Eating Healthy - Part 2: The Giver of All Good Gifts

When the Lord created the earth, He created green plants for food. (Gen 1:29-30) Science has shown us over and over again that fruits and vegetables have a great number of disease fighting vitamins, nutrients, and anti-oxidants. I believe that, just as our bodies are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14), God created these green plants especially for us, to give our bodies the good nutrients that we need for energy and fullness of health. And, I am more and more convinced that, as man has tried to alter those foods or create artificial foods for us to consume which are supposedly "healthier", the less healthy we actually become. From personal experience, I tried Weight Watchers a few years back. I did lose a few pounds and met my goal. But, I believe now, even though I was at a healthy weight, I am not sure that I was not harming my body with food that was labeled as "healthy". What I am referring to are things like Lean Cuisine meals with low "points", Power Bars, 100-calorie, low-fat packaged snacks that contain mostly artificial or modified ingredients, diet soda and gum (I had one or both almost everyday) with artificial sweeteners. I thought I was eating good things - less calories, less fat, less sugar, more protein and more fiber. I know the Lord is sovereign and everything is under His control, but I can't help but wonder if those things that I was eating could have contributed to my cancer. Several ingredients in these foods have been suspected of being harmful or causing cancer but they remain in many of the foods that we eat. So, I have been adjusting my diet now more and more toward more natural, whole and even organic foods. Do I ever eat "junk" food? Sure. But, I do try to limit the "junk" food and have more of the foods that I eat on a daily basis be "foods that God created" or at least ones that are minimally processed without additives or preservatives, you know, fake stuff. I read the ingredients on EVERYTHING I buy now and I have put MANY things back on the shelf because I discovered that it contained ingredients that I didn't want to consume. I was surprised at what is hidden in different foods that we buy, which is why I decided to do this series - and to help you interprete which foods are healthier options. So, the principle for today is...If it is a food that God created for our consumption, (and it is in its original form, such as an apple, or even minimally processed with no added ingredients, such as 100% pure apple juice or unsweetened homemade applesauce) then it is good. I think this link here has a pretty good list of healthy "whole" foods. "For everything God created is good..." (I Timothy 4:4) "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." (James 1:17)