grains

What About Health Reform?

by

Our habits of eating and drinking show whether we are of the world or among the number whom the Lord by His mighty cleaver of truth has separated from the world.” Testimonies, vol. 6, 372.

“He who cherishes the light which God has given him upon health reform, has an important aid in the work of becoming sanctified through the truth, and fitted for immortality.” Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, 10.

“He who is thoroughly converted will abandon every injurious habit and appetite. By total abstinence he will overcome his desire for health-destroying indulgences.” Testimonies, vol. 9, 113.

Adopting Health Reform

“We want to act like men and women that are to be brought into judgment. And when we adopt the health reform we should adopt it from a sense of duty, not because somebody else has adopted it. I have not changed my course a particle since I adopted the health reform. I have not taken one step back since the light from heaven upon this subject first shone upon my pathway. I broke away from everything at once,—from meat and butter, and from three meals,—and that while engaged in exhaustive brain labor, writing from early morning till sundown. I came down to two meals a day without changing my labor.” Ibid., vol. 2, 371.

“Many do not feel that this [health reform] is a matter of duty, hence they do not try to prepare food properly. This can be done in a simple, healthful, and easy manner, without the use of lard, butter, or flesh meats. Skill must be united with simplicity. To do this, women must read, and then patiently reduce what they read to practice.” Ibid., vol. 1, 681.

“Many take a wrong view of the health reform and adopt too poor a diet. They subsist upon a cheap, poor quality of food, prepared without care or reference to the nourishment of the system. It is important that the food should be prepared with care, that the appetite, when not perverted, can relish it. Because we from principle discard the use of meat, butter, mince pies, spices, lard, and that which irritates the stomach and destroys health, the idea should never be given that it is of but little consequence what we eat.” Ibid., vol. 2, 367.

Avoid These

“We bear positive testimony against tobacco, spirituous liquors, snuff, tea, coffee, flesh meats, butter, spices, rich cakes, mince pies, a large amount of salt, and all exciting substances used as articles of food.” Ibid., vol. 3, 21.

“Tea and coffee do not nourish the system. Their effect is produced before there has been time for digestion and assimilation, and what seems to be strength is only nervous excitement. When the influence of the stimulant is gone, the unnatural force abates, and the result is a corresponding degree of languor and debility.

“The continued use of these nerve irritants is followed by headache, wakefulness, palpitation of the heart, indigestion, trembling, and many other evils; for they wear away the life forces. Tired nerves need rest and quiet instead of stimulation and overwork.” The Ministry of Healing, 326, 327.

“No butter or flesh meats of any kind come on my table. Cake is seldom found there. I generally have an ample supply of fruits, good bread, and vegetables.” Testimonies, vol. 2, 487.

“It is impossible for those who make free use of flesh meats to have an unclouded brain and an active intellect.” Ibid., 62

“Flesh meat is not necessary for health or strength. If used it is because a depraved appetite craves it. Its use excites the animal propensities to increased activity and strengthens the animal passions. When the animal propensities are increased, the intellectual and moral powers are decreased. The use of the flesh of animals tends to cause a grossness of body and benumbs the fine sensibilities of the mind.” Ibid., 63.

“Flesh meats will depreciate the blood. Cook meat with spices, and eat it with rich cakes and pies, and you have a bad quality of blood. The system is too heavily taxed in disposing of this kind of food. The mince pies and the pickles, which should never find a place in any human stomach, will give a miserable quality of blood. And a poor quality of food, cooked in an improper manner, and insufficient in quantity, cannot make good blood. Flesh meats and rich food, and an impoverished diet, will produce the same results.” Ibid., 368.

Teach the Children

“You should be teaching your children. You should be instructing them how to shun the vices and corruptions of this age. Instead of this, many are studying how to get something good to eat. You place upon your tables butter, eggs, and meat, and your children partake of them. They are fed with the very things that will excite their animal passions.” Ibid., 362.

“The moral sensibilities of your children cannot be easily aroused, unless you are careful in the selection of their food. Many a mother sets a table that is a snare to her family. Flesh-meats, butter, cheese, rich pastry, spiced foods, and condiments are freely partaken of by both old and young. These things do their work in deranging the stomach, exciting the nerves, and enfeebling the intellect. The blood-making organs cannot convert such things into good blood.” Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, 46, 47.

“If ever there was a time when the diet should be of the most simple kind, it is now. Meat should not be placed before our children. Its influence is to excite and strengthen the lower passions, and has a tendency to deaden the moral powers.” Testimonies, vol. 2, 352.

Foods to Relish

“Olives may be so prepared as to be eaten with good results at every meal. The advantages sought by the use of butter may be obtained by the eating of properly prepared olives. The oil in the olives relieves constipation; and for consumptives, and for those who have inflamed, irritated stomachs, it is better than any drug. As a food it is better than any oil coming secondhand from animals.” Ibid., vol. 7, 134.

“Grains and fruits prepared free from grease, and in as natural a condition as possible, should be the food for the tables of all who claim to be preparing for translation to heaven. The less feverish the diet, the more easily can the passions be controlled. Gratification of taste should not be consulted irrespective of physical, intellectual, or moral health.” Ibid., vol. 2, 352.

“Advise the people to give up sweet puddings or custards made with eggs and milk and sugar, and to eat the best home-made bread, both graham and white, with dried or green fruits, and let that be the only course for one meal; then let the next meal be of nicely prepared vegetables.” Unpublished Testimonies, October 29, 1894.

