Did you know that about 75% of longevity is the result of your own choices (that includes foods you eat, stress, sleep, exercise and exposure to toxins) rather than your genes? Odds are, it’s not in your genes, and that is great news!

Combine that reality with the fact that the right foods can reverse, prevent and cure most of what plagues (or scares) you, and you have a very bright future. So, what is your motivation for taking stock of your health?

— Is your goal to lose weight?

— Do you have a family history that concerns you?

— Are you currently suffering from a sickness or disease?

— Are family members dying early of disease?

— Are family members suffering from dementia and ending up in nursing homes?

Unfortunately, if you have a strong family history of Alzheimer’s, diabetes, dementia, heart disease, cancer, insulin resistance or another such disease, you are really signing up for it with the standard American diet. In fact, if you have prediabetes, diabetes or insulin resistance, you have almost double the risk of developing dementia. And if your parents had it, you need to change your diet right away.

Testimony of Dementia Reversal

One recent patient suffered from moderate dementia. I told her family, “Dementia can sometimes be reversed through diet, lifestyle and supplements if we start when the symptoms are mild to moderate. I’ve done it many times.”

The family was encouraged, but naturally hesitant to get too hopeful. They were about to take her out of her house and put her in a nursing home for fear that she might forget to turn off the stove or wander away. She had already been forced to quit her part-time job because the details were too much for her.

We started her immediately on a healthy keto diet, which for her meant revising her eating habits entirely. Her family helped, and within a few months she was thinking more clearly, talking more to her adult children, engaging with the grandchildren and even doing light exercise such as walking in her neighborhood. Six months later, she started working part-time!

Needless to say, her family was both thankful and amazed, but such turnarounds happen all the time. Had her dementia been more advanced, the keto diet would still have helped, but it would have probably been too late to reverse all the symptoms.

Also, many patients on a keto diet have high cholesterol levels, and their doctors are prescribing statin medications that may be impairing their memory.

There are over 100 autoimmune diseases that can often be treated and many times be reversed by changing to a keto diet. The same is true with people losing weight; keeping the weight off; healing a leaky gut; restoring a fatty liver; getting rid of acid reflux; preventing or fighting cancer; lowering high blood-sugar levels; stopping seizures; beating polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS); small-intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and IBS; and so much more. The success stories are endless.

It works because the healthy keto diet usually slows or stops inflammation, heals the gut, feeds the brain, enhances weight loss, lowers insulin levels, reverses insulin resistance, balances sugars, helps prevent plaque buildup and lowers cholesterol, to name just a few of the benefits to your body. And all of that fuels hope, fresh vision and new dreams! Life is meant to be lived to the fullest, but it’s hard to do so when health problems are staring you right in the face.

One great thing about the keto diet is that it is the only weight loss program that increases your metabolism. Instead of starving yourself and slowing down your metabolism, the keto diet actually revs up your engines. And with a higher metabolism, you naturally burn more fat.

Not long ago I had a woman come into my office who was frustrated with her current weight loss efforts. “I’ve tried all the diets,” she exclaimed. “Nothing works. I’m hungrier than ever.”

Being hungry usually results in more weight gain, and she admitted that she had actually gained more weight after she enrolled in a local gym! I listened to her situation, discussed her health concerns and then laid out the science behind the keto diet. She immediately adjusted her diet, kept up her exercise routine and long story made short, the fat melted off!

She had over 100 pounds that she wanted to lose, but most people have a spare 20 to 50 pounds they want to lose.

As you well know, when it comes to people’s health and living a long-term healthy lifestyle, many will start, but few will stick around long enough to really enjoy its benefits.

May the why that motivates you be so invigorating that it propels you to achieve your health, longevity, fitness and weight goals! {eoa}

The preceding is an excerpt from Chapter 2 of Dr. Don Colbert’s book, Beyond Keto (Charisma House, 2021).. For more information, or to order the book, please visit .

Don Colbert, MD, has been a board-certified family practice doctor for over 25 years in Orlando, Florida, and most recently in Dallas, Texas. He is also board-certified in antiaging medicine through the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine and has received extensive training in nutritional and preventive medicine. He is the author of three New York Times bestselling books: Dr. Colbert’s Keto Zone Diet, The Seven Pillars of Health and Dr. Colbert’s “I Can Do This” Diet, along with bestsellers Toxic Relief, the Bible Cure series, Living in Divine Health and Stress Less. He has sold more than 10 million books and treated over 50,000 patients in his years of practicing medicine.

