You’ve heard, ‘garbage in – garbage out’. Wow, that holds true with our health, too. I want to focus on three particular types of garbage in our lives.
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Garbage food
I admit I am not the most healthy eater. But, I do try to make good choices most of the time. I have eaten enough healthy food to notice the impact of unhealthy food.
The other day I was at a meeting in an unfamiliar part of town. Time was tight as I left that meeting and went to teach a class. So, I opted for the fast food restaurant that I could see a couple of blocks down the road rather than search for some other quick food source. When I was growing up, and even earlier in our marriage, it was not uncommon to eat at this fast food chain. I had not eaten there now in a few years. I had a small burger and onion rings. It looked good, tasted, great, and went down easily. Then, within an hour, I felt queasy, bloated, and tired. I was surprised at how different I felt.
There is extensive evidence that our food choices impact our risks for diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, and maybe even dementia. Your brain, your veins and arteries, your heart, your kidneys, your liver, your eyes, your skin, your hair, your nails, and more parts of your body are impacted by what you eat.
If you have not seen it, I encourage you to watch the documentary, Super Size Me. I found it very eye opening about the dangers of frequent fast food.
Eating your largest portions with colorful fruits and vegetables, joined by a fist size piece of lean protein (e.g. meat such as lean chicken or fish), and some grains is ideal. You can find more detailed guidelines at Choose My Plate.
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Garbage media
What you see and what you hear have a big impact on what you think. Media plays a big part in our lives! Music, television, video games, and social media are huge general areas of so much content. The choices we make about our media help shape how we think, how we view the world, our ability to concentrate, or attention span, and our mood.
If you’re interested in the science linking music and our thoughts and actions, see this interesting article by a known expert on the subject, Dr. Bernard Luskin.
Media that promotes negativity, hate, and crime promotes such thoughts and activities. Pornography changes thinking, desires, and satisfaction. There is even an addiction associated with social media.
On the other hand, spending time with uplifting people, positive music, and other positive media can really brighten your day!
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Garbage relationships
Who in your life lets you know how valuable, appreciated, and loved you are? Keep those relationships!
If you have people in your life who feed you negative, demeaning, or other messages that kill your sense of self-worth and confidence, move away from those relationships. Surround yourself with the positive images of your immense value and lovability.
The messages you receive can impact how you see yourself. Stay around those who are the positive influences in your life.
Choose to replace your garbage with treasure
This is just a brief exploration of how garbage in can damage you. I encourage you to consider how you can replace the garbage. Consider the diet changes that will make you feel better, more energetic, less bloated, and give you more clear thinking. Consider how what you watch and hear could be more positive and uplifting. Consider how you could spend more time with people who lift you up.
To better understand how positive input will enhance your health, contact us at Meds MASH at 410-472-5078 or www.medsmash.com/contact.
BIBLICAL APPLICATION
Just like our physical and emotional health negatively respond to ‘garbage’, so does our spiritual health.
What are the sources of ‘garbage’ when it comes to our spiritual health?
False teachers
We are repeatedly warned in the Bible about people who will look legitimate but actually be teaching false information.
2 Timothy 3:5 ESV
Having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.
We are warned about times coming that will tempt us to turn away from God’s truth.
2 Timothy 4:3-4 ESV
For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
Colossians 2:8 ESV
See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.
Temptations
We are surrounded by strong temptations. As we saw above, media and other social messages teach a message much different than God’s truth.
Galatians 5:16 ESV
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
1 Corinthians 15:33 ESV
Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”
Negativity in our society
For I fear that perhaps when I come I may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish—that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder.
Titus 3:10 ESV
As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him,
So to avoid the ‘garbage’ that is all around you, follow God’s plan. In the midst of it all, keep this in mind.
Philippians 4:8 ESV
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Blessings,
Michelle
yourhealthandsoul 