Ep. 15 How the Fruits of the Spirit Can Guide You to Your Best Health

[00:00:03] So I want to let you in on a little secret. You don't have to eat perfectly to be healthy. Healthy eating is really about what and how you are eating consistently over a long period of time.

[00:00:16] This is what really influences your nutritional health status. It's about you making food choices that honor your health, that taste good, and make you feel good, and enable you to do the things you're called to do.

[00:00:32] The overall goal of intuitive eating is to really help you reach this place of authentic health. And authentic health is where you're able to integrate your internal wisdom and body attunement that you have gained,

[00:00:45] and integrate that with these external health knowledge and recommendations to help you make healthy choices for your mind, body, and soul. And as Christians, we can turn to the fruits of the Holy Spirit as a guide to help us towards reaching authentic health,

[00:01:01] and caring for ourselves with the same attitude and mindset that Christ uses when caring for us. Within the intuitive eating framework, principle number 10, honoring your health with gentle nutrition,

[00:01:13] is focused on being able to help you achieve that authentic health by combining the internal body wisdom and attunement you've been working towards in the previous principles with the nutritional recommendations, values and knowledge that you have gained over the years,

[00:01:28] so you can make healthy and informed food choices. It's about finally getting to a place where you know how it feels to eat healthy. You have a desire to experience that, but also being able to enjoy the food you like without backlash or guilt.

[00:01:44] It's about caring for yourself with compassion and gentleness and kindness, just as Christ cares for you. Sounds like a really great place to be, right? So let me show you how to get there. Welcome to the nearest de bloom podcast where you're faith, meet your health.

[00:02:01] I'm your host, Cara Traktor, a registered dietician and certified Catholic coach, and I'm here to help you cultivate a deeper connection with your body, your spirit, and the nourishment that sustains them both. In a world filled with noise and confusion about food, health and body image,

[00:02:18] the podcast offers truth and healing from a Christ-centered perspective. Together we'll untangle the deep roots of diet culture, and discover what it means to truly care for ourselves, through joyful nourishment of mind, body, and soul. We heard a dive into the transformative power of intuitive eating,

[00:02:36] coupled with the rich teachings of our Christian faith. So every episode I'll be cheering you on, offering insights, inspiration and practical tools to help you heal your relationship with food, and embrace the beauty of your body as a temple of the Holy Spirit.

[00:02:51] With confidence, encourage that can only be found in Christ. Join me as we journey together towards a more holistic approach to wellness, when that honors the wisdom of your body as God's creation, the teachings of our faith, and the unique purpose you're called to fulfill.

[00:03:08] You were made to bloom, to come into full beauty and health in order to bear good fruit for the Lord with your life. So if you're ready to nourish your body, feed your soul, and bloom into the best version of yourself,

[00:03:22] then you're in the right place, and I'm so happy you're here. Welcome to nourish to bloom, where every day is a sacred invitation to thrive. Hey there, welcome back to the podcast.

[00:03:37] I know some of you were missing me last week, and I apologize for not getting in that post-Sode out. But I was dealing with a cold and it really took me under,

[00:03:48] and I think it's really appropriate that the episode I was working on with all about authentic health and really being able to take care of ourselves with compassion and kindness.

[00:04:03] And I really had to embody that last week, despite the internal battle that was going on in my mind. There was definitely the voices from the enemy who is like, you know, Kara, if you don't get this podcast episode out, you're letting a whole bunch of people down,

[00:04:17] you're gonna lose listeners, you just can't follow through with any of this, and then it was just beautiful because there was just the gentle voice of the Lord saying, it'll be okay. It'll be okay to miss a week.

[00:04:31] And so really this is where that authentic health comes in, because I was having this battle going on in my mind and my body was just craving rest. It just was gently trying to tell me, hey Kara, you need to just,

[00:04:46] you need to rest this week and you need to let yourself heal and get better. So then you can do the things that are important. So you can take care of your family, be the mom you want to be and get podcasts episodes out.