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The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) released its first estimate of fourth quarter Gross Domestic Product (GDP). GDP measures the final value of goods and services produced within a country.

When corrected for inflation (as was this report), it measures a country’s output.

The headline numbers were surprisingly strong. Fourth quarter GDP was estimated to grow at an annual rate of 6.9 %—compared to pre-report estimates of 5.5 %, 2.3 % the previous quarter and 4.5 % the previous year. Before we get out our party hats, an examination of the report details might be wise.

Of the 6.9 % total annual growth of GDP, consumer consumption expenditures contributed %, gross private domestic investment %, government consumption and investment -0,51 % and net exports %. Some of the press were in a celebratory mood after the report’s release. Economic growth is strong, the consumer is back and we’re increasing investment for a better future. Again, let’s dig a little deeper.

Of the increase in personal consumption, less than 6 % came from the purchase of goods, while more than 89 % came from services. The top three sub-components of services were health care, recreation and transportation—not unusual with the spread of the Omicron variant and the relaxation of some pandemic restrictions in parts of the country, but hardly a good indicator of a strong economy.

When examining the large increase in private investment (nearly 75 % of the total percentage increase in GDP), more than 95 % came from an increase in private inventories. Although we don’t know for sure why businesses increased their inventories, to provide a buffer from possible shortages and higher future prices are strong possibilities. Again, the increase in inventories was likely a response to economic concerns instead of economic strength.

Although a 6.9 % annual growth rate is exciting, digging deeper reveals higher health care expenses and likely anticipatory actions by businesses to provide protection against shortages and future prices. The headline numbers of the report could be misleading without going into the details. Things are not always as they seem

The Bible is filled with examples of appearances being wrong. Gideon was sent with 300 chosen men to defeat a Midianite army of 135,000. But the situation was not as it seemed, for the Lord was with Gideon and he was successful (Judges 6-8). Assyria, one of the strongest countries in the world, had invaded Judah. A commander of Assyria was laying siege to Jerusalem and taunting the God of Israel. But the Lord was with Hezekiah and Judah. He sent an angel, which killed 185,000 in the Assyrian camp. They retreated and the Lord turned defeat into victory (2 Kings 18-20).

The King of Aram was making war against Israel. However, their success was stalled because Elisha kept telling their plans to the King of Israel. The King of Aram was furious and sent his army to get Elisha. The army had surrounded Elisha and his servant at Dothan. The servant was frightened. But the prophet assured his servant that those with them were greater than those against them. Elisha prayed that the eyes of his servant would be opened to see the chariots of fire. Things were not as they seemed.

“Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city. And his servant said to him, ‘This is hopeless, my master! What are we to do?’ And he said, ‘Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are greater than those who are with them.’ Then Elisha prayed and said, ‘LORD, please, open his eyes so that he may see.’ And the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha,” (2 Kings 6:15-17, NASB 2020).

This last year was filled with challenges, anxiety, uncertainty, division and sadness for many people of this world. Some people lost friends and family to COVID-19. Many people had to adjust to working from home. Others lost jobs due to vaccination mandates or their employers shutting down. Frustration occurred at supermarkets with many items in short supply.

People with tight budgets are feeling pressure from higher prices. Many parents were abruptly homeschooling their kids. Preferred new car models are hard to find, used cars are sold at ridiculous prices and gasoline prices are steadily increasing. Geopolitical crises seem to be increasing.

We are citizens in the kingdom of God but we still live in the world. We are not immune to the world’s problems. But as born-again, Spirit-filled children of the Most-High God, we live differently and overcome all. We have peace in a world of turmoil. We have protection in a world of danger. We have unity in a world of division. We have love instead of hate and judgment. Most importantly, we have a message.

This is a time of great opportunity to share the gospel in word and deed. Hurting, scared and discouraged people are looking for answers and want peace and hope. We know the Prince of Peace and can testify to the gospel of hope. People want security and we can testify about eternal security. People are anxious and frightened, and we can testify of the courage and assurance that comes from knowing the King of Kings. Let us not fail to take advantage of the current situation to expand the kingdom.

Things don’t have to remain as they currently seem. We were born for such a time as this.

“And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this” (Ester 4:14b). {eoa}

Dr. James Russell is a professor of economics at Oral Roberts University.

