cancer

Health Nugget – Eat for the Cure

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All of us have cancer cells in our bodies throughout our lives. All of us. But only about 2 to 3 percent of all cancers are purely genetic. What determines whether those cancer cells continue to grow or not has less to do with our genes and more to do with our body’s environment. And what does determine our body’s environment? Primarily, our food choices. Cancer is the result of a faulty replication of our genes, mutating and replicating quickly when fertilized by carcinogens. Much growing evidence shows nutritional factors influence not only cancer onset, but also risk of recurrence and progression. Dr. Andrea Lusser, a Swiss tumor therapy expert, says the correlation between damaged cell membrane function in cancer diseases and the use of unhealthy fats and meat-heavy diets is well established.

The Effects of Animal-based Diets on Cancer Cells

In order to replicate quickly, cancer cells need direct blood flow to feed their division and growth. These cells, like healthy cells, attract and develop new blood vessels with an amino acid protein called methionine. Methionine is so integral to cancer cell growth that drug companies are spending millions of dollars to identify methionine blockers to slow the progression of cancers.

In laboratory studies, dripping methionine onto cancer cells caused them to aggressively multiply. The highest methionine levels are found in egg whites and fish.

Dairy foods also cause abnormal cell growth. Doctors Michael Greger, Amy Lanou, Justine Butler and Samuel Epstein allow that dairy is the perfect food for newborns within their species, but can be disastrous in the human body. Consider the baby calf. Cow’s milk, with just the right amount of protein and fat, nourishes the baby. And the insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1), a natural growth hormone found in dairy products, aggressively grows a calf.

IGF-1 is present in all forms of dairy—from a glass of milk to a piece of cheese. Using organic dairy does not keep you from ingesting hormones in your milk. Cow’s milk is rich in hormones intended to stimulate rapid growth in baby calves. Period.

So now consider the adult human. Strong evidence shows that IGF-1 stimulates the growth of both normal and cancer cells. When IGF-1 is dripped onto cancer cells in the lab, it is like fertilizing a lawn. The cancer cells grow much more rapidly.

In addition to the negative effect of hormones, the proteins found in milk are also problematic for humans. Both casein and whey can cause allergies, intestinal bleeding, severe inflammation and a highly acidic blood environment. Simply put, animal protein and hormones can alter our human hormones and cell proliferation, and can provide the ideal environment for cancers to grow.

And dairy is just one of the main culprits. Studies from Harvard, Cornell, and numerous other studies show consumption of dairy products, red meat and white meat have all been associated with increased risk of metastatic (multiplying and spreading) cancer.

One explanation is that meat and dairy both contain arachidonic acid (AA). AA has been shown to stimulate the growth of both hormone-sensitive and hormone-insensitive cell linings and can stimulate cancer cell production.

The Effects of Plant-based Diets on Cancer Cells

And now for the good news. Leading oncologists are providing evidence on how breast, colon, ovarian and cervical cancers can be prevented, as well as slowed and often reversed: Eliminate meat and dairy and other proinflammatory AA sources. Eat healthy, plant-based foods. In contrast with foods of animal origin, plant-based foods are rich in an array of potentially beneficial phytonutrients that appear to be protective.

Dr. Lusser explains that a whole-food, plant-based diet is loaded with cancer-fighting nutrients. Abundant nutrients, such as polyphenols, terpenes, sulfur compounds and saponines, have been empirically demonstrated to be high in cancer-fighting properties. Eat any and all fruits, veggies, grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. According to Lusser, the same mechanisms plants developed to fight damage caused by microorganisms, insects, and other parasites also play a role in our own defense mechanisms against cancer.

The strongest protective effects are seen in legumes, nuts, carrots, leafy greens, cruciferous (cabbage family) vegetables and tomatoes. Other promising anti-cancer foods include sea vegetables, allium and brassica vegetables and turmeric.

What allows these foods to prevent and attack abnormal cells? Two population-based studies on cruciferous foods suggest their cancer-fighting power comes from indole-3-carbinol. Carotenoids, also found primarily in vegetables and fruits, may impact cancer risk through antioxidant protection against free radical damage to DNA.

Cohort and case-control studies show that lycopene, too, has inhibitory and protective effects on cancer. Huge lycopene quantities are found in all tomatoes, lower amounts in watermelon, papaya and grapefruit, guava, red bell peppers, persimmon, asparagus, red cabbage and mangoes.

A plant-based diet is also high in chlorophyll and offers large amounts of alkalinizing phytochemicals and enzymes. Why is this important? Cancer cells develop in acidic conditions, and restoring the acid-alkaline equilibrium is instrumental in reducing the divisions and growth of their cells.

To those who are concerned that we can’t live without animal protein, take heart. According to Dr. Jacqueline Maier, all proteins are made up of 20 different amino acids. The exact same amino acids make up animal and plant proteins. By eating a varied plant-based diet, one can get all the essential and non-essential amino acids necessary for proper growth, development and maintenance. Even naturally-born carnivores can survive on a completely plant-based diet.

Armed with this knowledge, it’s time to eat for the cure.

Breast Cancer

In the United States, one in eight women are expected to be diagnosed with breast cancer—the most common cancer in women, except for skin cancer, which attacks men and women. Compare this statistic with the rate of breast cancer in Kenya, where the population has a vegetable and rice-based diet: one in every 82 women. Or consider populations such as the Hunza in the Middle East and the Okinawans in Japan—populations who eat little or no meat, dairy and fish—who have no cancer.

What do these healthy populations have in common? They ingest copious amounts of phytoestrogens. Phytoestrogens, found only in plants, play a key role in helping to protect the breasts against tumor growth.

Noted oncologists attest that we have dietary cures for as many as 90 percent of breast cancer cases. Imagine how many mothers’ and daughters’ lives could be saved by the adoption of a plant-based diet.

Prostate Cancer

In the United States, one in nine men will be stricken with prostate cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. It doesn’t have to be that way. Dr. Ron Allison, an expert in prostate cancer, says diet is at the forefront, both in the creation and control of prostate cancer. According to Dr. Allison, most men do not think about their prostate in terms of health until they have a problem. They see a doctor when they experience prostate growth and pressure on the urethra or rectum. There is a connection, he says, between what is stimulating the prostate to grow and stimulating cancer cells to grow: Hormones—hormones from fats, meat-based diets and dairy products. For men with advanced prostate cancer, he promotes the adoption of plant-based diets to help prolong survival and increase chances of remission.

Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer is the second-most common cancer diagnosed in men and women in the United States. Only 40 percent of those diagnosed with colon cancer survive after five years. Studies from Harvard University show that your risk of colon cancer drops by two-thirds if you stop eating meat and dairy products. This is primarily due to the high fiber content of a plant-based diet.  Why? Meat and cow’s milk contain a heavy protein load and no fiber. Because of our long intestinal tracks and our relatively low amount of stomach acid, the undigested protein turns into carcinogens and toxins in our bodies. The lack of fiber in meat contributes to constipation, which allows carcinogens time to affect the surrounding tissue.

Fiber from plants, on the other hand, has anti-carcinogenic mechanisms and plays a major role in regulating intestinal function. It also fights cancer by forming short-chain fatty acids from fermentation by bacteria, and it tends to reduce bile acids, thereby reducing chances of cancer-producing bacteria. What you eat makes a major difference.

Thrive Magazine, October/November 2019, vol. 24, “Eat for the Cure,” Shushana Castle, Co-Executive Producer of What the Health & Eating Our Way to Extinction, Co-Author, Rethink Food & The Meaty Truth, 16, 17.

In 1896, Ellen White counseled, “Cancer, tumors, and all inflammatory diseases are largely caused by meat-eating. From the light which God has given me, the prevalence of cancers, and tumors is due to gross living on dead flesh.” Spalding and Magan Collection, 48. “Grains, fruits, nuts, and vegetables constitute the diet chosen for us by our Creator.” Child Guidance, 380.

Restoring the Temple – Danger is Brewing in the Cup, Part II

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The culprit is caffeine! Whether you get it in your coffee, tea, soda, eat it in your chocolate and cocoa, or swallow pills, caffeine is affecting your health in dozens of dangerous ways.

Cancer

Caffeine does not appear to cause cancer directly but increases the growth of tumors which are caused by other carcinogens. Heavy coffee drinking doubles the risk of bladder cancer, while tea drinking increases rectal cancer.

Ulcers

Caffeine causes increased gastric acid secretion which in turn aggravates peptic ulcers. Even decaffeinated coffee has been shown to stimulate stomach acid through the irritating effect of caffeole which contributes to taste and aroma in coffee.

Sleep

While caffeine can delay the onset of sleep, it also interferes with rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, the stage when dreams occur. In a recent study, women who routinely took caffeine-containing medications had more trouble falling asleep at night than those who had no caffeinated medications.

Heart Disease

Caffeine affects the heart and blood vessels by elevating cholesterol and triglyceride levels. At Stanford University, researchers report that middle-aged men who drink three or more cups of coffee per day had elevated blood levels of LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol).

A recent Norwegian study of 7,589 men and 8,585 women found that the more coffee they consumed, the higher was their homocysteine level. Those with elevated homocysteine levels have a greater risk of coronary artery disease.

What about decaffeinated coffee? Two studies have shown that LDL cholesterol increases when coffee drinkers switched to decaffeinated coffee. Besides elevating blood fats, coffee can cause heart palpitations and increase the rate of irregular heartbeat. Mild hypertensives should also restrict their caffeine intake.

