A time to celebrate.
May 18 - 25 2013
The Adventist denomination this year is Celebrating 150 years since Ellen G White one of our founders had a couple of visisons given by God about living healthfully. She guided the church back to a more biblical based diet and also encouraged more exercise and how to dress for the climate rather than for fashion.
In reading about the good old days of medicine, smoking was good for lungs disease, sunlight and fresh air caused germs. Plus no one really washed that well. Some people I've read never actually had a bath in their entire life. Then medication was a hit and miss with opium being used, mercury (yes that's right), leaches and what we call from the old western movies snake oil. (Don't forget Coke cola started out this way.)
She actually had 5 visions about healthful living.
The 1st vision was about keeping away from smoking or chewing tobacco her and her family healthy so they could continue ministering to people. (Her husband actually had serious depression and a stroke for a time and had to give up his ministry. Two of her sons died from illness, which could have been prevented by following a good diet, lots of fresh air etc).
The 2nd vision involved cleanliness & the avoidance of fatty food.
The 3rd vision was about the lack of faith & education of healthy living in the church. (The importance of the mother in providing for her children).
Then the 4th & 5th visions were about the work of the church. This vision changed the churches direction and promotion of health. Now big food producing factories around New Zealand, Australia produce healthy foods, soy milk etc. Plus running triathlons for children. There are also others around the world. World class hospitals (that teach nurses and doctors etc) and small clinics in the Pacific (now being supported by churches in the 1st world). Professionals that give up their time to volunteer on ships or do surgery in various countries that can't afford this type of intervention.
Yes she and people like Joseph Bates (against alcohol, tea and coffee) have influenced how Adventist's have eaten and lived for years.
Some people still have problems with where this information came from at that time. An Australian GP made a study in the early 2000's about her healthy guidelines and he wrote up his findings in a book "Acquired or inspired?" He discovered that 78% have been verified by science in the 20th and 21st Century. Yet she wrote the book back in about 1871.
The only thought I have now is just how many of us actually still maintain those healthful practices? Have they actually given up this cause for convenience of getting food quickly onto the table?
What mixed messages are we giving our kids about the importance of a healthy lifestyle, not just in diet, but do we think about the impact we have on the environment? Do teach them how to make health choices, live a life of integrity? What about living a balanced lifestyle between work, rest and play (to take on the Mars Bar ad). To do things and eat or drink in moderation, where can they get support? Yes what is the message that you are passing onto your family?
