Why Is the Church as Sick as the World? A Call Back to Biblical Health

Introduction and guest background 0:00

Hello everyone. Welcome back to another episode of Take Back My Brain and I have a very fun treat for you today. This is Chelsea Blackbird, and I was actually on her podcast not too long ago. And so now I get the privilege of having her on my podcast for all of you to be blessed with. And Chelsea has, like I said, her own podcast, and it is called the Christian Health Club. So I want all of you to check that out and follow it, especially my interview with her. And but she is a Christian health practitioner and looks at things from a biblical perspective.

So she and I have so much in common our worldview, our mindsets, our, goals in life. They align very well with each other. So I'm really excited to have this chat with you today, Chelsea. So thanks for being here. Thanks for having me. I know it was like we were saying, I can't believe we hadn't connected sooner. So it's it's so fun to get to connect with you and talk about these things that we love and are so passionate about. Yeah, absolutely. Because, I mean, I don't see a lot of difference between Christians and the rest of the world as far as health goes.

Like they're still pretty much just as sick as everybody else. And I don't really feel like that's biblical. Right. I feel like there should be a set of partners, and, we just have to get more education out there. And so anyway, I'm really glad to have this conversation. Yeah. Me too. And speaking to that, I mean, I think it's the I think the differentiating factor that we have to consider is that, you know, Scripture says our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. Yeah. And, you know, really what we're using these bodies for is to, to up to our purpose.

You know, I would say when you, when we feel well, we serve well. Yeah. When we show up for everything God has for us in life and for our true purpose in that. And that really is our highest health goal is to live into everything that God calls us to do and to be. And we do that so much better when you're healthy. Yeah, when we're healthy and we're not sick and we're not always in mind drama about what we're eating and, you know, or our sicknesses. And so I think that's the it's a just kind of a shift of mindset.

Like it's not about my size that I'm wearing. It's about my purpose and showing up in the world. Yeah. Are you I know, I know, people like, well, I could glorify God in my illness. Yes you can. Absolutely. But I should say. And how much more can you glorify him in your, in your healing, in your recovery and in your wellness? I mean, you can definitely do more most of the time for the Lord. You know, when you're healthy and running strong and you can do

Health as part of Christian purpose 2:37

you can serve your family, you can't really serve people well and share the love of Jesus, super effectively if you're sick all the time. So. Exactly, exactly. And it's that conflict with scripture. Yeah, for sure. You know, and I, I hear a lot from, you know, moms and, women that, you know, wish that their family was more on board, you know, with things or they want their families to be healthy. And I wish they can always starts with us. Right. Just does. Oh, and just in the same way that we draw people to Christ by kind of being that vessel of, of peace, you know, and, and just joy, we also draw people to health when we are just a vessel of wellness and, you know, living out that example, like being being in a good mood for your family, right?

You know, just, you know, having energy to show up and, and not being, you know, having inpatients and things about family, just having that patience and just and that so much of that comes from the way that we treat our bodies. And I think that's connection. That's what it is, you know. Yeah. Yeah. We shouldn't have that. All that anxiety and depression and just angst and, you know, worry and worry and worry and, you know, like you're talking anger. You know, those are definitely not fruits of the spirit.

But a lot of that has to do with how do you physically feel. How does your brain feel or what is your body feel? How much sleep did you get? You know, these are just basic things, and I don't know if you've found this over the years, either. But I don't get invited to many, Christian events or churches to talk about food. Because that's church is some of the, it's one of the worst places on earth to eat it. Right? Nobody wants you to touch their stuff, right? Like don't go. We're not drinking, we're not having sex, we're not smoking.

We're not doing any of this. So don't touch our food. Right, right, right. Yeah. This is what we have left, so don't touch. Leave it alone. Hands off. Like my potluck, you know, hands off. Like, whatever. I'm serving to the children during children's ministry or or whatever. Yeah, it's it's not the best example I know, and I really feel like that. That's a huge piece that needs to change because, like we were talking before, the church is just as sick or sicker than the rest of the world. I mean, I know a lot of non-Christians who are much healthier than the majority of the Christians that I know, even like, you know, the traveling evangelists and pastors.

