Heaven's Healing - 6 - THE PERFECT DIET

[Guest guest]

Good Day Brothers and Sisters,

 

Its Monday, 22nd June 2009

 

 

 

 

Heaven's Healing - 6

 

THE PERFECT DIET

 

 

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. In order to know what the best foods are‚ we must study God's original plan for man's diet. He who created man and who understands his needs appointed Adam his food: vegetables‚ fruits‚ grains‚ and nuts constitute the diet chosen for us by our Creator. "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 "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‚ 60% of all cancers in women‚ and 40% in men are due to dietary and nutritional factors. 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 man's wants required. A benevolent Creator had given 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 animals started to eat animals and man began to eat animals contrary to God's will. God gave man no permission to eat animal food until after the flood. Everything had been destroyed upon which man could subsist. The Lord 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. Notably‚ with the introduction of meat into the diet‚ the recorded life-span of man drastically decreased after the flood. The average length of life before the flood was 912 years‚ whilst after‚ only 350 years. Successive generations after the flood degenerated more rapidly. Furthermore‚ God had given definite commands that any meat that was to be eaten was to be eaten without any fat and without any of the blood (Leviticus 3:17).This is the tastiest part of the meat! When God brought the Israelites out of Egypt after 400 years of bondage‚ He gave them a vegan diet: "And the children of Israel did eat manna forty years‚ until they came to a land inhabited; they did eat manna‚ until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan." Exodus 16:35. Have you ever stopped to think how God could have easily provided them with flesh as with manna‚ but a restriction was placed upon them for their good. It was His purpose to supply them with food better suited to their need than that to which they had become accustomed to in Egypt. The perverted appetite was to be educated into a more healthy state‚ that they might enjoy the food originally provided for man – the fruits of the earth. It was for this reason that the Israelites were deprived‚ in a great measure‚ of animal food. Eat plenty of vegetables (especially dark green leafy vegetables); fruits; whole-grains; nuts and seeds; legumes‚ beans‚ and peas in as fresh a state as possible. Fresh fruits and vegetables are to be preferred.

 

Avoid all foods that have artificial colors‚ flavors and preservatives. Avoid all foods that contain refined sugar. Avoid refined grains: all products that contain white flour; white rice; pasta. Avoid all processed foods and canned foods. Read ingredients in the package you purchase‚ choose the foods that are the least processed with the fewest additives. The ingredient-list should always be short. Eat frozen foods or drinks only occasionally. Cook in stainless steel or glass. Use no aluminum cookware. Cook on the stove or in the oven. Avoid using microwave. Eliminate margarine and all other foods that contain hydrogenated oil. Reduce the oil or fat consumption‚ and avoid cooking with oil as this generates destructive free radicals that cause havoc in the body. Never fry any foods. Avoid using oil in cooking. Best oils are‚ cold-pressed extra-virgin: olive oil‚ coconut oil or flaxseed oil. When not available‚ best eat the fats in the food in their natural state: raw nuts and seeds‚ nut and seed butters‚ olives‚ avocadoes‚ corn.

 

Meal Suggestions:

Vegetable-based meal can include: A whole-food starch (potatoes, sweet potatoes, brown rice, millet, yams, cassava, corn, squash, whole grain pasta etc). Make sure to prepare a hefty serving of dark green leafy vegetables, whatever is in season and other cooked vegetables. Make your salad last but serve it first, and make it big. (The salad can be composed of shredded cabbage‚ leaf lettuce‚ celery‚ grated carrots‚ cucumbers, radish‚ green peppers‚ tomatoes‚ and/or onions). Salad dressing can constitute lemon juice‚ nut or seed butters‚ olive oil and/or herbs of preference.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 first (e.g. salads and soups), ending