“Nuts and nut foods are coming largely into use to take the place of flesh meats. With nuts may be combined grains, fruits, and some roots, to make foods that are healthful and nourishing. Care should be taken, however, not to use too large a proportion of nuts.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 363.

“Simple grains, fruits, and vegetables have all the nutrient properties necessary to make good blood. This a flesh diet cannot do.” Healthful Living, 63.

“In grains, fruits, and vegetables, and nuts, are to be found all the food elements that we need. If we will come to the Lord in simplicity of mind, He will teach us how to prepare wholesome food free from the taint of flesh-meat.” Testimony Studies on Diet and Foods, 65.

“How can anyone desire to live on the flesh of dead animals, when he has the privilege of using the fruit, grains, vegetables, and nuts that God has given us in such abundance?” Peter’s Counsel to Parents, 26.

“God has furnished man with abundant means for the gratification of natural appetite. He has spread before him, in the products of the earth, a bountiful variety of food that is palatable to the taste and nutritious to the system. Of these our benevolent heavenly Father says that we may ‘freely eat.’ We may enjoy the fruits, the vegetables, the grains, without doing violence to the laws of our being. These articles, prepared in the most simple and natural manner, will nourish the body, and preserve its natural vigor without the use of flesh meats.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 50.

Recipe – Toasted Millet Breakfast Slices

by

1 cup hulled millet

1/2 cup ground flax seed

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 cups water

1/2 cup macaroon coconut

1/2 cup chopped dates

In a slow cooker, place millet, flax seed, salt, and water. Cook until water is gone. Add coconut and dates to taste. Place in a square container and cool. Cut in 1/2 inch slices and toast on both sides under broiler. Serve with fresh fruit and thickened coconut cream or fruit sauce.

Food for Life – Grains

by

I am not sure who actually originated the saying, “the rest of the story,” but it is interesting that we search, dig, and go to many extremes to find “the rest of the story.” It is equally interesting that when “the rest of the story” is known in regard to nutrition, we often ignore it.

Many western countries, America included, have adopted the practice of refining many of the grains. It is a well-known nutritional fact that we need to eat whole-grain foods to receive the maximum benefits from our food. With the refining of grains, much of the fiber, vitamins, and minerals are lost. Often this refined food is then fortified or enriched by putting vitamins and minerals back into it. The principle that “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts” applies here. Clearly our Creator has the knowledge and ability to give us whole foods that will meet our needs, if we will just follow His plan.

If we really want optimum health, we must eat whole grains, not processed and refined grains. “In the study of hygiene, students should be taught the nutrient value of different foods. . . . Grains, fruits, nuts, and vegetables, in proper combination, contain all the elements of nutrition; and when properly prepared, they constitute the diet that best promotes both physical and mental strength.” Education, 204, 205.

The recipe this month features whole grains.

Food for Life – Grains

by

This month we continue our look at grains, a primary source of carbohydrates in the diet. Unrefined and complex carbohydrates are the best and should make up 55 to 70 percent of our dietary consumption. Grains, legumes, and nuts provide the richest dietary source of magnesium.

To be the most healthful and beneficial, grains should have a long, slow cooking period, preferably one to three hours. The phytic acid found in grains ties up certain minerals necessary for health, and this acid is destroyed by long cook-ing. Long cooking also softens the physical units of the grain and prepares them for better digestion. It is likely that much of the food sensitivity manifested in adults to grains could be avoided by attention to cooking time.

The Joslin Diabetes Center’s textbook states: “The most common and important cause of insulin resistance is obesity.” Neil Nedley, M.D., Proof Positive, Nedley Publishing, Ardmore, Oklahoma, 1998, 186.

So not only is exercise important for overweight individuals, but weight loss seems to be even more important, at least in preventing many health problems. Complex, unrefined carbohydrates should be a part of a weight reduction program.

Grains are also a good source of fiber. There are many benefits to a high fiber diet, including: reduced levels of serum cholesterol and triglycerides, reduced blood pressure in those with hypertension, discontinuation of insulin therapy for non-insulin dependent diabetics is promoted, reduced risk of death from heart disease, improved gastrointestinal function, reduced body weight in the obese, reduced risk of kidney damage, reduced insulin requirements, and improvement in the glycemic control.

If we were to subsist wholly on fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, legumes, and whole, unrefined grains, we could prevent a whole host of diseases, improve both our quality and quantity of life, and make a huge difference in the health of the entire Western World.

Recipe – Crockpot Grains

by

¼ cup millet, uncooked

¼ cup barley, uncooked

1/3 cup brown rice, uncooked

1 cup chopped onions

1 cup chopped green pepper

½ cup finely chopped carrots

1 16-ounce can kidney beans

1 8-ounce can tomato sauce

1 16-ounce can tomatoes, chopped, drained (reserve liquid)

1 ½ cup canned or frozen corn, drained

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

½ teaspoon garlic powder

Salt to taste

Combine all ingredients in a crockpot. Add water to reserved tomato liquid to equal 2 1/2 cups. Stir into grain mixture. Cover and cook on low setting 8 hours. Stir before serving. Serves 8.

Health – Grains

by

Wheat and other grains are widely used to make bread, pancakes, soups, etc., but not many know that there are also medicinal uses for these grains.

