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HEALTHY LIVING

by ralph jackson
6/04/2017 / Health

Although I am in no way a qualified Health Practitioner, I believe that God, through the Holy Spirit has given me an insight, to study and have a better understanding of His health laws than I did several years ago. I also believe that he directed my daughter Danielle into the field of health and fitness to help my wife and myself look at our ‘holistic health’ and pass on what we have learned.

Messengers

We are just messengers. Ironically before my daughter was born, I was studying the books of ‘Daniel’ and final book of the Bible – ‘The Revelation’. As some of you may know from your bible studies, Daniel, after he and his contemporaries, where taken prisoner by Nebuchadnezzar to Babylon, was concerned about the food presented to him from the King’s table. In Daniel Chapter 1.8. He requested the chief of the King’s eunuchs to give him 10 days to prove that he would still be healthy without eating the King’s food. Here was a man who knew God’s health laws. He and his companions ate vegetables and pulses (edible seeds such as lentils and chickpeas) and drank only water. As a consequence of their vegetarian diet, they were seen to be healthier in their appearance than those who had eaten at the King’s table.

Food for Health

So, food plays a great part in how healthy we are! That old saying: “We are what we eat” is quite true.

In Genesis 3.1-6, Adam and Eve were tempted by the devil in the Garden of Eden. God had given them every fruit in the garden so there was plenty of good food to eat, however, a restriction was placed on one particular tree - the tree of the ‘Knowledge of Good and Evil’. I don’t believe there were any magical properties in the fruit of this tree. It was just an ordinary tree, no different from the other trees in the garden. Its fruit may have looked different to the eye, so Eve would have been curious as to why God told them not to eat from it? God was specific, so Adam and Eve were left in no doubt that they could not eat from this tree or they would die. I’m sure God would have explained to them what death was and that is probably why, after they had eaten of the forbidden fruit, they were terrified. They believed God would carry out His word and put them to death. Their trust in God’s benevolence was soon forgotten. They had walked and talked with Him under the warmth of the Sun in the garden, and now the one they called Father had become, because of their guilt, an enemy to be feared. Had Eve not left her husband’s side and wandered towards the forbidden tree, Satan could not have worked his charm on her.

A Good Ventriloquist

Satan is a good ventriloquist, he therefore made it seem that the serpent in the tree was able to speak. Eve became spellbound. She knew animals had no voice for speaking yet here was a tree serpent speaking to her. Totally enraptured with the smooth voice of the devil through the serpent, her mind forgot God’s warning. Her temptation, had it not been followed through, would have resulted in a defeat for Satan, but Eve was a child in a new world and was gullible enough to believe a lie. God had wanted to spare his children from the knowledge of evil and its consequences but Satan’s plan was to trick God’s newly created children to distrust their creator. Having been unsuccessful in persuading the whole host of angels in heaven to follow him in his rebellion against God, he now turned his attention to the children of God. The battle for the hearts and minds of human’s had now begun on Earth.

Lust

When Eve ate the fruit, she felt an overwhelming pleasure go through her body. Something she had never felt before. Shortly after eating, Adam came upon her. His love for her was as his own body. He knew what she had done was against God’s will but committed himself to dying with his wife. After eating the fruit, Adam’s body experienced the same overwhelming pleasure felt by Eve. The heavenly light that shone around them and hid their naked flesh, faded. They looked upon each other’s bodies with a new sensation - lust. When God called them, they hid from Him in the bushes.

You can continue with this story in Genesis 3:8.

Gluttony

Food that is desirous to the eye may not be good for us, both physically and spiritually. One of the deadly sins is gluttony. The dictionary definition of this is ‘eating and drinking to excess’. It can also mean 'greed'. When our eyes feast upon delightful things we desire to have, either to possess or consume, we can become spiritually dead. Our mind can completely lose its focus as we dive into the feast and fill our appetites.

In 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Paul tells us that our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit and we are to honour God with our bodies. Can the Holy Spirit dwell in the body of a glutton or should I say can the Holy Spirit fill the mind of a glutton; whose greatest desire is for the earthly pleasure of appetite?

Fasting

In times past holy men of God fasted (Ezra 8:21; Nehemiah 1:4; Psalm 35:13, are just a few verses). Jesus fasted in the desert: Matthew 4:2 and referred to the common practice of fasting by the Pharisees in Matthew 6.18 and 9.14, Mark 2:18; Luke 2:37. The disciples also fasted – Acts 13:2; 14:23.

