InShape (part 3)

I.        THE PROBLEM

1.      America we have a problem.

a)     For the first time in history, as many people are suffering from the result of too much food as malnutrition.

b)     Seven in ten Americans are overweight.

c)      Diabetes, heart disease, and other “lifestyle-based diseases” now kill more people than infectious diseases worldwide.

d)     One in two Americans suffer from some chronic disease

e)     Most of our diseases are reversible through lifestyle:

         Heart disease; diabetes; cancer; dementia; autoimmune diseases; allergies; acid reflux; irritable bowels; neurological problems; depression; attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; thyroid, hormonal, and menstrual problems; skin problems eczema, psoriasis, acne, and more.

f)        We spend almost $3 trillion a year in our health care system, and almost 80 percent of that is for chronic lifestyle preventable and reversible disease.

g)     The average American eats 29 pounds of French fries, 23 pounds of pizza, 24 pounds of ice cream, 53 gallons of soda, 24 pounds of artificial sweeteners, 2.7 pounds of salt, 90,000 milligrams of caffeine each year

              

      2. Our Body Affects Everything

a)     What you do with your body sets the tone for everything else. Physical health influences your mental health, your spiritual health, your emotional health, your relational health, and even your financial health.  

3. Body Health is not all about law

     1 Cor 6:12-20

           All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. 13 Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods, but God will destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 And God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! 16 Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For “the two,” He says, “shall become one flesh.” 17 But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. 18 Flee sexual immorality.  Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

II. FIVE THINGS WE NEED FOR OUR BODIES

           - From Rick Warrens Book: The Daniel Plan

1. Faith. 

     a. Commit all to the Lord

           Psalm 37:5

           Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.

b. Ask God to take charge

         Prov. 16:3

           Commit your works to the Lord, And your thoughts will be established.

c. Rely on God’s Power to Help you.

         Phil 4:13

          I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

d. Strength in the spirit

     Isaiah 40:28-30

     Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The           Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. 29 He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, 31 But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

2. Food

     What we eat greatly affects our health. We truly are what we eat.

    

     To experience Optimal Health do these things.

     a. Eat Whole Foods. -  Eat foods grown on a plant not made in a plant

     b. Stay away from everything white

     c. Focus on unrefined, unprocessed, low-glycemic carbs (vegetables, fruits, whole grains Nuts and beans.

     d. Use your hand as a portion guide

     e. Use sugar only as an occasional treat. Stick with traditional natural forms: raw sugar,  raw honey, natural fruit sugars, or pure maple syrup.

    

         The Varieties of Sugar Familiar Sugars (not healthy) Agave, Honey Barley malt                      Juice concentrate,  Brown rice syrup,  Maple syrup,  Brown sugar, Molasses, Coconut sugar, Palm sugar, Evaporated or Sugar dehydrated cane juice,     

         Hidden Sugars or Toxic Sugars: Dextrose, Glucose, Dextrin, Lactose, Disaccharides                  Maltodextrin, Fructose, Maltose, High fructose corn syrup, Monosaccharides, syrup (or any corn Sorghum sugar or syrup), Sucrose, Hydrogenated starch, Xylose

         NOTE: SUGAR IS ONE OF THE MAIN CAUSES OF DISEASE

           - Today in America 1 in 2 have pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes

           - Sugar triggers a cascade of changes in the body that make you sick and fat                     - You eat quickly absorbed sugar or refined carbohydrates (like white flour). Your blood sugar spikes.

           - Your insulin levels spike

           - Insulin triggers the storage of belly fat and increases your appetite and sugar cravings.

           - The sugar (particularly the fructose in high fructose corn syrup) turns on a                                 cholesterol factory in your liver (called lipogenesis).

           - This increases LDL (bad cholesterol), lowering HDL (good cholesterol), and raising triglycerides.

           - This leads to a fatty liver (now affecting 60 to 90 million Americans).

           - All of this increases something called insulin resistance, where your cells become numb to the effects of insulin, requiring more and more insulin to keep your blood sugar normal.

           - This is the major cause of all age-related chronic disease (such as heart disease,                          high blood pressure, stroke, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and dementia.)

           - Your body makes more and more insulin, triggering more and more belly fat and inflammation.

           - This inflammation is at the root of most chronic diseases.

