BETTER HEALTH — MADE SIMPLE !

Thirty-four Steps to Happier Living – A Complete Online Health Course!

Published by TRAIL GUIDES - Altamont, TN 37301 USA

Road maps for pilgrims traveling home

LESSONS 29 - 30

LESSON TWENTY-NINE - BETTER NUTRITION

1- "Can your wife cook?" 'Well, sure!" I hear you men say to yourselves. "She knows how to cook rice, at least, any woman does.

2- But cooking and meal-planning are actually not as simple as brides have often thought they would be. It has been said that women spend the first years of their lives wondering whom they will marry. And then they spend the remaining years wondering what to prepare for dinner!

3- Yes, the painful truth is that you women soon realize that meals even for two are complicated by food likes and dislikes, by food costs, by the time required for planning, buying and cooking—to say nothing of the little matter of washing the dishes after every meal! The fact is, men, that you eat three meals a day, each lasting from 10 minutes to an hour, 365 days each year, and that your wife has not only your likes and dislikes to think of but those of the entire family as well. Such are the cooking responsibilities of a wife!

4- Now here are some hard facts:

(1) Good cooks are few! Many, many of you mothers and wives need to take lessons in cooking so that you can set before your family well-prepared, nutritious, nicely served meals.

(2) The knowledge of food preparation is one of the strongest foundations in attaining good health, for nine­tenths of our ills spring from wrong eating habits.

(3) The one who understands the art of properly preparing food, and who uses this knowledge, is of more worth than those engaged in any other line of work. This talent is closely connected with life and health.

5- In every human being there is a strong drive for food. Hunger is a normal part of life that you have from birth till death. And when you stop to think that your bodies—the bones, soft tissues, blood, brain, nails, teeth, hair, every part of you—is made up of the food that you eat, you cannot help realizing the importance of properly using the food that our Creator has so bountifully and graciously given. So, anyone who truly values life will be concerned about the food he eats. And cooking is a science and an art that every woman has the capacity to learn and appreciate.

6- Now let us consider the basic needs of the body. First we need heat and energy. If only you could actually look at what is going on inside your body you would see that each of the trillions of cells that make up YOU is actually a busy factory that operates every second of every minute of every hour of every day from the day you are born till you die.

7- From what does your body get the materials to build, operate, and protect these factories? From the food you eat. And remember-No one food contains all the materials those factories need! Also remember-natural food, before refining, contains many materials needed by your busy factories. For example, milk is considered to be a more or less complete food. But if you try to live on milk alone, you will soon have many problems! You need variety and balance.

8- We usually think of rice as a starchy, or energy rich food, and it is. But unpolished rice has more than 30 other very important elements that your body needs! When you eat polished rice your body is robbed of so many good things, but there are still a few elements left besides the fuel, or starch. There is some protein, vitamins, and minerals. However, when you eat polished rice, your body needs even more of other natural, unrefined foods as you will learn later on. The same is true of white bread or flour, instead of whole-grain bread or flour.

9- Now you should know the simple, basic needs of these factories of yours. First of all, they need fuel just as a car needs gas. So, you should know which are fuel or energy rich foods, and you should be sure to have one or two kinds at each meal.

10- We mentioned that we are composed of trillions of cells. Did you know, however, that you actually started from the union of only 2 cells? Those two multiplied and multiplied until you were born. How did that marvelous growth take place? It was largely due to the building materials in the food your mother ate. Your building foods are very important as long as you live. Normal growth from conception to maturity, and the continual process of building new cells that goes on all through life depends on the quality of building foods you get.

11- These are our protein-rich foods. You should have at least two or three servings from this group. They include such foods as beans, nuts, whole grains and seeds. These are the building foods, and remember that adults as well as children need these every day. Children, and those who work very hard physically, need a little more of these building foods than do adults. We can be very thankful for providing the foods we need for our bodies.

12- For example, when a car stops running-why? There must be trouble. Is it out of gas? No, the tank is full. Maybe we should check the battery terminals. That's it. Now just tighten it properly, and the motor will run nicely. Maybe you wonder why we mention this. It was such a small thing all right, but enough to paralyze the whole car, wasn't it? You know, your body is just like that car. It may have plenty of fuel and building materials, but if it is lacking in those tiny substances, we call minerals and vitamins, its efficiency is greatly affected. These are your body protectors and regulators. We get them by eating different kinds of fruits and vegetables.

