I’m A Green Leafy Salad

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying: you are what you eat.  Hopefully, you do not have to introduce yourself as “Ms. Chocolate Candy Bar” or “Mr. Bags of Junk Food” or “Mrs. Ice Cream Novelties”!

Throughout the Bible, God makes it clear that He cares what we put into our bodies.  In Genesis 1:30, He describes Adam and Eve’s smorgasbord of life, life-giving, fresh produce found in the garden which He prepared just for them.   In Deuteronomy 14: 3-20, God gives specific directions on the types of animal flesh that would be best for His chosen ones to eat.  In 1 Corinthians 10:31, God gives people the opportunity to make right food choices through Paul’s instructions to give God the glory in whatever we eat.  When we apply moderation, Philippians 4:5, to our eating, we are obeying God and doing ourselves and others a big favor.  Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 6:19 that He considers our body His temple and we need to treat it with love and respect.

Unfortunately, in the United States today, most are eating S.A.D. diets.  (Standard American Diets)  Most meals we eat are essentially void of healthy, life-giving produce and are overcooked, thereby killing the live enzymes our bodies need.  Even if we make better choices, much of what we eat is nutritionally lacking.  Fresh produce in grocery stores is covered with various pesticide residues; and, genetically modified “designer” foods are offered instead of the pure foods God created for His Garden of Eden.  So, what can we do?   We must inform ourselves and make the best possible choices.

One step towards bettering our situation is buying fresh, organic produce when possible.  There are strict regulations in place for growers who choose to offer organic foods to consumers.  These foods have been proven to be of higher nutritional value than those commercially grown.  Organic produce is not laden with pesticide residues and they are not to be genetically modified in any way.   Most times organic foods come at a higher price, so it is best to shop around to find the best deals…but in the long run, it is worth it.

Another option in finding the healthiest, life-giving, raw produce is to be aware of the EWG’s (Environmental Working Group) “Dirty Dozen”.  The following 12 fruits and vegetables – listed in order of worst to better –  have been analyzed and found to have very large amounts of pesticide residues:  Apples, Strawberries, Grapes, Celery, Peaches, Spinach, Sweet Bell Peppers, Nectarines (imported), Cucumbers, Cherry Tomatoes,  Snap Peas (imported) and Potatoes.  When at all possible, make sure to buy these as organic.  If organic is not a possibility at all, then make sure to wash your produce well, with a gentle soap, if possible.  Remember too, the closer the food we eat is to what God provided in the Garden of Eden, the better it will serve our bodies.  Life begets life.  Don’t cook your produce to death…dead food has very little to offer in the way of health and well-being compared to live, straight-from-the-plant options.

Bon Appetit to Mr. and Mrs. Healthy, Living Foods!