Click
Here For Article #1: Realistic spiritually-based steps and techniques
for promoting healthier behaviors.
Click
Here For Article #2: A look at the relationship between Cholesterol
and heart disease.
Click
Here For Article #3: "Don't Let The Food Label Fool You"
Click
Here For Article #4: Bone Health, Calcium & Physical Fitness
Click
Here For Article #5: Identifying Carbohydrates
Click
Here For Article #6: Scriptural Motivations For Healthy Life Choices
Installment #1 of Health
= Information + Motivation
Health = Information + Motivation
is the place for accurate up to date health-related
information and discussions on realistic strategies for identifying
and achieving health goals.
Most of us have at some point resolved to live a healthier life style.
The easy part is identifying the results we want to see. The challenge
is not only figuring out what we need to do and how to do it, but how
to stick to it.
A commonly voiced goal is: “I want to lose weight, fit into a
smaller clothing size, look great, and feel better.”
Name any health concern and there are books, classes, programs, diets,
exercise techniques, stress reduction methods and more that offer solutions.
Information is everywhere. The solutions that are most popular often
claim to be both quick and easy.
Information is obviously not enough.
We already know basic actions that may decrease our risk for serious
health problems. Examples of basic healthy actions include, eat a balanced
diet, select healthier foods, exercise more and decrease stress. If
we have information, why aren’t we moving towards our goals faster?
Motivation may be a major factor influencing
successful goal attainment.
Together we will share information + motivation
to help you to identify and accomplish realistic health goals that are
right for your unique health situation.
Instead of starting with information, lets start by looking at our
motivations for maintaining or improving our health. Your motivations,
goals and the outcome of your actions will be influenced by and have
an impact on your mind, body and spirit.
Motivation
Mind - Feel
better,
Body – Feel
better, Look Better
Spirit- Feel
better, look better, and be available to be used by God
Getting Started
A printable form containing the "Getting
Started" information that follows (with blank spaces for you to
personalize your responses) is available by clicking on the button below:
As Christians, The bible provides the foundation for all that we do.
Think of at least one scripture that you could use as part of your motivation
for identifying and achieving your health goal.
If you e-mail your selected scripture to
, I will post them in this column at a later date. (Note:
no names will be used, only initials.)
Personal Goal Identification + Motivation
Step One (Goal Identification):
List one personal goal. (You may choose to list more but remember to
be realistic. It is better to be successful with one goal than to fail
to reach five goals). Don’t try to change everything at once.
Often progress toward achieving one goal leads logically to the development
of other goals. Make sure that your goal is reasonable and measurable.
Sample goal: I
want to select healthier food choices for breakfast at least four days
a week.
Step Two (Motivation):
List for yourself at least one benefit that you hope to gain if you
achieve your health goal. Take some time to think about this. Try to
list at least one benefit in each area: Mind
Body and Spirit.
Sample Benefits/Motivations:
If I eat healthier Breakfasts four days a week,
I hope to see at least one of the benefits listed below:
Mind:
- Feel better because I am doing something
to improve my health.
- Feel good about setting a healthy example for
my 8-year-old nephew.
Body:
- Decrease my risk for heart disease.
- Maintain my blood pressure in a healthy
range.
Spirit:
- Have increased energy to participate in activities that are important
to me.
Step 3 (Take Action):
Identify one action that you can take consistently to help you
reach your goal.
Sample action: If
I am going to eat a healthier breakfast, one thing that I will try to
do is include one serving of fruit with my breakfast four days a week.
Healthy Information Food for Thought
- Health is more than attaining or maintaining the “perfect”
weight
- Not all information is good information
- There are many instances where people look like the picture of health
even though they may have serious health problems
- Cardiovascular Diseases such as heart attack, stroke and high blood
pressure are the Number one killer of American men and women. Persons
with diabetes are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
Health= Information + Motivation
will share steps we can take that may decrease our risk for Cardiovascular
disease and the related complications including disability and death.
For additional information
Visit the American Heart Association’s Web site:
www.americanheart.org
February 6th is National Wear Red Day
for Women. The purpose of wearing red is to raise awareness of
cardiovascular disease- the number 1 killer of women (www.americanheart.org).
The American Heart Association has a free booklet: The
Heart of Diabetes, that is available to people with Type 2 diabetes.
There is also an opportunity to enroll in their Heart
of Diabetes Program.
