nutrition

Restoring the Temple – Nutrition, Eat Well and Live Well, Part I

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How many times have you filled your car’s tank with premium gasoline (perhaps only a memory now, with today’s gas prices) or carefully fertilized your houseplants? We understand that the machine is only as good as the fuel it was given. You would never put fertilizer in your gas tank, or pour gasoline over your houseplants. You know what is best—and worst—for running each ‘machine,’ whether it is mechanical or natural. Yet when it comes to the human body, we treat food as merely something to fill our bellies and please the palate. When improper substances are added to the tank the machine breaks down. Anyone can understand the logic, yet it wasn’t until 1988 that the Surgeon General C. Everett Koop released the Surgeon General’s Report on Nutrition and Health, which was the government’s first formal recognition of the role of diet in disease. Because the study of the body has never been emphasized in most schools, the vast majority does not give this delicate machinery a second thought. Until it breaks down.

While Greek and Latin, which are seldom of any advantage, are made a study by many, physiology [the study of how the human body works] and hygiene are barely touched upon. The study to which to give thought is that which concerns natural life, a knowledge of oneself….It is the house in which we live that we need to preserve, that we may do honor to God who has redeemed us. We need to know how to preserve the living machinery, that our soul, body, and spirit may be consecrated to his service. As rational beings we are deplorably ignorant of the body and its requirements….This living machinery should be understood. Every part of its wonderful mechanism should be carefully studied. Physical life cannot be treated in a haphazard manner. Awaken to your responsibilities. Healthful Living, 13,14

A healthy diet provides energy to every cell in our bodies; supplies essential nutrients that the body is unable to make itself; and provides the raw materials for cell maintenance and growth. If you are missing one or more essential nutrients you are malnourished. It is possible for the overnourished individual to be malnourished,1 which is the profile of the common human, particularly in the Western civilizations.

For hundreds of years isolated groups of people, such as American Indians and the poorer classes, did not commonly have diseases such as heart disease and cancers. Those were considered the rich man’s diseases, for only the wealthier classes could afford to have meats, pastries, and other rich foods appear regularly on their table. When technological progress allowed even the poorest of people access to rich and refined foods, the incidence of heart disease skyrocketed.

According to the American Cancer Society, one third of cancer deaths are related to poor nutrition.2 Many medical practitioners believe the numbers to be far higher. The annual cost of cancer in the United States alone amounts to $107 billion.3 Coronary artery disease results from reduced blood supply to the heart. It is known that diet is the major factor in preventing and treating heart disease, yet more than half of Americans have cholesterol levels above the recommended maximum of 200mg/dL. Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer and cost the United States $286.5 billion in 1999.4

What foods contain the nutrients essential for our growth? Not surprisingly, the perfect diet was given to us not by a government agency in the 20th century, but by God to our first parents.

“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

Through God’s Eternal Truth, we know that fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains provide all the fuel and nutrients our bodies require for health and vitality. Ellen White also comments on this:

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. Ministry of Healing 296

At least three-quarters of Americans eat less than the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables.5 The average Western diet consists of meat, dairy, and highly refined foods such as white bread, and most bakery products. Vegetables and whole grains appear as afterthoughts in small portions on the plate, if they appear at all.

But doesn’t my bowl of Sugar Bombs that I eat each morning contain 100% of the recommended daily allowance of vitamins and minerals? The label also says it contains wheat, isn’t that good for me? Let’s examine that for a moment. The little wheat kernel, packed full of nutrition, takes a trip from the farm to the mill where it is processed into soft white flour. In doing this, the parts that contain the majority of the vitamins and minerals and all the fiber—the germ and the bran—are removed. Often, these nutritious parts are sent back out to the farm where it is fed to livestock. Then, the manufacturers add a selection of cheap vitamins (that the body cannot easily absorb) so that they can now label their product as enriched. Does this sound like the height of nutrition to you?

Although many choose to take supplements, vitamins and minerals are best absorbed from food and are naturally balanced in food sources.6 These foods are best eaten as close as possible to how they came from nature. What could be better than a fresh juicy peach on a warm summer day or a bowl of steamed vegetable stir-fry to enliven a winter’s afternoon? How many of our diseases could be prevented by eating for nutrition instead of merely satisfying the taste buds? There’s a saying familiar to most dieters: a moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips. Although not as catchy, it could be paraphrased into: a moment on the lips, a lifetime of paying for the damage.

Nutrients are required for life and health. Junk food and refined foods are poor sources of nutrition and can contribute to disease. Nature provides the ideal sources of fuel in the form of whole grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables. Let us awaken to our responsibilites.

Restoring the Temple – Nutrition, Eat Well and Live Well, Part II

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“In all labour there is profit” Proverbs 14:23

Do you remember learning in school about the second law of thermodynamics, the law of entropy? Basically, entropy is the physical world’s way of always moving toward states of greater disorder. Natural systems tend to move to the lowest energy state possible. Does that sound like you? Shoelaces untie, ice cream melts, and people end up on the couch.