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Our goal in all that we do should be total transformation — spirit, soul and body. The vehicle to get us there is habit change but the enemy loves to try and throw obstacles in our way.

One of the biggest obstacles I have faced recently is random health issues that have seemed to come out of nowhere, especially the last two years. For various periods of time, I have had to stop my water exercise because of surgeries, falls and knee issues.

I hate it when I cannot exercise in the water because it has become a habit and without it, I feel lost. It’s been at least 12 years since I began doing it consistently. It really has shown me that my habits and my desires have changed. Even though I haven’t been able to do as much exercise, I still am not eating sugar or flour, praise God.

Habits Define Our Lives

It has made me understand better how habits really do define our lives and how they don’t go away when we have them firmly ingrained in us. With God’s help, I have developed many good habits that are firmly ingrained in me. These have taken me years to develop and not go back to the old habits of eating everything in sight when something difficult happens in your life.

One thing that helps us stay steady on the journey is to know why we are doing this in the first place. I saw what I was doing as standing in the way of the destiny God had waiting for me. It was like He was on one side of the curtain of my life, ready to draw it back and show me to the world, but I was cowering in a closet somewhere. I didn’t want the world to see the fat blob I had become.

After He revealed to me that I was a sugar addict and I surrendered that to Him, I pleaded with Him to show me how to change. I had tried every diet in the book and nothing worked. Habit change and the journey to transformation is what He revealed to me.

New Concept

It was an entirely new concept to me that I needed to change my habits for the rest of my life. It made so much sense but it had just never registered that I had bad habits. I thought it was just the way I was created. I was created with this insatiable desire for high-carb, high-sugar content foods.

God helped me understand that this was not how I was created. It was a learned behavior that had started because of many strongholds that had developed in my childhood. The devil was trying to steal my destiny by tempting me with sugary foods and I was falling for it, hook, line and sinker.

When I began this healthy living journey, I felt like my bad habits were so deeply ingrained I could never change them. I began to understand that many of the reasons I was eating comfort food was to try to dispel my feelings of stress and being overwhelmed. This was due in part to my drive to overachieve. I had to work on lowering stress in my life, but everyday life is stressful no matter what we do. This has especially been true these last two years.

What We Can Control

We can’t control everything that happened to us but we can change how we respond to it. We can change our habits. For years I felt like the only way to respond to my angst was to eat. All I was doing was burying my emotions under mounds and mounds of food, but I didn’t know what else to do. So, I kept eating.

Planning what to do when you are stressed, other than eating, are some of the greatest habits we need to start. Spending intentional, no-agenda time with God by setting aside time to quiet myself in His presence was one of those.

Another way to approach habit change is to ask yourself, “What do I want to say yes to? What will I have to say no to in order to say yes to what I want?”

Be Determined

We have to be determined to not allow our negative emotions and bad habits to rule supreme. We have to allow Jesus to help us change our habits.

First Peter 4:1-2 (MSG) tells us, “Since Jesus went through everything you’re going through and more, learn to think like Him. Think of your sufferings as a weaning from that old sinful habit of always expecting to get your own way. Then you’ll be able to live out your days free to pursue what God wants instead of being tyrannized by what you want.”

The Passion Translation, verse 2, reads, “So live the rest of your earthly life no longer concerned with human desires but consumed with what brings pleasure to God.”

I feel like I’m finally getting there and I so want that for you too. Even the things I want, I’m learning to filter through what God wants for me and my family.

I am asking myself is this what I want, desire or crave? If so, then it likely falls in the category of not what God wants.

If you need help to change your habits, join us in Overcomers Academy here. {eoa}

Teresa Shields Parker is the author of six books and two study guides, including her No. 1 bestseller, Sweet Grace: How I Lost 250 Pounds. Her sixth book, Sweet Surrender: Breaking Strongholds, is live on Amazon. She blogs at . She is also a Christian weight-loss coach (check out her coaching group at Overcomers Academy) and speaker. Don’t miss her podcast, Sweet Grace for Your Journey, available on CPN. This article first appeared on .

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The Bible teaches us that there is such a thing as a doctrine of demons (1 Tim. 4:1). This implies that demons, under the direction of Satan, attempt to give instructions to people, including churchgoing Christians.

Jesus even called the devil a liar and the father of lies who cannot abide in the Truth (John 8:43-44). Paul, the apostle, taught that strongholds are thoughts, arguments and imaginations that set themselves up against the knowledge of God (2 Cor. 10:5). Hence, the main tactic of the devil is to deceive people into believing a lie. (A lie is any thought or concept that contradicts the Bible.)

