Over the last decade, the subject of health has become more and more prominent. Health consciousness has tremendously increased everywhere. Also, many are concerned regarding new sicknesses and diseases that are baffling modern medicine. As a result, many important questions are being asked by individuals. Often the inquiry is made as to what must be done to stay healthy and avoid sickness. Others ask concerning what aspect of health needs to be stressed the most, since this is indeed a very broad subject that enters into many different areas. Surely these queries are quite valid for those in pursuit of healthy bodies and peace of mind.
Conventional medicine with its many different branches is well known by everyone. Preventative medicine and alternative means of healing have also been around for many years and consist of many different aspects which include such areas as natural remedies, holistic healing, hydrotherapy, homeopathy, reflexology, herbology, and much more.
Prevention Important
However, one of the most important aspects of health that many people often overlook is the necessity of prevention. What is very much needed by all is a knowledge of how to preserve their bodies from different diseases and ailments and exactly how to keep them functioning at their highest or optimum capability. Thus, while it is true that a prescription or remedy is essential when the need arises, it is more essential to recognize and concentrate on prevention. The logical conclusion is that prevention is better than prescription.
Although all the different departments of health are essential in themselves, most of them are unfortunately more concerned with treatment, cures, healing procedures or techniques, instead of preventing the development of health problems in the first place. The Creator never intended for any of His dear creatures to be sick. Thus God designed all nature in such a way that when His moral and natural laws are obeyed, our bodies, minds, and spirits will be able to continue functioning in a positive and healthy manner at all times. However, sin came in and interrupted the Lord’s original plan.
If the Creator’s natural laws of health were consistently incorporated into our lifestyle today, we would seldom experience sickness. Unfortunately, due to man’s disobedience to his Maker, sickness and death have become natural occurrences in life. Hence the use of various prescriptions, treatments, therapies, and vitamin and mineral supplements, as well as many different herbs, has only really become essential as a result of man’s disobedience. Their increased and ever increasing necessity can be seen in the negative effects of bad diets and other unhealthful practices on the minds and bodies of men and women today.
Healthy Lifestyle
Surely, a knowledge of such things as herbs and certain natural remedies is very essential to the healing of the mind and the body from various diseases and ailments. However, a knowledge of proper health practices and principles that aid in the natural maintenance of the human body will always prove to be more important and extremely essential to our happiness, health, and well-being.
Since the practice of a healthy lifestyle acts as a deterrent from sickness and disease, it is better to possess and promote a knowledge of the laws and principles of good health instead of only knowing about treatments and cures whose need arises as a result of failure to adopt preventative measures on a regular basis. However, again it must be stressed that the different treatments, remedies, and cures have their place, but always remember that prevention is better than prescription as much as caution is better than cure.
All should become aware of the laws of health and promote them as a lifestyle. We should see the need to learn more about the eight natural laws of health, which includes the proper understanding of the effects of nutrition, exercise, water, and sunshine. We believe that these laws should constitute the foundation of all our instruction to our children and others in the area of health. By so doing, we can prevent many health problems from arising in the first place.
It should be observed that when a person gets sick and goes to his or her doctor, the physician often prescribes at least one or more of the eight natural laws to help the person get well (such as the need for more rest, the necessity of drinking plenty of good, clean water, and the need to get out in the sunshine). Thus, it is evident that some medical practitioners also see the need for using some natural means.
Diane Herbert is a naturopath and lifestyle consultant. She received training from the NAD Lifestyle Consultant program, Thomas Edison State College, Clayton College of Natural Healing, and Bastyr University. Diane teaches health classes at the Gilead Institute located in Norcross, Georgia, gives health presentations, and contributes to the Institute’s literature and health flyer series. She may be contacted by e-mail at: gilead.net@usa.net.