with the denser foods, because the first thing that is eaten is the first thing that gets digested. You can also have beans (white beans‚ kidney beans‚ garbanzo beans‚ pinto beans… there are an endless variety of beans to choose from). Meal with fruits can include: Cooked whole grains (brown rice‚ whole-rolled oats‚ whole wheat bread‚ buckwheat‚ barley‚ millet‚ rye‚ sorghum‚ amaranth‚ corn meal‚ 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 (ground flaxseeds‚ sunflower‚ pumpkin‚ sesame seeds‚ etc). Recent research affirming the benefits of the complex carbohydrates, should convince us that the traditional breakfast-based cereals (whole grains cooked) is still ideal like oatmeal, brown rice, corn meal, buckwheat, millet, whole wheat kernels, whole-grain bread etc. 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 has often brought great relief to brain workers. If dinner is still desired‚ it should be the lightest meal of the day and can consist of a fruit smoothie or some fruit with whole-grain toast. How Can I Change My Eating Habits? Some people may recoil at the idea of so great a limitation of the dietary. Put a person who has suffered from chronic disease‚ taking lots of medicine with no long-term benefit‚ suffering pain and sickness‚ will be quite willing to undergo almost any sort of degree of gustatory discipline if assured that the sacrifice will secure the desired result. Persons who have indulged their appetite in the eating of meat‚ highly seasoned foods‚ and sweets‚ cannot immediately relish a plain‚ wholesome‚ and nutritious diet. Their taste is so perverted that they have no appetite for a whole-foods vegan diet. If they cannot at first enjoy plain food‚ they should fast until they can. The fast will prove to them of greater benefit than medicine‚ for the abused stomach will find that rest which it has long needed‚ and real hunger can be satisfied with a plain diet. "The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet." Proverbs 27:7.

It will take time for the taste to recover from the abuses which it has received and to gain its natural tone. But perseverance in a self-denying course of eating and drinking will soon make plain‚ wholesome food palatable‚ and it will soon be eaten with greater relish than the epicure enjoys over his rich dainties. 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. Do not bring temptation in the house. 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 you are going out with certain friends who tempt you to smoke‚ or going to a certain family's home tempts you to eat meat; do not go. Put on the brakes‚ hold your appetite under strict charge‚ and then leave yourself in the hands of God. The walls of self-control and self-restriction should not in a single instance be weakened and broken down. Many favorite dishes can be altered to become healthy. Keep meals simple. Have your favorites often; many people do not mind having their favorite dishes several times a week. If your family is not vegan‚ do not cook two meals; have meat and dairy products on the side‚ e.g. brown rice with vegetables‚ served with meat. Dishes should be prepared that will invite the appetite‚ and will be pleasing to the sight.Enlist your family's cooperation. Let your children participate in every phase of food preparation, from gardening or grocery shopping to actual cutting of vegetables or mixing of dough. Commend and encourage them for making the food. When they have helped prepare them meal they will be more inclined to like the food. Also, whilst in the kitchen actively teach the children about nutrition explaining the reasons for why the family's diet is changing. Before you go to bed‚ choose what you will eat the next day and prepare beforehand as much as you can. If you fail to plan‚ you plan to fail! Plan your meals and shopping list for three to four days or even a week ahead. Cook for several days. Double the recipes and freeze half the quantity (beans‚ soups‚ patties‚ and tomato sauces do excellent this way.) Always make food easily available; leave pre-cut fruit and vegetables ready to eat in the fridge. Let fruit be placed on the table in abundance. Keep your kitchen well stocked with healthy food options. Do not be deceived if in the beginning you have less energy. 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. All We Need to Know About 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. Below are the basic principles to perfect eating habits: Importance of Chewing 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; nor the gratification of taste so much 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. In order to secure healthy digestion‚ food should be eaten slowly. Those who wish to avoid dyspepsia‚ 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 this. If our time to eat is limited‚ we should not bolt down our food‚ rather we should eat less‚ and masticate slowly. Those who are excited‚ anxious‚ or in a hurry‚ would do well not to eat until they have found rest or relief‚ because the vital powers‚ already severely taxed‚ cannot supply the necessary digestive fluids. Chewing gum is also a `no-no' as this over-works the salivary glands since the mouth continues to produce saliva whilst chewing. Eat a Good Breakfast

It is the custom and order of society to take a slight 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. It is the custom and order of society to take a slight 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. Two Meals Better Than Three

"And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning‚ and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook."1 Kings 17:6 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. However‚ this should‚ if taken at all‚ be very light‚ and of food most easily digested. A fresh fruit smoothie or toasted bread with fruit is the food best suited for the evening meal. 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. No Eating Before Sleeping

