Thank God for Eileen and the Health Initiatives programs. She set reasonable goals for me each week. She taught me how to have a healthy lifestyle and encouraged me each step of the way. She prayed for me. When progress stopped at one point, she encouraged me to read Eat To Live again. That and the video Diet For All Reasons, filled me with enthusiasm again.
There was a nagging doubt in my mind about how well I would be able to continue with this new lifestyle after my time with Eileen ended but God reassured me by delivering me from an addiction to sweets. Eileen reminded me to guard my heart by not having sweets whenever I wanted them. She gave wise counsel. It kept me from falling again into dependency on sweets. God has also made to possible to have accountability with a Christian friend who is also a certified personal trainer. Praise Him for supplying all of my needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus!
Thank God for Eileen and the Health Initiatives programs. She set reasonable goals for me each week. She taught me how to have a healthy lifestyle and encouraged me each step of the way. She prayed for me. When progress stopped at one point, she encouraged me to read Eat To Live again. That and the video “Diet For All Reasons”, filled me with enthusiasm again.
There was a nagging doubt in my mind about how well I would be able to continue with this new lifestyle after my time with Eileen ended but God reassured me by delivering me from an addiction to sweets. Eileen reminded me to guard my heart by not having sweets whenever I wanted them. She gave wise counsel. It kept me from falling again into dependency on sweets. God has also made to possible to have accountability with a Christian friend who is also a certified personal trainer. Praise Him for supplying all of my needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus!
Through the Restore Program and my participation in it, I am now experiencing more freedom. My first response to my conditional acceptace to MediShare was a bit of resistance to being told I must go on a diet and exercise. However, I yielded. I was not happy with the way I was eating or with how I felt or looked. I knew, even though I had "feelings" of resistance, that it was God's help for me and so I was thankful. Next, I was shocked when I received the tape, book and workbook and saw it was "vegetarian". But the book was really good and I felt good as I ate more veggies, fruits and beans and less of some other things. My health consultant had the knowledge, experience, time and willingness to make the program work for me. It was personal, and made changes so much easier than doing it on my own would have been. To God be the glory for this beneficial six month period for me. Of major importance to me is the flexibility of the program, as I experienced (and will continue) it. If I go to a party, potluck, have a birthday, or to someone's home for a meal, I am free to have whatever is served that I choose. I am able to go right back to my usual (now preferred for most of the time) low fat, low sodium, nutrient rich foods. A problem I've had in the past with diets is when I would "break it" or "blow it". It was often an excuse to keep on eating all the wrong things. It is different now. Now, I am glad to go back to the plan of the nutrient-rich foods.
My health consultant worked with my preferences well and reasonably while making good suggestions that worked! Our entire family has benefited health wise through the Restore Program. Thank you very much for encouraging me to send in my application- I waited a year because of being afraid of being rejected and suffered unnecessary stress. I wish I had done it sooner. I'm so glad that I was accepted into the Restore program. My husband and I considered this an answer to years of prayer for help with my weight and general health, which has improved along with my weight loss. He enthusiastically joined me in the changes and is enjoying his own weight loss, too. We have each lost over 15 pounds in 5 months. The Lord bless the MediShare team.
I want to thank Christian Care MediShare for assigning me a health consultant. (Eileen) She has been helping me and encouraging me for the past 7 months. She has been able to answer, or find answers to all my questions along the way. Her personal testemonials on the things she wanted me to try was a big encouragement and help to me. The Eat to Live book and Diet for All Reasons tape that MediShare sent to me were very informative. These along with my health consultant, (who was knowlegable about these materials), has helped me to make a healthy change in my eating and exercise habits. This cholesterol reduction program has helped me to focus on the Lord to help me to overcome my cravings for the foods that are bad for my body. 1 Corinthians 3: 16 thru 17 says that I am a temple of God and that He dwells in me. With this it is easier to look for healthier food to put into my body. Thank You again, keep it up and may the Lord continue to bless your ministry.
Being part of the Restore program has been one of the best blessings of my life this past year and a half. I hear lost over 25 lbs and have no problem maintaining my current weight, have eliminated cholesterol medicine and reduced blood pressure meds also, become a consistent exerciser and changed my eating habits. My consultant Eileen Hafer has been a blessing and a great support to me to help make this possible. I am so thankful to be a part of this great program with Christian Medi-Share.
