There is much confusion in the world today. Would you agree? Many of which can be found in how we should care for our bodies. Surely, “An enemy hath done this” Matthew 13:28.”For God is not the author of confusion…” 1 Corinthians 14:33. In fact, order is Heaven’s first law! Anyhow, by God’s grace, He has a plan against the plots of satan to get our body (houses) in order. Stay with us, in our weekly studies (on wednesdays), and discover what we should do to live in harmony with God’s laws of health.
Confusion Abounds
“There is an ever-increasing variety of teachings about foods and how the body should be nourished. They come from many sources-health educators, promoters of the sale of foods and special products, popular writers, and others. Many of the theories propounded contain helpful instruction but are incomplete and often are conflicting. People hear one, another, and another, and perhaps try to follow all of them and so become confused. Or they select one theory and exclude the others and so obtain a partial benefit.
The situation is much as it is in the field of religion which ought to be the simplest thing to understand and which exert the most uplifting and hallowed influence of all teachings on the earth; and yet, there is such a variety of conflicting religious teachings offered the people that sometimes they become so confused they wonder if any of them are true.
So it is with healthy teachings; the people try one thing and another and are continually seeking for something they have not found.The writer wishes to make the right way of living so plain that no one can misunderstand or doubt it, and so easy to follow that all may practice it and enjoy the boon of health. Read and be convinced.
Fads and Fancies Versus A Balanced Ration
There are certain fads and fancies which come and go like the waves of the sea. Often they contain much that is good, but too often they are lacking in something and so are not balanced.
“A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight.” Prov. 11:1-3
Fasting
For instance, fasting will give a tired stomach a rest, and will give the body time to dispose of an overload of starch, sugar, fat and protein. For this reason a short fast is often helpful, but it is not a permanent correction of any condition because fasting does not correct an unbalanced ration which most likely was the cause of the trouble; it can only prepare the body for the balanced ration which is to supply every need of the body and so produce health. Some people fast one day each week. That is a good plan if one lives so “fast” the other six days that the digestive organs need the seventh in which to catch up their work. If one will eat correctly and conservatively every day he will never need to spend a period of time fasting. There are those who fast a little every day by taking a very light evening meal. That gives the digestive organs an opportunity to complete their work every day and rest before the next day arrives. Many people would be greatly benefited by doing this.
Raw Foods
Raw foods cannot be a “cure-all” unless a balanced ration can be secured from them, which is difficult for most people; however, there is an important place for certain raw foods daily in every balanced ration. The Automatic Menu Planner will explain this in a future study.
Juice Therapy
There are several herbs which can be used to make delightful and healthful drinks. However, there is an element of danger in stressing the use of some certain herb drink, in that people are liable to place too much dependence upon it to correct their ills and so neglect to secure a balanced ration. In that case an herb drink becomes only a deception, and disappointment.
The same may easily be true of the use of fruit and vegetable juices, both of which are very useful as supplementary foods, but which may crowd out or hinder the digestion of a complete ration. This result is often seen today.” Their proper use will be discussed in a future class
Vitamin and Mineral Concentrates
Among the most common dietary deficiencies are those of vitamins and minerals. The discovery of this fact has opened a vast field for exploitation by manufactures of concentrates. Two million pounds of vitamin concentrates are sold in one year in the United States. Some of them are helpful for certain conditions but there is a very definite danger that the people will learn to depend upon these manufactured concentrates, believing that their use actually makes up for the deficiencies in their diet, when such is not the case, because no synthetic ration can be concocted by man which will equal to the marvelous balance of all the food elements to be secured in natural foods eaten in right proportions.
Concentrates are second choice foods. They are infinitely superior to drugs, but as a rule their use should be temporary while helping to make up a deficiency in the ration, but one should not permanently depend upon them and so excuse himself for continuing to use devitalized foods. Nothing can equal nature’s own arrangement of minerals and vitamins in natural foods used in a balanced manner. In selecting concentrates of minerals or vitamins preference may well be given to those made direct from foods rather than those made by synthetic processes.
Cleansing Programs
If one has allowed his elimination to be poor and his system to become toxic, or clogged his system with food elements which have not been properly handled in the body, or with poisons deliberately put in, a cleansing program is necessary. Water is the basis of such a process but it is greatly aided by minerals and vitamins. For this purpose the juice therapy in connection with certain cleansing foods is appropriate. However, the ideal plan is to live normally every day so that such a cleansing is never needed. That is the goal of this book.
Physical Culture
To follow a program of healthful living one does not have to try to be an athlete or do stunts in physical exercise; he does not of necessity have to specialize in muscle development. There ought to be a health program which is within the reach of the ordinary work-a-day men and women in the common walks of life. A good amount of exercise is a necessary part of such a daily program. The most helpful exercise is walking or useful labor in the open air.
Find out in our next study about a balanced program, the body’s life, and the decreasing life-span.
*Study adapted from the book, ‘Abundant Health’, by Julius G. White