HEAVEN'S HEALING: NATURAL REMEDIES PART II

5. GROWING YOUNGER

Wouldn't you like it if the doctor includes in one of the medications something that would:

Give you all the energy you need for each day.
Prevent premature aging by saturating all your cells with oxygen and nutrients.
Assist your body's healing processes.
Accelerate metabolism and digestion‚ so that you will be able to eat the same amount of food and yet lose weight‚ or eat more and enjoy a good digestion.
Increase your concentration and improve your memory.
Assist your eliminative organs in detoxification through the lungs‚ skin and intestines.
Stimulate your glands to secrete more of the hormones you need to stay healthy.
Put you in good spirits and make you feel happy.

Perfect health requires a perfect circulation. The more we exercise the better will be our circulation. It is not enough to nourish our bodies. We need to exercise to make sure that the nourished blood circulates properly to reach our cells.
Man used to have to do manual labor to live. Modern living has eliminated 90 percent of the motion and exercise our bodies require to function optimally.

"And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it." —Genesis 2:15 young couple

Our sedentary life has led to chronic oxygen starvation because the level of oxygen absorption is determined by the level of physical exertion. Our organs‚ muscles‚ brain‚ and nerves are now forced to struggle with their tasks in spite of a chronic undersupply of this most important nutrient. The results of this newly mechanized lifestyle, with pollution, are obvious: physical and mental deterioration and a growing number and intensity of degenerative diseases. Numerous studies suggest that physical fitness is the most powerful protector against premature morbidity, mortality and loss of functional independence.

"Many of the things we call biomarkers of aging might actually be biomarkers of inactivity." —Williams Evans Ph.D.‚ The Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging

What Types of Exercises Should I Do?
If you are not used to physical exertion, brisk walking is minimum. Begin a program of walking as far as is comfortable‚ and gradually work up to five miles per day. Outdoor labor‚ in any useful activity‚ is an excellent source of exercise.
You will gain the most benefit when you engage in a combination of four basic types of activity: aerobic exercise, strength training, flexibility and balance. Keep in mind that vigorous, demanding aerobic activity is more beneficial than easy, low intensity activity. Strength workouts should emphasize free weights and body-weight exercises. Flexibility should also emphasize stretches that counteract the forward-bent postures we all tend to be in throughout the day.

How Much Exercise Should I Get?
When in health, exercise at least 30 minutes daily three to six times a week. Exercise is important even if you are sick. At this time although it is important to rest‚ make sure to walk‚ and do breathing exercises daily. If you are unable to exercise‚ use a trampoline or get a massage as it is a form of passive exercise. A whole range of motion exercises are beneficial.
If exercise is performed without the heart being in it, it is simple drudgery, and the benefit which should result from exercise is not gained.
For those who do a lot of physical labor equivalent to exercise, exercising the mind is as important as physical exercise is to a sedentary lifestyle.

SECRET TO LONGEVITY
Two thousand centurions were studied—nothing was found in common with them other than the long evity moderation in quantity of food. Observations on these centurions showed that‚ for attainment of long life‚ the amount of food was more critical than the type of food that was consumed. The Bible speaks of true temperance in everything concerning life‚ not just food.

"And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible."
—1 Corinthians 9:25
The Bible teaches that true temperance to dispense entirely with everything harmful‚ and to use judiciously that which is healthful. That means that a follower of Yahushua is at liberty to enjoy moderately that which is most beneficial, but will completely avoid all that is harmful.

"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?" —1 Corinthians 6:19
The main cause of fatigue is improper diet‚ irregular meals‚ and a lack of physical exercise. Furthermore‚ irregular hours for eating and sleeping sap the brain forces. To have good health and be successful in reaching a high standard of piety‚ you must be temperate in all things.
True temperance does not only refer to eating and drinking. It touches all aspects in life: your work‚ your thoughts, your words, your sleep, your play‚ your socializing, etc.
When it comes to diet‚ nothing should be put into the human system that will leave a baleful influence behind. "If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of Yahuwah is holy, which temple ye are" (1 Corinthians 3:17). To take one's life instantly is no greater sin in the sight of heaven than to destroy it gradually, but surely.
Harmful substances to abstain from are all stimulants, which are deceptive because their temporary tonic effect only leaves the body weaker. These include the following:

All drugs are poisonous to the body and leave pernicious after-effects.
Tobacco dramatically increases your cancer risk, heart disease, and various lung diseases.
Alcohol is a neurotoxin that poisons your brain and liver, and increases your risk of various preventable cancers.
Substances that contain caffeine: sodas, coffee, tea, and chocolate. Caffeine causes depression, insomnia, anxiety, irritability, and elevated blood pressure. There are more than 1,000 chemicals in a cup of coffee; of these, only 26 have been tested, and half caused cancer in rats. Replace with water and herbal teas.
Avoiding all animal meats (pork, beef‚ cow‚ fish‚ fowl, seafood, etc.). If ever meat eating was safe‚ it definitely is not safe now. The liability to take disease is increased tenfold by meat-eating. Cancers‚ tumors‚ and all inflammatory diseases are largely caused by meat-eating. Replace with green leafy vegetables, beans, peas, nuts and seeds.

Temperance Also Includes Avoiding the Following Harmful Ingredients:

Cheese should never be introduced into the stomach as it is rotten milk that is unfit as food. Cheese contains pus, hormones, antibiotics, harmful bacteria and cancer-causing substances. Replace with nut and seed butters. There are many delicious vegan cheese-substitute recipes, try them.
temperance Sugar is not a food but a poisonous chemical drug that is possibly as harmful as drugs, especially in the quantities consumed today. Dr. David Reuben, author of Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Nutrition says, "White sugar is a pure chemical extracted from plant sources, purer in fact than cocaine, which it resembles in many ways." Sugar is a thief because it drains your body of precious nutrients. Sugar suppresses the body's only defense against disease—the immune system, causes fermentation and clouds the brain. Replace refined sugars with moderate amounts of dried fruits, dates, natural honey‚ or molasses. But remember the free use of any form sugar even natural sweeteners tends to clog the system‚ and is frequently a cause of disease.
Artificial sweeteners are even more harmful. Studies confirm that they cause cancer; increase your appetite and craving for sweets; and inhibit fat metabolism.
All foods containing baking soda or baking powder (even if the aluminum has been removed). Baked goods made with such compounds are poisonous to the entire system and deplete the body of folic acid, thiamine, and vitamin C. After baking powder or soda has released its carbonic gases, compounds of Rochelle salts, tartaric acids, alum, lime, and ammonia are left behind in the baked products. Eat breads raised with yeast or unleavened bread. Yeast-leavened bread which is two or three days old is more healthful than new bread. Whole grain bread dried in the oven is one of the most wholesome articles of diet.
Vinegar (pickles‚ ketchup‚ mayonnaise‚ mustard‚ salad dressing‚ etc.) contains acetic acid which is irritating to the digestive organs, weakens the heart, induces anemia and hemorrhages.
Spices and spicy foods (herbs are fine); irritating peppers (black pepper‚ hot peppers‚ chili sauce, etc.). Unheated cayenne pepper can be used medicinally.
Milk‚ dairy products‚ and eggs. These products cause a myriad of health problems including: allergies, childhood onset diabetes, constipation, ear infections, sinus congestion, skin problems, osteoporosis, asthma, arthritis and joint pains, irritable bowel syndrome, cancer and obesity.
Fried foods, greasy foods and complicated dishes.

It is important to remember that overeating even of the healthiest food is detrimental to health; weakening the body and clouding the mind. Any food in excess becomes a poison. This is a form of intemperance just as surely as is smoking. Overeating has a worse effect upon the system than overworking. Many people of excellent natural ability do not accomplish half of what they might if they had been temperate in all things.
Be aware of "trigger" foods, these are foods that set you off course. Most common trigger foods are sugar/fat combinations (e.g. ice cream, cookies) and fat/salt combinations (e.g. nuts, potato chips). They sometimes include healthy foods. It is important to identify these foods and avoid them altogether.

As our first parents lost Eden through the indulgence of appetite, our only hope of regaining Eden is through the firm denial of appetite and passion.
Periodic cleansing is beneficial for the body. This can vary from skipping a meal a day, fasting on freshly extracted juices, or eating only raw food. There are some who would gain more benefit by abstaining from food for a day or two every week than by any amount of treatment or medical advice. To fast one day a week would be of incalculable benefit to them.

