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Bondage, Stronghold or Freedom? {Defining Your Relationship With Food}
Odd subject, I know, but it’s something we should talk about.
Are you in such BONDAGE to eating healthy that you no longer enjoy your life and you’re making everyone around you miserable?
Has food become such a STRONGHOLD in your life that it has such control and authority over you as if you are weakened under it’s power, showing no restraint?
Or, have you found FREEDOM – that happy place – of living a healthy lifestyle on a daily basis, but also allowing you and your family occasions for decadent desserts and late night meals of steak and lobster?
I don’t know how many ‘food’ blogs you read or how many ‘foodies’ you know, but I’m pretty sure you can get bogged down with tons of information and possibly, at times, condemnation.
Even from my blog.
Only eat organic food, don’t eat refined sugar, don’t drink soda, don’t eat simple carbs too late in the day, soak your flour, soak and dehydrate your nuts, drink green smoothies, balance your hormones naturally, stay away from products with SLS, glycols and parabens – you know – everything you’ve read on my blog. AND If you don’t do these things, then somehow you’re a terrible person not worthy of anything good and you leave your computer feeling unfit as a human being.
It’s time to clear things up.
Don’t get me wrong – I absolutely stand by all of those principals of living and eating healthy that I mentioned above. I also live by them.
I think I make people nervous, though. People who know me and what I do tend to feel like they need to justify why they ate pecan pie at Thanksgiving dinner or why they decorated sugar cookies with their kids for Christmas. It makes me chuckle, because I always tell them they don’t need to explain to me why they are enjoying their life. I also let them know that I ate chocolate cake on Thanksgiving and I, too, make and decorate the most amazing sugar cookies with my kids for Christmas. Sometimes I even do it for Valentines Day, birthdays or just because I want to. I also have this habit of making my favorite chocolate chip cookies on a regular basis (acceptable ingredients of course).
I’m the first to admit that I’m a major health nut. I’m a fanatic. I’m passionate. I will always be this way when it comes to taking care of me and my family. I believe we need to be educated on taking care of our bodies – our most vital asset here on this earth. It’s not a secret that we take better care of our cars, golf clubs and clothes than we do the bodies we live in. Personally, I don’t think this is acceptable. I have devoted my life to learning all I can to ensure that me and my family live long, live strong and that we finish our time on this earth strong and in good health. I also believe it’s absolutely possible – so it’s not an inconvenience to live this way. It’s more like a mandate.
Enter in my blog. Since becoming a Certified Health and Nutrition Consultant I have wanted to share all that I have learned – with the world! That’s why I teach 2 classes, specifically on health, on a monthly basis, I put my all into helping my paying clients and I continually help people (you could say pro-bono) who are in need of help, but can’t financially afford to hire me. Everything I have learned on the natural side and on the Biblical side of living a healthy life is so life changing that I can’t help but share it. It’s like those blogs who are devoted to sewing, crafts, decorating or animals. These people have a passion, they have knowledge and they want to share the love and allow others to benefit from their talents and gifting. That’s what I want to do, so when I’m writing up posts and sharing recipes – I am very disciplined about the information I am sharing. I may even be cut-throat about certain things – like how people should stop eating processed foods, that fast food should become a thing of the past and home cooked meals should be routine, or that soda should be exiled from your house and if you’re not drinking whole milk, you may be making a life altering mistake. Does this mean you’re a bad person if you still eat cereal or hit the drive through lane every now and then? Absolutely not! Then why do I write this way? Essentially, I may have only one shot to reach someone. My desire is to teach people and it is my belief that you teach truth and you teach it fully. When you’re learning dance or a sport, they don’t beat around the bush and tell you that it’s a good idea to eat good, exercise if you feel like it and if you can sleep more than 3 hours a night it would be helpful – NO – they lay down the law, because they are teaching you to be the best at what you are setting out to do. This is where successful people are created.
I want to teach you to be the best and the most committed when it comes to your health and the health of your family, friends and all those you know.
Our generation has become so disconnected from nature, our body, natural living, real food and so much more, because we now have people telling us everything we need to know. Not only this, but we can trust everything they say, so there’ s no need to become educated ourselves. We just go with the flow, follow their leading and do whatever they say.
This is where I become a rebel. I believe this is where we have made a huge mistake – just taking whatever is said by government agencies, organizations, popular magazines or talk show hosts– and making that the final say so in our life.
They tell you that real butter is bad for you, so instead they push you to eat butter substitutes like margarine which are just sticks and tubs of plastic, deodorizers, dyes and other toxic chemicals that wreak havoc on the body.
They tell you that full-fat dairy will make you fat, so drink skim milk (or not milk at all) and low fat dairy products such as yogurt, sour cream or cream cheese. The problem is – this is causing issues with insulin and is stunting the sex hormones from thriving they way they are suppose to (can you say infertility?).