Barley flour made into a poultice can be used for the treatment of inflamed skin. A nutritive and demulcent (soothing for irritated mucous membranes) drink is made from barley by making a mixture of one part barley to 10 parts water, boil for 20 minutes and then strain. This can be used on feverish patients and where there is inflammation and mucous in the respiratory and urinary organs. The drink is soothing to the stomach and intestines and can be very effective in helping long-standing constipation. It acts as a general nerve tonic bringing back vitality to a weakened system making one feel more cheerful. It is useful in cases of diarrhea, pulmonary disease, inflammation of kidneys, liver disease, and mineral deficiency. Barley water can be diluted with milk to prevent the formation of hard masses of curd in the stomach of young infants. Another way to make a drink is to boil 2 ounces of barley in four pints of water until reduced to two pints; then add lemon juice or licorice root or raisins for flavoring ten minutes before taking off the stove.

As a tonic, barley water can be drunk regularly.

Oats may be made into a drink by boiling an ounce of the grain to a quart of water for half an hour. This drink can be taken where a laxative is needed or used for a diuretic. A nourishing broth for nursing infants may be made by mixing equal parts of oats, wheat and barley; grind the mixture and add four tablespoonfuls of the flour to one and a half quarts of water and boil until reduced to one quart; then strain and sweeten and give daily. Oats are considered helpful in cases of uremic poisoning and diabetes and to help where there is a thyroid deficiency. The oat drink or gruel is good in cases of fever and has been used in cases of poisoning from acid substances. The drink will usually be accepted by patients of weak digestion when other foods are rejected. It is considered to be good to restore the nervous system and as a tonic after debilitating sicknesses. It seems to aid the heart muscles and the urinary organs. It is recommended as an all-around drink for the sick, weak and healthy. Oatmeal or rolled oats is good for regulating normal and healthful blood sugar in the early morning hours. Oats are one of our few food sources used for obtaining iodine.

Brown rice, which contains an easily digested starch, is beneficial for stomach or intestinal ulcers and for the relief of diarrhea. A poultice of rice flour can be used to relieve skin inflammations of various kinds. We have seen serious cases of diarrhea respond most effectively to rice water made by boiling one ounce of rice to one quart of water for 20 minutes, straining and drinking. This drink is also used in cases of congestion, acute head pain, nausea, fainting, difficult breathing, stomach cramps, colic, worms and as a sedative.

Rye is recommended for individuals engaged in sedentary activities. It is believed to combat arteriosclerosis, and high blood pressure. Boiling three ounces of rye to a quart of water for 20 minutes produces a refreshing, soothing and mildly laxative solution.

Millet is an easily digested food good for constipation and beneficial for weight gain and general emaciation. It is considered good where mental or physical weakness exists and also for pregnancy.

Corn is considered good in cases of emaciation, anemia, constipation and as an overall body building food. The balance of unsaturated versus saturated fatty acids in corn oil helps lower the blood lipid levels. The suggested dose of corn oil is two tablespoons taken upon arising and before the evening meal for a few weeks or months. Some Indians would steep corn in lye to be used as an intestinal anti-spasmodic. Blue corn meal mush was applied hourly to bullet wounds. Others have used a corn meal poultice for skin ulcers, swellings and rheumatic pains. A cup of parched corn to two quarts of water lightly boiled for 20 minutes, then strained and drunk has been found useful in cases of nausea and vomiting in many diseases. Cornmeal gruel is excellent for convalescents. Cornbread is thought to be of benefit for those suffering from kidney or liver diseases.

Wheat has been recommended in cases of arthritis, rheumatic fever, and in some types of cancer, pulmonary disease including tuberculosis, anemia, and physical and emotional weakness. It is felt that the vitamin D in wheat helps in rickets and other vitamin D diseases. One recipe for a good heart remedy is to soak a half of a cup of coarse ground wheat in a thermos of hot water overnight. Eat this each morning for three months.

We can make a mild grain drink as indicated above with any of the grains by lightly roasting the grain; then gently boil one cup of the grain to two quarts of water for about 20 minutes, strain and add honey and a little cream or milk.

Another way to make a mild grain drink is to soak one cup of seed in two cups of water for 16 hours (24 hours in colder weather). Strain off the water and let the soak water ferment in a warm place for another 36 to 72 hours. It is then ready to drink. Another method is to soak the grain for two or three days after which the soak water may be drunk and then refill the container with water for another soak with the grain. After each drink refill the container; this can be repeated for up to two weeks. This mild grain drink should taste somewhat like whey. The best soaking temperature seems to be between 68 degrees and 77 degrees F. The drink is rich in protein, carbohydrates, dextrines, saccharine, phosphate, lactobacilli, saccharomyces, and Aspergillus oryzae. Many find this drink beneficial to the digestion. It is nonalcoholic and rich in B vitamins. It has been observed that acidophilus bacilli or lactobacilli create an acid medium in the intestine, destroying any unfriendly, disease-producing putrefactive bacteria. Many who use this drink feel that this enzyme-rich drink has helped them with minor to the most serious health problems. Likewise the regular drinking of the roasted grain drink has produced in others a feeling of well-being and vitality.

Excerpts from School of Natural Health

Health – Natural Foods

by

“Let your food be your medicine and your medicine be your food.”

Hippocrates

What are natural foods? They are foods that are natural, such as apples, potatoes, corn, almonds, etc. They have no added artificial flavorings, colors, or preservatives; and they are foods that are not refined, such as white flour or corn oil.

DIET IS THE MAJOR CAUSE OF DISEASE

Our refined food is now killing us on the installment plan. … Because Americans like to eat; they eat too much; and they eat the wrong kinds of foods such as meat, milk, eggs, sugar, oil, refined and processed foods.

