click here for printer-friendly version
 

Eating and Living Healthy
By Dan Cafeo and Jason Busa

The state of health in America is the worst it has ever been. Heart disease is on the rise. Diabetes is on the rise. Two-thirds of Americans over 20 years old are overweight or obese. And the state of health in the church is not much different. Why? Here are ten reasons.

1. We’re making poor choices in food quality.

Everything we eat comes from the ground. It takes a combination of sunlight, water, carbon dioxide, and soil nutrients in order to produce a carrot, a strawberry, or the grass that farm animals eat. In grade school, we all learned this simple process. Actually, the process is quite complex, when you study the science of it. But for the sake of this article, we’ll look at it in simple terms.

People have been eating and living from the soil for thousands of years, without most of the health related diseases that are so common today. But in the last half century, things changed. Methods for preserving food were developed, such as chemical preservatives and refrigeration. Chemical preservatives, when introduced to food items, alter the food’s natural state of decay and keep it in suspension for a given amount of time. Refrigeration uses cold temperatures to slow-down the natural state of food decay.

These two basic methods for preserving food have been seemingly beneficial to food processing and manufacturing companies, as well as consumers. Preservatives have enabled food companies to package and sell products that will have a longer “shelf life.” Refrigeration has enabled food companies to minimize the chance for spoilage while in transit to grocery stores, as well as enabling consumers to avoid spending as much time shopping for food, since it keeps longer in the refrigerator. These two methods have increased profitability and made our lives easier. So, one could reason that these inventions have yielded greater prosperity and increased leisure time.

But, there’s a downside to these amazing inventions.

Let’s look at the preservatives first. They make food last longer, but they also harm our bodies when eaten. Now, let’s stop here for a moment. Many people might respond by saying, “If it’s on the grocery store shelf, then it’s safe to eat, right? They wouldn’t sell me something that’s harmful? After all, the government approves everything and makes sure it’s safe for us to eat, right?” Sadly, this is the opinion of most Americans. Our answer to these questions is twofold.

First, there are these little things called ‘lobbies.’ Every industry has them. A lobby consists of a group of people who are paid to essentially persuade government officials to favor their product, corporation or industry. Most often, they motivate through financial means to get their products approved and rushed to market, which amounts to bribery, to put it bluntly. Yet, it would be difficult to prove bribery because their methods are very creative. Money changes hands in the form of incentives, donations and trade-offs. So, government oversight and safety testing of the foods we eat is not always trustworthy. Need proof? Ever heard of Olestra? Saccharin? Splenda? These are food substitutes that illustrate the point that a lot slips through the cracks. Or, you might say, “is pushed” through the cracks, in the name of greed. These substitutes were all approved by the FDA and went to market, only to be proved highly suspect or downright harmful by subsequent scientific studies.

Secondly, the FDA allows for a certain small percentage of negative effects when testing food additives. So many of these additives actually showed harmful effects before being approved and yet still attained approval status. They reasoned that these percentages fell within the natural occurrences for anything. So, hypothetically, if they tested a product by giving it to 100 test subjects, and two subjects got cancer, then they reasoned that the cancer would probably have happened anyway and was not caused by the additive. This is the case with aspartame, which was introduced to the world under the name Nutrasweet. This name has since been abandoned because of bad press, but the additive is still widely used today, predominately in diet sodas. What’s wrong with aspartame? It is known to potentially cause cancer and be responsible for a wide variety of behavioral changes in humans. It can cause seizures and even death (Feb. 1994 Department of Health and Human Services Report).

There are additional food additives and preservatives that are supposedly deemed safe for human consumption, but the above examples should suffice to prove our point.

Next, let’s look at refrigeration. We all have a refrigerator, right? Yes. They’re great for preserving food. Having a refrigerator at home means we only have to shop for groceries once every week or two and nothing will spoil. This gives us more time for other important things in life. Now, we certainly aren’t going to vilify the fridge, but there is one important thing to keep in mind, when using it: the longer that food is preserved, the less healthful the food becomes. The nutrients and vitamins are devalued or lost. So, you can get the most out of your food by eating it fresh and raw.

Avoid overcooking. Heat destroys healthful properties in food, which is why unpasteurized beverages are healthier than pasteurized ones. Companies pasteurize to “purify” them and minimize potentially harmful contaminates obtained during processing. They do this for two reasons. Let’s take orange juice, for example. In a large processing facility, contaminants can find their way into orange juice very easily because the process of removing the juice from an orange and then distributing it into cartons is a multi-step process, all the while exposing the juice to giant vats and tubes through which it passes before being placed into cartons on conveyor belts. Harmful airborne bacteria can lurk anywhere, so this extensive and complex system increases the chances that the juice will be infected. So the juice is pasteurized—essentially heated—to kill any contaminates. Unfortunately, this heating also kills many of the healthful properties as well. So it eliminates the bad, but it also eliminates the good.

When we cook at home, the same rule of thumb applies. Therefore, food should not be overcooked, particularly vegetables. In fact, vegetables are most beneficial when they are eaten raw, such as in a salad or as “finger food” with dip. If they must be cooked, go easy on them and simply steam them or sauté them over medium heat with a healthy, unsaturated oil (such as grape seed oil, avocado oil). Just remember, the more you cook them, the more vitamins and nutrients are lost.

Meats generally need to be cooked enough to kill any harmful bacteria (parasites, which can be a serious danger) but, again, overcooking can destroy the beneficial proteins and vitamins, rendering the food virtually worthless. If it’s not juicy when you cut into it, it’s likely overcooked. So those who prefer their steaks well-done, might as well eat a shoe. Sure, your body can be sustained by it, but only minimally benefit from its nutrients. In fact, there are some studies that show that overcooked meats—to the point of charring—can actually be harmful, because they contain cancer-causing carcinogens.

When shopping for juice beverages, try to find unpasteurized ones. It’s usually the smaller companies with smaller production facilities that produce unpasteurized juices, and often these companies will print a disclaimer on their packaging, stating that there is a slight risk of harmful bacteria because their product is not heated to eliminate it. In our opinion, the risk is worth it. It’s up to you to decide if it’s worth it for you and your family. Another alternative is to buy fresh fruit and juice it yourself with a juicer.

Lastly, avoid margarine and other “healthy” alternatives to wholesome, natural fats. Many believed the “experts” decades ago, when they said Americans should cut the consumption of fats in their diets, such as in whole milk and butter, and instead use “healthier” substitutes. Well, these alternatives, such as margarine, are 'solidified fats' (more about these later in this article) and are actually harmful and increases the risk of coronary heart disease (Source: Food and nutrition board, institute of medicine of the national academies (2005). Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids (Macronutrients). National Academies Press. p. 504.). The thing is, our bodies cannot assimilate margarine like they can natural butter. We’ve known this for twenty years or more.

The so-called experts from decades ago that told us margarine and non-fat milk were better for us were simply wrong. Recent studies have proven that it does more harm than good. And yet people are still eating margarine (or other butter substitutes) and drinking skim milk. Apparently, these people never got the memo. We need healthy fats in our diet! Our bodies were designed to need fats. Instead of promoting margarines back then, they should have taught us to eat in moderation (but only organic, wholesome foods) and exercise. Those are the keys to staying healthy. Do yourself a favor and read “The Maker’s Diet” by Jordan Rubin. Please.

2. Our portion sizes are too large.

The food we eat provides energy for our bodies. So our food intake should match our energy output. But when most Americans look into the mirror, they see a distorted, plump figure. Their bodies are speaking to them. They’re saying, “You’re feeding me too much!”

We are accustomed to heaping large portions on our plates and then we are accustomed to going back for seconds—then dessert. Your stomach is only as big as your two fists combined, and you don’t need much food to sustain you. So if you have a “gut” that hangs over your belt, or if you can pinch more than an inch of “love handles” at your waist, chances are, you are overweight (pregnant women excluded).

For many, the quantity of food we are accustomed to eating at each meal was influenced by our parents. And our parents eating habits were influenced by their parents. And somewhere down the line, in your family tree, a relative lived through the Great Depression. It was the most difficult financial crisis this country had ever experienced. Many families became destitute and food became scarce. When the Depression was finally over and this country began to flourish at the beginning of the second world war, eating habits changed. Families could finally afford to put food on the table and people went from one extreme to the other and began to eat excessively. We went from famine to feast, instilling a culture of overeating. Despite this, our grandparents stayed relatively fit because daily life was more physically strenuous. More men worked labor jobs than office jobs. Women labored at home to cook, clean and take care of the house. So they expended more energy and burned more calories. But as our jobs changed and machines were invented to do our work for us, we became more sedentary and burned fewer calories. Yet, the eating habits that were instilled in most of us continued on and were then passed to subsequent generations. Add that to the increase in processed foods, hydrogenated fats and increased sugar in our diets, and you have a lethal cocktail of obesity, diabetes and other diseases.