We are not nocturnal animals; when we sleep our entire metabolism slows 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 gastro-intestinal tract active. Even around 2:00-3:00 a.m.‚ our body temperature drops and our energy falls. When we lie down at night‚ the stomach should have its work all done‚ that it‚ as well as other portions of the body‚ may enjoy rest. But if more food is forced upon it‚ the digestive organs are put in motion again‚ to perform the same round of labor through the sleeping hours. The sleep of such is often disturbed with unpleasant dreams‚ and in the morning they awake un-refreshed. 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 must have supper. By indulging 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 too severely taxed through the day in disposing of the great quantities of food forced upon them. These organs need a period of entire rest from labor‚ to recover their exhausted energies. When eating food before sleeping becomes a habit‚ 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 any one 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‚ and in the morning you will feel much better for not having eaten. 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 2 weeks and then irregular meals for 2 weeks. Below are some of the advantages found when people ate regular meals versus irregular meal times:

 

 

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 us maintain a healthy weight‚ improve cholesterol levels‚ and improve insulin levels‚ which will have a positive impact on our 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. Snacking Between Meals

A king who cannot rule his diet will hardly rule his realm in peace and quiet. "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. Irregularities in eating destroy the healthful tone of the digestive organs‚ to the detriment of health and cheerfulness. 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. "He that keepeth his mouth‚ keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction. " Proverbs 13:3 More Variety in Diet but Less Variety in Each Meal

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 a nicety which will invite the appetite. The simpler our diet‚ the better it will be for us. There is much evidence to the effect that the simpler our diet and the fewer foods we mix at the same meal‚ the better our digestion and assimilation will be‚ and in return the stronger will our health be. Every food requires a different digestive enzyme combination and mixing too many at one time results in less efficient digestion. Most people hold the misconception that a wide variety of foods is necessary for good health. When describing the excellent health and youthful appearance of the Native Americans‚ Benjamin Rush wrote in 1776‚ "…the old proverb may well be verified: Natura paucis contenta—nature is satisfied with little..." All mixed and complicated foods are injurious to the health of human beings. Dumb animals would never eat such a mixture as is often placed in the human stomach. It is the variety and mixture of meat‚ vegetables‚ fruit‚ wines‚ tea‚ coffee‚ sweet cakes‚ and rich pies that ruin the stomach‚ and place human beings in a position where they become invalids with all the disagreeable effects of sickness upon the disposition. Puddings‚ custards‚ sweet cake‚ and vegetables‚ all served at the same meal‚ will cause a disturbance in the stomach. The serving of a great variety of dishes absorbs time‚ money‚ and taxing labor‚ without accomplishing any good. It may be fashionable to have half a dozen courses at a meal‚ but the custom is ruinous to health. It is a fashion that sensible men and women should condemn‚ by both precept and example. The excessive amount of food eaten‚ or the improper combination‚ does its injurious work. In vain do disagreeable premonitions give warning. Suffering is the consequence. Disease takes the place of health. 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. Proper Food Combining Knowledge in regard to proper food combinations is of great worth‚ and is to be received as wisdom from God. There is a way of combining and preparing food that will make it both wholesome and nourishing. Those cooking should understand how to do this. The matter should be treated from a Bible standpoint. There is such a thing as robbing the body of nutrition. The preparation of the food in the best manner possible is to become a science. It is important that the food should be prepared with care‚ that the appetite‚ when not perverted‚ can relish it. Because from principle we discard the use of all animal products and processed foods that destroy health‚ the idea should never be entertained that it is of but little consequence what we eat. Do Not Mix Fruits With Vegetables

It is not well to eat fruit and vegetables at the same meal. 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.

Do Not Have Fruits After Meals

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.