You are what you eat. Natural food, unadulterated, just as it comes from the Creator, is the food that gives energy, health and life. Refined food on the other hand, brings fatigue, sickness and death. Yet man has tried to improve (is that possible?) upon the natural food God has given us.

HARMFUL FOODS THAT DESTROY YOUR HEALTH – ALL KINDS OF MEAT

Man’s body was not designed to eat meat.

Let’s look at some simple physiological aspects of meat eating. A carnivore’s teeth are long, sharp, and pointed for ripping and tearing flesh. Man has molars for crushing and grinding. A carnivore’s jaw moves up and down only, for tearing and biting. Man’s moves up and down and from side to side for grinding. A carnivore’s tongue is rough; man’s is smooth. A carnivore’s saliva is acid and geared to the digestion of animal protein. Man’s saliva is alkaline for the digestion of starch. A carnivore’s intestines are three times the length of its trunk, designed for rapid expulsion of food stuff, which would otherwise quickly rot. Man’s intestines are twelve times the length of his trunk and designed to keep food in them until all nutrients are extracted. The liver and kidneys of a carnivore are capable of eliminating large amounts of uric acid whereas man’s liver and kidneys have the capacity to eliminate only a small amount of uric acid. A carnivore’s urine is acid. Man’s is alkaline. Consider the elephant. How much dead flesh does he eat? none, and an elephant can live for over a hundred years because he is a vegetarian; whereas, carnivorous animals, such as a cat or dog, live anywhere from 10 to 15 years. What are the strongest animals in the world? Those used for centuries because of their endurance and strength: elephants, water buffalo, camels, mules, and horses; and they all have this one thing in common— they are vegetarians. A lion, which eats flesh exclusively, has very little endurance, for he sleeps approximately 20 hours a day.

HIGH MEAT DIET (WHICH IS ALSO HIGH IN FAT) IS MAJOR CAUSE OF HEART ATTACKS, STROKES, AND CANCER

“Meat is an incomplete source of nutrition. As a consequence, reliance on a meat-based diet actually becomes a liability to human health. But meat is not only a liability for what it does not contain; it is also a liability for what it does contain, excess protein, fat, cholesterol, and blood, besides worms, microbes, and cancer viruses.” John A. Scharffenberg, Problems With Meat, Woodbridge Press Pub. Co., Santa Barbara, California, 1979, 101.

IF I DON’T EAT MEAT, WHERE WILL I GET MY PROTEIN?

Protein is the most complex of all food elements, and its assimilation and utilization are the most complicated. The hardest food for the body to break down is protein. When protein food is eaten, it takes more energy for it to go through the process of digestion than any other food. Protein is not built in the body by eating protein. Protein is built from the amino acids in food. It must first be digested and split into its component amino acids. The body can then use these amino acids to construct the protein it needs.

There are twenty-three different amino acids that have been discovered. Fifteen of these can be produced by the body; and eight must be derived from the foods we eat. That is why these eight are called essential. There are no “essential” amino acids in flesh that the animal did not derive from plants, and that humans cannot also get from the plants they eat. If you eat fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains on a regular basis, you are receiving all the amino acids necessary for your body to build the protein it needs.

The Hunza people and half a billion Hindus eat very little protein and they have no protein deficiencies. Studies show that excess protein in the diet is harmful, contributing to kidney disease, osteoporosis, arthritis, heart disease, cancer, etc.

When you eat grains and vegetables, you obtain food first hand; but when you eat meat, you get your grains and vegetables second hand. The only effect meat eating has on health is that it deteriorates it.

REFINED OILS

Oils are harmful to the body. Most plant foods contain very little fat; however, modern food technology has made it possible to chemically remove these natural fats and process them into oil. Twelve ears of corn are processed to make one tablespoon of corn oil. During the processing, all the good fiber, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, etc., are removed from the corn, leaving nothing but oil, which is 100 percent fat.

All refined fats are a burden to the body; they thicken the blood, slowing down circulation which affects the heart and blood vessels. These oils contribute to overweight, diabetes, and gallstone formation.

REFINED GRAINS

Refined grains are harmful to the body. Grains are made in such a way that the vitamins and minerals are carried almost entirely on the outer layer. Milling removes this layer, leaving a white, easily ground central kernel, which is almost devoid of vitamins and minerals. The central portion has the starch and the protein, but both of these are more difficult to metabolize without the accompanying minerals and vitamins.

Natural grains such as whole wheat, barley, corn, millet, oats, rice and rye are what we need for proper nourishment. But when these are milled they are almost worthless.

THE NATURAL WAY IS THE HEALTHY WAY

Natural foods encourage life, promote strength and endurance and help restore lost health. Unnatural foods cause sickness and decay. You will find the natural foods close to nature, in the gardens and orchards. You will find unnatural foods on the grocery shelf, preserved and packaged in a bag, box or can.

It isn’t any sacrifice at all to eat natural foods; it’s just another step toward an unblemished skin, a new spring in your step, a new light in the eye. It’s a step toward a strong heart and untainted breath. It’s just another step toward untroubled sleep and new vigor each morning. It’s another step toward an unclouded mind and clear decisions. It’s just another step toward the abundant health you’ve always wanted.

Jerry Hoover, N.D, Natural Medicine, KNI Printers, Inc., California, 1993, 45–71. Contact: DrJerryLeeHooverND@yahoo.com

Bible Study Guides – Advancing Truth

by

January 6, 2013 – January 12, 2013

Key Text

“The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.” Proverbs 4:18.

