Dr. Tawnya Constantino.

A medical school can hardly be called a seminary. But that's where Dr. Tawnya Constantino's faith grew the most. After many long hours of studying and dissecting the human anatomy, she came to a life-changing conclusion: "The brain shows us the glory of God," she says.

Now a neurologist and assistant professor at the University of Utah at Salt Lake City, Constantino, 38, specializes in treating epilepsy. She's poured over medical textbooks for years, trying to fathom this seizure-causing disorder and its complicated brain circuitry.

Her intensive education provided peek after peek at the marvelous way the body operates. Still, studying the Bible continues to influence her appreciation of God's handiwork. That spiritual focus has led her to memorize a now favorite verse: "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139:14).

Like many health-conscious Christians, Tawnya considers the body to be the temple of God--a scripture-inspired description. And with that in mind, she tries to maintain certain healthy disciplines, beginning with reading the Word. "I find that the more I do it, the more I long to do it," she says.

Her focus on health crosses over into the exercise and diet areas of life, too. She runs three to four times a week and periodically hikes with her husband and two daughters in order to stay in shape.

Diet-wise, Twanya describes herself as "a vegetarian moving toward being a vegan" and someone who eats plenty of raw foods. This practice, she reports, has opened doors for her to witness to co-workers. "They ask me why I'm a vegetarian, and I can tell them more about my faith."

Given her professional background and personal commitments, her place of worship--The Salt Lake City Wasatch Hills Seventh-day Adventist Church--has recruited Constantino to speak at women's retreats on subjects such as nutrition and cancer prevention. She knows the Adventist audience may be more aware of the building blocks to good health than most. But were she to address the general public, she'd make very few assumptions. "People need more education. They may know that a healthy diet means they should not eat out at McDonald's so often," she says. "But not everyone understands the balance and moderation necessary for lifelong good health.

"For instance, there are a lot of people who just cut out meat," she says. While that is a good move, she tells her audiences, it can lead to malnutrition if the person fails to replace animal protein with a nonanimal source.

In other cases, people ban meat and overlook eliminating or at least limiting sugar intake. She suggests avoiding refined sugars found in junk foods such as cookies, cake, and soft drinks in flavor of eating naturally sweetened treats. Fresh fruit or dried fruit, such as dates and raisins, make healthy substitutes.

Eating well doesn't mean banning treats. Some recipes, such as her carob fudge bar, cut sugar content without eliminating the taste associated with something yummy. Constantino often makes carob bars to give her clan an energy boost during family hikes.

To keep both treats and meals interesting, she trolls the Internet and thumbs through health magazines such as Vibrant Life for the best recipes.

Retooling one's diet can mean making changes large and small. Either way, Constantino encourages reaching goals with baby steps. "Lifestyle changes have to be progressive in order to stick," she insists.

In the process, she recommends keeping a food diary and periodically showing it to a friend to raise awareness and maintain accountability.

Few of us will fully understand physical function like a doctor. Yet, according to Constantino, anyone can develop an appreciation for God's gift of life and salvation--both big motivators in pursuing a healthy lifestyle. "In understanding your value through the eyes of Christ--when you see that you're loved and valued--you want to take better care of yourself," she states. "And it's important to take care of yourself so you have the physical ability to go out and spread the Good Word."

Pam Mellskog is a health writer living in Boulder, Colorado.