Count the Cost of "What" you Eat!

Being Healthy starts in the mind, and then moves to the body. Recently I was watching a documentary that said, Americans work 47 hours more a week than any other country; in addition, we are the most obese, addicted, in debt, and stressed out country overall. There are many factors as to why this is so; however, the majority of us live above our means, and complicate life ourselves by being overzealous of what others have, so we strive to have it also by working long hours, or perhaps two jobs – for our kids and ourselves. With this in mind, we are already unhealthy in our thinking that will transpire to our physical well-being.

Fresh Herbs, such as this mint leaf,  provides natural oils, vitamins, and 

  antioxidants the body needs to fight off germs and boost your immune 

  system.

6Proverbs 23:6-7 AMP 

6 Do not eat the bread of a selfish man,
Or desire his delicacies;
7 7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he [in behavior—one who manipulates].
He says to you, “Eat and drink,”
Yet his heart is not with you [but it is begrudging the cost].

Health plays a major factor in what you can and cannot do, along with our habits and choices we make on a daily basis. For example: Many people who smoke cigarettes over a long period of time will damage their lungs and shrink their arteries that can result in a heart attack. Some along the journey will also develop COPD – unless they quit early enough to counteract the damage. It also affects and infects those around you because they are inhaling the damaging effects smoking causes.  

It clearly has a “WARNING” on the package of cigarettes of what damage it can do to your body, and you read it; but in your mind, you believe you are exempt - and choose to indulge in smoking regardless of the outcome. Not mentioning the ongoing doctor visits, the doctor bills, and the medication that comes with keeping you alive or at least stable enough to be mobile and moveable. 

Proverbs 12:15 AMPC 

15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who listens to counsel is wise.

Now there are unforeseen things we can’t see that goes on inside our bodies from other debilitating habits. You could be someone who eats fast food at least 3 times a week or more, drinking caffeinated sodas, and supply your pantry with Little Debbie cakes, any kind of potato chips, or something easy to grab; but again, it is not healthy for the body or teeth.  

None of us that practice any bad eating habits can blame no one when the scales show you have gained weight and you can’t figure out what happened in a month’s time; not mentioning buying new clothes to fit your body so you can camouflage the excess bulge you carry around. And may I add, your dental and doctor visits will not be good either. 

Read the labels so you are aware of 

the sugar and sodium contents. 

Proverbs 15:10 AMPC

10 There is severe discipline for him who forsakes God’s way; and he who hates reproof will die [physically, morally, and spiritually].

This is not about being thin; because we are all unique in our body’s makeup. It is about being healthy physically, mentally, and spiritually. Yes I have written about this several times before; but God is putting it on my heart to write about it again. Obviously, we are not listening. God wants to bless you, and you obviously want to be blessed, but it begins with the right attitude and you putting in the work! Nothing is hard, unless we resist it! Resisting any type of Wisdom results in a prideful and arrogant attitude that blocks good from getting to you. You have all the answers; but your life clearly shows it is not producing good things. Let’s turn that thinking around and become Victorious, which says, I can do ALL things with God, who strengthens me. With Him, you rise to the top, without Him,    you fall and sometimes it’s fast and furious! 

I’m not sure about you, but it is worth the effort to focus on what my food intake is that I am putting in my body to have a quality of life after I am retired. I also want to briefly mention, I was on the road of falling apart; but I confided in God and ask Him to help me. If you are not ready to change, then don’t bother asking God; because you must be committed and obedient. You can’t allow that inner voice or a friend to say; “Oh it won’t hurt to eat one cookie”.  Well one cookie becomes a dozen. It’s either do or do not, there is not in between. 

It is possible to have good health at any age; but most people view getting old as falling apart, broke down, and ready for the glue factory - an old cliché I have heard from my Mother. No we all are not going to live forever, and our body will slow down due to age; however, it doesn’t have to be at the expense of neglect and abuse to our bodies that causes more of the problem than “Gracefully” growing old. 

James 2:14-24 AMPC

4 What is the use (profit), my brethren, for anyone to profess to have faith if he has no [good] works [to show for it]? Can [such] faith save [his soul]?

15 If a brother or sister is poorly clad and lacks food for each day,

16 And one of you says to him, Good-bye! Keep [yourself] warm and well fed, without giving him the necessities for the body, what good does that do?

17 So also faith, if it does not have works (deeds and actions of obedience to back it up), by itself is destitute of power (inoperative, dead).

18 But someone will say [to you then], You [say you] have faith, and I have [good] works. Now you show me your [alleged] faith apart from any [good] works [if you can], and I by [good] works [of obedience] will show you my faith.

19 You believe that God is one; you do well. So do the demons believe and shudder [in terror and horror such as make a man’s hair stand on end and contract the surface of his skin]!

20 Are you willing to be shown [proof], you foolish (unproductive, spiritually deficient) fellow, that faith apart from [good] works is inactive and ineffective and worthless?

21 Was not our forefather Abraham [shown to be] justified (made acceptable to God) by [his] works when he brought to the altar as an offering his [own] son Isaac?

22 You see that [his] faith was cooperating with his works, and [his] faith was completed and reached its supreme expression [when he implemented it] by [good] works.

23 And [so] the Scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed in (adhered to, trusted in, and relied on) God, and this was accounted to him as righteousness (as conformity to God’s will in thought and deed), and he was called God’s friend.

24 You see that a man is justified (pronounced righteous before God) through what he does and not alone through faith [through works of obedience as well as by what he believes].

Fresh fruit supplies many vitamins, antioxidants
and natural sugars your body needs to stay healthy!

If you haven’t already, begin today being mindful of what it is you do to keep your life out of balance, physically, mentally, and spiritually. They all go hand in hand. Just a little advice, “Keep life simple!” You will find you are happier, healthier, and content! Nothing is impossible when you lean on the Lord!