[00:04:58] So I think it's awesome that this whole episode can kind of be summed up in what I experienced last week. And yeah, so I'm excited to be back with you this week.

[00:05:11] And I will let you know at the time of this recording and it's summer, my kids are out of school. So there may be another week where something comes up and it doesn't happen, or I may be interrupted on an episode.

[00:05:24] But hey, it's all going to be okay. And just that trust and standard to the Lord that it's all going to be okay is just definitely the attitude and the mindset that I'm really working hard to embrace and it just brings in very such great through my life.

[00:05:39] So without further ado, we're going to talk about gentle nutrition and authentic health and really what nutrition looks like within the realm of intuitive eating. And we're going to talk about some highlights of that, and then how we can incorporate

[00:05:54] the fruits of this spirit when it comes to being able to take care of ourselves. So I want to start by just explaining that a healthy relationship with food is what opens you up to the freedom to achieving authentic health, which we define as that place

[00:06:10] where internal body wisdom and knowledge meets and integrates with external health values and knowledge. So it's like taking these internal wisdom and this body attuned meant that you have gained in the principles leading up to this, and we're going to take and integrate that and meet that

[00:06:28] with all of the health recommendations that we see from the external world. So we're going to marry these and integrate them and really be able to figure out which of those external recommendations we want to integrate within our own health journey,

[00:06:44] which ones work for us, which ones we believe are actually true and are worth incorporating at this point in our intuitive eating journey. So authentic health is really achieved when we have this integration of internal and external working together in harmony.

[00:07:02] And it's across all facets of all facets of health, our physical, mental, emotional and this in spiritual well-being. And I really believe that for many of us, this journey to authentic health really begins with that healing our relationship with food and in our bodies.

[00:07:19] And this internal and external integration, like I said, allows you to decide if and what of the external nutrition, knowledge and recommendations you would like to integrate while still being able to pay attention to hunger and fullness and satisfaction and food preferences

[00:07:38] and physical sensations that are all unique and individual to you. Because a lot of external recommendations are these blanket recommendations. There's an over generalization when it comes down to it. And the individualization recommendation has really been removed from it when we have these broad recommendations that are given.

[00:07:59] And so this is really where it becomes individualized and it's individualized solely based off of that internal wisdom that you have gained over the course of your intuitive eating healing journey. And now you're at the point where you're like, okay, I can see how these recommendations

[00:08:16] can fit and be able to decide, you know, what is really best for you and what's going to really help you achieve that authentic health. So having this healthy relationship with food is necessary and it's fundamental to healthy eating.

[00:08:30] If your relationship with food is not in a good place, then any and all nutritional recommendations or values a knowledge will just continue to be a rigid set of food and diet rules. Whereas when you have this healthy relationship with food, it allows you to look at nutritional

[00:08:48] recommendations and choose what you want to integrate as a way to optimize your health. Because at this point your motivation really lies in caring for your body, mind, and soul, not in losing weight or having your body look a certain way or trying to meet some sort of

[00:09:05] unrealistic societal expectations. So if you are tuned into this episode and you're still struggling with a diet mentality, just please give yourself some grace and compassion. And really know that you have to get to that point of having a healthy relationship with food

[00:09:24] and your body to really be able to embody what this gentle nutrition and what authentic health is really about. And so just know that it does take time and so if you're here and you're not at that place, like really approach this with curiosity and use today's episode.

[00:09:41] Really as foreshadowing of what is possible for you on this healing journey as a way to kind of see into what your future could look like if you embody intuitive eating and you heal that relationship with your food and body.

[00:09:58] So just it's kind of like a vision board for you. So despite what you've heard or have been led to believe up into this point, intuitive eating still believes that nutrition is an important component to health and well-being.

