This one comes to us from Charlotte Donlon.
My friend Jen is telling me about the Whole30 eating plan. We’re sitting in lounge chairs by the pool on a hot and humid afternoon while our kids are swimming and engaging each other in water gun battles. She rattles off everything that’s not allowed on Whole30: “No sugars or artificial sweeteners. No alcohol. No grains. No legumes including beans, soy, and peanuts. And no dairy.” When our kids come ask us for snacks, she hands out baggies of grapes to her two boys. Her kids are doing it, too. I give my kids money to get processed junk out of the vending machines.
After we return home, I spend a good chunk of time Googling and reading about Whole30. I have just entered recovery for an eating disorder, so I’m wary of this much restriction. But the promises of the plan are appealing. An article at fitnessmagazine.com quotes Melissa Hartwig, one of the Whole30 founders, about the benefits of following the plan. “The program improves energy, sleep, digestive issues (gas, bloating, pain, constipation, or diarrhea), skin, joint pain/swelling, asthma, migraines, and biomarkers like blood pressure, cholesterol, and fasting blood sugar.” She also says 96 percent of participants lose weight on the program without counting calories or weighing food.
I mention Whole30 during the next appointment with my nutritionist who’s helping me learn how to nourish myself in healthy ways instead of falling into cycles of bingeing and fasting that I have done during different seasons throughout my life. She shakes her head from side to side while telling me, “This would not be good for you. Restricting whole food groups in the name of detoxing and re-setting your body is not healthy. Especially with your history.” Since my track record isn’t very good, I choose to heed my nutritionist’s advice. I make my own list of things to avoid and add Whole30 to it.
Over the past two years since I first heard about the diet, I’ve had countless friends and acquaintances commit to it for 30 days. Every time I hear someone mention it, I feel a pang of desire. I want to be whole. I want to eat clean. I want to detox. I want to experience wellness.
And, I want to lose some of the enormous amount of weight I’ve gained since I entered recovery for my eating disorder.
I try to find lists of clean and unclean animals in the Bible, but it’s all very confusing. Leviticus is too dry and hard for me to comprehend. I find a website that lists the clean and unclean animals based on scripture. I learn crickets and grasshoppers are clean. Pigs, armadillos, and camels aren’t clean.
Of course these lists don’t matter because Jesus declared all foods clean in Mark 7:18-19, right? Those verses in the English Standard Version say:
And he said to them, “Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.)
And all Christian bacon lovers join me in saying, “Amen.”
Jesus didn’t know about processed foods at the time. There were no Swiss Cake Rolls when He was declaring all foods clean. There were no Cheetos. There were no sodas. So, would Jesus have a caveat if He were here today? My guess is no. I’m sticking with the words I see in front of me. It’s all clean. It’s all good. All foods—even processed foods—would be clean according to Mark 7:18-19. But we’re just talking about spiritual cleanliness. What about physical cleanliness? What about all of the damage Swiss Cake Rolls, Cheetos, and sodas cause to our bodies?
Our bodies were designed to process and expel the bad things. We may feel tired and lethargic and generally crappy due to eating too many processed foods that have no nutritional value, but our bodies aren’t necessarily being negatively impacted by those chemicals and ingredients we can’t pronounce. I present the human digestive system. One role the liver performs is detoxifying harmful chemicals that we ingest. We eat a few handfuls of Cheetos, then it all travels through the digestive system and all of the potentially destructive chemicals and coloring agents are detoxified. God knew a brilliant individual would eventually invent Cheetos.
It makes sense to eat a diet of mostly whole foods, limit processed foods, and avoid pesticides and instead choose organic produce when it’s available and affordable. It makes sense to eat desserts and overly salty items in moderation. But having some Cheetos because a lovely soul brought a bag of them to a cookout isn’t going to harm my body and make me “unclean.” It won’t require a 3-day juice fast to un-do the “damage.”
Still, the idea of dietary wholeness is attractive. Maybe achieving a higher level of wholeness would erase some of the brokenness and discord that prevents a full integration of my body, mind, and spirit. I bet it could help me be closer to the version of myself that I want to be—a version of myself that I want others to see. And if I can reduce it to eating clean for 30 days, that’s a very doable way to achieve it. Of course following that type of restrictive diet is difficult for many people—I’m sure I’d have to start over with Day 1 many times if I were to attempt it. But, if I tried hard enough and put my mind to it, I could eat the foods I’m supposed to eat and avoid the foods I’m not supposed to eat according to the Whole30 rules.
