Archive for January, 2010

My first detox experience was while I was in Chiropractic School. I was struggling with chronic pain, exhaustion and frequent headaches. I was getting adjusted regularly but I had totally abused my body with a diet of fast food and no sleep. I was under extreme amounts of stress. The chiropractic adjustments were definitely helping but I knew I needed something more. So, I sought the guidance of a clinical nutritionist that specialized in detoxification. The initial consultation was exciting and she promised me health and vitality. I was totally on board!

At our next meeting the nutritionist gave me a pamphlet and sold me over $200 of vitamins.  She told me that the first three days I was supposed to eat only raw veggies and fruit. Then on day four I could eat 70% raw veggies/fruit and 30% cooked veggies. I also was required to take a handful of vitamins and have 2-3 shakes a day. That’s it. She did explain the process. She didn’t give me recipes or offer any kind of support. I was to report to her in 28 days once the detox was over to discuss the results.

I went home a bit flustered and confused but figured, hey, I’m smart; I’m in grad school with a little research I can figure this out. I was eager to feel better so….I read thru the pamphlet and went to the grocery store and bought the limited items on the shopping list she provided.

One hundred dollars of carrots cucumbers and celery later I went home and did all my chopping and prep work. The following day I started with the nutrition shake and handful of vitamins. The shake tasted terrible and I was starving within the hour. So, I nibbled on rabbit food until about noon and by that time I had the worst headache of my life. I was miserable, starving, in pain, exhausted, and frustrated. I had no one to turn to, no one to ask about my headache, no one to encourage me. I cheated and ate something terrible like a cookie or something which made me feel even worse. Later that day I completely fell of the wagon. I went out to dinner with my friends and we had PIZZA!  I told my self … ok tomorrow, tomorrow is a new day, I’ll start tomorrow, well, tomorrow ended much like day one and so did day 3.

By day three I was in a full blow crisis mode. My spirit was crushed, my body was starving and my head was pounding. I gave up. I felt like a failure. I felt like I was never going to feel better.

The nutritionist made it seem so easy when I was in her office… what the heck was wrong with me….why couldn’t I do this simple thing? With my wounded spirit I put all the supplements in my medicine cabinet and tried to forget how little self control I had and suffered thru the rest of chiropractic school.

After graduating from Logan College of Chiropractic I moved to Nashville to join an existing practice in Franklin, TN. At the time, Celeste Davis, lifestyle coach, was also working at the same clinic in Franklin, TN.  I was very impressed with the amazing transformations that many of her clients experienced. I was still exhausted from school and I was working long hours and not taking good care of myself. I knew that in order to be the best doctor that I could be something had to give.

I hesitantly decided to try the detox again. I had failed before and I wasn’t sure if I was ready for another potential disappointment. But, I started meeting with Celeste and she walked me through the process. The first three days were a challenge but it was a challenge I was prepared for. Celeste armed me with loads of recipes and told me what to expect. She gave me home work that kept me focused on my goals and educated me as to why eating living food, the way God intended us to eat, was so vital to being healthy.  I had some headaches the first few days because of all of the toxins that were being released. The difference was this time I was able to keep the headaches to a minimum because I was getting adjusted regularly and utilizing enzyme therapy.

After day three I was a different person. I felt lighter, no more headaches, I was bright and still had energy at the end of the day. I had more of myself to give to my patients and my family. After three days I had achieved my goals. Only 3 days!

After the first week I had a complete breakthrough! Celeste helped me identify contradictions in my life and coached me through action steps to eliminate those contradictions. And in one of our sessions I had a major turning point in my life. During our session that day my life changed and I continue to see the benefits from that session daily. Many of the clients that have gone through this experience have breakthroughs in their life.

To this day I still follow many of the eating habits I gained during the detox. I do a mini detox very few months and do a complete detox about once a year. I have been armed with information that has allowed me to adopt a healthy lifestyle with ease.

The Total Health Makeover Program has evolved into a comprehensive program. Now we are combining: chiropractic, colonics, massage therapy and RAW food. This is a winning combination and we are seeing even more breakthroughs happen for our clients. As with anything, you get out of it what you put in. When our clients follow the program and include all four treatments: chiropractic, colonics, massage, and RAW food, they see the best results.

As a team we are always leaning new ways to enhance your experience and serve you better. If you are present and follow the rules and seek help you can change your life

If you are hungry for change let us help you!

Dr. Kathleen Inman, D.C.,  is in practice in the Hermitage, TN, 10 minutes from downtown Nashville. http://www.inmanchiro.com/

We hear this from people all the time, “I can’t afford to eat healthy”.  Today I want to show you how easy and cheap healthy food can be.