The good news is that people are slowly beginning to understand that it’s not the quantity of food that makes our lives enjoyable, but the quality of food that makes our lives enjoyable. But this understanding is coming very slowly. People are still suffering from bad habits, because “tradition dies hard.” Our parents’ and grandparents’ generations still place ‘value’ as a greater importance than ‘quality.’ The lure of a $4.99 steak dinner at the local chain restaurant or all-you-can-eat buffet is a powerful attraction. It’s because the Depression is indelibly etched in our psyche, and we place great importance on acquiring a full meal for a low cost. It’s rather sad, because people have more concern for their wallet than their own bodies. And they are more concerned with shoveling bulk quantities into their bellies than having a moderately portioned, quality meal.

Another aspect to this overeating culture is the taste of our food. Many in this country were raised on simple food based on Northern European influences. This consisted mainly of meat, starch and vegetables, with little or no seasoning. This bland approach to cuisine has robbed millions of people of experiencing truly delectable and diversely flavored foods. The taste receptors on our tongue are divided into different areas. Combined with our sense of smell, we can derive pleasure from a wide variety of flavors and scents. Limiting our food and seasoning choices to basic ingredients is like having a high-performance race car of a tongue, but only driving it ten miles-an-hour in first gear at all times. We can experience so much more.

You might ask, why are Northern European foods so much more bland and boring than foods derived from regions farther south? The easy answer is climate. Northern regions receive less sunshine, and therefore, have a less diversity of plant life. A greater range of plant life, such as herbs, spices, and vegetables, can be found in warmer, sunnier climates. So foods in southern Europe, the Middle East and Africa are more colorful and flavorful, because the ingredients they take from the ground are more colorful and flavorful. The same is true for foods in Asia.

Our tastes mature over time and we grow to appreciate new flavors as we are introduced to them. Surprisingly, many people who were raised on simple, Northern European foods such as beef, chicken, pork, bread, potatoes and butter, have little interest in exploring the cuisines of other regions of the world. This is perhaps because trying new tastes later in life is more difficult, because they’ve spent a lifetime eating the same foods over and over, and struggle to break out of their routine. You see, the older we get, the more set in our ways we become, and the more structured our lives become. We fall into a comfort zone and our desire for experimentation and exploration dwindles. Visit any retirement home and you’ll see what we mean. The seniors living there routinely eat the same meals every day with little deviation. But life shouldn’t be this way. There is a world of joyful, mind-expanding tastes and smells out there and we can enrich our lives by exploring them. After all, eating is one the greatest pleasures in life, so why limit our enjoyment? Doing so will make our time on earth more pleasurable, as long as we do it in moderation, with meals proportionate to our body’s ability to metabolize. We can unlearn destructive eating habits and expand our tastes at the same time, making life better. We just have to try. And when we do, we’ll be more physically fit and suffer fewer diseases, physical ailments and joint problems from being overweight and out of shape. We’ll be active, vibrant and energetic. Diversifying our food choices will enrich every day of life. God created the senses and He created them with great potential. Please, explore your potential for food enjoyment. You won’t regret it.

3. We’re eating too much starch.

Starches (one form of carbohydrates) are the cheapest form of caloric intake. Potatoes, breads, pasta and corn are perhaps the most common forms of starch in the American home, because they are inexpensive and can quickly satisfy hunger. However, starches burn faster than proteins, therefore they don’t sustain energy as long, which is not to say that we should forsake starches altogether and just eat proteins. That would be an imbalanced way to eat. But the average person can and should cut back on his or her starch intake, and also stay away from refined starches, such as refined flours (whole grains are preferable).

It’s important to note that starches are an essential source of energy. The point here is that they have become a dominant form of caloric intake and many of us need to correct our intake ratio of them. To be accurate, there are two different forms of carbohydrates: simple and complex. In this section, we are focusing on the simple ones, which we will call “starches.”

The food we eat is generally divided into six food groups. They are:

1. Starches, such as bread, rice, pasta and potatoes.

2. Fruit.

3. Vegetables.

4. Meat, fish, eggs, nuts and beans.

5. Milk, yogurt and cheese.

6. Fats, oils and sweets.

When you eat only starch or too much starch with your meal, it has a number of adverse effects on your body. (1) It raises your blood sugar, which causes the release of insulin to lower it, which in turn causes drowsiness. (2) It causes you to get hungry again more quickly, because it burns more quickly than fats and proteins, especially if the starches you consume are from refined products, such as white flour. This is because the process of refining breaks down the grains, making then absorb more quickly. Whole grains take longer to break down in your body, therefore they last longer. (3) It can turn into fat. That’s right! Excess starches that the body doesn’t burn turn to sugar, which is stored in your body as fat.

So let’s analyze a heavy starch diet, which is so common in America, and see its effect on the human body. Let’s use the example of Fred, a 35 year old businessman who is 5’10” and weighs 185 pounds. In the morning around 8:00 a.m. he has a bowl of frosty flakes cereal for breakfast and a piece of bargain wheat toast. His blood sugar rises immediately from the cereal and toast, which causes the release of insulin to lower it, which causes some drowsiness by 9:00 am. By now he’s at work and has a cup of coffee with a spoonful of sugar. The caffeine from the coffee offsets the drowsiness for a short time, but unfortunately the spoonful of sugar has a similar drowsy effect on him, which means by noon, he’s sluggish again. And he’s incredibly hungry because the cereal wasn’t a whole grain cereal and didn’t sustain him very long. For lunch, he heads to the company cafeteria where he orders a roast beef sandwich and french fries, then washes it down with a cold soda. That definitely fills him up.

Now let’s pause for a moment to see how Fred’s body is reacting to what he ate. If we separate the starches from the other ingredients in his meal, we see two pieces of wheat bread and two potatoes worth of french fries for the starch. We also see two slices of roast beef, two tomato slices and some lettuce. Most physicians recommend that a meal contain twice as many carbs as proteins. So, in our example, Fred has probably consumed too many carbs and his body will react by becoming increasingly sluggish, since his excessive lunch intake will go unburned and stored as fat, especially since he is sedentary in his office cubicle all day. However, if he exercises regularly for 30 minutes at a time, such as brisk walking, then he will likely be able to maintain a proper weight. If not, he is probably overeating for lunch. (This is just looking at the carbs alone and not even at the quality of ingredients, which may harm his body even more.)

Now let’s look at the rest of Fred’s day. After lunch, around 2 pm, he is again feeling sluggish and has another cup of coffee with a spoonful of sugar. It has the same effect. Shortly afterward, a coworker brings some cupcakes into the office to share and he can’t help but indulge by eating one. Eventually, he finishes his work day and goes home and eats dinner. His dinner consists of a chicken breast, mashed potatoes and some broccoli, plus a glass of red wine. This meal is better balanced, particularly since Fred is not exercising. However, he can’t help but go back for a second helping of mashed potatoes, and a second glass of red wine. Then to top it off, he has a couple scoops of vanilla ice cream for dessert.

Okay, let’s take inventory. If Fred is not exercising, he is likely burning about 2500 calories per day. His calorie intake from his meals adds up to at least 3100 calories. That means, his body is not burning as many calories as he is eating and he will gain weight. This is just simple math. He will gradually gain weight from the 600 extra calories per day which is not burned and his body stores as fat. Since there are 3500 calories per pound of fat, if Fred maintains this basic eating schedule, his body will gain approximately one pound every 6 days. In one year he will gain approximately 62 pounds of fat. If this were a woman who was 5’5” tall and weighed 135 pounds eating the same diet, she would gain over 100 pounds in a year. These are just approximate calculations, but they suffice to illustrate our point.

If Fred is exercising for 30 minutes per day, five days a week, he is burning an extra 300-400 calories per day, plus boosting his body’s metabolism. If he cuts out the dessert with dinner, he might be able to maintain this diet without gaining weight. However, in our example, Fred has chosen to eat foods and ingredients which are not necessarily wholesome, and therefore he suffers from doubly destructive eating habits (see Reason 1).

The simple fact is that Americans have too much starch in their daily diet, mostly in the form of breads, potatoes, pasta and corn. Combine that with our sedentary lifestyles and we have a recipe for pain and suffering. And this is just one facet to our poor state of health. There are others.

