Your brain is the most amazing organ. Even though it is only 2 percent of your body’s weight, it uses 20 to 30 percent of the calories you consume and 20 percent of the oxygen and blood flow in your body. It is the most expensive real estate in your body, requiring the most resources.

Practice using your brain. Self-control is like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it gets. Just as good parents help children develop self-control by saying no, strengthen the self-control part of your own brain by saying no to the things that are not good for you. Over time your brain will make better choices more automatically.

As you boost the health of your brain, take new steps to boost the health of your body. Incorporate some new food and fitness concepts into your Daniel Plan lifestyle.

Beware of health food impostors: sweetened yogurt, processed/genetically modified soy products, meat alternatives, protein bars, and fruit juice. (See page 142 of The Daniel Plan book for more information).

Eat organic to avoid pesticides, hormones, and antibiotics in food, if your budget allows. Use the Clean Fifteen and Dirty Dozen list from the Environmental Working Group (ewg.org) to choose the least contaminated conventionally grown fruits and vegetables and avoid the most contaminated versions. Look for the terms grass fed, pasture raised, free-range or organic, or made without hormones and antibiotics. If more people choose organics, the prices will come down.

Combat sitting disease. Did you know the average person sits 7.7-15 hours a day? Just moving more often during your day can make a big difference to your health! Click here for a 2-minute micro break you can use during your busy day.

Effective decisions involve forethought in relation to your goals, which helps you live life to the fullest today, while supporting plans for your future. Boosting your brainpower and optimizing your health will help you maximize your decision-making ability.

Today’s Steps:

1.        With God’s help, practice self-control in your eating habits and thought patterns.
2.        Avoid health food impostors and incorporate organic foods.
3.        Take 2-minute micro breaks to move your body throughout the day.

Check out The Daniel Plan Jumpstart Guide – Daily Steps to a Healthier Life to begin the journey to better health with the five key Essentials:  Faith, Food, Fitness, Focus, and Friends.  The Daniel Plan Jumpstart Guide offers day-by-day steps to create a healthy lifestyle.

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