Up to half of all American adults are sedentary.1 Other countries’ statistics may vary, but Americans surely cannot be proud of their behavior! Life provides many distractions and excuses not to exercise. Just the normal routines of daily life make little time to fit in exercise.

“Whatever their business and inclinations, they should make up their minds to exercise in the open air as much as they can. They should feel it a religious duty to overcome the conditions of health which have kept them confined indoors, deprived of exercise in the open air. Some invalids become willful in the matter and refuse to be convinced of the great importance of daily outdoor exercise. . . they persist, from year to year, in having their own way and living in an atmosphere almost destitute of vitality. It is impossible for this class to have a healthy circulation.” Counsels on Health, 173

If Ellen White were able to observe modern life she may indeed classify the lot of us as invalids!

Why should I exercise? Think flabby muscles and failing organs. Regular exercise keeps the blood flowing. Blood is the transportation system for all the nutrients, oxygen, and water our cells need, from our brains to our toenails. Lack of exercise weakens the circulatory system causing blood to pool, thus oxygen and nutrients cannot get to their destinations. Organs are not getting the fuel they need for proper functioning. No wonder lack of exercise contributes to heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer, high blood pressure, and obesity, to name but a few.2

Exercise also helps prevent osteoporosis. The bones and joints require weight-bearing exercise to stimulate the body to make more osteocytes—bone cells. Sedentary lifestyles lead to porous, brittle bones.3

“The chief if not the only reason why many become invalids is that the blood does not circulate freely, and the changes in the vital fluid, which are necessary to life and health, do not take place. They have not given their bodies exercise nor their lungs food, which is pure, fresh air; therefore it is impossible for the blood to be vitalized, and it pursues its course sluggishly through the system. The more we exercise, the better will be the circulation of the blood. More people die for want of exercise than through overfatigue; very many more rust out than wear out.” Counsels on Health, 173

With depression and anxiety major health concerns today, it is no wonder that a link between emotional well being and exercise has been found. You may have heard about endorphins, which is a substance naturally produced by the body that is hundreds of times more potent than morphine.4 Exercise causes your body to release endorphins and perhaps serotonin which causes an individual to feel a sense of well-being. Not to mention that having a more fit body can make anyone feel better about themselves.

Exercise not only strengthens your cardiovascular system; it reduces the amount of harmful cholesterol (LDL) in your blood and actually can help reverse atherosclerosis– hardening of the arteries. Insufficient physical activity is a known risk factor leading to ischemic heart disease and stroke, that together account for more than 40% of deaths in the United States.5

What is considered exercise? It is recommended that one get at least 30 minutes of accumulated exercise on most or all days of the week. This includes many activities of daily living such as doing the laundry, walking the dog, and gardening. But for optimal health, aerobic exercise must become part of your exercise regime. Aerobic—or oxygen providing—exercise is considered any exercise that raises the heart rate, and keeps it up, for a minimum of 20–30 minutes. This can include, but is not limited to, brisk walking, bicycling, swimming, and rowing. How can you determine whether or not your exercise is intense enough to transport oxygen to all of your body systems? Calculate your target heart rate with the formula provided (your heart rate during exercise should fall between the minimum and maximum rates). Another more general guideline is that it should be possible for you to speak a few words during exercise but the activity should be intense enough that you are unable to carry on a conversation. Aerobic exercise is recommended three to five times a week.

Today, obesity is not only a problem in adults for even childhood obesity is on the rise. Exercise burns off calories and when we burn more calories than we eat, we lose weight. Also, after exercising, your metabolism speeds up, making you feel more energetic and burns calories faster for the remainder of the day. Being at an ideal weight reduces the likelihood that you will have heart disease and is very beneficial in preventing and treating diabetes.

You now know that exercise leads to greater health and prevents disease. Exercise is your weapon for combating the law of entropy and moving toward greater states of health instead of disease and disorder. You know who you are, get off the couch!

“He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might He increaseth strength.” Psalm 23:4

Target Heart Rate Formula

To calculate your Target Heart Rate, first find your pulse or your resting heart rate (best when taken just as you get out of bed in the morning) and count the beats for one entire minute. Use this number in the following formula.

