It's been great for her, but...
I've watched my wife really take charge of her health with God's help in the last year. I admit, I was a little skeptical when she started talking about the ketogenic diet, even though she is an RN and now a nursing instructor. So much of it "went against the grain" (pun intended!) of what we've been taught for decades about our health. Food pyramid, low-fat, low-salt, eat whole grains...all of these things we've been buying into have resulted in an obese society, yet they have a stubborn hold on us. When I would see her eating large amounts of fat...well that just seemed wrong! Yet, I could't deny the truth...it was right in front of me. Not only has she lost 48 lbs. on it and be able to maintain this for almost a year, but her blood sugar levels began to return to normal. It took a diagnosis of "pre-diabetic" last September to get her attention. But since then she has really paid attention...and it's been paying off, not only for her, but for those she has been influencing...and I'm one of them.
I wouldn't say I've gone into this kicking and screaming...but it's close!
So, a couple of weeks ago I felt to take the plunge myself. My primary reason was not weight loss, although I could definitely lose a few. I'm on two blood pressure medicines, and I would like to eventually get off of those. The doctor tells me it is genetic and their's nothing I can do about, but I'm not buying that. I've also had a problem with GERD (reflux) for years. One thing that really got my attention (besides my wife's success story) is that my sister has been getting results after only a few months. She shared with me that her reflux issue disappeared after a short time.
It's not easy leaving the junk food lifestyle!
It's not been an easy changeover from eating sweets, lots of carbs, and other things that are not good for me to much more healthy foods, but I already know that it's going to be worth it. Just last night, I attended a church service that went rather late, and I noticed that I wasn't sleepy at all. Normally, I would have been fighting sleep as I don't keep late hours normally. I'm also not hungry all of the time. When I am hungry, I eat...but I eat the right foods which fill me up and keep me from running to the fridge. I'm amazed that I don't even want the nightly bowl (or two!) of cereal that has been my mainstay for way too long!
Educate Yourself!
I've been spending quite a bit of time educating myself about this. After watching a number of videos from MD's and other doctors who have been studying this for awhile, and after reading material from many of them, I've come to the conclusion that my wife and many others have known for awhile. We've been duped! We've been sold a line of goods that low-fat, high carb dieting is the way to go. It has so permeated our thinking that we can't get our brains around the truth...God made bacon, butter, coconut oil, etc. He did not make "Country Crock", "Cheese Whiz", and "Doritos" (to name a few of the thousands of fake foods that we ingest daily). Just the other day, someone shared an article from USA today in which one of these so-called "experts" declared that coconut oil is poison. Really? And processed sugar, white flour, and GMO corn is not? We've been listening to these "experts" way too long! (Watch this video for the truth about coconut oil... Amazing Coconut Oil Benefits: MCTs)
We are abusing our bodies!
As a pastor, the scripture teaches me that I am responsible for the souls of those who sit under the sound of my teaching. But I also feel the responsibility for their "whole persons", including their bodies. As well, I feel a responsibility to the entire body of Christ, to live a life and a lifestyle that is pleasing to the Lord. Most pastors may do well at refraining from abusing their bodies by drinking too much alcohol, by smoking, or by using illicit drugs, but how many (including myself) have abused our bodies by constantly imbibing junk with no nutritional value...and great harm to themselves. How can I live a spiritually disciplined lifestyle and yet nutritionally be very undisciplined? I don't think that's gonna work!
Is this really our Creator's perfect plan?
We spend so much time praying for and ministering to those who are victims of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and a myriad of other 21st-century diseases that in past generations were rare or relatively non-existent. We should be asking ourselves a very pertinent question...WHY? What's going on that is causing our bodies to break down so much more quickly than our Creator intended? Is it possible that it's what we are eating? I really think so.
What is really biblical?
So, as a "keto-newbie", I'm going to share here and in other places what I'm learning. I still plan of course to share more "biblical" topics here as God gives them to me. (Yet, I also am thinking...what's more biblical than taking care of and maintaining our bodies as "temples of the Lord?") I'll be learning and sharing as I learn. In the meantime, I'd love to have your feedback!