And, you know, I just want to get a hold of them and like, like, come on, you can preach another 15 years that we can change your diet. Exactly. Right. I'm I'm with you, girl. And a percent. Yeah. So you have what's called the Genesis prescription where you've got this laid out, kind of like eating plan, lifestyle plan, whatever you might call it, from the basically the creation story. I want to dive into that because I love how you have that laid out. So can you give us a synopsis of that? Sure. Yeah.

So, you know, we we we were trained in the same way, as nutritional therapy practitioners. And so my focus for many, many years was strictly on nutrition. And then, over time, you, you learn that, you know, food is really, really important, but it's not the only thing. Right? You can be eating this beautiful diet, but, you know, you're not sleeping well and you're not doing it right. It's going to throw things off and so, I just felt God leading me to Genesis in the creation story and, and really this idea that as creation, we are his created, we are part of creation.

And so much of what we need is laid out right there in the creation story. And it starts with water and sunlight and nature, Earth, earthing, grounding. Yeah. You know, plant food, animal food. I'm making my way through creation. Yeah. When angel food breath, you know, he created his breath.

The Genesis prescription for wellness 6:29

Calm breath or our nose. Rest. Movement. Fellowship. Yeah. It's kind of those tenets of the creation story. And so that's really, you know, the fullness I believe that we need, to be well, is touching base with all these different elements of creation. And and it's not just about food. And frankly, I really moved toward the place where, I go in the order of the creation story, which would be light and water kind of bear together. That if we don't have our, you know, our circadian rhythm, our sunshine exposure, the right kind of water that we drink, the right kind of water that we make, that our mitochondria make, which is really right with water inside of us.

The, the way that we get out and pick up electrons from the Earth, it's so key to just all of these things that I've learned over the years that really create a bigger picture of what we need to be. Well, in addition to food. But I think it's me that it's just all laid out right there if you look for it. Right in the creation of our bodies were made in relation to creation, and we need it works in a synergistic way. Here's an amazing how God just did all of that right. Like from we've come from the dust of the earth.

And so guess what? If we put our feet on the dust of the earth? Yeah, magical things happen. They do what? We're not meant to stay in our house. I mean, I realize, like, I'm in Iowa, it's cold here. So, but there's other grounding options, right? I mean, you can go put your feet on your basement floor, for that matter. You know, and just the cement floor to ground, there's, grounding. So I know you you've taught on this recently. I think I saw it on your Facebook page about grounding. Right. There's grounding that. Yeah.

Because I get this question a lot, especially in the winter. But, you know, how do we ground during winter? But you can taking a bath is ground. Taking a shower is grounding. Wash your hands under water, which, is grounded. So there's a lot of ways that you're still grounding that maybe you don't realize it. But it is so important we. And that's the thing is, we are so disconnected from nature, you know? Right. We spend more time indoors than we do outdoors where that's, you know, historically that was the opposite.

Yeah. We're, you know, under artificial light all day. And yeah, I would say we need the sun and we need the sun, you know. Yeah, yeah. And, being outside is really important to get that signaling into our eyes and our skin to the entire day. And so. Yeah, it's it's so key. And I think it's what a lot of people are missing. Yeah. And it and it doesn't cost anything. Yeah, exactly. It doesn't cost anything. So we were like, how can I take all these supplements? I'm like, what, are you gonna go outside and ground?

Are you you know, you know, all the all these things that are just they're free, right? Like fasting is free. I love lasting. There's nothing that can heal your body any more than fasting. And fasting is very biblical. There's nothing that can heal your body like the sun, you know, and I think we talked about this on on your podcast. You, you know, I had a diagnosis of melanoma and you said, so how do you feel about the sun? I'm like, I will be in it. I know I will not give you cancer. I mean that God didn't create the sun to cause cancer.