Balance Between Raw and Cooked Food‚ Alkaline and Acid Food

Because nutrients respond differently to cooking‚ a diet rich in a variety of cooked and uncooked produce is the best. To preserve health and increase strength avoid a large amount of cooking that has filled the world with chronic invalids. The food which God gave Adam in his sinless state is the best for man's use as he seeks to regain that sinless state. Food should be so simple that its preparation will not absorb all the time of the mother. The large amount of cooking done is not at all necessary. Neither should there be any poverty-stricken diet either in quality or quantity. Ideally 75% of diet should consist of alkaline food. But if you have any ailments‚ your diet should be at least 90% alkaline base-forming foods. Eating too many acid forming foods brings disease‚ while alkaline foods overcome disease and help prevent it. Most fruits and vegetables are alkaline. Most grains‚ beans‚ nuts and seeds are quite acidic. All animal protein including seafood‚ meat and dairy‚ is very acidic. Cancer and several other diseases only thrive in an acidic environment. Drinking Between Meals

Stop drinking about thirty minutes before a meal and wait about one hour after a meal. Food should not be washed down. The more liquid there is taken into the stomach with the meals‚ the more difficult it is for the food to digest for the liquid must first be absorbed. The less we drink with our meals the better. The dryness of our food furnishes the necessary stimulus to the secretion of saliva and of gastric and intestinal juices. An abundance of liquid in the digestive tract interferes with the action of the secreting glands. It dilutes the secretions and thereby weakens their digestive qualities. To improve digestion by thickening the lining of the stomach‚ it is recommended to drink 1-2 glasses of tepid water half an hour before each meal. Avoid Salty Foods

Do not eat largely of salt; give up spiced pickles; keep fiery food out of the stomach. Have fruit meals‚ and the irritation that calls for so much drink will cease to exist. If anything is needed to quench thirst‚ pure water is all that nature requires. Never take alcohol‚ tea‚ coffee‚ sodas‚ or sugared fruit juices. Not Too Hot; Not Too Cold Food should not be eaten very hot or very cold. If food is cold‚ the vital force of the stomach is drawn upon in order to warm it before digestion can take place. Cold paralyzes the stomach. The vitality must be drawn from the system to warm the food until it becomes of the same temperature as the stomach before the work of digestion can be carried on. The colder the water‚ the greater the injury caused to the stomach. Ice-water or ice-lemonade‚ 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.

Heat debilitates the stomach and creates acidity. Hot drinks are not required‚ except as a medicine. 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. Heat relaxes and paralyzes. Hot food and drinks weaken the digestive tract muscles. 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

Because it is wrong to eat merely to gratify a perverted taste‚ it does not follow that we should be indifferent in regard to our food. It is a matter of the highest importance. There is a class who seem to think that whatever is eaten is lost‚ that anything tossed into the stomach to fill it‚ will do as well as food prepared with intelligence and care. But it is important that we relish the food we eat. If we cannot‚ and have to eat mechanically‚ we fail to receive the proper nourishment. For food to be properly digested‚ each enzyme and digestive juice must be secreted in the right amount‚ at the right time. If we are not hungry‚ have no appetite‚ or if the food does not taste good‚ the digestive juices will not flow properly‚ and the food will be poorly digested. Food prepared and served with love is more nutritious‚ because it is not what we eat‚ but what we assimilate that counts. Assimilation is enhanced if we enjoy the meal. "Better is a dinner of herbs where love is‚ than a stalled ox and hatred therewith." Proverbs 15:17 Ask the Lord's Blessings‚ Then Eat with a Grateful Heart

At mealtime we are to cast off care and anxious thought; and not to feel hurried‚ but eat slowly and with cheerfulness‚ with our 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. These depressing emotions are a great injury to them health-wise‚ for by hindering the process of digestion they interfere with nutrition. Neurophysiologists 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 enzyme 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 our food one mouthful at a time. So what is the summary of perfect table manners?

 

 

Importance of chewing

 

Eat a good breakfast

 

Two meals better than three

 

Five to six hours between meals

 

Avoid eating before sleeping

 

Eat at regular times

 

No snacking between meals

 

More variety in diet but less variety in each meal

 

Proper food combining.

