Kevin Brown
Sadiqua Hamdan
Annette Presley
Debbie Wysocki
Paul Ericson
Maureen Diaz
Janet Demeter
Liz Reitzig
Julie Burns
Jenny Westerkamp, RD
Lauren Snyder Grosz
Kaayla T. Daniel, PhD, CCN
let'spoon
Morley Robbins
Janet Stuck, ND, CNC, MH, CNHP
John Chisholm
Dr. Richard Walicki
Jimmy Moore
Why Don’t They Get It?!
Posted by Maureen Diaz on December 15, 2009
The other day a frustrating thing occurred-again. I was sitting around with a group of women from our church when the subject of yet another very sick friend came up.
As usual the course of discussion went something like this: “Do you think this will affect her for the rest of her life?” “What kind of medication will she have to take?” And of course, “What does the doctor say?”
Now bear in mind, the person in question has a years-long history of severe health problems for herself and her family. Serious stuff. And I love her very much! That counts for something, right?
When this type of discussion comes up I usually keep very quiet, even back out of the room. After all, I am the health fanatic and nobody wants to hear what I think. So why not just melt into the background now?
Well, enough is enough! I could keep silent no more, something had to be said. I was choked with emotion as I chose my words carefully.
My discourse was short, and not well received. It was met with downward glances, fidgeting fingers, silence. One person afterward acknowledged that we rely too heavily on medication. Another, more friendly towards my opinions, encouraged me to contact the friend in question. And one other dear friend gave me that knowing smile, and a sense of camaraderie. But otherwise, in a group of women seeking and following God’s will for their lives, nothing.
It always upsets me that so many people intent upon following God in every part of their lives ignore this one, crucial area. After all, if we do not have health we can not fulfill many of the Lord’s desires for us. We must be helped instead of being helper.
Poor health destroys lives, negates the good deeds that might be done, diminishes the capacities of husbands to provide for their families and of wives to care for their households. It takes away the joy of children, and brings about heartache and hardship. It drains resources, and sucks the life (often literally) right out of us.
Dr. Rex Russell put it well in his book, What the Bible Has to Say About Healthy Living: “If we decide to pay attention to God’s design, health and blessing will follow, and God will be glorified in our lives. If we decide to ignore God’s design, the consequences can be dire indeed.”
The Good Book is full of instructions pertaining to every aspect of our health. Exodus 15:26 says: “If you listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His eyes, if you pay attention to His commands and keep all His decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord who heals you.” His promise to His people then still stands for us today.
From circumcision on the 8th day (the day when the blood-clotting factor Vit. K builds up to a life time crescendo) to the admonition against eating blood (Gen. 9:4) or unclean animals (Lev. 10:10), the old testament is filled with God’s wise advice for health. There is instruction in food, farming, sanitation, healing; most of these laws have in modern times been scientifically validated, but largely ignored.
The new testament books also claim their share of health-giving information including, of course, prayer, fasting, “a little wine for the stomach” (1 Tim. 5:3), and the use of healing oils (Mark 6: 13, James 5:14).
So where have we gone wrong? Well first, let me address a common perception.
People often incorrectly assume that before the age of modern medicine people just suffered and died, in multitudes, from the same afflictions we do today. Nothing could be further from the truth!
Yes, there were plagues and pestilence, diseases and death. Realize of course that people have not always followed God’s design for food, sanitation, and healing. The wealthy have over-indulged. The poor have been consigned to poor quality and limited food supply. Cities were built without consideration for proper sanitation. And hand-washing was not common practice in pre- Pasteur-era hospitals and clinics. The average life span in early 20th century America was very low not because people did not live long lives, but because conditions were so filthy and food quality so poor in the cities that infant mortality was very high. But if one were fortunate enough to survive past toddlerhood, he would indeed have a very good chance of living to a ripe old age!
So let’s consider our food.
In Gen. 1:29 God said, “I give you every seed bearing plant on the face of the earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food”. Also consider that Able raised sheep in those early days; was it just for the wool to cloth them, or was the First Family also drinking milk, God’s most perfect food?
The Promised Land was happily described as, “flowing with milk and honey”.
When Noah and his family left the ark, God told him to eat (clean) meat.
Even the angels ate meat, leavened (fermented) bread, curds (cheese) and whey! (Gen. 18)
All of these things are good, or they would not have been given to us or demonstrated as desirable.
In light of the above, compare modern “food” with that of people throughout bible times. In days of old, foods were whole (unprocessed, not devitalized). It was grown without chemicals of any kind. Animals were either wild or grazed on naturally rich forage. All people consumed some of their foods fermented (bread, wine, cheese, olives, etc.), and much of it raw. Organ meats were prized, and bones made into broth. Salt was natural and people would not do without it.
So why do we now condemn all of these things which God has said were good? A better question might even be, why did we change the way in which we raise and prepare these foods which in former times were the fount of health? And why do we now in all of our wisdom declare our processed “food”, stripped of vitality and devoid of nutrients, “healthy” and “good”?