Man has "… no healing medicines." —Jeremiah 30:13
Drugs including the use of over-the-counter medications and prescription drugs should be avoided. Drugs are expensive‚ both in the outlay of means‚ and the effect produced upon the system. Drugs never cure; instead‚ they place in the system seeds which reap a very bitter harvest. Those who make it a practice of taking drugs‚ sin against their intelligence and endanger their whole after-life. Medicine has done more harm to our world‚ killing more than helping people.
Drug therapy is preventable through simple diet and lifestyle changes. Nearly any infection can develop to the point that the use of antibiotics is a wise course of action. This‚ however‚ usually occurs only if the earliest signs of infection are ignored‚ or if the individual's vitality and immunity are so depressed by living in discord with natural law that the body is no longer capable of recovering.
In the April 2008 issue of the Harvard Health Letter, researchers explained how in many cases, the non-pharmacological approach can accomplish as much, or more, than pills.
In more recent years, a growing body of studies are showing that simple lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise are effective remedies for many ills. The following is a short list of examples that have been proven to be managed successfully without the use of medications:

Arthritis
Cholesterol
Cognitive decline
Depression
Diabetes
High blood pressure
Osteoporosis

The decision to use drugs or undergo surgery is better made as the last resort. All processes of disease have their origin long before drugs and surgeries are required. We abuse the body's ability to recover by ignoring and suppressing symptoms. If these symptoms had been addressed from the beginning there would have been no need for drugs, and in most cases, surgery.
God requires us to be temperate in all things. Whatever injures the body lessens the physical energy, weakening the mental and moral powers. Every hurtful indulgence thus makes it more difficult to choose between right and wrong. Unless we practice true temperance‚ we will not‚ we cannot‚ be susceptible to the sanctifying influence of the truth. Erroneous eating and drinking habits result in erroneous thinking and acting. Unless we are free from the bondage of every bad habit‚ we cannot be true‚ obedient servants of Jesus.

Whatever Jesus asks us to renounce, He offers in its stead something better.

6. THE CREATOR'S MENU

fruits and vegetables "And God said‚ Behold‚ I have given you every herb bearing seed‚ which is upon the face of all the earth‚ and every tree‚ in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat." —Genesis 1:29 Awareness is increasing that surrounded‚ as we are‚ with increasing toxicity in our food and environment‚ eating a pure and healthful diet is more important than ever.
God gave our first parents the food He designed that the race should eat. It was contrary to His plan to have the life of any creature taken. There was to be no death in Eden. The fruit of the trees in the garden was the food that the human body required. A benevolent Creator gave them evidences of His goodness and love in providing them with fruits‚ vegetables‚ grains‚ and nuts‚ and in causing to grow out of the ground every variety of trees for usefulness and beauty. It is only after sin that death entered and animals began to eat each other and man began to eat animals.
God gave humanity no permission to eat animal food until after the flood. Everything had been destroyed upon which humans could subsist. The Master permitted Noah to eat of the clean animals which he had taken with him into the ark. But animal food was not the healthiest article of food. Furthermore‚ God had given definite commands that any meat that was to be eaten should be eaten without any fat or blood remaining (Leviticus 3:17). Notably‚ with the introduction of meat into the diet‚ the recorded lifespan of man drastically decreased after the flood. Successive generations after the flood degenerated more rapidly. The average length of life before the flood was 912 years‚ whilst after‚ only 350 years.
healthy diet When God brought the Israelites out of Egypt after 400 years of bondage‚ He gave them a vegan diet (Exodus 16:35). God could have easily provided for them flesh instead of manna‚ but a restriction was placed upon them for their good. It was His purpose to supply them with food better suited to their needs than that to which they had become accustomed to in Egypt. The perverted appetite was to be educated into a healthier state‚ that they might enjoy the food originally provided for humanity—the fruits of the earth. It was for this reason that the Israelites were deprived‚ in a great measure‚ of animal food.
The animal flesh and dairy products eaten today are very different than those eaten originally. The animals are no longer raised in their natural environment or given the food nature designed for them to eat. Moreover, the world has never been this polluted and toxins are bio-accumulating in the animals. Today animals and their by-products no longer remain safe to eat.
Sometimes people stop eating meat but continue eating fish thinking that it is healthier. Sadly they are unaware that many times fish have higher levels of pesticides than meat. And that by eating nearly any fish you expose your body to high levels of mercury that can damage your brain, kidney and lungs. In fact the Food and Drug Administration advises pregnant women to avoid eating certain types of fish because the concentrations of mercury are just too high to be considered safe.

