God Invented Good Health

he Seventh-day Adventist church believes in healing the whole person; body, mind, and spirit. The Lord tells us in 3 John 2 that He wants us to be in health. The body and the mind are interrelated to a much higher degree than many of us think. The links below tell us about various aspects of health and the components to health. There is a specific page for links to health calculators and interesting web sites on measuring your own fitness. The Health Ministries Department of the North American Division of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists also has a web site that is of interest.

Many years ago the World Health Organization gave a definition for health as follows: Health is a condition of physical, mental, and social well being, and not just the absence of disease. They neglected one aspect of a human being; the spiritual. And, it is the most important.

There are natural laws, ordained by God, that deal with our health. We break these laws at our own peril. However, most people routinely break these laws and the results are apparent in today society-drug abuse, obesity, alcoholism, heart disease, strokes. The list goes on and on. We don't ultimately break God's laws. They break us.

You don't break the laws of health. They break you! A person who jumps off a roof, no matter how much they want to fly, will not break the law of gravity. They will only illustrate it! There is an undeniable law of cause and effect that is at work here. The same with health. If we neglect our bodies, there are consequences.

There are eight areas of health that will be mentioned. Each has a part in helping us lead healthy, productive lives. To a large extent, our attitude toward life relates directly to how well we feel, and how we feel about ourselves. God designed the human body. It is safe to go to Him for guidance regarding these issues. God's owner's manual, the Bible, has answers that are pertinent to today's problems.

Before we can discuss the laws of health, we need to discuss the laws of life. Certain principles of life need to be understood as universal and undeniable. Then we can proceed to the specific area of health.

These laws may be looked upon as prohibitive. However, we need to understand that God doesn't withold good things from us. The problem is what we deem to be good may not be good for us in the short-term or long-term. Our values can be jaded. We can rationalize just about anything to make it sound good. There is an old saying "I can resist anything but temptation."

Understanding these principles will add years to your life and life to your years. There are many examples of people who have had long, healthy lives by using these principles. We do hear sometimes about people who smoke, drink alcohol, and have other destructive habits, and live a long time. The reason we hear about those cases is that they are the exception rather than the rule. Unless Christ comes in our lifetime, we are all going to die. The best thing to die of is old age! With that as a goal, let's proceed to the Laws of Life.

(Hit the back button on your browser to return to this page after reading each of the pages below).

It is easier to make or break habits when good rationale is given for doing so. Knowing the "why" gives us the motivation for change. God blesses us with good health on this earth when we obey the rules.

The rules of health are easy to remember by remembering the acrostic NEWSTART. NEWSTART stands for:

utrition:  Food is the fuel for the body. We are very careful to put the proper gasoline in our cars, no matter what the cost. We should take the same care of our bodies regarding the fuel we put in it. It has been estimated that the money spent on "eating out", including beverages, was $334.7 billion in 1999.¹ An estimated 55% of Americans are overweight and another 22% are considered obese.² Every ten pounds of excess weight can shorten your life by up to a year.³.

The average woman only needs 1200-1600 calories per day. A sedentary man only needs 1600-2400 calories per day. Anything above that is stored as fat. So, what is an easy way to figure out your ideal weight? Women, allow 100 pounds for five feet of height, and allow 5 pounds per inch of height over that. If you are big-boned, add 5%. Men, allow 100 pounds for five feet of height, and 6 pounds per inch over five feet. Add 5% if you are big-boned. Of course, the ideal thing to do would be to see a physician, but that is an easy way to approximate your ideal weight.⁴

¹World Almanac and Book of Facts 2001, p. 133.

²Dynamic Living, Hans Diehl, DrHSC, MPH & Aileen Ludington, MD, Review and Herald Publishing Association, Hagerstown, MD, 1995, p.74.

³World Almanac and Book of Facts 2001, p. 728.