13- This group of foods is the most colorful of the three groups. I am sure that God made them this way to tempt our appetites and make sure we get enough of those essential vitamins and minerals. It is true that the first and the second groups contain many of these substances, but the foods that have the richest supply are the fruits and vegetables. So, remember to always include some fruits and vegetables in each of your meals every day.

14- Now we have briefly looked at the "Big Three" of our diets. First of all the energy foods, then the building food, and lastly the protective foods. Of course, each group also has some of the other two groups in it.

15- You may be asking, 'Why all this emphasis on diet? Does it really matter that much? Can't I just eat what I want as long as I get filled up and feel satisfied?" Paul wrote, "whether therefore ye eat or drink . . do all to the glory of God." Friends, I think you can see that you are what you eat! If you want to have true happiness, you must be as healthy as possible. Health depends so much on what you eat. Health and happiness vitally affect our homes. Do you want to have a happy marriage? Do you want a happy home? Then wives, ladies—learn to cook wholesome, balanced meals and you will contribute much to making marriage a lot of fun.

16- It was God who started a home on earth. Adam and Eve were the first parents. They were put into a beautiful garden home. There were all kinds of fruits their hearts could desire. Eve was made from one of Adam's ribs, from a bone in his side. Why was she not made from a bone from a leg or from the head? God wanted them both to be helpmates for one another, to be equal. The wife was not to rule, nor to be a servant to her husband.

17- They were to work in the garden and thereby get physical exercise which is so essential for human life. Work is one of God's great blessings. This was a really happy family.

18- The family circle is a sacred circle and no third person should be allowed to come in because it will cause a breach of love and happiness. Husband and wife are to stay together, plan together, and work together. They should be one.

19- One day Eve strayed away from her husband, and admiring the beauties of Eden went farther and farther away from her husband. Before she realized it, she found herself near the forbidden tree. Suddenly she heard a voice. When she looked up it was a beautiful serpent speaking to her from the tree. You know the rest of the story. Think of the chaos, sufferings, and, sorrow brought into this world by just one wrong step. When Satan sees a happy family, he tries his utmost to break it. So, it is very, very essential that a family stay together.

20- Husband and wife are the foundation of an ideal happy home. The children generally take the characters of their own parents. A smoker, for example, will have smoking children. A liar will inculcate in the minds of his children this poison of lying. Saintly parents will have saintly children. In other words, the parents have to be what they want their children to be.

21- A story is told of a couple who were celebrating their first marriage anniversary. Both had planned secretly to present a gift to the other. Each wanted to give a gift the other most wanted. The day came quickly. The morning broke and there was the mutual exchange of gifts. The husband, in order to buy for his wife a comb, which she had greatly admired, had sold his pocket watch. And the wife had sold her hair from off her head to buy her husband a chain he liked very much for his pocket watch. Having opened their gifts they realized what each had done. Tears of joy rolled down their cheeks.

22- The secret of love and happiness is in serving others. The husband trying to please his wife and the wife trying to please her husband. All selfishness is put aside. Love stands supreme. Then when they have children added to their family, there will be joy in this home.

23- God planned it this way. A family should have no more children than they can feed, clothe and educate. This is an ideal family. Health of the family must be given proper consideration.

24- The Bible has some wonderful counsels for husbands and wives and children showing to each one his or her responsibility. We will read some of them. We will begin with the parents. "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husband as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body." Ephesians 5:22, 23. "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Him­self for it .. So ought men also to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself." Ephesians 5: 25-28.

25- "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honour thy father and thy mother. . That it may be well with thee and thou mayest live long on the earth." Ephesians 6:1.3. "Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old:' Proverbs 2322. "Ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath; but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." Ephesians 6:4. "Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6.

26- The Word of God has so many instructions for us. Let us read them and ask God to help us to follow them and then ours will be a home where love dwells. Jesus is coming back soon and He will take only those families where there is love. God is love. Where there is no love, there is no God. Jesus should be the head of every family. God wants every member in a family to be saved in His kingdom. Let us strive for it. If we submit to Him, He will help us make a happy home which will be ready to be taken to heaven when Jesus comes.

