3 - Health is Wealth

Khun Jack was so excited to receive his high school graduation present. Jack
had hoped all along that his rich father would give him a nice car. He wasn’t
disappointed. The flashy Honda Civic Coup was just like what he’d dreamed.
Thanking his dad, he took the keys, jumped in and raced off for his first test
drive.

He pumped the gas pedal as hard as he could. The car quickly accelerated and
flashed past the traffic. Barely seeing the stop light in time, he squealed the
brakes to a quick stop. Jack smiled at the traffic police, revved his engine and
raced off again.

When he came back to the parking lot, his father said “Take care of your new
car son. Then it will last you a long time.”

Jack didn’t listen. He wanted to show his friends how fast he could reach 120
kph. In fact Jack was too busy having fun to check the engine’s water and oil,
or the air in the tires. He had places to go and exciting things to do.

A nice car like that can put up with quite a bit of abuse, but it wasn’t too long
until Jack was sitting on the road beside his broken-down Honda Civic Coup
phoning his dad for help. “Call a tow truck son,” his dad said. “Find a
mechanic. This is coming out of your pocket, not mine.”

Our Bodies Need Special Care

Most of us take good care of our cars, motorcycles, and other valuables. We’re
surprised when someone acts like Jack did. However, many people treat their
bodies in the exact way Jack treated his car. Business persons rush to work
without a healthy breakfast, push themselves through a stressful day without a
break, eat a large supper that has little nutrition, and then take pills to relax so
they can sleep at night. For awhile their bodies handle the abuse fairly well,
then illness or a nervous breakdown hits. That’s when they need an ambulance
and a doctor like Jack’s car needed a tow truck and a mechanic.

Students often mistreat their bodies too. They stay up late studying hard or
watching the newest movie. They survive on snacks of junk food. Caffeine and
uppers keep them alert for awhile, but their studies suffer because they’ve
mistreated their bodies. In a few years illnesses can easily overtake them.

Our bodies are more valuable than any car. We can’t replace them and they’re
not very easy to fix. Wouldn’t it be wise to learn how to care for our health?
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It’s Worth Being Healthy

A Thai doctor was in his residency program when suddenly he had a heart
attack. As he laid in the hospital he said, “I was so surprised. I never thought it
would happen to me. I have twin daughters and I don’t want to die. I want to
live and see them graduate, get married, and then bring my grandchildren to
me.”

The Thai doctor determined to learn what he could about the steps for good
health. What about you? Surely you’d like to slow down the clock and live
longer too. Surely you’d like more energy and fewer trips to the hospital. Is
there anything you can do? You can make some good choices that will prevent
diseases like diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, and cancer.

Even with all the new medical techniques and drugs, the diseases in our world
are getting scarier. Bird flu threatens to turn into a pandemic. AIDS destroys
whole villages and decimates some countries. The enormous amount of world-
wide travel can spread dangerous diseases rapidly. Pollution in the cities and
the countryside adds a dark cloud to this already gloomy picture.

Is there anything you can do? You can make some good choices that will help
your immune system be strong enough to handle many germs and bacteria.
What you learn here can give you a longer life, more energy and save you time
and money. How true it is that, “Prevention is better than a cure.” กกันไวว้ดดีกวว่าแกว้ ถว้าแยว่
แลว้วจะแกว้ไมว่ทนกั

Deep Motivations for Good Health

Good health is not just about feeling great and living a little longer. When a
person is healthy he or she can think more clearly and work more effectively.
Students, do you want to just pass tomorrow’s test? Do you want a successful
career? Build solid health practices and you’ll have the strength and mental
alertness to do well the rest of your life. Research shows that sufficient sleep,
healthy meals, and exercise dramatically improves people’s quality of work.

A person who wants to memorize scripture and meditate on the important

things of life knows that a sick body makes it difficult to think clearly. This is
another great reason to pursue good health.