[00:10:12] You hear all sorts of things out there about, we've talked about it, right? Just, oh, eat whatever you want. It doesn't matter what you eat intuitive eating says I can do this and as you have learned in these podcasts episode, that's really not what this is about.

[00:10:25] And nutrition is still a very important component to the intuitive eating framework. It's just we have to incorporate it at a point where it doesn't come on as these rigid food and diet rules and that's where the principles leading up to this were really important.

[00:10:42] And we have to, you have to know that like as an intuitive eating counselor and have registered a petition and what I do with my practice and the client survey council, what I am trying to fight against are the belief that healthy eating has to come with

[00:11:01] this strict set of rules and then it has to be so black and white or so all are nothing. And so really this last principle of intuitive eating honoring your health with gentle nutrition is the culmination of the integration of every other principle that we've

[00:11:16] talked about so far that has helped you towards healing your relationship with food and your body and growing in body attombin and self awareness. And it's integrating with that nutrition and health knowledge, the recommendations that we have

[00:11:29] out there, the scientific evidence that we have when it comes to food and nutrition to help you achieve that level of authentic health. And this is really where it all comes together. Like I said, it's where your internal body wisdom meets all the nutrition knowledge the world

[00:11:46] offers and they come together so you can make the most informed health decisions and food choices that are the best for you. And what studies show is that intuitive eating does in fact promote healthy eating as well as overall improved health and well-being.

[00:12:05] The studies out there report that intuitive eating is actually associated with improved diet intake, eating a wider variety of foods and reduced eating disorder symptoms. And while there are numerous nutrition and health recommendations to explore when we

[00:12:23] when you start to embody and really integrate the internal and the external. Today I want to explore how you can embody and promote gentle nutrition and healthy eating through like three long standing food wisdom tenants.

[00:12:41] They're kind of like what I'd like to think of the unicorn of all food recommendations. variety, moderation and balance. It seems like these three health recommendations are you know eating recommendations have been around and prescribed for centuries but yet it just seems like there's something that they are

[00:13:02] that is utterly unattainable for us to achieve. So we're going to unmask the unicorn but what I have found and just personally experiencing it is that intuitive eating is really the key to achieving all three to achieving a wider variety of food having that moderation and that balance.

[00:13:22] And so today we're going to look at what these three look like through the lens of intuitive outcomes you help you start to incorporate that gentle nutrition. So first we're going to focus on variety and diet culture makes you believe that it's easier

[00:13:38] and safer and healthier to just eliminate foods or food groups. Our only ESLept view quote unquote approved foods but studies show that this actually limits the variety and nutrient intake and this can result in adverse health effects.

[00:13:56] But in contrast as an intuitive eater you have the ability to choose foods that are satisfying to you based off of you know what makes what your food preferences are and what past experiences with food was and the knowledge of what food makes your body feel good.

[00:14:13] And because of this you will naturally seek out and consume a wide variety of foods. Through the principle of making peace with food your food cravings for those play foods are fun foods will start to naturally decrease while your cravings for nutrient dense foods will increase

[00:14:34] because you're choosing and you're seeking those nutrient dense foods that taste good and also make your body feel good. Right when your body feels good and you're eating things that make your body feel good you want more of that

[00:14:48] and that's what intuitive eating has really really allows you to do. And to just naturally seek these foods that have in the past been these really strict food and diet rules you're naturally gravitating towards them because when you're having this physical experience in your body

[00:15:06] of how eating these foods makes you feel and it's not having to say well it has to be this food or it has to be this food it's like no you get to choose this and I personally go back to really thinking about my dieting days

[00:15:22] when I thought it was safer and easier just to eat the same breakfast every day, the same lunch every day and dinner every day because it was on a diet approved.

[00:15:32] But in hindsight I now realize how limited of a variety of foods I was eating and how that decreased my overall nutrient intake because I wasn't eating enough of variety because nothing felt called safe.