Study Help: Counsels on Diet and Foods, 69–77,145–147; Testimonies, vol. 6, 326–328, 378, 379.

Introduction

“The light that the Lord has given on [health reform] in His word is plain, and men will be tested and tried in many ways to see if they will heed it. Every church, every family, needs to be instructed in regard to Christian temperance. All should know how to eat and drink in order to preserve health. We are amid the closing scenes of this world’s history, and there should be harmonious action in the ranks of Sabbath keepers.” Testimonies, vol. 6, 378.

“We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts.” II Peter 1:19.

“The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. For He hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in His holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is the generation of them that seek Him, that seek Thy face, O Jacob. Selah. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah.” Psalm 24.

1 THE ORIGINAL PLAN

  • Where do we find God’s original plan for living? Genesis 1:26–28.
  • What was God’s original plan for the health of His creation? Genesis 1:29; 3:15, 18. Specify the different aspects of health instruction given in these verses.

Note: “In the beginning He [God] placed our first parents amidst the beautiful sights and sounds He desires us to rejoice in today. The more nearly we come into harmony with God’s original plan, the more favorable will be our position to secure health of body, and mind, and soul.” The Ministry of Healing, 365.

“In order to know what are the best foods, we must study God’s original plan for man’s diet. He who created man and who understands his needs appointed Adam his food. ‘Behold,’ He said, ‘I have given you every herb yielding seed, … and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for food’ (Genesis 1:29, ARV). Upon leaving Eden to gain his livelihood by tilling the earth under the curse of sin, man received permission to eat also ‘the herb of the field’ (Genesis 3:18).

“Grains, fruits, nuts, and vegetables constitute the diet chosen for us by our Creator. These foods, prepared in as simple and natural a manner as possible, are the most healthful and nourishing. They impart a strength, a power of endurance, and a vigor of intellect that are not afforded by a more complex and stimulating diet.” Ibid., 295, 296.

“As far as possible we are to come back to God’s original plan. From henceforth my table shall be free from the flesh of dead animals, and devoid of those things in desserts which take much time and strength to prepare. We may use fruit freely, and in different ways, and run no risk of incurring the diseases that are incurred by using the flesh of diseased animals. We should bring our appetite under control, so that we shall enjoy plain, wholesome food, and have an abundance of it, that none may suffer hunger.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 488.

2 THE TEST

  • What detailed instruction did God give to Adam and Eve? Genesis 2:16, 17. What should the people of Israel bear in mind? Deuteronomy 8:2.

Note: “When Adam and Eve were placed in the Garden of Eden, everything contributed to their enjoyment.” The Signs of the Times, February 24, 1898.

“Adam and Eve were placed upon trial, that it might be demonstrated as to whether they would obey the word of their Creator, or disobey His requirements. The Creator of man was his Father, and had an entire right to the service he could render. Body, soul, and spirit, man was the sole property of God. … He made it plain to them that by obedience to His holy law they would retain happiness, and finally be blessed with immortality. Eternal life should be theirs if they regulated their conduct according to the principles of the law of God. … Every provision was made whereby blessings might be secured to the human race, and but one mild restriction was placed upon the sinless pair to test their loyalty to God.” Ibid., October 8, 1894.

  • When put to the test, how did our first parents fall? Genesis 3:1–6; Romans 5:19; James 4:17; I John 3:4.

Note: “Eve had everything to make her happy. She was surrounded by fruit of every variety. Yet the fruit of the forbidden tree appeared more desirable to her than the fruit of all the other trees in the garden of which she could freely eat. She was intemperate in her desires. She ate, and through her influence, her husband ate also, and a curse rested upon them both.” Spiritual Gifts, vol. 4a, 120.

  • What happened because of the wrong choice made by Adam and Eve? Genesis 3:16–19; Romans 3:23.

Note: “The earth also was cursed because of their sin. And since the Fall, intemperance in almost every form has existed.” Spiritual Gifts, vol. 4a, 120.

3 CONSEQUENCES OF SIN

  • What was the long-term result of Adam and Eve’s choice? Genesis 6:11–13, 17. How is history being repeated? Matthew 24:37–39.

Note: “The same sins that brought judgments upon the world in the days of Noah, exist in our day. Men and women now carry their eating and drinking so far that it ends in gluttony and drunkenness.” Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, 11.

  • How was the people’s diet changed after the Flood? Compare Genesis 1:29; 3:18 with Genesis 9:3, 4.
  • Why was a flesh diet permitted after 1500 years without it? Psalm 90:9, 10.

Note: “The eating of flesh meat was permitted as one of the consequences of the Fall. Before the Flood, no provision was made for the use of animal food.” This Day With God, 210.

“The diet appointed man in the beginning did not include animal food. Not till after the Flood, when every green thing on the earth had been destroyed, did man receive permission to eat flesh.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 374.

“God provided fruit in its natural state for our first parents. He gave to Adam charge of the garden, to dress it, and to care for it, saying, ‘To you it shall be for meat’ [Genesis 1:29]. One animal was not to destroy another animal for food. After the Fall, the eating of flesh was suffered in order to shorten the period of the existence of the long-lived race. It was allowed because of the hardness of the hearts of men.” Testimony Studies on Diet and Foods, 68.

  • What distinction, well known to Noah and his descendants, was to be observed with reference to the flesh diet? Genesis 7:2, 3, 8, 9.