Some people say, “I’m going die of something anyway. Why should I change
what I eat or how I live?” What do you think? Does it really matter? Consider
the following truth:

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 The principle “Do good and receive good; do bad and receive bad,” applies both
to morality and health. When we put good things in our body we have good
results. When we put harmful things in, we suffer. When we say “No!” to what
our tongue wants to eat or drink simply because we know something is harmful
to our bodies, we are making a positive moral choice. In fact, People who know
how to put aside a personal pleasure for a greater good are the people who
succeed in life and reap great benefits. It’s like the Bible says, “Good
understanding gains favor, but the way of the unfaithful is hard.” (Proverbs
13:15). Try choosing healthful choices and see if it helps you make other good
decisions too.

One young lady never bothered to think about her health until her grandmother
got diabetes. Then she researched what could be done to help the one she
loved. She found out that a healthy diet and simple exercise could keep her
grandmother from developing the debilitating effects of diabetes such as
blindness and loss of limbs. She herself started eating more healthfully along
with her grandmother. Her choice to care about others and her own health has
given her a strength of character that is blessing all her relationships and work.

A Step Forward

So are you motivated to be more healthy? Why not choose to do a health

experiment? Listen carefully to the following health principles and try them for
a month. Watch for the benefits in how your body feels, in the clearness of your
mind, and in the improvement of your relationships. You will experience the
truth, “Health is wealth.”

An Ancient Plan for Health

“I can’t keep up with her!” puffed the male nurse from Chiang Mai. “How can
she be so energetic at seventy-five?”

Dr. Helen Morton, had started a medical clinic at Maethang in Chiang Mai,
Thailand. She also hiked through the hills to treat and teach the villagers.

She waited for the out-of-breath man. “Why are you so full of energy and I’m all
worn out?” he asked. “Did you used to be an athlete?”

She laughed, “The doctor examined me twelve years ago and said I was on my
death bed!” Then she told him her story. Twelve years before, she’d begun to
feel more tired as she made her rounds in the hospital. She decided to have a
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 check-up. She was startled to discover that she had angina, diabetes, and some
tumors in her uterus. The observing doctor shocked her further when he said,
“There is so much wrong with your body that there’s not much I can do to help
you.”

Dr. Helen lay awake that night for a long time. She felt hopeless and desperate.
She didn’t want to die! Who could help her? There were so many opinions in
the medical field, but where could she find help she could count on? Suddenly
she sat up in bed. Her mind turned to a plan for health that she had heard
about. This plan was based on health principles gleaned from some ancient
scriptures, many of which were 3500 years old. It was a neglected plan, but
recent scientific research had proved its validity. Perhaps where no other
doctor could help her, this plan could.

Twelve years later she was energetically helping people in the mountains of
Thailand. Let’s examine that health plan which is based on ancient scriptures
called the Bible.

1. Eat Nutritious Food

Long before scientists discovered vitamins and minerals, the scriptures

declared that there was a time in ancient history when people ate primarily
fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, and nuts. The Bible says that the lifespan of
humans at that time was considerably longer than what we have today. Why
would that be?

Most people love to eat fruits and vegetables with the many delicious flavors
and interesting textures. Packed inside these foods is something that keeps us
alive. As we eat and digest, the vitamins and minerals hidden in our vegetables
and fruits race to every part of our body to give us strength and energy.

For example, the delicious but inexpensive banana has lots of vitamins, the
mineral potassium, and plant chemicals called antioxidants which can actually
help prevent cancer. Inside the colorful and delicious mangoes and papayas are
hidden the essential vitamins A and C. Vitamin A helps our eyes see well.
Vitamin C strengthens our immune system to fight disease.

Green leafy vegetables such as spinach and cabbage give us many helpful
things including the vitamins E and A, plus folic acid, iron, calcium and
magnesium. Many studies show that these very things build strong bones,
nerves, and muscles, as well as reduce our chance of getting cancer and heart
disease.
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 The people who pack their meals with a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and
whole grains not only have delicious meals, but great health.

Dr. Mark Messina, a prominent scientist, after reviewing and summarizing an

immense amount of current nutritional research, wrote, “Eat lots of whole
grains, vegetables, and fruits. Include some soy or other beans in your diet
every day. Use only small amounts of … fats, and animal foods, or skip them if
you prefer. Believe it or not, this is all you really need to know.” 1 Many scientists
like this confirm that what the Bible said so many years ago is true and helpful
today.

