Ears to hear

Jesus used that phrase. For him who has ears to hear, let him hear. I think it means, you don’t have to listen if you don’t want to. I have some things that I’ve been thinking about that I know people don’t necessarily want to hear. And I don’t want to make anybody mad. I really don’t. But I might just talk about them here, and you don’t have to read it if you don’t want to. And I know there are lots of different people saying different things for different reasons. I’m not a scientist or a doctor. I’m a mom who has been reading stuff that I think is right. So, imma put it out there, and you don’t have to read it, ok? This is for him who has ears to hear.

What if the food we eat has the potential to either help our bodies fight diseases or to encourage the same diseases? Not like a light switch helps a light go on and off. More like how sun and rain helps a plant to grow.

But what if you learned and were convinced that, for example, processed meat (lunch meat, hot dogs,  bacon, everything on a meat lovers’ pizza) causes cancer on the same level as smoking cigarettes or removing asbestos? Would you, if you believed that were true, eat less of it? Would you feed your children less of it?

What if you learned and were convinced that eating a mushroom everyday would help your body either not have or better fight breast or prostate cancer? Would you try to eat more mushrooms?

You probably already believe that eating vegetables is good for you. But what if there was actually convincing scientific evidence that there is a dose dependent benefit from eating broccoli or kale or any greens or onions or other vegetables? What if you believed brightly colored fruits helped your body repair its dna, or that eating beans prevents colon cancer? Would you try to eat more of those foods?

What if you were convinced that eating chicken, especially fried or grilled chicken (compared to boiled or baked), was bad for your heart AND encouraged cancer growth? What kind of information would it take to make you believe that drinking cow milk and eating cheese encourages breast and prostate cancer, epecially during childhood and adolescence?

If you believed any of those things might be true, would you try to read information that proved otherwise? Or would you seek truth, even if it might turn out to be truth you didn’t want to know?

I am on a journey of learning and trying to put into practice what I am convinced is true, and trying to re-educate my family. It is counter cultural. People make fun of people who eat like I often do. It is hard. The standard American diet is addictive, and I am an addict. And because my family, though getting healthier, is not as extreme as I am, I daily prepare and clean up food I try hard not to eat. And that is hard.

I’m not in a good groove right now. But I hope to be tomorrow. And the next day. And also the next day. In fact, I would like very much to wake up tomorrow and make choices that benefit my body completely, and keep on that way for the rest of my life.

I have dropped about 100 lbs from my top weight. I have also gained and lost about 10 lbs about 10 times over the past few months and am in pretty much the same place I’ve been for a while. Seems like I ought to do better than that, if I want to influence anyone else. But 100 lbs is pretty good, too. And I’ve kept it off pretty much. I’m wearing normal clothing from normal stores now. I look normal. Not thin or healthy, but normal.

So, here’s what I’m gonna do. Maybe. I’m going to go for it. And when I can, I will try to share something I’ve learned to challenge you to think about if you might want to make one little tiny change toward making your body a little better at fighting off the diseases we all hope we won’t get but mostly do when we are old enough. For him who has ears to hear.