Program participants will receive:
- A journal to track progress in managing your diabetes and reducing
your risk for cardiovascular disease
- A free 12- month subscription to Diabetes Positive magazine
- Incentives throughout the year to help you stay motivated.
www.americanheart.org/diabetes
Installment
#2 of Health = Information + Motivation
A Look at Cholesterol and Heart
Disease
This month we will look at the relationship between Cholesterol and
heart disease. We will also explore how an increased understanding of
cholesterol may be useful as we continue to take action to achieve our
personal health goals.
Relationship between High Cholesterol and Heart Disease
The heart is a muscle. Arteries supply oxygen rich blood to all parts
of the body, including the heart muscle. Excess cholesterol circulating
in our blood stream sticks to the insides of our arteries. Cholesterol
building up in the arteries contributes to narrowing of the arteries.
As the arteries become narrower the amount of blood that flows to the
heart muscle is decreased. When the supply of blood is decreased, the
supply of oxygen to the heart is decreased or blocked. Without adequate
oxygen the heart muscle will be damaged. The heart pumps blood to the
heart muscle and all other parts of the body. If the heart muscle is
damages, it cannot pump as effectively as a healthy heart muscle.
Cholesterol Numbers You Should Know
Maintaining healthy cholesterol levels may reduce your risk of Cardiovascular
disease such as heart attack or stroke.
Total Cholesterol-
Desirable Level - Less than 200 mg/dl
Borderline High – 200 to 239 mg/dl
High - 240 mg/dl
HDL – High density lipoproteins (HDL) also know as “Good
Cholesterol
The higher your HDL the better
An HDL less than 40 mg/dl A major risk factor for heart disease
An HDL of 60mg/dL and above is considered protective against heart disease.
Your health care provider may also test your triglyceride level and
LDL (Low density lipoprotein, LDL is also known as “Bad cholesterol”)
Personal Goal Identification + Motivation
Relating your actions to your Goal
Think about how taking steps to lower your cholesterol may help you
to achieve your personal health goals.
Example: If your goal is to lose weight, many of the same actions that
will help you with healthy weight loss will also help you to lower your
cholesterol.
Remember or redefine your Motivation
What benefits will you gain related to achieving your health goal so
that you will.
Feel better, look Better, and be as available as you can to be used
by God
Take Action
Think of one action that you can take consistently to help you reach
your cholesterol goal.
Sample action:
I will read food labels more often and use the information on the label
to help me to select food lower in saturated fat.
Healthy Information Food for Thought
Not all information is good information
Not all good information is good for every individual. Discuss your
health related goals with your health care provider. Involve your health
care provider as a partner as you work toward you goals.
Controlling Cholesterol is important for all age groups.
Our body naturally makes all of the cholesterol that our body needs.
It is not usually necessary to add cholesterol to our body by eating
foods containing cholesterol.
Your blood cholesterol is affected by diet. It is also affected by
how quickly your body makes bad cholesterol (LDL) and several other
factors such as heredity, weight and physical activity.
Hints for lowering your total cholesterol, lowering your bad cholesterol
and raising your good cholesterol
Two dietary changes may help to lower your bad cholesterol and increase
your good cholesterol.
1. Reducing the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol that you eat
2. Including soluble fiber ( soluble fiber is found in whole grain foods
such as oats) in your diet.
Depending on a combination of factors related to your individual health
situation, your health care provider may recommend medication to help
manage your cholesterol.
For additional information
Visit the websites below for additional information on Cholesterol.
National Heart Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institute of
Health
http://nhlbisupport.com/chd1/why.htm
American Heart Association
www.americanheart.org
University of North Carolina – A research study done at the University
of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, suggest that steps to control cholesterol,
High blood pressure and weight in children are important for preventing
heart disease in the future. The study of third and fourth graders in
North Carolina may have implications for children in other parts of
the United States. 12.6 percent of the children studied had high cholesterol
levels (above 200).
http://research.unc.edu/endeavors/win98/heart.html
Installment #3 of
Health = Information + Motivation
Don't Let The Food Label Fool
You
Have you ever purchased a product labeled as low in sodium, fat, cholesterol
or carbohydrates, then later discovered that the product is actually
not as low as you thought is was?
Mastering the art of label reading can help you to reach your health
related goals.
In the United States the requirements for food labels are regulated
by the FDA. The Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and its amendments
spell out the labeling requirements for Foods, Drugs and Cosmetics.