The protein sources for the week give a total of 143 grams of protein, equal to 7 servings of chicken or fish.  The total cost is $5.25.  You cannot buy 7 servings of chicken or fish for $5.25.  You can serve 2 people all week on the protein sources below.

• 1 lb bag of 15 bean soup at a cost of $2.00(60 grams protein)
• half pound of Quinoa at a cost of $1.50(63 grams protein)
• 1 cup of cashews at a cost of 1.75 (20 grams protein)

What meals can you make with these ingredients?

Monday – 15 bean soup with homemade organic corn muffins with honey butter and spinach salad with warm garlic dressing (freeze extra muffins for Sunday)

Tuesday – Stir fried veggies with cashews and Quinoa,  Asian cabbage salad

Wednesday – Roasted peppers stuffed with a savory bean quinoa stuffing, romaine salad with homemade ranch dressing

Thursday – Veggie Sandwich with Roasted Pepper hummus and Green Goddess Dressing, yukon gold or sweet potato oven fries

Friday – 15 bean & spicy Quinoa tacos with organic corn tortillas, mexican lime cabbage, pico de gallo and guacamole

Saturday – Homemade cashew butter on Spelt Waffles with warm Raw Agave Nectar

Sunday – Phil’s Kitchen Sink Soup with chef’s salad and left over corn muffins with honey butter.

I can hear the objections now…..beans and nuts every night? I would get sick of that, how can it be healthy?  Let me ask you now, how many times a week or even a DAY do you eat chicken?  The average American consumes 3 ounces of poultry per day, so there you have it, you DO eat the same thing all the time.

Oh, you might say but it is so time consuming to eat healthy. With this menu you cook the beans and quinoa at the same time, in the oven, package them up and freeze or refrigerate them.  Make extra corn muffins on Monday and freeze some for lunch on Sunday.  Make extra stuffed peppers and puree them for roasted pepper hummus sandwiches.  Use some of the cashews to make your own cashew butter on homemade waffles which you can also make extra and freeze.

OK, so I can double up on my cooking time and actually save time and the protein is cheaper but what about all the other food?  I still say it is too expensive to eat healthy.  Answer: If you typically have some type of meat, fish or eggs (animal protein) every night that costs you $5.00 for each meal, you will have already saved $29.75 on your animal protein!

What are the advantages of this menu?

Cost:  As I said approximately $5.25 for the entire protein for the week.  $5.25 MIGHT buy 1-2 lbs of the bottom of the barrel quality hamburger, which will eventually be a detriment to your health!  Which also figures into the cost factor, if you eat well you will spend less money on supplements, drugs and doctor visits.

Quality of protein: According to the health experts, beans, nuts and seeds are the highest quality  and most useable sources of protein.

Fat: The only significant fat content in the protein choices is the cashews, which is a good source of fat.

Taste: There is a good flavor variety in this menu:  American soups and sandwiches, asian dish, mexican and breakfast.

Nutrition: The nutritional profile of these protein sources and the side items served with them far exceeds that of any chicken, turkey, fish or red meat and pasta dish you might usually eat.

Fiber: Animal protein has no fiber.  These are fiber-rich protein sources, providing approximately 70 grams of fiber, which means you get about 10 grams from each meal, a big contribution to your daily requirement of 25 to 30 grams of fiber.

Health Benefits: Beans, nuts and seeds are known to help with Weight loss, lower cholesterol, balance blood sugar, strengthen muscles, cleanse your colon to name a few.

So next time you think eating healthy costs too much, remember this menu.  Also consider the cost of your health, a good diet today will reduce the chance of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and premature aging down the road so you can spend your money on things you enjoy and your time being healthy and happy rather than sick and tired!

These recipes and many other healthy and affordable recipes are in our SOON TO BE RELEASED cookbook,

Give Your Body A Break For Life!

Over 300 pages of our exclusive Detox Plan, Healthy Menu Ideas and recipes!

Watch for our pre-release sale in February!

For more information sign up for our newsletter on our website,

www.thewellnessworkshop.org

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HOW MUCH DO YOU SPEND PER PERSON ON EACH MEAL?

If you buy prepared foods you are spending a lot of  money on food that may have little or no real nutritional value!

In a hurry for a healthy and affordable meal plan?

Check out our e-cookbook

??Eating Well With Less of Everything

Shopping List, Menu and Recipes for an entire week of healthy and affordable food your family will enjoy!

Check it out!

I became interested in fasting this summer because I wanted to help people who do the Daniel Fast learn how to eat during that type of fast.  I also knew some of my clients faced big issues and wanted to fast for them.

A friend loaned us a book about fasting that was a spring board and then I went to God’s Word to see what it said.  I definitely knew God was calling me to fast, however, I also heard him say “Fast for yourself, not for anyone else”.