The following are seven effective lies the devil tells believers:

1. Keep things in the dark. Satan operates in the dark. He doesn’t want his deeds exposed by the light. All temptation to sin starts in secret (Prov. 9:17). For example, when a believer is offended or struggling with something and keeps it in the dark, he creates the perfect ecosystem for satanic deception. This is one reason why Jesus urged offended people to go to the offender instead of first going to others with their issue ((Matt. 18:15-18). I have found that most offenses and demonic activity can be stopped in a church if people follow this principle. Walking in the light exposes and renders useless the hidden agenda of Satan. It also enables Christians to enjoy genuine fellowship with each other and God (1 John 1:7). Satan greatly opposes this principle of walking in the light in order that his deceptive agenda can continue unimpeded in the dark.

2. Leave your shepherd. God has assigned specific leaders in the church to oversee certain people. They protect the sheep and care for their souls (Heb. 13:7; Heb. 13:17). Satan will do anything in his power to separate sheep from their divinely assigned earthly shepherd. The most common demonic method is unfounded accusations and slander against spiritual authority. If the devil can isolate the sheep and pull them away from their proper covering, then the wolves can come and devour them (John 10:12).

3. Leave your church family. I have seen people come to a church, get saved, mature in the faith and then get pulled out by demonic deception. Usually, their friends leave and get them to attend another church. Consequently, most of the time, they stop growing and may even fall away! It may also begin a habit pattern of instability. Instead of being established in the house of God, their tendency will be to leave a church without a good, biblical reason. Even though there are many good churches to choose from, a church is a family and when you leave the family assigned to you, it’s often difficult to fit in with another family. Satan does not want believers to be planted in the house of the Lord since he doesn’t want them to mature and bear much fruit (Ps. 92:13-14).

4. Leave your spouse. There is no perfect marriage and no perfect husband or wife. After the initial romantic feelings of love begin to wane, conflict in the marriage usually begins to manifest. This is where the covenant to the marriage vow should kick in. Instead of getting counseling and working things out, the devil attempts to connect a spouse with another person to ignite a romantic spark between them. Although there are a few, biblical reasons for a divorce, in most cases, it is caused by breaking the sacred covenant due to an expression of selfish desire (Matt. 5:31-32; Matt. 19:8-9; 1 Cor. 7:15). Since God hates divorce, that’s a sure sign that Satan loves divorce and will promulgate it in the church to destroy the nuclear family unit.

5. Leave your ministry. During the COVID pandemic, I heard of many instances of pastors either resigning or seeking other fields of work. When times get tough, the devil will tempt you to take the easy way out and quit your assignment. When Peter attempted to talk Jesus out of going to the cross, Jesus addressed him as Satan and rebuked him (Mark 8:33). Representing Christ in the ministry is very hard — just ask the apostle Paul (2 Cor. 4:7-12). However, as hard as it is to remain faithful in the ministry, it will be harder in the long run if you abandon your post — just ask Judas (Acts 1:15-20).

6. Isolate yourself. When things get difficult, the Bible says to encourage one another lest we fall into the deceitfulness of sin (Heb. 3:12-13). Hence, we need even more to stay connected to the body of Christ when undergoing temptations and challenging times. Of course, the devil desires the opposite and will attempt to influence believers to separate and isolate themselves from the church under the guise of working out their issues alone. Isolation is the perfect environment for satanic deception, since the possibility of receiving truth and encouragement from other Christians is cut off.

7. Quitting on yourself. Finally, the Word of God admonishes believers to look unto Jesus for endurance amid challenges and while resisting sin (Heb. 12:1-4). If, and when, we experience failure, we will be tempted to give up on ourselves due to shame, self-doubt and feelings of condemnation. The devil feeds off of condemnation and worldly sorrow that leads us to death and separation from God. On the other hand, the Holy Spirit brings conviction when we sin, which leads us back to God through repentance (2 Cor. 7:10).

May this article expose the works of the devil so that we are no longer ignorant of his schemes (2 Cor. 2:11). {eoa}

Dr. Joseph Mattera is an internationally-known author, consultant and theologian whose mission is to influence leaders who influence culture. He is the founding pastor of Resurrection Church and leads several organizations, including The U.S. Coalition of Apostolic Leaders and Christ Covenant Coalition. Dr. Mattera is the author of 13 bestselling books, including his latest “The Purpose, Power, and Process of Prophetic Ministry,” and is renown for applying Scripture to contemporary culture. To order his books or to join the many thousands who subscribe to his newsletter, go to .

