John 16:33b  NLT "Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world."


Trials and sorrows.  Sometimes it doesn't seem fair.  But there it is, and in my Bible, it is written in red because it is what Jesus said. Now, I am definitely NOT a Bible teacher. I state that right now.  But I have been reading over and over about this and about how important it is for us in how we react when trials and sorrows come.  I will be the first to admit, that this used to make me very mad.  But as I have aged and matured in life, I am starting to really see the importance of this. 

So what does this have to do with my health?  Well, for one, it is very hard, if not sometimes entirely impossible to get up and fight the good fight, pick up your cross and follow Him, if you feel like crap.  I believe, in my own view that physical, mental, emotional health all go hand in hand with spiritual health. And since this verse does not say "if" you have trials and sorrows, but basically "when" you have trials and sorrows, that this verse makes it my responsibility to take care of myself and keep myself healthy, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically in order to follow after Him.  I'm not saying that you can't be a good Christian and be sick.  There are plenty of amazing Christians who have persevered through illness. I am saying that for me, personally, I struggle to have a good walk, strong faith when I don't feel well and when I feel that I am fighting against my own body. 

Several months ago, I got sick of myself.  My desire is to be a woman of deep and strong faith, and I just wasn't able to do that because I couldn't function due to my health. Being sick most of the time affected my mind, which then affected my emotions and went on to affect my spirit. So I decided to make a change. 

Because I am diabetic I have been struggling to maintain at least an even blood sugar reading throughout the day.  I would spike and feel drugged, and then I would drop and feel drugged, and I was so fatigued that not only could I not function, I could not even think clearly sometimes.  My vision was messed up, my brain was foggy. I had a hard time remembering words, names or dates. It affected my life in so many negative ways that I was not only sick, I was sick of myself.

One day, I just decided that I was not going to eat any more foods that contained sugar (of course), flour, corn, potatoes or rice.  I started buying veggie trays, frozen veggies and lots of salmon and chicken.  And at that time I was not too picky about the other things, such as dips or dressings.  But I started to feel better, and when I started to feel better and be able to function better, my mind was better and I was able to focus more, and my sugar was not going up and down nearly as much as before.  I was doing pretty good.  Better than I had in years.

Then I got sick again. What I thought was a routine UTI or kidney infection turned out to be diverticulitis.  I was sick for weeks, my sugar was back to spiking and dropping, or just being high. I was struggling to find a balance again. 

So I started researching and I decided to go full on keto.  But with the diverticulitis, I had to start slowly because there are questions about what foods can cause a flair-up, so it continues to be a slow process as I try and add more foods to my diet.  I am not a die-hard extremely strict keto follower, but in my research, I have found that that is okay.  And I am pleased with the results.

When I had diverticulitis, I did drop almost 20 pounds in like a week as I was unable to eat anything at all, and one of my biggest fears was that I would gain that weight back.  However, I have not.  I did gain a little bit back at first, but I am pleased that I have lost that and more.  Not only that, I have the benefit of feeling better, the neuropathy in my feet has gotten so much better I barely notice it anymore.  Much of the time my sugar is in a normal range.  And by normal, I mean that of a non-diabetic. 

One of the other problems I was having was that I was hot, all the time.  I have been having to freeze my family out of house and home because I could never get cool enough.  Within the last week or so, I have actually had to turn the air conditioner up because I have been cold.  So I think, hope and pray, that maybe my body temperature is starting to regulate itself a little better. 

Now, once again, I state that I am not a Dr.  I do not work in the medical field.  I am just telling you my experience and what I am seeing.  And there have been a couple of times where I have not stuck to the plan and I have ended up not feeling well.

I am starting to learn more and more what foods affect me badly, what foods make me feel better, what foods keep my sugar where it should be.  I am reading more labels, which is very, very important, and I have been doing more research. 

For me, this has been and is a positive experience.  One that I intend on keeping.  And I hope and pray that as I start to feel better and better, that it will become even easier to focus on my spiritual life and to pick up my cross and follow after Him with more gusto because He is my saving grace.