4. We’re consuming too much sugar.

Like starches, sugars are carbohydrates, which—if they go unburned by our bodies—can turn to fat. These sugars usually come in the form of simple carbohydrates such as cakes, pastries, jams, jellies, soft drinks, sweets, candy bars, and brown and white sugar cane. And we Americans eat a lot. A whole lot! Just think of all the industries that would be out of business if Americans stopped drinking sodas, stopped eating candy bars, donuts, pastries, cookies and products containing refined sugars. And just think of the lives that would be saved.

Many Americans are totally unaware how much sugar they are consuming because they don’t read labels. Mostly in the form of refined sugar and corn syrup, sugars are everywhere; sodas, sweet juices, cookies, breakfast cereals, crackers, breads, hot dogs, prepared foods and sauces, and so on. It’s even in the tomato sauce on your pizza at the local pizza chain restaurant your kids love so much, and in fast food hamburger buns.

We would not be exaggerating to say that sugar is killing us. Yet, people love it because they love sweet things. It’s a taste we’ve acquired from our youth and the billion-dollar industries which supply us are far too happy to feed our addiction.

Natural sugars exist in many things, including fruits and vegetables, but these are considered complex carbohydrates, which are natural and, therefore, not harmful. It’s the refined and processed products that are causing us to commit gradual suicide, and we must break off the shackles of addiction and re-learn how to eat. This may be easier said than done, because so many people derive their only real pleasure from eating sweet things.

It is our sincere hope that we can help guide people in the right direction and encourage them to get more out of life by simply eating healthier and eating more diverse and exciting ingredients. Eating is one of the finer pleasures in life and can be so much better than a simple diet of bland food with salts and sugars.

5. We’re not getting enough exercise.

This fact cannot be overstated. Our great grandparents lived vigorous, active lives because it was necessary in order to survive. Since then, our American diet has remained largely unchanged (except our food quality has since deteriorated). Most of us eat three square meals per day, like they did. But we spend most of our lives sitting, while machines do most of our work. Therefore, we don’t burn as many calories and we get fat and unhealthy.

Some of you might respond, “I’m active at work, walking throughout the office all day, going to meetings and engaged in administrative tasks, so I’m getting plenty of exercise.” It’s true that walking a little throughout the day burns more calories than sitting; however, it only benefits a little and is not a substitute for regularly scheduled exercise routines.

Others might say, “I work in construction, so I’m very active all day long.” If this is you, you’re definitely burning more calories and getting good anaerobic exercise (muscle strengthening). But this kind of exercise won’t help you walk up four flights of stairs without becoming out of breath. That’s because construction work does not require sustained aerobic exercise, which strengthens the heart.

Aerobic exercise is what we should be doing daily. The simplest form of this is walking at a brisk pace. Not only does regular aerobic exercise burn more calories, but it increases metabolism and makes the heart stronger. The heart is a muscle and can be strengthened just like other muscles in the body. People who have daily exercise regimens know this because their routines become easier over time. It means the heart is stronger and it becomes easier to pump blood throughout the body, so you won’t be out of breath when walking up four flights of stairs.

Most health professionals recommend a minimum of 20 minutes of sustained exercise per day, for at least five days per week—such as bicycling, swimming, jogging or brisk walking—at a constant pace, without stopping. Your heart rate must accelerate and remain accelerated for this period of time to fully benefit. Casual start and stop walking throughout an office building does not provide the same benefit.

Another factor that has caused many Americans to become overweight and unhealthy is that many of us live in the suburbs and drive everywhere, while those who live in the cities generally walk everywhere. In Europe, communities are smaller and there isn’t as much suburban sprawl; therefore, they walk more. You can witness this by observing pedestrians in a metropolitan city verses pedestrians in a suburban shopping mall.

This isn’t to say that city dwellers are always better off. They have other things to contend with, such as greater pollution and crime. But our point here is that people who walk to work or to the supermarket or anywhere else in a city, naturally burn more calories and receive more beneficial exercise.

So what can we do if we live in the suburbs and find ourselves sitting more? Well, we can change our daily routine and make time for exercise, such as light jogging, cycling, swimming, or brisk walking, for around 30 minutes, five days per week. Plus, limiting our portion sizes, reducing our starch intake and eating healthier, natural foods.

[Note: If you’re seriously out of shape, you should start gradually. Strenuous activity can be harmful if your body can’t take it. So use caution.]

6. We’re poisoning ourselves with solidified fats.

What are solidified fats? They are simply fats that are chemically altered in order to use them in processed foods to improve texture and maintain longer “shelf life.” Take oil for example. It’s a liquid fat. There are many kinds of oils used in packaged goods, such as cottonseed oil, canola (corn) oil, palm oil, olive oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, and so on. All of these oils are liquids. Manufacturers learned many decades ago, that when these oils are chemically altered to make them solid, it yields a more stable ingredient and enables increased “shelf life” of the product. Therefore, these packaged products could be made in larger quantities, stored in warehouses, transported more slowly and sit on supermarket shelves longer—reducing spoilage and increasing profits. The emphasis here is on increasing profits.

But there is a very serious downside to solidified fats. Since they are chemically treated, they are no longer natural. Therefore, the human body cannot properly metabolize them. In fact, because the body needs natural fats, the effect is a double negative: (1) the body is starved of essential unsaturated fats, and (2) the solidified fats cause disease.

Many studies show that these solidified fats cause very serious health problems. In fact, Johanna Budwig, renowned physicist and biochemist, wrote, “The basis for the entire utilization of nutriments is destroyed when highly active, natural fats are replaced by fatty substances that have been artificially altered, devitalized and stabilized against oxidation [trans fats]. Such blocking substances in the organism are the leading cause of most diseases we see today.” (The Oil and Protein Diet Cookbook, page 2)

The truth is, you cannot fully trust any food product that man alters. This is a general rule and should be followed by every responsible human being, particularly those with children. We should be eating only natural foods, preferably produced by organic methods. They cost more, but our bodies are worth it. We only have one body each, so we should do everything we can to ensure a longer, healthier, more active, more enjoyable life.

Okay, now that we’ve briefly outlined what “solidified fats” are, you need to know what the food industries call them! The keyword to look for is: hydrogenated. If you see a packaged food ingredients list with this word on the label, we highly advise you to avoid it like the plague. Even if you see the term “partially hydrogenated,” just avoid that product. We’ll provide a list of other ‘man-altered’ ingredients to avoid when you visit the supermarket, at the end of this article.

What is “hydrogenated” really?

It is the altering of organic compounds through the addition of pairs of hydrogen atoms to a molecule. This chemical process is done to achieve solidification of liquid fats, such as solidifying vegetable oils to make margarine. This hydrogenation coverts molecules to trans isomers, which have been implicated in circulatory diseases including heart disease. Another term for “hydrogenated” is “trans-fat.” These solidified fats are preferred by manufacturers of baked goods because of the way the fat mixes with the flour to produce a more desirable texture, in addition to enabling longer shelf life. However, these trans-fats are banned in some places, such as Denmark. (Wikipedia: Hydrogenation)

Now that you know, you can avoid products with ingredients that are labeled as “hydrogenated” or “partially-hydrogenated” in the future. These are simply “trans-fats” and are known to be harmful to your body. Just because they are for sale at the supermarket, doesn’t mean they are harmless. Manufacturers are more concerned with “desirable texture,” “shelf life” and profit than they are with your health. Until our government bans these harmful trans-fats (which may not happen in our lifetimes because of powerful lobbies and plain greed), it’s up to you and me to read our ingredient labels.

7. We’re poisoning ourselves with over-the-counter and prescription drugs.

Billions of dollars are made each year in the pharmaceutical industry. It’s a big business, and the industry has a very strong lobby. And, it’s true that many lives have been saved by man-made drugs. However, the one thing all of these drugs have in common is that they treat the symptoms of disease and illness, they DO NOT treat the cause.

Really think about it. If you have a headache, there is a reason. If you have a rash, there is a reason. If you have any kind of ache or pain, there is a reason. Something is causing it. That is an undeniable truth. So ask yourself this: why do we have a medical industry that just gives you a pill to treat the ache or pain, or some cream to treat the rash? Why can’t your doctor diagnose and tell you what is causing it and how to alter your lifestyle or diet, in order to treat the cause? The answer is, the medical industry is NOT TAUGHT how to treat the cause, only the symptom or effect. For this reason, the medical industry is fundamentally flawed!

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to understand this. This is common sense. An eight year-old could grasp this. If something is wrong with me, I want to know why, and what I can do to fix it. Simple. So, the next logical question is, why is the medical industry so flawed? Why are they only concerned with treating the symptoms? If you really have to ask, then you don’t know much about human nature.

