“Fruit trees of all kinds that grow on the banks of the river. Every month they will bear, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing. (Ezekiel 47:12)
“To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.” (Revelation 2:7)
Healthy eating is what our bodies were made for. One day when we are again in paradise with God, He will provide us exactly what we need for food as He did in the beginning. Until then, it is up to us to discern among all the abundance of natural and unnatural foods available today.
Learn to Choose
We must learn to choose what and how much we should eat for health and enjoyment. We know that for maximum nutrition, the closer a food resembles the way God made it, the better it is for our bodies. So even though whole organic free-range locally produced foods are the ideal, realistically we sometimes have to settle for less. We need to read labels and avoid as much of the unnatural as possible.
Take Supplements if Needed
If a person is not getting enough calories daily for optimal nutrition, the doctor or dietitian may recommend supplementation of certain nutrients in your daily diet. Taking single supplements is not a good idea unless done under a doctor’s care. Overdosing on single nutrients can cause other nutrients to become imbalanced in the body. Your doctor will let you know if single supplements like calcium or iron are necessary for you. However, for most people, taking a multiple vitamin and mineral supplement daily is not a bad idea (just in case). For babies and children, the pediatrician usually recommends specific vitamin and mineral supplements at certain ages.
Consider the Source
The body of knowledge from nutrition research grows so fast daily that we must all – dietitians, nurses, doctors, pharmacists, moms, dads, Jane Does, and John Does- find reliable information resources to count on. One of the best resources is the American Dietetic Association, available at www.eatright.org or by calling 1-800 -877-1600.
Dietitians in the United States are credentialed as registered dietitians (RDs) by the profession’s accrediting body, the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) of the American Dietetic Association (ADA).
Always ask these questions as you read articles about nutrition and health in newspapers, magazines, journals, books or on the internet:
- Who is the author? Sometimes it helps to Web search for the author’s name.
- What are his or her credentials?
- Is a credible sponsoring institution identified?
- Is the site or article promoting or selling a particular product?
- Is the information based on scientific research or opinion?
- Is a date listed? How current is the information?
- In regard to Internet sites, are there links to other sources of information? Are the facts documented with sound scientific references, or is the information solely based on personal testimonials?
- Does the tone of the writing indicate a balanced approach?
These resources may help in evaluating websites:
- “The Good, The Bad & The Ugly: Or, Why It’s a Good Idea to Evaluate Web Sources”
- “Critically Analyze Information Sources”
- “Evaluating Information Found on the Internet”
- “Evaluating Information Sources”
As a helpful resource, I have lots of articles on healthy ingredients and recipes that you can implement into your daily life.
If you’d like to dig deeper into my journey of discovering God’s plan for health and wellness, check out my book, Made For Paradise: God’s Original Plan for Healthy Eating, Physical Activity, and Rest.
