Meditations on Healthy Living

Genesis 2:15-16:  And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.  And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat.  [King James Translation]

Definition - “Genesis” – mean “beginnings” “birth” or “origin”; the coming into being of something.

Beginning

The book of Genesis, the first book of the Jewish Torah and Christian Bible is about beginnings---the origin of the heaven and earth, the creation of the sun, the moon, the stars, animal life, marine life and plant life.  Genesis describes the creation of the first man, first woman, the first sin, the origin of sin and the first homicide.  It also describes GOD’s commandment regarding the first meal. 

Eating Raw

For those who decide to eat raw fruits, raw vegetables, drink water and tea, meditate on scripture and pray with and for others in a church “fellowship” it is a beginning too.  Often, when someone joins this fellowship and starts to eat raw, one of their first concerns if they have not eaten raw before is “what to eat.”

What to Eat

Actually, it turns out that there is plenty to eat.  Genesis states that there were trees in the garden of Eden from which man could eat.  Today, there are still trees from which mankind can enjoy a good raw fruit meal.  There is not only a great number but a great variety as well.  Some of the trees with eatable fruit include:

And, this is just a list of some of the trees.  In addition to fruit from trees, there is fruit from bushes, numerous vegetables, nuts, seeds and other raw foods.  A walk down the fresh produce sections of the store or a visit to a farmer’s market can reveal just how many varieties of fresh fruits and vegetables there are.  
 
Benefits of Eating Raw
 
Some of the benefits of eating raw include:
  1. Raw foods tend to be of better nutritional quality, therefore, you eat less;
  2. Raw foods have more vitamins and nutrients than cooked foods; 
  3. Raw foods have more “natural” flavors than cooked foods, so there is less need to add salt, sugar, spices or other condiments;
  4. Raw foods tend to have the best balance of nutrients, water and fiber for meeting the body’s needs;
  5. Raw foods save you money on utility costs (e.g. gas and electric and other appliances used to cook or heat meals);
  6. Raw foods tend to lower the risk of certain diseases and illnesses;
  7. Raw foods are more environmentally friendly (e.g. eliminates the need for cans, paper, plastic and other items necessary for processing and cooking foods);
  8. Raw foods tend to take less time to prepare than cooked foods. 

See, www.living-foods.com.  There are also a number of websites for finding recipes for raw food dishes.  One site that has a collection of raw foods recipes is:

http://vegetarian.about.com/od/beverage1/tp/topraw.htm

Even if you have been eating raw for a while, today is a day for re-examination.  You may want to re-examine what you eat, how much you eat, what time you eat, or even why you eat when you eat.  For example, are you eating because you are hungry?  Are you eating compulsively?  Do you taste the food?  Do you sometimes feel you are eating too fast, not allowing yourself to experience the pleasure of eating?
 
Perhaps this year you may want to try something different.  One possibility is to increase the number of days you eat raw.  Another might be to focus on the quality of food (e.g. organic vs. conventional; more vegetables or more fruit; or juicing fruits or vegetables).  Today is a day to begin again. 
 
A New Year with a New Beginning
 
For those who have never practiced eating raw before, today is a beginning.  For those who have been practicing eating raw “off and on,” today is also a day to begin again.

Christians begin anew every day.  Every day we pray to be more and more like CHRIST.  And, every evening, when we reflect on our day and realize we have fallen short1, we seek forgiveness and start again the next day. 
 
New Year’s Day is especially an opportune time to begin again. We can review the past and thank GOD for HIS many blessings.  We can seek forgiveness for our sins and shortcomings.  We can also pray and seek for ways to make amends.  And, finally, we can put the past behind us2,  ask GOD for new instructions and then press onward3  in CHRIST again.
 
Life is not a single race or even a single marathon.  Eating raw, prayer and meditation, striving for greater spiritual and physical health or being a Christian----is a journey.  In fact, they are all part of the same journey.  But, we do not journey alone4.
 
So, Happy New Year!  Happy new beginnings!
 
Enjoy the day, enjoy the journey and Be Blessed!
 
 
 
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1Romans 3:23 states: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of GOD. [King James translation]
2Philippians 3:12-13 states: I haven't learned all I should even yet, but I keep working toward that day when I will finally be all that CHRIST saved me for and wants me to be....I am still not all I should be but I am bringing all my energies to bear on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.....[Living Bible translations]
3
Philippians 3:14 states: I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of GOD in CHRIST JESUS. [King James translation]
4CHRIST 
is our Emmanuel (i.e., Immanuel or "with us El," which means "GOD with us." See, Smith's Bible Dictionary, Complete Concordance, A. J. Holman Company. In Matthew 28:20, JESUS said: "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." [New International translation]