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Fuel Your Body Right

by Brandon Jubar

Our bodies are temples, given to us by God, our loving Father. But the way we treat these special gifts doesn't always show Him that we are thankful. In fact, some of the choices we make in regards to nutrition -- the stuff we eat and drink -- often seems to show that we really don't care about our bodies at all. In the event that at least some of these choices are made because we don't completely understand the negative effects, I'd like to share a few tips on how to fuel your body right.

Think Water (Drink Water)

I'm sure you've heard that the human body is about 60% water (and our blood is actually about 95% water). If you learned anything in your biology class, this shouldn't come as a surprise because virtually every process that happens in our bodies requires water. That's why people can go weeks without food and still survive, but only several days without water (depending upon the temperature and sun exposure). Is it any wonder that water is featured so prominently through Scripture?

So the first step in fueling your body properly is this: DRINK LOTS OF WATER! Yes, I'm shouting. I want to make sure you understand. Stop filling your bellies with soda and sports drinks. You don't need the sugar at all. You simply need the water that's in it. If you insist on drinking bottled water, that's fine -- just make sure you drink water. And don't be fooled into thinking that you're doing okay by drinking diet soda. Recent studies show that artificial sweeteners have almost the exact same effect on the body as sugar... except that artificial sweeteners actually make you crave sugar and all things sweet. You might save some calories on the soda, but you'll more than make up for it by satisfying your hyped-up sweet tooth!

Snack the Right Way

You know that most snack foods are terrible for you. You also know that almost all so-called "fast food" is even worse. Yet you still chow down on all that unhealthy garbage as if it were a gourmet meal at a 5-star restaurant. But I'll bet that nine times out of ten the reason you grab that nasty stuff is because it's convenient. You're blazing through your day at breakneck speed, and you just don't have time to find healthy stuff to eat.

So the second step in fueling your body properly is to stock up on healthy snacks and haul around a decent supply of them. Mom and dad are doing the shopping, but they'd probably leap for joy if you asked them to keep apples, carrot sticks, and other fresh fruits and veggies on hand. Don't care for many fruits and veggies? Then grab a low fat cheese stick and some whole grain crackers. Or better yet, grab a good old fashioned peanut butter sandwich on whole wheat bread! Keep in mind that the critical thing is to plan ahead so that your healthy snacks are with you (i.e. convenient) so you won't have to resort to the junk food.

Skip the Energy Drinks

Caffeine, my friends, is a drug. It's legal, yes. But it's a drug nonetheless. And frankly, if you fuel your body right, you shouldn't need it at all. Now, if you're like me and you enjoy a hot cup of good quality coffee in the morning, that's probably fine. But under no circumstances should you fill your body full of the chemicals in the so-called "energy drinks" that are so popular these days. They'll just get you flying high, only to let you crash and burn a while later. (And if you tell me you don't "crash", then I'll tell you to pay closer attention to your body, because you're definitely out of touch with it!)

You don't need all those chemicals, and you shouldn't want them polluting your body. The Bible tells us that our bodies are temples -- gifts from God that we must take care of properly. If you fuel your body right, drink lots of water, eat healthy snacks, and make sure you get well-balanced meals each day, then you should never even feel the need to waste your money on an "energy drink" ever again.

Of course, it also helps if you exercise and get enough rest, but we’ll be discussing those topics in the coming weeks. Until then, I encourage you to take a few small steps to improving your temple by fueling your body right.

Life Applications:

How much soda and other flavored drinks do you consume in a week?
Why do you choose the snack food that you consume?
What will you do to make healthier choices regarding food and drink?

Copyright 2009 by Brandon Jubar
All rights reserved.