Minimum Exercise Heart Rate:

220 – age______ = ______ – resting heart rate______ = ______ x .5 + resting heart rate______ = _______

Maximum Exercise Heart Rate:

220 – age______ = ______ – resting heart rate ______ =______ x .85 + resting heart rate______ = ________

Example: (age = 20, resting heart rate = 70)

220 – 20 = 200 – 70 = 130 x .5 + 70 = 135
220 – 20 = 200 – 70 = 130 x .85 + 70 = 180

God’s Farmacy, Part II

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We find, in God’s Farmacy, fruits, vegetables, vitamins, and minerals, which are high in fiber—this is God’s pharmacy! God has given us plenty of food on this earth, especially in America. God’s thoughts are not our thoughts, His ways are higher than our ways. (Isaiah 55:8, 9.) We wonder what is a fruit, what is a grain, what is a nut, and what is a vegetable. Instead of going to man, go to God; He will tell you what it is. He can explain Himself. He gives us a definition through a parable. “Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree.” Matthew 13:31, 32. So herbs can be trees. Any plant is considered an herb.

When you think of herbs, the first thing that comes to your mind is going to a health food store and buying capsules or weeds. All vegetation can be classified as herbs. These herbs, edible plants, grow wild everywhere. When the Food and Drug Administration says we cannot distribute herbs, they will have to make a law saying that I cannot feed people carrots or parsley! Then they will have to find a way to prevent me from growing parsley.

What is the purpose of herbs?

Seasoning and Nutrition

We think about Thyme, Rosemary, and Oregano as seasonings, but at the same time they are nutritional. Thyme is good for migraine headaches. I have gone into people’s homes to have a Bible study, and the man of the house has a headache. How can we study if he has a headache? So I ask for permission to go into their kitchen. I open the kitchen cabinet and there I find Thyme, and I make him a tea. In about 30 minutes his headache is gone, and we can start the Bible study. That is powerful!

Oregano, Basil, and Turmeric are also nutritional. They contain Vitamin C, Vitamin A, antioxidants, and calcium. These herbs are medicinal phytochemicals! Notice what Ellen White wrote over 100 years ago: “It is no denial of faith to use rational remedies judiciously [wisely].” Selected Messages, Book 2, 346.

We ran a health food store for ten years. Two-thirds of our money came from pushing vitamins. That is why we got out of the business. That is not God’s way to teach the health message. We should instead educate folks on how to live. I am not saying anything is wrong with taking a supplement, but pushing pills is not medical missionary work. Things that come on the health food market shelves such as Nonie Juice, and water that costs $2.00 a bottle because it has oxygen in it, are not according to God’s plan. Mrs. White says, “Water, air, and sunshine, these are God’s healing agents. The use of certain herbs that the Lord has made to grow for the good of man, is in harmony with the exercise of faith.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 18, 333. Faith works! God says, drink water, and if you drink it, He does something supernatural. God says use a little Rosemary, so you use the natural, and He does something supernatural.

Educate vs. Medicate

Until man duplicates a blade of grass, nature can laugh at his so-called scientific knowledge. Remedies from chemicals would never stand in favor compared with the products of nature. The living cell of the plant, the final result of the rays of the sun, when correctly used, promotes elimination of waste and poison from the system. By simple natural means they support nature’s effort. Actually, though, there is not an herb on the face of this earth that will heal you. Exodus 15:26 says, “I [am] the Lord that healeth thee.” These are the things that God has ordained, and if you cooperate with Him, He will give the power of healing. Do not go and buy things thinking that they will heal your arthritis when you are still not drinking water and when you are still going to bed at midnight! You cannot take a pill in place of making a lifestyle change.

“Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner spoils much good.” Ecclesiastes 9:18. God’s Plan is to educate versus man’s plan to medicate. I am not telling you to not take drugs or to take drugs. I believe there is sometimes a place for medicine. If I am in an accident, rush me to the hospital. If it is necessary to operate, do not tell me God does not want me to have anesthesia—put me to sleep! If I need some blood, give it to me. Let us not get fanatical, because there is a place for medicine, but medicine does not kill disease.

Seventy-four percent of 119 plant-derived pharmaceutical medicines are used in modern medicine in ways similar to the way they were used in native cultures. The World Health Organization estimates that 80 percent of the world’s population relies on herbs for primary care needs. I believe that is true. We have traveled over four continents, and we see the indigenous people of many countries use herbs. We find that today 25 percent of all prescription drugs in the United States have an active ingredient derived from trees, shrubs, or herbs. An estimated 30–40 percent of all medical doctors in France and Germany still rely on herbal preparation. I know that to be a fact, because I have been to Germany. I did not go to the health food store to get Goldenseal; I went to the pharmacist. They still use herbs, but here in the good, old USA, people think you are practicing witchcraft when you use herbs. The Germans know that there is no addiction, no dependence. In my 25 years of using herbs; I have had only one case that has had side effects, and that was because the person abused the herb. You do not need a prescription for herbs, and there are no negative side effects—when used rationally. This is the safety of God’s Plan.

Biblical Examples

We are even given biblical examples for the use of natural remedies. Jesus used clay on the blind man’s eyes. (See John 9:6.) Now Jesus created the eyes, and He could have spoken and told the man’s eyes to open. Why did He go through all the trouble of getting some dirt, putting a little spit on it, and then putting it on the blind man’s eyes? To give us an example. It is all right to use things of nature. Christ endorsed the use of natural products.