The truth is, it’s all about money. “The love of money is a root of all evil” (1 Tim 6:10). People care more about money in their own pocket than the health of another human being. Let us paint a picture for you. Let’s say Bill has a red, itchy rash on his arm. So he visits his doctor. His doctor diagnosis it (basically gives it a name, for which there are many) and writes Bill a prescription for some cream to stop the redness and itch. So Bill then visits a pharmacy and purchases the prescription cream, which he applies to the rash. The redness diminishes and the itch subsides, but only if Bill keeps applying the cream regularly. Before long, the cream has run out and the rash returns, forcing Bill to visit his doctor again for some more cream.

Okay, let’s stop for a moment. This scenario is so common throughout America. In fact, people generally have many prescriptions to treat the symptoms of a variety of aches and pains. Now lets analyze this scenario. The doctors got paid for diagnosing the rash and prescribing a cream to treat the redness and itch. The local pharmacy got paid for selling the cream. And the pharmaceutical manufacturer got paid for selling the prescription cream to the local pharmacy. So you have three parties profiting from Bill’s rash.

But what would have happened if Bill sought to research the cause of the rash and attempt to cure it? He likely would have either sought the advice of a natural doctor or researched it himself using the internet. There’s no guarantee that he would have found the cause and cured it, but the chances are quite good that he would. If Bill followed this path, the three parties in the previous scenario would not have profited. They would not be better off, but Bill would be better off.

Now ask yourself... does the doctor, the pharmacy and the pharmaceutical manufacturer really want Bill to find the cause to cure it? No. Because they wouldn’t make any money. This is why the medical industry is fundamentally flawed. And we haven’t even discussed a fourth party in this scenario: the health insurance company.

Here is the point: Bill’s rash (and Susie’s headache, Frank’s ulcer, Jane’s cavity, etc.) makes people money. And in order to keep making money, it is in the medical industry’s best interest to only treat the symptoms and not the cause. Because, treating the cause threatens their income. In fact, the medical industry generally will do everything it can to discredit the natural medicine industry and natural doctors, who attempt to treat the cause and genuinely cure health problems. The sad realization here is that our society is corrupt, in that most people only care about themselves. Multi-billion dollar industries exist to profit from sick people, in hopes that they will stay sick, so they can keep the profits rolling in. This is what we call: the way of get.

Now that we’ve established the selfish motives behind why the medical industry only treats the symptoms and not the cause, let’s analyze their products and understand further drawbacks to our dependence upon over-the-counter and prescription drugs.

Have you ever seen a prescription drug commercial? The government mandates that pharmaceutical companies list the side effects of taking these drugs, which is often very humorous. How many times have you heard something like this..

“...X may cause mild nausea, headaches and drowsiness and, therefore, people taking X should not operate vehicles. Additional side effects could include sore gums, loose stool, abdominal pain, and rectal bleeding. And, if you experience any numbness or hallucinations by taking X, consult your doctor.”

Isn’t this absurd? This supposed treatment seems to remedy one symptom but then creates five or six more. And often, doctors prescribe additional drugs to treat those. So, in many cases, a person’s health and well being are actually made worse by prescription drugs.

Sadly, many people already know this and continue to take their prescription drugs, never seeking to find the cause and attempt to cure it. Why? Here’s the astonishing conclusion: the flawed medical industry and the public at large are in collusion! The public, in general, doesn’t want to be cured. The average person will continue to use drugs to treat the symptoms, and never attempt to treat the cause. That’s because, in most cases, it would require a change in diet or lifestyle, which people just DO NOT want to do. They’d rather enjoy their destructive lifestyle and take a drug that seems to eliminate the effects of their destructive lifestyle. They want to ‘have their cake and eat it too.’ But their nearsightedness will eventually catch up with them, because their later years will be painful and difficult. You can’t live a destructive lifestyle and escape the results. We reap what we sow (Gal 6:7). Everything we do catches up with us eventually. So, we can make villains of the medical industry, but truthfully, the choice is ours. We must take personal responsibility for our diet and lifestyle. So, will you?

8. We weren’t taught principles of healthy living.

You can’t know something unless someone teaches you. Unlike most animals and insects, who have instinct, we humans must be taught. We come into this world completely ignorant and helpless. We’re like a dry sponge and must absorb information and be educated by our parents and teachers, which means our life is shaped by our early influences, primarily our parents. If you were born in Southeast Asia, you were taught to eat seafood and rice and you probably learned a trade in which you worked with your hands, perhaps fishing, perhaps farming, whatever. Your survival depended upon working hard to earn income and you worked from dawn until dusk. Your lifestyle and diet, even your portion sizes, were dictated by your parental upbringing. If you were born in Southeast United States, you were taught to eat fried food, potatoes, grits, lots of butter, sweet tea and dessert with dinner. You probably were taught to eat larger portion sizes (after all, you live in a ‘land of plenty,’ right?), taught to stay out of the heat and sun, taught to eat fast foods, chips and sodas, taught to go to the doctor for any aches and pains from which you learned to take drugs to ease the symptoms, and since your parents didn’t exercise regularly, you didn’t either. And, like a domino effect, each generation will continue on this unhealthy path, by example and teaching.

Unless the Southeast Asian gets a deadly disease, he will most likely live longer than the person from the Southeast United States because he ate healthier, ate less, ate mostly natural foods, ate no refined sugars, ate no processed starches, ate no fast foods, no chips and sodas, took no drugs, and was far more physically active in life. Essentially, he lived a much healthier existence, yet in total poverty.

It is said that it is twice as difficult to unlearn error than to learn new truth. Most people find it difficult to alter their lifestyle when they discover they are living and eating wrong. It takes real strength of character to change your ways (or a near-death experience as a wake-up call). But once we learn that we were taught the wrong way to live and eat, we have a choice… accept truth and change or continue in error and suffer the consequences.

9. We’re poisoning ourselves with chemical pollutants, toxic metals and fungus.

These three factors are a real danger to our health and yet most people aren’t even aware of it.

The are many sources of harmful pollutants and toxic metals. Tap water contains toxic and/or harmful chemicals and compounds, such as chlorine, which can kill the good bacteria in your intestines, leading to digestive disorders. And fluoride, which can damage your brain. Plastic bottles can leach toxic chemicals into your water (never drink water from plastic bottles when the water tastes like plastic; glass bottles are always preferred). There are toxic elements in soaps, shampoos, cosmetics and toothpaste. There are toxic coatings on your “nonstick” pans (teflon). Even your metal tooth fillings contain toxic metals which can poison you. So why do so many consumer products contain toxic elements? Why would companies use them if they’re unsafe? Why would the government approve usage of toxic elements in these products? The answer is (once again), powerful lobbies in Washington D.C. have strong influence over the regulation of consumer product ingredients. When an entire town in some part of America is sustained by a large factory, supporting thousands of jobs, it changes the playing field. Suddenly people’s livelihoods are at stake and a few harmful chemicals or toxic metals—which independent studies show are “safe”—are deemed acceptable. It seems that the default approach to big industry is, “Let’s get it to market quick and make some money, then ask questions later!” Anyone remember Asbestos? There is plenty of information on the internet about the toxic substances in everyday products. Do a little research online and then ask yourself if your physical ailments might be related. If the answer is “possibly,” then make a change for the better and find natural, alternative products. Follow the golden rules: “Don’t trust big industry” and “Thoroughly investigate every product.”

Fungus is another real danger. Unlike toxic substances, fungus is not made in a lab, but it can be equally harmful. Very simply, there is fungus in our food. Particularly grain and nuts. Grains sit in giant silos and grow fungus and then those grains are eventually shipped to factories for processing and then sold to consumers as food. The fungus then goes to work on your body and attacks your digestive system and then your entire body. There isn’t sufficient room here to throughly detail this silent killer, however books and information are readily available. We highly recommend, “The Fungus Link” by Doug Kaufmann. Do a Google search and find it. It’s very enlightening. It will make you shop differently at the grocery store.

10. We’ve ignored tried and true principles.

When you think about it, the previous nine facets of the state of health in America are not really news, they’re just simple, common sense. Our bodies thrive on natural ingredients that are unaltered by man, yet we suffer from too much food, too much starch, too much sugar, too many drugs, lack of exercise, and just plain bad teaching. But there is one more factor to living and eating healthy. And it may be the most important factor to consider. That is, knowledge that doesn’t come from the medical industry, the health professionals, our parents, or common sense observation.

When you purchase a device—let’s say a television—it comes with an “owner’s manual.” This manual is published by the manufacturer and explains how the television operates, what all the buttons do, etc. Without it, you have to guess and explore the features through trial and error. And most likely there are features of the TV that you would never know existed unless you had the owner’s manual to explain them.