Information included on Food Nutrition Labels:
- Amount per serving
- Number of servings in the package
- Information on nutrients
- Percent Daily Value
Sample Label on a Single Serving Container of
Reduced Fat Milk 2% milk fat
Nutrition
Facts |
Serving
Size 1 cup (236ml)
Servings Per Container 1 |
Amount
per Serving |
|
|
|
Saturated
Fat 3g 15%
Trans
Fat 0g |
Cholesterol
20mg 7% |
Sodium
120mg 5% |
Total
Carbohydrate 11g 4% |
Dietary
Fiber 0g 0% |
Sugar
11g |
Protein
9g 17% |
|
Vitamin
A 10% ? Vitamin C 4% |
Calcium
30% ? Iron 0% ? Vitamin D 25% |
*Percent
Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie
diet.
Your daily values may be higher or lower
depending
on your calorie needs. |
Taking a Closer Look at Our Example
Using our example of Nutrition Facts for Reduced Fat Milk, if you are
trying to make healthier food choices and reduce your daily intake of
Cholesterol. You would benefit from paying attention to all of the information
on the label.
Serving Size
- Pay attention to the Serving Size and Number of Servings in the
package. In this example, the container only has one serving.
- One container is one serving and one serving has:
• 120 calories,
• 20mg of cholesterol
• and 3g of Saturated fat
- In addition to the amount of cholesterol in one serving, you should
also note:
• 20mg of cholesterol is considered to be 7% of the total amount
of cholesterol that the “average” adult should allow in
their daily meal planning for the day.
Calories
- Total Calories in a serving is 120. The Calories from Fat in each
serving is 45.
- Often we think of Calories as “bad”. Calories are not
bad, they are a necessary source of energy.
- Calories are only a problem when we take in more calories than
we need.
- The number of calories that each individual needs is dependent
on several factors such as age, current Body Mass Index, health status
and activity level.
- A person who sits all day will generally burn fewer calories than
the person who stands or walks frequently during the day.
- If you take in more calories than you burn off, the extra calories
will eventually add weight.
- Pay attention to the number of calories from fat. In our example,
over one third of the total calories in one serving is from fat.
- To achieve a healthier eating plan, work on decreasing the number
of calories that come from fat.
Fat
Work on decreasing the amount of saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium
in your diet.
Vitamins and Minerals
In addition to reading the label for nutrients that you want to limit.
It is important to look for nutrients that you may need to work on increasing
in your meal plans. Example: Many people do not take in enough calcium.
In our milk example, one serving provides 30% of the recommended daily
value. 30% is good. However, for most individuals the goal should be
100%. You will need to look at ways to get the other 70% of calcium
that you need while avoiding excess fat.
Healthy Information Food for Thought
Make sure that the claim on the front of the package matches the nutrition
facts on the food label on the back of the package.
Practice will help you improve your label reading skills.
Watch out for foods that are low in fat or cholesterol but high in
sodium (salt).
Action Steps
- Stay focused on your personal health goals and motivations.
- Practice reading and comparing labels using food items that you
already have in your home. What you find may surprise you.
Hot sauce (How much sodium is in one serving?)
Compare ½ % Milk to 2% milk (You may save enough on your
intake of Saturated fat, calories and cholesterol to allow for a
serving of something else).
Compare the amount of sodium in a can of vegetables with the amount
of sodium in a package of frozen vegetables.
- Customize your plan. There is no one plan that is best for everyone.
Discuss your individual nutritional needs with your Health Care Provider.
- Be honest with yourself
If the serving size is 2 tablespoons of salad dressing.
If you decide to use a quarter cup of dressing then you are eating
two serving of dressing, not one.
A quarter cup of dressing equals 4 tablespoons or two servings.
If you have a package of 12 cookies and there are 45 calories per
serving and the serving size is 2 cookies then:
2 cookies are equal to 45 calories.
4 cookies is equal to 90 calories
And 12 cookies are equal to 270 calories.
Practical Examples
Example #1
You love cookies. You are in the store reading the front and back labels
on the type of cookies that you like best. On Brand A the front of the
package says Delicious, Low in saturated fat, no cholesterol, lower
in calories. Brand Z sells the same type of cookie however; the front
of the package does not make any claim other than that the cookie is
Delicious.
Which package of cookies will you buy?
What additional information will you need to make the healthiest selection?
Answer: You will need to read the nutrition
labels on the two Brands carefully. Are the serving sizes the same?
If the serving size for Brand A is "One cookie," and the
serving size for Brand Z is "Two cookies" you may have to
do the math to figure out which one is actually lower in calories,
fat or cholesterol. Remember to be honest with yourself. If you really
love cookies and you know that you are going to eat a cookie, there
will be times when you can allow yourself to eat your favorite cookie.
(Notice that I did not make that plural and you certainly can’t
eat the cookie of your dreams every day without paying a price.)
Example #2
You have decided to eat more fruits and vegetables. You make the decision
to have a salad every day for lunch.