It has always seemed curious to me that in the 6 days of creation, God never made a single food processing plant, grain silo, pharmaceutical, or hospital. Did He not, in all of His wisdom, know that we would require these things to live? And so it took the infinitely more wise modern man 6000 years to correct our Creator’s oversight!
We are as a nation and as a culture, sick. Just plain sick. And the answers to our problems are always more drugs, more doctors, more hospitals; with no thought of the food which we put into our bodies (other than to eat more manufactured junk in place of whole, life-giving foods). Do we not realize that we are, truly, what we eat?!
God has supplied us with everything we need to live an abundant life upon this earth. We just need to recognize and return to His nourishing and healing ways! Let’s return to His garden, His pasture. Let us embrace His healing ways; the herbs, oils, foods, and prayer which are our sources of health and healing. God’s medicine cabinet is full of good things! These medicines are not quackery or the delusions of fanatical, misguided people. They are God’s ways, and His ways are always good. Even Hippocrates understood these principles when he declared, “Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food”.
This is my choice for myself and my family. I encourage it to be yours as well!
Bobbie said
I’m glad you spoke up, knowing the reaction you’d get. I appreciate the wisdom that you’ve shared with me over the last several years, and I’m glad to call you friend.
Maureen Diaz said
Thank you Bobbie; I am so grateful for you! You were the one who gave me solace the other night, and I appreciate it!
Jayne said
Good posting, Maureen, and well-written! I pray people will start listening.
Denise said
Maureen:
You are exactly right! When I listened to Sally Fallon Morell discuss Dr. Price’s research into the isolated people groups, and she pointed out the degeneration of the skull development which was causing the dental deformaties, I was interested. But when she pointed out that the skull was also deformed in the back of the head, where the hypothalamus was constricted in it’s growth, the Holy Spirit lit my brain up!
The hypothalamus is the seat in the brain for impulse control, the place where we develop our ability to endure suffering and engage in long-term planning. She pointed all of this out. If that is not a completely accurate description of the shortfalls of today’s youth culture, I don’t know what is! And there is no difference, in my observation, between the Church and the culture in this regard. Our church kids are overwhelming like the culture when they should be different, and nutrition is most likely the root of the problem.
I am making lots and lots of headway with my church friends in discussions of WAPF. People know that something is desperately wrong but they don’t know what exactly it is, much less what to do about it. My first Nourishing our Children seminar is to a young moms group at my church in early January. They jumped at the opportunity to hear the material. So exciting!
Amy said
This is the just what I have been struggling to say on my blog and to my friends. You said it perfectly. Thank you so much for following the Lord’s leading to share this publicly. I will be sending many folks your way to read this post.
Joanna said
What a great article, thank you for highlighting this ‘tricky’ issue. It occurs to me that we have to refocus on Him, listen to His wisdom and return to simple food alongside forging new relationships with those near us; who do farm or run a local market.
We actually have not only lost touch with where our life-giving food comes from but we have lost touch with connecting with those around us. I too, as Jayne said, pray that our message is heard.
Lee said
I have been asked to speak to a MOPS group in January. I intend to give a lesson based on the 3 questions from Rex Russell’s book. May I use this essay as part of my introduction to these young moms? I think you state it so eloquently!
Jessica said
This is WONDERFUL. If I was in your group I would have been cheering you on. I have this same opinion and get tons of criticism from my side as well. Keep speaking up! People are listening!!
Anna said
THANK YOU!
It has been my feeling, theory, and experience for many years now that Christians who are more open to natural food/health are more open to God’s ways. I find that people who are eating processed food are not open minded to anything new, especially if it goes against the grain of their status quo world/ beliefs. How can we here God’s still small voice if we are hard of hearing and hard hearted…spiritually and literally!?
“It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.” Pr.25:2
We ought to keep chemicals and “unclean” things out of our bodies. It tells us to be holy (set apart) eight times in the old testament and here in the new: “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” 1Pet.1:15-16
Yes, He is a merciful God when we fall short. He also wants us to fight the good fight, not feed our fleshly natures. “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” Rom 6:1-2
Let us do our part and take care of our bodies (temples),to keep them holy and undefiled with processed food, chemicals, and pharmakia/witchcraft so He can dwell in us to the fullest, and we can hear His voice! There is so much wisdom in His word if we just study and dig deeper! God is infinate and has new things to share with us!
“Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.” Is. 42:9
Can you hear Him?
Celeste Davis said
Here, hear! Great words, we have seen miraculous change in our lives by doing the very things you mention, eating God’s food has enabled my body to completely heal fro Type 2 diabetes, IBS, eczema and hoonecrelayed issues. Like you it is hard for me to sit and listen to people rehearse their illnesses, drug lists and doctors appts and genetic defects. You feel like you are preaching the gospel to a pagan tribe of cannibals. There are some, though who will listen so keep talking! These are truths we cannot abandon. Blessings to you. Celeste
Why Don’t They Get It? Maureen Diaz on God’s Food and Medicine « Journal of Natural Food and Healing said
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Tami said
This was beautiful! I heartily agree! My food journey over the last couple years has been absolutely linked to my spiritual journey. I am amazed that people can have such a desire to know God and miss this HUGE part of how he created us!