There is a good health and spiritual reason for fasting. When we eat, our spiritual senses take a back seat, especially if we eat without giving thanks to God. Denying ourselves food for a short period is not only good for the stomach, which needs to rest from the constant intrusion and digestion of food, it is good for the spirit, our mind. Food can clog the senses and our prayers can become rushed and meaningless. Taking time to fast and drink clean water will help us focus and give us the right frame of mind that will allow the Holy Spirit to communicate with us. Jesus, when tempted by the devil said:

“Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God”. Matthew 4:4.

Food was used by the devil to tempt a hungry Christ and be assured that the devil never throws away any temptation that can be effective. He failed with Christ but will he succeed with you and me?

An Ideal Diet

God’s ideal diet for us was fruit, herbs, seeds and vegetables, however because the flood destroyed the crops and trees, God allowed man to eat clean animals.

In Genesis 7:2 Noah was told to take 7 pairs of clean animals, birds and insects and 2 pairs of unclean animals, birds and insects. During the year on the water, humans and animals had to be fed, so some of the clean animals could be eaten to sustain them on the water. None of the unclean animals would have been consumed.

Human Life Span before the Flood

Many today do not believe the biblical references to the age of humans before, and sometime after the worldwide flood. In fact, many don’t believe there was a worldwide flood! However, as believers in biblical truth, there was a flood and the life span of Adam was 930 years. Later Methuselah became the oldest recorded human at 969 years of age before he died. You can read the lifespan of Adams family in Gen 5:1-31.

Noah lived 950 years before he died but his decedents started to die much earlier. This was no doubt in some way attributed to their meat diet. Shem lived just 500 years and when you read the age of Shem’s decedents in Gen 11:10-32, you can see that the age span, with the son of Serug, whose name was Nahor, was just 119 years before he died - much younger than all the descendants of Shem. We of course are lucky if we reach 100 but it is more than likely that most of us will die between 60 and 80. Why, because our lifestyle has changed and so has the atmosphere we live in and what we eat has changed.

Poor Quality Food

The food and drink that we consume today is not wholesome, therefore it cannot sustain us beyond our short lifespan. Even if we live to be 100 or slightly over, the quality of our lives and health will be poor. More than likely we will be in a wheelchair and a care home.

In Genesis 25:29 – we read that Esau was tired. He had done a hard day’s work so he was hungry. His desire for food took away his reason and logic. Without thinking it through he sold his birth right to Jacob for a bowl of lentil stew and a drink.

Animals God Forbids Humans to Eat

When you have a moment, look through the book of Leviticus to see what foods God permits and does not permit? These prohibitions were not just for the Jews. They were for all His chosen people, and we as Christian’s have become part of Spiritual Israel. God doesn’t forbid the eating of meats but he specifically says which are clean and unclean - that is can and can’t be eaten. He would prefer us not to eat meat, especially today because of the way in which animals are slaughtered and how the meat is prepared for the table.

The Slaughter of Animals

It is not for me to tell anyone what they should eat, but just think about who you are and where you want to go? As the Christian song says: ‘This world is not our home. We are just passing through’. The animals were given for our pleasure – not our stomach’s pleasure. They are a gift to us from God and we are stewards of them, to take care of them.

Sadly, it is because animal flesh brings in billions of pounds in profit for the meat industry, therefore they butcher millions of cows, pigs and sheep for human consumption every year.

Whilst working in Germany recently, we lived near an Abattoir. The cattle trucks kept coming every 15 minutes. Around 30,000 pigs and cows were slaughtered every few days. It was around the clock slaughter. I used to call the cattle trucks ‘Animal Auschwitz’ trucks. Most of these animals end up as processed meat in our supermarkets, wrapped in cellophane; injected with antibiotics and preservatives to keep fresh on the shelf for as long as possible. When you buy meat from the supermarket freezer it could be several weeks old. Because of this, the plastic that surrounds the meat can leech into the meat and add toxins to the meat. As most people don’t eat well-cooked meat – many like it medium rare. Consequently, all the toxins are not killed and are eaten with the meat.

If you must have your shoulder of lamb, (and I might add here that lambs are killed at around 9 months to go on your plate. Older sheep become mutton). Then buy your meat direct from the butchers who have sourced it from a local farm. It will be much fresher and less harmful to your health. Better still don’t eat any flesh. You won’t get any when you arrive in God’s kingdom, so why not do without now?

