Today, I’m going to discuss reading labels and understanding what you’re consuming. This is an excellent starting point if you’re just beginning your healthy eating journey.

Growing up, my mother faced some health challenges and began researching healthier eating for healing. As a result, she started reading labels, preparing foods I’d never seen before, and sharing her journey with others. Being young, I didn’t pay much attention, but I do remember that when she made her “burgers,” my friends wanted to eat with us. I personally didn’t like them, so I couldn’t understand why my friends loved them so much, but they did. I guess I was a bit rebellious, not wanting to eat healthily at such a young age. It wasn’t until my late 20s that I realized my mother knew best.

I used to be the kind of person who saw something appealing, picked it up at the grocery store, brought it home, prepared it, and ate it, without knowing what was in it, just that it tasted good. I know many people do the same thing.

So, following my mother’s footsteps, I began reading several books, and they all said the same thing: “Read the labels.” I started doing so and was surprised. Half the words I couldn’t pronounce, and I didn’t even know what they were putting in our foods. The more labels I read, the more upset I became. This stuff couldn’t be making me feel good? So, I stopped buying foods with preservatives, additives, artificial coloring, and seed oils. I felt better physically and mentally because I took that step toward better health.

The foods we eat should be whole, single-ingredient options, not the prepackaged foods they try to sell us these days. Always turn over the package and read the ingredients. Never just look at the front, as it’s designed to entice you. Food companies use tricks, so don’t be fooled. If you can’t pronounce or recognize the ingredients, put it back and find healthier choices.

Another way to go is to cook at home. It doesn’t take much time or effort, and you’ll be eating good, healthy meals that you can feel proud of because you made them yourself.

I think it’s important to remember that we only have one body, the temple of the Holy Spirit, and we should love God enough to care for it. That’s what I did, and I’m happy with the results. It’s not a difficult change. Educate yourself on label reading, look up ingredients in your favorite foods, and see what they are. If it’s not a good choice for your body, put it back and find one that is. It takes time to read labels, but after a while, you’ll know which ones contain preservatives, and shopping will be easier. Happy shopping!

This is just the beginning of our journey to living clean by faith. Together, we will post more literature that will help us continue on this path of well-being.