What Is A Ketogenic Diet Anyway?
Below are a couple of videos that give the basics of a Ketogenic diet. I would also recommend the book, "The Keto Cure" by Dr. Adam Nally. This really opened my eyes to why the last fifty years of nutrition teaching has been wrong, what ketosis actually is (you can learn about this in the videos below as well), and especially the effect that government policy and crop subsidies has had on our diet (hint...it's not for the good!)
Video #1 Dr. Ken Berry is very good in explaining this in a very simple way...
Note...I don't necessarily endorse everything he says about our ancestors. I don't believe in evolution and this type of teaching leads into that..)
Video #2 Dr. Eric Berg is also very good...
It's not easy leaving the junk food lifestyle!
It's not been an easy changeover from eating sweets, lots of carbs, and other things that are not good for me to much more healthy foods, but I already know that it's going to be worth it. Just last night, I attended a church service that went rather late, and I noticed that I wasn't sleepy at all. Normally, I would have been fighting sleep as I don't keep late hours normally. I'm also not hungry all of the time. When I am hungry, I eat...but I eat the right foods which fill me up and keep me from running to the fridge. I'm amazed that I don't even want the nightly bowl (or two!) of cereal that has been my mainstay for way too long!
Educate Yourself!
I've been spending quite a bit of time educating myself about this. After watching a number of videos from MD's and other doctors who have been studying this for awhile, and after reading material from many of them, I've come to the conclusion that my wife and many others have known for awhile. We've been duped! We've been sold a line of goods that low-fat, high carb dieting is the way to go. It has so permeated our thinking that we can't get our brains around the truth...God made bacon, butter, coconut oil, etc. He did not make "Country Crock", "Cheese Whiz", and "Doritos" (to name a few of the thousands of fake foods that we ingest daily). Just the other day, someone shared an article from USA today in which one of these so-called "experts" declared that coconut oil is poison. Really? And processed sugar, white flour, and GMO corn is not? We've been listening to these "experts" way too long! (Watch this video for the truth about coconut oil... Amazing Coconut Oil Benefits: MCTs)
We are abusing our bodies!
As a pastor, the scripture teaches me that I am responsible for the souls of those who sit under the sound of my teaching. But I also feel the responsibility for their "whole persons", including their bodies. As well, I feel a responsibility to the entire body of Christ, to live a life and a lifestyle that is pleasing to the Lord. Most pastors may do well at refraining from abusing their bodies by drinking too much alcohol, by smoking, or by using illicit drugs, but how many (including myself) have abused our bodies by constantly imbibing junk with no nutritional value...and great harm to themselves. How can I live a spiritually disciplined lifestyle and yet nutritionally be very undisciplined? I don't think that's gonna work!
Is this really our Creator's perfect plan?
We spend so much time praying for and ministering to those who are victims of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and a myriad of other 21st-century diseases that in past generations were rare or relatively non-existent. We should be asking ourselves a very pertinent question...WHY? What's going on that is causing our bodies to break down so much more quickly than our Creator intended? Is it possible that it's what we are eating? I really think so.
What is really biblical?
So, as a "keto-newbie", I'm going to share here and in other places what I'm learning. I still plan of course to share more "biblical" topics here as God gives them to me. (Yet, I also am thinking...what's more biblical than taking care of and maintaining our bodies as "temples of the Lord?") I'll be learning and sharing as I learn. In the meantime, I'd love to have your feedback!
What Is A Ketogenic Diet Anyway?
Below are a couple of videos that give the basics of a Ketogenic diet. I would also recommend the book, "The Keto Cure" by Dr. Adam Nally. This really opened my eyes to why the last fifty years of nutrition teaching has been wrong, what ketosis actually is (you can learn about this in the videos below as well), and especially the effect that government policy and crop subsidies has had on our diet (hint...it's not for the good!)
Video #1 Dr. Ken Berry is very good in explaining this in a very simple way...
Note...I don't necessarily endorse everything he says about our ancestors. I don't believe in evolution and this type of teaching leads into that..)
Video #2 Dr. Eric Berg is also very good...
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