In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth and populated the Earth with broccoli, cauliflower and spinach, green and yellow and red vegetables of all kinds, so Man and Woman would live long and healthy lives.
Then using God’s great gifts, Satan created Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream and Krispy Kreme Donuts. And Satan said, ‘You want chocolate with that?’ and Man said, ‘Yes!’ and Woman said, ‘And as long as you’re at it, add some sprinkles.’ And they gained 10 pounds. And Satan smiled.
And God created the healthful yogurt that Woman might keep the figure that Man found so fair.
And Satan brought forth white flour from the wheat and sugar from the cane and combined them. And Woman went from size 6 to size 14.
So God said, ‘Try my fresh green salad.’ And Satan presented Thousand-Island Dressing, buttery croutons and garlic toast on the side. And Man and Woman unfastened their belts following the repast.
God then said, ‘I have sent you heart healthy vegetables and olive oil in which to cook them.
And Satan brought forth deep fried fish and chicken-
fried steak so big it needed its own platter. And Man gained more weight and his cholesterol went through the roof.
God then brought forth running shoes so that His children might lose those extra pounds. And Satan gave cable TV with a remote control so Man would not have to toil 
changing the channels. And Man and Woman laughed and cried before the flickering blue light and gained pounds.
Then God brought forth the potato, naturally low in fat and brimming with nutrition. And Satan peeled off the healthful skin and sliced the starchy center into chips and deep-fried them. And Man gained pounds.
God then gave lean beef so that Man might consume fewer calories and still satisfy his appetite. And Satan created McDonald’s and its 99-cent double cheeseburger. Then said, ‘You want fries with that?’ And Man replied, ‘Yes! And super size them!’ And Satan said, ‘It is good.’ And Man went into
cardiac arrest.
God sighed and created quadruple bypass surgery.
Then Satan created HMOs.
(I wish I’d written this. If anyone knows who did, please let me know so I can give him or her the credit.)
Over a long period of time we develop habits that slowly erode our health and sense of well being and chalk up ailments like heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis, poor digestion, depression and anxiety to aging. And then when we’re asked, “How are you?” we say, “Fine,” as if all these ailments are natural and normal.
What would happen if we allowed ourselves to eat what truly nourishes us best physically and emotionally? Perhaps the temperature of the water wouldn’t reach boiling point or if it got close, we’d feel the heat before it got too late; before we developed these chronic and degenerative diseases.
Then it wouldn’t be necessary to ask, “How does that make you feel.” Go ahead, try it. Put me out of a job. I’m all for it.
That last statement in this article is news to me. The power of belief is demonstrated yet again.
According to an article in Woman’s World, October 31 2011 — While it’s not something anyone wants to do every day, the latest research 
proves that a good cry from time to time can actually:
Detoxify your body!
Research shows that emotional tears – unlike say, those from cutting onions – remove toxins from your body that build up in response to stress you experience.
Prevent some eye infections!
All tears contain lysozyme, a fluid that can kill 90% to 95% of all bacteria in just 5 to 10 minutes.
Protect your heart!
Suppressing tears increases stress levels, which can cause blood pressure to spike & wreak havoc on your nervous and cardiovascular systems. But there’s a catch: To reap this benefit, you have to believe that crying is a good thing, not a sign of weakness, reveals a new study in the journal Current Directions in Psychological Science.
Thank you, Ann Morrison Hession, life and business coach from On Track and On Purpose Coaching, for bringing this poster to my attention!
Holidays can be a dreaded nightmare for people who struggle with their weight. It often feels like there are endless parties and delicious food everywhere enticing us to indulge while tempting us to ruin our intentions to “be good.” Being good means not eating what we want or suffering the consequences by feeling guilt and shame for indulging our weakness.
The advertising in women’s magazines are major culprits in perpetrating the mixed messages about food. Around every major holiday, there are hundreds if not thousands of magazine and on-line columns advising women on how to not gain weight. Have you ever tried to follow those well-meaning but often ridiculous suggestions? Here are a few…
Have you ever noticed that all these holiday tips for not gaining weight are directly across from recipes with photos of gooey sensuously rich — and therefore “sinful” desserts? Since when did what we eat become a moral issue or religious dilemma? Juxtaposing recipes and weight loss tips is a subliminal and confusing message that is designed to keep us in a terrible bind. You either indulge in the sinful delights and feel bad about yourself or you deprive yourself and just plain feel bad. It’s a crazy merry-go-round of insecurity, shame and guilt. Most of all, these double messages foster a distrust of our bodies to know what tastes good, to know when we are full and when we are satisfied.
In all of these “tips for not gaining weight during the holidays”, there is rarely mention of enjoying and tasting your food; just behaviors to reinforce the obsession over what you put in your mouth.
Weird strategies that make sense
Don’t pay attention to those stupid holiday eating tips. Holidays are meant to be enjoyed, food is part of the celebration and the experience doesn’t have to be dreaded or torture. Food isn’t sinful, good or bad. It’s fuel for our body and it’s supposed to be pleasurable to eat. What these alternative tips are encouraging you to do is practice radical self care. I suggest doing this not only during the holidays but every day. Try it. See what happens. You might like it and I hope you do.
Happy Holidays!