Believe it or not, there is an Owner’s Manual to the human body. Or better put, an Owner’s Manual for Life. It’s the best selling book in human history, and in just about every home in America. You can probably guess which book it is. Yes, the Holy Bible.

Many people don’t even realize that there are guidelines in the Bible pertaining to eating and living healthy, but there are. Our Creator gave us detailed instructions for life and it includes information on how to eat and live healthy.

You’ll be astonished to find out that many of the things that scientists have discovered about the human body in recent decades, on how to live healthy, were actually advised thousands of years ago by the One who literally designed and manufactured us. Let’s look at a few.

A.) “Do not eat the fat.”

This principle is one of those “duh” principles. Science has taught us that there are good fats (unsaturated) and bad fats (saturated). Animal fats are bad fats. Eating them causes cholesterol in the blood and leads to heart disease and other health problems. This fact seems commonplace today, in our scientifically informed society, but prior to the 20th century, this truth was not known for thousands of years. Or was it? Open your Bible and turn to Leviticus 7:23:

“Ye shall eat no manner of fat, of ox, or of sheep, or of goat.”

This was a command from God to His people Israel. They didn’t know Him until He rescued them from enslavement in Egypt. When He led them out of Egypt, He had to teach them the basics of living by revealing His Laws. So one of the many things He taught them was that they must not eat animal fat. Now, whether you personally believe the Bible is the revealed Word of God or not, this teaching was emphatic, and for good reason. Eating animal fat is unhealthy and leads to health problems and a premature death. So despite the fact that the harmful effects of consuming animal fats is considered a relatively “recent” discovery, it’s not. It was revealed thousands of years ago.

Sadly, people still eat fat. Every time they eat bacon (which is mostly fat), the chicken skin on their fried chicken, or other forms of animal fat, they are slowly killing themselves. Yet most people really don’t seem to care, because they like the taste of it. Nevertheless, they’ll pay for their mistake in the long run—so says the Bible, which is corroborated by modern science.

What about butter or cream? These are indeed saturated fats; however, they are not harmful to most people if consumed in moderation. In fact, they do have some healthful properties. However, those who have high cholesterol or are in poor health are advised to minimize their butter and cream consumption, or avoid them altogether, until their health improves enough to reintroduce them to their diet. Unsaturated fats (most seed oils) are preferred and are essential to our bodies. It must be noted that the “fat” specifically forbidden by God in the Bible is literally the animal fat that accompanies the meats, which is very detrimental to your health.

B.) Bible Dietary Laws

Certain animal meats were strictly forbidden by God when He revealed His principles of life to the Israelites. With modern science at our aid, we can now see why. Swine, rabbit and shellfish were forbidden, as were many birds, insects, etc. (Leviticus 11). Disease such as trichinosis are transmitted by pork and tularemia by rabbits. Gastrointestinal infections, including typhoid fever can be carried by shellfish. These things are known by scientists. But, the bigger picture is more astonishing. Let’s stand back and survey the landscape of forbidden animal meats. Notice, there is one commonality of all the forbidden meats: they are all scavenger animals! God specifically commanded His people not to eat scavenger animals, which were created for a purpose. They are natures clean-up crew, which explains why they are not fit for human consumption. Would you eat a buzzard or a cockroach? No. So why eat a pig or crab? They are essentially designed to serve the same purpose on this earth, in addition to being part of the food chain ecosystem. Yes, they may “taste good” but who cares if it is detrimental to your health?

C.) Hygiene and Sanitation

This subject is perhaps a departure from the overall theme of this article, which is primarily about food-related health, however it is related to overall health and wellness.

Some things seem so fundamental now, such as proper hygiene and sanitation. But these things were not generally known before 1900, or rather, they were known only by a few. Surprisingly, right up to the beginning of 20th century, garbage and excrement were often dumped into streets, which attracted flies, which spread disease. Yet, thousands of years earlier God commanded:

“Designate a place outside the camp where you can go to relieve yourself. As part of your equipment have something to dig with, and when you relieve yourself, dig a hole and cover up your excrement.” (Lev 23:12-13)

We know now that the danger of infection from exposed human excrement is serious, but God revealed that to His followers thousands of years ago. And it was a principle that has only gained acceptance in the last couple hundred years. Needless to say, man is a little slow, without God. When the bubonic plaque devastated Europe, thousands of years after God taught these basic principles, clearly this knowledge had generally been lost.

The basic principles of cleanliness and hygiene did not come into full acceptance until the end of the 18th century, despite the fact that this information was readily available in the Bible, the “book of books,” for thousands of years.

You see, great emphasis is placed upon ‘prevention’ of disease, which makes sense. God instructs His followers on how to get at the cause of diseases and not just treat the effects. He is more concerned with prevention. Man seems more concerned with profiting from selling drugs that treat the symptoms, but never focusing on eliminating the cause.

There were additional laws of cleanliness and purification that essentially protected the Israelites from dangerous diseases, and yet those who professed themselves to be Christians, even over the last 500 years, apparently never took those instructions seriously. Perhaps they fell prey to the false teaching in many Catholic and Protestant churches that the “Old Testament” was irrelevant and abolished.

One can’t help but acknowledge the fact that the principles of health, sanitation and hygiene, which are so commonplace today, are in perfect alignment with the revealed knowledge of God, delivered many thousands of years ago. How many hundreds of thousands of lives were lost over the past few thousand years because this revealed knowledge was mistakenly ignored?

D.) Sexually Transmitted Diseases

This subject is also a slight departure from the overall theme of this article, however it’s important to address it. Plus, it’s very enlightening to discover how accurate the Bible is concerning these things. And why shouldn’t it be? The Bible is the written instruction manual for life and is truly timeless.

There are more than 30 different sexually transmissible bacteria, viruses and parasites. The most common conditions they cause are gonorrhoea, chlamydial infection, syphilis, trichomoniasis, chancroid, genital herpes, genital warts, genital crabs, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and hepatitis B infection. Several, in particular HIV and syphilis, can also be transmitted from mother to child during pregnancy and childbirth, and through blood products and tissue transfer. (Source: World Health Organization; www.who.int)

According to 1999 World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, 340 million new cases of curable sexually transmitted infections (syphilis, gonorrhoea, chlamydia and trichomoniasis) occur annually throughout the world in adults aged 15-49 years. (Source: Ibid.)

It goes without saying, that these diseases are spread primarily through rampant promiscuity. Very simply, those who have multiple sexual partners are primarily at fault for spreading these diseases.

God commanded that one man and one woman should come together to form a monogamous marriage for life (Gen 2:24), and that sexual immorality and adultery were forbidden (Ex 20:14; 1 Cor 6:18). It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that if everyone in the world had a monogamous sexual relationship, all venereal diseases would be totally eradicated. This scenario seems unlikely in this current Godless age, nevertheless, it reinforces again that the principles of health and well-being that God teaches are fail-proof principles. Furthermore, how many marriages have ended in divorce and unhappiness because of adultery?

E.) Quarantine

Since we’re on the subject of diseases, it’s worth noting what the Bible says about the principles of separating those with communicable diseases from others. After all, it affects our overall health and wellness.

The bubonic plague struck Europe in the 14th Century and killed millions, largely due to poor sanitation. Eventually, the spread of the “Black Death” was halted by, “Isolation of the sick and quarantine...these practices not only eliminated the plague as a pandemic menace for the first time in history but also led to the general laws against infectious diseases, thereby laying the foundations upon which modern hygiene rests.” (The Story of Medicine in the Middle Ages by David Riesman)

Likewise, leprosy ravaged parts of Northern Europe in the 13th and 14th centuries. But when authorities began to quarantine and segregate those who were leprous, the plague was contained.

The Bible makes special mention of how to deal with those who contract the disease of leprosy. In Leviticus, chapter 13, we find detailed instructions on the segregation of individuals with leprosy in order to minimize contagious effects, as well as inspection of their dwelling places for signs of contagion.

These principles are thousands of years ahead of their time. Only in the last six to seven centuries, have our western peoples learned these principles for themselves, through the loss of thousands of lives. Had they followed the simple instructions from the Bible, human suffering on a massive scale could have been avoided.

F.) Eradication of Mold

Household molds and mildews (fungus) are known to cause health problems such as respiratory problems. The mold spores get into the eyes and lungs and cause allergic reactions and other health ailments. In ancient Israel, God advised homeowners to clean their homes of molds as soon as they became visible on the walls. It is a fascinating and unparalleled account. Read it in Leviticus.

