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GIVING WITTH JOYFUL GRATITUDE

Must reads:

My Pulpit Message: Giving With Joyful Gratitude

Pg 3-4

Desiring God: Roast What You Kill

Pg 8-9

Entrepreneur: Embracing rest in the middle of your every day | 10

CONTENTS

My Pulpit Message notes | Giving with Joyful Purpose | 3 - 4

My Devotional: Prioritizing Unity | 6

King’s Inspiration: Long Before You Were Born |7

A Desiring God article: Roast What You Kill | 8 - 9

My Entrepreneur: Embracing rest in the middle of your every day | 10

My Health: Why is avocado good for you? | 11-12

My Kitchen: Marinated Grilled Pork Tenderloin | 13

My Sports: Medvedev says ‘unbelievable’ Rome triumph among his best wins |14

My Pulpit Message Notes

GIVING WITH JOYFUL GRATITUDE

When we come to give, how do we do it? David in 1 Chronicles 29:1-22 gives us an example of how to give. They are borrowing from Moses, when Moses in the Exodus asked people to give to build the Tabernacle, there they gave and gave until Moses said, it is enough, don’t give any more.

We look forward to a time of giving until we are told that is enough because that is what happened during the time of Moses and David when they were collecting money to build the Temple/house of God.

1. Purposeful Giving.

2. Prepared Giving.

3. Praiseful Giving.

Purposeful Giving.

They gave with purpose. The purpose here was to build the house of the LORD. David was an old man and was about to depart and recline with his ancestors and Solomon had just become king. He was a young man, not experienced.

David said to the people, please let us support this young man and give to the treasury. The national treasury had given. In 1 Chronicles 28 we see the national treasury gave, but it was not enough. David’s own personal giving we see in 1 Chronicles 29:4 “three thousand talents of gold (gold of Ophir) and seven thousand talents of refined silver, for the overlaying of the walls of the buildings.” And he said this he had given willingly.

Then he asked the people, who is willing to give? And the people and leaders of the homes gave as households. They planned how to give because they could see the need of giving. Purposeful giving, strategic planning, strategic budget. As they gave they were prepared to give.

Prepared Giving

1 Chronicles 29:5 “for the gold work and the silver work, and for all the work to be done by the craftsmen. Now, who is willing to consecrate themselves to the Lord today?”

When you go to 2 Corinthians 8, Paul is describing a church and he says that they gave more than they had. And he says that they first gave themselves to the LORD. So the first item is to be willing to give myself to the LORD. No wonder the song Take my life and let it be, consecrated Lord to Thee…’ then “Take my silver and my gold….

If we are going to rejoice in joyful giving, giving with gratitude, the first item is to be prepared. Ask the LORD, to take your life. Jesus told His disciples, if you follow me you are going to have much more. There are people who think by giving you become poor. No.

Paul tried to explain in 2 Corinthians, he says, the ones who have, when they gave they did not become poor. The ones who were poor did not become poorer. Those in Acts 20:35 Paul says, I give you an example so that you may give and help others because it is more blessed to give than to receive.

When I give I am blessed. It is like a tube bringing water. If there is an airlock we must remove the airlock. Many times we have airlocks so that we cannot give sacrificially because there is an airlock and we can remove it. And this is preparedness, willingness first of all to give ourselves to the LORD to become His. Take my life and let it be, take my will and let it be Yours.

1 Chronicles 29:17 NKJV “I know also, my God, that You test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness.” In our giving to be joyful giving we must be upright. We must ask God to help us.

God can use anything. As we come to give and serve God can use anything. He used a donkey. We need to prepare ourselves. Purposeful giving, prepared giving results in joyful giving.

My Pulpit Message Notes are transcribed from the sermon preached at the Nairobi Baptist Church (NBC) Ngong Road on Sunday, 21st May, 2023. Preacher - Professor Mumo wa Kisau. Scripture: 1 Chronicles 29:1-22 . Topic: Giving with Joyful Gratitude

My Pulpit Message Notes

Praiseful Giving

9 “Then the people rejoiced, for they had offered willingly, because with a loyal heart they had offered willingly to the Lord; and King David also rejoiced greatly.”

