optimal health
The Plant-Based Lifestyle
Photo by Davner Toledo
Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide
By donna green goodman
my work as a wellness coach, I often encounter patients who say:
- “I know it’s not good for me, but it tastes so good!
- It’s hard to stop eating it, I grew up this way.
- I really don’t care.
- It’s the way my momma makes it; I’m going to eat it anyway.”
Whew! I truly understand where they are coming from! I was a chocoholic and would do whatever I could to get it when I wanted it. I knew it wasn’t good for me, but I rationalized that my exercise could walk away the negative side effects, so I quieted my conscience and kept on eating.
It wasn’t until the doctors explained to me that the caffeine could change my breast tissue and increase my risk of fibrocystic disease, fibroadenomas, and breast cancer that I was convicted of the need to eliminate it and make better choices.
And when I changed my choices, I changed my health. And, my conscience quieted down on its own.
This month’s Message is talking about conscience. One definition of conscience is, “An inner feeling or voice viewed as acting as a guide to the rightness or wrongness of one’s behavior.”
Adam and Eve experienced a crisis of conscience after they ate the fruit from the tree of which God had warned them to stay clear. They rationalized their choice, and then were “naked and afraid” when it was time to face the consequences.
I believe that conscience is the voice of God. And if we tune ourselves in, we can hear Him and honor Him and have victory in Him. That extends to our food choices too.
If you are being challenged to make better food choices and having conversations with your conscience daily, consider this: The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 10:31, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God” (KJV). It’s such an easy core principle to embrace and it is motivation to glorify God. It’s been such a help to me on my journey to better health.
Whether therefore ye eat… Fruits, nuts, grains, and veggies comprise the Creator’s best diet. Here is a take on a favorite of mine:
Salisbury Steak
Brown your burgers in a skillet. Remove from pan and set aside. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to pan (unless you used Beyond Burgers and you already have some oil in the pan from them). Add onions and bell pepper to the pan and sauté for a few minutes. Add flour, stirring until the desired brownness is reached. Add water and seasonings. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, adjust seasonings, and add burgers back to the pan. Cover and let simmer for about 10 minutes. Serve with rice or mashed potatoes. Yum! Serves 4.
Mashed PotatoesWash and coarsely chop potatoes and place in water to boil. When tender, drain. Mash well, then add other ingredients and adjust to taste. Garnish with paprika and chopped parsley. Serves 8
Or drink… Water really is the best beverage, especially since we are comprised of 60% water. If you’re not fond of plain water, infused water is the way to go. You can combine whatever flavors you like and sip away. While juices and drinks taste good, they lack fiber, and the sugar in them becomes concentrated as the fiber is extracted. If you decide to drink them, 4-6 ounces, max, is my recommendation. They can often be used in those amounts medicinally (i.e. grape juice for cancer/pineapple juice for inflammation).
Infused Water
Prepare mint, mango and ginger. Add to 1 quart of water. Let infuse for about an hour at room temperature or in refrigerator.
Ginger-Mint Medley
Pour water into pot and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, add tea bags and let steep for about 15 minutes. Sweeten with stevia to taste.
This recipe has zero calories, sodium or fat! A great way to relax the lungs and calm the tummy. Steep fresh stevia leaves with teabags or add store stevia or monk fruit to taste.
Breakfast SmoothieMix all ingredients in blender until smooth. Add more juice if necessary to aid in blending. Pour into cups and serve. (Works best when fruit is frozen.) Serves 2
Or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God… Sometimes, a key to our healing is really taking a close look at our state of mind; sadness, anger, unforgivingness all tend to dry up our bones, literally! Deciding to have a merry heart—some of us need a little therapy to get there—and doing for others always glorifies the Creator. Take a close look, today, at how you can have a merry heart and start loving others as you love yourself. You will be amazed at how your body changes. Maybe you can even take some of the food you make from this issue’s recipes to the others that you love. Remember, He will guide you.
For your body is a temple… and you were bought at a price… Give Him the glory through the healthier choices that you decide to make. Heaven is waiting to help!
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels.com