“When ye be come into the land of Canaan, which I give to you for a possession, and I put the plague of leprosy [decomposition by mildew, mold, dry rot, etc.] in a house of the land of your possession; And he that owneth the house shall come and tell the priest, saying, It seemeth to me there is as it were a plague in the house: Then the priest shall command that they empty the house, before the priest go into it to see the plague, that all that is in the house be not made unclean: and afterward the priest shall go in to see the house: And he shall look on the plague, and, behold, if the plague be in the walls of the house with hollow strakes, greenish or reddish, which in sight are lower than the wall; Then the priest shall go out of the house to the door of the house, and shut up the house seven days: And the priest shall come again the seventh day, and shall look: and, behold, if the plague be spread in the walls of the house; Then the priest shall command that they take away the stones in which the plague is, and they shall cast them into an unclean place without the city: And he shall cause the house to be scraped within round about, and they shall pour out the dust that they scrape off without the city into an unclean place: And they shall take other stones, and put them in the place of those stones; and he shall take other morter, and shall plaister the house. And if the plague come again, and break out in the house, after that he hath taken away the stones, and after he hath scraped the house, and after it is plaistered; Then the priest shall come and look, and, behold, if the plague be spread in the house, it is a fretting leprosy in the house: it is unclean. And he shall break down the house, the stones of it, and the timber thereof, and all the morter of the house; and he shall carry them forth out of the city into an unclean place. Moreover he that goeth into the house all the while that it is shut up shall be unclean until the even. And he that lieth in the house shall wash his clothes; and he that eateth in the house shall wash his clothes. And if the priest shall come in, and look upon it, and, behold, the plague hath not spread in the house, after the house was plaistered: then the priest shall pronounce the house clean, because the plague is healed.” (Leviticus 14:34-48).

Mold was so serious, that God commanded the moldy walls of homes to be scraped. If that didn’t solve the problem, and the mold spread, then God commanded that the home be razed and re-built. That’s how serious and dangerous molds are to human beings. Yet, this knowledge has not been known, except in recent decades.

Molds are fungi that grow in warm and humid conditions. Following hurricanes, floods, and other natural disasters [such as Hurricane Katrina], standing water and flooding can encourage the growth of molds. Molds can be found indoors in moist areas as well as outdoors in shady areas where vegetation is decomposing. There are thousands of different types of molds. Some common indoor molds include Cladosporium, Penicillium, Alternaria, and Aspergillus. For certain groups of people, molds can present a serious health risk. (Source: Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stoppler, MD; Medical Editor: Dennis Lee, MD)

But the Creator of all things knew about harmful molds because He created all things. Therefore, He knew what was harmful to humans and advised them to avoid it at all costs. Do you think the surrounding nations knew anything about molds and how to deal with them? Of course not. That kind of knowledge requires scientific expertise, and only the Creator knew these things. This knowledge would not be “discovered” by mankind, aided by science and technology, for thousands of years afterward.

Few people nowadays acknowledge these astounding and accurate principles of health and well-being contained in this ancient, yet timeless, document—the Bible. It must be reiterated: these truths can only be explained by the foreknowledge of a Supreme Being with intricate understanding on a molecular level of harmful elements in foods, fats, communicable diseases, molds and mildews. These things are evident today in our modern age, enabled by scientific technology and advancement. But for these things to be known five thousand years ago, is astounding. This understanding would require far more than simple observation. It requires modern scientific understanding with advanced technology. The only possible answer is that there is a Creator and He understands it all because He designed and created it all.

The primary reason that few have observed the fact that the Bible is full of advance knowledge revealed by God, thousands of years before man “discovered” it on his own, is that the Christian world has largely abandoned the Old Testament. They have abandoned it based on the false notion that it is no longer relevant, and that Christ came to abolish it. But nothing could be further from the truth (Matt 5:17). This may be one of the biggest lies ever perpetrated on mankind. The Old Testament is a wealth of information, both physically—for a happy, prosperous, healthy life—and spiritually, explaining the very purpose for man’s existence (2 Tim 3:14-17; 1 Cor 10:11; Acts 24:14; Rom 15:4; John 5:45-47).

Wherever mankind has decided to abandon Biblical teaching, he has suffered. The Bible is not only a document full of spiritual and doctrinal teaching, but also a document that contains sound principles for healthy living, designed as an instruction manual for a created species.

G.) Alcoholism

Time and time again, the Bible condemns drunkenness. Not only is it destructive to the body, such as damaging the liver, but it is damaging to the mind. Our mind is the most precious thing we have and yet millions of people just love to get drunk. They brag about it. This custom and habit develops in a person’s teenage years. By the time many youths enter high school, they have already experienced getting drunk. They enjoy the euphoric feelings of dizziness and love to laugh and get wild, and lose their inhibitions. They say and do things they normally wouldn’t say and do. They seem to forget their troubles and become numb. By the time they reach college, they are already experienced in drinking and frequently attend an endless circuit of house parties. This custom continues on into their 20’s, 30’s and 40’s. In fact, many people get drunk regularly their whole lives.

Let’s look at the damaging physical and mental effects of chronic drunkenness (alcoholism).

Liver damage. Cirrhosis of the liver is a serious disease, which can be caused by excessive consumption of alcohol over many years. It is characterized by replacement of liver tissue with fibrous scar tissue, as well as regenerative nodules (lumps that occur as a result of a process in which damaged tissue is regenerated) leading to progressive loss of liver function. (Source: Wikipedia: “Cirrhosis”) Alcohol affects every person differently, so it is not clear exactly how much alcohol is required to cause cirrhosis of the liver, but some say those who drink 8 to 16 ounces of hard liquor (or equivalent) per day for at least 15 years or more will develop cirrhosis. (Source: Cirrhosis (Cirrhosis of the Liver) Medical Author: Dennis Lee, MD, Medical Editor: Jay W. Marks)

Brain damage. We know there are temporary effects on the brain such as difficulty walking, blurred vision, slurred speech, slowed reaction times and impaired memory (including blackouts). But heavy drinking may have extensive and far–reaching effects on the brain, ranging from simple “slips” in memory to permanent and debilitating conditions that require lifetime custodial care. (Source: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)

Gastrointestinal problems. Alcohol can result in inflammation of the lining of the stomach (gastritis), which can lead to tears in the upper part of your stomach and lower part of your esophagus. Alcohol can also interfere with the absorption of the B vitamins, particularly folic acid and thiamin, and other nutrients. Heavy drinking can also damage your pancreas (pancreatitis). The pancreas has two functions: (1) it produces the hormones insulin and glucagon, which help regulate your metabolism, and (2) it produces pancreatic juices and enzymes that help digest fats, proteins and carbohydrates. (health-cares.net)

Cardiovascular problems. Excessive drinking can lead to high blood pressure and damage your heart muscle (cardiomyopathy). These conditions can put you at increased risk of heart failure or stroke. (Ibid.)

Diabetes complications. Alcohol prevents the release of glucose from your liver and can increase the risk of your blood sugar falling too low (hypoglycemia). This is dangerous if you have diabetes and are already taking insulin to lower your blood sugar level. (Ibid.)

Sexual function and menstruation. Alcohol abuse can cause erectile dysfunction in men. In women, it can interrupt menstruation. (Ibid.)

Birth defects. If you drink excessively during pregnancy, your child may be born with fetal alcohol syndrome. This condition results in birth defects including a small head, heart defects, a shortening of the eyelids and various other abnormalities. As these children grow older, they may have various developmental disabilities. (Ibid.)

Neurologic complications. Excessive drinking can affect your nervous system, causing numbness of your hands and feet, disordered thinking and dementia. (Ibid.)

Increased risk of cancer. Chronic alcohol abuse has been linked to a higher risk of cancer of the esophagus, larynx, liver and colon. (Ibid.)

Other complications of alcoholism and alcohol abuse may include:

• Domestic abuse and divorce

• Poor performance at work or school

• Increased likelihood of motor vehicle fatalities and arrest for drunken driving

• Greater susceptibility to accidental injuries from other causes

• Higher incidence of suicide and murder (Ibid.)

The above list of damaging effects of excessive drinking should be enough to snap everyone into reality and make them think twice about it. But sadly, people will continue in their destructive ways, because people generally live by the rule, “If it feels good, do it.”

A glass of red wine with dinner has proven to have positive benefits for most people, such as Mediterranean people who commonly drink a glass of wine with lunch and/or dinner. But excessive consumption of alcohol has disastrous consequences.

So, what does the Bible say about alcoholism? It is generally referred to as “drunkenness,” and strongly condemned (Rom 13:13; 1 Cor 6:10; Gal 5:21; Eph 5:18; Titus 2:11-12). God does not spell out the damaging health effects of excessive drinking; however, He does show that it becomes habit for some people, which ruins lives.

