Fit Soul Chapter 14 - My Father's World

Welcome to Fit Soul Book Chapter 14 this is the weekly recording from my book Fit Soul, which you can find at fitsoulbook.com Tools, Tactics and habits for optimizing spiritual fitness. Every week I release a new chapter from that book on this podcast feed. You can also grab the book for free@fitsoulbook.com where I print and a digital copy are Both available@fitsoulbook.com All of the references and resources for today's Channel chapter you can find@fitsoulbook.com Chapter 14 that's fitsoulbook.com Chapter 14 Chapter 14 My Father's World I recently wrote a cookbook. It's called the Boundless Cookbook. Now, as a result of all my recent writing about food, research for this book, special ingredients from near and afar, and tinkering in the kitchen, I've been thinking quite a bit about the magic and intricacy woven into the foods and ingredients that we eat. I'd like to share with you now several important thoughts I've been having lately about one of my favorite activities, eating. But allow me to clarify something first. I'm not a chef. Yes, I'm definitely not a chef. With zero formal training in cooking, I've simply achieved any cooking chops I may happen to have via learning recipes from a mashup of cooking videos I've come across on YouTube like random Google searches for terms like how to make liver taste good. Simple tips, my wife mutters as she passes by in the kitchen while I attempt to make myself a proper meal. Babe, add a bit of coconut flour to those salmon cakes and they'll stop crumbling on you. To insightful tips and tricks from the host of nutrition and cookbooks I read and review on a weekly basis, such as mix lemon juice with your bone broth to increase collagen, bioavailability, and sure, I took advanced courses in biochemistry, chemistry, microbiology, physics, and nutrition in college, and I'm sure those have assisted my learning curve in the kitchen quite dramatically. But I will be the first to admit that when it comes to cooking and especially writing a cookbook, I have full blown imposter syndrome. My wife? She's a rancher girl who can, with nary a drip of sweat, whip up a crispy roasted chicken on a Friday night and a batch of mouth watering sourdough cinnamon rolls on a Saturday morning. All from scratch. My twin boys. They've been taking cooking classes since they were four years old and can expertly fashion a chocolate souffle and mushroom risotto for their freaking lunch. They even have their own cooking podcast@gogreenfields.com in which they reveal a new taste bud bur brainchild every couple of weeks. Me, I grew up on boxed macaroni and cheese, 29 cent hamburgers, frozen hot dogs and whey protein shakes. So for most of my life I was largely limited to a microwave, a blender and a drive through. But nonetheless, I do like to tinker in the kitchen. I do like to crack the code on how to use science and spices to unlock nutrients and enhance the digestibility of the vast array of scrumptious foods this planet is blessed with. And as a self proclaimed foodie, I definitely like to eat and I like to eat good food. As a result of of my passion for all things food and health, I'm often asked with surprising and increasing frequency for all the crazy unique recipes I often mention on podcast or articles or feature in so called food porn photos on social media. So I finally decided to sit down and churn out that cookbook I mentioned, full of my favorite recipes. Recipes that are often described with great scientific detail in my book Boundless and across my media platforms, particularly Instagram. But recipes I've never really fully fleshed out in terms of exact ingredients and preparation operation strategies. In other words, it's one thing to read in Boundless about how fermenting your own yogurt changes the biome of the gut in a favorable manner and enhances many aspects of endocrine and immune function. But it's quite another matter to know exactly how I wake up in the morning and whip up a batch of homemade yogurt. The methods I use to make the bacteria more concentrated or bioavailable, what I mix with it for goals like sleep enhancement or muscle building, or even how long this stuff stays good in the refrigerator. So I obviously think a lot about food ingredients, spices, herbs, plants, and all manner of things cooking and eating related, particularly in relation to our own fulfillment and happiness when it comes to our food. Now, as a result, I've had three thoughts jumbling about in my head that I want to share with you in this chapter. First, when you're tinkering in the kitchen with your own recipes, whether new or old, I encourage you to prepare your food mindfully. Take a simple cup of coffee, for example. Sure, you could rush to your kitchen in the morning, grunt or curse as you fumble with the coffee filter, hastily prepare your water