The verses that follow Mark 7:19 present a version of wholeness and holiness that is a lot harder to swallow. Verses 20-23 in the English Standard Version state:
And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness,deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. Al these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”
If I truly want to be whole and holy, why don’t I spend more time worrying about the things Jesus says defile me? Why am I not examining my conscience and thinking more about repenting of my sin? Why do I spend so much time focusing on the size of my thighs and the nutrients in the grain-free protein bar I just ate? Why do I want to achieve a surface level of wholeness that can supposedly be obtained through eating clean and avoiding certain foods?
Maybe I’m a Pharisee. In Matthew 23:27-28 Jesus says, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” (ESV)
I know my righteousness is found in Christ. I’m declared whole and holy because I’m a Believer. And God sees me the same way He sees His Son. But knowing these truths doesn’t mean it’s easy to believe them. Knowing them doesn’t mean it’s easy to live a life of faith, fully dependent on the Triune God. Seeing my sin for what it is—disobedience against a Holy God that impacts my relationship with Him, my relationships with other people, and my relationship with myself—requires a posture of honesty and humility that I’d rather not fold myself into. It’s easier for me to scroll through recipes on paleo-friendly food blogs, to keep track of how much water I drink each day, and to plan and prepare Whole30 approved meals and snacks.
It’s easier for me to be a whitewashed tomb.
COMMENTS
18 responses to “Whole30 and Holiness: Spiritual Cleanliness, Eating Disorders, and Bodily Damages Wrought By Cheetos”
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HI Charlotte
I don’t see any comments so I thought why don’t I weigh in – I don’t mean that literally.
Appreciate your article. While all food is declared clean, all our bodies are not made alike. The fall, genetics and personal eating habits have something to do with how our bodies process foods differently. An example is found in those whose bodies are allergic to glutens. Honestly, I don’t know a lot about gluten but it is something that has serious consequences for some adults and children.
Your article caught my eye because my wife, adult son, and I just completed whole 30, yesterday. We celebrated our son’s 30th birthday with a blowout party with his friends. Margaritas, tacos and tres leches cake! Quite a food line-up after 30 days of abstaining.
We are not big on diets – don’t like the word. My attempts in the past were lettuce and exercise. It worked to a degree but rabbits do better with that plan.
My wife and son are ER nurses and into nutrition. All of us commented how much we liked shopping and eating from the left side of the store while staying away from the bread and ice cream items. Because so much of what 30 is about, our bodies naturally didn’t crave al the fun food we usually like to eat. None of us mentioned will power which I don’t place a lot of credence in. We feel great/lost some old fat that had been hanging around. We plan on continuing with the whole thing to a large degree.
All that to say, we don’t shout a lot about what’s best for other people but we really do like this. Like you said, we find our righteousness in Jesus and not in the whole 30. Whole 30 doesn’t take care of our the larger aspect of our human condition. I find myself living under the law and in need of the good news of his love for me more than I need to reach for the nutritionally good food items.
Thanks for the article and best with whatever you’re doing. (I may have missed your point in the article!)
Hi, Blair.
I didn’t actually “reply” to your comment because I’m technologically inept. But if you check the website you’ll see where I posted a response to you as a new comment thread. Sorry about that!
Charlotte
Hi Blair,
Thanks for your comment! I’ve heard from some of my friends that Whole30 has benefitted them, as well. My article was primarily my story about my desire to do it for reasons beyond health benefits that may or may not occur since there isn’t much science supporting cutting out entire food groups. I agree that people who have allergies or intolerances or other medical issues could benefit from cutting out whole food groups, but the numbers I’ve seen show that people with legitimate issues make up a small percent of the population. I also think cutting back on junk food would result in greater health, but occasional processed foods won’t destroy our bodies. And I’ve read that most nutritionists don’t recommend Whole30–especially to people with eating disorders.
I also wanted people to think about the underlying reasons they do different diets–not just Whole30. Maybe others who read it might resonate with what I’ve experienced and might have also seen it as a way to accomplish something for themselves that would make them feel more whole, holier, and more acceptable in general.
I think this is a good conversation to have. I don’t want to deny that Whole30 impacts some people positively. I just don’t agree with those who think it’s a necessity for a healthy lifestyle. (I don’t hear you saying that at all, by the way.)
Charlotte
Thanks Charlotte. I grew up in the fifties with processed foods. My family leans towards the obese side.
I don’t believe whole 30 is a necessity. I have noticed that just talking about it with others can bring on a shame since most people probably feel bad about their weight already. Something about the law going on there.
A funny add on – I didn’t know a whole lot about the whole 30. I don’t like the word diet or paleo, maybe because they reinforce what I am not usually able to do for any amount of time. But, when my son and wife decided to do it, I never thought twice about it. We all said yes and jumped in. Interesting that none of us gritted our teeth or griped throughout the whole time. We encouraged each other and ate some meals together which was good for wholesome family relationships, as well. Did I wear out the pun?!
Thanks again for the message. And, best to you in the food journey. One Day, we won’t be concerned with this subject.