So there's other factors there that that were the issue. Definitely not the sun. We have to spend time in the sun. We have to have that. Like in your in your eyeballs. I love walking in the morning as the sun is rising with my dog. So there's movement, there's sunshine, and if it's nice enough out, I will stop with them and take my shoes off while the sun is rising. I did it this morning because it's cold, but, I mean, I have, yeah, but it is so important because I am breathing. I have very specific breath techniques that I like to do when I'm walking.

And so I try to start my day that way. And so we can combine all these things at one time and it doesn't cost anything. You just actually have to do them. Exactly. You know, I like to say God did not make our healing inaccessible. No. There. But we have to step out and receive it. Yeah, and put it into practice, as, James would say in the book of James. Yeah, we have to put it into practice and do the thing. And, it's just it's a matter of kind of changing your habits around. But yeah, the sun is one I really, really encourage people to do.

I don't think people realize speaking about free, you know, like one of the best ways that you can help to regulate your hormones, especially, you know, your cortisol and your melatonin is to get out and see that that sun, morning, sun, my morning sun is it's coming. The sun rising. Coming into the atmosphere. That blue lights coming in, in the atmosphere. When you're outside and you're eyes in your skin or taking that in. It is like a signal bell to your body, like we're starting our day. Okay. Digestion system. Okay?

Like all things are on go. We, you know, always I'm asking people like, how do you think you're not your body knows what to do when, like, on your your body is not looking at the clock, you know, it's not it's it's obeying the it's obeying creation is what it should be doing. And when we disobey creation and we're like, yeah, we know better, this is the lifestyle we're going to do in our body gets all messed up. But it really wants to be in sync otherwise. Like, you know, we'll have jet lag and stuff when you travel, but it doesn't take your body long to adapt to 12 hours away from you.

A whole different time zone. Why is that? Because it's in relation to creation. It goes with the sun, it goes with that circadian rhythm. And so your body can pick up on that very quickly. Yeah. And yeah if you are traveling I mean yeah the one of the best things you can do is as soon as you get to your destination and you know, you've got that, avoid the jet lag, just get outside, let your body know where it is in time and space. And that's what what the centers. And that's what grounding does especially. Yeah.

And let your body know. But, you know, between the electromagnetic fields, like where, where is your body in time and space and it's reassuring. Yeah. We, I think there's like so much to talk about. Nervous system. Yes. Phase and calming the nervous system. I mean, what is more dysregulated to your body in your nervous system

Water, minerals, and hydrogen therapy 12:24

of not knowing where where it is a time and space right. So easily by giving it these circadian signals and these kind of like this, like inner G.P.S.. Yes. Right. And letting our body absorb it, that is I mean, God made our body, like I said, work in relation to creation. And we have all these receptors that are processing that intake of light and Earth and the electrons that are happening. And it's so it's it's just so fascinating to me to to think of this perfect design that God made. And when you look in the book of Genesis and, and the creation story, what is happening is really that God is creating order from chaos, right?

And it is when our bodies are out of alignment with this, you know, this creation and the way our bodies are meant to work with creation. They're our bodies are in that chaotic state. We are out of alignment with the way he made us and designed us to be. And but we can step back into it again, like you were saying, that we we got to receive it. We got to do the thing right? Right. And we don't always have to ask for healing. I mean, I have a healing story of cancer, you know, was radically healed from cancer.

And I also took the steps to figure out why that happened in the first place. Right. And then there's been other things in my life where I'm like, okay, what is out of alignment? And then as soon as I put my body back in alignment with what God, you know, ordained, you know, those things would clear up, right? And so I think we're always looking for something where we don't have to work just, just kind of like our human nature, like, well, if I could just take this one pill or do this one thing.

