July 10, 2012 - Eat With Your Eyes

Good morning and thanks for your prayers for Terry's mother. She is very frail and will more than likely be moved to hospice soon. She has developed a staph infection in her blood that is almost always fatal with the elderly who are already so ill. However, we trust God for his perfect will in this matter. My husband is with her and was able to speak with her for a few moments yesterday. That is a GOOD thing! Thanks for your continued prayers for Granny Hill. Last week one of our family responded to my blog and remarked, "we really do eat with our eyes." She had brought several colorful veggies from the garden, washed and prepared them, and while arranging them on her plate marveled at the colors - how vibrant. I immediately thought about how much I LOVE color. I so much enjoy sitting in a room with life, warmth and color as opposed to a black and white or sterile surrounding. When my plate is filled with colorful foods, which I know are healthy, I FEEL differently about the meal. It's almost a sense of JOY before I start eating recognizing that I am giving my body the best choices so that it can, in turn, refuel my organs and keep me at optimum efficiency until my eternal birth date. That really is true. It's kind of my challenge daily right now - how many colors am I getting in? :) How many did you get in yesterday? Speaking of eyes, wanted to remind you that those beautifully colored foods ALSO help ensure eye health. A poor diet can lead to inflammation and increased risk of cataracts, macular degeneration and other "eye-related" problems. On the fiip side - some foods, like blueberries, can actually PROMOTE eye health. Can you say deep, rich color? Blueberries are rich in antioxidants that help in a host of areas, especially keeping our cells "fighting" any bad guys that try to act rebellious and mutate as they divide. We call those cancer cells - rebellious, mind-of-their own, sneaky guys. But, we can feed our bodies with whole, healthy foods and actually help OUR HEALTHY cells fight the rebellious ones and that is a great thing! So, as you approach your meals today - count the colors of your fruits and veggies and vary them meal to meal so that the differing vitamins and minerals are incorporated throughout the day. Eat with and for your EYES today - PK