2. Avoid Harmful Foods

Nutritious food is like fuel for a car. Without gas, a car can’t run. Some people
put in premium gasoline, willing to pay a little extra to make sure their car runs
well. They avoid certain gas stations where the fuel may be watered down,
knowing that impurities can ruin the engine. We should also choose the best
food for our bodies and avoid the ones that have serious impurities.

Highly processed foods bring toxins and an excess of fats, salts, and sugars
which lead toward heart attacks, strokes, and diabetes. Factories take 12 ears
of corn to make 1 tablespoon of oil and turn 12 feet of sugar cane into one
spoon of sugar. We like the taste, but it hurts the body. We’d do much better if
we would eat more of the food just as we find it in nature.

Dr. Helen was intrigued that years ago the Bible especially warned about the fat and
the blood in meats. One of the authors of the scriptures named Moses wrote, “You
shall eat neither fat nor blood.” (Leviticus 3:17). Some people think that eating
blood will purify and strengthen the body, but instead, research shows that blood is a
carrier of disease and illnesses, like cancer. Too much fat is harmful to the body and
leads towards heart attacks and strokes.

The Bible also warned against eating certain meats. In recent years, scientists have
discovered links between eating meat and many diseases. Some diseases such as
SARS, bird influenza, and mad cow disease can be passed from animals to humans.
Though meat is often inspected for cancer and other diseases, much diseased meat
still gets passed on to the markets. Char-broiling the meat adds many more toxins.

1
Messina, Messina & Setchell, The Simple Soybean and Your Health (Avery, 1994) p154.
Referenced by Dysinger, Dr. William in Heaven’s Lifestyle Today, p. 32.

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Another Step Forward
Our taste buds may start complaining as they hear this wisdom. We like certain
things and hate to think they might be harmful. Two Thai sayings can really

help us. One says, “Tasty to your mouth, but hard on your stomach.” อรร่อยแกร่

ปาก ลลาบากแกร่ทท้อง We must do what is best for our whole body and not let the
little tongue boss us around. This is like the other saying, “Your heart is the
boss; your body is the servant.” ใจเปป็ นนาย กายเปป็ นบว่าว ( ใจตว้องบกังคกับตกัวเองไดว้). We must make
wise choices that will give us greater energy, clearer minds, and longer life
rather than letting our desires tell us what to do.

Take a step forward right now by determining to eat lots of vegetables and
fruits this week, while cutting back on meats and refined foods that have a lot of
salt, sugar, and fat. You will experience the truth that “Health is wealth.”

3. Live with Balance

The Bible also counsels people to rest one day out of seven. Some people say,
“I have no time to rest. There is too much to be done.” They are often the very
ones who crash under the load of busyness and stress. It is crucial that we
know how to balance work and rest so that we can regain the energy we need
to accomplish our tasks with efficiency, accuracy, and in a kind spirit.

During a time of war, one country tried to change the week from 7 days to 10
days. They didn’t want their factory workers to rest so often. However, after a
short time of increased sickness and job-related accidents, they recognized
that the seven-day week cycle of the scriptures was the best way for everyone.

Determine this week that you will take time for adequate sleep each night and
a day resting from your work or studies. See how such a healthy choice helps
your energy, your attitude, and your family relationships.

4. Keep Garbage out of the Body

Can you imagine if someone took their garbage and dumped it in the temple?
Garbage should be hauled away and buried. Then why do so many people
throw garbage right inside their own bodies? Drugs are like garbage. People
take drugs because they like how it feels. For a few moments they forget their
problems and experience some sort of high. With the pleasure come poisons
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 that can kill them. The Bible says that our bodies are like temples and we
should avoid putting garbage in them. We can also help people who take drugs
to realize there are better ways to deal with their problems that will bring
lasting joy and peace.

There are other serious poisons that people are taking into their bodies without
realizing the great danger. Did you know that cigarettes kill more people
throughout the world every year than AIDS, murders, car crashes, fires, and
drug abuse combined? A heavy smoker will die eight years sooner than other
people. In fact each cigarette shortens a person’s life by approximately seven
minutes! Count to ten and another person just died because he didn’t stop
smoking.

