PASTOR DAVE’S MUSINGS FROM THE HEARTLAND

November 9, 2022

CARBS

Every six months I see my cardiologist. His nurse takes my weight, blood pressure and heart rate.  She also gives me an EKG.  The doctor goes over the results, asks how I have been doing, and makes any changes to my medications that he feels necessary.  Every time when he finishes, he will stress the importance of exercise and diet.  I am good on the first suggestion because he has seen me exercising at Fitness Forum at LifePlex.  The second suggestion is another matter.  He makes it clear that it would be good for my total health if I would lose some weight.  More specifically, I should cut back on the sugars and carbs.

After my last visit I decided unless I wanted him to make the same recommendation the next time I see him in six months I might want to do something about my carbs intake.  Well going on a low carbohydrate diet does not sound good in fact it would mean that I would have to almost eliminate some of my favorite foods: breads, grains, potatoes, corn, pasta, cereals, chips and crackers.  The good news is that I can still eat eggs, meat, sea foods, olives, nuts, seeds, cheese, butter and the best of all a small amount of dark chocolate.  Coffee and tea are fine.

The first two verses of chapter twelve of Paul’s letter to the Romans serves as a bridge from the theological part of his epistle to the ethical part.  In verse two Paul tells his readers, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God – what is good and acceptable and perfect.”  (Romans 12:2)  While I am sure that Paul did not have dieting in mind when he wrote verse two, I think that it works well with trying to lose weight and coming to terms with carbs.

First, Paul writes “Do not be conformed to this world.”  The world loves their carbs.  This week I went out to eat twice.  The menus were resplendent with a plethora of carbohydrates.  Fast food chains love their carbs.  You can get almost anything on a bun.  Grocery stores have whole aisles brimming with carbs.  Carbohydrates make wonderful snacks.  If I want to lose weight I can not give in to the world temptations.

To avoid all the carb’s temptations of this world, I need to take Paul’s advice and reprogram my mind.  Before I buy anything check the carbohydrates.  Begin to amass a list of foods I like that are low in carbs.  Find the few things on restaurant’s menus that I can eat that are good and acceptable and perfect.  Remind myself that nuts, cheese and olives make great snacks.  Still trying to find something on which to put butter!  The choices are few!

One thing that Paul does not mention in this verse is that once one had made the decision to rethink how one eats, it is important that one does not have a relapse.  The transformation needs to be permanent.

I figure all I need to do is lose one pound a week until I see my cardiologist again.  That should make him happy.  Then the only problem is to keep my weight at or below that level on subsequent visits so that I will not once again receive his stern criticism.

(This article was originally published on November 10, 2019.)