Blood in Meat

I might also point out that by eating meat, which is not Cosha, (drained of blood), then you are eating the blood that is left in the meat. God strictly forbids the eating of fat and blood for His chosen people. (Leviticus 7:22; Deuteronomy 12:23).

Cancers

When I was young, cancer was a foreign word. Today we hear there is almost 1 in every 2 people being diagnosed with some form of cancer. Why is this devastating disease – and there are many forms of it, so prevalent today?

Although some diseases are airborne, most come from the food we put in our stomachs. Cancer is so prevalent because of our lifestyles and as I referred to earlier, we consume too much processed foods and toxic drinks. All processed food today has added salts and sugars and many colourings and preservatives for longer shelf life. Most processed foods are cooked in oil. These cooking oils go through an insane amount of processing with chemical solvents, steamers, neutralizers, de-waxers, bleach and deodorizers before they end up in the bottles or plastic cartons, we buy it in. What the manufactures don’t tell you is that the solvent used to extract the oil is ‘Neurotoxin Hexane’. Hexane is a cheap by-product of the petrol industry, which is a toxic air pollutant and occupational hazard to those processing it. Some of the Hexane residue can remain in the cooking oil and there is no requirement for manufactures to test for any residue. Because toxology research on Hexane is confined to industrial use and inhalation. Therefore no one really knows how dangerous it is to consume.

Although it is impossible to avoid oils in processed foods – I would recommend:

No deep fat frying because oil becomes toxic at high temperatures.
Don’t buy oils in plastic containers. If you leave the oil under the bench it will eventually absorb toxins from the plastic container.

Types of Cooking Oil

Until fairly recently, ‘Sunflower oil’ was the main oil used in processed foods. However, because of cost, alternative, cheaper oils were sourced. Therefore, if you do check the contents of the tins and other supermarket foods you buy, then you will notice that ‘Rapeseed oil’ and ‘Palm oil’ have all but replaced Sunflower oil. The more we consume these oils, the more likely we will suffer ill health. I am reliably informed that the best oils are:

Coconut oil
Extra virgin olive oil
Extra virgin sesame oil
Hemp oil
Red palm oil (not the palm oil from the kernel, which is used in

processed food).

Processing and Added Preservatives in Food.

Processed food is altered food. It is not healthy and in particular the added preservatives, which are deemed ‘safe’ by the Food Standards Agency, are not for the consumers benefit. They are put in our food to make it taste better, to sweeten it, to give it a longer shelf-life, (which brings in more profit from less waste), and in some cases to make us addicted - so we will buy again. Much of the processed food we eat has little or no nutritional value and is, primarily a ‘stomach filler’, which passes out as waste. It is estimated there is 1/3^rd nutrients to 2/3^rd’s waste product in processed food.

God’s Genetic Code in Food

When God made food for us, He gave it a genetic code. When we consumed His food, our digestive system could identify what was eaten and processed it effectively with all goodness going into the blood stream to ensure our bodies were receiving all the fuel needed to be at the peak of health. In simple terms, the genetic code in food is a ‘Key’ and our bodies are the ‘Lock’. When the key is recognised, it opens the lock and all the goodness is extracted and passed into the blood stream. That’s why GMO food is not good for us. They have tampered with the key and our bodies cannot recognise the food. Our stomachs will be filled with food that has been changed by genetically modifying but our bodies will not get all the nutrition required. Without proper nutrition our internal organs will become diseased.

Good and Bad Soldiers

I look at our cells as soldiers that fight for us. When the good soldiers are in control, the body thrives, but when overwhelmed by enemy soldiers, who invade our bodies, the good soldiers are either killed or join the enemy to fight against our immune system. Our good cells, once they turn bad, mutate and stick together. As these ‘clumped’ cells gain more cells, they grow larger and larger, so it is more difficult for the remaining good cells to overcome them. Consequently, as the bad cells keep on growing, they turn cancerous, eating and spreading throughout the organs of the body.

The Medical Profession

Unfortunately, or medical profession can only diagnose disease and treat chemically with pills or they bombard cancer with radioactive treatment, which also destroy the good cells along with the bad. Radiotherapy does not have a great success and most of those with cancer will eventually die, even if their life has been prolonged for a short period. At the time of writing this, a friend, who was diagnosed with bowl cancer a few years ago, was given the all-clear just 6 months previous. The cancer returned with a vengeance and he died on 2 Jun 2017. I cannot stress the importance of diet change to those who are diagnosed with cancer. You must try to remove all dairy products, meats and processed foods from your diet, eating only natural, wholesome foods that have never undergone any processing or come from an animal.