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When the Lord Jesus Christ returns to earth, He will return in all of His glory and might — not as a baby as in His first appearance. He is coming back as a man of war.

Evangelist Charles Spurgeon once wrote, “He comes to fight, but the fight is for peace. He comes to destroy, but to destroy His people’s enemies. He comes as a conqueror, but He comes as a delivering conqueror who scatters flowers where he rides.”

In this video, Lion of Judah Ministries explains, according to the book of Revelation, what it will be like when Jesus makes His triumphant return to the earth. He will not come quietly and it will be some spectacle when the Battle of Armageddon begins. It will be the final showdown between good and evil. It will be the final showdown between truth and error. It will be the final showdown between light and darkness.

No one knows the exact time or date this will happen but we are living in the end times. Are you ready for this?

For more of this compelling teaching, watch this video. {eoa}

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As I was sitting down to write yesterday, I felt the Lord say, “Regroup to reboot.” As I pressed into both of those words, I saw an encouraging picture of what God is in the process of doing and how we, as His body, can press into it!

We are in the process of a corporate “regroup.” This word can be defined as “to arrange in a new grouping,” “To put back together in a tactical formation, as after a dispersal in a retreat,” “To come together again in a group,” “To reorganize for renewed effort, as after a temporary setback,” or “To recollect one’s composure and focus for a renewed effort” (American Heritage Dictionary).

God is very strategically regrouping His people. Because the “battleground” of the past couple years has changed so much of the way things normally function, there are new placements, new positions and new purposes God is activating in which to use you.

God is moving on the mountains of influence in society. During this “regrouping” time, it will be important to seek the Lord on where and how He wants to use you as an influencer and not to assume it will look the same as it always has. Pay attention to new opportunities He is opening up or even new skills you’ve been forced to develop the past few years due to hardships and changes in lifestyle.

There is an emphasis on unity and coming together. Watch and see God open up new borders. He is bringing us back together after a prolonged time of separation and joining us with new communities and groups. Be prayerful about new groups and fellowships He leads you to be a part of.

Don’t give up too soon. There is a breakthrough behind repetition and steadfastness. The “re” in “regroup” means “repetition of action.” There is a change in directions coming that will involve repentance, restoration of the former blessings and a complete transformation.

Focus is returning! If you’ve been experiencing a spiritual fog or felt pulled in many directions, this next season is one of simple focus. Instead of putting little bits of time and effort into many things, God is going to clarify an area or two of focus.

All of this is in preparation for a “reboot.” When I looked up reboot, it can mean “restart,” “to bring back (an earlier film or television show), usually with a new cast and updated script” (American Heritage Dictionary), or “to refresh (something) by making a new start or creating a new version” (Merriam Webster).

I got an image of restarting a computer after there is an “emergency shutdown.” As it reboots, there is that feeling of panic of “Did I lose it all?” God says, “Nothing has been lost.” In this time of reboot, you’ll discover creative ways God has preserved and used “all things for good ” (Rom. 8:28), and there will even be a resuming of things that have been put on “pause” or set aside for years.

In this new season, you will see changes in the “cast” and “script.” Both on individual and larger levels, expect God to raise up new people into important positions. Also, expect divine surprises that don’t fit the trajectory. “Scripts” that we ourselves, our community or the media have created that don’t fit what God is really doing are going to be flipped in surprise breakthroughs.

Partner with this move of God by asking God to bring together the groups you are needing to be a part of during this season. Ask God for vision for your “mountain of influence” — both what it is and how to pray for it. Ask for illumination on where to be persistent and pray for focus.

Finally, praise God that nothing is lost and for His plans of turn-around, even before they become visible. {eoa}

For the rest of this prophetic article, visit .

Sara Whitten is an author, speaker, equipper and founder of Arrows of Zion Ministry. She and her husband are pastors for the youth of Impact Christian Fellowship in Kerrville, Texas. Sara is a prophetic writer that is featured on Elijah List, Spirit Fuel, Charisma and more. She hosts “Hear God Everyday” on Charisma Podcast Network, a podcast with tools to help amplify the voice of God amidst the noise of everyday life. Sara co-founded One Spark International, an organization that sponsors Bible-based training and education in unreached and restricted nations in order to see the gospel reach all people groups. She is also an active part of groups that train and invest in professionals wanting to use their business or marketplace skills to transform unreached nations areas for the kingdom. Visit Sara at her website, , at her CPN podcast at , on Facebook, on Twitter and YouTube.

