Healthy ministry!

"Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? *** For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple." 1 Corinthians 3:16-17

One of this team's field ministries is heath and well-being education from the Scriptural perspective of our bodies as temples, dedicated to serving God.  We do this teaching ministry (described in past posts as the "hygiene station") both with groups and with individuals who need special attention.

Many of the people we serve abroad have never had any information or instruction on how to preserve their health and increase their well-being.  Many of the children we see have teeth with cavities or cracks; many of the adults no longer have their teeth. As in many places in the world, here there are individuals who struggle with obesity, stomach/intestinal issues, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

Ann, a dietitian, has led this health and well-being effort, with the assistance of our interpreters.  The medical providers make specific referrals to her of those individuals with diabetes, weight, high blood pressure, and dental issues.

Most of the team has now heard her presentation dozens of times--a few of us now dream about it; some of us can repeat it verbatim.  Much of the information is straightforward to us, but some was surprising, even to us.  All of it is of such value, however, to everyone's continued ministry, in any country, that we have decided to post a summary of Ann's message:

"We are going to talk about what to eat and drink to keep your body and teeth healthy, because our bodies are the Temple of the Holy Spirit.  Therefore, we want to take good care of ourselves, so we can serve God for a long time.

looking at teeth

Learning how to brush teeth correctly

Drilling out cavities

Starting with our teeth, we know that some of the food we eat sticks to our teeth, even if we can't see it. We need to brush carefully after each meal to remove these food particles and the bacteria that turn into cavities.  We also need to eat foods that are healthy for our teeth and body.

Fruits and vegetables, of all the colors of the rainbow, are good for your teeth and body.  Save sweets, such as candy, desserts and soda, for occasional treats, not every day.  Brushing teeth after each meal is the key to preventing more cavities.  However, in situations where you cannot brush, use clean water to rinse your teeth and mouth whenever possible.

Too much sugar causes a lot of physical illnesses.  Sweetened beverages, such as sodas, have a lot of sugar.  One 12 oz. soda, for example,  has 10 to 12 teaspoons of sugar.  Drinking 2 sodas every day equals over 4 pounds of sugar in a month! This is not only bad for teeth, it also increases our weight due to the calories from all that sugar, and has other consequences to our overall health.

Teaching kids about healthy foods

It has been shown that drinking sweetened beverages increases the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Exercise is also important in diabetes prevention and control of blood sugar.  It also helps lower blood pressure, which helps your heart.

Exercising with the students

Limiting salt intake, in cooking and in salty snacks, also helps lower blood pressure.  Using many of the herbs grown in Guatemala are great ways to add flavor instead of using salt."

Instructing adults about food

At the end of the group presentation, group members were "quizzed" about some of the topics discussed and had a chance to add comments or ask questions.  Everyone was very surprised that there was so much sugar in soda: the visual of 12 teaspoons of sugar in a pop can and a 4 pound bag of sugar in a month drove the message home: it is easy to put too much sugar into our bodies.  They had also never thought of using less salt in some foods, such as in cooking beans.

For those that already had diabetes, guidelines on what to eat were provided:

Eat 3 meals and 1-3 small snacks on a regular schedule.
Avoid, or limit to special occasions, sweets such as candy, desserts, fruit juices and regular soda.

Foods that have less effect on blood sugar are:  Unsweetened beverages, including tea and coffee; small amounts of sugar substitutes can be added.

Low starch vegetables such as leafy green vegetables, green beans, celery, bell peppers, radishes, cucumbers, etc., should be included in meals and snacks.

Lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs and cheese have very little effect on blood sugar; include 2-3 servings of these daily.

Carbohydrate foods contain sugar, including milk, fruit, starchy vegetables, such as potatores, corn, yuca, plantains, dried beans/peas, and grains such as rice, pasta, cereal, bread, and tortillas.

Portion control of such carb foods is important: women should average 3-4 carbohydrate servings per meal, and men should average 4-5 serving per meal.  Snacks should be 0-2 carbohydrate servings.

These are general guidelines; sample menu ideas were individualized based on diet history, activity and medication.

Individuals with any medical issues should seek the counsel and advice of their physician, which might include a referral to a dietician, in addition to perhaps prescribed medication.

Stay healthy, and serve the Lord!

Blessings from your 2015 Guatemala mission team.  And may your teeth be with you!