Note: “Before [the Flood] God had given man no permission to eat animal food; He intended that the race should subsist wholly upon the productions of the earth; but now that every green thing had been destroyed, He allowed them to eat the flesh of the clean beasts that had been preserved in the ark.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 107.

4 THE WILDERNESS JOURNEY

  • What food did God provide for the people of Israel after their exodus from Egypt? Exodus 16:15, 35.

Note: “When God led the children of Israel out of Egypt, it was His purpose to establish them in the land of Canaan a pure, happy, healthy people. Let us look at the means by which He would accomplish this. He subjected them to a course of discipline, which, had it been cheerfully followed, would have resulted in good, both to themselves and to their posterity. He removed flesh food from them in a great measure. He had granted them flesh in answer to their clamors, just before reaching Sinai, but it was furnished for only one day. God might have provided flesh as easily as manna, but a restriction was placed upon the people for their good. It was His purpose to supply them with food better suited to their wants than the feverish diet to which many of them had been accustomed in Egypt. The perverted appetite was to be brought into a more healthy state, that they might enjoy the food originally provided for man—the fruits of the earth, which God gave to Adam and Eve in Eden.” Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, 118.

  • What attitude did many Israelites take regarding their diet, and how did God respond to it? Numbers 11:4–6, 18–20; Psalm 78:18–31; 106:14, 15.

Note: “They [the children of Israel] murmured at God’s restrictions, and lusted after the fleshpots of Egypt. God let them have flesh, but it proved a curse to them.” Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, 119.

  • What are we to learn from that event during the wilderness journey? Hebrews 3:12–19; I Corinthians 10:6–11; Psalm 78:18.

Note: “The travels of the children of Israel are faithfully described. … This faithful picture is hung up before us as a warning lest we follow their example of disobedience and fall like them.” Gospel Workers, 159, 160.

5 MANNA TODAY

  • Describe the progressive changes in the diet of Elijah. I Kings 17:4–6, 12–16; 19:6.
  • Instead of sending manna to His people in these last days, what has God given them? Romans 15:4; I Corinthians 10:31.

Note: “Again and again I have been shown that God is trying to lead us back, step by step, to His original design—that man should subsist upon the natural products of the earth. Among those who are waiting for the coming of the Lord, meat eating will eventually be done away; flesh will cease to form a part of their diet. We should ever keep this end in view, and endeavor to work steadily toward it. I cannot think that in the practice of flesh eating we are in harmony with the light which God has been pleased to give us. All who are connected with our health institutions especially should be educating themselves to subsist on fruits, grains, and vegetables. If we move from principle in these things, if we as Christian reformers educate our own taste, and bring our diet to God’s plan, then we may exert an influence upon others in this matter, which will be pleasing to God.” Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, 119.

“I was again shown that the health reform is one branch of the great work which is to fit a people for the coming of the Lord. It is as closely connected with the third angel’s message as the hand is with the body.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 69.

  • In order to reach heavenly Canaan, in what state of mind should we, as God’s people, heed His instructions? Romans 15:6; I Corinthians 1:10; Philippians 1:27; 2:2.

Note: “Can He [the Lord] be pleased when half the workers laboring in a place, teach that the principles of health reform are as closely allied to the third angel’s message as the arm is to the body, while their coworkers, by their practice, teach principles that are entirely opposite?” Healthful Living, 32.

*Locusts are the common carob which grows in the Middle East.

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1 What was the original plan for healthy living?

2 What was the result of indulging the appetite contrary to God’s instruction?

3 In what way did God adapt His health plan?

4 Why did God feed His people with manna for so long?

5 Have I studied God’s health principles before? Am I willing now to not only study, but to change if necessary?

Teaching and Preaching

“Because of imprudence in eating, the senses of some seem to be half paralyzed, and they are sluggish and sleepy. These pale-faced ministers who are suffering in consequence of selfish indulgence of the appetite are no recommendation of health reform.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 417.

Better Food for God’s People

“God might as easily have provided [the Israelites] with flesh as with manna, but a restriction was placed upon them for their good. It was His purpose to supply them with food better suited to their wants than the feverish diet to which many had become accustomed in Egypt. The perverted appetite was to be brought into a more healthy state, that they might enjoy the food originally provided for man—the fruits of the earth, which God gave to Adam and Eve in Eden. It was for this reason that the Israelites had been deprived, in a great measure, of animal food.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 378.

The Object of Hygienic Reform

“Let it ever be kept before the mind that the great object of hygienic reform is to secure the highest possible development of mind and soul and body. All the laws of nature—which are the laws of God—are designed for our good. Obedience to them will promote our happiness in this life, and will aid us in a preparation for the life to come.” Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, 120.

Bible Study Guides – Diet and Health

by

January 27, 2013 – February 2, 2013

The Healthy Reformer

Key Text

“Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.” Luke 21:34.

Study Help: Counsels on Diet and Foods, 175–182, 368; Counsels on Health, 72–74; Child Guidance, 384–389, 399; The Sanctified Life, 20.

Introduction

“There are few who realize as they should how much their habits of diet have to do with their health, their character, their usefulness in this world, and their eternal destiny. The appetite should ever be in subjection to the moral and intellectual powers. The body should be servant to the mind, and not the mind to the body.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 562.

“The prophet Malachi declares, ‘Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers’ (Malachi 4:5, 6). Here the prophet describes the character of the work. Those who are to prepare the way for the second coming of Christ are represented by faithful Elijah, as John came in the spirit of Elijah to prepare the way for Christ’s first advent. The great subject of reform is to be agitated, and the public mind is to be stirred. Temperance in all things is to be connected with the message, to turn the people of God from their idolatry, their gluttony, and their extravagance in dress and other things. The self-denial, humility, and temperance required of the righteous, whom God especially leads and blesses, is to be presented to the people in contrast to the extravagant, health-destroying habits of those who live in this degenerate age.” Counsels on Health, 72, 73.

