If it doesn’t affect anyone, it doesn’t matter… right? That’s the logic many of us follow when it comes to standing up for the food choices we make. We feel we can eat whatever we want without any consequences. But there is always a reaction to our actions. And a lot of the time, these seemingly small choices we make matter more than we think.
We’ve all heard the facts of nutrition and we’ve all seen video illustrations of our insides squirming when we drink soda or eat fried food. Although we know certain foods aren’t good for us, we reach for them anyway. Meanwhile declaring, ‘a little bit won’t hurt… everything in moderation.’
Truth is, food does more than travel down our insides, decompose and come out the other end. It affects our mind and it affects our mood. For example, the fats in almonds boost brain health and contain a compound that prevents a decline in cognitive function, especially in response to stress. Bananas contain a chemical that helps regulate mood. Water keeps you hydrated and helps you feel more alert and productive. Quinoa contains nutrients which are proven to have anti-depressant effects. On the other hand, foods like doughnuts and pies hinder our memory and impair our brain function. Lollies and soft drinks aggregate depression and anxiety since they result in a rapid increase in blood sugar. Has anyone else experienced that crash after eating fast food? Or seen a child eat a lot of junk food and go from an extreme high to an extreme low?
Now I haven’t got an Oxford University study to back this up, but I have spent a lot of time observing how eating different foods play a part in my own mental health. Making the wrong choices can do more than shake my energy levels. The wrong choices can (and very quickly) lead me to become lazy, short-tempered and a bit of a grump.
The medical field is finding more and more connections between what we eat and the types of bacteria in our guts. Since about 95% of serotonin (the “feel good chemical”) is produced in our gut—and our gut is lined with a hundred million neurochemicals—it makes sense that the inner workings of our digestive systems don’t just help digest food, but also play a big role in the regulation of our emotions. Our brain is the control room for all our actions. It takes care of our thoughts, our movements, our heartbeat, our breathing, our senses, and our mental processes.
Ellen G. White says, “The brain is the organ and instrument of the mind, and controls the whole body. In order for the other parts of the system to be healthy, the brain must be healthy. And in order for the brain to be healthy, the blood must be pure. If by correct habits of eating and drinking the blood is kept pure, the brain will be properly nourished.” (Medical Ministry, p291).
What we eat matters because what we eat affects our brain, which affects our mood. And our mood matters because it plays a big role in how we relate and interact with other people.
This is important for us as Christians because we were made to be image-bearers of God. However, if the food we choose to eat on a regular basis has a direct link to emotions we can’t control due to poor decision-making and lack of self-control, then maybe we need to question how seriously we’re taking our calling.
Romans 6:13 says we are instruments of righteousness. Music doesn’t sound like it’s supposed to if the instrument is out of tune or hasn’t been cared for. The same goes for us. If we don’t look after ourselves, we won’t function as we were created to.
If we look at the story of Daniel, we see someone who took his health seriously. Daniel ate what God told him to, and as a result, he stood out from the rest of the young men. The King was amazed by Daniel’s mental health saying it was ten times that not only of the other men but of the magicians and astrologers in his whole kingdom.
The bible says we are supposed to be distinct in both belief and action. We can’t pronounce our bodies are temples (1 Corinth. 6:19) and then treat them like a dumpster. When people look at us, they should see we regard our bodies as something of great value. But they should also see a difference in our character, of which we can credit to the small, seemingly insignificant choices we make in caring for our health.
Looking after ourselves goes much deeper than simply seeking to achieve health for our own sake. Looking after our health matters because our interactions with people matter. If we don’t have a grip on our mood, if we’re constantly down and drowsy because of the bad habits we have cultivated, we won’t be able to play the music Jesus created us to play. Instead, we’ll be sick, fickle and sleepy.
If it doesn’t affect anyone, it doesn’t matter. Though most of the time, that’s not the case. Whatever alters our physical, emotional, and spiritual states of being will shape our relationship with God and will shape our relationships with others.
So, pick your food wisely, or you might find it’ll come back to bite you.
AUTHOR: Zanita Fletcher