And Christians are just as bad as you know. You know, non-Christians at this as well. So, like, what one thing do you have for me? I don't want to work at this, but you have to move. You have to drink. I want to talk about water if we can. What are your thoughts on on a type of water? What about tap water? What about hydrogen water? What about, you know, cooking and water? What about. What about? So tell us about. Well. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. This is kind of a new favorite of mine. I just got a hydrogen machine, so did you.

Okay, I did this. I don't have one yet, but it's on my list to get. And, I think we got in soon. Chelsea. Oh. Yeah, I love it. I just had a deep dive discussion with somebody on this on yesterday, but, yeah, the water that, you know, our bodies are mostly made of water, right? Just like the earth. Right. We're 8% of the Earth is water. 80%. 70 to 80% of our body is water. Yeah. Again, another way we're made in relation to creation. Also, what the majority of the water on Earth is wet and it's salty.

Yeah. Right, right. We need salt, people. We need salt. So again, something that's super inexpensive, right? Right. We need, salt. We need minerals. Our body, our water and our body is a huge communication system. In our body, it's a lot of how the signals travel. But yeah, I would say with water number one, the most important thing is to have it filtered in some way. Yeah. Not tap water. Because sadly it comes with like fluoride and chlorine and all that stuff that wreaks havoc on your brain and your gut and your thyroid and it's.

Yeah, where you. So if you do nothing else just to get a good water filter, one of the ones I like and you can tell me if you like this too, don't do Brita. I mean, last resort do Brita. Okay. But there's one called zero zero water pitcher. And it does. It filters out all your chlorine, your fluoride. It even does glyphosate and those kind of things. And it's like 50, 60 bucks. Yeah. Put it in your fridge. I have one that I travel with. So when we go to horse shows we go on vacation. It goes in my suitcase, and I take it with me.

So, I mean, what's that like? So smart. Yeah. Yeah, I just take it with me. So, Anyway, it's an inexpensive one, but if you want to upgrade your water, I'll let you talk about that. Yeah. Yeah. Well, I mean, exactly. Any kind of filter like that is fantastic. I mean, to me, like, step up to the next level we want to be think about as monopolizing our water. So, you know, whether that's putting in some kind of trace minerals or just a little, you know, dash of salt in the air, or maybe you need a little bit more something hefty, like some electrolytes, something like that.

We're thinking minerals and adding some charge to the water. And then the next few things I'd be thinking about are structuring the water and maybe adding hydrogen in some way. And that's kind of next level. You know, like I said, you got to start with filtered water. But but getting there. Yeah, I, I'm a big fan of the hydrogen that's just started incorporating hydrogen water, into my daily routine, actually, water and inhaling the hydrogen gas as well as a therapeutic. Okay. So tell the audience why this is important.

Let's let's have that conversation. Because I like water too. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Okay. So, well, hydrogen is actually something that we make in our guts or we're supposed to make in our gut. We're supposed to make it if you have a healthy gut. Sadly, yes. Most people don't have a healthy gut, and there's an enzyme there. The name is escaping me. But, you know some of the long names. But there's a time there that is supposed to help you make this hydrogen, right? But taking just, for example, an antibiotic can like wipe out that enzyme for like 3 to 5 years, that really compromise the way that, we make this hydrogen in this hydrogen in our body, where whether we make it endogenously or get it exogenous from, you know, water or, inhalation it it's anti-oxidant like hydrogen is the smallest molecule in the universe.

And so it can get everywhere in our body, systemically, throughout the body. And it acts like an antioxidant. It goes in the, the cell. And it's a, it's a smart molecule. So it's not over cleaning in a way because we still need some some of that signaling. Those oxidants can be signaling molecules. And it's a reason we honestly don't want to overdo, the antioxidants. Right. Because, you know, kind of honor the balance of that signaling system in our body. But hydrogen is a smart molecule. It's almost like an adaptogen. It knows what's leaf.