1 EAT THE BEST

  • What is one fruit that is evidence that the Spirit of God dwells within? Galatians 5:22, 23; Philippians 4:5.
  • What is the inspired definition of “true temperance”?

Note: “True temperance teaches us to dispense entirely with everything hurtful and to use judiciously that which is healthful.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 562.

“Keep the work of health reform to the front, is the message I am instructed to bear. Show so plainly its value that a widespread need for it will be felt. Abstinence from all hurtful food and drink is the fruit of true religion. He who is thoroughly converted will abandon every injurious habit and appetite. By total abstinence he will overcome his desire for health-destroying indulgences.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 457.

  • How do we understand what is harmful? Romans 12:2.

Note: “Those who eat and work intemperately and irrationally, talk and act irrationally. It is not necessary to drink alcoholic liquors in order to be intemperate. The sin of intemperate eating—eating too frequently, too much, and of rich, unwholesome food—destroys the healthy action of the digestive organs, affects the brain, and perverts the judgment, preventing rational, calm, healthy thinking and acting.” Child Guidance, 398.

“It is a mistake to suppose that muscular strength depends on the use of animal food. The needs of the system can be better supplied, and more vigorous health can be enjoyed without its use. The grains, with fruits, nuts, and vegetables, contain all the nutritive properties necessary to make good blood. These elements are not so well or so fully supplied by a flesh diet. Had the use of flesh been essential to health and strength, animal food would have been included in the diet appointed man in the beginning.” Ibid., 384.

2 WHAT YOU PERMIT, YOU PROMOTE

  • Is obedience a matter of convenience, taste, or principle? Matthew 5:19; James 2:10; Matthew 6:24.

Note: “God has spoken, and He means that man shall obey. He does not inquire if it is convenient for him to do so. The Lord of life and glory did not consult His convenience or pleasure when He left His station of high command to become a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, accepting ignominy and death in order to deliver man from the consequence of his disobedience. Jesus died, not to save man in his sins, but from his sins. [Emphasis author’s.] Man is to leave the error of his ways, to follow the example of Christ, to take up his cross and follow Him, denying self, and obeying God at any cost.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 250, 251.

  • What specific counsel applies to healthy digestion and discipline? Ecclesiastes 3:1.

Note: “The stomach becomes weary by being kept constantly at work, disposing of food not the most healthful. Having no time for rest, the digestive organs become enfeebled, hence the sense of ‘goneness,’ and desire for frequent eating. The remedy such require, is to eat less frequently and less liberally, and be satisfied with plain, simple food, eating twice, or, at most, three times a day. The stomach must have its regular periods for labor and rest; hence eating irregularly and between meals, is a most pernicious violation of the laws of health. With regular habits, and proper food, the stomach will gradually recover.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 175.

  • What is the process used in making the wine described in Proverbs 23:29–32? Should we allow this process to be reproduced in our stomach?

Note: “Disturbance is created by improper combinations of food; fermentation sets in; the blood is contaminated and the brain confused.

“The habit of overeating, or of eating too many kinds of food at one meal, frequently causes dyspepsia. … Disease takes the place of health.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 110, 111.

3 SANCTIFIED BY THE WORD OF GOD

  • What principle should we remember in choosing our food items? I Timothy 4:3–5. What foods were sanctified by the word of God in the original plan? Genesis 1:29.

Note: “If several varieties of food are placed before me [Ellen White], I endeavor to choose only those that I know will agree. Thus I am enabled to preserve clear mental faculties. I refuse to place in my stomach knowingly anything that will set up fermentation. This is the duty of all health reformers. We must reason from cause to effect. It is our duty to be temperate in all things.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 493.

  • After sin, God prescribed something to add to the dietary. What was it? Genesis 3:18.

Note: “But while we would recommend simplicity in diet, let it be understood that we do not recommend a meager diet. Let there be a plentiful supply of fruits and vegetables that are in a good condition. Overripe fruit or wilted vegetables ought not to be used. Vegetables and fruit should not be eaten at the same meal. At one meal use bread and fruit, at the next bread and vegetables. Thus we may have all the variety that we need to desire, and if we must have puddings and custards, let bread and these articles form the meal.” The Signs of the Times, September 30, 1897.

  • God gave His people flesh to eat after the flood. Later, when preparing them to enter the Promised Land, He gave them manna. How is their reaction paralleled in our days? Philippians 3:19; Isaiah 65:4, 5; 66:15–17; 22:12–14.

Note: “Those who transgress the laws of God in their physical organism will not be less slow to violate the law of God spoken from Sinai. Those who will not, after the light has come to them, eat and drink from principle instead of being controlled by appetite, will not be tenacious in regard to being governed by principle in other things. The agitation of the subject of reform in eating and drinking will develop character and will unerringly bring to light those who make a ‘god of their bellies.’ ” Counsels on Health, 39.

4 SOME THINGS CAN BE DECEITFUL

  • Knowing one’s natural disposition to like sweet things, what inspired direction is given? Proverbs 24:13; 25:27. Too much of a good thing is not good. What is the reason for the advice listed in Proverbs 25:16?