This experience in the Restore program is the greatest thing that has happened to me in years. I have known for 25+ years that my cholesterol was high. This program made it so easy for me to get it under control. I dropped from a total cholesterol of 233 to under 150 in 2 months.
Having the health consultant, Eileen, call me was an important part of my success. When offered something "bad" to eat my standard response was, "thanks, but Eileen won't let me".
I am at my ideal weight and have not felt this good in at least 15 years!
My health education consultant in the Restore Program was a tremendous blessing. She provided great insight, encouragement and accountability. When I had a barrier she was able to help me find a way to break through. I have changed for life and believe this exercise and involvement with my health consultant has added both quality of life and length of life as well.
Shortly after starting the Restore program I suffered from a ruptured brain aneurysm. Thank you to the Medi-Share ministry for the calls, prayers and cards of encouragement. God is good!
I am pleased and impressed with the concept of encouraging and rewarding people according to their willingness to put effort into maintaining good health. Poor diet is prevalent and considered acceptable and it seems so especially at church functions where sweets and coffee are encouraged.
I just wanted to share a few words about how the Health Initiatives Program has and is changing my life.
My wife and I served with Wycliffe Bible Translators in Cameroon, West Africa for many years. But since we returned to the US in 1996 my weight slowly crept up and up as my eating habits got worse and worse. Buy last April my weight had climbed up to 205 pounds and my total cholesterol had risen to 248. My blood pressure was high and the truth is I was beginning to feel that my health was on the brink of serious decline if I didn't do something about it soon.
I began the health Initiatives Program in May and within one month my total cholesterol had dropped from 248 down to 151! I could not believe my eyes! I was prepared to be quite happy if I had gotten near 200!
My weight also began to drop dramatically. In 4.5 months my weight has gone from 205 down to 172 and still falling.
Energy? I used to love to run but had not done so consistently in the past few years. Since the beginning of June I have gone from 0 to 4 days a week ( and walking 3 times per week). This past Saturday I ran 15 miles on the trails in our local state park! By the grace of God and with the inspiration of the Health Initiative Program I am aiming to do a 50 mile trail race by March 24th of next year.
I cannot thank you enough for the thoughtfulness of your program and for the encouragement along the way. I often say I feel that my life has been redeemed from the brink of health disaster and I owe a great debt of gratitude to you.
When I started this restore program my blood pressure was 150/90. By changing my diet and exercising I got my blood pressure down to 120/80 in less than 6 months. Thank you for showing me there is a way to stay healthy. Also I want to thank Eileen, my health consultant, for helping me to achieve this goal. Sincerely, Delbert J
The health consultant was very impressive, quite satisfactory, very encouraging, most helpful, and patient with any difficult time limits. Thank you for your time and effort.
Eileen (my Health Education Consultant) made the difference from the very first call.
The Restore Program absolutely changed my life! I felt like I was overall pretty healthy before I started the program, but I had no idea how dramatic the changes would be for me. I have lost inches & pounds & dress sizes. I feel terrific and I am at a weight and size I thought would never be possible as I am post menopausal. I just felt like the fat was there to stay! Eileen was absolutely great to work with, always very encouraging and professional with a friendly voice. She was knowledgeable and led me into the new, healthy lifestyle. I'll never go back to eating the "old way". I am so thankful for this program. As friends at church have noticed the change in me, I have encouraged them to choose a healthy vegetarian lifestyle. In fact I have given away 7 of the Restore cookbooks, and several friends have begun losing weight and eating healthier. Thanks Again!
Initially, I was opposed to the program, thinking that a vegetarian diet was anti American. Thankfully, I watched the Diet for All Reasons video by Dr. Klapper and read the Eat to Live book by Dr. Fuhrman and realized that the American diet is anti health! I lost 15 pounds in less than 2 months before I even started my exercise program! I ate until I was full (if you eat right, your metabolism works the way God intended). I almost did not get "selected" for the program because my health was "ok". It has been as big a change in my life as anything, including coming to Christ (almost). I do believe it's easier to get someone to change their religious belief than their eating habits. But I'm so thankful I have "seen the food light".
Comments about Eileen (Health Education Consultant): Always reliable, she is encouraging even when I fall short of my goals, always had practical suggestions for good food choices when we had no kitchen facilities for 3 months, Eileen is an excellent & dedicated health coach!
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