Health Ministries
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Health Ministry is making a positive difference in the holistic health and well-being of the communities we serve. Everyone desires better health. God wants us to be healthy. “Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers” (3 John 2). God has given us wise instructions on how to have a healthy lifestyle.
We invite you to participate in our whole foods and plant-based cooking classes for reversal of Heart Disease, Diabetes Mellitus, Arthritis, and other health problems related to our lifestyle. You will learn simple steps in making lifestyle choices that will aid in recovering your health.
You are also invited to our Diabetes Reversal Seminars to help you improve and even reverse Type II Diabetes.
Every Tuesday from 11 AM – 1 PM, we offer free blood pressure and blood sugar checks by a Registered Nurse (RN) at the Better Living Center at 531 Forge Mill Rd., Morganton, GA.
NEWSTART
Nutrition
“Let your food be your medicine, and your medicine be your food.” Hippocrates (an ancient Greek physician, the father of Western medicine.) Balanced, whole food plant-based eating can resolve the underlying cause of many diseases including high blood sugar, obesity and cardiovascular disease. Eat nutrient dense foods (coined by Dr. Joel Fuhrman) for the best possible health. God created whole foods for nutrition, perfectly packaged and balanced. We demonstrate how to do that at our local Cooking Schools and Diabetes Undone classes at the Better Living Center, on the campus of the Fannin Seventh-day Adventist Church. Remember, our bodies are built from the food we eat.
Exercise
Our bodies have over 600 muscles and we were made to move. Choose some type of exercise every day, whether walking in the out of doors, bicycling, lifting weights (even 2 pound weights will make a difference in your wellness), join a gym or if you’re a senior citizen, join Silver Sneakers.com (Your health insurance may cover the cost) to enjoy exercise classes online or in person at a local center. Move, it’s great for health, longevity and outdoor exercise brings in sunshine, fresh air and is a natural mood lifter.
Water
Water cleanses us inside and out. The best internal cleanser is water, not coffee, alcohol, sugary drinks but pure water. Our blood is 90% water, our muscles 75% and our brain is 85% water. Drinking water will help brain function, purify the blood and strengthen body functions including removing toxic waste products through the lungs, skin, kidneys, and intestines. Yes, eight glasses of pure water a day keeps us healthy, decreases constipation, helps lose weight, relieves headaches and fatigue, helps us look and feel younger, aids the skin, improves memory, increases energy to exercise more, reduces the risk of cancer and helps create a positive attitude. Truly an amazing gift from heaven, pure water.
Sunshine
“Let there be light” were God’s first words during Creation week. Optimum health today is dependent on getting adequate sunlight exposure. Sunlight kills molds, yeasts, germs and viruses on our skin and clothing, builds our immune system, calms the nerves (outdoor exercise has many blessings), increases endorphins, serotonin and melatonin in brain function and gives a sense of well-being and happiness, aids digestion, produces vitamin D which aids in immunity, lung, neuro-muscular function, bone health, cancer prevention, and prevents many hip fractures in the elderly, lowers cholesterol, increases production of white blood cells which consume bacteria and destroy viruses and is a great sleep inducer along with outdoor exercise. Jesus, God’s Son, is compared to the sun and its healing powers in Malachi 4:2, “But unto you that fear my Name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in His wings.”
Temperance
Homeostasis means to enhance our bodies to function in a balanced manner. Our bodies seek this balance. They cry out for adequate exercise, plenty of pure water, a natural plant-based diet, restful sleep, fresh air, and time in the sunlight. When we lack any of these aspects of health, our well-being suffers and we become more susceptible to disease. When we provide our bodies with the elements they need for health, they achieve homeostasis, the state of balance, and we thrive. We can choose to avoid bad habits and encourage the good, in moderation and balance.
Air
Eden’s environment was perfect. Our first parent were surrounded with nature’s beauty, living green of the earth’s carpet, perfume in the air of the gorgeous flowers, happy song of babbling brooks, the air was fresh and clean. The sights and sounds of Eden quieted the nerves and brought a gentle peace to the entire being. “Nature is God’s physician. The pure air, the glad sunshine, the beautiful flowers and trees, the orchards and vineyards, and outdoor exercise amid these surroundings are health-giving and life-giving. Outdoor life is the only remedy that many invalids need. It has wonderful power to heal disease caused by excitement and today’s fast paced lifestyle, a life that weakens and destroys the powers of body, mind and soul. Did you know there are life-giving properties in the balsam of the pine, in the fragrance of the cedar and the fir, and that other trees also have properties that are health restoring?” Adapted from The Ministry of Healing by Ellen White, p. 263, 264. To improve your memory, increase your energy, balance your nervous system and find sound, refreshing sleep, spent time breathing deeply of unpolluted air.
Rest
Rest rejuvenates and rebuilds the body. It refreshes the mind and uplifts the spirit and helps us function at our optimum levels. We all long to get the deep, sound, and refreshing sleep that is absolutely essential to good health. But how? Establish a regular daily schedule of going to bed and arising at the same time, have a regular eating schedule so meals are eaten at the same time every day. Our bodies work on circadian rhythms and we need to respect and cooperate with these natural rhythms. Take a ten minute nap, if needed, earlier in the day. Increase your exercise program.
Trust
The more we know God, the more we will trust Him. Faith is simply trusting God as a Friend. God promises in Jeremiah 29:13 “You will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all of your heart.” God powerfully reveals Himself to those who seek Him. Remember, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God,” says the Apostle Paul in Romans 10:17. Our faith develops as we get to know God through studying His Word. Reading the Bible strengthens our faith, deepens our trust and increases our love for God. The book of Psalms or the gospel of John are good places to being reading the Bible. Medical research confirms the strong link between pure religion and personal health. (See Journal of Chronic Disease, 1972, vol. 25, pp. 665-672.) “Be still and know that I am God,” quotes David in Psalm 46:10. “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be your strength” Isaiah wrote in Isaiah 30:15 about His God. As we rest in His loving care, trusting Him to guide us, peace will fill our hearts and lives. Daily prayer and meditation on God’s goodness can restore heavenly balance to our spiritual lives. God wants you to have the abundant life He planned for you, as described in John 10:10 (please refer to the second half of the Scripture reference.)
Sources
Natural Lifestyle Cooking by Ernestine Finley, BS, BA
Carin Lynch’s Plant-Based Made Simple, Wildwood Health Institute
Bountiful Health, tasty, natural, creative cooking by Nancy Crosby
From Plant to Plate, Diabetes Edition, by Tami Bivens, R.D. and Life and Health Network
Favorite Wildwood Recipes for total vegetarian cookery from the Wildwood Lifestyle Center & Hospital, Wildwood Medical Missionary Institute
The Garden Menu by Leslie Caza, Originator and Facilitator of Simply Vegan & Wellness in Memphis, TN