Note: “Hurtful food and drinks are partaken of in such a measure as to greatly tax the organs of digestion. The vital forces are called into unnecessary action in the disposal of it, which produces exhaustion, and greatly disturbs the circulation of the blood, and, as a result, want of vital energy is felt throughout the system. … Christian men and women should never permit their influence to countenance such a course by eating of the dainties thus prepared. Let them understand that your object in visiting them is not to indulge the appetite, but that your associating together, and interchange of thoughts and feelings, might be a mutual blessing.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 88.

  • What are the “dainties,” and why are they declared to be “deceitful”? Proverbs 23:3.

Note: “Sugar is not good for the stomach. It causes fermentation, and this clouds the brain and brings peevishness into the disposition.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 327.

  • What principle should we keep in mind when choosing what will enter our mouth? I Corinthians 10:31; Proverbs 23:1; Daniel 1:8.

Note: “To have firm religious principles is an inestimable treasure. It is the purest, highest, and most elevated influence mortals can possess. Such have an anchor. Every act is well considered, lest its effect be injurious to another and lead away from Christ. The constant inquiry of the mind is: Lord, how shall I best serve Thee, and glorify Thy name in the earth? How shall I conduct my life to make Thy name a praise in the earth, and lead others to love, serve, and honor Thee? Let me only desire and choose Thy will.” Testimonies, vol. 2, 129.

5 KEEPING THE APPETITE UNDER SUBJECTION

  • What has God promised to those who seek to do all of His will? Psalm 1:1–3; Revelation 22:14.

Note: “If Christians will keep the body in subjection, and bring all their appetites and passions under the control of enlightened conscience, feeling it a duty that they owe to God and to their neighbors to obey the laws which govern health and life, they will have the blessing of physical and mental vigor. They will have moral power to engage in the warfare against Satan, and in the name of Him who conquered appetite in their behalf they may be more than conquerors on their own account.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 35, 36.

“If we do the pleasure of our Creator, He will keep the human organism in good condition, and restore the moral, mental, and physical powers, in order that He may work through us to His glory. Constantly His restoring power is manifested in our bodies.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 1, 1118.

  • What is important to us in developing “appetite discipline”? I Corinthians 9:25–27.

Note: “[Deuteronomy 6:1, 2 quoted.]

“In this scripture we are taught that obedience to God’s requirements brings the obedient under the laws that control the physical being. Those who would preserve themselves in health must bring into subjection all appetites and passions. They must not indulge lustful passion and intemperate appetite, for they are to remain under control to God, and their physical, mental, and moral powers are to be so wisely employed that the bodily mechanism will remain in good working order.” Lift Him Up, 160.

  • Eating simply and at regular times helps us to discipline our habits. Who showed by example a similar lifestyle and prefigures the faithful of the last days? Matthew 3:1–4.

Note: “After the regular meal is eaten, the stomach should be allowed to rest for five hours. Not a particle of food should be introduced into the stomach till the next meal. In this interval the stomach will perform its work and will then be in a condition to receive more food.” Child Guidance, 389.

PERSONAL REVIEW

1 Why doesn’t God want us to partake of anything harmful? Am I willing to leave those things behind?

2 How does Jesus’ example help us to overcome any desire and appetite for flesh?

3 Did God ever intend His people to eat of unclean things and to like killing?

4 Why is it wrong to celebrate with frequent feasts during the time of judgment?

5 What will help the most in developing self-control? Am I practicing it?

Expending Vital Force

“Intemperance in eating and drinking, intemperance in labor, intemperance in almost everything, exists on every hand. Those who make great exertions to accomplish just so much work in a given time, and continue to labor when their judgment tells them that they ought to rest, are never gainers. They are living on borrowed capital. They are expending vital force which they will need at a future time. When the energy they have so recklessly used, is demanded, they fail for want of it. Physical strength is gone, and mental power unavailable. They realize that they have met with loss. Their time of need has come, and their physical resources are exhausted. Those who violate the laws of health will sometime have to pay the penalty. God has provided us with constitutional force, and if we recklessly exhaust this force by continual overtaxation, our usefulness will be lessened, and our lives end prematurely.” The Signs of the Times, September 30, 1897.

© 2007 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

Food – Cooking with Grains

by

Cooking with grains is one way we can connect to the traditions of our ancestors. Pioneers relied on grains to get them through cold, lean winters. Wheat, rice and oats are three of the more common grains, but did you know there is a whole world of ancient grains waiting to be discovered? Amaranth, quinoa and millet are just a few to name. Whole grains are full of nutritional value, and they are a great way to get your recommended daily dose of fiber. Grains can be incorporated in almost every meal. Use them in baking, cereals, breads, crackers and even smoothies. Try a new one each week, and discover which one you like the best. You’ll be amazed what they can do for your health and the ways they can expand your cooking repertoire.

Suggestions for a hearty breakfast with grains:

  • Steamed brown rice with chopped dates, raisins, or sliced bananas and milk alternative
  • Fruited oatmeal: raisins and grated raw apple; dates and sliced bananas; figs and sliced peaches; with milk alternative
  • Wheat meal and rolled oats, half of each, cooked together; or other combination of grains. Serve cereals with milk alternative
  • Add one tablespoon soy flour or rice polish to each cup of cereal as it cooks. Add one tablespoon wheat germ for each serving of cooked cereal just before serving
  • Waffles, either whole-wheat or reinforced with soy flour, wheat germ, etc.
  • Corn or rice fritters
  • Corn bread or whole-wheat muffins
  • Warm toast with food yeast spread
  • Granola