2 Corinthians 9:7 says, The Lord loves a cheerful giver.

When you give whatever it is, you give it and you rejoice. The people rejoiced when they gave.

Even David sang a Psalm singing to the LORD. And then lastly David prayed and said, please God, would you care for my son Solomon, so that Solomon will be able to serve these people wholeheartedly. So that Solomon will be able to use the resources we have given for the purpose for which we have given. Also would you help Solomon to be upright and keep your commandments, your testimonies so that he may perform all the statutes.

So it is not just giving joyously, giving purposefully, or prepared to give, but David also prayed to God for all of us like Solomon, to help the people to have an attitude of giving and with upright heart.

Upright heart becomes a key thing for David. David goes beyond the giving to the person. He prays that you and I as we give to the service of the LORD that our hearts with Him will be right so that when He comes for us we will be ready and we’ll say hallelujah.

The Bible says what we give, we reap here now, we get something out of what we give, but even when we go to heaven, it says, the work, what we do will follow us, that is rejoicing. When we give to the LORD we get interest because we are investing in the kingdom, but when we go to Him we will withdraw the investment together with the interest, that will be the balance. Nothing is lost when we give to the work LORD and no wonder therefore we are being encouraged to rejoice as we give sacrificially to the LORD.

And like the Israelites, after they gave they threw a party with dancing and eating and drinking. The made merry with their king, senior pastor, the elders and leaders of the people. They were happy because they had given willingly.

Purposeful giving, prepared giving, praiseful giving results in celebration. May the LORD enable you and I as we give ourselves and our resources. David here says what we give belongs to the LORD, He has given you and I, not because I am clever than anybody else, but He has given me favour to be able to give the resources that I have.

When I give, he says, “But who am I, and who are my people, That we should be able to offer so willingly as this? For all things come from You, And of Your own we have given You.” (1 Chronicles 29:14.) And only we are giving part of it

to do the work of God, to enable other people to rejoice in the LORD as we are rejoicing as we go west, as we do the work we are going to be doing here, as we settle other churches the LORD has given us.

My Life

How to get saved and spend eternity with God

His Love

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.

John 3:16 (NASB)

My response

that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

Romans 10:9-10 (NASB)

My prayer

Lord God Almighty, thank You for Your love for me. Thank You that You sent Your Son Jesus Christ to die for my sins. Please forgive me for all the sins I have committed against You. I believe that Jesus Christ is Lord and that He died on the cross and You raised Him from the dead on the third day. Please write my name in the Lamb’s book of life. Help me to live a life that is holy and pleasing unto You. In Jesus’ Name I pray and believe. Amen

Prioritizing Unity

https://sportsspectrum.com/ By Sports Spectrum

“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death.” — Philippians 2:5-8

Unity doesn’t just happen, it is intentional. It begins with a mindset that prioritizes and pursues it. As taught in Philippians 2:1-11, the example to follow is Jesus. It begins by thinking like He did about ourselves and others. The humility of Jesus is seen in phrases like “made himself nothing,” “taking the very nature of a servant” and “becoming obedient.”

Unity is built around the actions of the humble. The mindset of the Christian is that we are together and unified in Christ regardless of differences in nationality, economics, background, race, etc.

In his book, “The Power of an Encouraging Word,” author Ken Sutterfield relates a story from the 1936 Olympics held in Berlin, Germany. Jesse Owens of the U.S. was the world record holder in the long jump. Yet in his first two qualifying jumps, he fouled by taking off from several inches past the jumping board. He was one mistake away from being eliminated. Owens was aware of the Nazi desire to prove Aryan superiority, especially over people of color. Tensions were high and nerves had gotten to Owens.

Then something remarkable happened. In full view of the crowd, Owens’ German competitor, Luz Long, introduced himself to Jesse. Long suggested Owens make a mark a few inches short of the board in order to not foul. With this technical assistance from his “foe,” Owens easily qualified and went on to win the gold medal in this and three other events. Owens never again saw Long, who was killed in 1943 during World War II. Yet, years later, Owens would speak of their “24-carat friendship.”

A mindset and simple action brought unity for these two men, despite their many differences.