⁴Dynamic Living, Hans Diehl, DrHSC, MPH & Aileen Ludington, MD, Review and Herald Publishing Association, Hagerstown, MD, 1995, p.85.

xercise:  

Exercise is extremely important. The saying "Use it or lose it" certainly applies to the muscles of the body, as well as the capacity of the brain to function. To assist you in calculating how good your runs are, there is a calorie counter below.

And we certainly do need to exercise today, when the average diet is considered. A man lived a whole year one time by eating nothing but plain, cooked potatoes! One doesn't have to go to that extreme to be healthy. The point is that potatoes are nutritious, and we like to doctor them up to taste better. Consider this. By itself, the potato only has 140 calories. But, think about the things we add to it or make out of it. For example:

• with sour cream and butter 420 calories
• as hash browns it's 520 calories
• as french fries it's 530 calories
• as potato chips it's 1,200 calories
• and, as "Pringles" a whole potato is 1,360 calories!!

Figuring out why we gain weight isn't rocket science. If we take in a lot of calories and don't burn them off, they accumulate! Some changes need to be made to reach optimum health. Taking these health principles into consideration is an important first step.

Nothing said on these pages should be taken as specific medical advice for your particular situation. Before starting any exercise program a doctor should be consulted, particularly if you are over 40, or have a history of health problems.

ater:   Water is extremely important to the human body. Copious amounts of water inside and outside will maintain health. The average person today drinks more soft drinks than water. Soft drinks need to be digested much like food. On the other hand, water goes right through the stomach. There are no extra calories, sugar, or chemicals. It doesn't cause you to gain weight, get cavities, or cause your blood sugar level to drastically change. Soda is actually one glass of water with 8-12 teaspoons of sugar and chemicals added. Some estimates say that Americans drink an average of 50 gallons of soft drinks per year.¹

One should drink at least eight glasses of water a day. As a practical matter, you should drink enough water to keep the urine pale.

¹Dynamic Living, Hans Diehl, DrHSC, MPH & Aileen Ludington, MD, Review and Herald Publishing Association, Hagerstown, MD, 1995, p.74.

unlight:  To begin with, sunlight kills germs. That's why it is important to sun and air out blankets, quilts, and other items that are not washed regularly and sterilized in an automatic dryer. Proper amounts of sunshine also give the skin a healthy glow and help make it smooth and pliable. A moderately tanned skin is more resistant to infections and sunburns than untanned skin. Then too, sunlight elevates the mood for most people, producing a sense of well-being. (Just don't stay out too long and get sun- burned!) Combined with active exercise, sunshine is an important adjunct in treating acute and chronic depressions. Remember, when depressed during winter's cold and gloomy months, try to catch any possible ray of sunshine. What's more, the body is able to manufacture vitamin D by the action of sunlight on the skin. Vitamin D enables the body to pick up calcium from the intestine for use in building healthy bones.

emperance:  

Temperance is not just avoiding that which is bad. It is the judicious use of that which is good for us. The Lord tells us in the Bible that we are His. Our bodies are His. We are commanded to observe health principles. "What? 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? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." 1 Corinthians 6:19-20.

Of course most people today pay no attention to health principles. They say that what they do is their own business. For many, the only exercise they get is jumping to conclusions. They think that the four major food groups are hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza, and chicken nuggets. There is more to life than pleasing ourselves. The laws of health will add years to our life and life to our years. Being temperate in eating is a big part of a healthy lifestyle, but there are other areas of temperance as well.

Temperance fits right into the idea of leading a balanced life too. The proper amount of food, at the right time, with the right frame of mind, will add to our health. We should eat to live; not live to eat.

For the Christian, the idea of resisting temptation is a serious topic. When do we feel like we can resist anything? Is it when our food has digested somewhat or right after eating a big meal when we feel like falling asleep? The point is, our physical state affects our thinking ability as well. So, all of these areas are interwoven. Our mental state is tied to our physical state and vice versa.

