340: WFPB Beyond The Plate: Faith-Based Wellness

Is your whole food plant-based diet falling short of delivering complete vitality? You might be missing some crucial nourishment! Discover the secret to vibrant energy and fulfilling your God-given purpose—whether in your career, as a mom, or in ministry—by feeding not just your body, but your soul and spirit, too.

In this eye-opening episode of the Power On Plants podcast, Jarrod and Anita reveal why whole food plant-based eating is only one crucial part of the equation for achieving total, lasting health and living your unique God-given purpose. Inspired by a recent conference, they dive deep into the vital importance of spiritual and mental nourishment alongside the optimal physical fuel we consume.

Learn how neglecting your soul (your thoughts, feelings, desires) and spirit can sabotage your health goals and prevent you from thriving in your purpose – even if you have the perfect diet! Gain the practical, biblical wisdom that's grounded in Christian faith and health expertise, exploring:

• Why your diet alone is not enough for peak energy and well-being.
• The surprising connection between spiritual and physical vitality.
• How information and relationships shape your health and future.
• Identifying hidden drains on your mental and emotional energy.
• Integrating faith and wellness to unlock your full potential and purpose in every area of life (career, family, & other ministry, too).

If you're seeking sustainable health that fuels your dreams, looking to integrate meaningful faith with your wellness journey, or simply want more energy to live fully according to biblical principles, this episode is a must-listen. Tune in and learn how to embrace the true nourishment that will help you fulfill your God-given potential. 

Subscribe to Power on Plants Podcast for weekly insights blending practical plant-based nutrition with Christian faith for total wellness and purposeful living. Find show notes, recipes, your completely searchable podcast library (340 episodes...and counting!), and connect with your like-minded WFPB family at poweronplants.com/pie.

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💃🏻 Ready to learn how to actually enjoy eating whole plant foods so you can finally feel great and fully experience life? Inside Accelerator, we'll take you by the hand & walk you step-by-step through our proven 5-Step WFPB Framework so you can heal naturally & actively live your God-given dreams. Join the Waitlist Here... the Doors are Opening Soon!

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hey sister, welcome to the Power on Plants podcast.
Are you tired of staring intothe fridge wondering what to eat
so you can just feel better?
Do you want to avoid spendinghours in the kitchen making
complicated meals in the name ofhealth?
Would you love to leave fatiguebehind and finally have the
energy to do all the things youwant to do?
Hi, we're Jared and AnitaRoussel, christ followers,

(00:24):
healthcare professionals,parents of four and big fans of
great tasting food.
We, too, tried exercising more,eating natural and clean foods,
but we still found ourselvesstruggling with what we thought
were changes that come with ageor bad genes, and we weren't
finding answers the traditionalroute.
So we dug into the research andcreated our secret nutritional

(00:45):
weapon sustainable plant-basedliving.
The truth is, you can eat morewhole plant foods and it's not
hard.
You just need the way.
That's realistic and deliciousso you never feel deprived.
If you're ready to enjoy yourmeals, no longer be held back by
your health struggles andactively live your life, then
you're in the right place.

(01:05):
So grab your favoriteplant-based cup of happy pop in
those earbuds and let's getstarted.
Hey there, sunshine.
If you're an avid Power onPlants listener, you probably
know that we recently went on atrip because in our last episode
, we were talking about ourfavorite road trip snacks and
where to find them.
By the way, if you haven'tlistened to that one, you need

(01:27):
to go and hear it.
But while we were away, we wentto a conference and it was
absolutely incredible, and beingthere got Jared to thinking,
hey, we need to talk aboutsomething on our podcast, and
I'm going to let him explain toyou what that is.

Speaker 2 (01:42):
Yes, we just recently got back from a four-day
conference where the entirefamily went and it was actually
a church conference and it wasfantastic.
We got to listen to someamazing speakers on several
different topics, and whatoccurred to me while we were
there is that we talk a lotabout feeding our bodies, but we
need to feed our minds, we needto feed our spirits.

Speaker 1 (02:05):
This is just so very important, and when you said
this to me, I thought this isreally something that we do need
to talk about.
While we know that eating wholeplant foods is such a crucial
foundation of gaining totalhealth, so that you finally feel
good and can do all the thingsthat you dream of doing, those
things that God placed in yourheart, no matter what it is, if
your body doesn't feel good, youcan't live out your purpose and

(02:28):
your calling.
So, yes, the foods are thatfoundation, but there are other
ways that we need to feedourselves as well, and we know
that.
We know that.
We know that when we get aroundpeople who challenge us and
make us think, especially asbelievers, in a biblical way,
this causes us to grow.
But why is that?
It's just as the Bible saysJesus is the bread of life.