as you glance at your watch and think about your email inbox, then hover over your coffee, sipping madly as you scroll through text messages and barely tasting a bean that had to be hauled all the way up from the backwoods of South America to be able to grace your grocery store shelves. Alternatively, you could slowly open that same bag of coffee, take a satisfying whiff of an intense aroma of floral and cacao, perk up your ears as you listen to the whooshing and light sprinkling of water as it drizzles into the kettle or coffee maker, and enjoy those first few coffee sips, perhaps with your eyes closed, fully Mindful and grateful A rich superfood from regions beyond that has magically appeared in kitchen to fire up your precious brain for a day of impactful and purposeful work. Notice the difference. Food and drink should be enjoyed with the full array of senses and prepared and consumed with mindfulness and gratefulness. Truly, in our tiny pantries and humble kitchens, we now have access to the same cinnamons and spices from the Orient, fruits and beans from the Amazon, and dried berries and cured meats and cheeses from northern Europe that kings and queens of old would have dished out buckets of gold for and sent out explorers, sailors and armies on quests to capture and harvest. As you approach food in more mindful way, you may, especially if you like music or play a musical instrument, enjoy thinking of it. A bit like making music, which is a practice that requires a great deal of mindfulness. Managing multiple pans on the stove is like playing the drums and finely slicing a clove of garlic like tuning a mandolin. But would you play the drums with a phone cradled to your ear or tune a mandolin while firing off a text message? Approach food and even food preparation similarly. Second, I encourage you to be in constant awe at the wonders of God's creation. I'm ceaselessly aware of the magic, beauty and mystery and wonder of the vast array of superfoods scattered across this earth. Take a variant of the humble buckwheat plant, for example, the Himalayan Tartary buckwheat, which I just made blueberry pancakes with on last Saturday morning as a surprise for my boys, using a fermentation pancake recipe actually similar to the one I'll link to on the Read page for this chapter@fitsoulbook.com Chapter 14A Himalayan tartery buckwheat, and let's just call it HTB for now so as not to get too long in the tooth, is this hearty plant that's been farmed in Asia for generations but is largely unknown in the rest of the world. I had a hard time Hunting it down myself, but found a tiny farm in New York State called Angelica Mills that grows it. Modern analysis have revealed that HTB contains significantly higher levels of phytonutrients compared to the common buckwheat, up to a hundredfold increase of certain immune strengthening flavonoids. HTB is also incredibly rich in the flavonoids rutin, quercetin, hesperidin, luteolin and diosmin. Nutritionally speaking, this portfolio of flavonoids is an orchestra, a symphony, and a masterpiece of the Creator's genius. Each is unique, but together they are wondrous, especially when it comes to the positive ways that can influence things like immune function. Next, there's something called 2 hydroxybenzylamine or 2 hoba. It's a plant chemical extremely rare to find in any foods. But it just so happens that HTB is one of the best sources currently known. 2hoba is now being studied for how well it stops the formation of some types of many harmful molecules in the body. Calcium hydroxy methylbutyrate monohydrate. Yes, that's a mouthful. It's another significant component of htb. And that nutrient, which is found in alfalfa and other foods, has been studied for immune support and rejuvenation, as well as the ways it helps build, maintain and protect muscles and lean tissues throughout the body. Then there's chlorophyllin, also found in high amounts in htb. In plants, chlorophyll turns light into energy. What can it do for humans? It turns out that it can improve the way the body deals with certain toxins and gets rid of them them. At sufficient levels, chlorophyll can protect DNA and chromosomes and even help cells repair themselves from damage. If you read a book like Sayergy's Regenerate or Arturo Herrera's the Human Photosynthesis, both of which are fascinating reads. You can discover how photons of energy from sunlight can actually interact with the chlorophyll in your bloodstream to generate electrons that allow for the production of cellular energy even in the absence of calories from food. Now, just think about it. That's all from one tiny, humble buckwheat plant that's been treasured in Asia for thousands of years, but that barely know anything about. Though we've certainly cracked the code on how to genetically modify wheat and spray it with herbicides and pesticides to make a