[00:15:51] And with the freedom to choose foods that I like based off of my preferences and that make my body feel good, my palate and the curiosity that I have and the willingness to try new foods has expanded

[00:16:07] and this has ultimately increased my overall meal satisfaction as well as increased my nutrient intake. So it's really a win-win situation because nutrient intake is more variety which is better from my overall health but I'm also not following strict foods and getting to eat foods that I enjoy

[00:16:31] one that really sticks out to me is like how we have the recommendation like kale became like the super food right? Are we getting to think about super foods in general like kale became the super food and it's like

[00:16:43] okay that's great but like what if you really just don't like kale like what if you don't really like the taste what if it's too hard to prepare like diet culture makes you believe that if you're not eating that then

[00:16:55] like you can't ever be healthy but my argument is like how many other green leafy vegetables are out there that are going to give you the same nutritional quality as eating kale is but you might it might be easier

[00:17:09] to prepare or you might like the way that it tastes more right? And so that's where like this really plays in this variety. It's like you can know hey I should eat fruits and vegetables but it doesn't have to be these specific fruits and vegetables.

[00:17:22] Or you could know like hey I need to eat protein but it doesn't have to be you know this specific type of protein or it could be that you know you're going to have carbohydrates.

[00:17:37] But and you want to have whole grains or whatever that can mean like that type of carbohydrate that you're eating is whatever you want it to be right?

[00:17:49] So that's where that variety really plays into it is that you kind of expand what you are what I'm called allowed to eat and it includes your food preferences.

[00:17:59] And how that this is where that internal wisdom comes in because you're making food choices based off of those preferences and how and how foods feel in your body after consuming them. And so that's really kind of where that variety.

[00:18:14] Tenant comes into into place within the intuitive eating realm and how that can. How into it intuitive eating promotes more variety with food and can overall improve your nutritional health status.

[00:18:31] And so let's move into moderation because this is I think an interesting one y'all moderation does not mean elimination. And we'll remember eliminating whole food groups can make it harder to get the new transfer body means not only because of the limited limited variety but also limited amounts.

[00:18:52] So moderation is really about eating various amounts of food without going to extremes of too little or too much. And so that culture tries to promote moderation through portion control but intuitive eating utilizes your bodies internal cues to heal.

[00:19:11] To help you achieve moderation without like added confusion of having to way measure or count thing and without the added worry are strengths.

[00:19:22] And so that culture like to keep you living in those extremes where the restriction piece can likely have you eating too little but then you end up in a binge where it's in that you know the other extreme of too much.

[00:19:35] And so I want you to think about moderation. In terms of intuitive eating it's like I said it's eating various amounts of food and that's going to depend solely on how hungry you are and what your hunger and fullness levels are when you are sitting down to eat.

[00:19:51] And so I like to think about moderation in terms of like gold elox and the three bears right she tries all the different chairs and beds and and poor edges and it's like it's.

[00:20:06] The poor just not too hot not to cold just right the chairs not too hard or not too big not too little just right right and so it's really like.

[00:20:17] moderation in terms of intuitive eating is really like gold elox finding the just right one so intuitive eating helps you to not eat too much or too little but just the right amount.

[00:20:29] And so how we can look at moderation and and example of how this plays out in an intuitive eating situation is like when you go out to eat at a restaurant like often the servings are enormous and if you're not an attuned to intuitive either in may result in overeating.

[00:20:47] But as an intuitive eater that initial portion no matter how big is really irrelevant to how much you are going to eat because you're able to rely on your body cues to help you realize when you are comfortably full.

[00:21:01] Now that may mean you end up eating the entire portion because you were really that hungry or it may mean that you end up taking a portion of at home to enjoy later.

[00:21:12] And so only you and your body know if you are hungry how hungry you are what is satisfying what makes your body feel good and when you're full.

[00:21:23] And this combination allows that moderation to occur naturally and I just want to take a moment because when we look at like virtues and vices, vices are very much extremes and you can have extremes on either end where.