I’m sure you have read about Hezekiah in Isaiah 38:21 and the fresh fig poultice. I use it on boils and breast cancer. It is high in potassium, and it draws. It is best to use fresh figs. Some people may try to catch you on the statement in 1Timothy not to drink water, but to use a little wine for your stomach’s sake. (1 Timothy 5:23.) See, they say, you can drink more wine than water. But they do not know the Scripture, and they do err. The wine that is talked about in 1 Timothy is unfermented grape juice. When you study the pH or chemistry of food, you learn that grape juice contains malic acid, which helps to neutralize the acid in the stomach. That is why the Bible advises the use of a little wine [grape juice] for the stomach. As Hippocrates said, “Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food.”

Phytochemicals

The Bible says the leaves shall be for medicine. (Ezekiel 47:12.) God gave man the green leaves. When a dog gets an upset stomach, it does three things: it fasts; it lays in the sun, and it eats grass. When we get sick, we lay in the shade and keep eating. The Bible says that the fowls of the air should tell thee; the beasts of the field should teach thee. (Job 12:7.) We have 33 percent frontal lobe, made in the image of God; the dog only has 7.5 percent frontal lobe, and they know better than we do!

What is in the plant that the Lord said the leaves should be for medicine? phytochemicals, plant substance. God put chemicals in the plants that are in harmony with the biological makeup of man. Within the green plant is chlorophyll. The molecule chlorophyll is similar to the molecule of hemoglobin that attracts oxygen. The only difference, between the molecular structure of chlorophyll and of hemoglobin, is that hemoglobin has iron as its nucleus; chlorophyll has magnesium. Chlorophyll is the closest chemical to human blood. It is cleansing. That is why God gave man green plants to eat in his sinful stage. It is going to lead us back to the original diet. Yet some people do not want to eat vegetables! You cannot survive without them.

Chlorophyll contains magnesium. Magnesium is the spark of life. The devil thinks he is smart—he is producing all of these foods without seeds such as seedless grapes. The life is in the seed; magnesium, the spark of life. So when you continue to eat the seedless grapes, you are not getting the nutrition you need.

Potassium is one of the most important nutrients in the body, especially dealing with the lymphatic system. We call it the potassium pump. Cancer cells cannot live in a rich potassium environment. That is why every Israelite had a fig tree! Figs are high in potassium. When you have high blood pressure, I guarantee you your potassium is low. When you take a diuretic, the doctor gives you potassium, because the diuretic flushes potassium out of your colon. It creates a vicious circle.

Calcium is the most important element. Ninety-nine percent of the calcium in our bodies is in the bone. Calcium is an alkaline nutrient. When we are on a high protein diet, a high fat diet, a high alkaline diet, the body takes calcium from the bones to neutralize it. This creates another problem—osteoporosis. We talk about ‘Got Milk’ for calcium. Got milk? get allergies! get asthma! You do not need milk to prevent osteoporosis. Canada, Finland, New Zealand, Australia, and America have the highest consumption of cow’s milk in the world. They also have the highest incident of juvenile diabetes, allergies, and osteoporosis. And they still tell you to drink milk! Milk is for calves, not for humans.

Here are some of your phyto-chemicals: carotonoids, beta-carotene, flavanoids, lucien and kale. These are what we call antioxidants. We need these to strengthen our immune system. Lycopene is what gives the tomato, the watermelon, and the red pepper their color. I believe in eating a lot of raw food, but for those who are on all raw, I want to tell you that the lycopene is more bioavailable when the tomato is stewed or cooked. Even the beta-carotene in the carrot is more available when it is steamed, than raw. You have to have a balance of a lot of raw foods, but there is nothing wrong with having properly cooked food. Overcooked food will kill you, but do not tell me that I am going to go to hell because I eat cooked food. There has to be a balance.

Limonene is in the pigment of citrus. It contains antioxidants. There are over 32 chemicals in the rind of the orange peel. One of those chemicals is arsenic. If I have a glass of water, put a little arsenic in it and give it to you, would you drink it? No! Why not? Because it is poison, even though the arsenic is diluted with water. But arsenic is in the skin of the orange. I can peel the skin, put a little honey on it, place it in my oven, and bake it to make a throat lozenge to suck and chew. It has arsenic in it! Why does it not kill me? Because the Master Chemist synergistically knows how to put things together. The Bible tells us, What God hath joined together, let no man tear asunder. (Mark 10:9.) It also warns that if you add to God’s Word or take away, He will add the plagues to you. (Revelation 22:18.) God knows how to balance. It is when men begin to take away, concentrate, and dilute that it becomes a serious problem.