"The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison." —Ann Wigmore
The largest and most comprehensive epidemiological study of nutrition ever conducted was The China Study by Dr. Colin Campbell. The New York Times termed it "the Grand Prix of epidemiology" and some in the medical establishment said another study like this could never be done. This mammoth epidemiological study confirmed that a plant-based diet is the best diet for promoting optimum long-term health.
When we look to the Word of God, the study of our Creator's plan for Adam and Eve provides insight to the lifestyle we were meant to live and the diet that we were created to eat. God placed Adam and Eve in a garden and gave them a vegan diet (Genesis 1:29; 2:Cool. The further we divert from this diet and lifestyle the worse will be the repercussions.
"The three major killers in modern society—Coronary Heart Disease‚ Cancer and Strokes—can all be linked to what people eat and drink." Dr B. Hetzel‚ Chief of the CSIRO Division of Human Nutrition and Foundation‚ Professor of Social and Preventive Medicine‚ Monash University.
According to National Academy of Science‚ sixty percent of all cancers in women and forty percent in men are due to dietary and nutritional factors.

So What Should I Eat?
Eat plenty of vegetables and fruits; whole-grains; nuts and seeds; legumes‚ beans‚ and peas in as fresh a state as possible. Cultivate the habit of including plenty of dark green leafy vegetables which are an excellent source of minerals and, whenever possible include sea vegetables which are an excellent source of trace minerals. The body is like the soil if it is well mineralized it is less likely to suffer invasion. Avoid genetically modified foods.
Eating locally and according to the season is ideal. The finest source of nourishment for your body is eating fresh organic produce harvested straight from the garden. Commercial farming depletes the soil and is often not fresh by the time we eat it. Growing a garden is the best investment you can make for you and your loved ones' health. You can do this on the smallest plot of land, you can even grow a few things indoor.
Read ingredients on any package you purchase‚ choose the foods that are the least processed with the fewest additives. The ingredient-list should always be short.
Avoid foods that contain:

Artificial colors‚ flavors and preservatives.
Refined sugars.
Hydrogenated oils, trans fats, and all heated oils (this includes most commercial vegetable oils). Even commercial vegetable oils are harmful for your health because they generate destructive free radicals that cause havoc in the body and take the place of more nutritious foods. Even oils that do not have trans fats often have an unhealthy ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 essential fats. The only safe oils to use are cold-pressed extra virgin oils that generally need to be refrigerated after opening. It is best to get your fats from the foods in their natural state: raw nuts and seeds‚ nut and seed butters‚ olives‚ avocados‚ corn, etc.
Refined grains (white flour, white rice, pasta).

Cook in stainless steel, glass or ceramic. Avoid using the microwave or aluminum cookware.

"Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin." —James 4:17



MEAL SUGGESTIONS
natural remedies - fruit Breakfast can include: Cooked whole-grains (brown rice‚ whole-rolled oats‚ whole-wheat bread‚ buckwheat‚ barley‚ millet‚ quinoa, rye‚ sorghum‚ amaranth‚ cornmeal‚ etc); one or two kinds of fruit; raw nuts (almonds‚ Brazil nuts‚ walnuts‚ pecans‚ pistachios‚ macadamia‚ cashew‚ chestnuts‚ hazel nuts‚ peanuts‚ etc); and/or raw seeds (sunflower‚ pumpkin‚ sesame‚ hemp, chia and ground flax seeds, etc.).
salad Lunch can include: A whole-food starch (potatoes, sweet potatoes, brown rice, millet, yams, cassava, corn, squash, whole-grain pasta, whole-grain bread, etc). Make sure to prepare a hefty serving of dark green leafy vegetables, and other lightly steamed vegetables (whatever is in season). There are also a wide variety of beans and legumes you can include.
natural remedies Make a large salad—this should fill at least half of your plate and should be the largest dish on the table. The salad can include shredded cabbage‚ lettuce‚ celery‚ grated carrots‚ cucumbers, radish‚ green peppers‚ tomatoes‚ onions, etc. Lemon juice‚ avocado, nut or seed butters‚ olive oil, and/or herbs of preference can constitute the salad dressing. The more colorful the vegetables‚ the better: the color comes from chemicals called antioxidants which are powerful free-radical scavengers.
Eat the easiest to digest foods first (e.g. salads), ending with the denser foods, because the first thing that is eaten is the first thing that gets digested.
If a third meal is still desired‚ it should be the lightest meal of the day and can consist of a freshly extracted vegetable juice, green fruit smoothie or some fruit with whole-grain toast.
When the brain is constantly taxed‚ and there is lack of physical exercise‚ even plain food should be eaten sparingly. A fruit diet for a few days often brings great relief to brain workers.