Caffeine Addiction

Among the most detrimental effects of caffeine on the body is drug dependency. The addiction to caffeine has given rise to a new disease called caffeinism. Increased blood levels of caffeine may cause a craving for nicotine; so anyone wishing to quit smoking must stop drinking caffeinated beverages.

How can you know if you are addicted to caffeine? Individuals who drink 5–6 cups of coffee or caffeinated beverages have shown behavioral and psychophysiological symptoms to caffeine. The symptoms of caffeinism are: restlessness, anxiety, irritability, muscle tremors, agitation, jitters, insomnia, lightheadedness, heart palpitations, diarrhea, increased urination, and headaches.

Children and Adolescents

According to pediatricians, children and adolescents are some of the most targeted groups for caffeine addiction. On a body-weight basis, 1–5 year-olds are the highest consumers of caffeine. A child who drinks one can of soda per day is getting the equivalent of four cups of coffee for an adult. One-third of all the children who drink high levels of caffeinated beverages shows hyperactive behavior, which is typical of caffeinism. No wonder pediatricians are concerned about the growing number of soda-guzzling youngsters and adolescents who come in with irritability, headache, and nervousness.

10 Ways to Overcome the Caffeine Habit

Caffeine is a health and spiritual hazard that may cost you your eternal life. One study showed that increasing consumption of caffeine causes a corresponding decrease in religious involvement as measured by church attendance. For the optimal functioning of the brain, heart, and body, as well as for the abundant health of your family, complete abstinence from caffeine-loaded beverages is the prudent choice. So, give caffeine a “quitting notice”! The methods below will help you to quit for good.

1 Have a dry brush massage.

When you feel drowsy, have a dry brush massage before you shower. Brush the skin with short or long, low strokes toward the heart. Skin brushing acts as a natural stimulant.

2 Take a hot/cold shower.

When you feel sluggish and need a mental pickup, take a hot shower for a minute and follow it by a cold shower. Repeat this up to seven times each. This wet exercise will stimulate your circulation and energize your mental attitude.

3 Get outdoor exercise.

If you are unable to take a shower, take a brisk 15-minute walk, job, or bike ride, and you will have the same beneficial stimulus to brain, blood, and muscles.

4 Watch your diet.

Stay away from sugar and other concentrated sweets. Avoid overeating.

5 Have water or herbal tea on hand.

Keep a glass of cool water, catnip, or other herbal tea on hand to replace the habit of sipping down caffeinated beverages.

6 Take a hot foot bath.

Headache is a serious withdrawal symptom, which can be alleviated by a simple 20–45-minute hot foot bath. Finish the hot foot bath by throwing a bucket with ice and water over your feet.

7 Take a little sip.

When symptoms [headache, dizziness, and backache] begin to appear, take a tablespoon of caffeine beverage and then wait 30 minutes. If symptoms are still there, take another tablespoon. These symptoms will disappear in a few days, and you need to stop the sips of caffeine.

8 Lubricate your body.

Drink 8–10 cups of water daily and eat lots of raw fruits and vegetables.

9 Drink the Water of Life.

Take a daily drink of the water of life which your Maker offers, and you will never thirst for the artificial drinks like coffee, tea, or soda. “But whosoever drinketh of the water the I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” John 4:14.

10 Keep yourself busy.

Do not allow leisure time to accumulate as idleness produces self-indulgence.

An Alternative Stimulant

We live in a “click-of-the-button” society. People want instant answers to their physical, emotional, and social problems. If they are tired, they want some magical concoctions to pep them up; if they are emotionally down, they want something to instantly lift their spirits. So, thousands turn to caffeine, alcohol, or illegal drugs to get an instant “high.” We must understand, however, that for every mountain peak there is a corresponding valley. The more frequently we depend on artificial stimulants, the greater will be the immediate “high,” but the deeper and more drastic the “low.” The lows create an appetite for bigger and “better” highs, which never get satisfied and so addiction develops.

Our Creator knew that as frail mortals we would have our low and high days. This is why He says, “Comfort ye, comfort ye My people, . . . Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain. For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.” Isaiah 40:1–5. God sent His Son to lift us out of the valleys and straighten the rough places of our experience. Instead of leaning on caffeine-loaded beverages to pep your spirits up, lift you out of depression, or energize your mind, ask Him to be your Stimulator of positive thoughts and energized living. A friendship with Jesus Christ will give you thousands of positive mental, physical, and spiritual benefits. What’s best, there are no side effects when you get “stimulated” by the Creator of the Universe.

Reprinted from Danger is Brewing in the Cup, Northwestern Publishing Association, Sacramento, California.

Food for Life – Cancer Can Be Prevented, Pt. I

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Avoiding known risk factors for cancer and adapting agents that help the body fight against cancer can prevent most forms of cancers. It has been estimated that 80 to 90 percent of cancer is due to environmental factors. Of these environmental factors, tobacco usage is the number one culprit. It is not just the person who smokes who has an increased risk of cancer, but those who experience second hand smoke and the offspring of smoking fathers. The incidence of cancer in the offspring increases with the number of cigarettes smoked by the father. It is believed that the smoking causes genetic changes in the sperm, thus affecting the offspring. Consumption of alcohol also increases the risk of cancer. A third lifestyle decision that affects cancer risks in women is the prolonged use of estrogen. It increases a woman’s risk of cancer both of the womb and of the breasts. Dietary issues also affect the risk of cancer. There are increases in several forms of cancer related to diets high in fat consumption, particularly saturated animal fats. Studies have shown a strong relationship between eating meat in general and cancer. Colon cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and ovarian cancer have all been linked to increased intake of meat and animal products including milk, cheese, and eggs. Coffee and caffeine have also been linked to increases in certain types of cancer. It has been known for a long time that excessive sun exposure increases the risk of skin cancer. Other things that have been associated with increased risk of cancer include asbestos and wood dust exposure, grilling of foods over charcoal, and excess sugar in the diet.

As you can see, much can be done to avoid increasing the risk of cancer by removing known carcinogens from our lifestyle habits and our diets. Next month we will look at things we can actively include in our lifestyle and diet to provide some protection against cancer.

Food for Life – Cancer Can Be Prevented Pt. II

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It is the job of the immune system to recognize, attack, and destroy foreign invaders, one of which is a cancerous cell. Therefore, anything that strengthens the immune system helps to ward off cancer. Vitamin A is essential in stimulation of the immune system. Plant products are the best source of beta-carotene and other relatives called carotenoids. These are the best forms of vitamin A for the body and its immune system. These compounds serve as antioxidants, which help the body dispose of chemicals called free radicals. Free radicals can genetically damage normal cells and set the stage for cancer. Vitamin A also helps body tissue to develop in a normal, orderly way. It is this lack of normal, orderly development that is common in cancerous cells. Vitamins C and E also play vital roles in antioxidant and free radical scavenger activity.

Whole foods provide more anticancer protection than does just taking vitamins. Another advantage to whole foods is the phytochemicals found in them. There are thousands of phytochemicals that seem to have a role in fighting cancer. An increased fiber intake clearly reduces the risk of developing colon cancer, and there is virtually no fiber in meat and animal products. Selenium, a trace mineral found in whole grains, has also been shown to decrease some forms of cancer.

Increased body weight, increased meal frequency, and eating between meals have been linked to an increase of several types of cancer, including colon cancer.

Regular exercise has many benefits, including increasing interleukin-1, plasma interferon levels, natural killer cells, and blood lymphocytes. Each of these is important in the fight against cancer. Although excess sunlight is harmful, sunlight in moderation may be helpful in preventing some forms of cancer. Adequate control of stress is also vital for a healthy immune system and the ability to fight cancerous cells.

By adapting a personal cancer preventative and protective lifestyle, we can greatly reduce our risk of cancer. Surely you want to have this protection against cancer and to share this information with the general public. Most cancers can be prevented! For a more detailed explanation of this topic, see Chapter two, “Good News About Cancer: It Can Be Prevented!” in the book Proof Positive by Dr. Neil Nedley (Nedley Publishing, Ardmore, Oklahoma, 1998.)

Restoring the Temple – Vegetarian Foods

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And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which [is] upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which [is] the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.” Genesis 1:29.

World-renowned figures as diverse as philosophers Plato and Nietzsche, political leaders Benjamin Franklin and Gandhi, and pop icons Paul McCartney and Bob Marley have all advocated a vegetarian diet. Science is also on the side of vegetarianism. Multitudes of studies have demonstrated the remarkable health benefits of a vegetarian diet.

Vegetarian is defined as avoiding all animal flesh, including fish and poultry. Vegetarians who avoid flesh, but do eat animal products such as cheese, milk, and eggs, are ovo-lacto-vegetarians (ovo = egg; lacto = milk, cheese, etc.). The ranks of those who abstain from all animal products are rapidly growing; these people are referred to as pure vegetarians or vegans. Scientific research shows that health benefits increase as the amount of food from animal sources in the diet decreases, so vegan diets are the healthiest overall.

