ANTI-INFLAMMATORY FOODS

As much as I hate to admit it, I have a few of those painful joints after 25 years of running, tennis, walking, and now golf. Inflammation or inflammare (Latin word) meaning "on fire" is the first response to infection or irritations. The signs are swelling, redness, and pain when we first hurt ourselves or some kind of infection. However, recent research has shown that eating the wrong foods can case inflammation within our bodies. In fact, being overweight can, itself be the cause of inflammation: TOO MUCH SUGAR IS DECIDEDLY INFLAMMATION PROMOTING AND SHOULD BE CONTROLLED. NOT ENOUGH WATER, TOO MUCH POLYUNSATURATED FATS, HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE OILS, FOODS WITH PESTICIDES, AND NON- ORGANIC MILK ARE THINGS WE SHOULD STEER AWAY FROM.

These are a list of foods that can help reduce inflammation and supply us with loads of vitamins that will boost our immune system.

1. Kelp

2. Turmeric and ginger

3. Salmon (preferably wild caught) 2-3 times a week and try to find high quality Omega 3 fish oil

4. Shiitake mushrooms

5. Matcha Tea and Green Tea

6. Blueberries (the antioxidant powerhouse), strawberries, blackberries, raspberries,

and cranberries.

7. Papaya (fruit of the angels) and pineapple. Try to stay away from dried fruit that is full of

preservatives. Fresh is better.

8. Extra virgin olive oil. I was once told by a chef to save your expensive olive oil to use on

salads or things where you don't put heat to it, because the heat can destroy the nutritional

value. Avocado oil (alligator pear) is another good source of reducing

inflammatory issues and is also good for cooking because of higher smoke point. Fresh

avocados are great, also.

9. Broccoli and cauliflower

10. Sweet potato, spinach, and dark green vegetables. (preferably organic)

11. Water seems the answer to almost everything...it actually can accelerate our body's

metabolism and speeds up the removal of harmful by-products of our metabolism. Try to drink filtered water.

As the years creep up on us, we simply have to do all we can as far as nutrition goes and KEEP MOVING! I truly believe that these things can help us physically and emotionally. QUALITY LIFE IS MY GOAL! Fresh air and sunshine does wonders for our spirits. Enjoy what God has given us and always be thankful. I love Philippians 4:8 "Whatever is True, Noble, Right, Pure, Lovely, Admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things." This can make all the difference in how we feel every morning when our feet hit the floor. We have control of every thought that enters our mind. Be on the alert. Should that thought be told to stop or permission to continue. It is up to you the attitude you will carry throughout the day and how you respond to others. May God bless you with a renewed mind...a mind like CHRIST. AMEN

TREASURE CHEST FULL!

GRAINS AND SEEDS... They are overwhelming and the treasure chest is full of these jewels: Rolled oats, steel cut oats, pearled barley, cracked barley, bulgur wheat, millet, wheat berry, spelt berry, farro, kamut, teff, quinoa, flax, and the many whole rice grains. These whole grains are not just a breakfast food, although, that is one of my most regular ways of eating them. They are awesome to serve as a side dish with sauteed veggies, or add to soups and salads. You can even make a veggie burger mixed with some of these cooked grains along with black beans. The recipes are countless. Just do a little research and you will find that you can feed your body some of the most nutritional dishes and cover your body's needs as far as nutrients. I sometimes wonder if you were to choose the right grains to make a loaf of bread, if you couldn't live on bread and water, alone. in a meal

One thing that I would like to suggest is that you might be careful to choose the grains that are the highest in protein if you are leaving off the meat in a meal. It is important to have a balanced protein and good carb food intake. Some of your very high protein grains are sorghum, amaranth, farro, spelt, oat groats, kamut, teff, hemp, & quinoa. I'm sure there are more, but these are the ones that come to mind.

Teff, better known as THE NUTRITIONAL POWERHOUSE from Ethopia, is the newest to me. There is no way to remove the germ or husk because this grain is supposedly the smallest in the world, which means all the nutrients are consumed. It is about the size of a poppy seed and can also be found in a flour form. This is a grain that promotes endurance and performance. It is a staple food of some of the best runners in the world. It is gluten free and very high in calcium and iron.