But Where Will I Get My Protein From?
It is generally agreed that adults need one gram of protein per kilogram of body weight. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition says we need two and a half percent of our daily calories from protein. This is virtually impossible to miss on a vegan diet if you are eating a balanced diet with enough calories. "Let me emphasize, it is difficult to design a reasonable experimental diet that provides an active adult with adequate calories that is deficient in protein." Dr. John Scharffenberg.
The China Study, referred to earlier, confirmed that plant protein intake was closely linked to greater height and body weight just as animal protein intake.
Furthermore, contrary to popular dogma, there are several vegetarian sources of complete sources of protein, such as, chickpeas, white beans, potatoes, buckwheat, amaranth, quinoa, raw spinach, hemp seeds, and some of the seaweeds and herbs. In addition, protein in the raw form is utilized twice as effectively as when cooked.

Where Will I Get My Calcium From?
From the same source cows gets their calcium from—plants. These include dark green leafy vegetables, broccoli, beans, figs, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and almonds. Interesting when you eat a plant-based diet your body requires less calcium than on an animal-based diet. Think of where the elephant or hippo get their calcium needs to build their big bones.
To make a delightful milk substitute you can blend one part soaked nuts (almonds or cashews) or seeds (sesame seeds) to four parts water. You can sweeten it by adding a few dates or some fruit while blending.

Is It Safe For Children to Grow On A Whole-Foods Plant-Based Diet?
It is not only safe but also abundantly healthful. Some basic knowledge of vegetarian nutrition is required to ensure that children receive the proper balance of nutrients. In their book, The Vegetarian Way, Virginia Messina, MPH, RD and Mark Messina, PhD state that it is not difficult to meet the nutritional needs of vegetarian children as long as they consume adequate calories and a variety of foods.
Also try to feed your children at home as much as possible, there is a world of difference between something manufactured commercially and something homemade with love. Children who sit down and eat with their families generally will eat more variety and more nutrient dense foods.

HOW CAN I CHANGE MY EATING HABITS?
eating healthy Some people, because they have not yet experienced the endless variety of vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts, seeds and pulse available, may recoil at the idea of limiting their diet to only plant-based foods. What could be easier; changing what you put in your mouth or living a life plagued with fatigue, pain, and a debilitating (even life threatening) illness? With this perspective, any gustatory discipline is worthwhile.
Those who have been eating freely of meat‚ sweets, highly seasoned foods, and other processed and refined foods, cannot immediately relish a plain‚ wholesome‚ and nutritious diet. Their taste is so perverted that they have no appetite for a whole-foods plant-based diet.
Food should be chosen that will best supply the elements needed for building up the body. In this choice the appetite and customs of society is not a safe guide.
It may take time for you to relish simple wholesome food but perseverance in a self-denying course of eating and drinking will soon result in you eating it with keener relish than the epicure enjoys his rich dainties. This paradox remains that the simpler and more natural your diet is, the more pleasurable your eating experience will be. If you desire to change your diet but can't you may find fasting most helpful in reformatting your taste buds, giving your stomach its needed rest and experiencing real hunger that can be satisfied with a wholesome diet.
In all cases‚ educate the conscience‚ enlist the will‚ supply good‚ wholesome food‚ and the change will be readily made‚ and the demand for flesh will soon cease.

"The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet."
—Proverbs 27:7

Put on the brakes‚ hold your appetite under strict charge‚ and then leave yourself in the hands of God. Remember not to bring temptation in the home. Whenever possible, keep all animal products and junk foods out of the house. "Make not provision for the flesh‚ to fulfil the lusts thereof" (Romans 13:14). Temporarily at least‚ if not permanently‚ minimize association with friends and family who encourage unhealthy eating. "He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed" (Proverbs 13:20). If you know that a social event will tempt you, do not consider going until the changes you are making in your diet and lifestyle have become a well-established habit. Many foods can be as strong an addiction as drugs. The walls of self-control and self-restriction should not in a single instance be weakened and broken down.
Keep meals simple. Enlist your family's cooperation. To start with, many favorite dishes can be fruit changed to become health-giving dishes, and these can be eaten often. Dishes should be prepared that will invite the appetite‚ and will be pleasing to the sight. If your family is not vegan‚ do not cook two meals; serve meat or dairy products on the side as add-ons. Let your children participate in every phase of food preparation from gardening or grocery shopping, to actual cutting of vegetables or mixing of dough, to cooking and baking, giving them age-appropriate tasks. Commend and encourage them for preparing the food and they will be more inclined to eat it. Also, while in the kitchen explain the benefits for why the family's diet is changing.