Preventing Cancer

Vegetarian diets—naturally low in saturated fat, high in fiber, and replete with cancer-protective phytochemicals—help to prevent cancer. Large studies in England and Germany have shown that vegetarians are about 40 percent less likely to develop cancer compared to meat-eaters.1-3 In the United States, studies of Seventh-day Adventists have shown significant reductions in cancer risk among those who avoided meat.4, 5 Sim-
ilarly, breast cancer rates are dramatically lower in nations, such as China, that follow plant-based diets.6 Interestingly, Japanese women who follow Western-style, meat-based diets are eight times more likely to develop breast cancer than women who follow a more traditional plant-based diet.7 Meat and dairy products contribute to many forms of cancer, including cancer of the colon, breast, ovaries, and prostate.

Harvard studies that included tens of thousands of women and men have shown that regular meat consumption increases colon cancer risk by roughly 300 percent.8, 9 High-fat diets also encourage the body’s production of estrogens, in particular, estradiol. Increased levels of this sex hormone have been linked to breast cancer. A recent report noted that the rate of breast cancer among premenopausal women who ate the most animal (but not vegetable) fat was one-third higher than that of women who ate the least animal fat.10 A separate study from Cambridge University also linked diets high in saturated fat to breast cancer.11 One study linked dairy products to an increased risk of ovarian cancer. The process of breaking down the lactose (milk sugar) into galactose evidently damages the ovaries.12 Daily meat consumption triples the risk of prostate enlargement. Regular milk consumption doubles the risk and failure to consume vegetables regularly nearly quadruples the risk.13

Vegetarians avoid the animal fat linked to cancer and get abundant fiber, vitamins, and phytochemicals that help to prevent cancer. In addition, blood analysis of vegetarians reveals a higher level of “natural killer cells,” specialized white blood cells that attack cancer cells.14

Beating Heart Disease

Vegetarian diets also help prevent heart disease. Animal products are the main source of saturated fat and the only source of cholesterol in the diet. Vegetarians avoid these risky products. Additionally, fiber helps reduce cholesterol levels15 and animal products contain no fiber. When individuals switch to a high-fiber, low-fat diet their serum cholesterol levels often drop dramatically.16, 17 Studies have demonstrated that a low-fat, high-fiber, vegetarian or vegan diet combined with stress reduction techniques, smoking cessation, and exercise, or combined with prudent drug intervention, could actually reverse atherosclerosis—hardening of the arteries.18, 19 Heart diets that include lean meat, dairy products, and chicken are much less effective, usually only slowing the process of atherosclerosis.

©2007 Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine; all rights reserved. Reprinted by permission.

To be continued …

References

  1. Thorogood M, Mann J, Appleby P, McPherson K. Risk of death from cancer and ischaemic heart disease in meat and non-meat eaters. Br Med J 1994;308:1667-70.
  2. Chang-Claude J, Frentzel-Beyme R, Eilber U. Mortality patterns of German vegetarians after 11 years of follow-up. Epidemiology 1992;3:395-401.
  3. Chang-Claude J, Frentzel-Beyme R. Dietary and lifestyle determinants of mortality among German vegetarians. Int J Epidemiol 1993;22:228-36.
  4. Phillips RL. Role of lifestyle and dietary habits in risk of cancer among Seventh-day Adventists. Cancer Res (Suppl) 1975;35:3513-22.
    5. Barnard ND, Nicholson A, Howard JL. The medical costs attributable to meat consumption. Prev Med 1995; 24:646-55.
    6. Campbell, TC, Chen J. Diet and chronic degenerative diseases: Perspectives from China. Am J Clin Nutr 1994;59:1153S–61S.
    7. Trichopoulos D, Yen S, Brown J, Cole P, MacMahon B. The effect of westernization on urine estrogens, frequency of ovulation, and breast cancer risks: a study in ethnic Chinese women in the Orient and in the U.S.A. Cancer 1984;53:187-92.
  5. Giovannucci E, Rimm EB, Stampfer MJ, Colditz GA, Ascherio A, Willett WC. Intake of fat, meat, and fiber in relation to risk of colon cancer in men. Cancer Res 1994;54:2390-7.
  6. Willett WC, Stampfer MJ, Colditz GA, Rosner BA, Speizer FE. Relation of meat, fat, and fiber intake to the risk of colon cancer in a prospective study among women. N Engl J Med 1990;323:1664-72.
  7. Cho E, Speigelman D, Hunter DJ, Chen WY, Stampfer MJ, Colditz GA, Willett WC. Premenopausal fat intake and risk of breast cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst 2003;95:1079-85.
  8. Bingham SA, Luben R, Welch A, Wareham N, Khaw KT, Day N. Are imprecise methods obscuring a relation between fat and breast cancer? Lancet 2003;362:212-4.
  9. Cramer DW, Harlow BL, Willett WC. Galactose consumption and metabolism in relation to the risk of ovarian cancer. Lancet 1989;2:66-71.
  10. Araki H, Watanabe H, Mishina T, Nakao M. High-risk group for benign prostatic hypertrophy. Prostate 1983;4:253-64.
    14. Malter M, Schriever G, Eilber U. Natural killer cells, vitamins, and other blood components of vegetarian and omnivorous men. Nutr Cancer 1989;12:271-8.
  11. Sacks FM, Castelli WP, Donner A, Kass EH. Plasma lipids and lipoproteins in vegetarians and controls. N Engl J Med 1975;292:1148-52.
    16. Barnard RJ, Inkeles SB. Effects of an intensive diet and exercise program on lipids in postmenopausal women. Women’s Health Issues 1999;9:155-61.
  12. Barnard ND, Scialli AR, Bertron P, Hurlock D, Edmonds K, Talev L. Effectiveness of a low-fat vegetarian diet in altering serum lipids in healthy premenopausal women. Am J Cardiol. 2000;85:969-72.
    18. Ornish D, Brown SE, Scherwitz LW. Can lifestyle changes reverse coronary heart disease? Lancet 1990;336:129-33.
    19. Esselstyn CB Jr, Ellis SG, Medendorp SV, Crowe TD. A strategy to arrest and reverse coronary artery disease: a 5-year longitudinal study of a single physician’s practice. J Fam Pract. 1995;41:560-8.

Restoring the Temple – Vegetarian Foods, Powerful for Health Part II

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World-renowned figures as diverse as philosophers Plato and Nietzsche, political leaders Benjamin Franklin and Gandhi, and pop icons Paul McCartney and Bob Marley have all advocated a vegetarian diet. Science is also on the side of vegetarianism. Multitudes of studies have demonstrated the remarkable health benefits of a vegetarian diet.

“Vegetarian” is defined as avoiding all animal flesh, including fish and poultry. Vegetarians who avoid flesh, but do eat animal products such as cheese, milk, and eggs, are ovo-lacto-vegetarians (ovo = egg; lacto = milk, cheese, etc.). The ranks of those who abstain from all animal products are rapidly growing; these people are referred to as pure vegetarians or vegans. Scientific research shows that health benefits increase as the amount of food from animal sources in the diet decreases, so vegan diets are the healthiest overall.

Preventing Cancer

Vegetarian diets—naturally low in saturated fat, high in fiber, and replete with cancer-protective phytochemicals—help to prevent cancer. Large studies in England and Germany have shown that vegetarians are about 40 percent less likely to develop cancer compared to meat-eaters.1-3 In the United States, studies of Seventh-day Adventists have shown significant reductions in cancer risk among those who avoided meat.4,5 Similarly, breast cancer rates are dramatically lower in nations, such as China, that follow plant-based diets.6 Interestingly, Japanese women who follow Western-style, meat-based diets are eight times more likely to develop breast cancer than women who follow a more traditional plant-based diet.7 Meat and dairy products contribute to many forms of cancer, including cancer of the colon, breast, ovaries, and prostate.

Harvard studies that included tens of thousands of women and men have shown that regular meat consumption increases colon cancer risk by roughly 300 percent.8,9 High-fat diets also encourage the body’s production of estrogens, in particular, estradiol. Increased levels of this sex hormone have been linked to breast cancer. A recent report noted that the rate of breast cancer among premenopausal women who ate the most animal (but not vegetable) fat was one-third higher than that of women who ate the least animal fat.10 A separate study from Cambridge University also linked diets high in saturated fat to breast cancer.11 One study linked dairy products to an increased risk of ovarian cancer. The process of breaking down the lactose (milk sugar) into galactose evidently damages the ovaries.12 Daily meat consumption triples the risk of prostate enlargement. Regular milk consumption doubles the risk, and failure to consume vegetables regularly nearly quadruples the risk.13

Vegetarians avoid the animal fat linked to cancer and get abundant fiber, vitamins, and phytochemicals that help to prevent cancer. In addition, blood analysis of vegetarians reveals a higher level of “natural killer cells,” specialized white blood cells that attack cancer cells.14

Beating Heart Disease

Vegetarian diets also help prevent heart disease. Animal products are the main source of saturated fat and the only source of cholesterol in the diet. Vegetarians avoid these risky products. Additionally, fiber helps reduce cholesterol levels15 and animal products contain no fiber. When individuals switch to a high-fiber, low-fat diet their serum cholesterol levels often drop dramatically.16,17 Studies have demonstrated that a low-fat, high-fiber, vegetarian or vegan diet combined with stress reduction techniques, smoking cessation, and exercise, or combined with prudent drug intervention, could actually reverse atherosclerosis—hardening of the arteries.18,19 Heart diets that include lean meat, dairy products, and chicken are much less effective, usually only slowing the process of atherosclerosis.