Aloe Vera

I am excited by aloe vera. It is not a wonder food, but it is everywhere; on every continent that I have visited, I have found aloe vera. You know aloe vera as a plant to put on minor burns, and you can buy its juice at the store. Aloe vera is a high sulphur green. We have thought it was part of the cacti family, but it belongs to the garlic family. The Bible talks about this wonderful plant, aloe, that God brought into existence. In Numbers 24 we are told of gardens, planted by the Lord, in which He put aloe. Psalm 45:8, Proverbs 7:17, and Song of Solomon 4:14 mention aloe. In John 19:39 Jesus talks about the aloe and the spices.

There are over 300 different varieties of aloe. Aloe vera is 90 percent water and contains over 200 active compounds in the juice of a fresh leaf. Many important compounds are included in the following groups: vitamins, minerals, salicin acid (which is found in aspirin), lecithin (which is good to deal with cholesterol), amino acids, fatty acids, and steroids. Aloe acts as an anti-inflammatory for arthritis, bronchitis, bursitis—you name it. It is also an anti-bacterial for fungus and an anti-viral that may be used in the treatment of AIDS and cancer. Aloe is one of the primary things I use in dealing with AIDS.

We are involved with a clinic in Zambia where there are thousands of cases a month of AIDS. Because we have an AIDS program, four years ago the Zambian government sponsored a Seventh-day Adventist nurse to come to the United States. She was convinced she could learn how to deal with AIDS. This sister is now doing such a good work in Zambia that the government sponsored another nurse to our school this year. She is going to take over the current clinic, and the other nurse will start up a new clinic.

I received a letter from a colporteur in Africa. He received our AIDS program brochure, and one day on the bus he passed out this information. On the bus was a man who had just been sent home by the doctors to die. The literature evangelist talked to the man and told him what to do. He worked with this gentleman for months. That man thought he would never see another day, but he is living today—free from AIDS, converted from Catholicism to Seventh-day Adventism through the health message. Truly the right arm in action.

Aloe is good for digestion and liver function. It is good for elimination, bowel obstruction, immune system function, auto-immune diseases, fibromyalgia, Hepatitis C, and lupus. I am not saying aloe heals these diseases, but it is good for support. Aloe is also good for acne, anemia, allergies, attention deficit disorder, bladder function, burns, cancer, Candida, cardiovascular system function, cold, flu, constipation, dental and oral hygiene to strengthen the gums, gingivitis, dandruff (shampoo your hair with it), detoxifying your body, diabetes, eczema and psoriasis, hemorrhoids, and sinusitis. Every home should have an aloe plant!

Fillet the leaf of an aloe vera plant, just like you would fillet a fish. Take out the jell, and ingest a tablespoon to a half cup of it internally. It is bitter, but it is going to make you better. Sometimes we take the whole plant and blend it with juice. If you are a diabetic, mix it with other green juice, or you can take it straight. I do not run out to the health food store and buy it; I just use the fresh plant. It is best fresh, because it loses its power to heal within hours of harvest.

People Paste

One of the most powerful natural healers you can use is People Paste. Buy Goldenseal, Myrrh, and Slippery Elm, and mix equal amounts of them together. If you have ulcerated sores, hemorrhoids, or decubitus ulcers (bed sores), just drop this mixture into the sore. It heals and leaves very little scar tissue. If you get cut, put some People Paste on the cut. To help it stay on the sore, mix it with a little aloe vera then apply it; cover it and the healing begins. You can take the People Paste internally. It is beneficial for ulcers, lung problems, digestive problems, Chrone’s disease, and many other maladies. You need to have People Paste in your cabinet. The People Paste is good for all kinds of sores, external or internal, wounds, rashes, colds, fevers, sore throats (gargle with it), inflammation, and blood poisoning. When you go on camping trips, take People Paste with you.

You should also have Goldenseal, Peppermint oil, Eucalyptus oil, and Tea Tree oil in your medicine cabinet. When I go to foreign countries I take Goldenseal and a few other things with me. When I go into the jungles of Thailand, I take Goldenseal, garlic and People Paste. If you cannot find Goldenseal, use Barberry; those who live in Oregon can use Oregon Grape in place of Goldenseal. Antiviral and antibacterial, Slippery Elm is mucilaginous, soothing to the digestive tract.

True Method

“The true method for healing the sick is to tell them of the herbs that grow for the benefit of man. Scientists have attached large names to these simplest preparations, but true education will lead us to teach the sick that they need not call in a doctor any more than they would call in a lawyer. They can themselves administer the simple herbs if necessary. To educate the human family that the doctor alone knows all the ills of infants and persons of every age, is false teaching, and the sooner we as a people stand on the principles of health reform, the greater will be the blessing that will come to those who would do true medical work. There is a work to be done in treating the sick with water and teaching them to make the most of sunshine and physical exercise. Thus in simple language we may teach the people how to preserve health, how to avoid sickness. . . . This is true science.” Spaulding and Magan Collection, 137.

