Praise and Coffee

Praise and Coffee Connecting, encouraging, and inspiring women on their journey and their relationship with the Lord. www.PraiseAndCoffee.com

05/04/2026

Clogged Arteries
What actually causes that?

It’s not just about fat.
It’s about damage + inflammation + what we consistently put in our bodies.

When we regularly eat highly processed foods, excess sugar, and inflammatory ingredients, it creates stress inside the body.
Over time, that stress can damage the lining of our blood vessels.
And your body tries to repair that damage.

That’s where plaque begins.

Cholesterol gets involved in this process—but it’s not the villain we once thought.
It’s part of the body’s response to injury.
But when the body is overwhelmed for too long—
when there’s ongoing inflammation, high blood sugar, and metabolic stress—
that repair process can turn into buildup.

And that’s when plaque forms.

So it’s not just about cholesterol levels.
It’s about the environment inside the body that keeps driving damage faster than it can heal.

And here’s another important detail that often gets misunderstood:
For years, we were told salt was the main problem.
But research shows that excess added sugar and ultra-processed foods play a major role in metabolic dysfunction and heart disease risk.

High sugar intake is linked to:
• Increased inflammation
• Higher insulin levels and insulin resistance
• Elevated triglycerides and lower HDL
• Greater risk of cardiovascular disease

In fact, people who consume high amounts of added sugar have been shown to have a significantly higher risk of dying from heart disease.

“In one large study, people who got 25% or more of their calories from added sugar were more than twice as likely to die from heart disease.”

That doesn’t mean salt never matters—some people do need to be mindful of it, especially with blood pressure.
But for many of us, the bigger issue isn’t the salt shaker…
It’s the hidden sugar and processed foods we’ve normalized.

But here’s the part I want you to hear:
Your body is not working against you.
It’s trying to protect you.
And when you begin to support it differently…
it can begin to respond.
Not overnight.
Not with a quick fix.
But with consistent, wise choices.

If you want to support your heart and your health, start here:
• Eat real, whole foods (not packaged “diet” products)
• Lower sugar and ultra-processed foods
• Choose healthy fats over highly processed oils
• Move your body daily (it doesn’t have to be extreme)
• Prioritize sleep and manage stress
• Stay connected—to others and to God.

This is what I tell my clients all the time:
You don’t need a complicated plan.
You need a return to what your body was designed for.

And just like everything else we talk about here—
Peace isn’t found in quick fixes.
It’s built in daily choices that align your body, your mind, and your faith.

You are not stuck.
Your body can respond.
Start small.
Stay consistent.
And trust the process—one day at a time. ❤️

We live like hot air balloons, desperately trying to rise.We stoke the fire—trying harder, doing more, fixing ourselves,...
04/29/2026

We live like hot air balloons, desperately trying to rise.

We stoke the fire—
trying harder, doing more, fixing ourselves, proving our worth.
-More discipline.
-More control.
-More effort.
And for a moment, it works.

We feel a little lift. A little progress.
But we’re exhausted…
because no matter how much we fuel the fire,
we’re still tethered.

What we often miss is this:
The balloon doesn’t rise because of more fire.
It rises when the weight is released.

Those sandbags we’re carrying?

They’re not physical—but they’re heavy:
* Approval we’re still chasing
* Shame we never dealt with
* Fear of not being enough
* Old identities we haven’t let go of
* The need to control everything and everyone

We keep trying to burn hotter…
when God is inviting us to let go.
Real peace doesn’t come from more striving.
It comes from surrender.

“Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.”
— Hebrews 12:1

Throw it off.
Not manage it.
Not carry it better.
Release it.

Because the life you’re craving—
the peace, the freedom, the lightness—

It was never meant to come from pushing harder.

It comes when you finally trust God enough
to cut loose what’s been weighing you down.

That habit, that relationship, that environment—it’s costing you more than you realize.
03/24/2026

That habit, that relationship, that environment—
it’s costing you more than you realize.

It's not one big decision.It's a thousand small ones that build a beautiful life. ❤
03/18/2026

It's not one big decision.
It's a thousand small ones that build a beautiful life. ❤

Invite a friend for coffee.Share what’s real.Listen. Pray. Laugh.
03/09/2026

Invite a friend for coffee.
Share what’s real.
Listen. Pray. Laugh.

"When we build our identity around performance, approval, or being needed, midlife can feel destabilizing. Roles shift. ...
03/02/2026

"When we build our identity around performance, approval, or being needed, midlife can feel destabilizing. Roles shift. Children grow. Careers change."

Dopamine & the Midlife Brain Link below.
02/23/2026

Dopamine & the Midlife Brain
Link below.

Are you ready for a new thing?
01/31/2026

Are you ready for a new thing?

I know I need to eat better, but I LOVE SWEETS!
01/23/2026

I know I need to eat better, but I LOVE SWEETS!

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