— Jeff Totten, Detroit Tigers chaplain

King’s Inspiration

LONG BEFORE YOU WERE BORN

By william King |

It’s easy to worry about how things are going to work out tomorrow. “I’m concerned about my health. I have this problem at work.” Uncertainty can bring anxiety and cause us to live stressed and uptight. We look at things in short term.

Long before you were born, He’s been lining up what you need, arranging things to fall into place so you can fulfill your purpose. God told Abraham, “For four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own and will be enslaved” (Genesis 15:13).

He had a four-hundred-years strategy. We’re planning for tomorrow, believing for this week, hoping for next month, but God was thinking of you hundreds of years ago, working on your behalf. Generations back, He was bringing into alignment - the right people.

It’s already planned out. When the Israelites came out of Egyptian slavery loaded down with treasure, it looked as though God suddenly decided to bless them. The truth is, that blessing had been lined up for four hundred years. God had

planned they would go through things that weren’t fair.

But the plan didn’t stop there. The plan was to bring them out to turn around the injustice and to thrust them into their purpose in the Promised Land. Yes, we all go through disappointments and things we don’t understand. We make mistakes.

As with the Israelites, sometimes you have to go through the pain to get to the purpose, through the struggle to get to the abundance, through the weeping to get to the joy. If you remain faithful, you’re going to see what God has been working for generations.

You’re going to come into houses that you didn’t build, vineyards you didn’t plant. You don’t know what God is upto. What looks like a setback is really a setup that’s positioning you for new levels of your destiny. David says, “God, I trust You. My future is in Your hands” (Psalm 31:14-15). Quit worrying about tomorrow. Your future has already been set in God’s hands.

By Greg Morse

Roast What You Kill

Becoming a Man Who Follows Through

The sluggard’s Instagram is unforgettable. If you have followed him in the Scriptures, you readily picture this creature sticking his hand in the bowl of Cheetos, unwilling to lift it back up to his mouth (Proverbs 19:24). We picture the man marooned on his bed, energetically telling about all the lions that prowl the streets (Proverbs 26:13–14).

But if you know the man in real life, his comic profile is not that funny anymore. As smoke in the eyes, he comes to irritate us because we have found repeatedly that we cannot depend upon him (Proverbs 10:26). You might roll your eyes at him at first, but soon you give an exasperated, Really? “How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep?” (Proverbs 6:9). He refuses to plow in autumn (Proverbs 20:4). His hands refuse to labor (Proverbs 21:25). Yet calling up to us from his mother’s basement, he insists that he is wise and life is right where he wants it (Proverbs 26:16). He is a blend of satire and shame, a tragi-comic figure, as Derek Kidner names him (Proverbs, 39).

So to me, the sluggard was always someone else.

I had never considered Scripture’s testimony of the more sophisticated lazy man — one with his shirt tucked in, going about his work, busily adding events to his calendar. I dismissed the cartoon, never taking time to examine myself against one species of sloth given to us in Proverbs: the man who busies himself with starting many things, but doesn’t bring them to completion.

Hunting Sloth

The wise king of Proverbs shows us this active sluggard. He, unlike the traditional sloth, is up early in the morning. He has his eggs and drinks his coffee. Instead of being discovered in the sloth’s usual habitat — buried beneath sheets and pillows — he is up and about, stalking through the forest, pursuing his prey.

He is a hunter.

See him tracking his animal — thoughtful, calculated, alert. He sets his traps and camouflages himself for the kill. He knows his target; he knows his weapon; he lies in wait. While his brother sloth is sleeping in the trees, he is armed in the bushes. While the other excuses inaction by complaining of lions in the streets, he is crouched where lions roar. When he sees his quarry, he times his assault perfectly and springs violently. The king sees this man return in the morning with a carcass draped over his shoulder.

So far, he is full of manful action. But notice where the laziness of this hunting sluggard manifests:

The lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting. (Proverbs 12:27 NKJV)

What a strange picture. The man woke up early. He prepared his tools. He lay in wait. He acted deliberately, forcefully. He took the prize, brought home the meat — but never cooked it. Perhaps he decided he had worked hard enough for one day. Perhaps he realized just how tired he felt. His enthusiasm died before the meal was prepared.