Lowering Blood Pressure

In the early 1900s, nutritionists noted that people who ate no meat had lower blood pressure.20 They also discovered that vegetarian diets could, within two weeks, significantly reduce a person’s blood pressure.21 These results were evident regardless of the sodium levels in the vegetarian diets. People who follow vegetarian diets typically have lower blood pressure.22-24 No one knows exactly why vegetarian diets work so well, but probably cutting out meat, dairy products, and added fats reduces the blood’s viscosity (or “thickness”) which, in turn, brings down blood pressure.25 Plant products are generally lower in fat and sodium and have no cholesterol at all. Vegetables and fruits are also rich in potassium, which helps lower blood pressure.

Preventing and Reversing Diabetes

Non-insulin-dependent (adult-onset) diabetes can be better controlled and sometimes even eliminated through a low-fat, vegetarian diet along with regular exercise.26 Such a diet, low in fat and high in fiber and complex carbohydrates, allows insulin to work more effectively. The diabetic person can more easily regulate glucose levels. While a vegetarian diet cannot eliminate the need for insulin in people with type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes, it can often reduce the amounts of insulin used. Some scientists believe that insulin-dependent diabetes may be caused by an auto-immune reaction to dairy proteins.27,28

Gallstones, Kidney Stones, and Osteoporosis

Vegetarian diets have been shown to reduce one’s chances of forming kidney stones and gallstones. Diets that are high in protein, especially animal protein, tend to cause the body to excrete more calcium, oxalate, and uric acid. These three substances are the main components of urinary tract stones. British researchers have advised that persons with a tendency to form kidney stones should follow a vegetarian diet.29 The American Academy of Family Physicians notes that high animal protein intake is largely responsible for the high prevalence of kidney stones in the United States and other developed countries and recommends protein restriction for the prevention of recurrent kidney stones.30

Similarly, high-cholesterol, high-fat diets—the typical meat-based diet—are implicated in the formation of gallstones. The consumption of meaty diets, compared to vegetarian diets, has been shown to nearly double the risk of gallstones in women.31

For many of the same reasons, vegetarians are at a lower risk for osteoporosis. Since animal products force calcium out of the body, eating meat can promote bone loss. In nations with mainly vegetable diets (and without dairy product consumption), osteoporosis is less common than in the United States, even when calcium intake is also less than in the United States.32 Calcium is important, but there is no need to get calcium from dairy products. . . .

Asthma

A 1985 Swedish study demonstrated that individuals with asthma practicing a vegan diet for a full year have a marked decrease in the need for medications and in the frequency and severity of asthma attacks. Twenty-two of the 24 subjects reported improvement by the end of the year.33

Common Concerns

Some people still worry about whether a vegetarian diet can provide all essential nutrients. However, it is very easy to have a well-balanced diet with vegetarian foods, since these foods provide plenty of protein. Careful combining of foods is not necessary. Any normal variety of plant foods provides more than enough protein for the body’s needs. Although there is somewhat less protein in a vegetarian diet than a meat-eater’s diet, this is actually an advantage. Excess protein has been linked to kidney stones, osteoporosis, and possibly heart disease and some cancers. A diet focused on beans, whole grains, and vegetables contains adequate amounts of protein without the “overdose” most meat-eaters get.

Calcium is easy to find in a vegetarian diet. Many dark green leafy vegetables and beans are loaded with calcium, and some orange juices, non-dairy “milks,” and cereals are calcium-fortified. Iron is plentiful in whole grains, beans, and fruits.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is a genuine issue for vegans, although very easy to deal with. Found mainly in animal products, small amounts may be found in plant products due to bacterial contamination.34, 35 However, these plant and fermented foods, such as spirulina, sea vegetables, tempeh, and miso, do not provide an active and reliable source,36 so vitamin B12 must be obtained elsewhere in the diet. Regular intake of vitamin B12 is important to meet nutritional needs. Good sources include all common multiple vitamins (including vegetarian vitamins), fortified cereals, nutritional yeast, and fortified soymilk. It is especially important for pregnant women, breast-feeding mothers, and children to get enough vitamin B12.

Special Concerns: Pregnancy, Infants, and Children

During pregnancy, nutritional needs increase. The American Dietetic Association has found vegan diets adequate for fulfilling nutritional needs during pregnancy, but pregnant women and nursing mothers should supplement their diets with vitamins B12 and D.36 Most doctors also recommend that pregnant women supplement their diet with iron and folic acid, although vegetarians normally consume more folic acid than meat-eaters.

Vegetarian women have a lower incidence of pre-eclampsia in pregnancy and significantly more pure breast milk. Analyses of vegetarians’ breast milk show that the levels of environmental contaminants in their milk are much lower than in non-vegetarians.37 Studies have also shown that in families with a history of food allergies, when women abstain from allergenic foods, including milk, meat, and fish, during pregnancy, they are less likely to pass allergies onto the infant.38 Mothers who drink milk pass cow antibodies along to their nursing infants through their breast milk. These antibodies can cause colic.

Vegetarian children also have high nutritional needs, but these are met within a vegetarian diet. A vegetarian menu is life extending. As young children, vegetarians may grow more gradually, reach puberty somewhat later, and live substantially longer than do meat-eaters. . . .

Further Reading

For more information on vegetarian diets, PCRM recommends:

  • Breaking the Food Seduction, by Neal Barnard, M.D.
  • Foods That Fight Pain, by Neal Barnard, M.D.
  • Eat Right, Live Longer, by Neal Barnard, M.D.
  • Food for Life, by Neal Barnard, M.D.
  • The McDougall Plan, by John McDougall, M.D.
  • Dr. Dean Ornish’s Program for Reversing Heart Disease, by Dean Ornish, M.D.

[Editor’s Note: We also recommend reading Counsels on Diet and Foods and Counsels on Health by Ellen G. White.]

References

  1. Salie F. Influence of vegetarian food on blood pressure. Med Klin 1930;26:929-31.
  2. Donaldson AN. The relation of protein foods to hypertension. Calif West Med 1926;24:328-31.
  3. Rouse IL, Beilin LJ. Editorial review: vegetarian diet and blood pressure. J Hypertension 1984;2:231-40.
  4. Lindahl O, Lindwall L, Spangberg A, Stenram A, Ockerman PA. A vegan regimen with reduced medication in the treatment of hypertension. Br J Nutr 1984;52:11-20.
  5. Appleby PN, Davey GK, Key TJ. Hypertension and blood pressure among meat eaters, fish eaters, vegetarians and vegans in EPIC-Oxford. Public Health Nutr 2002;5:645-54.
  6. Ernst E, Pietsch L, Matrai A, Eisenberg J. Blood rheology in vegetarians. Br J Nutr 1986;56:555-60.
  7. Nicholson AS, Sklar M, Barnard ND, et al. Toward improved management of NIDDM: A randomized, controlled, pilot intervention using a low-fat, vegetarian diet. Prev Med 1999;29:87-91.
  8. Scott FW. Cow milk and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus: is there a relationship? Am J Clin Nutr 1990;51:489-91.
  9. Karjalainen J, Martin JM, Knip M, et al. A bovine albumin peptide as a possible trigger of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. N Engl J Med 1992;327:302-7.
  10. Robertson WG, Peacock M, Heyburn PJ. Should recurrent calcium oxalate stone formers become vegetarians? Br J Urol 1979;51:427-31.
  11. Goldfarb DS, Coe FL. Prevention of Recurrent Nephrolithiasis. Am Fam Physician 1999;60:2269–76.
  12. Pixley F, Wilson D, McPherson K, Mann J. Effect of vegetarianism on development of gall stones in women. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 1985;291:11-2.
  13. Hegsted DM. Calcium and osteoporosis. J Nutr 1986;116:2316-9.
  14. Lindahl O, Lindwall L, Spangberg A, Stenram A, Ockerman PA. Vegan regimen with reduced medication in the treatment of bronchial asthma. J Asthma 1985;22:45-55.
  15. Herbert V. Vitamin B-12: plant sources, requirements, and assay. Am J Clin Nutr 1988;48:852-8.
  16. Rauma A, Torronen R, Hanninen O, Mykkanen H. Vitamin B-12 status of long-term adherents of a strict uncooked vegan diet (“living food diet”) is compromised. J Nutr 1995;125:2511-5.
  17. Position of the American Dietetic Association: vegetarian diets. J Amer Diet Assoc 2003;103(6):748-765.
  18. Hergenrather J, Hlady G, Wallace B, Savage E. Pollutants in breast milk of vegetarians (letter). N Engl J Med 1981;304:792.
  19. Allergies in infants are linked to mother’s diets. New York Times, 30 August 1990.

©2007 Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine; all rights reserved. Reprinted by permission.

Health – Deadly Meats

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Adventism is a faith known for health reform. A particular way which this is exhibited is in the vegetarian diet that is practiced. This is not an arbitrary decision; rather a conscious and informed practice based on results of scientific research, daily evidence, and a desire to best maintain the most amazing and efficient machines God created, our bodies.

“Beef; it’s what’s for dinner!” Every American has heard this line. And most Americans salivate at the thought. Yet, at the same time we see headlines like, “Meat Consumption Linked to Cancer,” “Mad Cow Killer,” and “Is your Steak at Stake?” proclaiming the dangers of meat-eating. Headlines such as these have been seen everywhere from the New York Times to Science Daily to the Health Journal, and first began appearing in the New York Times in the mid-1800s. In contrast, if you were to Google “vegetables and cancer” the results speak only of the preventative properties of vegetables toward cancer and other health issues, and of the healthfulness of vegetarianism. What is it about these two different classes of diet that makes one potentially deadly and the other a possible agent in reversing the effects of the former?