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When averaged out, the typical American diet is 50 percent carbs, 34 percent fats, and 16 percent proteins. With this as the foundation, the results are going to continue to be the same: fat gaining and rarely ever fat burning. Always and forever, it cannot be anything but this because of how the body works.

That alone is bad news, but here is where things get worse. When you eat carbs, your body produces more insulin to handle the blood sugar spikes. These energy fluctuations naturally happen throughout the day as you eat. But what’s interesting is that the higher insulin level is instructing your body to store those carb calories as fat. And not only does the insulin prompt the storage of fat; it also blocks the release of fat that is stored as fat in the body. In other words, insulin programs your body to store fat, then locks it away!

These insulin spikes throughout the day eventually leads to insulin resistance, inflammation, and a host of sicknesses and diseases. And with increased insulin resistance, more insulin is produced to try to remove the excess sugar from the blood, and all the while the insulin is telling your body to store even more fat. Is it any wonder why obesity leads directly to prediabetes and type 2 diabetes? That’s simply the body doing its thing.

A keto diet, on the other hand, drastically reduces insulin production. After all, if there are no sugar spikes, there is no need for your body to produce excess insulin to lower the blood sugar. Insulin levels drop and inflammation fades. And your body’s constant instructions to store fat are silenced.

Controlling Your Appetite

For many, appetite control is the coveted control switch. It’s the holy grail. They know that if they can control their appetite, they can control their food intake and their weight.

But on a typical weight loss program, if you manage to lose weight, your metabolism slows down and your body thinks it’s starving. So as an act of self-preservation, the hunger hormone ghrelin is released to make you hungry so you will eat. And leptin, the hormone that tells you when you are full, slows down. This combined duo of self-sabotage is precisely why as many as 95 percent of people who lose weight on a typical diet regain it all, and often more, within five years.

The surest way to have a ravenous appetite is to eat a lot of carbs (carbohydrates, sugars, or starches). It’s a roller coaster that never stops going, for whenever you run low on glucose (about three to four hours after you eat), your ghrelin hormone cranks back up and you eat more carbs, which sends the roller coaster up, only to come back down again. Up and down, around and around, there is no pause or exit.

But it’s different on a keto diet. The high-fat intake on a keto diet is what makes you feel full, satiated, and satisfied. And because fat takes a long time to digest, it releases energy slowly, so your body doesn’t think it’s starving. That is how the ghrelin and leptin hormones don’t sabotage you when you are on a keto diet.

Fiber also plays an important role in curbing your appetite. The recommended 2 tablespoons of psyllium husk powder does wonders to make you feel full, not to mention the countless other health benefits that come from adequate fiber intake. In fact, both fat and fiber help suppress your hunger by lowering your levels of ghrelin, which is the principal feed-me-now appetite hormone.

So it is possible! You can control your appetite hormones on a keto diet. And then when you shift over to the Mediterranean-keto lifestyle, which is also low-carb, high fat, and moderate protein, your appetite hormones will remain under your control forever!

What to Do When Your Weight Loss Plateaus

Everyone hits a plateau when they are trying to lose weight. This is true, even on a keto diet. I’ve found that about 90 percent of the people who go on a keto diet do so to lose weight, and 100 percent of them hit weight loss plateaus along the way. Every single one of my patients who has gone on a keto diet has hit a plateau.

The way to think of weight loss is to see it like a flight of stairs. You lose weight; then it slows or stops for a few weeks, so you wait or adjust something, and weight usually drops again; then it slows or stops, so you can wait or adjust again, and on and on. You are simply stairstepping and making a series of adjustments. That is all. Nothing is wrong with you. You may have simply maxed out or slowed your weight loss with what you are doing. The answer is to either continue on the keto diet or make a minor adjustment to break through a plateau.