I have done a little research on the difference between a grain and seed. It gets rather complicated. It's almost like: What comes first, the chicken or the egg?? Bottom line is both are essential when it comes to the nutritional value. They are related and yet, not the same.

The nutritional value for our spiritual being is a little bit the same, talking about bread...Matthew 4:4 "Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." Our greatest spiritual nourishment is truly the word of God. John 6:35 says "Jesus is THE BREAD OF LIFE and whoever comes to HIM will never hunger and whoever believes in HIM will never thirst." The ultimate is to train ourselves to seek God at the beginning of our day and keep our eyes on HIM throughout. The bible is an instruction book for life. I can see where God cares about our spiritual and physical needs by giving us detailed information on how to care for both. Our body belongs to HIM. We are HIS temple. He wants the best for HIS children.

Lord, I ask that you bless those that read this today. Give us all insight, wisdom, guidance, self-control, and discipline in how YOU want us to take care of our spiritual and physical needs. I ask for healing and restoration needed in any of us, spiritually and physically. Where there is addiction, I pray that YOU would turn that around to where we will look to YOU for fulfillment, satisfaction, and peace. In Christ name I pray these things. Amen

ACCOUNTABILITY IS A MUST!

Anytime we are trying to succeed at something, especially when we are weak, we need one on one support and encouragement. Romans 12:10 says,"Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves."

WATER IS LIFE TO OUR BODY! LET IT FLOW!

WATER IS ESSENTIAL TO LIFE- The brain is 75%, heart 75%, lungs 86%, kidneys 83%, and muscles 75% water. 2/3 of our body weight is water!

Water helps keep our muscles and skin toned, assist in weight loss, transports oxygen and nutrients to cells, eliminates toxins and waste from the body, and regulates body temperature. Drinking clean water plays a major role in reducing the risk of certain diseases. Did you know that dehydration is the main cause of kidney stones?

Water cushions our joints and protects tissues and organs. The lack of water or dehydration can be the cause of many of our sicknesses.

Trying to shed some pounds? Water is a major part in weight loss. There are no calories and it can serve as an appetite suppressant. It actually helps the body metabolize stored fat.

Drinking more water helps to reduce water retention by stimulating the kidneys. Studies show that if you are over weight, you should add 1 glass of water to your daily requirement (8-10 glasses) for every 25 lbs. over your recommended weight.

Water keeps everything flowing in and through our body. Its a natural lubricant that helps everything to slide through our system. It helps to fight bad breath. The bacteria that comes from the stomach to mouth can become stagnant, but water breaks it up and moves it along.

As we age, our mechanism for telling us we are thirsty doesn't work as well. We need to remind ourselves to drink throughout the day, whether thirsty or not. 64 oz of water is suggested a day or until your urine is fairly clear. Making a habit to carry bottled water in your car would be very beneficial.

It amazes me how FUNDAMENTAL a simple thing such as water is to our body! DRINK DRINK DRINK!!!!!!

THE DOMINO EFFECT

Moderation and choosing what is good for us is sometimes a tough thing to carry out, when it comes to our weaknesses. Whether it be food, alcohol, drugs, gossip, criticizing others, judging, jealousy...WE ALL HAVE WEAKNESSES! Since my blog is talking about spiritual and physical food, I would like to focus on FOOD INTAKE.

It seems with myself, it all begins with a thought. If I choose to let the thought LINGER, (which, by the way, WE DO HAVE FULL CONTROL OF OUR THOUGHTS!) then it leads to a craving. We then fall into the trap of accepting the craving. It grows and grows and seems better and better. We then have ourselves convinced that it will SATISFY. We find ourselves right in the middle of a full blown feeling of GUILT that eats at us, which then STEALS OUR JOY and PEACE. The guilt takes hold, leading to depression and beating ourselves up! I guess we have to ask ourselves...is all of this worth the agonizing pain and suffering we put ourselves through. This doesn't even go into all the physical issues that we put ourselves up against. It's all because we cannot say the simple word, NO!

