I have been interested in healthy eating and living for many years. When I was just sixteen, one of my favorite places to go was the health food store. I loved the smell of herbs that greeted me when I walked in the door, and I loved perusing the shelves full of cookbooks and natural medicine books.
For my eighteenth birthday, my mom gave me a book called The Whole Food Bible, which I learned so much from. It was my first introduction to real healthy eating. From this book I learned how to make my own chicken stock, cook many foods from scratch and use more wholesome ingredients (these days I’d recommend Nourishing Traditions and The Maker’s Diet for someone wanting an introduction to healthy living–but those weren’t available back then!).
I continued along my healthy living journey, adding a grain mill to grind my own wheat and other grains, learning with my husband how to garden organically, growing herbs, and using natural methods to maintain and gain health. We learned about soaking grains, Kombucha, Beet Kvass, raw milk, and cultured vegetables.
But somewhere along the way, amidst days full of being a wife and mother, morning sickness, many moves, and homeschooling, our diet began to suffer. Many of the ideals I held as a new mother were going by the wayside. The early days of saying, “Our children will never eat that!” seemed to be long gone.
Providentially, Renee DeGroot contacted me about reviewing her excellent book, Health for Godly Generations, and I’m so glad she did! It was just what I needed to get me back on the right track toward intentional eating and healthful living.
Here are just a few of Renee’s inspiring words from the book:
“Transformed by Christ, men and women desire to reflect the good and true beauty He originally created, instead of the sinfully-distorted worldly concept of beauty. Displaying and designing beautiful things is a way to testify of the Lord’s creating and transforming power. Demonstrating true beauty in our lifestyles is a way to take dominion over the earth as God commanded; it is a way to bless our families and enhance our homes, showing to others our love for God. Beauty was spoken of in the Bible at creation, in the tabernacle, and regarding people and relationships. True beauty is sought as we cultivate food in the way God created, preparing it purely and wholesomely to nourish and strengthen us, and serving it lovingly at the family meal table. We can use the natural beauty and pleasure of food to build godly culture.”
“Families of the past must have enjoyed living closer to the natural environment than most Americans do today. Families kept themselves supplied with clean wilderness meat and fish, juicy fruit from orchards, crunchy garden vegetables, and fresh whole grain bread. Glass jugs of raw milk, pies cooling on the windowsill, and herbs hanging in the cellar conjure a striking image of yesteryear. Agrarian lifestyles, though involving intense labor, exposed people to the harmonious simplicity of God’s creation. It would have been normative to eat foods as whole and as fresh as it is possible for food to be.”
“Whole foods are not appealing because they are old-fashioned, however; they are appealing because they are timeless. Good food endures, not in the sense that artificial preservation causes endurance, but in the sense that good food will always nourish and sustain life–whether in our great-grandparents’ day or our own or our grandchildren’s day. Search, therefore, for the food that is timelessly appealing and timelessly nourishing.”
While you won’t find recipes in this book (several of the cookbooks Renee recommends just happen to be favorites of mine, too!), you will find practical, everyday suggestions for how to make healthier lifestyle and food choices. If you need encouragement in your pursuit of health, I highly recommend Health for Godly Generations. You can also sign up for Renee’s newsletter for further encouragement.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary book for review purposes. The opinions expressed here were not influenced in any way.
Great blog post. I'm also trying to live a clean and more healthy lifestyle. While it is hard, especially with children, I know it is the best decision for all of us in the long run.
Thanks, Jennifer.
Thanks for letting us know about your giveaway, Kathy!
I've seen so many people having drawing for items they've made so I've decided I'd join in on the fun:) All you have to do is go to the Tooth Fairy Pillow Picture and comment on which one you like. Wed. 25th I'll put everyone's name in who left a comment and if I pull your name out I'll let you know and get your address and sent it to you! I'll also put it up on my blog so everyone will know who won. Good luck! http://www.sewcraftykathy.blogspot.com
I've seen so many people having drawing for items they've made so I've decided I'd join in on the fun:) All you have to do is go to the Tooth Fairy Pillow Picture and comment on which one you like. Wed. 25th I'll put everyone's name in who left a comment and if I pull your name out I'll let you know and get your address and sent it to you! I'll also put it up on my blog so everyone will know who won. Good luck! http://www.sewcraftykathy.blogspot.com
Oh, Josette, I can totally relate! It's so hard sometimes. And the price of raw milk can be way out of reach (I'm so thankful we have friends willing to sell us raw milk at a decent price, and some of our friends have even given it to us–such a blessing).
I know sometimes healthy eating can become an idol…more important than it should be. You're so right to just do the best you can and leave the rest to God. I really think that's what He wants us to do. Make the best choices we can and then trust Him.
Should I admit that we had frozen fish sticks (cooked) for lunch today (my husband likes them, otherwise they would never enter this house!)? 🙂
I struggle with healthy eating….homeschooling, six kids, busy busy and sometimes I slip (more times than I'd care to admit) into bad eating. Sometimes it is also hard to convince a loved one that buying raw milk it the thing to do…especially when they are the bread winners and raw milk is twice if not three times as much as milk. Try my best and leave the rest to God.
Thank you so much for your comment, Kim!
Blessings to you,
Joy
Hello Joy,
This looks like a lovely book, and a book I would enjoy. Thank you for recommending it.
Blessings,
Kim