How many calories are in a serving of the salad dressing that you
select?
Brand A has 115 calories per serving. Brand Z has 165 calories per
serving. Which brand will you select? What additional information
will be useful to you?
Answer: Check the serving size. If the
serving size for brand A is "one tablespoon of dressing"
and the serving size for Brand Z is "2 tablespoons of dressing,"
then a tablespoon of Brand A has more calories than a tablespoon of
Brand Z. One tablespoon of Brand A has 115 calories. One tablespoon
of Brand B has less than 83 calories.
For additional information
Visit the websites below for additional information, examples and helpful
hints on Reading Food Labels.
See the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) Center for Food Safety
and Applied Nutrition website for additional information.
For a variety of information on nutrition including information on
food labels
http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/
For detailed Information on reading food labels
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/foodlab.html
Installment #4
of Health = Information + Motivation
Bone Health, Calcium & Physical
Activity
May is Osteoporosis Awareness and prevention Month. May is also Physical
fitness and Sports month
This is a good time to take a look at how calcium in your diet and
physical activity work together to prevent or treat Osteoporosis.
The human body needs a proper balance of nutrients including vitamins
and minerals to develop and function properly. Calcium is an importance
mineral. Calcium helps to build and maintain strong bones, and healthy
teeth. Calcium also has many other functions in the body such as helping
to regulate heart rate.
What is Osteoporosis?
-
Osteoporosis is a condition that causes bones to be thin, weak
and brittle.
-
Bones that are thin, weak or brittle break more easily than healthy
bones. Example: a leg or hipbone may break even without a fall.
Body weight alone may be enough to break a brittle bone.
Who is at risk?
Risk factors for Osteoporosis include:
- Advanced age
- Physical inactivity
- Smoking
- Family history
- Failure to include enough calcium in the diet
- Medical conditions that prevent our bodies from absorbing enough
calcium.
We can not change,our age, or
family history.
We can change, our diet and behavior.
- Take steps to assure adequate intake of calcium and Vitamin D
- Increase physical activity
- Avoid tobacco or second hand smoke. If you smoke seek help to stop.
Healthy Information Food for Thought
- Children require adequate amounts of calcium for their bones to
develop properly. Provide healthy meal and snack choices.
- Adults require adequate calcium to maintain strong health bones.
Lack of the proper amount of the calcium is associated with osteoporosis.
- Our Bodies do not make calcium. It is necessary to obtain the calcium
that we need for dietary intake.
- Calcium is found in many foods. (Examples of foods rich in calcium:
Milk, yogurt, Dark green leafy vegetables such as a broccoli, spinach,
turnip greens and collard greens, beans and nuts, many breakfast cereals)
- Calcium alone is not enough. Our bodies need vitamin D in order
to absorb and use the calcium that we take in. If you read the ingredients
listed on the milk label you will notice that Milk and Vitamin D are
listed. If a food or supplement contains calcium but does not contain
any vitamin D, The calcium may not absorbed well by your body. If
the calcium is not absorbed for use, it will be of no benefit to you.
It will simply pass through the body and be eliminated in urine or
feces.
- Our bodies are capable of manufacturing small amounts of vitamin
D. Sunlight promotes the manufacturing of Vitamin D. (Caution: Exposure
to direct sunlight (Ultra violet light) is a risk factor for skin
cancer and eye damage. Remember to limit exposure, wear sunscreen
and sun shades with UV protection).
- If you are unable to take in enough calcium in the foods that you
eat, Calcium Supplements are available. Talk with your Health Care
provider about whether or not a calcium supplement is right for you.
- Excess calcium or other minerals may contribute to development of
renal calculi (kidney stones). Remember to drink an adequate amount
of water. Most people need 6 to 8 glasses of water daily.
- Physical activity also helps to prevent osteoporosis. Weight bearing
exercises help strengthen and maintain strong bones.
Motivation
- Including the recommended amount of calcium in your daily diet will
help promote healthy bones and decrease your risk for osteoporosis.
- Strong bones help us to maintain good posture and good posture help
organs to function properly. Consider how good posture allows the
lungs to expand better when you breath.
- If your bones are strong you are less likely to break your hip or
other bones.
- Strong bones and muscle are needed to walk straight and tall and
for balance.
- Keeping our bones as healthy as possible will increase or opportunities
to remain as active as possible and participate in activities that
we enjoy.
- Any measure of health that we have is a gift from God.
- Think about your personal motivations for taking steps to keep your
bones healthy and strong.