I guess the best way to work on solving the problem and fighting the enemy, who truly IS OUT TO STEAL OUR JOY AND PEACE, is to RECOGNIZE AND CONTROL the first few seconds of the thought. DO NOT WELCOME IT! DO NOT ENTERTAIN IT! Toss the seed out before it begins to take root. We can be made NEW in the attitude of our mind. Ephes. 4:23 We can take captive EVERY thought to make it obedient to Christ. Self-control is in us as a child of God. Self-control is a fruit that HE supplies us with and needs to be put into practice. Gal 5:22 & 23 God does not leave us helpless. He wants us to have the knowledge and wisdom of how to deal with the conflicts of life. He wants us to be fully equipped.

Let this be a new day for us! Be on the alert to what thoughts enter your mind. Is it something that is good and will benefit you or will it take you to a place that will steal the good things from you? TODAY, LET OUR GOD BE OUR STRENGTH AND SECURITY! CLING TO HIM AND WHAT IS GOOD AND TRUE!

All of this said...Be very selective in choosing good and healthy foods. Eat fist-sized portions. Its a good idea to eat 6 small healthy meals a day. Know the foods that you take in to your body will be beneficial. Your body is God's temple. You belong to HIm and HE wants the very best for you so that you can live an abundant life here on earth.

I ask, LORD, that you would bless each of us with wisdom and knowledge on how to take care of our bodies, which you have so graciously blessed us with. Help us to control the thoughts that enter our mind and choose what is good, right, and pleasing to you. I ask these things in Christ name. Amen and Amen

MATCHA TEA

THE ANTIOXIDANT POWER HOUSE! This is a stone-ground powder form of select shade-grown Japanese green tea leaves. I would always encourage you to do a little research of your own so you can form your own opinion. Dr. OZ highly recommended this tea. One article stated that 10 glasses of green tea were equal to 1 of Matcha tea as far as nutritional value. Here is a list of positives that I found...

1) Energizer with very little caffeine

2) Cancer fighter

3) Metabolism booster and helps to burn fat and calories

4) Helps to lower cholesterol

5) Lowers risk of stroke

6) Fights cavities and gum desease

6) Helps mental alertness and clarity

7) Immune booster helping to prevent colds and flu

8) Possesses anti-viral and antibiotic properties which assist digestive system

9) Stress reliever

10) Good detox

The woman that tasted the tea on Dr. Oz Show did not like the flavor. Dr. Oz said to not boil water so it won't have a tendency to have a grassy flavor. I think you could add a little honey to help. I'm anxious to give it a try. Let me know what you think.

Lettuce Wraps

Lettuce Wraps

CHOICES

WOW! I absolutely LOVE this verse. "Everything is PERMISSIBLE to me, but NOT everything is BENEFICIAL!" What a profound verse in helping us with every decision we have to make. I have always heard that it helps to start on the outside perimeter of a grocery store. That is where your fresh and natural foods are. That is also where you will find your dairy and meats. I will say that I am very big on all natural grains and I will have more to say about that later!

Back to choices, PLEASE MAKE YOUR CHOICES OF WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO BUY BEFORE YOU WALK OUT THE FRONT DOOR OF YOUR HOME! Ask yourself, as you write each item down...is this beneficial to my body? When we seek God in a weak area of our life, HE will guide and strengthen us. He will also convict us, but does not expect us to live with guilt. When we see our need for Him in whatever the weakness is and REPENT, He can heal us and give us freedom. He wants us to have total PEACE! If our RELIANCE is ON HIM and not on food or whatever bondage has a grip on us, (we all have something) WE WILL HAVE PEACE! I have just finished a dvd called, "Made To Crave." It basically says...YES, we are made to crave, but, GOD NOT FOOD! This study is by Lysa Terkeurst. I highly recommend this. It can be used in whatever weakness we have. If there is a hunger IN US that is not being fulfilled, it is something that we are trying to fill with things that are not beneficial!! I love this...she suggested that when you get on the scales to weigh, have a big sticky note over the numbers that says PEACE. I think I would add, REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE. Our goal is not so much what is happening on the outside, but what is going on in the inside. It's when we take the bandaid off and get to the bottom of the problem, that we heal. The TRUTH really does set us free! You will succeed! AMEN AND AMEN