Thomas Jackson is a Health Evangelist and Director of Missionary Education and Evangelistic Training (M.E.E.T.) Ministry in Huntingdon, Tennessee. He may be contacted by e-mail at godsplan@meetministry.org or by telephone at 731-986-3518.

Restoring the Temple – Why Do We Get Sick?

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Often when a person is diagnosed with a major chronic health problem, that person asks or at least wonders, “How could this happen to me? It came so suddenly.”

The fact of the matter is, it did not come suddenly. The disease process starts long before it is diagnosed. It can start as long as ten or twenty years before you know you have the disease. Usually the disease process begins when a sufficient number of factors come together to start you down the road to having a diagnosable disease.

Factors of Disease

These factors can be any number and combination of things. It could be too many refined foods, excess amounts of saturated fats and fried foods and protein, not getting enough vitamins and minerals, accumulation of toxins, not enough exercise, not enough rest, exposure to pollutants and chemicals, a weakened immune system, a high stress life, genetic predisposition to the disease, chronic bacterial or viral infection, and other factors. Not any one of these things is the reason for the sickness; it is the combined factors.

These combined factors merely set you on the road toward disease. Once you are on that road, it still does not guarantee that you will end up being diagnosed with the disease. You are kept going down the road by the initial factors being reinforced or continued, and perhaps by other factors being added. If the disease process continues uninterrupted, eventually it will come to a point where you will be officially diagnosed with a disease. However, at any point along that road you can halt the process and usually even reverse it by addressing the factors, the incorrect diet and lifestyle habits, that initiated it and/or reinforced it.

Natural Medicine’s Goal

From a natural medicine perspective, when the disease process started, you had fallen from optimum health. Once a person has less than optimum health, the natural medicine approach dictates that it should and needs to be addressed, even though the person has not yet been diagnosed with a disease and a medical doctor has pronounced him or her free of illness. The goal of natural medicine is to build and maintain optimum health, which automatically means disease and sickness are not present. Conventional medicine will not even recognize that a problem exists until the disease process is way down the road and clinical symptoms are being manifested that can be readily observed or tested in the lab.

Most people have at least heard of the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) set by the government, which are currently being reviewed and changed. RDAs are generally considered the guidelines for good health. However, RDAs have been set from the standpoint of preventing deficiency diseases (such as scurvy and rickets), as opposed to maintaining optimum health. Therefore, you may be getting the RDAs of the various nutrients, but not be in optimum or even good health, merely free of diagnosable disease. Many health problems with undetermined causes can be traced to vitamin and mineral insufficiencies, or not getting enough of certain nutrients to truly be healthy. Many in the natural medicine perspective believe that the nutrient requirements for optimum health are significantly higher than the RDAs. Therefore, one of the things that natural medicine considers is sub-clinical nutrient deficiencies (undiagnosable insufficiencies).

Nutrition

Natural medicine looks at other vital factors that conventional nutrition generally has not considered very important. These factors include antioxidants, enzymes, probiotics (providing sufficient friendly bacteria), dietary fiber, and plant pigments (carotenes, chlorophyll, flavonoids, and other vitamin-like compounds and dietary constituents).

Antioxidants are extremely important in protecting us from the damage inflicted by a certain kind of erratic oxygen molecule that we are exposed to every day. Excess calories, pollution, and chemicals increase our exposure. This dangerous kind of oxygen molecule damages cell walls, DNA, and causes fatty acids to become rancid (such as found in the brain). This damage affects the functioning of various aspects of our bodies and has been associated with aging, arteriosclerosis, arthritis, cancer, diabetes, multiple sclerosis (MS), senile dementia, and nearly every other chronic degenerative problem. Antioxidants work to neutralize this harmful substance and protect us from its cumulative effects. Antioxidants often used include vitamins A, C, E, selenium, zinc, magnesium, beta-carotene, flavonoids, and some of the B vitamins. Therefore, it is imperative to ensure that we daily take in a sufficient supply of antioxidants, and avoid unnecessary calories, pollutants, and chemicals.

Other Considerations

Natural medicine deals with other broader issues than those normally addressed from a conventional nutrition perspective. It also shows that our mental state as we eat has a significant impact on the amount of nourishment we receive from our food. Eating should be in a relaxed and peaceful setting, without hurry, tension, arguing, undue stress and excitement. We should be able to eat slowly and chew our food thoroughly, being conscious of what we are doing, including the taste of the food. Meals need to be approached with appreciation, including blessing the food in prayer, which prepares the body to receive this new nourishment. Natural medicine seeks to also promote thorough and efficient digestion, which is imperative for good health. This is accomplished through eating correctly and eating the right kinds of foods.

To answer the question, “Why do we get sick?” we must personally look at what we do and at our daily habits, and make sure that we do not allow factors to come together to push us down the road to being diagnosed with a major chronic health problem.