relatively nutrient void franken plant for our hamburger buns, multitudes of other examples abound. Examples that display the mysteries and wonders of superfoods in creation. From goji berries and coffee berry fruit, to spirulina and chlorella algae, to barucha's nuts and chia seeds, we walk a planet rich in bountiful blessings. Yet how often do we drop our jaws in pure awe at these mysterious, wonderful fruits of the earth. In the Bible, Psalms 104:24 25 sums up the wonders of our Father's world quite nicely. O Lord, how manifold are your works. In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of your creatures. Here is the sea, great and wide, which teems with creatures innumerable living things, both small and great. Elsewhere in John 3:1 we learn that all things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made. So yes, that means an almighty God formed in fashion the cacao tree, the cannabis plant, the chickpea and the catfish. And all this marvelous bounty is ours to enjoy in all of its intricacy, beauty and, yes, tastiness. Wait. Everything, even meat, which technically involves blood, killing and a loss of life. Well, that's an interesting idea to unpack. So let's take a brief foray. After all, I'm often asked how I as a Christian, could condone the shedding of the blood of an animal and the subsequent eating of that animal's meat, especially if humankind was originally created in some beautiful lush garden chock full of enough highly nutritious and edible plants and vegetables that could theoretically sustain life in the absence of carnivory. It's certainly true that in the creation story of Genesis in the Bible, God created man, Adam and woman, Eve, and put them in a garden eaten. Furthermore, it does indeed appear that the original form of sustenance meant for humankind was indeed comprised of plant based foods such as fruits and vegetables, seeds, nuts and trees. For example, Genesis 1:29:30 says, Then God said, I give you every seed bearing plant on the face of the whole earth, and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will all be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth, and all the birds in the sky, and all the creatures that move along the ground, everything that has the breath of life in it. I give every green plant for food. And it was so. Genesis 2:7 9 says, and the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul. And the Lord God planted a garden eastward of Eden, and there he put the man whom he had formed and out of the ground made the Lord to grow every tree that's pleasant to the sight and good for food. And Genesis 2:15 16 and the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, of every tree of the garden, thou mayst freely eat. So arguably, since death and killing would not have existed prior to Adam and Eve committing sin and bringing death upon this planet, it then the necessary shedding of blood via meat eating also did not exist. And furthermore, God instructed his original human creation to consume a pure 100% plant based vegan diet. However, elsewhere in the Bible it appears that the eating of meat or consumption of animal based products becomes eventually both necessary and acceptable. For example, anyone familiar with Christianity has undoubtedly heard the Promised Land being referred to as a land flowing with milk and honey. That phrase, a land flowing with milk and honey, actually appears 20 times in the Bible. Of course, both milk and honey are animal based foods dependent on some form of animal or insect domestication for the harvesting of those foods. Furthermore, meat is often referenced as an acceptable food source in the Bible, including In passages like First Corinthians 10:25, which says, Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. Acts 10:9 16 the next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray, and he became hungry and wanted something to eat. But while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance and saw the heavens open, and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles, and birds of the air. And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter, kill and eat. Luke 24:41 and while they yet believed not for joy and wondered, he said unto them, have ye here any meat? And they gave him a piece of broiled fish and of honeycomb, and he took it and did eat it before them. Perhaps two of the best examples of God's approval of eating meat comes from a the celebration of the Passover, in which each Israelite family was commanded to take a lamb or goat, kill it, and put its blood on the doorposts, then to eat the meat by morning, and burn the leftovers before daybreak, and b the fact that many of the early disciples were fishermen, the frequent consumption of fish within the New Testament, and Most notably Luke 24:41, 43 which explicitly says that Jesus asked for food