The make-up of our bodies is primarily protein; hair skin, blood, muscle, and organs are all protein. The protein in our bodies is made up of 20 different amino acids which are essential to the maintenance of our systems. Of these 20, we naturally produce only 9, the rest of which must be obtained through adequate nutrition. When we partake of one serving of animal protein, we are getting more than seven times the amount of protein we need; whereas, in plant protein the concentration in a serving is the recommended amount for the needs of the human body to be fulfilled. What does the body do with the excess protein? It is processed through the kidneys and returned to the body in stored energy that we know as “fat.” It is quite understandable, then, why America is the obese capital of the world!

Obesity carries with it serious health problems. The first and foremost issue is the likelihood of an obese person to develop diabetes. Someone with such a surplus of weight is three times more likely to develop this disease, which also raises the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), strokes, osteoarthritis, gallstones, and sleep apnea.

When we eat protein, our bodies break down the protein and convert it into a form that is constructive: amino acids. These amino acids then are specialized and sent to the different parts of the body where they are needed. Yet, when there is an excess of amino acids, the body is forced to excrete the extra through the kidneys. Each amino acid strain must be neutralized before the kidneys can do this. The neutralization is done by calcium. Once the calcium is processed through the kidneys, our bodies get rid of both the extra amino acids and the calcium through urination. The calcium for this process comes from the bloodstream forcing the body to then tap into the bone’s stores of calcium, thus depleting the bone density. This is especially dangerous for women. It has been found that women who partake regularly of meat have lost 35% of their bone density by the age of 65.

In addition to the issue of high protein concentration, the meat the average American consumes in a day contains over 75% of the daily caloric recommendation, most of which are calories from fat! Meat also consists of high levels of saturated fat and low-density lipoproteins (LDL), also known as “bad cholesterol”. Saturated fat by itself contains cholesterol, but there is additional cholesterol in meat that is not a part of the strains of saturated fat. Our bodies naturally produce cholesterol in the very limited quantities that we need. Additional amounts, however, are responsible for the clogging and hardening of the arteries. This often leads to issues with heart disease, obesity, strokes, heart attacks, cancer, diabetes, and more. A diet consisting of raw vegetation lacks the necessary properties to induce these physiological issues. Cholesterol is found only in animal products. The Journal for the American Medical Association (JAMA) has stated that a vegetarian diet can prevent 97% of coronary occlusions, or blocked arteries.

In the book The China Study, T. Colin Campbell compares the diet, health statistics (i.e. cholesterol level, blood pressure, mortality rate, etc.), and diseases of China and the United States. The results of this study were astounding! Blood cholesterol levels have been thought by traditional medicine to be dangerously low at 150mg/dl. This was being proclaimed in a country ranked as one of the highest in cancer and heart disease mortality rates. China, on the other hand has an average cholesterol level of 127 mg/dl (America’s average is 215!), and the mortality rate due to the “western diseases” dropped by nearly 70%. What made these findings far more provocative was another study conducted by W. Haenszel and M. Kurihara that tracked the Japanese immigrants to America. This study found that those immigrants who adopted the dietary patterns of the Americans also assumed the health risks of their new geographical area. The implication here is quite strong that these diseases are not caused primarily by genetics, which the western world likes to think, but rather a result of diet and lifestyle. Congress summarized a compilation of these studies and found that only 2–3% of these diseases, particularly cancer, are attributed to genes.

There are ample studies that have proven over and over again that meat consumption is linked with heart disease and cancer. Some of these “studies” have been unintentional. During World War I, Denmark’s supply of meat was cut off. In seeing that one pound of meat is equal to 15 pounds of grain, the government decided to open their grain stores to the people. Not only did the people survive just fine on this diet, they thrived! The death rate dropped 34% from all causes. These results have been repeated throughout history. Whenever there has been a shortage of meat supply, the health of those affected has increased and the disease rate has fallen dramatically. And to drive the point home a little harder, the rate of death and disease rose once again once the supply of meat was restored.

The controlled studies have come to the same conclusion. Caldwell B. Esselstyn M.D. conducted a study of 18 patients who had experienced 48 cardiac events collectively. He placed them on a vegetarian diet low in cholesterol and reviewed the results over a 12 year period. Among those who were placed on this diet, only one patient, who was non-cooperative with the diet, suffered another cardiac event. In those patients who followed the diet, Esselstyn found that the more closely a patient followed the prescribed program, the better off they were.

According to the JAMA, acidity levels in the body causes 97% of the health issues that we encounter, cancer being a leading disease. A meat based diet is a main cause for the high acidity level in the human body. One of the body’s highest priorities is to maintain a healthy pH balance in the blood. The pH range is very narrow; between 7.35 and 7.45. If the pH level in the body goes below 7.355, the body begins to lose its proper function. Cell production is slowed, energy production in the cells lessens, and the body’s ability to absorb nutrients and minerals is hindered. The effects of this may be somewhat subtle at first and easy to blame on other causes; however, left unattended, the consequences could turn severe. Fatigue, depression, headaches, sleep depravation, lack of energy, lack of concentration, achiness, and increased illness are just some of the short-term effects. If the body’s pH remains acidic over a period of time, Crohn’s Disease, colitis, arthritis, kidney stones, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, cancer, and a myriad of other diseases come into play.

Here is where we see the link between cancer and the consumption of flesh meat. Meat has a natural pH ranging from 4.0 to 5.0, although, to help tenderize the flesh, a lower pH is artificially induced, bringing the acidity level as low as 2.5. Dieticians recommend four parts alkali to one part acid in our diet. An appropriate acidic level for consumption is not below 6.0! When our bodies ingest this amount of acidity, the cell production is slowed down significantly and the new cells often are mutated. In addition to this, the reparation of cells is dangerously inhibited. Cancer occurs when there is an interruption in the cell’s natural process. If a newly developing cell splits before it has all the information required to function properly, these cells may not die when they are supposed to and duplicate when they should not. They also may not have received the information that dictates with what part of the body they belong, which allows them to travel to places where they are not needed and can be harmful. This is what forms tumors.

The fact of the matter is that cancerous cells are anaerobic, meaning that they survive without oxygen, and they are acidic, which means that they thrive in a low pH. This means that cancer cells cannot survive in an alkaline environment! Different parts of our body, out of necessity, vary in their pH balance. Yet, every part is affected by what we put into our bodies. The nutrients that we ingest, along with the toxins and acids, are transported through our bloodstream. So the entire body is fed through our blood. Whatever is in the bloodstream is carried to every portion of the body and distributed, toxins and all. If the blood is acidic, the entire body will be also. By maintaining a diet that is primarily alkaline, we can take our health into our own hands.

Through diet and a healthy life style we can take a responsible stance with our health and prevent the top five leading causes of death in our country: heart disease, cancer, medical care, stroke, and chronic lower respiratory diseases (in order from greatest to least). God has blessed us through His provision of the means to maintain the health of our bodies, and the necessary remedies to heal them. While we are just now figuring this out, Ellen White wrote on this very matter: “While He [Christ] did not give countenance to drug medication, He sanctioned the use of simple and natural remedies.” Counsels on Health, 30. “By the use of poisonous drugs, many bring upon themselves lifelong illness, and many lives are lost that might be saved by the use of natural methods of healing. The poisons contained in many so-called remedies create habits and appetites that mean ruin to both soul and body. … The use of natural remedies requires an amount of care and effort that many are not willing to give. Nature’s process of healing and upbuilding is gradual, and to the impatient it seems slow. The surrender of hurtful indulgences requires sacrifice. But in the end it will be found that nature, untrammeled, does her work wisely and well. Those who persevere in obedience to her laws will reap the reward in health of body and health of mind.” The Ministry of Healing, 127, 128. “Our Saviour is the restorer of the moral image of God in man. He has supplied in the natural world remedies for the ills of man, that His followers may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. We can with safety discard the concoctions which man has used in the past. The Lord has provided antidotes for disease in simple plants, and these can be used by faith, with no denial of faith; for by using the blessings provided by God for our benefit we are cooperating with Him. We can use water and sunshine and the herbs which He has caused to grow for healing maladies brought on by indiscretion or accident.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 289.

Alicia Freedman works at Steps to Life as a part of the LandMarks team. She can be reached by e-mail at: landmarks@stepstolife.org.

Food – Large Intestines

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This month we will look at the anatomy and function of the large intestine (colon), two common colon problems and what we can do to prevent these problems.

The large intestine is much different in size, appearance, and function from the small intestine. The colon is approximately 2.5 inches in diameter, is 5–6 feet long, is located in the abdomen and surrounds the small intestines on three sides. It is divided into six sections. The ascending colon lies on the right side of the abdomen and moves upward toward the waistline. The transverse colon moves across the upper abdomen from the right side to the left side. The descending colon moves downward to the lower abdomen on the left side. The sigmoid colon is “S” shaped and moves into the pelvis. It connects to the rectum and ends in the anal canal from which our waste products exit the body.