The natural medicine perspective can enrich anyone’s life and health. It has many benefits, and has helped many people achieve a richer quality of life with better health. See what it can do for you!

For more information on living a healthy lifestyle, please contact us at:

The Gilead Institute of America, 6000 Live Oak Parkway, Suite 114, Norcross, Georgia 30093 Phone: (770) 270-1087 Website: www.gileadinstitute.org

Diane Herbert is a naturopath and lifestyle consultant. She received training from the NAD Lifestyle Consultant program, Thomas Edison State College, Clayton College of Natural Healing, and Bastyr University. Diane teaches health classes at the Gilead Institute located in Norcross, Georgia, gives health presentations, and contributes to the Institute’s literature and health flyer series. She may be contacted by e-mail at: gilead.net@usa.net.

Food – Biblical Nutrition

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The Bible tells us in I Corinthians 6:19, “Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” When we use something that does not belong to us, we tend to be extra careful with what is lent to us. One way we can take care of the bodies in our care is to nurture them properly.

God addresses how we can best do this in the Bible. He gave Adam and Eve a diet to follow to maintain the perfect health with which they were created. Man was given fruit and every “herb bearing seed.” [Genesis 1:29.] After man sinned, God added the “herb of the field” to our diet. (See Genesis 3:18.) Our diet was changed once more following the flood when flesh was added to the diet. Not all flesh was permitted though. God gave very strict guidelines to adhere to. Clean meats only were acceptable and without the blood or fat. (See Genesis 9:3,4; Leviticus 3:17; 11:47.)

During the Jews captivity in Egypt, the diet was polluted by the Egyptians. “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. (See also Exodus 16:1–4, 35.) During their deliverance from the land, God once again changed the diet of His people and provided manna.

Many people believe that Peter’s vision was yet another modification in God’s prescribed diet, giving man permission to eat all flesh, but this is not the case. In reading Acts:10:9–17, 28, it is seen that the vision did not pertain to diet at all.

We will have yet another change in our diet in heaven. It is clear that all living species will be returned once again to a vegetarian diet. Isaiah 11:6–9 and 21–25 says, “The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.”

“The education of the Israelites included all their habits of life. Everything that concerns their well-being was the subject of divine solicitude and came within the province of divine law. Even in providing their food, God sought their highest good. The manna with which He fed them in the wilderness was of a nature to promote physical, mental, and moral strength.” Child Guidance, 378. I Corinthians 10:11 speaks in regard to the purpose God had for His dealing with the Israelites in the wilderness.

God has entrusted to us the bodies he created. It is surely a wonderful thing that He would provide us also with a manual to care for His creation.

Health – Nutrition – Why is it Necessary?

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Our bodies are built up from the food we eat. There is a constant breaking down of the tissues of the body; every movement of every organ involves waste, and this waste is repaired from our food. Each organ of the body requires its share of nutrition. The brain must be supplied with its portion; the bones, muscles, and nerves demand theirs. It is a wonderful process that transforms the food into blood and uses this blood to build up the varied parts of the body; but this process is going on continually, supplying with life and strength each nerve, muscle, and tissue.

Water Protein Fat Carbohydrates Ash

(Minerals)
Wheat 10.6 12.2 1.7 73.7 1.8
Oats 11.0 11.8 5.0 69.2 3.0
Corn 10.8 10.0 4.3 73.4 1.5
Rye 10.5 12.2 1.5 73.9 1.9
Buckwheat 12.6 10.0 2.2 73.2 2.0
Rice 12.0 8.0 2.0 77.0 1.0
Potato 78.3 2.2 0.1 18.4 1.0
Shelled Beans 58.9 9.4 0.6 29.1 2.0
Apple 84.6 0.4 0.5 14.2 0.3
Banana 75.3 1.3 0.6 22.0 0.8
Walnut 2.5 16.6 63.4 16.1 1.4

“Those foods should be chosen that best supply the elements needed for building up the body. In this choice, appetite is not a safe guide. Through wrong habits of eating, the appetite has become perverted. … The disease and suffering that everywhere prevail are largely due to popular errors in regard to diet.” The Ministry of Healing, 295.

Nutritious food builds up the immune system – the immune system kills diseased cells.

FACTS: We were formed from the dust of the ground and the main composition of our bodies matches that with the dust of the earth: water, protein, fat, carbohydrates, and minerals.

The above table showing the breakdown of certain foods is taken from Abundant Health, 15, 16, by Julius Gilbert White, Kessinger Publishing (2010).

All of these foods God provides to us from the dust of the ground—from whence He formed us. And a variety of these whole foods carry the nutrition to our bodies. Another wonderful benefit of natural whole food is that it also aids in healing the immune system. When our body is diseased, it needs super nutrition and a lot of it.