(02:52):
He's the bread that feeds us.
So when we don't feed on God'sword on a regular basis and
we're not talking to each otherabout what we're learning and
learning from others who arelearning themselves, then we're
actually starving our soul, andso starving ourself in this way
can lead to our soul being in abad state, the soul being our

(03:14):
thoughts, our feelings and ourdesires.
So when we aren't feeding onthe bread of Christ, when we're
not reading the word, spendingtime in intimate fellowship with
God I'm not talking aboutreligion, but just spending time
getting to know him through hisword, his truth, and then
plugging into relationship withhim, talking to him about what
we learned afterwards, listeningto what he says to us and how

(03:35):
he guides us, which is exactlywhy Jesus came back right To
bring us back into relationshipwith him and the father that we
were always meant to have, likewe were meant to have in the
garden.
So if we're not regularlyfeeding on the word of God and
having relationship with Yeshua,which is Jesus right, and with
God, the father, and with HolySpirit, then we're missing out

(03:56):
on the very purpose that we'recreated, and this is a food that
we also need.
And then there's the livingwater.
Yeshua says, if we ask him, hewill give us living water and
we'll never thirst again.
We know we can't survivewithout water and we certainly
need the living water to live afruitful and productive life.
So the whole conference got usto thinking, hey, there are

(04:17):
other ways that we need to feedourselves, not just food.
Yes, we absolutely need thatfoundation of whole plant foods.
That is again getting back tothe garden, but so is this.
I mean, we were always meant tohave that relationship with God
and so if we get back to thegarden by having relationship,
intimate, personal relationshipwith Him not just going to
church, not just reading theBible, but actually developing a

(04:40):
living, growing, breathingrelationship with Him, where
we're talking to Him, we'relistening it will change your
life.
It brings you real, lastinghealth that you can't get any
other way, because you werecreated for this.

Speaker 2 (04:53):
And you know what we're saying is true, because if
you've ever had an encounterwith Holy Spirit where you walk
away and you feel energized, notjust physically although we
have felt that physically butspiritually it's just a whole
different level.
Or if you're reading throughthe Bible and you have this new
understanding where thescriptures just come alive, it

(05:14):
just seems to awaken somethingwithin you.
It feeds you.
That's that food, thatspiritual food.
Yes, it feeds you.
And then there's alsointellectually feeding yourself,
like watching some of thesemovies that we've talked about,
like Forks Over Knives, orgetting a good book like Dr
Greger.
That's always a great place tostart how not to die, how not to

(05:36):
diet.
Feed yourself intellectually,so you're gaining that knowledge
as well.

Speaker 1 (05:41):
That just keeps you inspired, and that can happen by
just the people you're hangingaround with on a regular basis.
So true.
Are you hanging around withfriends that are keeping you
inspired and excited andencouraged to grow and continue
on in this life in the purposethat you have, instead of just
being okay hanging out doingmuch of nothing?

(06:02):
I mean, we don't want to wasteour time.
Are the people we're aroundinspiring us mentally and
causing us to grow?
Also, like Jared was saying,what we're taking in on a
regular basis.
Are we being mentallychallenged and inspired by the
things we're putting before oureyes and reading?
Are we getting new ideas forthings that we could cook, whole
food, plant based, that willmake our bodies healthy and

(06:24):
strong, things that excite us,things that we love?
That's one of the reasons Ilove writing the recipes.
I want things that inspire youand keep you excited on this
journey, because it's going tomake all the difference for you.
If you don't know where tostart, grab the cookbooks at
poweronplantscom.
Forward slash cookbook that cankeep you inspired as well.
Jared also mentioned moviesthings like that that really are

(06:46):
founded on truth.
Also mentioned movies thingslike that that really are
founded on truth, watching thoseand keeping yourself inspired,
but also guarding your eyes,guarding your ears.
You know, are you on theincessant scroll all day.
It's mind numbing.
It really is mind numbing andthinking you're having
relationships with all thesepeople online when really a lot
of the things that are onlineare distractions.
We think we have friends, butask yourself how much do I

(07:10):
really know these people and arethey inspiring me to be the
best person I can be?
Is this the best use of my time?
Am I feeding myself what Ireally need to grow to the next
level that I was created toenjoy?

Speaker 2 (07:24):
Just like you wouldn't want to feed your body
garbage or junk food, you don'twant to feed your mind junk food
.
You don't want to feed yoursoul junk food.
You want your relationships tobe authentic, like some of these
relationships online onFacebook.
How many of those people couldyou call if you had a problem
and say hey.
Would you pray with me?
Or hey, I need some help.

(07:46):
If not, then those are probablynot real friendships.