The main functions of the colon are to absorb water from the food mass from the small intestine and to eliminate the remaining waste from the body. Two other functions of the colon relate to the bacterial flora within the colon. The bacterial flora interacts with the fiber in the colon, causing fermentation, release of irritating acids, and formation of gas. In addition to this, the bacterial flora makes B-complex vitamins and most of the vitamin K required by the liver.

Constipation is the most common gastrointestinal complaint in the United States, resulting in about 2 million annual visits to the doctor. Most people, however, treat themselves to the tune of $725 million spent by Americans on laxatives each year. Approximately 17% of Americans, one in six, suffer with constipation, and 30% to 40% of Americans over 65 cite constipation as a problem.

Constipation means different things to different people, but common criteria for constipation is if you have two or more of the following for at least 3 months:

Straining during a bowel movement more than 25% of the time.

Hard stools more than 25% of the time.

Incomplete evacuation more than 25% of the time.

Two or fewer bowel movements in a week. Note: the more common and healthful bowel pattern is one movement a day, but this pattern is seen in less than 50% of people.

Constipation is a symptom, not a disease. Understanding its causes, prevention, and treatment will help most people find relief. A poor diet, low in fiber, is often the cause. Inadequate intake of water also contributes to constipation, as does a sedentary lifestyle. Most constipation is temporary and not serious.

Colon cancer, a prevalent disease of the large intestines, is very serious. In 2008, it is estimated that over 100,000 new cases of colon cancer will be diagnosed with nearly 50,000 deaths. Numerous factors contribute to colon cancer, many of which we can prevent or avoid. Associated with increased incidence is alcohol consumption, diabetes, a diet high in fat and low in fiber, lack of exercise, obesity, more than 2 meals a day, and smoking. Incidence is also increased with age over 50, a close family history of colon cancer, and presence of polyps.

Survival in the 21st Century

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God’s moral law not only involves spiritual and mental health but also physical health. The sixth commandment states, “You shall not murder.” (Exodus 20:13.) This means not to commit homicide, which is to kill somebody else. It also means not to commit suicide, which is to kill yourself.

There are two basic ways a person can commit suicide: with an overdose of sleeping pills, a knife, a gun, etc., or a much slower way that might take twenty or thirty years, but nonetheless, suicide.

Every cigarette a person smokes shortens the life an average of six to ten minutes. If a person smokes forty a day for twenty years, his/her life is shortened by 3 ½ to 5 ½ years on average. This does not include extra sicknesses the person could suffer during his/her lifetime from cigarette smoking.

It is important to know how to survive in the 21st century and to find the path to real health. It seems to many that health comes in a bottle or by making sufficient visits to a physician. Our greatest need is for a new lifestyle. Health is not a matter of chance and does not come out of a bottle or a pill. Everybody wants health, but few people have it.

How can we find health? The Bible is the greatest book that has ever been written about health. It shows the path to good mental, spiritual, and physical health.

Jesus said, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have [it] more abundantly.” John 10:10.

There is a startling message sent to the people living in the last days. This message involves a message about health. Revelation 14:6, 7 says, “And I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.”

The people of earth are called to worship God because He is the Creator. The crowning work of creation was man. “And God said, Let us make man in our own image, and in our own likeness.” Genesis 1:26.

The Bible is very clear that we did not evolve from some lower creature. We were created at the beginning in the image of God.

David said in Psalm 139:14, “I will praise you; for I am fearfully [and] wonderfully made: marvelous [are] your works; and [that] my soul knows very well.”

It is very serious to destroy the most wonderful thing God made in this world.

“Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and [that] the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him; for the temple of God is holy, which [temple] you are.” I Corinthians 3:16, 17. (Literal translation.)

In I Corinthians 6:19, 20, He asks, “Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit [who is] in you, who you have from God, and you are not your own?”

Why are you not your own? “For you were bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

The Bible says that you were bought with a price so, “Whether you eat, or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” I Corinthians 10:31.

Our lifestyle is killing us slowly. The devil’s plan is to get us into habits that will destroy us. He has a counterfeit for everything God has made and a plan to destroy our health.

When God made air it was fresh, but all kinds of ways have been invented to pollute the air. At Slone-Kettering Institute for cancer research, substances are extracted directly out of cigarettes, painted on the skin of white mice which then develop skin cancers. Some of the diseases that cigarette smoking contributes to are:

  • Heart diseases—three times as many heart attacks among smokers
  • Strokes
  • Various forms of cancer—twenty times as much lung cancer
  • Emphysema
  • Premature births
  • Poor circulation
  • Shortness of breath

Smoking affects your health, and also that of your loved ones. New evidence links smoking to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). God doesn’t want us to kill somebody else or ourselves. He says, “You shall not kill.”

Some think smoking is a hard habit and impossible to get over. However, the Bible says in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Many have been delivered from all sorts of bad habits. The Lord wants you to have better health. Proverbs 20:1 says, “Wine [is] a mocker, strong drink [is] a brawler: and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.”

Alcohol is deceptive, addictive, and destroys brain cells. When I was in Graduate School, a visiting lecturer said, “If you were to watch an autopsy, you would easily tell by looking at the human brain with your naked eye, without a microscope, if that person was an alcoholic.” Alcohol destroys so many brain cells that the brain smoothes out and you can tell the difference between a normal brain and the brain of an alcoholic.

Every drink destroys brain cells and dramatically affects the ability to reason. The Bible says, “Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it gives its colour in the cup, [when] it moves itself. At the last it bites like a serpent, and stings like an adder. Your eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.” Proverbs 23:31–33.

The Bible says it is best to abstain.

“Well,” somebody says, “aren’t there places in the Bible where we are advised to drink some wine?”

The Bible uses the word “wine” to refer to two distinct grape beverages. One is unfermented and the other fermented. The Hebrew word in the Old Testament and the Greek word in the New Testament can mean either the fresh unfermented juice of the grape, or the fermented intoxicating drink. You have to look at the context to see which it is talking about.

Actually, the Bible says in no uncertain terms, not to use alcoholic beverages, but it does condone the use of unfermented grape juice which it calls wine, fresh wine.

The Lord said, “If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in his sight, give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you, which I have brought on the Egyptians: for I [am] the Lord God who heals you.” Exodus 15:26.

What kinds of diseases were these people suffering from in ancient Egypt? We know from studying mummies that they had a problem with atherosclerosis and their arteries were clogged up just like people today. They suffered heart disease, strokes, obesity, cancer, tooth decay, and stress.

When God created the world He gave to Adam and Eve a diet. He told them what they were to eat. “And God said, Behold I have given you every herb bearing seed, which [is] upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which [is] the fruit of the tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat (or for food).” Genesis 1:29.

Unfortunately, our first parents not only ate these things, but they ate from the forbidden fruit and were sent out of the Garden of Eden. When man sinned, God made an addition to His diet. Unfortunately, many of our children today do not like this addition to our diet but by its omission, millions of people have developed osteoporosis and other afflictions.

What was this addition? “You shall eat the green herb of the field.” Genesis 3:18. Things like spinach, Swiss chard, turnip greens, mustard greens, and all those things are not our children’s favorite food, but the literal translation of Genesis 3:18 is, the Lord told our first parents they were to eat the green herb of the field. At first, the people lived on this diet and they lived many years. “And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred and sixty nine years: and he died.” Genesis 5:27.

During the first ten generations before the flood, people lived between 750 and 950 or so years. The Lord told Noah, “You shall take with you seven each of every clean animal, a male and his female: and two each of animals that are unclean, a male and his female.” Genesis 7:2.

Prior to the flood the people knew the difference between clean and unclean animals. After the flood, God gave His people permission to eat some flesh foods. However, in the book of Leviticus, it is made very clear that there are some things that should never be eaten. “It [shall] be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood.” Leviticus 3:7.

My grandparents did not know about that verse in the Bible for a long time, so they ate things like blood pudding. The very things that God said not to eat, is what the devil wants you to eat. The devil has a counterfeit diet. God told the children of Israel that there were certain things they were free to eat. God said, “Speak to the children of Israel saying, These [are] the animals which you may eat among all the animals that [are] on the earth. Among the animals, whatever divides the hoof, have cloven hoofs [and] chewing the cud, that you may eat.” Leviticus 11:2, 3.

Some animals they were told not to eat. The Bible says, “Nevertheless of those that chew the cud or have cloven hoofs, you shall not eat such as these, the camel, the hare, for they chew the cud, but do not have cloven hoofs; they are unclean for you. Also the swine is unclean for you, because it has cloven hoofs, yet does not chew the cud: you shall not eat their flesh, nor touch their dead carcase.” Deuteronomy 14:7, 8.

The devil wants everybody in the human race to eat exactly what God said not to eat. But remember what the Bible says: “No good [thing] will he withhold from those that walk uprightly.” Psalm 84:11.

If God tells you not to do something, there is always a very good reason for it. Every instruction given by God is for the benefit of man.

There are many health related problems with eating pork. It is loaded with saturated fats and cholesterol. Cancer in the pig’s skin, kidneys, lymphatic system, and other internal organs is common. Pork products are regularly preserved with nitrates which are known to produce cancer producing compounds. Pork also contributes to numerous digestive and stomach problems.

Looking under the microscope at the flesh of pork, we find things like worms. People who eat a lot of pork will often get these little worms, trichina worms which embed themselves in the human muscle causing neuralgia, and different kinds of muscular problems.