Nutrition Restores the Immune System

There is a chapter in The China Study, by T. Colin Campbell, PhD with Thomas M. Campbell II, called, “Turning Off Cancer,” pages 43–67. It explains that certain foods have the potential to promote the growth of cancer cells while other foods have the potential to shut them down.

“These dietary factors, called promoters, feed cancer growth. Other dietary factors, called anti-promoters, slow cancer growth. Cancer growth flourishes when there are more promoters than anti-promoters; when anti-promoters prevail cancer growth slows or stops. It is a push-pull process. The profound importance of this reversibility cannot be overemphasized.” Ibid., 50.

“… nutrients from animal-based foods increased tumor development while nutrients from plant-based foods decreased tumor development. … In studies of pancreatic cancer and other nutrients, the pattern was consistent.” Ibid., 66.

God formed us from the dust of the ground and the nutrition we need can be found in grains, fruits, nuts, vegetables and legumes and need not be obtained second hand from the carcasses of animals.

“As disease in animals increases, the use of milk and eggs will become more and more unsafe.” Counsels on Diet and Foods, 365. How very thankful we should be that our God is so merciful to us that He has given us warnings and then directions we need to be healthy.

We need to do the best we can to keep our bodies in good health. Romans 12:1 and 2 says, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Health – Nutrition – One of the Eight Health Laws

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Nutrition may well be the most important of the eight laws of health, for without adequate nutrition, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to keep the other seven, due to the ill-health that inadequate nutrition brings on.

Many tend to take health for granted or fail to appreciate it as they should. What about you? Are you looking to preserve the health you have or are you failing to appreciate it and therefore allowing it to slip by little-by-little? Consider the health law of nutrition and how it affects you.

The immune system, which is a gift from God, is a sure defense against disease. When this system is compromised, infections and disease walk right in and take over, making you sick and at times causing death. It is the responsibility of each person to see that their immune system is working to its best ability. One way is by carefully choosing the best nutrition for his or her body’s needs.

“Our bodies are built up from the food we eat. There is a constant breaking down of the tissues of the body; every movement of every organ involves waste, and this waste is repaired from our food. Each organ of the body requires its share of nutrition. The brain must be supplied with its portion; the bones, muscles, and nerves demand theirs. It is a wonderful process that transforms the food into blood and uses this blood to build up the varied parts of the body; but this process is going on continually, supplying with life and strength each nerve, muscle, and tissue.

“Those foods should be chosen that best supply the elements needed for building up the body. In this choice, appetite is not a safe guide. Through wrong habits of eating, the appetite has become perverted. … The disease and suffering that everywhere prevail are largely due to popular errors in regard to diet.” The Ministry of Healing, 295.

“If you want to prevent cancer and reduce the risk of other chronic health problems, then you need to consider the types of foods that you are eating. People don’t often realize the impact that their diet has on their overall health, and they make poor food choices every day because they are following the Standard American Diet. It is possible to change your health through diet and lifestyle adjustments, and one of the first things that you need to do is stay away from ‘dead’ foods.

“What are ‘Dead’ Foods? When you bite into a fresh apple, a slice of cucumber, or any other kinds of fruits and vegetables, you are providing your body with a number of enzymes that support digestion and overall health. These foods are ‘living’ and you should eat an abundance of them each day. But, there are many types of food that are ‘dead’ because they don’t contain the important enzymes that are needed for good health.

“Most of the time, foods that come in a box, can, jar, or any other type of package have been so processed that the enzymes have been destroyed. These packaged foods are known as dead foods, and they often contain a host of other unhealthy ingredients such as preservatives, fats, sugars, and chemicals.

“Eating these dead foods not only prevents your body from getting the nutrition and enzymes that are needed for good health, but you are also loading the body with toxins and garbage that need to be removed. Each time you take a bite of dead food, it puts a burden on your body and causes damage to your major organs.

“ ‘Living’ Foods Support Health. In comparison, living foods are very good for your health and they support overall wellness. If you want to reduce your risk of cancer and other chronic diseases, then you need to increase your consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, which are loaded with the beneficial enzymes that your body needs. These foods are very beneficial for building and repairing, and they provide your body with important compounds instead of placing a greater burden on the organs.

“When you cut out the dead foods and increase the living foods, you will notice a change in your energy levels and overall health. It is amazing to see how much of a difference it can make!” www.myhdiet.com/healthnews/why-dead-foods-are-damaging-your-health/

It is better for your health to increase the “living” foods and decrease the “dead” foods. We were created in the image of God—living and vibrant—full of life. Why would we want to refuse the proper nourishment and lose the gift of health which is so valuable?

We are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14).

“The knowledge that man is to be a temple for God, a habitation for the revealing of His glory, should be the highest incentive to the care and development of our physical powers. Fearfully and wonderfully has the Creator wrought in the human frame, and He bids us make it our study, understand its needs, and act our part in preserving it from harm and defilement.” The Ministry of Healing, 271.