Action Steps
Read labels. Make a conscious effort to make sure that your diet includes
the recommended daily allowance of calcium.
Encourage family members and friends to participate in weight bearing
activities such as walking. Walking is an excellent activity to strengthen
lower body muscles and bones.
(Remember strong muscles help provide support and protection for our
bones.). There are also a variety of stretches and exercises to strengthen
the upper body. You don’t have to have expensive or specialized
equipment. Use what you have.
For additional information:
Visit the websites below for additional information:
Examples and helpful hints about Calcium and osteoporosis
http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/osteoporosis_month.htm
Tip for girls
http://www.cdc.gov/powerfulbones/stayingstrong/calcium_cool.html
Recommended Daily requirements
http://ag.arizona.edu/pubs/health/az1042.pdf
Installment #5
of Health = Information + Motivation
Identifying Carbohydrates
Overview
Facts about carbohydrates
What is a Carbohydrate?
What do carbohydrates
do for the human body?
Healthy Information Food for Thought
Motivation
Action Steps
For Additional Information
We Want To Hear From You
Overview
Identifying Carbohydrates
Are you watching your carbohydrates? Lately information about carbohydrates
is all around us. It is hard to get through a day without hearing someone
talking about Carbohydrates. Supermarkets signs, restaurant menus, food
labels, and media, advertise “Low carbohydrate” meal choices.
The messages suggest that “Low Carb” foods are always good
for us and “High Carb” Foods are to be avoided.
The truth is:
- Carbohydrates are important nutrients.
- Carbohydrates should be included as part of a balanced diet.
- Some carbohydrate foods provide more nutritional value than others
- Eating a variety of foods is one of the best ways to assure that
your body gets essential nutrients.
- Everything that is labeled low carb is not automatically “good”
or “bad”. The label “Low Carb” may not provide
enough information for you to make the best healthy choice. More information
is needed.
Important facts
about carbohydrates.
What is a Carbohydrate?
- What comes to mind when you think of carbohydrates?
- Carbohydrates are essential Nutrients. Other essential nutrients
include protein, fat, certain vitamins, minerals and water.
- The word carbohydrate refers to the fact that most carbohydrates
are composed of carbon and water, a combination of Carbon, Hydrogen
and Oxygen.
- There are hundreds of carbohydrates found in nature.
- Carbohydrates include sugars, starch and fiber.
- Generally speaking complex carbohydrates usually add more fiber,
vitamins and minerals to the diet than simple carbohydrates. Some
foods contain both simple and complex carbohydrates.
Examples of carbohydrates:
- Complex Carbohydrates: Vegetables, Fruits, grains
- Simple Carbohydrates: Sugars such as table sugar, corn syrup, and
fructose
Approximate Carbohydrate and calorie content of select foods:
| Food |
Amount / Size |
Carbohydrate Content
Grams (g) |
Calories |
| Strawberries (Raw, fresh, without sugar added) |
½ cup |
21 g |
84 |
| Pear (Raw, Fresh) |
1 medium |
26 g |
96 |
| Potato (baked, salt added) |
1 medium |
37 g |
173 |
| Lettuce Romaine (before adding dressing) |
Small salad size |
4 g |
20 |
| Rice (White, long grain, cooked, plain) |
½ cup |
23 g |
103 |
| Macaroni (cook, plain) |
½ cup |
20 g |
100 |
What do carbohydrates
do for the human body?
Carbohydrates provide energy, essential nutrients other nutrients
and fiber.
- Our daily diet should supply our bodies with essential nutrients.
- The body needs all of the essential nutrients including carbohydrates
to grow develop and function properly.
- Every cell in our body needs nourishment.
- Human cells require water, energy, vitamins and minerals.
- Soluble fiber has been shown to decrease cholesterol and decrease
the risk of heart disease.
- Insoluble fiber helps with digestion, helps to prevent constipation
and may help to protect against certain cancers.
ENERGY
- The Carbohydrates in the food we eat are a source of calories.
Calories supply energy.
- Three primary groups of food supply calories (energy) for the cells
in our body.
Carbohydrates
Amino Acid (Protein)
Fat
ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS
Carbohydrates supply many other essential Nutrients.
Many Foods that contain carbohydrates also contain many other
essential nutrients such as certain vitamins and minerals.
FIBER
- Some foods that have a relatively high carbohydrate content also
contain high fiber content.
- Soluble fiber has been shown to decrease cholesterol and decrease
the risk of heart disease.
- Insoluble fiber helps with digestion and helps to prevent constipation
and may help to protect against certain cancers.
Healthy Information
Food for Thought
- There is currently no Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) established
for carbohydrates. However it is clear that the body requires some
carbohydrates for health.