As I studied fasting I saw a principle I had not seen before.  God does not want us to fast to be heard, to get results, finances, etc.  Those things are by-products of a true fast.

God is concerned about our hearts being right and open before Him.  He promises 18 things that will happen if we fast HIS way and the provision, direction, healing are all listed in those 18 things.  He does not want those things to be our focus.

When we fast, God wants us to focus on allowing Him to loose the bonds of wickedness (deeply rooted sin) in our own lives, allow Him to undo our heavy burdens, allow Him to set us free from oppression and He wants us to be aware of people, things, ideas we have Yoked ourselves to that are not in His plan for us.

I did not really think I had any “bonds of wickedness” but I was obedient.  Phil and I fasted together for 24 hours, starting with dinner on Monday night and breaking our fast with dinner on Tuesday night.  My particular focus was “Lord, show me the bonds of wickedness in my life”.

When you ask God to show you something, look out!  For the last 6 months God and I have been working on my “bonds of wickedness”.  One by one God is peeling back my layers of “holiness” and self-righteousness and showing me His heart for me.

The root of my “bonds of wickedness” appears to be rebellion.  Not the kind that is overt, immoral, drunken, rebellion but a much more subtle and probably more evil kind, “sweet rebellion” my friend Donna called it.  “Celeste, she said, you have sweet rebellion”.  I didn’t understand it at first but I now see that as doing things to please others and making sure I get my way at the same time, I also find myself doing this with God.

People pleasing is a yoke God is revealing to me now.  I am 54, these things are deeply rooted in my life.  Today God revealed to me that I am more in covenant with myself than I realized.  I try to provide my own Identity, Authority, Possessions, Provision and Protection rather than getting that from my covenant relationship with God and my covenant relationship with my husband.

When I made a list of the Identity that I can receive from both God and my husband the qualities were AWESOME!  Why would  I not forsake my own, frail identity and inability to provide for myself and accept theirs and in turn give them mine?  I can only say it is deeply rooted in my flesh and God is going to have to pull out the roots and replant in fertile soil.

Oswald Chambers put it best in My Utmost For His Highest.

“I must will to believe that this can never be done without a violent effort on my part to disassociate myself from my old way of looking at things and by putting myself right over onto Him”.

A violent effort is what it feels like as God reveals my old nature and as I allow Him to give me His new nature.

This is the beginning of my fasting experience, after 6 months, I haven’t even gotten to the next step so it may be awhile but it feels good and right and I know it will produce all those 18 things promised in Isaiah 58.

What did I eat or not eat?

The first 24-hour fast we did was water-only.  We drank water and spent our time in the word and prayer.  Sometimes we prayed together, sometimes alone.

This is an important point.  Fasting is not doing without food so God will hear you.  He specifically says in Isaiah 58, don’t fast to be heard.

Fasting is spending the time and effort you would normally put into food into prayer and the word instead.  We call it fasting from food and feasting on the Word of God and fellowship with Him.

The rest of the fasts I have undertaken have been fasting from Breakfast, with water only and nothing until lunch.  Taking that time of day to seek God about the “bond’s of wickedness” in my life.

Ask God how he wants you to fast.  A Daniel Fast is eating only fruits and veggies, mostly raw and unprepared so you are not spending a lot of time in the kitchen.  We have a cookbook with 100 pages of recipes, most of which are vegetarian and many using raw fruits and veggies.  You can inquire about our cookbook at

thewellnessworkshop@msn.com

Here are some tips:

• You MUST drink water, half your body weight in ounces each day.  You can live without food but not water.  Don’t fast and drink sodas or caffeinated drinks, just water or you may get very sick.

• You should drink only distilled water if you are doing a water-only fast.

• If you are on medications you may need to discuss your fast with your doctor as it may affect the effectiveness and dosage of your meds if you are doing a long fast.

• If you are going to do a juice fast, you MUST use freshly squeezed veggie juice and some fruit juices.  Use ONLY organic veggies and fruits for juicing or you will be getting highly concentrated doses of pesticides and chemicals.

• Don’t try a juice fast on bottled or canned juices, they are just concentrated sugar.  Get a juicer and make your own.  A Champion, Omega or Green Star are the best.  For more information about juicers go to our website.

• If you are doing some food, make sure it is fruits and veggies, not prepared foods, you may get some severe reactions from eating fast food or prepared foods when you are fasting.

• If you use broth, be sure they are organic, vegetable would be better, health wise, than beef or chicken.  Whatever you do, don’t use some type of MSG laden broth as it could really make you sick.

• Get outside for 30 minutes a day to get your Vitamin D.

• You may go through some withdrawal symptoms as you get off alcohol, caffeine, sugar, non-sugar sweeteners and chemicals in processed foods.