 

 

Do not mix fruits with vegetables Do not have fruits after the meal Balance between raw and cooked food‚ alkaline and acid food

 

Drink between meals Not too hot; not too cold Enjoy your food Ask for the Lord's blessings‚ then eat with a grateful heart

 

 

 

Your comments and feedbacks always welcome .. Rahul, at Cybugle as well as at bruntno1

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[Guest guest]

Nice article, Rahul! One thing that I noticed though about breakfast being the heartiest meal of the day -- I am not sure if Ayurvedists would agree with that. According to Ayurveda, breakfast should be light and the biggest meal of the day should be had around noon. Dinner should be the lightest...--- On Mon, 6/22/09, Rahul D <bruntno1 wrote:

Rahul D <bruntno1[HealthyIndia] Heaven's Healing - 6 - THE PERFECT DIET"Rahul" <bruntno1Monday, June 22, 2009, 5:09 PM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good Day Brothers and Sisters,

 

Its Monday, 22nd June 2009

 

 

 

 

Heaven's Healing - 6

 

THE PERFECT DIET

 

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. In order to know what the best foods are‚ we must study God's original plan for man's diet. He who created man and who understands his needs appointed Adam his food: vegetables‚ fruits‚ grains‚ and nuts constitute the diet chosen for us by our Creator. "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 "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‚ 60% of all cancers in women‚ and 40% in men are due to dietary and nutritional factors. 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 man's wants required. A benevolent Creator had given 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 animals started to eat animals and man began to eat animals contrary to God's will. God gave man no permission to eat animal food until after the flood. Everything had been destroyed upon which man could subsist. The Lord 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. Notably‚ with the introduction of meat into the diet‚ the recorded life-span of man drastically decreased after the flood. The average length of life before the flood was 912 years‚ whilst after‚ only 350 years. Successive generations after the flood degenerated more rapidly. Furthermore‚ God had given definite commands that any meat that was to be eaten was to be eaten without any fat and without any of the blood (Leviticus 3:17).This is the tastiest part of the meat! When God brought the Israelites out of Egypt after 400 years of bondage‚ He gave them a vegan diet: "And the children of Israel did eat manna forty years‚ until they came to a land inhabited; they did eat manna‚ until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan." Exodus 16:35. Have you ever stopped to think how God could have easily provided them with flesh as with manna‚ but a restriction was placed upon them for their good. It was His purpose to supply them with food better suited to their need than that to which they had become accustomed to in Egypt. The perverted appetite was to be educated into a more healthy state‚ that they might enjoy the food originally provided for man – the fruits of the earth. It was for this reason that the Israelites were deprived‚ in a great measure‚ of animal food.. Eat plenty of vegetables (especially dark green leafy vegetables); fruits; whole-grains; nuts and seeds; legumes‚ beans‚ and peas in as fresh a state as possible. Fresh fruits and vegetables are to be preferred.

 

Avoid all foods that have artificial colors‚ flavors and preservatives. Avoid all foods that contain refined sugar. Avoid refined grains: all products that contain white flour; white rice; pasta. Avoid all processed foods and canned foods. Read ingredients in the package you purchase‚ choose the foods that are the least processed with the fewest additives. The ingredient-list should always be short. Eat frozen foods or drinks only occasionally. Cook in stainless steel or glass. Use no aluminum cookware. Cook on the stove or in the oven. Avoid using microwave. Eliminate margarine and all other foods that contain hydrogenated oil. Reduce the oil or fat consumption‚ and avoid cooking with oil as this generates destructive free radicals that cause havoc in the body. Never fry any foods. Avoid using oil in cooking. Best oils are‚ cold-pressed extra-virgin: olive oil‚ coconut oil or flaxseed oil. When not available‚ best eat the fats in the food in their natural state: raw nuts and seeds‚ nut and seed butters‚ olives‚ avocadoes‚ corn.

 

Meal Suggestions:

Vegetable-based meal can include: A whole-food starch (potatoes, sweet potatoes, brown rice, millet, yams, cassava, corn, squash, whole grain pasta etc). Make sure to prepare a hefty serving of dark green leafy vegetables, whatever is in season and other cooked vegetables. Make your salad last but serve it first, and make it big. (The salad can be composed of shredded cabbage‚ leaf lettuce‚ celery‚ grated carrots‚ cucumbers, radish‚ green peppers‚ tomatoes‚ and/or onions). Salad dressing can constitute lemon juice‚ nut or seed butters‚ olive oil and/or herbs of preference.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 first (e.g. salads and soups), ending

