For those of you who receive The Word magazine, I hope you noticed the article by Rita Madden, MPH, RD titled “Eating in an Anciently Refreshing Way” in the December 2010 issue. It’s excellent and soon became a read-aloud for the whole family. It you don’t receive The Word, you can download the article in PDF here.
Since losing weight or eating healthier typically make the January resolution list, Ms. Madden’s thoughts here provide a great starting point for assessing how we think about eating, fasting and natural vs. synthetic foods.
She writes:
“Here is a tip: If God made it then it is a real food. If the food contains many synthetic, artificial and unnecessary ingredients, this food can be considered an imposter, and we do well to remember that God did not create us with the physiology to digest such imposters.”
"Gathering Wheat" by Daniel Ridgway Knight
I appreciate the author’s use of Holy Scripture and the writings of our Church Fathers to focus on the nature of gluttony and the beginning of self-control. I remember Fr. Scott telling me years ago when I was first a catechumen and had questions about fasting, that when we consider the sin of our first parents, Adam & Eve, it began with the temptation for food. Being disciplined to control what goes into our belly is the starting point for self-control in all other areas of our life.
* Reproductions of Mr. Ridgway's work available here.
5 comments:
That reminder about Adam and Eve's fall, the fruit and relating it to eating and gluttony really spoke to me this morning. I never thought about it that way. I will bookmark that article and get back to it.
Great post and nice article on eating, there is so much out there, but basically it comes down to eating for me what is close and what is natural, not always easy in WV LOL!
I was told by one of my friends Father Bill that sin,is when we do things out of order, we let our desires become out of order...just as with any sin...
Thank you for this post...
I don't receive "Word" Magazine. Thanks for the tip.
btw, I love the new header and blog design.
Thanks, Amy. Food for thought.
But I am curious: are not Chocolate and Coca Cola natural foods? Just checking, :)
Rich
E.B. - glad this gave you good food for thought.
Gabriella,
I agree with Father Bill - our desires out of order - yes, sin distorts every pure thing...
Yup, eating natural isn't always easy in WV unless you have your own garden, chickens and such ; ' ) Although, my fav place for good eats in in Charleston is Captiol Market.
Deb, thanks for the compliment ~
Rich, chocolate could be classified as a natural food. coke-a-cola is good for removing corrosion on car batteries ; ' )
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