He labored promisingly, for a time. He remained focused, for a while. His was hard but unfinished work. In the end, his plate is just as empty as that of the other sluggard, waking at his return.

Incomplete

Men, how many tasks have you started strong and finished weak (or not at all)? How many deer have we killed but never tasted? How much nourishment has laziness robbed from our souls, our families, our churches, our world?

“How much nourishment has laziness robbed from our souls, our families, our churches, our world?”

I think this spirit of so-far-and-no-farther plagues our generation. We recreate at life; we rarely commit. Manhood seems less tethered to follow-through, to roasting the meat we hunt. Consider just a few examples.

Great Hunter

Where would we be if Jesus were the hunter many of us have been? If he came and lived a couple of decades among us and called it quits? If he fell upon his knees in Gethsemane and went no farther, or felt the first nail through the wrist and summoned his army of angels? What if he came to save as an eye-pleaser, a hired hand who turned tail and ran when Satan, our sins, and God’s righteous wrath bore down on him?

Relationships: date, but never marry.

Some men enjoy the chase of dating without taking any real steps toward marriage. They love the excitement, the hunt, the thrill, the flirt, the challenge — but lazily want nothing to do with lifelong commitment. Covenant panics them. They live unwilling to vow,

I take you to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love, honor, comfort, and cherish you, and forsaking all others to keep myself only unto you as long as we both shall live.

So they date for fun; they go hunting but never roast. Their catch-and-release policy might be less offensive if it didn’t leave behind a trail of pierced and discarded hearts. They put in effort to get to know daughters of the King, but never know the feast that marital love provides nor the lasting fruit it bears.

Church: attend, but never join.

How many men can leave their local church without anyone noticing? They never joined, never served, never devoted themselves to God’s people. Their schooling or career earned their talents and commitment. Their intramural basketball team or local gym received their dedication and time. While they placed their bodies in the church on Sundays, their hearts remained in the world.

Such are the many who know little of belonging to a local church. They come, but bolt at the soonest opportunity. They will listen to the sermon but search for any excuse to stay home and watch the livestream. They disappear for weeks at a time to their cabin or vacation and never get around to joining because of the weight of expectations. These play at Christianity, hunting theological game but never roasting it.

Work: labor, but for appearances.

How many men really commit themselves to excellence, to comprehensiveness in their work? How many drape the kill of their life’s work over their shoulder and take pleasure in the careful roasting of the meat? To the Christian man who found himself a slave in the early Colossian church, Paul instructs, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:23–24).

Work heartily — literally, “from your soul” — even in this, the most unpleasant of work situations. How many of us are eye-pleasers in our work — working hard when others watch us, but switching tabs and scrolling Twitter as soon as they walk away? How often have you and I stopped short of cooking the meal God would have for us?

If he stopped short, if he left even one step of the journey for us alone to achieve, we would be lost. If even one ounce of atoning blood needed to come from our veins, we would have no hope. If even one perfect work was yet required to fulfill the law on our behalf, all would remain undone. If Jesus somehow proved only a partway Prophet, a mostly Messiah, a nearly sufficient Savior for us — we all would submerge beneath the burning waves forever.

But oh for a thousand tongues to praise the completeness of our Mediator’s work. Our Shepherd did not bring most of his sheep nearly all the way home. He fulfills: “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one” (John 18:9). This great high priest “saves to the uttermost” those who draw near to God through him (Hebrews 7:25). “For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14). His towering declaration from the height of the cross dealt not with nearlys, almosts, or mostlys, but rather — “It is finished!” (John 19:30).

Finishing with Feast

Brothers, our work is not his work, but let us learn from our Master, who embodied the second half of the proverb perfectly: “The lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting, but diligence is man’s precious possession” (Proverbs 12:27 NKJV). Where are the men of diligence in the church today, men who follow-through, men who sprint through the finish line? Athletic men in the world exercise self-control in all things, but do so for a perishable wreath — should we not much more do so for the imperishable (1 Corinthians 9:25)?

“May we enjoy the feast from the good works for which we labored.”

