Welcome! I’m so glad that you have found this space. If we were sitting together on my front porch, you would quickly learn that I want to go as deeply as possible in conversation and friendship. Here, we can get to know each other better as we discover the beauty of a mended life.
The weather is warming up here in the South. We’ve had warm days but cool evenings. Tim and I find ourselves trying to make the most of these days before the Southern humidity makes its presence known. For some reason, I always feel motivated to eat better during warm weather. I find myself rucking every day (more on this fun activity in another post) with renewed motivation to put my body in its optimum health. The pandemic motivated many of us to consider ways to build up our immune systems. Perhaps some of you found new habits of eating during this time. The way we eat matters. I’m reminded of this every day. My body feels the affect of the poor choices I make. We have a Creator who designed our bodies to fight viruses, infections, and bacteria. And, He gave us food to do so. I am by no means a health expert in these matters, but twelve years ago, after welcoming my first pixie into the world, I made a conscious decision that I would do all I could to give her the nutrients she needed to blossom into a healthy young woman. My journey initiated after reading a book that has forever changed how we eat as a family: The Maker’s Diet. The author, Dr. Jordan S. Rubin, approaches eating from both a Biblical and scientific approach. If we eat the foods God made, following His patterns in scripture, we really can have optimal health. Although this does not mean that viruses, cancer, or diabetes will never take over our body, there are some things we can do to strengthen our immune systems, improve our digestive systems, and reduce stress in our every day life. Today I thought I would share with you some very simple things we do as a family to help boost our immunity and take care of the bodies we have been gifted with. 1) Eat Your Pears In our household, we literally go through a bag of organic apples a day. The pixies devour apples, and they are also a favorite of mine. As the saying goes, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”. However, did you know that pears are as beneficial as apples? Pears are an amazing immune booster. They are a great source of Vitamin C and fiber. If you can, buy organic pears as they are one of the “dirty dozen”. (Those fruits and vegetables that contain the most pesticides). 2) Lemonade Please Lemons are a fruit you should always have handy in your kitchen. And spring is one of the best times to find them at their freshest! Not only do lemons possess high amounts of Vitamin C, they’re also chocked full of immune-boosting bioflavonoids. So go ahead and add lemon to your water. Pass the lemonade please!
3) Olive Leaf Extract Living in Charlotte, I suffer from allergies every spring. Historically, olive leaf has been shown to treat allergies. However, it is also been used to treat the common cold, the flu, and inflammation in general. An extra benefit: it’s an ENERGY BOOSTER. You can find olive leaf extract here on Amazon. 4) Beat Viruses With Beets Another great source of Vitamin C is beets. They contain large amounts of copper which strengthen your immune system. Beets can be thrown in salads, quinoa, or baked for a great side dish.
5) Bone Broth Extremely nutritious, bone broth provides vital nutrients such as iron, vitamin A, zinc, and manganese. It is so important to keep your gut healthy in order to fight infections. Bone broth helps keep the digestive system running properly. It is also a wonderful source of protein. We use bone broth in everything! Most of our soups are made from bone broth. You can add it to rice, drink it in the morning as a cup of “tea”, or make chili from it. 6) Ginger Cools You Down Along with bone broth, I try to add ginger to whatever I can. Sprinkle it on roasted vegetables, add minced ginger to soup, or throw some in hot water for homemade ginger tea. Ginger cools inflammation in the body. As an antiviral, immune-boosting spice it can even relieve congestion. 7) Buy Some Super Immunity A few years ago I was standing in my local Whole Foods store, and a worker recommended Super Immunity to me from Bergamot Cove. Our local store in Waxhaw sells this amazing product, and I have loved having it in my pantry. Super Immunity consists of eight nourishing food ingredients: garlic, ginger, horse radish, onion, turmeric, peppercorn, habanero peppers and apple cider vinegar. Sometimes I add a dropper to the girls juice and they don’t even know it.
8) Kiwi Did you know that kiwi possesses more vitamin C than any other fruit? You can actually get your full daily amount of vitamin C by eating just one of these fuzzy beauties. Add kiwi to smoothies, yogurt parfaits, or simply scoop out with a spoon.
This is by no means an exhaustive list, but I have found that adding a few immunity boosting foods to our diet is a simple way to do our part in taking care of the bodies God has blessed us with. In Exodus 15:26 the Lord reminds his people, it is he who heals them: “If you listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes . . . I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.” He also says in Genesis 1:29, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.” Food is a gift from God, a God who wants to heal us. As you enjoy this Spring, may you rest in the beauty of a Creator Who gives every good gift from above—including food.
This summer Tim and I will be making our way to Greenville, NC to join our friend, Daune Pitman, for a one of a kind two-day special event where we combine deep and beautiful discussions with a hands-on experience designed to explore the art of living. We will be talking about food —eating the foods God made, creating beauty around the table—as well as gathering outdoors to feast on a European picnic. We will explore techniques in creating loose landscapes on paper and canvas; and will explore creative journaling. You will leave the workshop with your own completed loose landscapes and handmade journal, along with a new love of journaling in a new way.
This is going to be such a sweet time together, and we would be honored to find you here with us. ~Chris xx If you enjoyed this newsletter, I would love to have you become a monthly or annual subscriber to Mend. Paid subscribers receive 2-3 additional newsletters a week. It helps keep Mend going, and offers a private community where I pray you find respite for your soul.
|