Sadly, the medical profession does not believe in natural remedies to treat cancer. One reason is that natural remedies do not bring in money for the pharmaceutical companies. There are many cures out there, which do not involve invasive or destructive methods to destroy cancer, yet they are dismissed as ineffective, without any tests ever being carried out. I once asked a cancer research fund collector if any tests had been carried out on the toxins in our foods. He didn’t know but suggested I write to their cancer research company. Their reply was that they don’t test foods or additives that have been authorised for consumption by the Food Standards Agency. Is it any wonder that cancer is not decreasing, even with all the millions of pounds people give to research?

Cancer is Man Made

Our eating and drinking habits are the primary cause of cancer. Yes, there can be a hereditary cause, however even this can be prevented if the diet we choose is not the diet our parents or grandparents chose. And it’s not only cancer that is a product of our eating and drinking habits. Most diseases are due to our diet.

Our Gut is our Second Brain

You’ve heard the saying ‘I have a gut feeling’. Well your brain and your stomach are fully interlinked. It is your brain that tells you when you are full, but the information comes from your stomach. Our intestines control the nutrients that go into our blood. Along the intestine wall there are protective cells, which block toxins passing through the wall into the blood supply. These can become over-whelmed when we eat too much. We feel bloated because our stomach is unable to process the large amounts of food that we put into it. It expands and pushes our bellies to the front. As it is breaking down the food and passes it into the gut, the cells are working overtime. The gut tries to keep up but it misses a lot of toxins, which get through the wall with the nutrients and these toxins find their way to other parts of the body through the bloodstream. The gut is naturally permeable to allow the absorption of vital nutrient molecules into the blood stream but these holes can become enlarged by our diet. The cells that line the wall of the intestine are designed to keep toxins from getting into the blood stream. When constantly bombarded with a large amount of toxins in food, particularly those with a sensitive gut who eat gluten, this can cause the gut cells to release a protein called ‘Zonulin’, which damages the lining of the gut. This protein breaks apart the tight junctions in the intestinal lining and so you have a leaky gut. Microbes, toxins and undigested food particles and much more can escape from the intestines and travel throughout the body in the blood.

The Main Cause of a Leaky Gut

Gluten in the main cause of a leaky gut, and gluten is in most, if not all processed food. Other inflammatory foods are dairy products, meats (all preservatives in food), refined sugar and alcohol. Infections that can also cause a leaky gut are Candida overgrowth, Intestinal parasites and small intestine bacterial overgrowth. Doctor’s medication is also a culprit for a leaky gut. Medications such as: Motrin, Advil, Steroid’s, Antibiotics and Acid-reducing drugs. From the environment, we get toxins such as Mercury, (which can also be in some toothpastes), Pesticides and BPA (Bisphenol A – a synthetic sex hormone used in some face creams and is used in the manufacture of plastic bottles). Too much stress and the older we get can play their part but of all the causes – food intake is the main culprit for poor health. Sugar is added in large quantities to most foods, well in excessive of the daily amount we are recommended to consume. It is not only bad for our health - it is addictive. It also expands the waistline. It causes Diabetes 2. It can bring on heart attacks and strokes and much more.

Our liking for processed sugar has increased over the past 50 years because the manufactures use it to make bland food palatable. It is a drug that is more addictive than smoking and for some can be just as deadly. We give it to our children every day in breakfast cereals, cans of pop, chocolate treats, and ice cream. Our children crave it and as a consequence we have given them a ticking time bomb of poor health in old age. (Do not confuse natural fruit sugars with processed sugar – the former is good for you).

Artificial Sweeteners

Marketed in diet drinks as the less fattening alternative to sugar, artificial sweeteners are not healthy. If you drink fizzy pop daily, the Aspartame, Sucrose, Dextrose etc., can become addictive. The claims they aid weight loss are bogus. Some sweeteners, when they reach 80 degrees become toxic and turn to formaldehyde. The stuff they embalm dead bodies with. Diet drinks are also known to increase the appetite with its consequences of weight gain. It has been reported that Coca Cola can bring on a heart attack due to its high caffeine content.

If you’re a regular at McDonalds, be sure to take a look at what goes into their chips, salads and burgers. Check it out for yourself on the web. You will be amazed at the toxins you are putting into your body. (www.care2.com).