They tell you that eating a breakfast bar with fruit filling is equivalent to eating a piece of fruit.
We also hear that you no longer have to drink pure, clean water – you can just add a flavored powder (Crystal Light) and this can count for your daily intake of water.
What about the latest buzz that popcorn may be healthier than vegetables (look at cattle and pigs that are fed corn and grain only – they’re fat, not healthy).
We believe this. We act on this. And now we are paying for it.
In short, for reasons such as this, I will always remain steadfast and solid on my principals and ideals of taking care of me and my family and our ‘temples’ the best possible way that I can. This means the most healthy food I can get my hands on. Food that is unadulterated and untouched as much as possible. Meat that doesn’t come from crowded and diseased farms where animals are treated so unethically it brings tears to my eyes. Fruits and veggies that are grown to maturity (preferably in my garden) , nutrient dense and packed with so many vitamins and minerals that there’s no need to take supplements. Milk that has not been stripped of it’s health benefits and hasn’t had it’s structure altered by pasteurization. Grains and sugar that haven’t been refined – stripped of nutrients, bleached with toxins and lacking anything to benefit the body. Skin care products that won’t harm me or my family just from inhalation, water that is as pure and clean as we can get (although I’d be in favor of a spring in my backyard) and supporting businesses that are bringing us products made in the USA! Essentially, this is my platform and I will not be moved from it.
Now, does this mean that when I am at someone’s home I refuse to eat the dinner they made because they used conventional and non-organic meat or a cake made from a box mix topped with frosting that came from a plastic tub? Will I refuse to bake my children a birthday cake that has sugar in it? Will I never EVER drink another soda, Mocha Moolatte or enjoy ice cream from Cold Stone?
No.
I will always be gracious when eating at someone’s home. Their generosity blesses me, so I will honor and respect that. My children will always get birthday cakes (although I’ve learned how to make amazingly yummy cakes without body harming ingredients). I will enjoy ice cream outings with my husband and kids and I guarantee that someday I will enjoy another root beer soda.
Yes, I am okay with this.
My family lives an extremely healthy lifestyle. We LIVE it. We don’t just do it every once in a while, we do it daily. So, when these celebrations and special occasions are upon us – we embrace them and enjoy them. We enjoy the fellowship with other people while we’re enjoying a break from our routine of eating a very diligent diet. We laugh, smile, have fun and enjoy the food and company. We enjoy our life.
You should too.
Don’t allow food to become such a bondage to you where it’s more frustrating than fun and you have put so much weight on eating healthy foods, that you refuse to eat cake at your friends birthday dinner and you find that your relationships are suffering because you are dogmatic about this. Eating healthy, but living with anger, stress and bitterness will be of no benefit, because as you’ve learned on my blog, those emotions can do harm on your body just as much as the wrong foods. The other side of the coin is – don’t let food become a stronghold over you either. Many people show no self-control or temperance in the area of what they are putting in their bodies. Many people just don’t care. Others have been educated very deeply, yet they refuse to make changes because of the inconvenience it may create in their life. When there is an area where you are no longer in control – then it has become a stronghold on you.
I realize that there are many people have never been educated, therefore don’t know any better. Others may not have the finances to eat as healthy as other people. Then you have people who don’t have the resources (such as organic food, clean water, etc.) and have no choice but to eat GMO food, non-organic meats and veggies and non-filtered water. We should not make these people feel like failures because they are not able to step up and make these radical changes in their life all at one time. If you find that trying to live a healthy lifestyle is causing you stress, frustration and financial problems – then it’s time to step back and try starting things from a different angle. I call it the FREEDOM angle.Take baby steps. Make small changes that will leave a lasting impact on your physical body. Allow these small changes to become routine and habit in your life, then start incorporating more changes.
I’ve had some clients who want to jump into the water with both feet and just get to work! With those people, that’s just what we’ve done. Others are honest and they’ve told me, “I don’t think I can make all these changes at once!” Thank God for honesty, because they recognized that they could potentially fail if they had to turn their life upside down in a moment’s time. Others may not have wanted to make so many changes at once, but their health was severely on the line, so they had to implement those changes immediately – but the important thing is this – do what will work for you and what will cause you to be successful in the area of living and eating healthy!
If you are regular reader of this blog – just know that you will always get the hard core truth from me when it comes to living a truly healthy lifestyle. I am here to help you on your journey to a healthier you. A journey takes time, it has steps and you go through different seasons along the way. Allow me to be someone who is guiding and encouraging you on your journey to reaching the optimum level of a healthy life – Spirit, Soul and Body! Choose the FREEDOM side!
“Dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit.” 3 John 1:2 (NLT)
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