Charlotte – So great to read your piece on mockingbird. Love the site. I find that for myself and many people, and many professing Christians, it is much easier to be a whitewashed tomb b/c of our inherent desire to make ourselves right and righteous, especially in the eyes of others to whom we are so good at comparing ourselves. All for the sake of building up our own worth and value in our own eyes b/c of just plain unbelief. The gospel seems too good to be true and that is why we need to keep hearing it and seeing it and reading about it and applying it. Thank you so much for writing and please say hi to Tim –
Hi, Michael. It’s great to see you here. Thanks so much for your comments and encouragement. I’ll tell Tim you said Hi!
Love it! Thanks.
With THIS and David Zahl’s recent blog on “THE REAL F-word” what food for the struggling soul 😉 . Thank you for your honesty and giving a voice to those who have had any kind of eating disorder. It’s compelling to recognize our culture’s emphasis on the virtue of “fitness” and how we can justify our obsession with it at the expense of our anorexic souls ( or perhaps that’s just me).
Thank you again. I’ll take a second helping of this too please.
I am a medical professional, and while I understand what you’re attempting to get at in this blog post, a lot of it is highly inaccurate :/ Please be cautious throwing this information into cyber space willy nilly. Maybe you could revise it to help the audience more clearly understand you’re real meaning. That being said take a look into the Weston A Price Foundation. He was an MD and has some incredible info out there on proper nutrition from a Biblical perspective. the recent Trim Healthy mama craze also has loads of good solid Biblical information on nutrition.
Hi, Hayden.
I’d love to hear more about what you think is highly inaccurate. That’s a bit of a “willy nilly” accusation without providing details.
Thanks!
Charlotte
Hayden – what is your specific background? Full disclosure – I have a half a master’s degree in nutritional science, so I’m half of an expert. 😉 In seriousness, wouldn’t you agree that Charlotte’s leading point about the liver being the detox organ of the body is an important one when so many third-rate pseudo scientists get rich shilling detox cleanses? While, yes, I might have nuanced a couple of the statements about Cheetos etc. because of what you/we know about simple carbs and the havoc they wreak on our gut and pancreas, nevertheless she raises a critical point about Christian freedom – that we truly are free to eat as we choose. I’d take it one step further, the way Paul does, that we ought not to use our freedom to be a stumbling block in our witness to others. In many parts of the world, that would actually mandate that we receive food that’s offered with thanks, whatever it is. (Ask me how much I struggle with that any time I’m offered a regular sugary soda because it’s all that’s on offer – I wince internally, but I receive it with a smile). Also, I’d be curious as to what you’d consider “biblical information on nutrition”. While the Bible has plenty to say about *spiritual* nutrition in the form of God’s Word, it’s notably absent of prescriptions or commands (beyond being free) in the NT.
This was really beautiful and brave! I LOVED IT! The nit picky Ag-Scientist’s-Wife part of my brain has to comment on what you mentioned about pesticides/organic — the USDA-Organic label does NOT mean produce is pesticide free! It just restricts which pesticides can be used on those farms; the toxicity levels of different pesticides vary greatly. And some of the best, newest crop/seed technology for reducing pesticide use (especially the groundbreaking and lifesaving benefits of genetic engineering) is also excluded from the USDA-Organic label, so … no one wins as long as “organic” is assumed to be healthier. Whether organic or conventional — wash your produce before you eat it, but don’t pay it another mind after that. A world without any pesticides is a world where Americans are all eating wormy corn and many farmers in the 3rd world are starving to death.
Thanks, Charlotte. I love the way you made your point about why we do things and the temptation to take the easy route and just be a hypocrite. This was food for thought, and, not surprisingly, meshed perfectly with some things I had been ruminating about today.
what a beautiful post- and interesting… Starting Monday, we Byzantine Catholics and Orthodox start the Great Lent (Romanian Catholics and others start 2 days later on Ash Wednesday) – the ‘bare bones’ of the fast would be no meat on Wednesdays and Fridays until Easter- but some go vegan the entire 40 days- we will be in between. It makes Easter a real celebration- but it certainly can be done for the wrong reasons!
Clean Eating. It is a religion.
It fits in nicely with the Minimalism Movement. That’s also a religion and you can trace it back to other religions. Everyone is told they must live simply and eat cleanly. It’s usually advocated by those who claim privilege and have no problems bragging about their privilege. They wear it like their badge of honor and sniff sniff eat nothing but the best money can buy.
They persuade others to live minimally. I don’t know if it’s to assuage their guilt for having so much and reducing their belongings makes them feel much cleaner. All of it reminds me of the cleansing of the outer vessels used for worship but it doesn’t make the inward condition to be pure in nature. Paleo Pure and Carb Clean. It is a religion.