Health Meditations

Performance Self-evaluation: Flexibility/Adaptability

Flexibility and adaptability take creativity.  Evaluate your creativity as it pertains to your health using the following parameters:

You find a variety of ways to incorporate fitness faith into your day-to-day activities. 
You are willing to include health and fitness and faith in every aspect of their life. 
You are willing to try new fitness activities.
You are find new and interesting ways to incorporate fruits and vegetables into your eating lifestyle.
You are willing to try fruits and vegetables that are new to you.

Fine tune your flexibility and adaptability and…

Share the health.

Deborah White, MD, MBA

An Action Plan for the Healthy Man: Declare independence from violence.

If violence is part of any of your relationships, you need help.  You might blame your violent behavior on your bad temper.  That's just another way of saying that you choose not to manage your anger.  If you have anger management issues, your bad temper is holding you hostage.  Don't be a prisoner of anger.  Declare your independence from violence.

If you have anger management issues, pray.  Then ask your pastor and your doctor for help.
If you are involved in domestic violence, pray.  Then ask your pastor and your doctor for help. 
If you are involved in any violence, pray.  Then ask your pastor and your doctor for help.

Proverbs 15:18
A wrathful man stirs up strife,
But he who is slow to anger allays contention.

Proverbs 16:32
He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.

Proverbs 19:11
The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger,
And his glory is to overlook a transgression.

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Deborah White, MD, MBA

Meditate on These Things

If your spirit feels burdened, perhaps you need to refocus your thinking.  My question is:

What's on you mind?

Try thinking about:

• Whatever things are true.
• Whatever things are noble.
• Whatever things are just.
• Whatever things are pure.
• Whatever things are lovely.
• Whatever things are of good report
• Anything of virtue.
• Anything praiseworthy.

Philippians 4:8-9
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

In future postings, I will share some thoughts on each of these eight categories.

Share the health.

Deborah White, MD, MBA

Performance Self-evaluation: Leadership

A leader sets the direction and inspires people to follow their example. When it comes to health, how well do you lead?

Body & Mind
You lead by example and model desirable health behaviors. 
You demonstrate the ability to motivate and inspire family members and friends to develop or adopt a healthy lifestyle. 
You share information about cost-effective community resources available to promote a healthy lifestyle. 
You engage family and friends collaboratively in developing and implementing plans and making decisions that will promote a healthy lifestyle. 

Spirit
You invite family and friends who do not have a church home to attend events at your church home.

Set the direction and…

Share the health.

Deborah White, MD, MBA

July Health Reminders

July is a month for celebration.  In the United States, we celebrate our independence and we celebrate summer.  You need to celebrate in safety.  In future postings, I will share come recommendations for:

• Sun Safety
• Heat Safety
• Water Safety
• Food Safety
• Motor Vehicle Safety
• Fun Safety
• Healthy Eating

Enjoy your summer in safety and in good health!

Share the health.

Deborah White, MD, MBA

Harvest

Harvest is the gathering of crops and the season when ripened crops are gathered.  Harvest is a crop or yield of one growing season.  It is a supply of anything gathered, earned, realized or gained at maturity and stored.  Harvest is the result, recompense or consequence of any act, process, effort or event.  My question is:

What is the quality and quantity of your harvest?

If you are not satisfied with the quality or quantity of your harvest, consider the quality and quantity of your seed.

Job 4:8
Even as I have seen,
Those who plow iniquity
And sow trouble reap the same.

Proverbs 22:8
He who sows iniquity will reap sorrow,
And the rod of his anger will fail.

Hosea 10:12-13
12 Sow for yourselves righteousness;
Reap in mercy;
Break up your fallow ground,
For it is time to seek the LORD,
Till He comes and rains righteousness on you.
13 You have plowed wickedness;
You have reaped iniquity.
You have eaten the fruit of lies,
Because you trusted in your own way,
In the multitude of your mighty men.

2 Corinthians 9:6
But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

Galatians 6:7
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

Share the health.

Deborah White, MD, MBA

Performance Self-evaluation: Dependability

When it comes to your health, how dependable are you?

Body
You are consistent in keeping appointments with your doctor and your dentist.
You are dependable in maintaining and accurately carrying out your health responsibilities to a successful conclusion.
You are extremely reliable in establishing and maintaining healthy lifestyle habits.

Mind
You regularly engage in activities to develop and maintain your cognitive function.
You manage and use time effectively.

Ephesians 5:15-16
15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Spirit
You regularly and consistently spend time with God.
You regularly spend time with those of like precious faith to benefit from the corporate anointing.

Hebrews 10:24-25
24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

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Deborah White, MD, MBA

An Action Plan for the Healthy Man: Teeth

Being in good health includes having a healthy mouth.  Your dental health should not be an afterthought.  Be as diligent about maintaining healthy teeth and healthy gums as you are about keeping the rest of your body healthy.  Establish and maintain a healthy eating lifestyle.  Avoid sugary snacks.  Brush after meals. Floss every day.  See your dentist twice a year.

Ask your doctor about how your dental health affects your health overall. 

Share the health.

Deborah White, MD, MBA

Journey

You cannot reach a destination without going on a journey.  A journey is a period of somewhat prolonged travel for a specific purpose.  It’s also the period of passage or progress from one stage to another.  My question is:

Are you enjoying your spiritual journey?

Your answer will depend on your perspective and your preferences. 

• Does the unknown scare you or excite you?
• Does the familiar comfort you or bore you?
• Do you yearn to learn?
• Are you driven to discover?
• When you discover the unknown, do you make it your own and prepare for the next leg of your journey?

If you spurn learning, are daunted by discovery, and you cling to comfort, your journey has not yet begun.  And every day that you delay is a missed opportunity to trust God and strengthen your faith.  Consider this:

• Noah built a boat at God's command to escape a flood having never seen rain.
• Abram left home at God's command not knowing where he was going.
• Moses led the nation of Israel out of captivity in Egypt at God's command not knowing how he would get them to the Promised Land.
• Joshua led the nation of Israel into the Promised Land at God's command not knowing how he and Israel would defeat the giants occupying the land.

In each instance, God commanded and each person obediently stepped into a leadership role and into the unknown.  In each instance, a person progressed in their faith from one stage to another and during their respective journeys:

• They learned that God is faithful.
• They discovered that God keeps His promises.
• They perceived their God-ordained purpose.

Be obedient.  Step out on faith.  Trust God.  Enjoy your journey.

Share the health.

Deborah White, MD, MBA

Performance Self-evaluation: Decision-Making Skills

It's time to evaluate your health-related decision-making skills.

Body
You make health-conscious decisions at each meal and at each social event that involves food.  The quality of your decisions is reflected in the content, quantity and the quality of the food and beverages you consume. 
You understand that you are not the only stakeholder when it comes to achieving and maintaining good health.  Key stakeholders include future generations who will do what they see you do rather than what they here you say.

Mind
You make health-conscious decisions when it comes to feeding your mind.
You know that you have the mind of Christ.
You know what Jesus would do because you walk with Jesus daily.

Spirit
You make wise choices when it comes to spiritual food because you are guided by the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
You feast frequently on the Bread of Life, the Fruit of the Spirit, the meat and milk of the word of God. 
Your beverage of choice is rivers of living waters.

At every opportunity, you choose life.

Deuteronomy 30:19
I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;

Share the health.

Deborah White, MD, MBA