Ch-ch-ch-changes

I have to tell you this, because I found it amusing. I had gone to Costco earlier this week and stocked up on a bunch of different fruits and veggies; it was enough to last the whole family the rest of the week and then some. As I walked out, the person that checks our receipts, smiled and called after me, "Have a great party." I chuckled and resisted the urge to call back, that it was all for me. Now it is funny and sad because my cart was filled with all that good nutritious food, she assumed it wasn't for me.

Anyway, stereotypes aside, this week has been pretty good. I have held steady on my weight and my psoriasis has kept improving, especially on my scalp. Yeah! 12 years in the making for that one. I have had some cheese and a couple hard boiled eggs this week and have not seen a reaction. I did get very tired after having some popcorn though. In fact this whole week, I have felt a little more tired. I should try just juicing and salads for the next couple days to see if the energy goes up again.

I believe that gluten is a culprit. Today, I did go to the store and picked up a few items that were gluten free, mostly organic too and I am hoping to try those now and then and see what happens. I am interested in making my own things, if this happens to be a new way of living, as those things are way expensive! $5 for a tiny loaf of bread? Well, at least I have options and manufacturers seem to be getting the clue, that people want all natural products without all the colors, preservatives and crud we can't pronounce.

For example, the girls really wanted these yogurts. After they pressed me a couple times, I finally turned around and told them to read me the label. They tried. I asked them if they knew what those ingredients were. No? So, then why put it in your body? I laughed as I heard Alana reiterate this a few moments later when Emily asked me for something else. It is true. God gave us simple, natural and yes, organic food to nourish our bodies. We are the ones that like to mess them up. Guilty!! I don't want salad without dressing. I don't want veggies without a dip. I don't want tuna without the miracle whip (have you read the label on that one?). I don't want potatoes without at least some butter. I don't want almonds, nuts and others without some salt. And I am sure I could go on but I don't need to, you get the point.

People have asked whether I was hungry all the time. Honestly, no. Now, if you look at the fact that I take in about 900-1300 calories/day. Consider how much this body would normally burn just by staying alive is about 2500/day. Then deduct that I burn between 500-900 calories when I exercise; you would say I should be. Yes, I get hungry like any normal person should. But the amount that I put in is satisfying because it nourishes the body of what it needs. When I do go off and take a bite of the girls' food or a tortilla chip (baked), I want more. I hunger for the junk food. So, yes, junk is like crack. One is never enough, you are easily addicted, the costs are more than monetary and it could kill you.

A friend commented that he needed to approach food as nourishment for our bodies.
Yes, that is true, that would be a smart approach. But let us not forget that food is also a gift; a blessing from God. Just like a strong body, a sound mind, a beautiful singing voice, ingenuity, and love. It is what we do with it that counts. He wants us to bring glory to Him. Take the foods He has given us and treat them with respect and try not to change them too much. Don't eat over processed foods or those with added chemicals or non-food agents. Read the label. You will be surprised as what is in your food. Keep them real, as God intended, as much as possible. Your body will thank you for it.

Genesis 1:29
Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.

I saw the following on a website when i was looking up the verse above. I thought it interesting enough to share.

It`s been said that God first separated the salt water from the fresh, made dry land, planted a garden, made animals and fish... all before making a human. He made and provided what we`d need before we were born. These are best & more powerful when eaten raw. We`re such slow learners...

God left us a great clue as to what foods help what part of our body!

God`s Pharmacy! Amazing!
A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye. The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye... and YES, science now shows carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes.

A Tomato has four chambers and is red. The heart has four chambers and is red. All of the research shows tomatoes are loaded with lycopine and are indeed pure heart and blood food.

Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape looks like a blood cell and all of the research today shows grapes are also profound heart and blood vitalizing food.

A Walnut looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles or folds on the nut are just like the neo-cortex. We now know walnuts help develop more than three (3) dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function.

Kidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys.

C elery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb and many more look just like bones. These foods specifically target bone strength. Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23% sodium. If you don`t have enough sodium in your diet, the body pulls it from the bones, thus making them weak. These foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body..

Avocadoes, Eggplant and Pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female - they look just like these organs. Today`s research shows that when a woman eats one avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight, and prevents cervical cancers. And how profound is this? It takes exactly nine (9) months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods (mo dern science has only studied and named about 141 of them).

Figs are full of seeds and hang in twos when they grow. Figs increase the mobility of male sperm and increase the numbers of Sperm as well to overcome male sterility.

Sweet Potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic index of diabetics.

Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries

Oranges, Grapefruits , and other Citrus fruits look just l ike the mammary glands of the female and actually assist the health of the breasts and the movement of lymph in and out of the breasts.

Onions look like the body`s cells. Today`s research shows onions help clear waste materials from all of the body cells. They even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes. A working companion, Garlic, also helps eliminate waste materials and dangerous free radicals from the body.