When you hit a plateau, the question to ask yourself is, “What is causing this?” Then you look at all the facts on the table. And let me say that it’s not a real stall or plateau until you have been there for three to four weeks. Don’t pressure yourself. You don’t have to lose weight every single week. After three to four full weeks have gone by, you can call it a stall. Following are several things to consider if you hit a plateau. Use and reuse this list each time you find yourself at a plateau:

Am I eating too many carbs? Even healthy carbs count. At the macro level, 5 percent of your daily intake coming from healthy carbs should be enough to burn fat for most anyone. That’s 20 grams of healthy net carbs per day. Odds are your carb intake has crept up and is greater than 5 percent (20 grams).

Am I eating too much protein? If you eat an excessive amount of protein, the body will convert the excess protein to carbs, and that can throw you out of ketosis. Usually 3–4 ounces of protein per meal for women and 3–6 ounces of protein per meal for men is adequate. Some people need less.

Am I drinking enough water? Not drinking enough water can slow weight loss down. Increase your water intake to at least six to eight glasses per day.

Am I eating too many nuts? Eating too many nuts, which may have excessive net carbs, can knock you out of ketosis. Or maybe the excessive proteins from too many nuts are converting to sugar, which definitely would stop ketosis and weight loss.

Do I need to start exercising? You may need to add brisk walking to your routine. Start with ten to twenty minutes of walking, three times each week. You want to eventually increase it to thirty minutes or more five days a week, but for now this is a good start. But just walk; don’t run. Also, if you are able, find a walking partner for accountability.

Am I eating too much dairy? Dairy is often the culprit for slowing down and even stalling weight loss. Look at what you’ve been eating. Adjust if necessary.

Am I eating enough fat? Double-check your 75 percent fats intake. Are you still on target? Adding more olive oil, avocado oil, almond oil, or macadamia nut oil to meals is often the answer. For women, 75 percent of 1,600 total calories as fat is 10 tablespoons per day ( tablespoons per meal). For men, 75 percent of 2,400 total calories as fat is 15 tablespoons per day (5 tablespoons per meal)

Am I consuming too much food (calories)? Maybe you are simply eating too much food. Look at your daily intake. Are you on target (1,600 calories per day for women and 2,000–2,400 calories per day for men)? Count your calories for a few days to check yourself.

Am I consuming artificial sweeteners? Fake sugars are notorious for knocking you out of ketosis. Examine your food and drinks closely.

Are there hidden sugars in my diet? Examine your food and drinks. Nut butters, for example, which are great for fat and protein intake, often have sugar added and may even have excessive carbs.

Remember, weight loss is like a flight of stairs. You will drop, plateau, drop, plateau, and so on. A plateau is never a sign that you can’t lose weight or that a keto diet doesn’t work. Don’t panic. Honestly evaluate where you are and what you are doing, and adjust.

Eventually and inevitably you will reach a weight that you like. It’s a weight that gives you the health and freedom you want. {eoa}

The preceding is taken from chapter 7 of Dr. Don Colbert’s Beyond Keto (Charisma House, 2022). For more information, or to order the book, please visit .

Don Colbert, MD, has been a board-certified family practice doctor for over twenty-five years in Orlando, Florida and most recently in Dallas, Texas. He is also board certified in antiaging medicine through the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine and has received extensive training in nutritional and preventive medicine. He is the author of three New York Times best-selling books: Dr. Colbert’s Keto Zone Diet, The Seven Pillars of Health and Dr. Colbert’s “I Can Do This” Diet, along with best sellers Toxic Relief, the Bible Cure series, Living in Divine Health, and Stress Less. He has sold more than ten million books and treated over fifty thousand patients in his years of practicing medicine.

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If COVID-19 has rocked your world — and your faith — the past couple of years, what will you do when something even more fear inducing comes your way? That’s the question Jack Hibbs, the senior pastor at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in Chino Hills, California is asking every believer.

“If the world was coming to an end next week, what would you do?” Hibbs asked in a recent video. “Would you go sit in your house and lock the door, or would you get out and give as many people hugs and spread the gospel? Would you go kiss your grandparents? What would you do?

“Stop living in fear. It has served you very, very poorly. It has robbed you blind; you have been ripped off. And now, if you keep digging your heels in, you are going to look like a super fool. You don’t want to do that. We need to get back to the Word of God, get back to faith, wash our hands, and let’s get out there and love people because Christ is coming back.

“That’s what you should be concerned about. Jesus is coming and when He comes, are you going to get caught being busy about your Father’s business?”

For more of this teaching, watch this short video. {eoa}

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Mike Evans, founder of the Friends of Zion Heritage Center and Museum in Jerusalem, is fully aware of how few people are nominated annually for the Nobel Peace Prize. And when the committee informed him earlier this week he was a candidate for the coveted award in 2022, it stunned him.