• If you drink diet soft drinks regularly (1 or more a day) you may experience flu-like symptoms on the 5th day of being off those soft drinks.  This usually lasts approximately 24 hours and can include vomiting and diarrhea, headache and body ache.  Drink water or broth, allow yourself to rest and you should get over it.  Always seek help from your medical professional for all matters pertaining to your health.

• Realize that as you fast your body may go into a cleansing mode, which may bring on different symptoms.  More information.

• Break your fast with a vegetable soup or broth.

However you decide, don’t get hung up in the details, just get with God and trust Him to work out the details.

I would love to hear your experiences and insight on this vital practice.

The Fast God Honors:  Isaiah 58: 3-14

Are there things in your life that continually keep you down, sick, stuck?  Fasting is a powerful way to break those things!  Look at the benefits God lists of the right kind of fast.

What WILL happen:  v14 “The mouth of The Lord has spoken”. You can count on these results if you follow the instructions.

1. Your light will break forth like the morning. That can happen in these ways:

1. 1. Revelation.  You will receive divine revelation.
   2. Needs being met, any kind of needs.  Wherever you have darkness, closed doors, barriers and obstacles, count on light coming into that place or situation or relationship.
   3. Covenant elements being revealed to you and established in your heart and life:

• Identity as a much-loved child of the KING of the Universe, the Creator.
• Authority: Understanding the authority you have In Christ and living in that.
• Protection:  Accessing the protection God has promised His children.
• Provision:  Looking to God and receiving everything you need for life and Godliness from Him.
• Possessions:  Seeing yourself as a steward.  That everything you own as coming to you from your heavenly Father and knowing He provides all things.

1. Your healing will spring forth speedily.  Body, mind and spirit.
2. Your righteousness shall go before you (protection).
3. The glory of The Lord will be your rear guard (watch your back).
4. You will call and The Lord will answer.  You will cry and He will say, “Here I am”.
5. Your light will dawn in the darkness and your darkness will be as the noonday. Even your darkest hours will only be as dark as daylight.
6. The Lord will continually guide you.
7. The Lord will satisfy your soul in drought (spiritual drought or physical)
8. The Lord will strengthen your bones.
9. You will be like a watered garden.
10. You will be like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
11. Those from among you (your family, those you influence and are in community with) shall build the old waste places.
12. You will raise up the foundations (godly foundations) of many generations.
13. You will be called the Repairer of the Breach (broken places)
14. You will be called the restorer of streets to dwell in
15. You will delight yourself in The Lord
16. God will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth
17. The Lord will feed you with the heritage of Jacob (as the All Sufficient One)

Fasting is not a time to seek God for other people but to get yourself in a place where you can hear His voice and experience His blessings.

Choose to fast a meal, a day, or several days or weeks but when you fast, be sure you spend that time in the Word and prayer, not doing other things.  Then it is just a diet.

Here is the way God says we should fast.  We need to ask Him to do these things in OUR LIVES:

1. Loose the bonds of wickedness

What are sins you continually struggle with, or maybe you don’t even “count”as sin?  Here are a few, you may struggle with some not listed here.

Identify the bonds of wickedness in YOUR life, not those belonging to other people.  This is about YOU purifying yourself before God and kicking out the flesh and the enemy from wreaking any more havoc in your life.

• • • • Lust
      • Lying
      • Rebellion
      • Anger
      • Bitterness
      • Resentment
      • Self reliance or Independence
      • Stealing
      • Robbing God by not tithing
      • Gluttony
      • Addictions
      • Murder
      • Idolatry
      • Materialism
      • Love of money
      • Jealousy
      • Stirring up trouble between other people
      • Selfishness
      • Witchcraft or sorcery
      • Selfish ambition
      • Outbursts of anger
      • False spiritual teaching
      • Drunkenness
      • Partying
      • Sexual promiscuity
      • Sexual sin in your thought life
      • Adultery in your thought life
      • Self pity
      • Uncleanness
      • Lewdness (sexual perversion in thought, talk or action)
      • Manipulating people, circumstances, finances to accomplish your own or “God’s” will or for self-protection.

What to do next:

1. Confess these things as sin, no matter how much you see them as vital or a coping mechanism, stress relief, habits, and family patterns.  They are just plain old SIN.  Tell God you recognize them as sin and ask His forgiveness.
2. Ask God to break the bonds of all of these sins,
3. Ask God to forgive you for participating in these sins
4. Ask God to show you any other sins or bonds of wickedness you are unaware of.

Pray this prayer:

Heavenly Father, I recognize these bonds of wickedness and sin in my life:

Name them – ALL

I ask you to forgive me for allowing these sinful ways of thinking, acting and relating.

