“If you eat honey, eat just enough − too much of it, and you will vomit.” Proverbs 25:16 NIV One of my mother’s friends has, in the latter years of her life, been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes (also referred to as the mature onset type). She is required to check her blood sugar levels before and after each meal, and also administer herself with insulin injections. Recently, whilst in conversation with her, she mentioned that when her grandkids visited, they all delighted in a yummy bowl of canned peaches (soaked in sugar syrup), topped with full fat ice-cream. Afterward, she tested her blood sugar levels and upon seeing that it was ‘only at 7mmol/L’ (required to be below 10mmol/L) she felt motivated to have a second helping!
I was reminded of when my aunt would say “you’re going to eat yourself sick“. Moderation, not just in what we eat, but in all areas of our lives (work, health, relationships, etc.) is so important. It brings balance. And without balance, nothing functions efficiently. We live in a world where we can’t just watch one weekly episode of our favourite television series, we MUST binge on an entire season at a time. I once gave myself a bladder infection on a Grey’s Anatomy binge – as if pausing was not an option!? God desires for us to have balance, so that we may live at our optimal level. We are warned of what the consequences will be if we over-indulge on anything, so I wonder why we often still choose to ignore the warnings…. Is it because our culture valorizes extremes? What’s worse is that often we have previously experienced the negative consequences for poor decisions made, yet still pursue the same decision a second or even a third time. Growing up, I’d always hear grown-ups refer to the condition of diabetes as ‘sugar’. They would say “So-&-so has sugar”. When, in contrast, diabetes is a condition that occurs when the body is not able to process sugar effectively. It can also be delayed or prevented through proper diet and lifestyle choices. Understanding what foods to eat and what foods to avoid, among other things, is key to preventing and treating this condition. I know of another individual who was also diagnosed with diabetes, in the latter years of her life. She was determined not to live her life insulin dependent and wanted to prevent herself from reaching that stage. So she became proactive: educating herself on her condition and dietary needs; praying and implementing other healthy lifestyle changes into her daily routine. Doctors were so astonished by the improvement in her health, they recruited her to be part of a medical research study on diabetes, at a well-known academic medical institution. Her lifestyle changes where small and gradual, but had a significantly positive impact on her life. Similar stories, different choices. That really is what moderation and balance is about - being intentional about our choices. I no longer do the Grey’s Anatomy binges. However, one episode at a time can be a bit torturous. As I get the series from an acquaintance, I now only obtain a few episodes (about 3 - 4) at a time and watch when I have time. It’s a start to my ‘doing things in moderation’ goals and I know it’s great for my mental health, as well as my bladder. Faith step: Consider any little changes you can make today to better influence your health and what’s stopping you from pursuing those changes? Write it down, if you like. Pray over that list and ask God to help you.
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