- If you are following a low carbohydrate diet. Make sure that you
include foods that will supply necessary nutrients and not just empty
calories.
- Don’t be misled by advertising. Evaluate the food item or
meal based on you individual dietary needs.
Example: I recently saw a restaurant advertisement
for a “ low Carb” Ham sandwich. If you like ham and you
are trying to lose weight by following a “low carb” diet
plan, the ad for a low Carb ham sandwich may sound good to you. Ham
is low in carbohydrates and high in protein. Whether or not this ham
sandwich is a good low carbohydrate choice for you will depend on several
factors
Test yourself:
What additional information or choices will be needed to make sure that
your Ham Sandwich is actually “low Carb” AND
will provide some essential nutrients AND will fit
into your plan to lose weight?
Things to consider:
- Most meats, poultry and fish are low in carbohydrate content and
high in protein so the “Low Carb” label does not provide
much really helpful information.
- The Ham is not the item on the sandwich that will add carbohydrates
to your meal, it is the other factors and items that may go into making
the sandwich that may add both carbohydrates and calories.
- If you are trying to lose weight, you will need to pay attention
to your daily intake of calories.
- Most of the calories from the ham will come from the protein and
fat content of the ham.
- How was the ham prepared? (Baked, Honey or sugar added, Fried).
- Number of slices
- Type of bread
- Condiments such as mayonnaise or dressing, relish, cheese sauce.
- Lettuce, tomatoes
Even with all of the above items on the ham sandwich, it may indeed
still be low in carbohydrate content but the total calories in the sandwich
may be high.
Remember, if the calories that you take in daily are more than you
need for the energy that you use each day, the extra calories will contribute
to weight gain.
Motivation
Think about your motivation for watching your intake of carbohydrates.
If your goal is to lose weight so that you will feel better, you will
want to make sure that you don’t deprive yourself of other essential
nutrients.
Action Steps
- Read the list of ingredients on food labels. If a food is labeled
“low carb” make sure that the food also contains other
nutrients that are beneficial to you.
- Also, try to select foods that will help you to reach your goal.
There is no one plan that that is best for every one.
For Additional
Information
Visit the website below for additional information, examples and helpful
hints about carbohydrates:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/carbohydrates.html#nutrition
Let
us hear from you:
- Encourage others.
- E-Mail Wanda (
) about your health related goals, your motivations and action
steps and your success stories.
- What topics would you like more information about?
Have you identified at least one scripture that
inspires you to take steps to improve your health? Share your special
scripture and tell us how the scripture has inspired you.
E-mail Wanda Edwards at:
Installment #6
of Health = Information + Motivation
Scriptural Motivations For Healthy
Life Choices
Overview
Thoughts on Health and Scripture
What Health Is
What health Is
Not
Traps To Avoid
Healthy Information Food for Thought
Motivation
Action Steps
For Additional Information
Overview
As Christians, the scriptures provide the guidance for all that we
should do. All Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching,
rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16).
There are many scriptures that provide instruction and inspiration for
making healthier life choices. We asked readers to send us some of their
favorite scriptures along with comments about how those scriptures may
inspire us to make healthier life choices. Your responses are listed
in this edition along with a few additional scriptures for you to think
about as you continue to take steps toward achieving your best health.
We will provide some thoughts on the meaning of “Health”
and look at some of the relationships between our spiritual walk and
the level of responsibility that we choose to accept for our own health.
Thoughts
on Health and Scripture
As Christians we are encouraged to strive, with the help of the Holy
Spirit to follow the example set by Christ. We are not perfect but if
we desire to glorify God with our lives, it benefits us to examine all
aspects of our lives to identify areas where we need to devote extra
attention.
Relationship between Our Spiritual Walk & Healthier Choices
Like our spiritual walk, our efforts to live healthier lives are multidimensional.
Our overall health is affected by how we feed, exercise and care for
our Spirit, Mind and Body. All three work together all of the time.
| Spirit |
Mind |
Body |
| Through Jesus Christ we have Salvation.