I ask you to forgive me for participating in these sins.

I ask you to break the power of these sins completely and permanently from my life including any demonic strongholds.

I ask you to break every bond of wickedness from my life.

I understand that there may be more bonds of wickedness and ask you to reveal them to me so I may be free.

I understand that you love me in spite of my failures and wickedness and that if I were the only person on the face of the earth you would have sent Jesus to die just for me.

I receive your forgiveness and love in Jesus Name.

THEN: Ask God to replace these sin patterns in your life with the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

Pray this prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank you for loving me.  I receive your Love.  I receive your Holy Spirit in a fresh and new way.  Please fill all these empty places where sin had a place in my life with the fruit of your Holy Spirit: Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.  I purpose to crucify the flesh and renounce the sins I have participated in and choose to receive the fruit of your Holy Spirit and walk in the Spirit not the flesh.  When I stumble and fall, or participate willingly in sin and wickedness, please remind me and show me how to walk in the spirit.  In Jesus Name.

1. Undo the heavy burdens

What are your heavy burdens? Losses in relationships, self esteem, powerlessness, loss of a loved one, financial burdens, and physical burdens?  Make a list of your heavy burdens.

Pray this prayer:  Heavenly Father, I receive your love today.  Thank you that your word says that the burdens you give us are light.  I ask you to undo the heavy burdens in my life.  These are the ones I can think of:  Name them ALL.  Thank you for removing these burdens and giving me YOUR burdens, which I know I will be able to bear.  In Jesus Name.

1. Let the oppressed go free. The word “oppressed” presents a picture of a clay pot that is under so much pressure it is about to crack into pieces.  What are the areas you feel you are about to crack into pieces?  Make a list of those areas.  Ask God to set you free from those things.

Pray this prayer: Heavenly Father, your word says, “whom the Son sets free is free indeed.”  I ask you to set me free from every oppression in my life.  I ask you to strengthen the places where I feel I am “cracking up” and send away all the forces of evil that are oppressing me.  Please show me where I am participating in that oppression or opening myself up to it, in Jesus Name.  I receive the freedom that Jesus Christ gives, in Jesus Name, Amen.

1. Break every yoke. These are places where you are tied to or “hooked up” with unbelievers, wicked philosophies, anything that is not of God.  Make a list of these things.

Pray this prayer: Heavenly Father, your word says that YOUR YOKE is easy.  These things that I have been hooked to are dragging me through life.  I pray that you would break these yokes and I commit myself to only be yoked to you.  In Jesus Name, Amen.

Do not do these things:

1. Do not make everyone else do your work because you are fasting, exploit others
2. Do not use it as a time of leisure for your own pleasure
3. Do not use it to win an argument or bring harm to someone else
4. Do not do it so that God will hear your voice
5. Do not do it to put others into bondage to you or someone else
6. Do not have a judgmental attitude or entertain judgemental thoughts towards others
7. Do not blame others for your problems
8. Do not isolate yourself from your family and friends

Do these things:

1. Keep the Sabbath – 24 hours
   1. During your Sabbath, do not do your own pleasure, this is the Lord’s day
   2. Honor the Lord on that day with all of your activities and thoughts
   3. Do not spend the Sabbath doing your own pleasure or speaking your own words
   4. Call the Sabbath a delight, not a burden

Share your bread with the hungry

1. 1. Share your food
   2. Share with others what God is doing in your life

1. Bring the poor and outcasts to your house (these could be homeless or possibly social or spiritual outcasts.
2. When you see the naked, cover him (this could be physically someone who needs clothing or it could be someone who is spiritually naked and destitute)
   1. Physically naked – buy someone some clothes, clean out your closet and give things away that are good quality that you don’t need or that God tells you to give away.
   2. Spiritually naked – you will have heightened spiritual awareness, use this to pray for people, clothe people with dignity in your words and actions.

1. Extend your soul to the hungry.  This is mentioned twice.  Again, share food that you eat and spiritual food you have been given through this time of seeking God and being in the Word.
2. Satisfy the afflicted soul.  When you see a need, meet it, whether praying WITH someone, FOR someone or meeting a practical need.

There are many things I have not understood about Jesus and the way He lived His life but today I believe it all came together for me.

For 33 years Jesus lived fully as a human being. Jesus lived with His earthly father and mother and siblings.  He worked for His earthly father, as all men did, learning the family trade of being a carpenter.  He lived and took part in the social and religious culture of His time learning and following traditions of men.  He experienced life as every human in every culture does.

At the age of manhood, 12, Jesus identified Himself with His heavenly father. At 30 years of age, Jesus’ humanity was buried in water baptism and He was filled with the Holy Spirit, the heavenly dove. His heavenly father identified Jesus as His son and proclaimed to Himself, to Jesus and the physical world and the spiritual world Jesus’ true identity.  “This is my beloved son, I am extremely pleased with Him.” Matthew 3:17.