It knows what to take. It cleans up one of the most toxic oxidants that, hydroxyl radical. And and so it just it's incredibly helpful for the body. And so we can't if we're not making it. Well, which most people aren't, we can use it subliminally by making hydrogen water or taking a tablet or inhaling it. There's, you know, some different apples and things. Yeah. Yeah. But it's in can be incredibly healing for people. Yeah. Credible story. So yeah. Yeah it's it can be very healing. Yeah. And you can get some you know decently priced ones out there as well.

And you were talking about the hydrogen tablets. I think I'll put that in the show notes. A couple options that, you know, if somebody's interested in looking for hydrogen, that they can do that and we'll, we'll put some grounding mats in there too. Maybe you can give me your favorite, links on new mats that you like, Chelsea, because I know you place those out not too long ago on your Facebook page. So. Yeah. Yeah, we can definitely, definitely grab that, that link and put that in there for everybody too.

Let's just talk about diet. So plants, fruits, animal meats. What about that like. Yeah let's talk about vegan vegetarian and meats. Because, you know, there's some camps that are like as a Christian, you should never eat meat. You know, we just don't eat meat. We don't eat this, we don't eat that, blah, blah, blah, blah.

Biblical diet and protein balance 19:38

And then others are like, I have to have my meat. So what does the Bible say about that? Yeah, I think it's interesting. And this is a, you know, kind of the way that I felt God calling me and and the way that, you know, my brand or whatever you will is the Christian nutritionist. And I felt God telling me to call myself that, you know, didn't want to, frankly, because I'm like, not me. Or like, you should do that, right? Oh, like, okay. All right. If you say so, I will. But anyway, you know, getting a lot over the years about, you know, Christians believing that we should we should be vegan because that's the way, you know, we started in the garden and I'm like, well, I don't know if you've read past, you know, Genesis one.

But when I got kicked out of the garden, right. And then we had to eat meat. Yeah. And Genesis 129 gives us plants. In Genesis nine three we are given the meat to eat. And even out in the Americas, God is very specific about what kind of meat. Yeah. And that includes ruminant animals, which is red meat. That's, you know, for me, this is where it all came together originally, is when, you know, to advise people on food. Like what makes the most sense to me is the creator of our body made the perfect food for our body, who knows better in the world than what we're supposed to have in our creator?

The design. Right. Right, right. And, and so there's so much conflicting health advice out there can be really confusing and frustrating for people. Right. You see studies that say like completely opposite things. And so that's why I just go back to Scripture as my anchor, you know, now, God, this plant God gives me. Okay. You know, God gave us red meat. It says right there in Leviticus, yeah, ruminant in moles. And so, you know, ruminant animals are kind of special in their own way with their four part digestive system, you know, and that promises things.

And it really kind of does a process of some of that, more of that ick out, as I like to say. Right. Yeah. You know, in is like is eating plants that we cannot eat and converting plant matter into this meat that we eat. So it's really, you know, the earth nourishes the animal and the animal nourishes us. It's just. Yeah, fine. By our creator. Yeah. And so for me, that really just in and of argument. Right. That's that. Yeah. And and I do get why people you know they're like well the humane practices you know all those kind of things.

But you can get really good humanely grown meat out there. So I don't really think that's a, you know, part of the argument anymore because there's definitely, definitely lots and lots of options out there. So and I feel like our body I mean I'm all about the brain, right. And so if you don't have enough protein, your brain cannot work, your nervous system cannot work. It just can't. And so you have to have, you know, this animal protein in order, for your whole body to work and half of your bones are protein.

And so you have to have enough protein in there to, you know, stay strong and healthy and all those kind of things. So exactly. Yeah. I mean, it's just the most direct route to making those, you know, neurotransmitters. Of course, as you talk, you know, your that's your that's your wheelhouse. Right. Like, yeah, it's about take your brain back. I mean the big part of that is, you know, eating protein and animal protein as a complete protein, man or not. It's just not their strength. Plants have their strength of what they give your body.

