Nutrition
Nutrition is the study of the relationship between diet and states of health and disease. It is defined as the study of food. Absence of adequate nutrients can cause certain diseases to take hold that can potentially result in death.
Between the extremes of optimal health and death from starvation or malnutrition, there is an array of disease states that can be caused or alleviated by changes in diet. Deficiencies, excesses and imbalances in the diet can produce negative impacts on health, which may result in diseases such as scurvy, obesity or osteoporosis. Also, excess ingestion of elements that have no apparent role in health (e.g. lead, mercury, PCBs, dioxins) may have toxic and potentially lethal effects depending on dose.
The science of nutrition attempts to understand how and why specific aspects of diet have specific influences on health. (Wikipedia Encyclopedia, online at: en.wikipedia.org /wiki/Nutrition)
Let us take a second to examine a little more closely the above definition of nutrition. Notice that nutrition is a determining factor in the relationship between the state of health and the state of disease.
Let’s study closely the relationship between nutrition and disease. The Bible says in Psalm 139:14, “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” Here we see that the human organism is a wonderful and complicated creation made by God. Although God created the body with the ability to rejuvenate, adapt and repair itself, in His infinite wisdom God also made us dependent on outside elements. This was done as a continual reminder to man of God’s great care for us and also that God gave us nature. Another reason God made us dependent on external sustenance is as a continual reminder to man of the fact that we are not God and also a reminder of our continual dependence upon Him. Every breath we take should remind us of God’s love and call our attention to His never-ending watch care for not only the just but also the unjust.
In His infinite wisdom, God gave us appetite, not only for our enjoyment, but also to provide us with the fuel to perpetuate life and health in the human organism. In Genesis 1:29 we read, “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.” Later in Genesis, after the fall of man, we see God adding vegetables and herbs to man’s diet for the repair of the body in the fallen condition. “Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field.” (Genesis 3:18)
The biblical conclusion is that God provided man fruits, grains, nuts, seeds, vegetables and herbs as the optimal choices to provide life, energy, restoration and repair for our bodies. Never do we find in God’s original plan the concept of man living off the flesh of dead animals. We only find this provision after the flood of Noah’s day, when there probably was not enough vegetation on earth to provide for man. Also, God put restrictions upon man as to how to prepare the flesh and how it should be eaten. (The eating of blood or fat was prohibited. See Leviticus 3:17; 17:14; Acts 15:20, 29. No hamburgers can be eaten, which contain both fat and blood.) It is no coincidence that man’s lifespan plummeted rapidly after the flood.
Now notice also that the Lord provided the original diet in its “natural state.” We find this to be a far cry from all the processing and the use of chemicals in food preparation today, not to mention all the cooking, frying, and microwaving. It’s also important to note that fruits and vegetables are to be ripened before being picked and eaten. From over a century ago, all the way back to the beginning of time, we find man living more closely to the natural state that God intended. Before modern supermarkets and fast food restaurants, we were responsible to a much greater degree to grow our own food and to provide for ourselves and for our families. Since the inception of the “fast life” and modern conveniences we find this no longer to be the case. It is no coincidence that we find death and disease escalating in paramount proportions. To make matters even worse, instead of reasoning from cause to effect, most of us have been trained to run to the doctors and drug ourselves to death.
God has provided us with bodies which are the temples of the Lord. (2 Corinthians 6:16, 19) We are His, not only by creation, but also by redemption. Let us have the strength and the spiritual insight to allow God to put us in more favorable circumstances for the healing of the body, mind, and soul. Nutrition and health are the study of a lifetime, which will teach us what we should eat, and what we should avoid. “Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.” (Hebrews 12:1) Let us learn of nutrition and the way certain vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and other elements and chemicals interact in the body. All lifestyle changes can be potentially dangerous if not approached with knowledge and wisdom from God. I summon all who call themselves believers to understand that taking care of their bodies is the study of a lifetime. As a result of this I believe God will bless you greatly, not only here, but also in heaven.—Maranatha.
“Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” (3 John 2)
?
(The above article was provided by Curtis Kline, Director of Ministry of Healing and Restoration, Canvas, WV. For more in-depth information he can be contacted at (304) 872-4463 or curkli@yahoo.com. While we believe the principles in this article can be helpful, we are not responsible for any negative effects resulting from the use of remedies or recommendations herein. Use them at your own risk. Editor)