The Lord said there are other foods that “you shall not eat.” Some fish they were told were clean and could eat and others that were unclean and not to be eaten. “These you may eat of all that [are] in the water: whatever in the water has fins and scales, whether in the seas or in the river, that you may eat. But all in the seas, or in the rivers that do not have fins and scales, all that move in the water, or any living thing which [is] in the water, they [are] an abomination to you.” Leviticus 11:9–10.

In 1988 nearly 300,000 Chinese of Shanghai developed Hepatitis A from clams which the Bible describes as unclean seafood. In addition to fish, the Lord told the people that there were some things that flew in the air that were scavengers, or birds of prey that were also an abomination to eat: “The eagle, the vulture, and the buzzard.” (Leviticus 11:13–20.)

The Bible talks about three different kinds of diets. First, is the ideal diet given to man when he was created. Then an acceptable diet with the use of clean flesh foods from clean animals, birds, or fish and also a diet that is unacceptable, one using unclean meats.

Some though may question that the health laws of Leviticus were nailed to the cross allowing the freedom to eat and drink anything you please. Some quote the story where God told Peter to not call any meat unclean.

A closer look at that story in Acts 10 sees Peter in a trance or dream seeing a sheet let down from heaven, tied at the four corners. In this sheet were snakes and all kinds of four footed creatures, and birds, and as he was looking at this, he was told to arise and to kill and to eat.

Peter, while in this trance told the Lord, “I’ve never eaten anything common or unclean.” Verse 14. He had never heard from Jesus, either before or after the resurrection, that it was all right to eat unclean animals, and he remonstrated with the Lord and said, “Look, I’ve never done anything like that.”

An angel appeared to a Roman centurion named Cornelius and said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up before God. And you are to send to Joppa, to a man by the name of Simon Peter, and he is going to come, and he’s going to tell you what you need to do.” Verses 31, 32. So he sent his servants to Joppa to get Peter. And as they were approaching the house where Peter was living, God gave Peter this dream and Peter was wondering what in the world does this dream mean?

Then the voice spoke the second time and said, “What God has cleansed, don’t call common.” Verse 15. And this was done three times and then the sheet was taken back up to heaven again.

And while that happened, the men from Cornelius came before the gate. The Holy Spirit spoke to Peter and said, “There’s three men seeking you, go with them. Don’t doubt anything because I’ve sent them.” Verses 19, 20.

They told him about what had happened with Cornelius and so Peter is going to go with them. It says, “And then he invited them in and they lodged with him, and on the next day Peter went away with them and some brethren from Joppa went with him.” Verse 23.

It says the following day they came to Caesarea and Cornelius was waiting for them and he had called his friends and relatives. Verse 24.

“Then he said to them, You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with anybody of another nation; but, God has shown me that I should not call any man uncommon or unclean.” Verse 28.

Peter did not start eating unclean foods at this point. He understood that God was trying to teach him to not call any man common or unclean.

Jesus said that it is not what goes into a man that defiles him; but what comes out. (Matthew 15:11.) Those things that come out are, “evil thoughts and murders, and adulteries, and thefts, and blasphemies.” Verse 19.

Everybody has some habits that are undesirable, that cause discouragement, realizing they are hooked and are slaves to those habits. So how can a person have victory over their undesirable habits?

Mark Twaine said, “It is not hard to quit smoking, I’ve quit a thousand times.”

We become slaves to these habits. The Bible says that people become bound, or enslaved, by their sinful habits. But God can deliver you from your evil habits. The Bible says, “But as many as received him, (that is, Jesus) to them gave he power to become the sons of God.” John 1:12.

Some people think it doesn’t matter what the food is, as long as you have prayed over it. A clergyman one time took this position and there was a young lady who said, “All right, I’m going to test this out.” This lady fixed a dish, and invited the clergyman to dinner. She said, “Before you eat this food I need to tell you something. I have put some strychnine into the entree, but pray over it and bless it, and you will be able to eat it.”

The clergyman decided not to eat that day. God wants you to have good health, but He needs your cooperation and to remember the reason He said to stay away from certain foods and chemicals. It is so you will not suffer the consequences of using them, and get the diseases that go with their use.

Jesus said, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have [it] more abundantly.” John 10:10.

He wants to give you eternal life, and very soon He is going to come in the clouds of heaven to give you eternal life. But right now, before He comes, He would like you to have good health.

Maybe there is somebody saying, “I’m such a slave to my evil habits, I cannot get free.” You may not be able to get free, but God can set you free. The Bible says, “The things which are impossible with man are possible with God.” Matthew 19:26.

God wants to set you free. “Beloved,” John wrote, “I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health.” III John 1:2.

You can be delivered from evil habits, and have better health if you can believe that “all things are possible to him who believes.” Mark 9:23. Jesus wants to set you free from every habit. He wants you to have health right now and if He is going to give you health right now, you need to choose to cooperate, to obey, and to live according to what is written in His word.

An evangelist was having some meetings. He presented in one meeting what the Bible said about food and drink and different things like that.

After the meeting a man came to him and said, “I have to talk to you.”

“I’m in trouble for what you said tonight, because there is almost no food that I can eat. Any kind of vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts, anything, even beef, I can’t eat without breaking out in allergic reactions. There is only one kind of food that I can eat, and not get sick.”

The evangelist enquired what food that was.

“Well,” the man said, “it is pork. That is the only food I can eat. If I eat anything else, I get sick and you just showed me from the Bible that God said not to eat it. Now what am I going to do?”

The evangelist told him he was willing to go to this man’s house and take some elders with him. They would pray over him and ask the Lord to deliver him so that he could eat other kinds of food that the Lord allowed to be eaten.

The man was willing to try it so they came to his house. It was in the evening and they knelt around this man who could not eat anything but pork, and prayed to the God of heaven. “Lord, You have said in Your word that You do not want Your children to eat pork. You have said it over and over again in Your book, both in Leviticus and Deuteronomy. This man can’t eat anything except pork. We pray that You will deliver him from whatever his bodily affliction is that keeps him from eating anything besides pork without getting sick.”

When they finished the prayer, they got up and went home. The evangelist was very nervous that night. He wondered what would happen.

The man went to bed at about 10:00 at night and as he was lying in bed he was thinking, “If there is a God in heaven, and He said in His book that I am not to eat pork, and He is going to deliver me so that I don’t have to eat pork, that means that I don’t have to eat pork now and I can eat whatever I want to.”

He decided he was going to find out, so he got up. It was late at night but he went to a fast food place. He hadn’t been able to eat any dairy products for a long, long time. But he thought, “The Lord has delivered me. They prayed that the Lord would deliver me; I believe that He did and I’m just going to take God at His word. The Bible says not to eat pork so I am going to eat something else.”

He went to a Dairy Queen and he said, “I want you to fix me a banana split sundae and I want you to put everything on it; all the fixings.” They even put a maraschino cherry on top. Here it was late at night, he had a big banana split and he ate the whole thing. Then he thought, “Well, I don’t feel bad; I am going to go back to bed.”

So he went back to bed and slept all night. The next morning he was so excited. He hadn’t had any indigestion or any problem at all. He was so excited, he got up and got dressed and went straight to see the minister and told him his story.

He said, “The Lord delivered me.” And from that time on, he never ate any pork again and he wasn’t sick either. The Lord delivered him that night.

God will deliver anybody from whatever their affliction or slavery to habit is that is contrary to His word, when they want to do His will and simply ask Him for victory.

I have seen God deliver people over and over again, both men and women from their old habits. God wants you to have good health, and if you are willing to cooperate, God will work. Don’t let the devil discourage you over anything we have studied here.

Remember what God told the Israelites that, “if you will keep my laws, you are not going to get the diseases the Egyptians are getting.” What were those diseases? Heart disease, cancer, atherosclerosis, tooth decay, and all those kinds of things.

The Lord said, “You are not going to have to get those diseases if you will keep My laws, and do what I want you to do.”

Pastor John Grosboll is Director of Steps to Life and pastors the Prairie Meadows Church in Wichita, Kansas. He may be contacted by e-mail at: historic@stepstolife.org, or by telephone at: 316–788–5559.

Health – Cancer’s New Status

by

The diagnosis of cancer strikes fear in the minds of millions of people worldwide every year.1 For many years heart disease was labeled as the number one killer in the United States, but recently that has changed. In January 2005, cancer surpassed heart disease as the number one killer of Americans under 85 years.2 Globally the World Health Organization projects that global cancer rates could increase by 50 percent by 2020.3 Thus there is good reason to be concerned. However, research also shows that we can do something to significantly reduce our risk of having cancer.

Globally, tobacco usage was the cause of the death of millions during the last century. Half of those who regularly smoke are killed by tobacco related diseases (cancer, lung disease, and heart disease), and one quarter die prematurely. Lung cancer in regular tobacco users is drastically higher (20 to 30 fold), and cancers of the oral cavity, esophagus, and upper digestive tract are significantly higher (2 to 6 fold). Even passive or secondary tobacco smoke increases lung cancer risk by 20 percent. Thus tobacco is a very dangerous, but avoidable, cancer risk. Of course, it is best to never start smoking; however, there is clear evidence that stopping smoking significantly reduces the chance of getting cancer. The greatest reduction is seen when a person stops smoking in their early 30s, but significant risk reduction is seen when a person stops smoking even after age 50.4

Diet is also a significant risk factor. Many studies have been conducted showing that the kind of diet we eat has a significant impact upon our cancer risk. We shall look at some of these studies.