But many others weren’t, considering Evans’ tireless work to combat antisemitism around the world on a daily basis. For decades, Evans has been a warrior in his efforts to eradicate antisemitism and the nomination was submitted by Bobby Brown, senior vice president for Ariel University in Israel.

“I’m actually in shock,” Evans said in an exclusive interview with Charisma News. “I certainly never expected something like this. I have been a victim of it during my life. But my life’s work has been to combat antisemitism. I never thought I would be recognized for it in such a way.

“What drives me to the cause is that I feel like I’m the happiest person on earth because I have a cause that is greater than myself. It’s a huge honor. And, I’m not sure of this, but I know of no other evangelical that has ever been nominated for the award. I could be wrong about that.”

There is little question in Brown’s mind that Evans is deserving of the honor.

“The reason I nominated Mike Evans is because I know of no living person doing more to combat antisemitism.”

Evans himself was a victim of antisemitism early in his life, and within his own family. Evans’ father attempted to strangle him when Evans was 11 as he defended his Jewish mother against violence.

“I got a call from my sister, who is not a believer, and she said to me, ‘Mike, I know what you went through as a child with Dad. I went through the same thing. I want you to know how proud I am of you,'” Evans says. “When you start seeing family members touched in that way, it’s incredible.”

Because of his work with former Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin in combatting antisemitism, Evans gained his share of enemies. In 1984, a man named Richard Snell, who was involved in the planning of the Oklahoma City bombing, made plans to come to Evans’ home in Colleyville, Texas to kill him. Evans received that information from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and Snell actually killed an Arkansas state trooper on his way to Colleyville.

Fortunately Snell, a self-proclaimed Jew hater, was intercepted by authorities and never reached Evans’ home.

“I had written a book called Israel: America’s Key to Survival, and Richard Snell’s mission was to take me out,” Evans said. “My son, Michael, who runs our museum in Jerusalem, reminded me that his mother was pregnant with him during this time. He said God not only protected me, but he also protected him and his mother.”

Evans was one of the first on the scene in a recent antisemitic attack on Congregation Beth Israel synagogue near his home in Colleyville.

“Antisemitism is alive and well right now,” Evans says. “It used to be considered antisemitism when an individual Jew was attacked. Now, the new antisemitism is all about Zionism in Israel. It’s the canary in the coal mine. There is a tremendous rage against Bible believers who support the Jewish people and against the state of Israel.”

Prominent Israeli and Jewish leaders extolled Evans’ virtues in separate statements.

“Mike Evans, a fighter for freedom in a world of darkening horizons,” former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement provided to Charisma News. “In his devotion to Israel, Mike has consistently demonstrated the moral clarity that is necessary to defend Israel against the lies and distortions of its enemies, and championed the Jewish people’s claim to the land of Israel.”

“I know of no person who has done more in my lifetime to combat antisemitism, and especially someone who has been a victim of antisemitism,” says Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, a survivor of the Poway, California synagogue mass shooting in 2019.

Nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize will continue to be taken through Jan. 31. The winner will be announced later this year in Oslo, Norway. {eoa}

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Demontae Edmonds, the founder of Freedom4TheNations ministry in Atlanta, Georgia, says that of the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit listed in 1 Corinthians 12, there is one that is often overlooked by many believers. But he says that doesn’t make it any less crucial in the overall kingdom of God.

“It may not be as flashy, fancy or awe-inspiring as the gift of prophecy or the working of miracles, but the gift of discernment, if you sharpen it, will help you increase your prophetic awareness and it will help you not to be deceived by the plans, the trickery or the cunning of the enemy,” Edmonds says. “The devil deceived Adam and Eve. He robbed them of their intimacy, glory and purity of their relationship with God. The gift of discernment would have been very useful for Adam and Eve, just as it is for you.

“The discerning of spirits is a supernatural gifting that allows you to see, hear and perceive in the realm of spirits. We’re talking about spirits that can influence your life, influence your destiny, affect your family, affect your community and affect your church. What this gift allows you to do is to discern the activity of demonic powers. In Jesus’ ministry, He Himself had to identify the spirits, distinguish the spirits. He had to use this gift. He walked in this gift powerfully and it allowed Him to bring deliverance to so many people.” {eoa}

For the rest of this dynamic teach, watch this video from Freedom4TheNations.

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