We are saved by Grace not by works (Ephesians 2:8-9). As believers
who are saved by grace, we are called to offer a portion of our
resources (time, talent and goods) to worship, study and works (James
2: 17-26). |
We are instructed on the benefits of
keeping our thoughts focused on God (Isaiah 26: 3). We are also
instructed to guard our minds and think on positive things as much
as possible (Philippians 4:8). We are challenged to be careful about
the images, information and activities that we expose ourselves
to. Our thoughts affect our spiritual, emotional and physical health.
|
Body – Our body is the temple
of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). We are to Glorify God with
our body (1 Corinthians 6:20). We have a responsibility to make
an effort to take care of our bodies. We also have a responsibility
to discipline ourselves (1 Peter 2:11). Paul often compares the
Christian to an athlete (2 Timothy 2:5). Caring for our body by
making healthier choices helps us to be spiritually, mentally and
physically fit for whatever God calls us to do. We want to be fit
to do the work of our ministry and respond to the Great Commission
(Matthew 28:19 –20). |
Health: What Health
Is
Health is:
- More than the absence of illness or chronic disease such as Heart
Disease, Diabetes or Cancer.
- More than reaching or maintaining our desired weight.
- More than looking good and feeling good.
- Health is to be cherished. Whatever level of health you have is
a gift. Make the best of your personal situation. If you have a health
condition, there are steps that you can take to be an active participant
with your health care provider to best manage the condition and avoid
having the condition manage you.
- Health is best viewed on a continuum. Imagine that you could plot
your current level of health on a line ranging from “perfect”
health to terminal illness.
Where would you fit? Obviously the majority of us fall somewhere in
the middle. As we go through life our position on the line will move
back and forth. There is evidence that our food choices, activity patterns,
daily behaviors and thought patterns can increase the odds of our health
moving either toward a healthier direction or moving toward decline.
Health: What Health
Is Not
- Health is not measured only by the presence or absence of illness
or chronic disease such as Heart Disease, Diabetes or Cancer. No matter
what your current health status is, small changes may help you to
maintain or improve your current health and prevent or slow down the
development of additional health problems or disabilities.
- Health is not measured only by our weight or outer appearance.
- Health is not guaranteed. Life and our health are precious gifts.
None of us know how long we will live. Nor do we fully understand
Gods reasons for our length of years or all of the health conditions
we may face.
- Health is not to be taken for granted.
Neither life nor health is guaranteed from day to day. We have all
heard stories of people who died at a young age or who died suddenly
even though they thought they were perfectly healthy and “looked
like the picture of health.”
We have also heard of the extreme situations where someone lived a
long life and had no known health problems after they spent their life
practicing a wide range of “bad Health Habits,” and someone
else who became very ill at a young age even though they followed every
healthy practice known to man.
In spite of these extreme cases, there is evidence that our food choices,
activity patterns, daily behaviors and thought patterns can increase
the odds of our health moving either toward a healthier direction or
moving toward decline.
Healthy practices help to decrease our risks for serious illness and
disabilities, and improve our chances for attaining and maintaining
our healthy personal best.
Traps To Avoid
As you study the scriptures and meditate on some of the scriptural
motivations for making healthier choices, be careful to avoid feeling
either guilty or self-righteous. Remember we are all imperfect. In all
that we do, we are to do our best with the help of the Holy Spirit,
who is able to help us as we strive to walk according to the example
of Christ (Romans 15:16).
- It is counterproductive for us to carry the burden of guilt and
beat ourselves up if we fall short of our health goals. Put your best
effort forward. If you are not immediately successful consider adjusting
the goal and trying again.
- Avoid Guilt: It is easy to start feeling guilty if we set a goal
and then meet obstacles that hinder rapid progression toward the goal.
Don’t give in. Stay encouraged.
- Avoid feeling self-righteous: It is also easy to be tempted to
feel self-righteous if we feel that we are doing a good job of caring
for our bodies. Congratulate yourself, encourage other, set new goals
and continue to move forward giving all glory to God.
Healthy Information
Food for Thought
- Our Health is influenced by our family history, current health
status and the choices that we make each day.
- Our Eating and exercise habits have the potential to affect the
current and future health of our children and the health of future
generations.
- In the United States, 15% of children ages 6 to 11 are overweight.
That is more than double the percentage of children considered overweight
20 years ago. The examples that we set and the choices that we provide
will affect our children’s health.
- A recently published study conducted at the US Department of Health
and Human Services Center for Disease Control and Prevention, shows
that poor diet and physical inactivity are on the verge of passing
tobacco as the leading preventable cause of death in America.
- We want to be hearers and doers of the word in all areas of our
lives. Our Spiritual self is not independent of our mind and our body.
Motivation
Think about your motivations for wanting to make healthier choices.
- Examine the scriptures
- Consider ways to be good stewards of your health and glorify God
with your body.
- Consider your plans and dreams for the future.
- Think of how preventable health problems may make it difficult
to follow through with your plans.
- Consider this: No matter what your current health status is, small
changes may help you to maintain or improve your current health and
prevent or slow down the development of additional health problems
or disabilities.
