Sprouted WHAT?

No, not WHAT…W-H-E-A-T!  Sprouted WHEAT!  Well, actually sprouted wheat BREAD!

This is my latest “discovery” in the way of healthy eating, and I must say it turned out to be a pleasant surprise.  Just the phrase “good for you” can make me turn my nose up!

I recently attended a mini-seminar at my church where two doctors of chiropractic (one of which is my Pastor/Pastor’s wife!) spoke on “7 Keys to Healthy Living”.  I won’t go into great detail about the 7 Keys, but they are listed below with a few notes beside them:

1 – Spiritual Health – Surrender all things to God (Matthew 6:33)

2 – Adequate Rest/Sleep – this is the time your body repairs and regenerates; lack of sleep = illness

3 – Emotional Health (Soul) – renew your mind with God’s word.  We  have a will to choose what we think about!  (Read Phillipians 4:8 for some suggestions!)

"A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body;

jealousy is like cancer in the bones."

Proverbs 14:30 (NLT)

4 – Spinal Alignment (Chiropractic care) – did you know that all organs are connected to nerves that run to your spine?  When your spine is out of alignment, the nerves can be pinched causing the healthy nerve flow that your organs need to be diminished or cut off! (Here’s an informative video about 4:20)

5 - Have fun!

6 – Proper exercise and stretching – we all know that exercise is important, but we tend to dismiss the importance of stretching.  Stretching increases flexibility and range of motion (yoga, tai chi and pilates are all wonderful ways to stretch and tone).

7 – Nutrition – basically it all came down to this: eat real (God-created), non-processed food; organic when at all possible; and in moderation. 

We’ve all heard these things before, but let me tell you it can be a real challenge to find things that aren’t processed until they aren’t even a little bit of what they originally started out to be!  BUT, I did say “challenge” – not impossible!

So, back to the sprouted wheat.  Bread is probably one of my biggest “diet” downfalls.  I love, love, love it – especially if it’s hot out of the oven and slathered with butter.  (Oh, side note…butter IS better for you than margarine.  Read THIS about how margarine is made and you may never eat the stuff again.)

  

I don’t know about you, but when I’m making a lifestyle change, if I try to do it cold-turkey I will fail every, single time.  But if I take one component at a time and change it, then before I know it I have turned things around completely.  So, my first step toward healthful eating is switching from “white trash” bread (made with bleached, processed flour) to sprouted whole wheat bread. 

Look at that bread!  It is simply delicious.  

I truly thought it would be bland and cardboard-like, but it’s flavorful; and the texture is dense, so instead of just eating a bunch of fluffy air-filled white bread, I’m actually eating something with substance and lots of fiber and vitamins.  I chose Alvarado Street Bakery sourdough bread, but there are other brands out there that are good, too (Ezekiel Bread, for instance).

So, one step at a time. 

This week, I’ve switched from white bread to sprouted whole wheat bread.

Next week my goal is to cut out sodas completely, drinking only water and green tea.

Week three I will incorporate snacks of fruits/veggies in my day rather than chips, popcorn, or candy.

And I’m hoping by the time I get to week four, my body will be ready for its first cleanse and detoxification!

What have you done to change your habits from harmful to healthy?  I’d love to hear from you!