Thank you for putting it so eloquently. I will be guiding folks to this essay many times in the days ahead.
Olive Kaiser said
Thank you so much! I am very burdened regarding the influence of the older mothers in churches. They have so much to teach us if they could realize that their memories of how it used to be are worth their weight in gold.
Conversely, their disapproval can be create powerful peer pressure that is difficult for young mothers and YP to buck.
I’ve approached some who do “get it”, and one woman mentioned that she doesn’t think the older generation knew how good they had it. From their perspective, life was full of drudgery, bone chilling or sweltering endless work, and like all of us, they wanted something better for their children. A noble loving wish, but now the viewpoint has changed.
Here are tips I’ve received from those who will hear and understand.
1. Avoid the phrase “we have to, or we MUST”, which may set a person in a contrary mood. A suggestive or reflective attitude may be easier to hear.
2. In some cases, present info as a movement back to the old ways. Or a hint of “the most updated, or latest trend”, without overtly saying so.
3. Discuss how much we NEED the older generation to teach the old ways, how much help they can contribute to the healing of those around them, particularly the children. Church women can do sauerkraut sessions, debone and freeze turkey or chicken meat, and cut up bone carcasses for broth (I use a clean pair of garden shears to split open marrow bones and chop up them in small pieces to get better leaching for broths), clean, freeze or dry organic veggies, or grow herb gardens and make dried herb mixes, etc.
4. If some of the older generation won’t hear, educate the children and the YP if possible who are soon to reproduce. Here are some tools or phrases I’ve used to catch attention.
a. “Our future children’s bodies are sitting on our dinner plates today. Someday they may look in the mirror and grade our choices. If they are able to speak.”
b. This is a clip that is hard to watch, but very powerful. Explanation below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBMDxmtGCQY
Autism -I explain that this child has too many toxins from generations before her, and too little nutrition to be able to excrete them.
Her mother commented – “It shows our girl during one of her episodes when she really looks like she’s having piercing pain inside her head. She’s trying to eat her GCF pancakes here– sorry about the side view!” Dental/ear infection ruled out. Possibly post-inflammatory enlarged glial cells pressing on blood vessels? Some other parents report their autistic children have similar episodes.
If the above link doesn’t work, go to youtube.com and search for “Screaming – Inside pain”
c. The first 3 minutes or so of a talk I gave at a fair “Food is Confusing” The video clip is of amazing body machinery, including the construction of the propeller that moves a bacteria through body fluid (flagellum). It is on the home page of my website, http://www.theglutensyndrome.net I explain that no scientist would let me walk over to his sensitive equipment and throw in some sand. But we do that to our body machinery practically every time we open our mouths or expose ourselves to processed toxins in other ways.
Sometimes it just takes time to sink in. That is where prayer and patience are a key. Gradually the changes may come as the Lord get through to hearts.
Created4Health said
Well said! Keep up the good work sister. You may finds some of the articles on my website helpful: http://Created4health.org
I don’t find many interested in these topics in the church….
Rozlyn said
Awesome- will be posting on my twitter page: http://www.twitter.com/therealitychef. May the Lord add His blessings to your family this Christmas.
Olive Kaiser said
If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Luke 11:11
Just recently saw this in a much more literal way, if one figuratively sees the stone as lifeless processed food, and the serpent as outright toxin.
AMAZING is all I can say! « Liberation Wellness said
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Codi said
I can’t begin to tell you how relieved, thrilled and blessed I am to find someone that has put into words what I have been struggling with for so very long. I have felt so alone, being caught between friends that worship creation but not the Creator and other friends that claim the blood of my Saviour but do not recognize Him in His provision or wisdom in regard to health and diet. I have known it was all connected for quite some time now and as I have prayed fervently for answers, He has continued to guide me on an awesome path as He reveals Himself. Thank you and God Bless You!
nancy said
GREAT article! LOVED it. My Christian sister called me “opinionated” and I said to her that is a rather harsh word and that I prefer to call myself passionate.
Even more so now after the RAW MILK rally up in WIsconsin on Monday! Our government is making it harder for us to get real food telling us what we can and cannot eat and drink!
WE MUST SPEAK UP AND EDUCATE OTHERS – this is becoming IMPERATIVE!
Thanks for speaking up!
For spiritual food as well as for our physical food!
blessings
nancy
Debby said
Beautiful article! Absolutely the truth! Thanks so much. I am new at eating healthy according to the will of God and new in doing my own biblical research on this subject. However, I don’t go to the doctor, nor do I take pharmaceutical drugs.
Just as you, I speak out on the truth in Christian cycles and what I have to say is quite often not recieved or welcomed. One thing I have to remember is how a person recieves the truth is between them and God. I’m just the messenger. With that being said, even though these people don’t get it now, they may get it some other time because you have sown the seed. They may even get it a little bit and begin to make changes yet they are too proud to let you know. Keep speaking! Don’t let them shut you up. You have a message from the Lord, and they need to hear it whether they know it or not. You are not in that group at church by accident. God placed you there and for very good reason!
God bless you!
Debby