If you fail to plan‚ you plan to fail!
… Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof" (Matthew 6:34). Refrain from dramatic thoughts of doing this for good, think just for today, after a while you will be amazed at how many days you have finished just "one day at a time."
Plan your meals and shopping list for three to four days or even a week ahead. This little extra planning saves time and energy. Cook for several days. Double recipes and freeze half the quantity (beans‚ soups‚ patties‚ and tomato sauces do excellent this way.) Do as much as the preparing beforehand so that when you need to cook at other times it is just assembling. Always make food easily available; leave pre-cut fruit and vegetables ready to eat in the fridge. Let fruit be placed on the kitchen counter in abundance. Keep your kitchen well-stocked with healthy, delicious food options.
healthy diet When you change from a stimulating diet of meat eating to plant-based diet, you may experience a sense of weakness and a lack of vitality. Lower-quality food and drinks containing‚ meat‚ caffeine‚ sugar‚ spices‚ and excess salt‚ tend to be more stimulating than higher-quality foods. Consequently‚ the withdrawal of these stimulating foods produces a slower resting phase for the heart which registers in the mind as a decrease in energy. Just make sure to drink plenty of water, get enough rest and discard all empty calories (i.e. foods/drinks that contain refined sugar, commercial oil, white flour, white rice) and include plenty of nutrient-dense foods like green leafy vegetables; vegetables and fruits; raw nuts and seeds. And sooner than later you will be feeling better than you ever felt before.
Finally, if you believe you are just too busy to have a good breakfast or prepare healthy meals, commit to implementing this simple change just a few minutes every day. Put two parts fresh fruit and one part green leafy vegetables in your blender and blend to make a smoothie. This green smoothie is an excellent way to sneak in the most nutritious green leafy vegetables especially for those who do not like chewing salads. Spinach is a good choice to start with because it is bland tasting, but experiment with other leafy greens as well. If you feel your body digests this smoothie too quickly, add some avocado or few soaked nuts or seeds before blending. Drink it within 20 minutes to gain the most benefit. This green smoothie is excellent for overcoming fatigue, building immunity so you are less likely to get sick, eliminating food cravings, losing weight, and pleasing the finickiest eater.

THE ART OF EATING

To eat is a necessity‚ but to eat intelligently is an art. If not more important‚ just as important as what we eat‚ is how and when we eat. The following are the basic principles for healthy eating:

Chew More
healthy eating habits It has been said that you must chew your drink and drink your food. The benefit derived from food does not depend so much on the quantity eaten‚ as on its thorough digestion. Moreover, the gratification of taste does not depend on the amount of food swallowed‚ as on the length of time it remains in the mouth. Digestion starts in the mouth; thorough chewing allows digestive enzymes in saliva to thoroughly mix with food‚ an essential first step for optimal digestion.
Those who wish to avoid indigestion or bloating‚ and those who realize their obligation to keep all their powers in a condition which will enable them to render the best service to God‚ will do well to remember that if time to eat is limited‚ not to bolt down food‚ rather eat less‚ and chew slowly. When excited‚ anxious‚ or in a hurry‚ it is better not to eat until we get rest or relief‚ because the vital powers‚ already severely taxed‚ cannot supply the necessary digestive fluids.
Chewing gum is unhealthful as it overworks the salivary glands and confuses the digestive system.

Bigger Breakfast
family meal time. It is the custom of society to take a small breakfast. But this is not the best way to treat the stomach. At breakfast time the stomach is in a better condition to take care of more food than at the second or third meal of the day. The habit of eating a sparing breakfast and a large dinner is wrong. Make your breakfast correspond more nearly to the heartiest meal of the day.

Eat at Regular Times

"To every thing there is a season‚ and a time to every purpose under the heaven." —Ecclesiastes 3:1
Having your meals the same time everyday regulates and controls the internal signals of satiety‚ appetite and hunger. You injure your health greatly by overeating and by eating at improper times. This diminishes the blood to the brain. The mind becomes confused‚ and you have not the proper control of yourself—"Feed me with food convenient for me: lest I be full‚ and deny Thee" (Proverbs 30:8b‚ 9a).
In one research‚ test subjects were given regular meals for two weeks and then irregular meals for two weeks. Below are some of the advantages found when they ate at regular mealtimes versus irregular mealtimes:

family meal time
A lower energy intake for the day.
More calories burned following their meal (thermogenesis).
Lower total and LDL cholesterol levels.
Lower peak insulin levels and lower overall insulin response.