[00:21:40] It can be perceived good, but it's actually like too much of that good thing like pride right like being prideful is sinful and so that's a vice.

[00:21:52] And then you know on the other end we have vices that are you know on the two little of of the extreme right like not being not having enough I can't think of one off the top of my head, but just like not having enough fortitude or courage to go out and do something right where like actually growing in the virtue of fortitude is like that moderation that middle ground.

[00:22:16] And so we only think of virtues and vices, virtues are what helps us keep in that moderation and that middle ground and not have a spot into vices on either ends of the extreme.

[00:22:28] And so when we look at this from an intuitive eating standpoint relying on your hunger and your fullness cues and your food preferences helps with keeping you in that middle ground of not eating too little or leading too much which.

[00:22:42] And that being detrimental to our health. So just wanted to kind of insert that in there and then we can talk about balance balance is something that is intended to be achieved over time.

[00:22:56] Now most nutritional recommendations are intended to be averaged out over time it's not something that has to be achieved every single meal or every single day.

[00:23:06] It's really the consistency over time that matters. It's the idea of what you are going what you were going to do and what you were doing for the most part or most the time like think progress over perfection.

[00:23:20] We know this with children, um, that most of their nutritional needs are met like over the course of a week right and so that's why with kids sometimes like man they're eating a lot and then other times like they don't want to eat at all.

[00:23:34] And we start to worry because again, more so focused on like, oh it's got to be this way it's got to be this way.

[00:23:40] And instead they're natural intuitive either helps them balance it out over a period of time and that's really what we have to think about when it comes to.

[00:23:48] It comes to our new our nutrient intake and our nutritional health status is that balance helps us achieve that over time.

[00:23:58] But because and because intuitive eating has taught you to break those food rules and diet rules that keep you in change you are now more flexible and compassionate with your eating.

[00:24:11] And this is what helps promote that balance and this completely changes how you approach meal times and food choices.

[00:24:17] It's no longer like I have to eat this or I have to eat that but more of like I want to eat this or that because I enjoy it and it makes my body feel good and I enjoy taking care of my body.

[00:24:29] And then other times just knowing like hey today this may be I may not eat all the nutrient dense foods because we're traveling or we have this function going on right.

[00:24:44] And balance is just really like what it looks like over the course of time and so when we think about balance we can kind of think about this in the terms of the stock market.

[00:24:53] We can look at stock trends over certain periods of time and we can look at a particular stock and it may be trending up over several weeks or months.

[00:25:01] But if we like where to zoom in and look at it day to day there may be some days that the stock is like up or down or really up or really down but when you look at the overall trend it's moving in this direction.

[00:25:14] And how we can be like that too some days you may be eating you know for example several servings of fruits and vegetables well others you may be struggling to eat them.

[00:25:24] But if for the most part your eating fruits and vegetables daily you're achieving that nutrient balance over time.

[00:25:32] And so I want to take you know now that we're just kind of talking about this variety and moderation and balance I want to take a little time here to shift and talk a little bit about how we can utilize that external nutrition information those recommendations that come out.

[00:25:50] That that that that help promote our health and well being like the science science that's behind nutrition right how we can take that. And be able to make informed food choices while still honoring our body, our personal preferences and practicing intuitive eating.

[00:26:09] Because solely relying on nutritional facts panel or ingredient lists to make your food choices may trigger some of your old dieting thoughts and rules.

[00:26:19] But if your food choices are based on achieving satisfaction and satiety the nutrient content and that nutrition facts panel and ingredient list can be really helpful in guiding your decisions and being able to make healthier food choices.

[00:26:37] For example, if you know that including higher fiber foods in your meals will be beneficial to your gut health and you are comparing like two whole wheat bread options in the grocery store you could choose the higher fiber option.

[00:26:52] This is using a nutrition recommendation and information to help you make a healthier choice while still honoring both your palate in your health.