Let’s be the few men on earth known for finishing the good we start in our families, our work, our churches, our communities, our nation, our world. Let our “yes” be yes and the quality of our commitments never be questioned. “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). You serve the Lord. Let each of us, in our own ways, end our lives saying after our Master, “I have glorified you on the earth. I have finished the work which you have given me to do” (John 17:4 NKJV).

And may we enjoy the roasted feast from the good works for which we labored with all our might.

Greg Morse is a staff writer for desiringGod.org and graduate of Bethlehem College & Seminary. He and his wife, Abigail, live in St. Paul with their son and two daughters.

Entrepreneur

Embracing rest in the middle of your every day

By Eric Daniel

A new thought on rest: Your soul knows where to find it.

It is not as elusive as it may feel. Even the psalmist commands, “Return, O my soul, to your rest; for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you” (Psalm 116:7).

A helpful question may be, “When does your soul feel rested?” Or perhaps, “What were you doing when you last experienced true rest?”

The benefits of rest include increased energy, greater thoughtfulness, and an ability to embrace silence. Each of us is vastly different in personality, experience, and perception, so the “when,” “where,” and “how” of rest will be different. What is universal is that our souls need rest and can find it.

The command, “return to rest” in Psalm 116 sounds like a choice. True, we need to choose to value it, to explore it. Do you have a favorite place for rest? A preferred resting activity?

Whatever shape that rest takes for you, the sweet spot is found by focusing upon the goodness of God. The pace and hardship of life can rob us of the memory of God’s power and love.

Our souls always feel most rested when we remember the goodness of God amid our circumstances. It is important to know what helps you remember His goodness. Reading Scripture, journaling, music, artistic expression, sleeping, exercise, the list goes on...

The writings of Thomas Merton, Dallas Willard, and Eugene Peterson will help you discover practices of revitalizing rest that can touch your soul. Solitude is one practice that I discovered in their teachings and have incorporated into my life.

You will not discern the health of your soul until you get away from the noisy

world around you. It is what I love about my place of rest—5:30 every morning. It is quiet and no one in my house is awake. The sun has not risen over the eastern sky. My soul can stretch, ponder, write, and worship.

In addition to the daily routine, I make it an annual practice to steal away for three days of solitude. Monasteries, retreat centers, the forest, and small ocean towns are perfect for quieting your soul and experiencing real and helpful boredom. I take just my Bible, a pen, and a notepad. I once heard a pastor say that God is on the other side of loneliness and boredom.

These are the ways and means of God. It is best not to fight it. He engineered your soul to operate in the rhythm of work and rest. It is what a healthy soul needs.

Rest is not merely physical in this psalm. You will never achieve the rest you truly need on the couch, watching your favorite social media channel or movie. The genuine article is wholistic and reflective, drawn from the One who makes all things new.

Practicing rest, particularly as a leader, is not easy in our world of technology and fast-paced achievement. Moments of success are short-lived in our environment, because we presume that more is better, while God’s economy values much more the intangibles of relationship, attitude, and demeanor.

It is up to you. No one will make you return to rest. You will have to fight for it. You will need to dedicate purposeful time considering how to get there. Pursue the activities that keep the memory of the goodness of God at the center. Reminisce about times when your soul knew it had found this life-giving rest and how it equipped you to better reflect His love.

Go now; return to your rest.

My Health

Why is avocado good for you?

www.medicalnews.com | Medically reviewed

by Katherine Marengo LDN, R.D., Nutrition — By Megan Ware, RDN, L.D

Avocados contain a wide range of nutrients and may have various health benefits. These include improving digestion, lowering the risk of depression, preventing bone loss, supporting heart health, protecting against cancer, and more.

Also known as an alligator pear or butter fruit, avocados are actually a type of berry. They grow in warm climates.

Avocados provide a substantial amount of monounsaturated fatty acids and are rich in manyTrusted Source vitamins and minerals. Incorporating them into a varied, healthy diet can provide a number of benefits.

Below, we take an in-depth look at the nutritional makeup of avocados, 12 ways that they may benefit our health, and some risks to consider.

Benefits

A diet that contains a variety of fruits and vegetables can provide numerous health benefits. It may, for example, reduce the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and overall mortality while promoting a healthy complexion and hair, increased energy, and weight moderation.

