God’s design has always been going against the grain, against the majority, the road less taken.
The Bible tells us in Matthew 7:13-14:
“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
What’s so interesting to me is that we can apply the exact same truth to our health and modern society. I don’t think the world Jesus lived in had the same health troubles and concerns we face today–many of which are our own doing.
We’ve created our own downward spiral as a society because of the culture and habits we’ve cultivated around fast food, candy, soft drinks and convenience.
So it takes a wise person, someone astute, who chooses to see past the everyday ploys of marketing, advertising and gimmicks, and who intentionally decides to take the road less traveled–that ultimately leads to better health.
Going against the grain (both literally and figuratively) is the only way we will begin to reclaim our health, our vitality, our energy and our waistlines! But man it’s not easy!
Without going into an extensive nutritional lesson on how grain, wheat and gluten negatively affect our bodies, I encourage you to begin reclaiming your life and the health God created your body to have–one bite at a time.
>> Final thought: This week I encourage you to go against what is so easily available to us via soda machines, candy aisles, drive through lanes and take a stand to take the road less traveled by the majority around us. Just as the Bible encourages us to “take the narrow gate” that leads to eternal life, we need to take the narrow way that leads to our bodies best health.
Your sister in Christ,
~Dr. Melody
P.S. Have you thought about “taking the road less traveled” in your health or for weight loss, but find it’s almost too difficult to maintain?? I’m launching a brand new online community specifically to help you along that journey and the doors are NOW OPEN! I’ve got some awesome “grand opening” specials to commemorate and really think you should take a look. I think you’ll like what you see. 😉
I have a live training called “Reclaiming Your Health” ready to go for next Monday, June 27th @ 4pm PST, but it’s only for those who jump on board during the grand opening celebration and who are ready to take back their health–and their waistlines!
Click here to learn more about our brand new online VIP community.
In this recipe, I combined four things I love: coconut, chia, cinnamon and almond milk.I’m crazy about cinnamon—the more the better in my book. 🙂
So this satisfied my love cinnamon, plus the shredded coconut for a textural contrast to the tapioca-like chia. Plus I’ve completely swapped over from dairy milk to almond milk–for many reasons–but it makes this yummy breakfast pudding completely dairy free. No tummy aches or digestion issues, plus all the health benefits of almonds–vitamins, protein and unsaturated fat.
Ingredients & Recipe (Single serving)
- 1 Tbsp chia seeds
- 1 Tbsp unsweetened coconut shreds
Dry ingredients - 1 tsp cinnamon (or if you LOVE cinnamon like I do, add an extra 1/2 tsp.)
- 1/2 c. unsweetened almond milk
- Fresh or dried fruit, optional
Chia Breakfast Pudding with dried cranberries
- Combine all ingredients, mix or whisk thoroughly until cinnamon no longer floats on top.
- Refrigerate overnight in covered bowl. This is when the chia-magic happens! Single serving ready to go for the next morning.
- Just before serving, add fresh or dried fruit (I used dried cranberries) to add natural sweetness (optional).
Just so you know, don’t expect this to be very sweet–that’s where the fruit comes in. If you’re used to sugar-loaded pop tarts or breakfast cereal, this will be a drastic change for your taste buds. BUT, as you begin to desensitize your taste buds and your body to overdoses of added sugar, the beautiful NATURAL sweetness of the fruit, almond milk, coconut and cinnamon will shine through. Breaking the chain of sugar-overload can seem daunting, or even bland at first. But we don’t realize how our taste buds have been masked by high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) or skyrocketing levels of sugar in our daily processed food and drinks.
I encourage you to start taking steps to take the self-induced glucose burden off of your body, allowing your insulin levels to stabilize causing food and sugar cravings to dissipate.This great new breakfast pudding, along with other small changes in your daily routine and diet, can be just the thing to greater vitality, more energy and rediscovering the beauty provided to us in natural, whole foods. 🙂 Take a look at my other great recipes featuring whole, satisfying foods under the “I Love Food!” category. Cheers! ~Dr. Melody
I hope you had a wonderful and meaningful Thanksgiving yesterday. We are surrounded by things to be thankful for, especially living in the United States, but sometimes we need to take the time to take a step back to see it from a new perspective.
I went on a great run just shy of 3 miles this morning in the beautiful and crisp New Mexico air. It felt good to work off some extra calories from yesterday’s festivities.
I was thinking of how I could celebrate Black Friday with you and I thought the best thing I could offer was the ability to spend more time with you and truly help you in your faith and fitness.
So in honor of Black Friday, I'm excited to share with you I'm opening UNLIMITED free strategy sessions from today until Monday.
This means that you can get all of your questions answered regarding health strategies, healthy eating questions, joint and muscle queries, mindset for healthy living and/or anything else you’ve got!
Utilizing my knowledge as a Doctor of Physical Therapy and Health Coach with my history in exercise science and nutrition and beyond, I’m leaving it all on the table to be of service to you.
>> Take advantage today and book your free session here. Available today through Monday. <<
I typically open 5 slots 1 or 2 times per month, depending on my availability, but for Black Friday I’m giving an UNLIMITED number of strategy sessions as a free gift to you, to top off your day of deal-busters and super sales! I look forward to chatting, but you’ve gotta book here. 😉
~Melody
P.S. Only 4 days before we kick off the 31 Day Healthy Holiday Domination! Don’t miss out! Your stress level and waistline will thank you. 😉 Join today!