The animal kingdom has its strength and what it offers to our body and its strength are the amino acids building blocks of the body. And, and so when people ask, you know, what do I eat? I'm like a really beautiful mix of plant food and animal food is the cleanest that you can find, the cleanest that's in your budget. To do, you know, I also don't think we have to be perfect eaters. No, no, nobody's gonna be a perfect eater. Nobody's going to be perfect. Yeah, you need to let that go. Take that burden off, because they're never going to be a perfect eater.

But I assure people that when we're eating well, most of the time, our body can handle a little. Yeah. I mean, there's some of the time we, you know, we can have some treats and have our feasts and, and do such, but we we do have to be nourishing the body with the real food, the way God made it. Yeah, yeah. And if you go outside this country, it's so much easier to eat and feel well, which is the sad part of it. Like, we went to Egypt for a vacation a couple years ago and my husband's like, what are you going to get to eat over there?

I said, I am not worried about the food over there really at all. And we felt good the entire time. And I even had some gluten and, you know, things that I cannot tolerate here. And it was, it was it was fantastic. So very cool. Yeah. Yeah. So you know, we're we're happened to be in a very first world country, but we're very toxic here. And I feel like we have to be extra diligent about our choices because there's a lot of deception that goes on a lot, in our food system. Yeah, absolutely. And that's another thing, you know, when I'm always looking at a historical lens, I'm always looking through the biblical lens of what is the best way for us to be healthy and, but also we have to remember we don't, you know, we don't live in that same time period, and we have a barrage of toxins coming at us, and it does make us need to be even more vigilant about, you know, honoring these, these ways that God made us to be healthy, like getting outside in, you know, getting clean water and and doing those things and removing that toxic load.

And it's it is more challenging these days. But, but I just think we have to be more aware, you know, and like you said, is where we are now, sadly, it's one we don't have a lot of regulation around it. And it's unfortunate.

Programs and closing encouragement 25:18

Yeah, yeah. Well, you have some amazing programs. Do you want to tell the audience about some of the things that you offer? Oh, sure. Yeah, sure. Well, you know, I, I created programs, over the years just based on, you know, what people came to me needing or, like, what I found in life. So I have some different faith based programs, like feeds to fast, which is really about blood sugar regulation, or ten times stronger, which is about building muscle. But it all falls under the umbrella of the Christian Health Club.

So I have a Christian Health Club podcast, not the Christian Health club. And so, you know, anybody can kind of look into that to see what those, offerings are. We also recently started, I started with another entity, the School of Christian Health and Nutrition. Awesome. Yeah. And we're training other practitioners to kind of do this work in the world because. Nice. You know, I'm only one person. You're only one person, and I like you like we started this conversation out like Christians are sick.

Yeah, yeah. Very sick. We are bodies in the body of Christ. We are the ones that are going to show up. And, you know, be that presence in the world. And it's so much harder to do when we're ill. And so we are working to just train more Christian health practitioners to get out in the world and God's people get healthy. So if anybody was ever interested in doing some kind of, you know, a program where they could be a, practitioner, we offer that I love it, I love it, I love it. So we'll include all of that in the, notes for the podcast and everything.

So anything you want to leave the audience with? I'll just say that I like to remind people that, you know, you are fearfully and wonderfully made. You are perfectly designed by a merciful creator, and the body has that ability to heal. But, like, Laurie and I said, you got to step out in and receive receive it, receive all of the amazing things that God made you to be. Well, your body is always on your side. It's always working to your best benefit, even if it may not feel like it sometimes. But just step out and, receive that Genesis prescription of healing that God has for you.

Awesome, I love it. I love this conversation. It's been so much fun. Thank you so much for being here. Thank you. I really enjoyed it. Awesome. And thank you everyone for listening and I will see you in the next episode.