Even if someone doesn’t yet have type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance is the major cause of heart attacks, strokes, many cancers, and even dementia (now called type 3 diabetes). Bottom line: Sugar is an occasional treat.

     f. Eliminate liquid calories: regular and diet sodas, sports drinks and other sweetened beverages, juice.

     g. Eliminate foods with these additives: artificial sweeteners (except stevia), sodium and calcium caseinate, soy protein isolate, phosphoric acid, sulfites, nitrates/nitrites,             artificial colors, flavors and dyes, and carrageenan.

     h. When cooking use unrefined, cold-pressed, and expeller-pressed oils

     I. Eat breakfast everyday!!

     j. Beware of health food impostors: sweetened yogurt, processed/genetically modified soy products, meat alternatives, protein bars, and fruit juice.

     k. if your budget allows, eat organic to avoid pesticides, hormones, and antibiotics in food.

     l. Realize all calories are not the same.

Compare 20-ounce soda with 240 calories to the equivalent number of calories from broccoli (which is about 7.5 cups). The soda has no nutritional value but has 15  teaspoons of sugar (high fructose corn syrup), caffeine, and phosphoric acid. The broccoli (if you could actually eat the 7.5 cups!) has the same number of calories, but about 1/2 teaspoon natural sugar and 35 grams fiber and is rich in vitamins and minerals. In fact, when it enters your body, the broccoli has the exact opposite effect of the sodas

    

3. Fitness.        

     Acts 17:28

     In Him, we live and move and have our Being

     Exercise is Medicine Exercise is the best strategy to Increase energy, Improve muscular      strength, tone, and endurance Make you happier, reducing stress, anxiety, and                     depression Look and feel years younger Manage weight and decrease body fat Increase      productivity Stimulate creativity Sharpen focus Promote restful sleep Enhance intimacy           and relationships Strengthen bones Make you smarter Enhance immune function                     Increase joint mobility Improve posture Treat and prevent more than forty chronic              diseases

     1. Move your body every day.  Minimum 30 minutes per day 6 days per week

4. Focus

     Phil 4:6-7

     6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

     Phil 4:8

     Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

     We must learn to replace negative thoughts with truth rather than resisting them.

Every time you have a thought, your brain releases chemicals. Negative, angry, and hopeless thoughts produce negative chemicals that make your body and mind feel bad; by contrast, positive, happy, and hopeful thoughts produce a completely different set of chemicals that help you feel relaxed, happy, and in control of your impulses. Whenever you feel sad, mad, nervous, or out of control, identify which of the types of the negative thoughts you are engaging in. Challenge the negative thoughts by finding and stating the truth. This takes away their power and gives you control over your thoughts, moods, and behaviors.

Get rid of things that drain your energy

Every day write down three things you are grateful for

Learn to delegate and say no

Some supplements may be helpful in soothing stress, but take these under the supervision of a healthcare professional. B vitamins, L-Theanine, and Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) have calming effects. (Note: Pregnant women and nursing mothers should avoid L-theanine supplements.)

5. Friends

     Prov 27:17

    As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend. (Proverbs 27:17 NLT)

    Eccl. 4:9-10

    Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. (Ecclesiastes 4:9 – 10)

Friends can improve your emotional and spiritual health. The opposite is also true: Isolation injures us.

a.       Join a class or exercise group

b.      Create your own

c.       Join an online chat health group

d.      Find a personal trainer you bond with

                                             OVERALL HEALTH TIPS

A gradual approach is the surest way to success. Trying to change everything at once almost inevitably invites disappointment. Don’t try to change dozens of unhealthy habits at once. Start with a few vital behaviors — the ones that will have the biggest immediate impact — and go from there. Here are a few small steps to try if you haven’t incorporated them yet: • Set a goal in faith to take time in God’s Word and be refreshed by his promises.

Small Steps = Big Results

 • Follow the 90/10 Rule. Don’t beat yourself up about setbacks. You may default to negative thinking and find yourself thinking you have failed. That’s the human condition. Recognize it for what it is, and make the decision to focus on all the progress you have made. To avoid setbacks and help you stay on track, adopt the 90/10 rule. This guideline simply means that 90 percent of the time you are making healthy choices. Then give yourself a 10 percent margin to make choices just for fun.

•   Never go to a party hungry. If you have a snack before, you won’t be tempted to eat every greasy, fried, or sugary food.

•    Eat before you travel. Never go to an airport, a ballgame, or a public event hungry.

 • Bring your food. If you are going to a picnic, bring healthy options to avoid being tempted with unhealthy choices.

•   Say no to food pushers. These are people who say, “Come on, just have one bite” or “One can of soda can’t hurt you.” They might feel bad about themselves and want you to join. Don’t submit to the momentary pressure; just say, “No thanks!” Always remember: It’s about progress, not perfection. Leave room to be human.

•   Remember God loves the Body