with the denser foods, because the first thing that is eaten is the first thing that gets digested. You can also have beans (white beans‚ kidney beans‚ garbanzo beans‚ pinto beans… there are an endless variety of beans to choose from). Meal with fruits can include: Cooked whole grains (brown rice‚ whole-rolled oats‚ whole wheat bread‚ buckwheat‚ barley‚ millet‚ rye‚ sorghum‚ amaranth‚ corn meal‚ 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 (ground flaxseeds‚ sunflower‚ pumpkin‚ sesame seeds‚ etc). Recent research affirming the benefits of the complex carbohydrates, should convince us that the traditional breakfast-based cereals (whole grains cooked) is still ideal like oatmeal, brown rice, corn meal, buckwheat, millet, whole wheat kernels, whole-grain bread etc. 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 has often brought great relief to brain workers. If dinner is still desired‚ it should be the lightest meal of the day and can consist of a fruit smoothie or some fruit with whole-grain toast. How Can I Change My Eating Habits? Some people may recoil at the idea of so great a limitation of the dietary. Put a person who has suffered from chronic disease‚ taking lots of medicine with no long-term benefit‚ suffering pain and sickness‚ will be quite willing to undergo almost any sort of degree of gustatory discipline if assured that the sacrifice will secure the desired result. Persons who have indulged their appetite in the eating of meat‚ highly seasoned foods‚ and sweets‚ cannot immediately relish a plain‚ wholesome‚ and nutritious diet. Their taste is so perverted that they have no appetite for a whole-foods vegan diet. If they cannot at first enjoy plain food‚ they should fast until they can. The fast will prove to them of greater benefit than medicine‚ for the abused stomach will find that rest which it has long needed‚ and real hunger can be satisfied with a plain diet. "The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet." Proverbs 27:7.

It will take time for the taste to recover from the abuses which it has received and to gain its natural tone. But perseverance in a self-denying course of eating and drinking will soon make plain‚ wholesome food palatable‚ and it will soon be eaten with greater relish than the epicure enjoys over his rich dainties. 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. Do not bring temptation in the house. 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 you are going out with certain friends who tempt you to smoke‚ or going to a certain family's home tempts you to eat meat; do not go. Put on the brakes‚ hold your appetite under strict charge‚ and then leave yourself in the hands of God. The walls of self-control and self-restriction should not in a single instance be weakened and broken down. Many favorite dishes can be altered to become healthy. Keep meals simple. Have your favorites often; many people do not mind having their favorite dishes several times a week. If your family is not vegan‚ do not cook two meals; have meat and dairy products on the side‚ e.g. brown rice with vegetables‚ served with meat. Dishes should be prepared that will invite the appetite‚ and will be pleasing to the sight.Enlist your family's cooperation. Let your children participate in every phase of food preparation, from gardening or grocery shopping to actual cutting of vegetables or mixing of dough. Commend and encourage them for making the food. When they have helped prepare them meal they will be more inclined to like the food. Also, whilst in the kitchen actively teach the children about nutrition explaining the reasons for why the family's diet is changing. Before you go to bed‚ choose what you will eat the next day and prepare beforehand as much as you can. If you fail to plan‚ you plan to fail! Plan your meals and shopping list for three to four days or even a week ahead. Cook for several days. Double the recipes and freeze half the quantity (beans‚ soups‚ patties‚ and tomato sauces do excellent this way.) Always make food easily available; leave pre-cut fruit and vegetables ready to eat in the fridge. Let fruit be placed on the table in abundance. Keep your kitchen well stocked with healthy food options. Do not be deceived if in the beginning you have less energy.. 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. All We Need to Know About 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. Below are the basic principles to perfect eating habits: Importance of Chewing 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; nor the gratification of taste so much 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. In order to secure healthy digestion‚ food should be eaten slowly. Those who wish to avoid dyspepsia‚ 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 this. If our time to eat is limited‚ we should not bolt down our food‚ rather we should eat less‚ and masticate slowly. Those who are excited‚ anxious‚ or in a hurry‚ would do well not to eat until they have found rest or relief‚ because the vital powers‚ already severely taxed‚ cannot supply the necessary digestive fluids. Chewing gum is also a `no-no' as this over-works the salivary glands since the mouth continues to produce saliva whilst chewing. Eat a Good Breakfast

It is the custom and order of society to take a slight 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. It is the custom and order of society to take a slight 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. Two Meals Better Than Three

