HEALTHY LIVING DIET

HEALTHY LIVING ~ DIET

I have been asked several times what ‘DIET’ we are on and how my family and I try to be healthy. I have a hard time explaining because it is not really a ‘DIET’ at all. Basically, we have gone back to biblical type eating habits. In the Bible, we hear a lot about breaking bread, the olive tree and fig tree, honey, red wine, cheese and meats. And of course there were fruits and vegetables too. All of these things were good and healing.

My son had an intolerance to many foods, that began at a very early age. It was a huge struggle for us to find foods that did not cause a reaction for him. So many foods caused his stomach to get upset, emotional outbursts and even skin rashes. It took a lot of research to figure out what did and did NOT work. From this experience, I have found that it was not an allergy to certain grains or foods that I had to worry about. Rather it is what is being done to our food.

CHEMICALS IN OUR FOOD

We have sprayed our food with chemicals, altered them, pumped them with antibiotics, fertilized them and processed them.  The result from this has caused more than half of us have an intolerance to certain foods. In addition, I believe that is why so many of us are sick and/or have mental health issues. Certain diagnosis have skyrocketed, such as obesity, diabetes, ADHD, autism, autoimmune disorder, just to name a few. I know there are many other environmental issues that may play a part in the increase in diagnosis’s. However, I was determined to reverse some of the damage I felt we dealt with as a family. I began the journey with only buying products with minimal ingredients that I could read and understand. This is when we all started to feel better, including my son.

MY RULE OF THUMB

If I don’t understand what the ingredient is, I will not buy it. Initially, I took time to look up each ingredient. Researching ingredients was very time consuming.  Although now, I know what most ingredients mean and how they are made. This makes label reading so much easier. Now I make sure there are no additives that are listed below in my ‘top 10 ingredients to avoid’ list.

TOP 10 INGREDIENTS I AVOID

1. High fructose corn syrup (HFCS), corn syrup, and excess sugar/glucose/fructose

2. Maltodextrin and dextrose

3. Monosodium glutamate aka MSG

4. Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and sucralose

5. Food dyes and artificial colors, such as Red #3, Blue #2 etc.

6. Artificial flavors

7. Genetically modified foods aka GMO

8. Certain refined oils – Mono diglycerides, canola

9. Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH)

10. DHT, BHA, BHT, TBHQ preservatives

This Healing Food Chart is just a guideline. I like it because it is healthy but still realistic. It does not include beverages but is a great place to start.

OILS & TEAS FOR HEALING

There are many ointments mentioned in the Bible, which I like to call healing oils. Frankincense, Lavender (aka Spikenard/Nard – John 12:3) and Myrrh are some of my favorites. I use oils and teas in my home if anyone is feeling under the weather. The healing and calming properties from essential oils have been very beneficial for everyone. We try to buy organic oils and teas so as to minimize chemicals.

When it comes to fruits, vegetables and herbs, having a garden can be a perfect solution. Gardens can be a fun family project and also save money. Growing organic foods yourself can be very rewarding. If you love to garden, growing therapeutic herbs and flowers yourself can also be a lot of fun. We like to make teas and herbal remedies with them. Growing your own food allows you to know exactly what is in them.

Changing our diet has changed our lives. I cannot say it was or is easy, but we are all healthier and happier now. I hope you will try it for yourself!