and that he thankfully ate fish and honey which the disciples gave him. Now, that being said, my own perspective on this frequently debated topic is that at one time the earth was indeed pristine, free of sin, pollution and toxicity, and there was also a pre great flood atmosphere that ensured highly nutritious plant matter derived from fruits, vegetables, seeds and nuts of a completely different and more nutrient dense nature than modern day plants and agriculture. As a result, the original human creation was likely equipped to do just fine on a plant based diet. The pre flood atmosphere of the earth was likely far different than our living conditions today, possibly providing more oxygen and greater protection against the excess UVA and UVB radiation from the sun and greater abundance and nutrient density of plants and fruit bearing trees. However, things seem to have changed after the flood. It's possible that fruits and vegetables became smaller or more scarce. Genesis 8:22 says that as long as the earth endures seed time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, will never cease. Omnivory became permissible and acceptable and probably even necessary for adequate nutrient, vitamin and calorie availability. God fed the Israelites in the desert with not just manna from heaven, but also with thousands of quail, agriculture sprung forth and bread along with wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet and spelt, which are often mentioned in scripture, much to the chagrin of many Paleo diet enthusiasts who seem to think that gluten is some demonic protein from hell. Well, one day when heaven and earth are restored to their pristine conditions, that scenario may all change. There will last likely no longer be a need for death, bloodshed or meat consumption. Isaiah 11:6,9 gives us clues about this when it says the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together, and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze, their young shall lie down together, and the lion shall eat straw like an ox. The nursing child shall play over the whole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den. They shall not hold, hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea, so ultimately to come full circle. Yes, I believe all of God's creation is here for our culinary enjoyment and sustenance, and that includes all plants and animals, from cabbages to cows, carrots to clams, parsnips to pork and flax to fish. Finally and third, after that hefty rabbit hole. I encourage you to enjoy your food in a parasympathetic state of relaxation, mindfulness and gratefulness. Quickly sucking down your smoothie hunched over a steering wheel as you stressfully navigate on your morning commute or wiping smoothie shards off your face while fumbling with the music dial on the car is a far, far different experience both psychologically and physiologically compared to sitting at your kitchen table in the sunshine, savoring every bite and perhaps jotting down a few notes in your gratitude journal, thumbing through your favorite magazine or newspaper, or chatting with your family. Eating in a stressed state predisposes you to leaky gut syndrome, inadequate digestive enzyme production, poor nutrient absorption, and overeating, all topics I explore in great detail in the how to fix your gut chapter of my book Boundless. In contrast, eating in a relaxed state, often with friends and family, usually in between and not during bouts of work or commuting, allows you to savor and enjoy your food, digest your your food, and feel more satiated from each and every bite that you mindfully chew. In fact, research has shown that to truly digest your meal, get the maximum nutritional benefit from the food and experience the minimum inflammatory impact on the gut. An average number of 25 to 40 times per bite is what you should aim for when chewing your food. You'll learn plenty more tips about oral care, jaw strength, and how to breathe or chew properly in the beauty and symmetry chapter of my book Book Boundless now that savoring and gratefulness for food can ultimately bring us closer to our Creator. So as trite as a bite of wild apple might seem, or as routine as a ho hum meat and potatoes dinner may seem, or as functional as an energy drink or bar we might suck down or munch on during a workout may seem. Any dietary practice can bring us closer to our greatest purpose in life if we approach it with the right mentality by consuming it in full gratitude to fuel our hearts with the joy and love of God, as Paul so eloquently states in his letter to the Corinthians in the Bible. So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. John Piper also sums this up quite nicely in his excellent book don't waste your life when he says, God created you and me to live with a single all embracing, all transforming