"And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning‚ and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook."1 Kings 17:6 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. However‚ this should‚ if taken at all‚ be very light‚ and of food most easily digested. A fresh fruit smoothie or toasted bread with fruit is the food best suited for the evening meal. 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. No Eating Before Sleeping

We are not nocturnal animals; when we sleep our entire metabolism slows 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 gastro-intestinal tract active. Even around 2:00-3:00 a.m.‚ our body temperature drops and our energy falls. When we lie down at night‚ the stomach should have its work all done‚ that it‚ as well as other portions of the body‚ may enjoy rest. But if more food is forced upon it‚ the digestive organs are put in motion again‚ to perform the same round of labor through the sleeping hours. The sleep of such is often disturbed with unpleasant dreams‚ and in the morning they awake un-refreshed. 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 must have supper. By indulging 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 too severely taxed through the day in disposing of the great quantities of food forced upon them. These organs need a period of entire rest from labor‚ to recover their exhausted energies. When eating food before sleeping becomes a habit‚ 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 any one 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‚ and in the morning you will feel much better for not having eaten. 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 2 weeks and then irregular meals for 2 weeks. Below are some of the advantages found when people ate regular meals versus irregular meal times:

 

 

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 us maintain a healthy weight‚ improve cholesterol levels‚ and improve insulin levels‚ which will have a positive impact on our 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. Snacking Between Meals

A king who cannot rule his diet will hardly rule his realm in peace and quiet. "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. Irregularities in eating destroy the healthful tone of the digestive organs‚ to the detriment of health and cheerfulness. 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. "He that keepeth his mouth‚ keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction. " Proverbs 13:3 More Variety in Diet but Less Variety in Each Meal

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 a nicety which will invite the appetite. The simpler our diet‚ the better it will be for us. There is much evidence to the effect that the simpler our diet and the fewer foods we mix at the same meal‚ the better our digestion and assimilation will be‚ and in return the stronger will our health be. Every food requires a different digestive enzyme combination and mixing too many at one time results in less efficient digestion. Most people hold the misconception that a wide variety of foods is necessary for good health. When describing the excellent health and youthful appearance of the Native Americans‚ Benjamin Rush wrote in 1776‚ "…the old proverb may well be verified: Natura paucis contenta—nature is satisfied with little..." All mixed and complicated foods are injurious to the health of human beings. Dumb animals would never eat such a mixture as is often placed in the human stomach. It is the variety and mixture of meat‚ vegetables‚ fruit‚ wines‚ tea‚ coffee‚ sweet cakes‚ and rich pies that ruin the stomach‚ and place human beings in a position where they become invalids with all the disagreeable effects of sickness upon the disposition. Puddings‚ custards‚ sweet cake‚ and vegetables‚ all served at the same meal‚ will cause a disturbance in the stomach. The serving of a great variety of dishes absorbs time‚ money‚ and taxing labor‚ without accomplishing any good. It may be fashionable to have half a dozen courses at a meal‚ but the custom is ruinous to health. It is a fashion that sensible men and women should condemn‚ by both precept and example. The excessive amount of food eaten‚ or the improper combination‚ does its injurious work. In vain do disagreeable premonitions give warning. Suffering is the consequence. Disease takes the place of health. 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. Proper Food Combining Knowledge in regard to proper food combinations is of great worth‚ and is to be received as wisdom from God. There is a way of combining and preparing food that will make it both wholesome and nourishing. Those cooking should understand how to do this. The matter should be treated from a Bible standpoint. There is such a thing as robbing the body of nutrition. The preparation of the food in the best manner possible is to become a science. It is important that the food should be prepared with care‚ that the appetite‚ when not perverted‚ can relish it. Because from principle we discard the use of all animal products and processed foods that destroy health‚ the idea should never be entertained that it is of but little consequence what we eat. Do Not Mix Fruits With Vegetables

It is not well to eat fruit and vegetables at the same meal. 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.

Do Not Have Fruits After Meals

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.