In ancient times, people didn’t have “leisure” time. They worked full days just to provide for themselves and their families. Drunkenness only served to cause one’s work to be halted. For instance, if a person was hung-over from excessive drinking, he couldn’t work his farm the next day and the work would go undone, thereby delaying his income and the family’s livelihood. And those who did so on a regular basis, essentially consigned their family to financial ruin (Prov 23:21). And the financial ruin then compounds the alcoholism because it only compels the drunkard to drink more in order to “escape” the anguish and self-loathing.

So, excessive consumption of alcohol can cause a family’s ruin and lead to bad decisions, which cause pain and misery. Think of all the mental anguish imposed upon loved ones by a belligerent and bellicose drunk. Think of all the pregnancies caused by two drunk and unmarried (and frequently unacquainted) people having sex—often unaware of it, until they discover their mistake the next morning. Lives are recklessly ruined this way, simply by drinking too much alcohol. Yet, it’s amazing what suffering can be avoided by simply employing a little self-control.

Furthermore, because excessive alcohol impairs the brain functions, it invites wicked spirits who can more easily influence a person because of their weakened mental defenses (1 Pet 5:8), as well as make that person oblivious to what is happening around him (Luke 21:34). So the Christian’s mental character is made vulnerable in addition to his or her physical body being harmed.

Many scoff at God’s principles of life, calling them “oppressive,” “constrictive” and “boring.” They believe they have to get drunk to enjoy life. They believe the key to happiness is becoming uninhibited and “letting it all hang out.” But the facts prove otherwise. These people fail to see that the short-term “pleasure” of getting drunk inevitably causes long-term misery, regret and unhappiness.

You see, God knows better. He wants us to avoid this perilous pitfall, which leads to pain and suffering. That’s why He created rules of moral conduct—which may seem boring and oppressive to an ignorant person—but it’s the only way which leads to true happiness and prosperity. God loves His creation and wants the best for us. It’s like a parent who tells their toddler not to touch the red-hot coils on the electric stove. They look pretty, but they cause pain. Yet, not all toddlers believe their parents. Perhaps their little minds are thinking, “Aww, come on Mom! Don’t be so oppressive. I wanna have some fun!”

There’s one more very important aspect of drunkenness to consider: spiritual sobriety. God wants us to not only live soberly in the physical sense of the word, but also in the spiritual sense of the word. By this we mean, that we should take life seriously (1 Thes 5:16; Titus 2:6; 1 Pet 1:13; 2 Pet 1:10). We were created for a purpose, and it wasn’t to “get drunk” and “do what feels good”—which is temporary and only leads to eventual unhappiness. Spiritual sobriety is the only way to enable true, righteous character growth. We are made in God’s image and our human potential is greater than most people realize. Let’s avoid excessive drinking and that downward spiral to pain and sorrow. Let’s drink in moderation and be responsible examples to our children. Let’s discover what true happiness is and how to obtain it.

H.) Let the land rest every seventh year.

Go commanded, “Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof; But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the LORD: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard. That which groweth of its own accord of thy harvest thou shalt not reap, neither gather the grapes of thy vine undressed: for it is a year of rest unto the land.” (Lev 25:3-5). This was for a dual purpose: (A) so the land could “rest” and (B) so the poor could freely eat of what the land produced of its own accord (Ex 23:11). Letting the land rest seems obvious to us now and yet this simple principle is not followed today. God intended for nutrients from decaying plants, nourishing rains, animal dung and environmental elements to replenish the soil for one year, every seventh year. Instead, our croplands are severely depleted of nutrients because farmers cultivate every year, continuously (except farmers on the dole, who are paid by the government to refrain from farming). Since the soil is so depleted, the farmers resort to using chemical fertilizers and products to try to put the nutrients back into the soil. The soil continues to produce, but the food is tainted by the chemicals and the taste is bland. When will mankind wake up!? Man wants to do things “his way” and so we all reap the harmful consequences.

I.) Contamination by lizards and insects.

This is often overlooked, but God commanded that any household items that come into contact with “creeping things” must be thoroughly washed or destroyed. This makes logical sense, given what we know about these creatures. Read the following:

“These also shall be unclean to you among the creeping things that creep on the earth: the mole, the mouse, and the large lizard after its kind; the gecko, the monitor lizard, the sand reptile, the sand lizard, and the chameleon. These are unclean to you among all that creep. Whoever touches them when they are dead shall be unclean until evening. Anything on which any of them falls, when they are dead shall be unclean, whether it is any item of wood or clothing or skin or sack, whatever item it is, in which any work is done, it must be put in water. And it shall be unclean until evening; then it shall be clean. Any earthen vessel into which any of them falls you shall break; and whatever is in it shall be unclean: in such a vessel, any edible food upon which water falls becomes unclean, and any drink that may be drunk from it becomes unclean. And everything on which a part of any such carcass falls shall be unclean; whether it is an oven or cooking stove, it shall be broken down; for they are unclean, and shall be unclean to you.” (Lev 11:29-35)

There are two reasons for this. (A) Lizards and insects carry parasites (i.e. bacteria, germs), which can transfer to humans very easily, usually by being eaten, but potentially by contact. Snails are commonly known to carry parasites and parasite eggs, which can transfer to humans when produce (predominately lettuce) is not washed thoroughly. Some of these parasites can be deadly, particularly if they reach your major organs or brain. (B) Lizards and insects may walk across a contaminated surface and then transfer it to the dishes in your cupboard (the same goes for cats, allowed to walk on kitchen counters). So when God commanded the Israelites to wash or destroy a pot or dish which comes into contact with an insect, there was a good reason.

It’s another reminder that we were created by a Being of higher intelligence, who knows the microscopic dangers that inhabit our world. Only now, with the aid of modern science can we understand this fully.

Should you destroy or throw away an “earthen vessel” (pottery or dish) if a spider or lizard or other “creeping thing” comes into contact with it? The answer is, it may not be necessary if the dish is thoroughly washed with soap and hot water, such as in a dishwasher. The soap and heat will kill any germs on your dishes. The Israelites didn’t have soaps and dishwashers for purifying and cleaning their dishes. Additionally, their “earthen vessels” (clay pots) were porous, with nooks and crannies where germs could get lodged. Modern dishware is generally smooth, and polished to a shine. Nevertheless, it’s a principle not to be taken lightly. Keep your dishes clean.

A note about insecticides. People are often compelled to use insecticides (sprays, ant bait, etc.) to control insect problems. But use caution! These poisonous insecticides can easily be transferred to your dishes if an insect walks across them and ends up on in your cupboard before dying. Likewise, if an insect eats bait (such as an ant) and then your house pet eats that insect, it will make your pet sick. So try to find natural means of destroying pests in your home. Insecticides can be toxic and dangerous to you and your pets.

Conclusion.

You can start living healthy today and begin to reverse the damage on your body and mind. Following these simple steps will yield real results. No, it won’t be easy at first, but it will get easier over time. And you’ll fine that your mind will be clearer, your body will be more fit, your aches and pains will diminish (perhaps disappear altogether), and you will enjoy a more fulfilling life.

Let’s review these simple principles.

Make better choices in food quality. Spend a little more for organic, natural and raw foods—the way our Creator intended them to be consumed. Mass-produced packaged foods are not only devoid of life-giving ingredients, but they are full of harmful preservatives, which damage your health.

Eat smaller portions. Your body is the best indicator. If you look into the mirror and you see a rotund body, which has lost its natural, human shape, then you are eating too much food. Try reducing your portion sizes. It takes time and willpower. You have to un-learn your habit of overeating.

Cut back on the starch. Starches do have beneficial nutrients, but overdoing it can be detrimental. Try eating whole grains and organic starches and simply eat a little less with each meal. If you are seriously out of shape, try severely limiting your starch intake, until you slim down a little and can begin to re-introduce them. Most people achieve fast results by immediately changing their daily diet to be mainly vegetables, fish, nuts, fruits, cheeses and yogurts. If you must have starch, then eat steel-cut oats and whole grains in small amounts. Oats contain the most protein of all the grains. Organic, steel cut oats, generally retain more healthful properties after processing. Potatoes can be a good source of potassium, however you will achieve success faster by cutting them out completely for a while (if you need immediate and drastic changes in your diet to reverse serious obesity and/or ill health).

Cut out the sugar. Especially the refined sugars. They are detrimental to your health. Natural sugars for your body can be obtained from fruits and some vegetables. If you need to use a sweetener for your morning coffee or tea, try organic honey, organic agave nectar or Stevia—in small amounts.