Action Steps
- Pray. Ask God for direction as you set your health related goals
(Proverbs 6:3).
- Identify one health related goal.
- List at least one benefit of achieving the health goal. (Consider
Healthy Mind, Healthy Body and Healthy Spirit.)
- Take Action. Identify one consistent action that could help you
to reach your identified goal.
- Set short-term, achievable goals. Making healthier choices does
not mean that you can never have anything you like.
Examples of short-term, achievable goals
Example #1: Suppose you love cookies
Don’t Say: “I will never eat another cookie.”
Do: Honestly evaluate how frequently you eat cookies,
how many cookies you eat and how big the cookies are. Set a goal to
decrease the number of cookies that you eat at one time. Decrease the
number of times during the week that you select cookies as a dessert,
snack or meal choice.
Example #2: Suppose you desire to lose
weight
Don’t Say: “I want to lose 100 pound so
I am going to follow the latest diet fad. I will lose 7 – 10 pounds
a week for 13 weeks. “
Do: Take an honest look at your current eating and
activity pattern. Then commit to change one food choice or behavior
and one activity behavior.
(1) Decrease the portion size of food eaten at lunch or dinner, and/or
choose water in place of one beverage that you usually consume every
day.
(2) Start or add one simple activity such as walking during the last
five minutes of your lunchtime.
If you are overweight, these two changes followed consistently will
help you to lose about one pound a week. You may realistically expect
to lose 15 to 20 pounds in six months. A slow, steady weight loss is
healthier and the weight is less likely to return than when rapid, extreme
weight loss occurs.
For Additional
Information
1. See Health
= Information + Motivation Installments 1-5 for tips on healthy
habits and informative websites.
2. Examine the scriptures
Scriptural*
Motivations for Making Healthier Choices
*Note: Scriptural references are quoted from the
New International Version (NIV) unless otherwise noted.
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman
who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of
truth. - 2 Timothy 2: 15
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do
what it says. - James 1:22
Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and in the world, to abstain
from sinful desires, which war against your soul; - 1Peter 2:11
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses,
let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily
entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for
us. - Hebrew 12:1
Inspirational
Scriptures and Comments From Visitors to Detroit Gospel
Psalms 139:13-14
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s
womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your
works are wonderful, I know that full well.
Comments on Psalms 139
- "We should not worry about how we look because God knew what
he was doing when he created us in his own image and with his own
hands. So anytime you feel low and down, just remember these words.
'I am wonderfully and beautifully made by God, and I am the works
of his hands….’ We are all beautiful and unique in God’s
eyes.” - Marilyn -Tower Bridge. United Kingdom
- Psalms 139:14. "The scripture that states that we are fearfully
and wonderfully made. I believe that fitness and changing our lifestyles
starts with knowing yourself and what the word says first." -
TaQuinda Roseville Michigan
- “We are beautifully and wonderfully made.” - Valencia,
Mount Clemens Michigan
Proverbs 6:6
Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise.
Comments on Proverb 6:6
- “Learn to do what’s right to prepare for other seasons
in life. A season may come when you might need your health and strength.”
- Dwonne, Detroit MI
Romans 12:1
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s Mercy, to
offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God this
is your spiritual act of worship.
Comments on Romans 12
- “Romans 12 tells us that our job is to present our bodies
a living sacrifice, holy unto God.” - Jervis, Atlanta Georgia
- “Romans 12:1” - Andrea, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
- Romans 12:1 - Nicole, Detroit Michigan
1 Corinthians 6:19
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who
is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;
Comment on 1 Corinthians 6:19
- “If your body isn’t healthy, you’re of no good
to anyone!”
- Nicole, Detroit, MI
Ephesians 2:14-22
2:14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has
destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,
2:22. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling
in which God lives by his Spirit.
· Cassandra, Ypsilanti MI
Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
(KJV)
Comment on Philippians 4:13
- "I'll definitely share that, having had the experience of
having to lose weight via the Atkins Diet (I gain weight back and
forth because of the medication I'm taking), the scripture people
should put in their heart is Philippians 4:13" - Saru, Albany,
NY
Let us hear from you:
Encourage others.
- E-Mail Wanda (
) about your health related goals, your motivations and action
steps and your success stories.
- What topics would you like more information about?
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Health Information + Motivation articles are intended to increase readers'
awareness of evidence-based health related information. Articles and
information should not be construed as medical advice or instruction
on individual health matters. Consult your health care provider about
individual health matters and before making changes in your diet, exercise
pattern or other changes that may affect your health.
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