Jesus had passed the test of humanity.  He had managed to live in the world but not be of the world and His true father was extremely pleased.

John the Baptist declared Jesus mission in life: “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.  His winnowing fan is in his hand and he will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

Why was Jesus Baptized? Jesus mission to baptize us with the Holy Spirit is a gift to us, Jesus in the flesh could only be with one person at a time, after His death, the Holy Spirit came to fill ALL men and the fire of God is available to all of us.

Baptism, to the Jew was extremely significant.  They were required to do a full body emersion before they came into the presence of God to present a sacrifice.  They also saw baptism as a “new birth”, cleansing from the flesh and taking on the spirit.  Jesus’ baptism was significant for his new identity with his heavenly father.

Likewise, when we are baptized in the Holy Spirit, we have a new way of looking at things, rather than operating in the flesh, we have the ability to operate more fully in the gifts of the Spirit and allow the fruit of the Spirit to have full expression in our lives.

What is the significance of the winnowing fan, threshing floor? John the Baptist said Jesus would bring his winnowing fan to the threshing floor.  Every significant event in the Old Testament regarding God’s covenant with his people took place on a Threshing Floor.  The Threshing Floor was the place where the seeds were separated from the chaff, revealing the true harvest.  Jesus works in our life to separate the chaff our fleshly accomplishments and life views from the true, life giving seed that comes from God alone.

Jesus had to fast from being human so He could accomplish His mission from God. Immediately after being baptized, Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.  So, he was declared as the supernatural Son of God and then led out to be tempted.  He fasted for 40 days.  I believe He was fasting from being human, cleansing himself from the 30 years of walking, living, learning the ways of men.

I think that is what Isaiah 58 is all about, fasting from being human. At the beginning of the chapter God rebukes Israel for the way they fasted.  Their reasons for fasting were:

1. To win a debate or be right about something. (V4)
2. To strike someone you thought deserved judgment or punishment.
3. To be heard by God.
4. To look spiritual.

God rebuked them, not only for their motives but for what they did while fasting:

1. Finding things to do for pleasure (perhaps to take their mind off not eating)
2. Exploit those around them, making others carry their responsibilities, exploiting, taking advantage of others.
3. Trying to “look spiritual’ to others.

They were definitely just “being human”.

Then in verse 6 God tells them what He wants them to fast from:

1. To loose the bonds of wickedness.
2. To undo heavy burdens.
3. To let the oppressed go free.
4. To break every yoke.

In other words, fast from being human.  When I began to think about fasting this summer, my goal was to fast for some other people I thought really needed God’s help.  God specifically spoke to my heart that I was only to fast for myself.  To break the bonds of wickedness in my own life, undo my own heavy burdens, be freed from my own oppression and break every yoke in my life that was not of Him.

I thought, OK, well I don’t really think I HAVE too many of those things but I’ll do it, well it has been 6 months and he has revealed and continues to reveal MANY areas I need work on.  It has been amazing and freeing.

With regard to Being Human, 1 John 2:15 & 16 lays it out like this:

Do not love the world or the things in the world.  If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world:

• The lust of the flesh
• The lust of the eyes
• The pride of life

Is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; BUT he who does the will of God abides forever.

From these three things grow every temptation known to man.  In the Garden of Eden, these were the only three things Satan had to offer Eve – The lust of the flesh…the apple will taste good.  The lust of the eyes – look how beautiful it is, it cannot be bad.  The pride of life – if you eat it, you will be wise, in fact, you will be like God himself!

This is hard; we can’t do this on our own.  We are only able to do this with the Spirit of God in us.  Even then we must every day submit ourselves to the guidance and character of the Spirit of God in order to DO the will of God.

Matthew Henry’s Commentary

1 John 2:15-17 “The things of the world may be desired and possessed for the uses and purposes which God intended, and they are to be used by his grace, and to his glory; but believers must not seek or value them for those purposes to which sin abuses them. The world draws the heart from God; and the more the love of the world prevails, the more the love of God decays.”

John Wesley’s Commentary

“The desire of the flesh – Of the pleasure of the outward senses, whether of the taste, smell, or touch. The desire of the eye – Of the pleasures of imagination, to which the eye chiefly is subservient; of that internal sense whereby we relish whatever is grand, new, or beautiful.

The pride of life – All that pomp in clothes, houses, furniture, equipage, manner of living, which generally procure honor from the bulk of mankind, and so gratify pride and vanity. It therefore directly includes the desire of praise, and, remotely, covetousness. All these desires are not from God, but from the prince of this world.”

