The Staff of Life

I don't count calories. It doesn't work for me. I can't ever figure out how many calories are in the food I eat, and when I do I feel rebellious and want to eat more calories than I have been allotted. I have made a choice, I let my body do the talking and the counting. I know what it feels like to be hungry, I know what it feels like to be full, I know how long it takes to go from hungry to full - 20 minutes. I try to eat 5 small healthy meals every day slowly for 20 minutes and I eat only the portion size. I eat extremely low fat, and substitute healthier options when I can. If I am full I stop, if I am still hungry, I eat more. Food is my friend and partner in my life. I need fuel to go, I don't look at the gas my car needs as an enemy. I think it would be funny if we took all of the emotional garbage we have with eating and left it at Chevron. I know that counting is successful for some. But there is another way to lose weight because this is how I did it.

"All grain is ordained for the use of man...to be the staff of life"(D&C 89:14) A staff is something that people use for support. I think of Charlton Heston as Moses leaning on his staff. In Hebrews Paul tells us that Jacob "blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff."(Hebrews 11:21) Shepherds use staffs to help them tend the sheep, which is their livelihood. Grains as a staff is used to help us accomplish our tasks, for me in my season, I need energy to be a mother. Whatever season you are in, couldn't you use a staff to lean on? I am sure that to run races Thoroughbred horses are given the finest grains, and no matter how much they whinny they will not be getting a Twinkie.

The best way for me to get this staff is homemade whole wheat bread. It is so hard to find store bought bread that doesn't have high fructose corn syrup. Besides homemade tastes best. My family goes through about a loaf a day during the week. I make 5 loaves about every 5-6 days. When I am in a hurry, I grab a few pieces, when I my cravings are out of control, I fill up on bread and low sugar jam, by doing that I truly get full. Believe me when I say that when my stomach is full of wheat bread, I have no cravings for other things. I know that this screams in the face of Mr. Atkins, but I imagine that when the Lord said "Wheat for Man" he meant it.

Tomorrow I am going to post my recipe for my "staff of life" bread. It is yummy, soft and very filling. I have to have my husband put it in a table because I use a Bosh mixer which makes 5-6 loaves of bread. I know that the smaller kitchen aid which is so popular can only make 2 loaves of bread. I have a wee bit of math to do, and since I am married to a brilliant engineer help is on his way! Stay tuned!!!