How are you treating the temple that your spirit lives within?

Each one of us living on earth is a spirit living within a physical body. The body is the temple within which the spirit lives during a life on earth. Some of us treat our bodies well while others do not. Food is the fuel that keeps the physical body alive. Eating healthy is important for the health of the physical body.

I have had plenty of time to contemplate this thought. I have been trying to think about food in a new light, it's often hard to explain the way I think about food since my life is wrapped into it so deeply. I am a professional chef and am trying to direct my knowledge and well being to help change myself and those around me. So i decided to jot down some of the thoughts that pass through my mind...

ONE: Remember to have an attitude of gratitude.
Be grateful that I am alive. Give thanks for me body and make a promise to myself each day to treat my body well.

TWO: Make great choices as I create me financial budget.
What is more important than eating healthy food? Why would any of us want to spend money on clothes we do not really need when instead we could be buying the highest quality of fresh food? I am on a tight budget, so I shop the sales. Buying good food is an investment in my future. Without good nutrition, my body is going to suffer and my future depends on my health.

THREE: Cook, even when I do not feel like it.
Most of us can’t afford to have a cook or eat out everyday. In order to eat healthy, we need to cook healthy meals. One way to enjoy cooking is to listen to wonderful music while preparing a meal. Or put a headphone on your phone and make a phone call to a close friend while you are cooking. (Just be careful to watch the stove while laughing with a friend.)

FOUR: Set a limit on treats.
If I want to be a healthy weight, then I have to set a limit on treats such as sweets, fatty foods and alcoholic drinks. Of course it’s great to have a candy bar or a glass of white wine. But treats need to be what they are called: treats, and not consumed every day and at every meal.

Five: Avoid eating more than I need as a way to solve emotional problems.
For some of us, a huge piece of cake tastes better than ever when we are feeling down. But I have to remember that whatever my problems are, they are going to be worse if I also feel bad about eating too much. I should reach for a cup of herbal tea instead of a candy bar when I am feeling blue.

Six: Make a spiritual commitment to eating well for the rest of my life.
Once again, be grateful that I am alive. Know that the best way I can give thanks for the life I am living, is to take care of the body that my spirit is living within. With a healthy body I will feel better mentally, emotionally and spiritually. I will be able to make better choices for myself, family and for my world.

Amen!