Here are 12 reasons why avocados can contribute to a healthy diet:

1. Rich in nutrients

Avocados are a source of vitamins C, E, K, and B6, as well as riboflavin, niacin, folate, pantothenic acid, magnesium, and potassium. They also provide lutein, beta carotene, and omega-3 fatty acids.

Avocados contain high levels of healthy, beneficial fats, which can help a person feel fuller between meals. Eating fat slows the breakdown of carbohydrates, which helps keep blood sugar levels stable.

Roughly half an avocado, or 100 grams (g), contains:

160 calories

14.7 g of fat

8.5 g of carbohydrates

6.7 g of fiber

less than 1 g of sugar

Fat is essential for every single cell in the body. Eating healthy fats supports skin health, enhances the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients, and even helps supportTrusted Source the immune system.

Learn more about the different types of fat here.

2. Healthy for the heart

In every 100 g of avocado there are 76 milligrams of a natural plant sterol called beta sitosterol. Regularly consuming beta sitosterol and other plant sterols may help maintain healthy cholesterol levels, which are important for heart health.

3. Great for vision

Avocados contain lutein and zeaxanthin, two phytochemicals present in eye tissue. They provide antioxidant protection to help minimize damage, including from UV light.

The monounsaturated fatty acids in avocados also support the absorption of other beneficial fat-soluble antioxidants, such as beta carotene. As a result, adding avocados to the diet may help reduce the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration.

4. May help prevent osteoporosis

Half an avocado provides approximately 18%Trusted Source of the daily value of vitamin K.

This nutrient is often overlooked but is essential for bone health. Taking in enough vitamin K can support bone health by increasing calcium absorption and reducing the urinary excretion of calcium.

My Health

5. Components may prevent cancer

Studies have not yet assessed a direct link between avocado consumption and a reduction in cancer risk. However, avocados do contain compounds that may help prevent the onset of some cancers.

Research has associated an optimal intake of folate with a reduced risk of developing colon, stomach, pancreatic, and cervical cancers. However, the mechanism behind this association remains unclear. Half of an avocado contains roughly 59 mcg of folate, 15% of the daily value.

Avocados also contain high levels of phytochemicals and carotenoids, which may have anticancer properties. Studieshave shown that carotenoids, specifically, may protect against cancer progression.

A 2013 review highlighted the potential benefits of avocado consumption in relation to breast, oral, and throat cancers. However, these associations are typically the result of test tube studies, not controlled human trials. Further research is necessary to confirm these associations.

6. Supporting fetal health

Folate is important for a healthy pregnancy. Adequate intake reduces the risk of miscarriage and neural tube abnormalities. Consume at least 600 micrograms (mcg) of folate per day when pregnant. One avocado may contain as much as 160 mcg.

Avocados also contain fatty acids that are integral to a healthy diet and fetal development.

7. Reducing depression risk

Avocados are a good source of folate, which plays an important role in overall dietary health. Studies have also found links between low folate levels and depression.

Folate helps prevent the buildup of homocysteine, a substance that can impair circulation and delivery of nutrients to the brain. Reviews of past researchTrusted Source have linked excess homocysteine with cognitive dysfunction, depression, and the production of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, which regulate mood, sleep, and appetite.

8. Improving digestion

Avocados are high in fiber, containing approximately 6–7 gTrusted Source per half fruit.

Eating foods with natural fiber can help prevent constipation, maintain digestive tract health, and lower the risk of colon cancer.

Learn more about the importance of fiber here.

9. Natural detoxification

Adequate fiber promotes regular bowel movements, which are crucial for the excretion of toxins through the bile and stool.

Studies have shown that dietary fiber also promotes good gut health and microbial diversity. This helps the body maintain a healthy bacterial balance. This can reduce inflammation and aggravation of the digestive tract.

10. Osteoarthritis relief

Avocados, soy, and some other plant foods contain saponins. These substances may have a positive effect on knee and hip osteoarthritis symptoms. However, researchers have not yet confirmed the long-term effects of saponins in people with osteoarthritis.

11. Antimicrobial action

Avocados and avocado oil contain substances that have antimicrobial properties. Research shows that avocado seed extracts can help defend the body against both Streptococcus agalactiae and Staphylococcus aureus infections, for example.