Check All Food Labels

How many of you actually check the ingredients on tins or packets when buying from a supermarket? How many actually write down the contents that you do not understand and look it up when you get home? You’re not alone - most people don’t, but if you want to obey God’s health laws, then you are responsible for your own and your children’s health. Just as we are commanded to bring up a child in the knowledge of God, we are also responsible for bringing up that child in the knowledge of what he or she puts into their mouth. If we know something is bad for our children, do we still give it to them because they ask for it? Kids love Jelly Sweets because they are chewy and very sweet but did you know that most jelly sweets contain pork or beef gelatine? There are many vegetarian jelly sweets now on the market, so if you are a vegetarian, check the ingredients before buying.

God gave us a stomach and provided us with many healthy foods. Food is a pleasure to eat but it should not cloud our minds and keep out the Holy Spirit. Good food such as vegetables, fruits, nuts, pulses and clean water are best for us. Combine this with a walk in the fresh air, a little exercise and we will all have good health.

In my own church – the health message is very important. We have a health ministry, which promotes healthy living. Ellen G White, whose books have sold millions was way before her time and from which the health ministry sprung, wrote the following:

“Christ lay before us the danger of making eating and drinking paramount. He reveals the result of giving up to indulgence of appetite. The moral powers are enfeebled so that sin does not appear sinful. Crimes are winked at, and base passions control the mind until general corruption roots out good principles and impulses. All this is the result of eating and drinking to excess. This is the very condition of things, which he declares will exist at his second coming.

Knowledge must be gained in regard to how to eat and drink and dress so as to preserve health. Sickness is caused by violating the laws of health; it is the result of violating natures laws……. if we are sick, we impose a weary tax upon our friends and unfit ourselves for discharging our duties to our families and to our neighbours….and when premature death is the result of our violation of nature’s law, we bring sorrow and suffering to others. (Testimonies for the church 3:164,1).

Eating drinking and dressing all have a direct bearing upon our spiritual advancement. (Youth Instructor May 31^st 1984)

By indulging in a wrong course of action in eating and drinking thousands upon thousands are ruining their health, and not only their health ruined, but their morals are corrupted because disease blood flows through their veins. (Unpublished Testimony August 30^th 1896)

And finally, let me finish with a few of quotes from Hippocrates – the Father of medicine: he says:

Everyone has a doctor in him or her; we just have to help it in its work. The natural healing force within each one of us is the greatest forces in getting well. Our food should be our medicine. Our medicine should be our food. But eat when you are sick is to feed your sickness.

Illness does not come upon us out of the blue. They are developed from small daily sins against nature. When enough sins have accumulated, illnesses will suddenly appear.

If someone wishes for good health, one must first ask oneself if he is ready to do away with the reasons for his illness. Only then is it possible to help him.

Positive health requires a knowledge of man's primary constitution and of the powers of various foods, both those natural to them and those resulting from human skill. But eating alone is not enough for health. There must also be exercise, of which the effects must likewise be known. The combination of these two things makes regimen, when proper attention is given to the season of the year, the changes of the wind, the age of the individual, and the situation of his home. If there is any deficiency in food or exercise, the body will fall sick.

And remember Hippocrates said: All diseases begin in the gut.

Hippocrates lived 450 years before Christ. Why have we lost the knowledge he had about health all those centuries ago?

Governments cannot prevent diseases

Contrary to the propaganda we are being exposed to today, diseases cannot be prevented by government lockdowns. Face masks do not protect from airborne diseases. They may give limited protection from germs but the best way to avoid getting sick is to have a good diet, which in turn boosts the immune system. We also need to be in contact with others to strengthen our immune systems. The more we separate the less protection we have for any new strain of flu or virus. Vaccinations may give limited protection for some diseases, but they can cause harm to the immune system by lowering its protective barrier to pathogens in many people and the side effects may do more harm to the body than it protects.

If you follow what you have just read in this article, then you will keep your immune system healthy, without the need for prescription drugs or vaccinations. The body needs sunshine (Vitamin D), it needs fruits and vegetables (Vitamins and Minerals – Vitamin C included and Zinc). Supplements help, but when it comes from natural foods it is much better for your health.

So remember – “All diseases begin in the gut.”

God has given us knowledge to cure our sickness without the aid of chemical pills or vaccinations, which only mask the symptoms, they do not cure them. The laws of good health are from God. When we disobey them, illness follows!

It is my prayer that everyone reading this finds their way to true health of body and mind.

Ralph Jackson

Acknowledgements to Pastor Stephen Bohr and Professor Walter Veith for the subject matter.

Ralph Jackson

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS

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