Summer is coming up and many of us might be wanting to focus more on our health. This could be for an upcoming vacation, a summer goal, or for any reason. All of these reasons are great! However, it can be easy for some of us to fall back into certain tendencies and begin to lose some of our motivation over time. When daily schedules and life events begin to pile up, searching for quick and easy alternatives can be tempting. Even hardships can bring us off of our routines and make us fall into bad habits. What some of us fail to realize is that God gives us guidance in order to keep our health at balance in a book many of us have already at home.

Here are some guidelines to remember from our Heavenly Health Coach:

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” – 1 Corinthians 10:31

In today’s culture, food has become mainstream. It is more about mass production, choosing an XL combo, who’s a foodie, and the best deal. It seems as if food is always in our faces which leads to excessiveness and lack of awareness. There is little time to thank God or truly appreciate the food in front of us that comes from God’s creation. Remember your prayers and to thank God before every meal. This will help develop our gratitude for what we have been given and keep us mindful of the true place our food comes from.

And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. – Genesis 2:

With modern day groceries and food products, there also comes preservatives. Many of these preservatives are extremely harmful for our bodies and can deteriorate our health. God made our food natural, and preservatives are not natural. He made food for us to nourish our bodies with proper nutrition. And while many preservative filled foods can be as tempting as the forbidden fruit, it is better for us to stay away from them and their harmful effects. If we remember that our food is pure and given to us by God for our benefit, then this can help us in making better choices with the food we eat.

“Do not go to excess with any enjoyment, neither become a glutton for choice foods; For sickness comes with overeating, and gluttony brings on nausea.” – Wisdom of Ben Sira 37: 29-30

Have you ever groaned that you ate too much and needed to go to the medicine cabinet for some relief? While we can get sick from spoiled food or viruses, we shouldn’t be too full to where we make ourselves sick. Gluttony is one of the seven deadly sins. Not only for how harsh of a sin it is, but because it actually can become deadly. Too much of anything isn’t good and if we eat too much, we are hurting our organs and their functioning which can eventually lead to death. Sin destroys and we shouldn’t let sinful food habits destroy us. Remember to eat proper portions and see how good eating a balanced meal really can be!

“Take also unto thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentils and millet, and spelt and put them in one vessel…” Ezekiel 4:9

If you’re looking for a good place to start in eating healthier, Ezekiel bread is the way to go. This bread can be made at home or bought from nutritional brands who carry it. With these ingredients alone, we are given plenty of protein, fiber, amino acids, minerals, and more. One important mineral that is lacking in our food and diet is Selenium, which helps in boosting immune function, improving hair and nail health, fertility, supporting a healthy thyroid, etc. Remembering to eat healthy food can strengthen us in many ways. And what better way to get these benefits than from bread? After all, Jesus did say that bread is life!

Following these guidelines may seem hard to do at first, but anything is possible through faith, patience, prayer, and making God your first form of strength.

Keeping God included in your diet will help keep you on the right track and guide you to feeling better on the inside and outside.

When you look good, you feel good and when you feel good, you look good. Why? Because God is all good. Remember that God is at your right hand and is holding your hand each and every day. Remember that He is there whenever you pick up your next plate and ask yourself…

Will this tighten my grip with God or loosen it?