All of these benefits can effortlessly help maintain a healthy weight‚ improve cholesterol levels‚ and improve insulin levels‚ which will have a positive impact on your overall health.

If we would form habits of regularity and order‚ we would improve in health‚ in mental attitude‚ in memory‚ and in disposition. It is our duty to observe strict rules in all our habits of life. This is for our own good‚ both physically and morally.
clock Five to Six Hours Between Meals
A second meal should never be eaten until the stomach has had time to recover from the labor of digesting the preceding meal. At least five or six hours should intervene between the meals; and most persons who give the plan a trial‚ will find that two meals a day are better than three.



Two Meals

"And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning‚ and bread and flesh in the evening."
——1 Kings 17:6
natural remedies - healthy diet The practice of eating but two meals a day is generally found to be a benefit to health. Those who are changing from three meals a day to two‚ will at first be troubled more or less with faintness‚ especially about the time they have been in the habit of eating their third meal. But if they persevere for a short time‚ this faintness will disappear. Yet under some circumstances‚ some persons may require a third meal. If taken, this should be very light‚ and of food most easily digested.

Eat Only At Mealtimes

"Blessed art thou‚ O land‚ when thy king is the son of nobles‚ and thy princes eat in due season‚ for strength‚ and not for drunkenness!" —Ecclesiastes 10:17.
Snacking between meals destroys the healthful tone of the digestive organs‚ to the detriment of health and cheerfulness. One who cannot control his eating habits will not be able to control his feelings and temper.
Three meals a day and nothing between meals—not even an apple—should be the utmost limit of indulgence. Those who go further violate nature's laws and will suffer the penalty.

Eat in Daylight

We are not nocturnal animals—at night our entire metabolism slows down and our body temperature drops. When we lie down, the reclining position causes the weight of the internal organs to press against the very large nerve trunks on each side of the spinal column and shuts off the mechanism that keeps the digestive system working.
Before retiring the stomach should have finished all its work of digestion so that it can join the rest of the body in enjoying its needed rest. But if you eat before you sleep‚ the digestive organs have to work through the night and sleep is often disturbed with unpleasant dreams‚ and in the morning you awake un-refreshed.
milk and cookies Many indulge in the pernicious habit of eating just before retiring. They may have taken their regular meals‚ yet because they feel a sense of faintness‚ they think they need supper. By indulging in this wrong practice‚ it becomes a habit‚ and they feel as though they could not sleep without food. In many cases this faintness comes because the digestive organs have been severely taxed through the day in disposing of the quantities of food forced upon them. These organs need a period of entire rest from labor‚ to recover their exhausted energies.
When it is a habit to eat before sleeping‚ the digestive organs lose their natural vigor‚ and the person finds himself a miserable dyspeptic. And not only does the transgression of nature's laws affect the transgressing one unfavorably‚ but others suffer more or less with him. Let anyone take a course that irritates him in any way‚ and see how quickly he manifests impatience!
If you feel that you must eat at night‚ take a drink of cold water or freshly extracted vegetable juice instead‚ and in the morning you will feel much better for not having eaten.

Vary Your Diet But Keep It Simple

"When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee. And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite. Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat." —Proverbs 23:1-3
child eating an apple There should not be many kinds of food at any one meal‚ but all meals should not be composed of the same kinds of food without variation. Food should be prepared with simplicity‚ yet with an attractiveness which will invite the appetite. The simpler our diet and the closer we eat food as it is found in nature‚ the better our digestion, assimilation and health will be. Every food requires a different digestive enzyme combination and mixing too many at one time causes a disturbance in the stomach and renders the digestion less efficient.

It is the variety and mixture of meat‚ vegetables‚ fruit‚ wines‚ tea‚ coffee‚ sweet cakes‚ and rich pies healthy diet that ruin the stomach‚ and place human beings in a position where they become invalids. Dumb animals would never eat such a mixture as is often placed in the human stomach.
Do not have too great a variety at a meal; three or four dishes are a plenty. If your work is sedentary‚ take exercise every day‚ and at each meal eat only two or three kinds of simple food‚ taking no more of these than will satisfy the demands of hunger. It may be fashionable to have half a dozen courses or dishes at a meal‚ but the custom is ruinous to health. It is a fashion that sensible men and women should condemn‚ both by precept and example.

