What the Bible Says About My Diet

Most of you know about Superman's food allergies. His auto-immune response to gluten (and seemingly never-ending list of food sensitivities) thrust us into a new realm of eating. I've read book after book after book about food allergies and ways to deal with them. A friend recommended "The Paleo Solution," which I discuss here. It changed our way of life. We went from eating like everyone else (pre-diagnosis) to eating gluten-free, but still many processed foods, to eating no grains, dairy, sugar or legumes. I had never felt so good as I did after taking those foods out of my diet. It was amazing. Our kids were healthier, more focused in school, and I could just see the difference the diet change had made in their lives. J-Man, for the first time in his life, has not had to take any asthma or allergy medication this season. His eczema? Gone. His labored wheezing? Gone. His constant sneezing, itchy eyes? Gone. It's truly been a miracle. Superman improved dramatically, although not entirely. My morning joint pain disappeared...and so did my afternoon slump.

But something kept eating at me {no pun intended}. Why is it that the Bible not only mentions eating grains, but actually encourages it? Why is it that God told our ancestors that every "plant bearing seed" was theirs and why is it that "One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grain fields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat the kernels" (Luke 6:1)? Why in Ezekiel 4:9 did He say, "Take wheat and barley, beans and lentils, millet and spelt; put them in a storage jar and use them to make bread for yourself"? If grains are so bad for us, why would He advise us to eat them? 

I started researching the topic, and came across a book titled, "What the Bible Says About Healthy Living." I'm only about halfway through it right now, but it's giving me a lot of things to think about. I think, unfortunately, that we have messed too much with something God had already made perfect. We genetically modify wheat and corn and soy and expect them to be just as good as the way God made them. But what about organic, whole, unprocessed grains? Are those better for us?

I would rather my kids eat healthfully based on Biblical reasoning than just do it "because mom and dad say so." I want them to own their eating habits, and when someone asks why they eat a certain way, be able to respond with good, sound Biblical reasons that they understand and agree with. 

So, are we going to ditch the no-grain diet? I'm not sure. This issue is near the top of my prayer list right now as I see it as something valuable and important. Obviously, I can't go feeding Superman a bunch of grains. Well, unless I want him to keel over...which I don't. But there are six other people in our family, and I only want to be doing what the Lord would want us to do. 

So, what are your feelings on this?