"The relation that exists between the mind and the body is very intimate. When one is affected, the other sympathizes. The condition of the mind affects the health to a far greater degree than many realize. Many of the diseases from which men suffer are the result of mental depression. Grief, anxiety, discontent, remorse, guilt, distrust, all tend to break down the life forces and to invite decay and death".¹

Our diet plays a large role in our mood swings. Caffeine, for example, provides stimulation for short periods, but there is what is called a "rebound" effect. In other words, one can be more sluggish after the caffeine high wears off than before taking the caffeine.

¹The Ministry of Healing, E.G. White, P. 241.

ir:  

Air is composed of about 20 percent oxygen, the rest being nitrogen along with a few other gases. Since the human body operates on oxygen, each one of its 100 trillion cells must receive steady fresh supplies, or die. Oxygen is picked up in the lungs from the air we breathe, and delivered to our bodies via the red blood cells. Well-oxygenated cells are healthy and contribute to overall well-being. Anything that diminishes oxygen supplies to the lungs, or its delivery to body cells, is detrimental.

Air molecules can also be positively or negatively charged. Polluted air is usually full of positive ions. It's commonly found on freeways, at airports, and in closed, poorly ventilated areas. Air containing an abundance of negative ions is plentiful around lakes, in forests, near rivers and waterfalls, at the seashore, and after a rain storm. This kind of air is refreshing and gives people a lift. Another "feel good" technique is to stop where you are and take a few slow, deep breaths several times a day. This gives your body an extra "shot of oxygen" and helps unload carbon dioxide. Yet another way to flush your body with oxygen is to exercise. Activity opens up blood vessels and speeds those oxygen-laden red blood cells on their rounds.

And remember the houseplants. Placing at least one plant for every 100 square feet of indoor space is recommended. Live plants not only "eat" many toxic pollutants and freshen the air with oxygen, they probably slip in some extra negative ions as well!

est:   Rest is important. Your ability to work depends on your capacity to rest. We need to be able to rest physically and mentally. Sleep is very important in the balance of life. Hallucinations can even develop with prolonged sleep deprivation.

People need different kinds of rest, and a relaxing night's sleep is a good start. Newborn babies sleep from 16 to 20 hours, while young children need 10 to 12 hours. Adults vary widely in their requirements but most do best on 7 to 8 hours per night. People also need a change of pace. During World War II, Great Britain instituted a 74-hour work week but soon found that people could not maintain the pace. After experimenting, they found that a 48-hour work week, with regular breaks, plus one day of rest each week, resulted in maximum efficiency. Society also recognizes the need for other breaks from time to time. The long weekend is now an American institution and yearly vacations have proven their value.

1. Rest allows your body to renew itself. Waste products are removed, repairs are effected, enzymes are replenished, energy is restored.

2. Rest aids in the healing of injuries, infections, and other assaults on your body including stress and emotional traumas.

3. Rest strengthens your body's immune system, helping protect you from disease.

3. Proper rest can add length to your life. In a large population study of health habits a few years ago, it was found that people who regularly slept 7 to 8 hours each night had lower death rates than those who averaged either less than seven hours, or who slept longer.

Spiritual rest is important too. God wants us to rest in His goodness. He gave us a physical rest and a spiritual rest. We know we need 6-8 hours of sleep a night. That is common knowledge. We also need spiritual rest. God calls that the Sabbath day. We rest in the goodness of God. We rest in the fact that He takes our sins away. We acknowledge Him as Creator.

Matthew 11:28-30 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

rust:   Trust in God is necessary for peace of mind. Many people trust partly to their own efforts to find peace with God and partly on the righteouness of Christ. This kind of faith finds no assurance of salvation and only leaves the soul in anguish over the demans of the law of God. We owe obedience to the law and, if we are honest with ourselves, we know we always fall short. It is only by falling on the Rock of our salvation that we can find peace of mind.

Three Angels Broadcasting | Help Page | World Church
Voice of Prophecy | Amazing Facts | Contact Us
Ask A Bible Question | The Want of Men
Prayer Requests | Bible Topics