“He who is born of God alone turns to God; he who is of the world turns to the world; the sources of love to God and love to the world, are irreconcilably distinct.” Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

So, on a daily basis, we must fast – from the bonds (when I think of the word bond I think of a medieval movie of a dungeon.  There are prisoners lined up against the dark, damp wall with bonds (metal bands) around their wrists and ankles and chains that hold them to the wall, the chains extremely limiting movement.  They are not free to move around, even to take care of their most basic needs.

So what are the bonds of wickedness from being human?

The lust of the flesh: Indulging our appetites

Our flesh, our physical bodies CRY OUT for pleasure, comfort and approval.  We want comfortable homes, relationships, even food.  We also cry out for pleasure, which often becomes an escape due to the lack of comfort in our lives.

• The appetite for Pleasure – God put the desire for pleasure in us.  He gave us the desire & ability to gain pleasure from relationships, from sex, from food, from accomplishments and talents, even from helping other people.  These things are not bad in themselves; they are bad when we feel we must have them over God and without regard to how our gaining those things affects other people.
• The appetite for Comfort – God also gave us the desire to be comfortable and at ease.  To desire peace and in our hearts, our minds, our bodies and our world.  Comfort becomes wrong when it becomes the main thing and when we use other people, or even the power and word of God to gain our own comfort.  Sometimes it is emotional comfort we seek.  We often look for that in relationships and use other people to fulfill our own needs rather than having our focus on meeting the needs of others.
• The appetite for approval

God has an answer for these things:

In His presence is fullness of joy.

My God shall supply ALL your needs according to His riches in glory (not our resources).

The Holy Spirit is the comforter.

The lust of the eyes:

• Material possessions
• Physical beauty

The pride of life:

• Power
• Notoriety
• Wealth

These are the things Satan offered to Jesus when he tempted Jesus in the desert.

Matthew 4:1-1

Comfort – you haven’t eaten in 40 days – turn the stones into bread.  He first came at him with his humanity and meeting his base needs.  Most of us are caught in this first temptation and satan doesn’t have to tempt us in anything else.  Meet your own base needs, you deserve it, you have to (eat, have pleasure, have comfort, etc.).

So when we are tempted to meet our own basic needs for pleasure and comfort, the bonds of wickedness may involve:

• Using people because we are afraid otherwise our needs won’t be met.
• Taking advantage of other people’s weaknesses or needs so our needs can be met.
• Compromising ourselves because we are afraid our needs won’t be met.
• Being nice to people so our needs can be met or we can get what we want from them.
• Stealing because we are afraid our needs won’t be met.
• Lying because we feel we must protect ourselves or to get our needs met.

Pride – throw yourself off the temple roof, the angels will catch you & you won’t be hurt.

Lust & Power – worship me & I’ll give you all the kingdoms of the world & their glory.

Matthew Henry’s Commentary:

“The things of the world quickly fade and die away; desire itself will ere long fail and cease, but holy affection is not like the lust that passes away. The love of God shall never fail. Many vain efforts have been made to evade the force of this passage by limitations, distinctions, or exceptions. Many have tried to show how far we may be carnally minded, and love the world; but the plain meaning of these verses cannot easily be mistaken. Unless this victory over the world is begun in the heart, a man has no root in himself, but will fall away, or at most remain an unfruitful professor. Yet these vanities are so alluring to the corruption in our hearts, that without constant watching and prayer, we cannot escape the world, or obtain victory over the god and prince of it.”

The fast God chooses Isaiah 58

Matthew Henry’s Commentary:

“A fast is a day to afflict the soul; if it does not express true sorrow for sin, and does not promote the putting away of sin, it is not a fast. These professors had shown sorrow on stated or occasioned fasts. But they indulged pride, covetousness, and malignant passions. To be liberal and merciful is more acceptable to God than mere fasting, which, without them, is vain and hypocritical. Many who seem humble in God’s house, are hard at home, and harass their families. But no man’s faith justifies, which does not work by love. Yet persons, families, neighborhoods, churches, or nations, show repentance and sorrow for sin, by keeping a fast sincerely, and, from right motives, repenting, and doing good works. The heavy yoke of sin and oppression must be removed. As sin and sorrow dry the bones and weaken the strongest human constitution; so the duties of kindness and charity strengthen and refresh both body and mind. Those who do justly and love mercy shall have the comfort, even in this world. Good works will bring the blessing of God, provided they are done from love to God and man, and wrought in the soul by the Holy Spirit.”

I always tell my female clients, regardless of their age and fertility status, “if you don’t want to get pregnant any time soon, use protection during and after your detox”.  Some of them believe me some of them don’t.

