Feeding and caring for your body

I am a fan of noodles and anytime I travel back to my home country,  I look forward to getting some already prepared noodles. But,  I am not someone who likes spicy foods and the already made noodles are so spicy beyond what I can take. On every occasion after eating these noodles,  I end up having diarrhea. Finally I made a decision, I will not buy the cooked noodles again because I love myself so much and I do not want to subject my body to foods that affect my well-being. The same noodle is another person’s delicacy and they can consume it all week long without any impact on their health. Anyway, I want food that will nourish my body but not what will take me to the hospital. When we understand what is good for us, we make a conscious effort to consume only things that will give us good health. If you are advised to stay away from specific foods by your health professional, it is for your own good. God loves you so much to see you suffer because of a specific food. We are all different and we need to accept that what is good for one person, may not be good for you!

After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church (Ephesians 5:29)

In Ephesians 5:29, Paul made a profound statement: “After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church.” Paul was talking about marriage but the significant point of note here is about the fact that no one ever hated their body. The reason we eat and religiously undergo general body hygiene is the fact that we want to feed and care for the body. Every person has a responsibility over their own body: to feed, care and nourish the body. I understood very early in life that one does not need to be rich to eat healthy food. In fact, it is more costly to eat unhealthy foods because they always come at a price! If you decide to eat out, make sure the menu will not be detrimental to your health. If you make your own food, be sure to check the nutritional value of your ingredients. 

When we understand that we have the responsibility of taking care of our bodies, we make a conscious effort to consume things that are of health benefit. Gluttony, alcoholism, substance abuse etc. do not have any positive health implications. From my experience, one of the major causes of homelessness in the West begins with what people consume. It could be alcoholism, substance or drug abuse. These unhealthy practices ultimately cause mental health issues that make people lose their sanity and become subject to the things they consume. Similarly, excessive intake of foods that are high in calories ultimately affect one’s general well-being. What can we do as a church (institution) to help our communities to live healthy? We need to be intentional about educating on healthier lifestyles and encouraging our members to practice it. We can also extend this to our community by organizing outdoor events with the aim of attracting visitors and sharing with them the love of God and showing how God expects us to show care for our bodies.