passion. Namely, a passion to glorify God by enjoying and displaying his supreme excellence in all spheres of life. And yes, that supreme excellence in all spheres of life includes swinging a kettlebell and making a superfood smoothie. In my own personal experience, I found that one of the best ways to approach each meal with this spirit of mindfulness, gratitude and relaxation is to create some kind of routine or ritual for each meal. That pre meal habit can include a few relaxing breaths, a blessing, a prayer, or even a song. For example, one easy breathwork practice we often do at the Greenfield dinner table is to simply close the eyes, take a deep slow breath in through the nose, then out through slightly pursed lips and repeat three times. Another simple habit is to think of one thing you're grateful for and say it aloud prior to your meal. Or if you're in a group, you can go around the table and have each person name one thing they're grateful for. Or you can just say a simple prayer and bless the food. In addition to thanking God for providing yet another blessing of nutrients, calories and sustenance, I also like this pleasant twist on a Thich Nhatnh blessing, which I learned from a friend at an immersive health event I teach at called Runga. It goes like this Breathing in, I'm aware of my body. Breathing out, I smile at my body. Breathing in, I'm aware of my food. Breathing out, I smile at my food. Breathing in, I'm aware of my company. Breathing out, I smile at my company. An entire group gathered around a dinner table can do this together, eyes closed, breathing in and out together as one person person leads and the others repeat the words that person recites. Does all this seem to make it sound to you like there's a deep spiritual aspect to food? Well, you'd be correct if you suspected so. Food isn't just about minerals, vitamins, proteins, carbs, fat and calories. Food connects us. It fuels traditions and memories. It's something we gather around. Food changes our mood. For better or worse, food can create bliss and contentment that one feels far beyond their stomach, small intestine, large intestine and bloodstream food can can feed the fit soul. Don't underestimate the invisible energy and frequency contained within each bite that you consume, and the impact of your own energy and frequency on each bite that you consume. So when our own Greenfield family finishes a hard day jam packed with work, chores, school, phone calls, consults, meetings, emails, workouts, animal care, podcasts, articles, books, and we all finally gather around the dining room table to breathe in the sweet aroma of a salted roasted chicken with baked carrot, fries and fresh sprouts dressed in extra virgin olive oil and crumbled with goat cheese and I take that first sip of dark, rich, organic wine. A smile erupts on my face and also in my soul, not only because of the deep, intense sense of relaxation and pleasure I derive from gathering around a beautiful cornucopia of aromatic food with my precious family, but also because I know I helped grow those sprouts from tiny alfalfa, red clover and broccoli seeds and had a chance to participate in the magic of growing, nourishing and savoring God's creation. As you begin yourself to ponder the wonders of God's creation, think about the well known Christian hymn this Is My Father's World, which is one of my favorite poetic declarations of the wonders of this universe in which we exist, and also a marvelous song to sing or listen to prior to any meal. It goes like this this is my Father's world and to my listening ears all nature sings and round me rings the music of the spheres this is my Father's world I rest me in the thought of rocks and trees of skies and seas his hands the wonders wrought this is my Father's world the birds, their carols raise the morning light the lily white declare their maker's praise this is my Father's world He shines in all that's fair in the rustling grass I hear him pass he speaks to me everywhere this is my Father's world and to my listening ears all nature sings and round me rings the music of the sphere Based on that, here's one final idea for you. The next time you are preparing to eat or gathering your family and friends around a table for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, simply play or sing that song, this Is My Father's World and dwell upon those words. Then say a prayer of gratefulness, smile and dig in to God's creation with full mindfulness and joy. Incidentally, the positive emotions that will pour forth into your life are the very same emotions that, if absent, can result in the type of health issues you're about to discover in the next chapter. But in the meantime, for resources, references, links and additional reading and listening material for this chapter, visit fitsoulbook.com Chapter 14 that's fitsoulbook.com Chapter 14.