“Wherefore do you spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.” (Isaiah 55:1-2).
Diet is of such a vital importance in the Eight Laws of Health. It is absolutely true that we are what we eat, since our bodies are continually being repaired and revitalized from the food we eat. Constantly there is a breakdown of the tissues of the body.
Whether the tissue is muscle, bone, or nerve, it demands a fresh supply of nutrients from the blood supply. It is a wonderful process which transforms the food we eat into a blood supply rich in the nutrients continually needed to supply life and strength to every cell. These cells in turn make up the tissues and different organs of our bodies.
Those foods should be chosen that best supply the elements needed for building up the body. In this choice, appetite is not a safe guide. Through wrong habits of eating, the appetite has become perverted. Often it demands food that impairs health and causes weakness instead of strength. We cannot safely be guided by the customs of society. The disease and suffering that everywhere prevail are largely due to popular errors in regard to diet.
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. “Behold,” He said, “I have given you every herb yielding seed,... and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for food.” (Genesis 1:29, A.R.V.). Upon leaving Eden to gain his livelihood by tilling earth under the curse of sin, man received permission to eat also “the herb of the field.”
(Genesis 3:18).
Equally important to what we eat, is how we eat good healthful food. Regularity in eating is of vital importance to the health of both body and mind. One of the most serious mistakes in the eating habits of too many people today, is eating at all hours of the day and night. This forces the digestive system to run constantly like a mill. Eventually the system becomes enfeebled, causing vital force to be called from the brain to aid the stomach in its overworked condition. Hence, the mental powers as well as one’s will power is weakened. This unnatural stimulation and drain on the vital force will cause one to be impatient, restless, and irritable. It is best to establish the habit of not allowing one bite of food to be consumed between meals. Irregular eating habits and eating between meals will tend to destroy the healthy tone of the digestive system.
Another equally bad habit is that of eating just before bedtime. This habit will disturb one’s sleep, since the stomach will be forced to work late into the night, and the rest of the body will tend to sympathize with the overworked stomach. (See 1 Corinthians 12:25-26). When one awakens in the morning, he will not feel refreshed and will have little desire for a good breakfast. When we go to bed at night, our stomach should have accomplished its work for the day and be prepared to enjoy a good night’s rest along with the other organs and systems of the body.
A few other points should be considered at this time. First, we should always endeavour to chew our food well. This is the very first step in properly preparing the food for assimilation into the body. It is very detrimental to health to hurriedly chew food, gulping it down before it has been thoroughly masticated. For this reason it is never wise to eat when hurried. Secondly, it would be best to drink as little liquid as possible with meals. Drinking large amounts of fluid with the meal only tends to “wash it down” before it has been properly masticated. Also, the excess liquid tends to dilute the hydrochloric acid or digestive juices in the stomach. This dilution thereby hinders the all-important digestive processes and allows fermentation to take place.
Always remember to eat with a good frame of mind. A cheerful, happy, contented disposition is a tremendous aid in the proper digestion and assimilation of food.