Speaker 1 (07:50):
And how many of them are you able to meet with on a
regular basis and actuallyinspire each other and encourage
each other to the next level orin what you're doing right now?
I mean, these are suchimportant things that we've been
robbed of because we don't havethe time quote have the time to
have these types ofrelationships.
We were created to have realrelationships.
Instead, we're online,scrolling or posting things that

(08:15):
, in the end, ultimately, arestealing our time.
So I was thinking about thistoday also when I was looking at
the newsfeed just the newsfeed,like on the Weather Channel.
They have these differentstories and I think I read Jared
something like 25 differentarticles that they had posted on
there to try to get me to clickand almost everyone I think all

(08:36):
but one was a negative news.
It was fear based, causing usto be afraid and scared.
I might have some disease.
I might need this new medicine.
Maybe this thing is being keptfrom me, maybe there are secrets
out there.
This weather's coming after me,it's going to be hideous, all
this fear-based stuff, and it'sreally stealing the life that we

(08:56):
were meant to have.
So the whole point is what arewe feeding ourself on a regular
basis?
The foundation to help ourbodies be strong is going to be
whole plant foods.
But then what about our spiritsand what about our souls, our
thoughts, our emotions and ourdesires?
Those are all affected by thethings we look at, the people we
hang around with, the thingsthat we're listening to and

(09:19):
hearing on a regular basis.
Because the truth is, as abeliever, the only in road that
your enemy has into your life isthrough your thoughts and your
ideas planting thoughts, ideasand suggestions that you
actually allow to come into yourlife as food, as seeds to get
planted into your life, that youaccept them and say, hey, yeah,

(09:42):
maybe that's really true, right, so that's biblical, that's in
the word.
You can look that up.
So we want to be careful.
What are we feeding ourself?
What are we thinking about on aregular basis?
What are we posting?
What are we reading?
What are we listening to?
What are we allowing the inroadinto our life to feed us?
What are we allowing to plantas seeds into our life?

(10:02):
Because whatever you'replanting, I can promise you it
is going to bring about yourfuture self or your future
position, because you'replanting the seeds now that,
down the road, are going tobloom and are going to grow.
Same thing with the food you'reputting in your body, the food
I'm putting in my body.
It is planting seeds, in a way,right for what my future is

(10:22):
going to be, because it's goingto determine in a large part,
what my body is able to do.
It even affects your emotions,the food that goes into your
mouth.
Did you know it even affectsyour emotions.
It's been shown in researchstudies that eating more whole
plant foods reduces depressionand things like that.
So it affects the way your bodylooks, the way your body feels,

(10:43):
what you're able to do.
And definitely God has a planfor you as a believer, and it's
so much more than just sittingaround and soaking up his word.
He wants you to take that wordout and be able to share it with
others through your business,through your ministry, through
your homeschooling, whatever itis that you're doing, that he's

(11:03):
placed on your heart in thisseason and for future seasons,
and your body has to feel greatto do it.
So we feed it healthy physicalbread and physical water, and
then we also have to be in theright place mentally and
emotionally, with our feelingsand our desires, in order to
step out and do what he's calledus to do to live a healthy,

(11:25):
vibrant life and to step intothe future.
That is awesome that he hasplanned for you.
So I thought that was such agreat idea that Jared had
discussing this and we justwanted to bring it to you and
see what you think, because ofcourse, it matters what food we
put into our body, but it's notjust the physical food.
We also want to think what arewe feeding ourselves on a
regular basis?

(11:46):
What are we feeding our spirits, what are we feeding our souls
and what are we feeding our body?
Sunshine, we have loved havingyou with us again today.
We look forward to getting toknow you more in our free group
at poweronplantscom P-I-E that'spoweronplantscom pie.
There you can search everysingle podcast episode, any word

(12:08):
that we said said in it.
So if you're new to whole food,plant-based or even have been
eating this way for a long time,and you want to know more and
have tips and tricks right atyour fingertips for how to get
this life started.
You have, at this point, over300 episodes and growing, that
you can search and find wherewe've said an exact word, like
maybe you're wondering aboutnutritional yeast, maybe you'd

(12:28):
like to know about protein.
You can search that exact wordand it will pull up every time
we've ever said that in apodcast and take you right to
that area so you can play it.
It's an incredible resource andif you're already in pie, do
not miss out.
Start using this resource.
It will blow your mind how manyincredible nuggets are right

(12:50):
there at your fingertips to helpyou feel your best so that you
can fully live this amazing life.
Know that we love you, that weare praying for you, we are on
your side and we're so excitedto be a part of your healing
journey.
Have a great week, sunshine,and we'll see you again very
soon.
Thank you.