What influences your food choices?

I am humbled by all the very thoughtful comments being posted. Nice work! Thank you.


As one commenter queried, “How do you maintain the spiritual facts of being, decide what food to buy, and not get caught up into all the material health laws you hear about these days?”


This is a critical question to answer because the more one’s thinking gets down at a mortal level of contemplating calories and carbohydrates, fat and sugar, fiber or not, it loses sight of Spirit, God. You just can’t stay mentally focused on the chemistry of food and spiritual truth at the same time. It’s a trade-off, like looking to the right and left simultaneously. You look one way or the other. Spirit and matter are exact opposites. To get absorbed into dietary rules loses sight of the healing power and influence of divine Mind.


The way to deal with this quandary is to understand that true health is not a function of what you eat, but a consequence of being under the influence of the divine Mind. The more we consciously depend upon God for direction, guidance, satisfaction and joy, the better choices we make and the healthier and happier we live. And amazingly, at least in my experience, we make what many would call wise food choices.


Mary Baker Eddy wrote, “Man, governed by immortal Mind, is always beautiful and grand.” I think it would be appropriate to add healthy and fit also. Under divine Mind’s influence, food is no longer the issue, but living a spiritually balanced life is.


For instance, the atmosphere of thought in society is filled with a multitude of beliefs, theories, advertisements, “expert-testimony,” nutritional opinion, and more, pushing particular diets, fears and concerns per food. To demonstrate a spiritually balanced life, we have to resist the influence of these mortal mind advertisements. We can’t let them take over our thinking, or we start acting as their slaves, which of course, is what the promoters of their position want us to do. That’s how they sell their product.


A spiritually balanced life is the outcome of thought under the influence of divine Mind, and not under the despotism of fear, sensual pull, or absent-minded ignorance.


I like potato chips. I’m chuckling now… for when I eat them, I think, “Now why am I eating these? There is nothing to them. They dissolve into thin air, and then I want more. Is their any value in eating these things? Do I need them?” I laugh at myself, eat a few more, and then stop. These questions have helped me keep a perspective on food because they make me realize that I often eat things not because I need them, but because I like the taste in my mouth. And that's not enough of a spiritual reason for me to continue the practice. Before I lost weight 25 years ago, eating what tasted good, aka cookies, hard candy, and cake, got me into a bodily mess.


Many of you mentioned moderation as a key to balanced eating. Moderation is a spiritually inspired quality to live and express. It’s healthy, and it brings balance into people’s experience, including the body. There's nothing wrong with good tasting food, but when salt and sugar are the driving force for more, there is a spiritual imbalance that needs to be addressed. Happiness doesn't come from food. It comes from Spirit, God.

When I do the grocery shopping and I pass the chip aisle, frequently there’s a voice within that says, “Oh, you should get some potato chips. That sounds good!” If I obeyed this voice every time I heard it, I think I would not like the results on my body. It would not be practicing moderation. So, I check it. I ask, “Now do you really need those chips?” And the answer quickly comes, “No, it’s a purely sensual indulgence, and you need to keep those in check.” And I walk on by the aisle without regret. Every so often, though, I cave and buy some chips. Or at outdoor picnics, I’ll head for the chip bowl. I don’t have a problem with that and don’t seem to be suffering either. I practice moderation.


Point being, what is having the overriding influence on our thought?


From a purely nutritional point of view, I believe chips would be super low on the scale of food value, and I’ve heard some “experts” say, “Never eat a French fry.” But I still eat French fries, some, and I think I’m fine. But I do practice a spiritual discipline of listening to God first, and striving to live a spiritually responsible life.


Mary Baker Eddy wrote, “If we follow the command of our Master, ‘Take no thought for your life,’ we shall never depend on bodily conditions, structure, or economy, but we shall be masters of the body, dictate its terms, and form and control it with Truth.” This is powerful truth here…


She isn’t preaching ignorance of our acts, gastronomical negligence, or mindless sensual indulgence. It’s much more. It means that the more we honor God first in our lives and live for spiritual reasons, the more mastery and control we can exercise over the body, and over food.


When we honor the divine Mind as the source of all satisfaction, happiness and joy, deciding what to eat won’t be the issue anymore. Staying spiritually minded will be the issue. And when you’re spiritually minded striving to live a spiritually responsible life, you catch the evil influences of mortal mind that would pull you in a self-destructive direction. Like those instances when it’s time to say, “I’ve had enough chips." Or, "I don't need those chips."


The enemy to health and fitness is not food, but gross sensual indulgence, over-indulgence, consumption in excess, lack of care, mindlessness, ignorance, and their kin.


I find that when I am spiritually full, meaning inspired, I’m not drawn to extra sweets, big amounts of food, or constant snacking to feel happy and content. I have found my goodness in God, through spiritual mindedness, and that seems to have the healthiest effect of all.


Here are some more wise words from Eddy, “In a world of sin and sensuality hastening to a greater development of power, it is wise earnestly to consider whether it is the human mind or the divine Mind which is influencing one.”


When you are consciously under the influence of divine Mind, food will no longer be a challenge or fear for you. It’s just not an issue anymore.


It’s the food of truth and love that fill you up with genuine contentment. Spiritual mindedness automatically protects thought from dangerous temptations and wards off unnecessary and even harmful delectable extravagances.


Ohhh…there is so much more to say…