The hardest people to convince are those who are pre-menopausal or post-menopausal, after all, it’s just not possible!  That is what one mother of 4 thought, after all, it had been 8 years since the birth of her last child AND she was having those pesky pre-menopausal periods, and other symptoms like mood swings, hot flashes and no energy.  Pregnancy at her age just wasn’t possible.

Not possible until a few months after her detox when she found herself, you’ve got it…pregnant with her 5th, yes, 5th child!  Her family is thankful for this detox baby and by the way, Josiah was born on my birthday!  August 20, 2009.  Here is a photo of Josiah and his happy siblings.

Josiah is our fourth Give Your Body A Break Detox baby ( that we know of).

Infertility is on the rise, the CDC (Center for Disease Control, US Government), reports that 7.3 million women seek infertility treatment in the United States each year.  50 years ago the average birth rate was 2.1 per female, down now to 1.5 births per female, due largely to infertility.

There are many causes of female infertility, but they can be narrowed down to two root issues; poor body function and too much stress.  Our Give Your Body A Break Detox address both of those issues.  People report a 60% to 100%  increase in their overall health and well-being in just 28-days.  They also learn to deal with stress, improve time management and deal with heart issues, such as bitterness, resentment and unforgiveness.

Why does detoxing work to increase fertility? God designed your body to work correctly and to bear children, if some part is not working right or not properly nourished, your body may not allow you to conceive.  Cleansing through detoxification removes toxins, restores body function and replaces missing nutrients.  Besides that, it makes you feel fabulous!

It’s important to detox correctly. Purchasing a “box detox” at the health food store or on-line will remove toxins from your body.  What happens after you are finished taking the cleansing supplements or drinking the cleansing drinks, like the master cleanse?  If you have not nourished your body’s own detoxification system, you will fill up with toxins once again and all the money and effort may be wasted.

Your body was created to detoxify on a daily basis, however, the food you eat and many times the foods you DON”T eat,  and your lifestyle may prevent your body from doing it’s job.  The Give Your Body A Break Detox makes sure you get the right foods to help your body do it’s job of cleansing and rebuilding stronger.

Many people begin but do not finish a detox program because they don’t know how to do it properly, feel initially worse, rather than better or just don’t have the ability to do it alone.  A coach is a great sounding board and accountability partner for any life change, but especially for a body detoxification program.

Maybe it is your hubby that isn’t getting the “swimmers up stream”, detoxing can help him too and detoxing as a couple can bring you together on many levels for the rest of your life.  World leaders in male infertility cite damaged DNA as the primary cause. “Sperm DNA can be damaged by lifestyle factors including smoking, alcohol, drugs and obesity.”  (British Andrology Society’s annual conference at Queen’s University in Belfast).

What damages DNA? For many of us, the primary source is a chemical called Sodium Benzoate, found in most non-organic processed foods, dyes, juices and drinks.

The great news is, DNA can be repaired by good food. University studies have shown that even a moderate increase in fresh fruits and vegetables can initiate DNA repair and reduce DNA damage.

One of our special fertility boosting foods is known to increase sperm count by 180%.

Our Give Your Body A Break detox is a simple way to repair DNA, nourish your body and Give Your Body A Break from toxic foods, lifestyle habits and thoughts.  We coach you with recipes, overcoming obstacles and listening to your body.  We also have licensed health care professionals who believe in natural healing over drugs and tests and are ready to help you with your health care issues.

Be sure and consult with your doctor in all matters pertaining to your health but also consider that your body may just need a break!

We would love to add your new baby to our “detox baby” gallery…Give Your Body A Break!

I tend to be a little behind the times when it comes to news events, movies, celebrities so it is no surprise that I just watched, and was deeply affected by a movie from 1992, Lorenzo’s Oil.

Lorenzo’s Oil is the true story of a young boy with an excruciating and incurable disease, ALD.  Given a prognosis of 2 years to live, his body function dwindled to that of a vegetable.  His parents questioned the medical community, studied for years, asked questions and ultimately discovered a way to prolong his life, improve his life and absolutely change the future of generations of boys who are born with ALD.

It was their passion for their son that funded and discovered,  a cause/effect and commissioned and funded this ground breaking treatment. His parents did this while working to make a living, and supporting and caring for their now invalid son.  Uneducated, passionate people accomplished what  groups of educated scientists and doctors, PAID to do research and development of a cure for ALD, were unable to accomplish.

This is the passion that changes the world. I realize that these people did what they did out of love and do not need any compensation or reward, however, I can’t help but wonder, why did these people not get the Nobel Peace Prize or some other coveted, multi-million dollar award for saving countless lives.  Conversely, why did Barak Obama receive such an award and for what.  Just wondering.

Post Script:  There is a new movie along the same lines with Harrison Ford called Risky Business.  Have you seen it?