[00:27:02] Like I said if you're sitting here and you're like while she's making a lot of food recommendations are saying, you know I have to eat fruits and vegetables are have to eat whole grains like what about intuitive eating and my and my food choices like you have to you have to have done the work to heal your relationship with food before you can really embody this as not another diet.

[00:27:21] Because you can't take this information and and and say you've healed a relationship with food but then go back to these really strict.

[00:27:31] Food rules right or saying like oh I need to choose something that's higher and fiber because care said so that's not what I'm getting out here I'm show purely just showing you.

[00:27:42] For example, is that how when you're making food choices like if you were already going to choose the whole wheat bread because that's what you wanted to do that's what you like you can look at that that nutrition facts panel and make it more informed.

[00:27:57] Health choice health food choice right and so I use this thought process when I choose foods all the time and so I'm going to give you an example.

[00:28:06] When I'm buying cream of mushrooms soup now I want you to realize that for a very very long time I would never allow myself.

[00:28:16] To buy cream of mushroom soup or make anything that had cream of mushrooms to because diet culture made me believe that it was not healthy. But now I let myself make a casserole because hey that tastes really good. Thank you, join again and your wonderful cook books.

[00:28:36] Also because casseroles usually result in leftovers so it means less cooking throughout the week and also castrails can be a really good vehicle to get more veggies in in a more palatable palatable way for my kids. So.

[00:28:54] When I'm choosing what cream of mushrooms soup I'm going to buy I'm using my nutrition knowledge to look at the ingredients and nutrition facts panels.

[00:29:04] So I'm looking at this in the store and one option is made using less added is and preservatives and has a lower sodium and fat option versus the other one so I'm going to make a decision to choose the one that you know has less artificial you know additives and preservatives and it's lower.

[00:29:23] So I'm looking at the amount of that I'm going to be with this ingredient and the lower fat because that overall is it making a more making a healthier food choice, but regardless I was going to buy a cream of mushrooms soup.

[00:29:35] Like I hope this I hope this makes sense like I do the same thing with box to macronia cheese. Like if you go down the macronia cheese I'll there is so many to choose from and for so long I wouldn't allow myself to have macronia cheese.

[00:29:51] I enjoy macronia cheese but I can use my nutrition knowledge combined with my taste preferences to choose one that's best for me.

[00:30:04] And what I choose to buy is a macaroni and cheese that is made with whole grain pasta because it's away from me to get you know whole grain carbohydrate into my meal. So it's no longer saying that you can't or you shouldn't have something.

[00:30:18] It's just like when you're choosing it it's using that nutrition knowledge there's nutrition recommendations to make a more informed and maybe healthier food choice.

[00:30:31] And so I think one of the best ways gentle nutrition can be achieved is through the idea of what I like to call nutrition by addition.

[00:30:40] So if you're choosing a snack or a meal like simply asking what could I add that would make this more nutrient dense or more balance. And that really helps to promote the variety of the moderation and the balance right it's like.

[00:30:55] When I make a snack and it's like okay I really want to have some cheese and crackers but I'm an an add add an apple to it because I know that fruits and vegetables are good for me.

[00:31:05] I enjoy the way apples taste and they're going to it helps me feel fuller longer right so it's just this idea of nutrition by addition of like okay yeah.

[00:31:15] Maybe I'm choosing this one particular thing as part of the meal or this not know what can I add to it to balance it out to increase the variety and the nutrient density to it.

[00:31:26] It's also a really helpful question to ask to help your kids be able to make more informed and health promoting choices. While still helping them honor their internal wisdom and their food preferences and that intuitive either that they were born to be.

[00:31:44] So as we talk about reaching this authentic health which is very individualized for each one of us and we incorporate this idea of gentle nutrition I want to offer up this concept in relation to the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

[00:31:59] Our Christian life on earth is a collaboration with God he shows us and directs our path and how to best care for ourselves. We are his creation whom he loves very much.