Exercise, exercise, exercise. So few people actually exercise. But it is an absolute necessity for true health. You don’t have to do hard-core exercise. Simply walk briskly for about 30 minutes every morning, at least five days a week. Studies show that regular exercise increases metabolism, stimulates blood flow, forces more oxygen into the brain and body and keeps joints in better working condition. Your life will change. It’s guaranteed! In fact, you’ll become addicted to it, because it also gives you an energy boost and mental clarity! [Note: seriously ‘out of shape’ people should use caution when beginning to exercise and should start gradually.]

Don’t eat foods with solidified fats. Read ingredient labels! Avoid anything “hydrogenated.” Your body can’t properly assimilate them and they will cause you health problems eventually. If there are too many un-pronounceable words on the ingredient list, please stop and look for a healthier alternative. (A list of ingredients to ‘beware of’ are included at the end of this article.)

Stop taking over-the-counter drugs. There are natural, healthy alternatives to over-the-counter medicines. Allergy medicine is one example. Most people take allergy medicines for allergic reactions that can be minimized and often cured by changing dietary habits and/or taking natural supplements.

If you can, stop taking prescription drugs. Again, there are natural, healthy alternatives to drugs, even prescription drugs. They may seem absolutely necessary, but you may discover otherwise. You first need to do your homework. For example, many seniors who have suffered strokes are taking blood thinning drugs, such as Coumadin. This drug is really Warfarin (an anticoagulant) and has been common since the 1950’s. It was initially marketed as a pesticide against rats and mice and is still used for this purpose. But few know there are natural alternatives, such as CoQ10. (“CoQ10” stands for Coenzyme Q10. There is still some debate about its beneficial use as a dietary supplement. However, many experts insist that it is an effective treatment for patients with congestive heart failure, with results to prove it.) Just start with a simple internet search on these two names and take it from there. Then decide for yourself. But keep in mind, most doctors will advise against natural, alternative medicines. It’s in their best interests to keep you on drugs. That’s how they make their money and that’s how their partners (pharmaceutical companies) make their money. We can only give you advice. You have to make the decision for yourself. And the best place to start is to be informed! Do some research on your own. Don’t take our word for it. And don’t necessarily take your doctor’s word for it either. He benefits from your prescriptions, so the last thing he wants you to do is to find an alternative.

Teach yourself principles of healthy living. Many of us simply weren’t taught good principles of healthy living. Our parents might have been delinquent in that area, but we can change. With some willpower, we can UN-learn our bad eating habits and discover a whole world of flavorful and healthful foods. There are lots of diets and fads, so it’s easy to get confused. Our favorite diet is the ‘mediterranean diet,’ which emphasizes healthy fats, fruits and vegetables. This is not a temporary type of diet, this is a permanent dietary shift. Just conduct an internet search for ‘mediterranean diet’ and you’ll see for yourself. It’s diverse, delicious and heart-healthy (with the exception of unclean foods; see Leviticus, chapter 11). The Mayo Clinic website has a nice article on this diet.

Avoid chemical pollutants, toxic metals and foods tainted with fungus. The world and its consumer products are toxic and harmful to the human body. It takes time and effort to find out how to avoid these toxic products, but it’s worth it. Many diseases today are directly caused by these toxic substances in our foods and bathroom products. Have the metal (amalgam) fillings removed from your teeth if you can. Avoid mixing plastics and food together. Avoid teflon. Avoid fluoride. Avoid most popular cosmetics, as they are full of toxic elements, such as cadmium and cobalt. Be aware of these things and switch to natural products. You may just see you physical ailments disappear.

Follow Biblical principles of eating and living healthy. The Bible is as advanced as any scientific research today. In fact, most of the principles that health professionals advise today, were taught by God thousands of years ago. And we now can see why God taught people this way of life. Time after time, the Bible (specifically the Old Testament) has been vindicated, even though it is constantly attacked by the scientific world and labeled as myth and fable and attacked by the “Christian” world and labeled as irrelevant.

Lastly, for those of you who profess to be God-fearing Christians, consider this. Inspired scripture labels your body as “the temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor 6:19). That is a very profound and serious description of your human body. That speaks volumes about the way God expects us to take care of our bodies— which is to get adequate exercise, eat healthy foods and eat proportionate to our individual metabolism. We only have one body. When Christ returns and judges everyone, will He be pleased with what He sees—spiritually and physically?

Our spiritual character growth is the most important thing, to be sure, but our physical state of health is a visible sign of our state of mind. In other words, do we have the willpower, the self-control and the persistence to maintain good principles of health? Or will we present ourselves as distorted, misshapen, overweight, gluttonous humans in poor health? This is not to say that everyone that ‘appears’ to be in health is truly in health. Some people appear slender and you wouldn’t know that they were in terrible health. So we’re not just picking on people who may be overweight. We all make mistakes. And our mistakes can compound over time until it becomes nearly impossible to reverse them. But it’s never too late to change our ways. So, let’s take a step forward and commit ourselves to eating and living healthier. Because, if we can’t take care of our own selves, how can we be any help to God in teaching and advising others about these simple principles? Our purpose now is to be in training to teach others in the future Kingdom to come, when Christ returns and ushers-in a new government and way of life. Are we prepared to teach? Have we exemplified the way of life that we will be teaching some day?

Before we conclude this article, we must make mention of divine healing. This subject naturally arouses controversy, because the world is full of doubters. However, many can personally testify of the power of prayer and divine healing. But there is a catch to having our prayers answered by God. The Bible teaches that only those who have God’s Holy Spirit will be heard (Rom 8:9), and that it requires ‘works’ and ‘faith’ (James 2:17-26). You see, only those who are obedient to God will be heard (Acts 5:32). And then, there is something we must do (Rom 2:13; James 1:22). In other words, God can and will heal you, if you are doing your part. He won’t heal you just so you can continue your destructive habits. For example, should you expect God to heal your lungs, while you continue to smoke? Nonsense. If you are sincere, repentant and change your habits, God will recognize your willingness to change. Then, when you ask for forgiveness and healing, your prayers will be heard and He will assist you in the healing process (Isa 59:1-2; Ezek 33:14-19; Heb 12:13). But it’s ridiculous to expect God to answer our prayers and heal us of some ailment that we continue to cause or enable, thereby continuing to sin (John 5:14; 8:11; 1 John 3:4).

-END-

_________________

A word of caution about health supplements: We heartily endorse them; however, not all health supplement companies are the same. Some are reliable, and some have simply cropped-up overnight to “cash in” on a lucrative market, while their products are virtually worthless. Below is a list of reputable health supplement makers that we have researched and endorse.

Further references and information:

Regarding vitamin supplement brands, we highly recommend you do your research to confirm the reliability and quality of their products. There are some reputable brands, and there are some not-so-reputable brands. Some brands even offer vegetarian and/or kosher supplements (the gelatin in capsules is derived primarily from pigs).

Recommended reading:

- The Maker’s Diet (Jordan Rubin)

- Patient Heal Thyself (Jordan Rubin)

- The Fungus Link (Doug Kaufmann)

- Natural Cures They Don’t Want You To Know About (Kevin Trudeau)

- Principles of Healthful Living (Worldwide Church of God, 1975)

- Flax Oil as a True Aid Against Arthritis, Heart Infarction, Cancer and Other Diseases (Dr. Johanna Budwig)

- The Cure For All Diseases (Dr. Hulda Clark)

Recommended websites:

- www.mercola.com

- www.knowthecause.com

- www.curezone.com

- www.jordanrubin.com

- www.drsinatra.com

We strongly advise that you read ingredient labels and avoid foods containing the following ingredients:

- “Hydrogenated”

- “Partially Hydrogenated”

- Aspartame

- Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)

- Sodium Nitrite / Sodium Nitrate

- Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA)

- Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT)

- Carmine

- Acesulfame-K

- “Artificial color” (all)

- Cyclamate

- Olestra

- Potassium Bromate

- Propyl Gallate

- Saccharin

- (SEE ALSO: http://www.cspinet.org/reports/chemcuisine.htm)

We advise that you avoid foods containing these ingredients as well, if possible:

- Corn Syrup

- High Fructose Corn Syrup

- Sugar (especially refined)

- Enriched and bleached flour

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to be scientifically substantiated, rather it is based on common sense principles of living, validated by Biblical teaching by our Creator. Furthermore, the advice contained in this article is based on personal opinion, research and experience. Readers should make informed changes in diet and lifestyle, and decide for themselves what is truth and what is fiction. We believe a person should never blindly take anyone’s word for it.

© 2009 Church Of God In Training For The Kingdom

-