Practice Good Food Combining

health food We should not think that it is of but little consequence what we eat as long as it is vegetarian. The preparation of combining food to make it wholesome and delicious is a science that is to be received as wisdom from God. All those who prepare food need to learn how to learn the science of good food combining or else the body may many times be unknowingly robbed of nutrition.

vegetarian meal • Have Fruit at Separate Meals from Vegetables
Fruit and vegetables taken at one meal produce acidity of the stomach; then impurity of the blood results and the mind is not clear because the digestion is imperfect. If the digestion is feeble‚ the use of both together will often cause distress and inability to put forth mental effort. It is better to have the fruit at one meal‚ and the vegetables at another.

•Have Fruit at the Beginning of a Meal
fruit Fruit is especially recommended as a health-giving agency‚ but it should not be eaten after a full meal of other foods. Fruit digests quickly‚ and when eaten after a full meal it causes fermentation in the stomach.


health food •Eat More Live Food
To preserve health and increase strength, avoid cooking a lot as this has filled the world with chronic invalids. Food should be so simple that its preparation will not absorb the time. The food which Yahuwah gave Adam in his sinless state is what is best for us as we seek to regain that sinless state.
Many nutrients are destroyed by cooking‚ that's why a diet rich in a variety of fresh raw vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds and sprouts is best.

Drink Between Meals

water Stop drinking about half an hour before a meal and wait about one hour after a meal. When food eaten is washed down by liquid, the saliva, gastric and intestinal juices are diluted thus digestion is weakened.
To improve digestion by thickening the lining of the stomach‚ it is recommended to drink one to two glasses of tepid water half an hour before each meal.

food •Avoid Salty Foods
Free use of salt imposes a great burden on the kidneys, increases risk of cancer, hardens the arteries, and impedes circulation.


Not Hot; Not Cold

ice-cream Cold paralyzes the stomach. If food is cold‚ vitality must be drawn from the system to warm the food before digestion can take place. The colder the water‚ the greater the injury caused to the stomach. Cold liquids taken with meals will arrest digestion until the system has imparted sufficient warmth to the stomach to enable it to take up its work again.

soup Heat debilitates the stomach and creates acidity. The stomach is greatly injured by a large quantity of hot food and hot drink. Thus the throat and digestive organs‚ and through them the other organs of the body‚ are enfeebled. The practice of eating food as hot as it can be swallowed‚ and especially of taking hot drinks with or after meals is an active cause of constipation.



Enjoy Your Food

"O taste and see that Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him." —Psalm 34:8
children eating watermelon It is important that you relish what you eat. If you eat mechanically‚ your body will fail to receive proper nourishment. family meal time For food to be well digested, enzymes and digestive juices must be secreted in the right amount‚ at the right time. If you are not hungry‚ or are not enjoying the food‚ the digestive juices will not flow properly‚ thus the food will be poorly digested. Assimilation is enhanced when we enjoy the meal. "Better is a dinner of herbs where love is‚ than a stalled ox and hatred therewith" (Proverbs 15:17).


Ask God's Blessings‚ Then Eat with a Grateful Heart

At mealtimes cast off care and anxious thought, eat slowly and with a cheerful heart filled with gratitude to God for all His blessings. The most desirable foods in the world may rot in the stomach of one who is mentally perturbed. The body-mind relationship cannot be separated. Depressing emotions interfere with your body's ability to assimilate nutrition.
mealtime prayer.Neuro-physiologists have found that people who eat with a grateful heart experience more efficient and complete digestion than those who are distracted when they eat. Being thankful for the food increases gastro-intestinal mobility‚ digestive enzymes and acid production. Eating with a grateful heart does not only entail saying grace before the meal and then eating while watching TV‚ reading a magazine‚ or having an intense discussion with a companion. It means being grateful for your food one bite at a time.
Furthermore, your thoughts and feelings about what you eat are just as important as the food itself. If you are constantly worrying that the food you are eating will hurt you, then it most surely will, even if it is simple and healthful. Having asked God to bless the food, believe that He has heard your prayer, and be at rest.

Please Read Part 3 tomorrow. Thank you and good health!