Here is additional information about family and children:

"Ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." -Ephesians 6:4.

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do His commandments."-Psalm 111:10.

"And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up."-Deuteronomy 6:6-7.

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."-Proverbs 22:6.

LESSON THIRTY - VITAMINS AND MINERALS

1- How many of you still remember the three groups of foods we learned about in the last lesson? What was the first group? The energy-rich foods. They are foods that are rich in carbohydrates and fats which supply our bodies with fuel for heat and energy, foods such as grains, starches, bread, yams and potatoes.

2- The second group is made up of protein-rich foods that give us building materials, such as nuts and beans.

3- The third group is made up of the most colorful foods; our fruits and vegetables. These are rich sources of protective and regulating materials which we call vitamins and minerals.

4- Now, we will focus our attention on these important minerals and vitamins. There are actually many of them, but we will talk about only a few. If you eat a balanced diet and a good variety of fruits and vegetables, you can be pretty sure of getting all of these protective and regulating materials you need. To help you realize how important they are, we will talk about Vitamins A; B, C, and D, and the minerals, calcium, phosphorus, and iron.

5- First of all, why do we need Vitamin A? For one thing, this vitamin strengthens the membranes that line your nose, throat, and other air passages as well as the gastro­intestinal arid genito-urinary tracts. Vitamin A helps these membranes (linings) to resist the attacks of germs. Vitamin A also helps you to see in the dark, especially when your eyes have to adjust quickly from light to darkness as when you drive at night and meet the bright headlights of on-coming cars. Vitamin A also keeps your skin smooth, and free from pimple-like bumps on the upper arms and thighs. All in all, Vitamin A is important in many ways, as you can see.

6- The next vitamin is actually a large family called the B Complex, or the Vitamin B family. Each member has its own specialty but all of them have the general job of helping to keep your nervous system healthy. The B Vitamins are sometimes called the "morale vitamins." If you lack enough Vitamin B, you may be quarrelsome. However if you lean on sufficient Vitamin B you will not be bothered. Lack of Vitamin B can also make you fearful, apprehensive, timid, or depressed, or forgetful. Do you have no patience when accidents happen? Are you nervous and jumpy? Are you a worrier? You may be lacking in Vitamin B Complex!

7- Vitamin C is responsible for strengthening the walls of the capillaries—the smallest arteries found in the body. If you have bleeding gums or if you easily bruise or your wounds heal slowly, you may be lacking in Vitamin C.

8- Vitamin D is usually thought of as the sunshine Vitamin. Actually, what happens is that the ultra-violet rays of the sun combine with a fatty substance just under your skin to form Vitamin D. This vitamin, in turn, combines with calcium and phosphorus to form an important trio. These three have to work together, and if any one is lacking, trouble results: you may have poor teeth, or you may have poor bones. Both knock knees and bowed legs are usually the result of something interfering with the work of this important trio.

9- Last, but not least is iron. The bright red color of blood in your arteries is due to the iron in your blood. Iron helps to carry life-giving oxygen to every cell of your body. Lack of iron can produce such symptoms as dizziness, or fatigue—that tired-out feeling. Believe me, iron can make a great difference in how you feel.

10- Now that you know the importance of these minerals and vitamins, you want to know how you can be sure to obtain them every day. You need a balanced diet which gives you enough variety from each of the groups you have learned about. Also, you should learn to use unrefined foods instead of refined foods.

11- Avoid white sugar. It is pure carbohydrate and nothing else. Of course, you need plenty of carbohydrates, but this is the poorest way you can get fuel and energy! Why? Because it can easily satisfy your appetite and yet you have got only One of the 60 or more nutrients your body needs! Refined sugar is a thief—it has to have vitamins and minerals to be used by the body and it has none with it. So it robs the body by pulling these from somewhere else—resulting in severe deficiencies.