12. Protection from chronic disease

The monounsaturated fatty acids in avocados may be beneficial in preventing chronic conditions, such as cardiovascular disease.

Meanwhile, research suggests that an optimal intake of fiber may reduce the risk of stroke, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and certain gastrointestinal diseases, and avocados are rich in fiber.

The right fiber intake can also lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, improve insulin sensitivity, and enhance weight loss for people with obesity.

Ripeness, recipes, and other uses

A person can incorporate avocados into their diet in a variety of ways. Soft avocados, for example, make delicious guacamole, while firmer avocados are great for slicing and adding to a salad or sandwich.

To tell how ripe an avocado is, gently press the skin. If the skin is completely firm, the avocado needs to ripen further. If the skin gives way to pressure, the avocado is ready to eat.

People can use avocados in many other forms, such as an oil for cooking or moisturizing the skin or hair. Check product information before making a purchase, to avoid misuse.

A range of avocado oils is available for purchase online.

Risks

A person’s overall diet is key in achieving good health and preventing illness. For this reason, it is better to focus on having a diet with plenty of variety than to concentrate on the benefits of individual foods.

There is little risk in eating avocados in moderation. But as with all foods, overdoing it can lead to unwanted outcomes. For example, avocado has a high fat content, so adding too many to the diet might lead to unintended weight gain.

Avocados also contain vitamin K, which can affect how blood thinners work.

It is important for people taking blood thinners, such as warfarin (Coumadin), to keep their vitamin K levels constant. For this reason, it is not a good idea to suddenly eat more or fewer foods containing vitamin K, which plays an important role in blood clotting.

My Kitchen

Marinated Grilled Pork Tenderloin

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/228266/marinated-grilled-pork-tenderloin/

Ingredients

Marinade:

¼ cup honey

¼ cup soy sauce

¼ cup oyster sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

4 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root

1 tablespoon ketchup

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

¼ teaspoon onion powder

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pork:

2 (12 ounce) pork tenderloins

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Directions

Make marinade: Whisk together honey, soy sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar, ginger, ketchup, garlic, parsley, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon in a medium bowl; pour into a resealable plastic bag.

Place pork tenderloins into the bag; coat with marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

Preheat the grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate.

Remove pork tenderloins from marinade; shake off excess. Discard remaining marinade.

Cook pork tenderloins on the preheated grill until no longer pink in the center, 20 to 30 minutes, turning occasionally. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the centers should read at least 145 degrees F (63 degrees C).

My Sports Medvedev says ‘unbelievable’ Rome triumph among his best wins

https://www.reuters.com/sports/tennis

Tennis - Italian Open - Foro Italico, Rome, Italy - May 21, 2023 Russia’s Daniil Medvedev poses with the trophy after winning the men’s singles final against Denmark’s Holger Rune REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane

Daniil Medvedev rose to number two in the world rankings ahead of the French Open by capturing the Rome title on Sunday and the Russian said his unexpected win on clay counts as one of his most special triumphs.

Heading into Rome, Medvedev had won 18 of his 19 titles - including the 2021 U.S. Open - on hardcourts, with his Mallorca Open victory on grass the same year the only exception.

The 27-year-old, who previously made no secret of his dislike for clay, was a player transformed at the Italian Open and ended the tournament with a 7-5 7-5 win over rising Dane Holger Rune.

Asked where his victory ranked among his many successes, Medvedev told reporters: “In a way, number one, just because it’s the first one on clay and it’s unbelievable.

“I’d never have thought I’d be able to make this. I have to be honest, a Grand Slam is always bigger. The U.S. Open is always number one there.

“This one is special because I didn’t think it was going to happen. I still don’t believe - not that I won it, but I played so well this week.”

Medvedev said using new strings this year had helped his clay game as they were softer and aided his deep groundstrokes.

But there were some concerns at the beginning of the year when they did not

work as well on the hardcourts in Australia.

“I was 100% doubting myself,” Medvedev said.

“Should I go back to the old ones, I was playing good with it? I said ‘no, let’s try more’. Now it’s unbelievable.”