Something about me

Usually, when I post, I am updating you on something as far as Jordan is concerned. But he is not the only person in this household that has problems when it comes to food. While I believe all of us could benefit from not eating meat, I am the only one who has severe issues with it and has cut it out completely. I believe I became a vegetarian, maybe about two years ago. And man, do I notice a difference.

To give you some history of my physical ailments, I used to have pains in my joints quite often, especially in my knees and ankles. Every once in a while, they would hurt for no reason. I would have to walk down the steps sideways because I felt if I went straight, they would give out on me. This went on for years, and I always thought it was because arthritis ran in the family, and it was something I would have to deal with. Then one day, it hit me.

I was frying chicken tenders for the family. When I would make them, I would try a few out while I was cooking because nine out of ten times, I was hungry too. This one time in particular, after trying one tender, I got a pain in my neck. Almost instantly. It was painful to turn my head. Because it happened after eating it, I decided not to partake in eating it that night. The next day I tried another to see if the same thing happened. The pain returned.  Although not as bad and took a little longer to come, I took it as a sign that this is not a good thing for my body. I had already given up processed beef and pork. I can not remember why I chose to stop eating red meat, but pork gave me flu-like symptoms the last two times I ate it. I guess it was now time to give up the last ones and forgo eating chicken and fish. 

Sometime after I decided not to indulge in chicken anymore, I noticed my knees were no longer hurting. And it was not just for a little while, the pain was gone. The pain in my ankles also went away. It appeared that meat was the cause of everything uncomfortable for me. After letting go of the ground beef, my cycles became lighter and shorter. Now, this? I was happy that I could walk up and down the stairs and have increased physical movement without my knees giving me issues during the middle and not being able to finish. I get a little down because I love chicken and want to eat it and just can't. Cheating on a couple of occasions showed me it is not for me anymore.

The last time I had chicken was sometime in June. My youngest daughter had been asking for something from a fast food restaurant we used to frequent a lot before I stopped eating out. Because of how I ordered, we ended up with two chicken filet sandwiches. Instead of waiting for my vegetarian burgers to heat up, I decided to eat that. Doing so resulted in some pains, but the one thing that stood out the most was one night I felt like there was no air circulating in my room while I was trying to sleep. I really felt like I was suffocating. It was then that I decided that I would not eat meat again, for good.

So now that I am meat-free, and have been for some time only cheating occasionally, here is what I have noticed. Of course, I have already mentioned the fact that I do not have pains in my knees and ankles anymore. So I can go out and run and shoot hoops in my driveway and run on the treadmill and not have any aches. My right knee hurts slightly right now because I have been trying to stay active for the last two weeks, but it is nothing compared to what I used to feel when I used to sit around all day. The second thing I have noticed is significant. I am no longer cold. Even in the summer, I used to lay under blankets because I was cold. I hated to have the air conditioner running, my hands were always freezing, not wanting the fan on at night. Now it is the opposite. I do not mind the air on, as long as it is not blowing directly on me, I love for the fan to be on at night and do not get under the cover unless I want to, not because I need to. If you knew me and how cold I was all the time, you would understand how HUGE this is for me. Dare I say that meat caused me to have anemia? I do not know. All I know it, I like not having pain and being cold. 

I say all this to say, consult God about your diet. He has a different plan for every one of His children. This includes your diet, as well. I would still be shivering, limping, and nonactive had I not asked God what He wants me to eat. He showed me what was not working for me, just like he showed me what was not right for my son. You may not hear what you want and may have to give up some things you do not want to, but would you rather eat what you like and have health issues or listen to Him, remove the foods and feel better physically as well as mentally? Ask Him today what He wants you to eat. 1 Corinthians 10:31, "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."