In one study of 190,545 participants who were followed for seven years, researchers found that those who regularly ate red meat (beef, pork, lamb) had a 50 percent increase in pancreatic cancer risk (a very serious form of cancer), and those who consumed processed meat (sausage, salami, bologna) had a 70 percent increase.5

Another study looked at ovarian cancer. This Canadian study followed 2,500 women, and researchers found that those with the highest cholesterol consumption had a 40 percent increase in ovarian cancer risk compared to those with the lowest cholesterol consumption. Even those with the highest egg consumption had a 30 percent increase in risk. Cholesterol is found only in animal products (meat, eggs, dairy including cheese, etc.) and not in plant foods. It is interesting that this same study showed that the women with the highest consumption of total vegetable intake, including cruciferous vegetables (kale, collards, mustard greens, turnip greens, turnips, radishes, rutabaga, cabbage, bok choy, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, watercress, kohlrabi), had a reduced cancer risk by almost 25 percent.6

A large study following 148,610 people for over 20 years showed that those with the highest meat intake had approximately a 50 percent higher colon cancer risk compared with those with lower intakes. The researchers concluded that the less red and processed meat people eat, the lower was their risk of colon cancer.7

A review of 21 studies showed a relationship between dairy product consumption (skim milk, low-fat milk, whole milk, yogurt, cheese) and ovarian cancer risk. Study reviewers found that for every 10 grams of lactose (about the amount in one glass of milk) consumed daily, ovarian cancer risk increased by 13 percent.8 Thus a person consuming two glasses of milk or equivalent will have an increased risk of 26 percent, ingesting three glasses or equivalent will have an increased risk of 39 percent, and the risk continues to escalate as consumption increases.

A Canadian study compared data from men with testicular cancer to healthy individuals. After examining nutrients, food groups, and particular foods, researchers concluded that a high intake of dairy products (particularly cheese), baked goods, and luncheon meats, could contribute to this cancer.9

Harvard researchers analyzed 90,655 premenopausal women enrolled in the Nurses’ Health Study 11. They found that animal fat intake, especially from red meat and high-fat dairy products during premenopausal years increased the risk of breast cancer.10

One of the most prestigious studies on diet and health is The China Study. It is widely considered the most comprehensive study of diet, lifestyle and disease ever completed. It was headed by T. Colin Campbell, and he makes this very interesting comment: “My fellow researchers and I determined that plant-based diets are the main reason there are such low rates of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer in certain areas of rural China. In contrast, even small amounts of animal protein-based foods [meat, fish, poultry, milk and milk products, and eggs] increased the risk of many diseases.”11

Other studies also consistently show that plant foods prevent or inhibit cancer; such as avocados inhibit prostate cancer,12 oranges and bananas may reduce childhood leukemia,13 and fruits and vegetables lower pancreatic cancer risk.14 The message for reducing the risk of cancer seems to be the same over and over and over again: eat little or no animal products and eat a plant based diet. In other words, the less animal fat and protein you include in your diet, the less your risk of cancer. You will notice that each of the studies cited above looked at one kind of cancer. Researchers often limit a study to one particular problem because of the very nature of study design. However, the fact that we see the same message being repeated for so many different types of cancer, we can logically conclude that the message will be the same for all types of cancer: eat a plant-based diet and your risk of all types of cancer will decrease.

Another major determinant in whether or not you will get cancer is the health and vitality of your immune system. Every day our bodies produce about 300 abnormal cancerous cells, and more if we are exposed to carcinogens. However, a healthy immune system will quickly identify and kill these cancerous cells.15 The consumption of simple carbohydrates (sugar) distinctly suppresses the immune system. Ingesting 100 grams (25 teaspoons) of sugar (table sugar, sugar cane crystals, fructose, glucose, maltose, etc.) at one meal or snack suppresses the immune system for the next five hours. Even the consumption of 24 grams (6 teaspoons) reduces the body’s ability to destroy bacteria.16

In 2003, per capita sugar consumption in the United States was 142 pounds,17 which works out to about 43.5 teaspoons per day (142 lbs. per year x 16 oz. x 28 [ounce to gram conversion] / 365 days / 4 grams = # of teaspoons per day).18 Soda pops and many sweet desserts have 10 teaspoons of sugar, and many candy bars, cookies, and donuts can have 6 or more teaspoons of sugar. Many fat-free items have simply replaced the fat with sugar to maintain a taste that Americans will buy. Also, sugar is added to many things to which you would not think it would be added. Just look at the ingredient list of items you buy, and notice if and how much sugar is added. Also, notice how near the top these sugars are listed. Then look at the Nutrition Facts label and look for the quantity of sugar in the item. Remember that 4 grams of sugar equals 1 teaspoon of sugar. If you see, say, 15 grams beside “Sugars,” that means there are almost 4 teaspoons of sugar per serving in that item. If you start to look at the Nutrition Facts labels of the things you consume, you may just be surprised how much sugar you do eat on a daily basis. (Also, be aware that fruits and vegetables often have naturally occurring “sugar,” which will be included in the quantity of sugar given in the Nutrition Facts label. That is why it is also good to look at the ingredient list to find out the source(s) of the sugar and its relative amount to the other ingredients.)

The bottom line is that it is easy to see that the vast majority of Americans have chronically suppressed immune systems through excessive consumption of sugar. And the fact that many eat donuts for breakfast, drink soda pop instead of water, have candy bars for snacks, and love to have a nice dessert for dinner, the immune system is just not able to function at a level to protect against the cancerous cells all of us develop in our bodies every day. If these cancerous cells are not identified and killed by the immune system, they are left to grow, and after a few years you are diagnosed with a tumor or cancer.

Even though cancer is now the number one killer of Americans under age 85, there are things that we can all do to drastically reduce our risk of cancer. Eliminating tobacco usage by those who smoke is a major step in cancer risk reduction. Moving from a diet containing animal fat and protein to a plant-based diet is repeatedly shown to provide major cancer risk reduction benefits. Finally, drastically reducing our intake of sugar will help give our immune systems the ability and vitality necessary to identify and kill the abnormal cells in our bodies and not allow them to reproduce to form the basis of full-blown cancer. Certainly there are things that we can do; therefore, let us do all that we can to reduce the risk of cancer in our lives and in the lives of others.

  1. World Health Organization. Global cancer rates could increase by 50% to 15 million by 2020. Internet: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2003/pr27/en/. Accessed Feb. 20, 2006. Also: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/01/20/health/main667998.shtml. Accessed Feb. 17, 2011
  2. Good Medicine, Spring 2005, Vol. XIV, No. 2:16
  3. WHO, Ibid.
  4. Ibid.
  5. Nothlings U, Wilkens LR, Murphy SP, Hankin JH, Henderson BE, Kolonel LN. Meat and fat intake as risk factors for pancreatic cancer: the multiethnic cohort study. J. Natl Cancer Inst. 2005;97:1458-65.
  6. Pan SY, Ugnat AM, Mao Y, et al. A case-controlled study of diet and the risk of ovarian cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers. 2004;13:1521-7.
  7. Chao A, Thun MJ, Connell CJ, et al. Meat consumption and risk of colorectal cancer. JAMA 2005;293:172-82.
  8. Larsson SC, Orsini N, Wolk A, Milk, milk products, and lactose intake and ovarian cancer risk: a meta-analysis of epidemiological studies. Int. J. Cancer. Internet: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/110575092/ABSTRACT. Accessed Feb. 20, 2006.
  9. Garner MJ, Birkett NJ, Johnson KC, Shatenstein B, Ghadirian P, Krewski D. Dietary risk factors for testicular carcinoma. Int. J Cancer 2003;106:934-41.
  10. Cho E, Spiegelman D, Hunter DJ, et al. Premenopausal fat intake and the risk of breast cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst. (#5. last line) 2003; 95:1070-85.
  11. Campbell TC, Campbell II TM. Lessons of a Lifetime: Decades of Scientific Research Show the Power of a Plant-based Diet. Good Medicine, Spring 2005, Vol. XIV, No. 2:8.
  12. Lu QY, Arteaga JR, Zhang Q, et al. Inhibition of prostate cancer cell growth by an avocado extract: role of lipid-soluble bioactive substances. J Nutr Biochem. 2005;16:23-13. Kwan ML, Block G, Selvin S, et al. Food consumption by children and the risk of childhood acute leukemia. Am J Epidemiol. 2004;160:1098-107.
  13. Nkondjock A, Krewski D. Johnson KC, Chadirian P. Dietary patterns and the risk of pancreatic cancer. Int J Cancer. 2005;114:814-23.
  14. Pizzorno J. Total Wellness. Prima Publishing. 1996:24
  15. Country Life Natural Foods. Nutrition Seminar Cookbook. Southern Missionary Society, Harrisburg, NH. 1984:69-71.
  16. US News. One Sweet Nation. Internet: http://www.usnews.com/usnews/health/articles/050328/28sugar.b.htm. Accessed Feb. 20, 2006
  17. The Food Pyramid-Food Label Connection. Internet: http://www.fda.gov/fdac/special/foodlabel/pyramid.html. Accessed Feb. 20, 2006

Diane Herbert, ND, is leader of the Health and Temperance team at Tucker-Norcross Free Seventh-day Adventist Church, and teaches health classes at The Gilead Institute, a medical missionary organization.