Balance Between Raw and Cooked Food‚ Alkaline and Acid Food

Because nutrients respond differently to cooking‚ a diet rich in a variety of cooked and uncooked produce is the best. To preserve health and increase strength avoid a large amount of cooking that has filled the world with chronic invalids. The food which God gave Adam in his sinless state is the best for man's use as he seeks to regain that sinless state. Food should be so simple that its preparation will not absorb all the time of the mother. The large amount of cooking done is not at all necessary. Neither should there be any poverty-stricken diet either in quality or quantity. Ideally 75% of diet should consist of alkaline food. But if you have any ailments‚ your diet should be at least 90% alkaline base-forming foods. Eating too many acid forming foods brings disease‚ while alkaline foods overcome disease and help prevent it. Most fruits and vegetables are alkaline. Most grains‚ beans‚ nuts and seeds are quite acidic. All animal protein including seafood‚ meat and dairy‚ is very acidic. Cancer and several other diseases only thrive in an acidic environment. Drinking Between Meals

Stop drinking about thirty minutes before a meal and wait about one hour after a meal. Food should not be washed down. The more liquid there is taken into the stomach with the meals‚ the more difficult it is for the food to digest for the liquid must first be absorbed. The less we drink with our meals the better. The dryness of our food furnishes the necessary stimulus to the secretion of saliva and of gastric and intestinal juices. An abundance of liquid in the digestive tract interferes with the action of the secreting glands. It dilutes the secretions and thereby weakens their digestive qualities. To improve digestion by thickening the lining of the stomach‚ it is recommended to drink 1-2 glasses of tepid water half an hour before each meal. Avoid Salty Foods

Do not eat largely of salt; give up spiced pickles; keep fiery food out of the stomach. Have fruit meals‚ and the irritation that calls for so much drink will cease to exist. If anything is needed to quench thirst‚ pure water is all that nature requires. Never take alcohol‚ tea‚ coffee‚ sodas‚ or sugared fruit juices. Not Too Hot; Not Too Cold Food should not be eaten very hot or very cold. If food is cold‚ the vital force of the stomach is drawn upon in order to warm it before digestion can take place. Cold paralyzes the stomach. The vitality must be drawn from the system to warm the food until it becomes of the same temperature as the stomach before the work of digestion can be carried on. The colder the water‚ the greater the injury caused to the stomach. Ice-water or ice-lemonade‚ 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.

Heat debilitates the stomach and creates acidity. Hot drinks are not required‚ except as a medicine. 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. Heat relaxes and paralyzes. Hot food and drinks weaken the digestive tract muscles. 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

Because it is wrong to eat merely to gratify a perverted taste‚ it does not follow that we should be indifferent in regard to our food. It is a matter of the highest importance. There is a class who seem to think that whatever is eaten is lost‚ that anything tossed into the stomach to fill it‚ will do as well as food prepared with intelligence and care. But it is important that we relish the food we eat. If we cannot‚ and have to eat mechanically‚ we fail to receive the proper nourishment. For food to be properly digested‚ each enzyme and digestive juice must be secreted in the right amount‚ at the right time. If we are not hungry‚ have no appetite‚ or if the food does not taste good‚ the digestive juices will not flow properly‚ and the food will be poorly digested. Food prepared and served with love is more nutritious‚ because it is not what we eat‚ but what we assimilate that counts. Assimilation is enhanced if we enjoy the meal. "Better is a dinner of herbs where love is‚ than a stalled ox and hatred therewith." Proverbs 15:17 Ask the Lord's Blessings‚ Then Eat with a Grateful Heart

At mealtime we are to cast off care and anxious thought; and not to feel hurried‚ but eat slowly and with cheerfulness‚ with our 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. These depressing emotions are a great injury to them health-wise‚ for by hindering the process of digestion they interfere with nutrition. Neurophysiologists 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 enzyme 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 our food one mouthful at a time. So what is the summary of perfect table manners?

 

 

Importance of chewing

 

Eat a good breakfast

 

Two meals better than three

 

Five to six hours between meals

 

Avoid eating before sleeping

 

Eat at regular times

 

No snacking between meals

 

More variety in diet but less variety in each meal

 

Proper food combining.

 

 

Do not mix fruits with vegetables Do not have fruits after the meal Balance between raw and cooked food‚ alkaline and acid food

 

Drink between meals Not too hot; not too cold Enjoy your food Ask for the Lord's blessings‚ then eat with a grateful heart

 

 

 

Your comments and feedbacks always welcome .. Rahul, at Cybugle as well as at bruntno1

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