We live in a double-minded culture when it comes to health. We obsess about our body’s getting into shape while we daily indulge into foods we know are not helping our overall health. With all the modern technologies we have access to, one thing that has certainly not improved in our nutritional health.
About 3 years ago, I decided enough was enough. It was time to make some changes nutritionally. I decided I wanted to get out of the cycles I constantly found myself in.
I made some major changes and I so happy I did. I lost more than 20 pounds, but that was not the biggest thing. I got free from addictive food cravings, I got more clarity in my mind and my energy became stabilized. But the only way I was able to make the change was that I wanted it. I had to make a personal decision to change, for good.
I want to encourage you to do consider the same.
Here are some of the reasons we need to really take a look at our nutritional lifestyle:
1. The Majority of Americans are Overweight
The numbers are hovering around 67% right now. Almost three-quarters of all Americans are overweight or obese. We are in the epidemic category. The problem is that modern diets are not solving anything. We are eating more than ever, exercising less than ever, but that’s not the core problem. The real reason our bodies are overweight is that we have actually become toxic with our nutritional habits. We are highly fed, yet heavily malnourished people.
2. The Ingredients in Modern Food Are Meant to Keep You Addicted.
Everyone’s trying to eat better “with moderation.” Notice how no one is succeeding? That’s because the ingredients in our modern food have more addictive properties than cocaine! Yes, I said cocaine. The amount of refined sugar and processed ingredients you can find in most foods today are designed to keep you addicted. We keep saying, “you need to excercise will power.” Trying telling that to a cocaine addict. Notice how the chips you eat advertise, “you can’t eat just one?” They aren’t kidding.
3. We are No Longer Eating Real Food.
We may think we are eating real food, when in reality, we are eating “food-like” substances. With advances in technology, any flavor, smell or taste can be artificially manufactured, giving you the impression you are eating something. When in reality, you are consuming a cheap, synthetic product that has little nutritional value. The majority of the time, people are consuming foods that may have loads of added ingredients that add no nourishment to the body, but put a lot of undue pressure on the digestive tract.
4. Our Energy is Up and Down All Day
When coaching people in overall wellness, one of the greatest problems I notice in people is their energy is not steady throughout the day. They quickly run to their morning coffees and energy drinks and consume them over and over again. Mid-morning, post-lunch and post-dinner, people complain of lost energy. At times when you need to be awake and alert the most, you fall into a “coma-like” state. One of the reasons are energy levels are whacked is because bodies are being pulverized by what we are consuming.
5. We Are Losing Immune Strength
With today’s fast-paced lifestyle, added stress and performance pressures, modern living also adds to it foods that are highly processed and refined. These makes it so that we can consume our food in high speed. This puts incredible amounts of pressure on our digestive systems.
It’s important to know that at least 70% of the immune system can be found in the gut. This means that a lot of our emotional health and gut health will directly affect the condition of our immune systems ability to fight of illness.
6. Our Minds Are Foggy
More and more people can’t seem to shake the brain fog they are experiencing. People tell me all the time they are forgetting names, important appointments and neglecting key priorities that slip their minds. Their ability to focus and think clearly is being interfered with. Although many factors can contribute to this, our nutritional habits have a direct affect on the brain’s ability to think clearly and effectively.
7. Overall Health is Not Improving
Although disease is not only affected by nutrition, what we eat and how we conduct our nutritional habits has a large affect on our overall health and freedom from disease. Unfortunately most people would rather spend endless funds and lots of time in getting the best medicine their body can get. Yet they fail to give themselves some of the best medicine God created–the food found in creation. It’s interesting how we will pay a gajillion dollars on medicine and pharmaceutical drugs, yet we will complain that we don’t have enough money to invest in quality food for our family. Our body’s are being worn out and damaged, due to the toxic and processed foods that kick our organs into chronic overdrive.
8. We Need to Be At Our Best for the Kingdom of God
I decided one day that I did not want to be an overweight and out of shape child of God. I made a choice in my heart that I was going to be active and be able to enjoy life to the fullest. No one made this decision for me. I made a choice to clean up what I eat so that my body can operate to the best of its ability. I want to be able to use my body, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit, to the fullest potential.
Question: What frustrations do you have when it comes to your overall nutritional health?