What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? — 1 Corinthians 6:19 King James
This conclusion to Women’s History Month is written in memory of my mother, Fannie Estelle Grant, and I’m celebrating her because her birthday was April 1, which comes up this week. Happy heavenly birthday, Mother Grant. We loved you so much and will miss you forever.
Your living was not in vain. Your daughter has been sharing your story around the world, in this column here in The Washington Informer and on my radio show on Radio One, Spirit 1340 WYCB. Your family did not understand how Type 2 diabetes could devastate the lives of loved ones until we experienced what happened to you. Helping others became my mission, and I feel better now, because you came to give back a message to help millions of others. We thank you and we got the message.
Sound Physical Health is a principle that we must pay more attention to — it is self-evident and should be number one on our list of priorities. Without health, you cannot create anything, you will not have the strength to be of service to mankind. Health is the ultimate gift because with it, everything else is possible. We can be a blessing to our Heavenly Father. Each and every day, you can fulfill your mission by helping yourself and others.
The day I learned I, too, had Type 2 diabetes, I was heartbroken because of how my own mother died with both legs amputated, kidney failure, seven strokes and high blood pressure. I felt a determination within myself to change my life immediately. I went into my kitchen and cleaned out foods I knew may be bad for my health.
During Mother’s illness, I had studied causes and effects of diabetes and had learned that a change in diet and exercise would make a difference. In fact, Mother died on Christmas Day 2000, and in 2005 when I was completing the communications program for my master’s degree at Trinity University, my public relations campaign was titled “Stop Fanning the Flames of the Diabetes Epidemic” done in memory of my mother.
Information from the National Institutes of Health, the American Diabetes Association and other medical journals had been included in my research, so when my own life became affected by this horrific disease, I knew immediately what must be done.
It worked! Within 90 days, my blood glucose had gone down to an A1C of 6.2, and within eight months, I lost more than 40 pounds. My doctor said, “You’re like my poster child, I’m so proud of your progress!”
She didn’t understand how strongly I felt about the topic of diabetes! The Lord knew I would share my story and He knew I would share my mother’s story with others so they, too, would know what to do.
Let us begin with the foods we are purchasing in most of our grocery stores. The meats are filled with hormones, chicken legs almost as large as a turkey(!), meats sold from animals that became fully grown in a matter of weeks or months.
Jeff Gillman, associate professor of horticulture at the University of Minnesota and author of “The Truth About Organic Gardening,” said, “Many of these chemicals have the potential to be very damaging to humans if they are exposed to high concentrations, or to low concentrations over an extended period of time.”
Folks, let’s be willing to search for healthier foods for ourselves and our families. Buy organic foods, especially meats and vegetables. The health effects of these unwanted ingredients are causing cancers, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s and more. Let us stop spending money wastefully on fast foods and in nail salons. Use that hard-earned money to feed your body the nutrition it needs in order to help it function properly for the purpose of helping others.
Lyndia Grant is a speaker/writer living in the D.C. area. Her radio show, “Think on These Things,” airs Fridays at 6 p.m. on 1340 AM (WYCB), a Radio One station. To reach Grant, visit her website, www.lyndiagrant.com, email lyndiagrantshowdc@gmail.com or call 240-602-6295. Follow her on Twitter @LyndiaGrant and on Facebook.