[00:32:15] First through Jesus of time on earth and then through the gift of the Holy Spirit is how he guides us on that path of how to best care for ourselves.

[00:32:28] And English chapter 5 verse 22 through 23 it tells us that the fruit of the spirit is love joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. These gifts or these attributes are the way that Jesus cares for us through the Holy Spirit.

[00:32:58] He gave us these gifts as a way to show us how to be more like him to imitate him in the way he treated and cared for other people. So as the character of the Christian life and how we are to live and treat others.

[00:33:15] And the same can be applied to how we treat and care for ourselves and our body. Like I want to think about that right the fruits of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.

[00:33:35] And I have us through years of chronic dieting did not treat our bodies or our minds with those fruits of the Holy Spirit. I mean, I know I didn't.

[00:33:48] And so when we start to embody gentle nutrition and try to attain authentic health, it integrates mercy and compassion when caring for ourselves, which is exactly what we receive from Christ.

[00:34:04] We fall into sin, which we all inevitably do. He still shows up with love and mercy and compassion and forgiveness for our mistakes. And we can take that same attitude and apply it to our health and wellness journey.

[00:34:19] But for far too long, many of us have followed the ways of the world when it comes to eating and caring for our body. Very rigid and unkind, it's punishing in nature. It is so unlike how God are good and loving Father treats us.

[00:34:36] Like if we can learn to embody these gifts and apply this posture to how we care for ourselves and others, it's a way to help us grow closer to the Lord. Because we realize that we weren't able to live out any of those characteristics solely on our own.

[00:34:54] So not only are they marks of the Christian life, not only are they showing us the way to live. They're also a way in which we stay together to him because he pours these gifts into us so that we can pour them out onto others.

[00:35:09] And so when we embody the fruit of the spirit in being able to care for ourselves, it helps us to orient and align our motivation to be well and healthy and focus it on stewardship.

[00:35:24] And stewardship is really about this ability to care for things that belong to someone else, such as resources, abilities and opportunities that God has entrusted to our care.

[00:35:38] And this includes caring for our body, our mind and our soul. Also that we can be better equipped to serve and live out our unique vocations and colleagues.

[00:35:51] So I hope that you have a little glimpse of hope into what your future and intuitive eater can look like in terms of how we incorporate this gentle nutrition and how we start to integrate our internal wisdom with that external knowledge, especially through variety and moderation and balance.

[00:36:12] And how our goal with authentic health is really motivated by wanting to care for ourselves and care for others the way that Christ first taught us to and how he has gifted us that continued care through the Holy Spirit.

[00:36:28] And how it can help us further the kingdom and serve our loved ones and fully live out our vocations and our colleagues. So I thank you for being here with me.

[00:36:40] I really had to embody this idea of gentleness and compassion and mercy with myself last week as I mentioned in not getting an episode out because I was sick.

[00:36:52] And as much as I think we do this, we try to push and push and be productive and get all the things done.

[00:37:00] We have to remember that the Holy Spirit shows us that it's about gentleness and kindness and patience and self control right and part of that self control means like not pushing past our human limits.

[00:37:18] And God knows that and when we can kind of rain in that self control and just surrender it over to him. He just honestly is what makes the good things happen.

[00:37:28] And so I'm happy to say that I am well, I still have a lingering cough but so happy to be back here with you again this week and I hope that you got some good nuggets out of this podcast episode and I look forward to being with you again next week until then I hope you have a really blessed day and just remember it's your time to bloom.

[00:37:52] Take care, bye. Thanks for tuning in today! I would love to hear more from you about the topics you want to hear on the nearest to bloom podcasts.

[00:38:00] Head on over to our community page at communities.careatrocta.com and let me know in the comments what you want to hear next. See you next time. Remember, beauty hell is the seed beauty shared is the flower it's your time to bloom.