12- Instead eat fruit or green leafy vegetables. Again, you have carbohydrates for fuel and energy. But you also have plenty of Vitamin C and Vitamin A along with small amounts of many other important nutrients your body needs. Now, you can see why we speak of refined foods as "empty calories"-you are cheating yourself when you spend money for empty calories! You are cheating yourselves both financially and physically.

13- Natural foods contain so many good things. Fruits and Vegetables, especially green, leafy vegetables, and delicious ripe fruits give us vitamins A and C, iron and calcium along with many other things. Building foods such as our many kinds of beans (especially soy beans ) and energy foods such as our good unpolished rice and whole maize give us a good supply of Vitamin B, iron and phosphorus along with many other nutrients.

14- Now here is something to think about. You can easily throw away or destroy these important body protectors and regulators we have been talking about. How? In the way you prepare your fruits and vegetables! Take a potato—slice it open the potato and take a look, do you notice that line that goes around just under the skin? Do you know that between the skin and that line are found good amounts of minerals and vitamins? So make sure that you remove only a very thin portion of the skin. Better yet, steam or bake them with skins on.

15- Vitamins and minerals are quite sensitive. When you open up or slice such fruits as papaya or melon and leave them waiting before you eat them, the air destroys some of the vitamins. So be sure to slice them just before eating them, or slice them and then put them back together again until time to eat them. In cooking vegetables, it is best to keep them covered and to use only enough water to cook them. Be sure to use the left-over water in soups so as to get the benefit of the vitamins and minerals that escaped into the water. Wilted vegetables are not as nutritious as fresh ones, so unless you have a refrigerator to keep them fresh and crisp, it is best to buy your fruits and vegetables fresh each day. Vitamins and minerals are present in our food in only small amounts, so you cannot afford to lose them by careless habits in food preparation. They are much too important to waste!

16- We have seen how important it is to have a balanced diet. We are what we eat. So many of us have found our habits of eating are contrary to basic principles and God's outline for good health. The question is: Are we ready to deny ourselves what our human carnal appetites desire and follow what God has outlined as best? Are we ready to die to self now and live for Christ?

17- This leads us to the subject called Baptism. What really is Baptism? Is it an inward experience or an outward ordinance? Is it sprinkling? Is it pouring? Is it immersion?

18- Baptism was commanded by Christ as a memorial of the great facts of the Gospel. "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." Matthew 28:29. And the Gospel is "Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures." 1 Corinthians 15:3, 4. And so Paul explains, "Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death?"

19- "Therefore, we are buried with Him by baptism into His death; that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in the new­ness of life." Romans 6:3,4. The old man of sin is dead, buried and a new man is put on in its place, which is Christ Jesus our Saviour.

20- Baptism is an outward symbol of an inward experience. It is for those who hear the gospel, believe and repent. "And He (Jesus) said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature." Mark 16:15.

21- Then Peter said unto them. Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." Acts 2:38. Before a person is baptized, he has to repent, or feel sorry for his sins.

22- Baptism is an act of faith. One has to fully believe the gospel and then only he is fit for baptism. "And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water; and the eunuch said, see here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, if thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." Acts 8:36,37.

23- According to the Scriptures there is just one mode of baptism, "One Lord, One faith, One baptism." Ephesians 4.5. Since baptism is symbolic of burial as we have studied, it can be done only by immersion and not by sprinkling or pouring.

24- Jesus is our example and He took the baptism of immersion. Let us read: "And Jesus when He was baptized went up straightway out of the water." Matthew 4:16. Note the words, out of the water.

25- First a candidate goes into the water as in the experience of the Eunuch. We will read; “And they went down both into the water." Acts 8:38. The officiating minister leads the candidate into the water and then he baptizes him in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost and then the man comes out of the water. This is why "John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came and were baptized." John 3:23.

26- Baptism is an entrance to the Church of God which is the body of Christ. "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body." 1 Corinthians 12:13. So, by taking baptism, we become a part of the body of Christ, while He becomes our Head.

27- This is very important, for without this, we cannot ­"fulfill all righteousness." Matthew 3:15. We cannot see the kingdom of god. John 3:3, 5. Jesus never sinned but, so that we can follow Him in all points, was baptized. He is coming back soon, for those who have followed His example in all points and have been baptized into His body and have forsaken all to live a new life through His strength.

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