Holy God, thank YOU for revealing your truths to us. Thank YOU that YOUR goal for us is LIFE and PEACE. Help us to all seek YOU with all our hearts. Help us to get real with YOU, because you already know ALL anyway. I pray that through our weaknesses YOU will make us strong because we know, without you, we just can't do it. We need YOU, Lord. Help us to be obedient and victorious. Ingrain the question in us, is it beneficial? and then hear your answer and obey. In Christ Name we pray. AMEN and AMEN

REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE IN CHRIST! REMEMBER THAT HE LOVES YOU AND WANTS THE VERY BEST FOR YOU! REMEMBER THAT HE WANTS YOU TO LIVE AN ABUNDANT LIFE PHYSICALLY AND SPIRITUALLY! THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, AND I DO MEAN NOTHING IMPOSSIBLE WITH OUR MIGHTY GOD!

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I would suggest that you take a look at this short video if you haven't already seen it. It's very interesting and I consider it to be very true! Enjoy

TEMPTATION

Eating right can start with making out that grocery list with only the healthy foods that you want to take into your body. STICK TO THE LIST! DON'T BROWSE!. Browsing is what leads to temptation. If your are seeking God for help in a healthy food life style, pray before you enter the grocery store and while you are there. Hire GOD as your personal trainer and nutritionist. HE'S THE BEST and HE is FREE!

In Matt 4:1-3 The tempter tried to catch Jesus at HIS weaker moment, which happened to be hunger. Satan loves our weaknesses so that he can pick on us. We have all heard not to go to the store hungry. It helps to plan well.

One more thing to think of is the less label reading on foods, the better. Stay with all that is fresh and not tampered with by man. When you cannot understand or pronounce the listed ingredients on prepackaged foods... it's a good time to say no.

Last, but not least...KNOW THAT GOD IS FOR US AND NOT AGAINST US! HE WANTS THE BEST FOR US AND TO WIN! CONSIDER OURSELVES AS WINNERS BECAUSE OF WHO WE ARE IN CHRIST. Phil. 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

ABUNDANT LIFE

The main reason for this blog is to shed a little light on our spiritual and physical life. God has a plan for each of us and wants to be a light that leads our way. I have always said that the best and most important decision was the one that I made about 35 years ago when I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. It was a step into a new dimension or journey that has supplied me with incredible and never-ending hope and peace. There is nothing that satisfies other than this. I am not out to impress or boast, but only to help and encourage others along the way. It is only through HIM that we can have LIFE and have it ABUNDANTLY! It is only through HIM that we can have strength to walk through our trials and we all will have TRIALS!

The other purpose of this blog is to encourage others and myself to take care of our physical bodies which is GOD'S temple. I hope to come up with some meals and nutritional information, as I try to do some research and share some creative ideas as far as exercise programs, healthy foods and recipes. I hope you will follow my blog and help me to help others. I am open to any thoughts and advice. The bible is the best source for all our spiritual questions and needs. 2 Timothy 3:16&17 "All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

I love to watch Dr.Oz, who is one that has excellent advice on how to keep ourselves in good physical condition that can give us quality of life. I have had an interest in health and nutrition since the 1970's. I think there is always a parallel between the spiritual and physical. It all takes commitment and discipline. We can easily get side-tracked by what the world offers to tear us down. We all battle SOMETHING! That SOMETHING can easily distract us, causing us to lose our focus of what God has for each of us. Help to be a part of this blog by getting involved. Shine a light for others that will help to give wisdom and advice in how to take excellent care of ourselves spiritually and physically. I am excited about what God is going to do. Proverbs 16:3 "Commit to the Lord whatever you do and your plans will succeed." This is my prayer on this date, Feb 4, 2012...that God will take this and use it to help many including myself. He is faithful and wants us all to grow in HIM. I am excited and praise HIM as HIS light shines for many. AMEN