too. “At the end of the ten days, Daniel and his three friends looked healthier and better nourished than the young men who had been eating the food assigned by the king.” (Daniel 1:15)

What experiences have you had with dietary changes?

God bless….

Millie McNabb, founder of Christian Values Legacy, offers parenting seminars that focus on passing on your Christian values. Request your free report “Considerations for Intentionally Raising Children to Become Christian Adults” today at www.ChristianValuesLegacy.com.