Why is smoking so bad? A cigarette’s smoke has 4000 different chemicals in it

and 43 of them are cancer-causing agents. These toxic poisons cause problems
to every tissue in the body, leading to lung cancer, emphysema, stomach ulcers,
heart disease, and strokes. Besides that, smoking burns up a lot of money. A
one-pack-a-day smoker who quits smoking will save about 11,000 baht a year or
more than 130,000 in ten years. Even though many find it difficult to quit
smoking, it is well worth the struggle to stop.

Alcohol, Friend or Enemy?

Alcohol is also a poison to the body. It eats away at the stomach lining causing
ulcers. Moderate drinkers have twice as many cancers as non-drinkers and
heavy drinkers have eight times more cancer. Female drinkers are 46 percent
more likely to get breast cancer than non-drinkers. The liver is especially hurt
by alcohol.

Do you want to be clear and alert in your thinking? Even small amounts of
alcohol (1-2 ounces) destroy brain cells. After Alzheimer’s disease, alcohol is the
second greatest cause of adult dementia. It especially assaults the front part of
the brain where we make important decisions about what is right and wrong.
Alcohol causes the brain to react more slowly which is why so many fatal
accidents happen around New Year’s and other holidays. It also makes the brain
more willing to do something that’s wrong. Many crimes are connected to
alcohol use.

Because of such things, spiritual leaders throughout the centuries have urged
people away from alcohol. Several thousand years ago it was written in the Bible, “Do not look
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 on the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it swirls around smoothly; at the last it
bites like a serpent, and stings like a viper” (Proverbs 23:31-32). Alcohol is truly not a good friend,
but rather a poisonous enemy.

Ben had started the evening nervous because he was new to the crowd. After a
few beers he felt relaxed. As the alcohol in his brain began to blur reality, he
started to forget his troubles and felt more confident than he ever had before.
He thought he was having a great night.

The next morning he was shocked to wake up in jail. He had driven home so
drunk that he’d crossed the center line of the road and killed someone on a
motorcycle. His life would never be the same again.

Advertisers show alcohol drinkers as happy, handsome, and athletic people.

They don’t tell us that alcohol is another murderer behind approximately half of
all violent crimes such as murders and rapes. Alcohol causes almost half of all
fatal traffic accidents. When we think about alcohol we should remember the
Thai saying, “Don’t take a joy ride on a tiger.” (อยว่าขดีขี่เสสื อเลว่น) We also say, “Alcohol is
not just water and opium is not just a flower.” (เหลว้าไมว่ใชว่นน า กกัญชาไมว่ใชว่ดอกหญว้า)

Just two drinks of alcohol weaken the immune system and make it very hard for
the body to fight bacteria and viruses. Research shows that a moderate drinker
is also more likely to catch AIDS if he is exposed to HIV. Alcohol leads people
into anxiety, depression, and is even a common cause of suicide. No wonder the
ancient scriptures said, “Wine is a mocker and strong drink is a brawler, and
whoever is led astray by it is not wise” Proverbs 20:1.

A Solid Step Forward

If you have never smoked cigarettes, drunk alcohol, or taken drugs, determine
today that you never will. If you do these things now, think carefully about
what you really want from life. You can decide your future. You can choose the
best way for your life. Your family and your friends will also benefit from your
good choices as you influence them in the right direction.

Take a difficult, but solid step forward today. Experience the great benefits of a
healthy choice to avoid poisons. You will likely have a longer life, increased
energy, the good feelings of a right decision, along with being a positive
influence on others. Truly, “Health is wealth.”

5. Enjoy Life
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 The Bible tells about a powerful but free medicine that will help us in many
ways. “A merry heart does good, like a medicine, but a broken spirit dries up
the bones.” (Proverbs 17:22). Have you seen the power of this truth?
Scientists have.

Studies show that depression and sadness increase a person’s likelihood of

getting osteoporosis, asthma, and headaches. Depression makes a person’s risk
of dying from a stroke greater by 50%. It can definitely increase a person’s
risk of death from cancer, heart attacks, and pneumonia.2 Anger actually
causes the body to create toxins that are harmful to health.

On the other hand, those who think positive thoughts, whose hearts are full of
contentment and gratitude, cause their bodies to produce hormones called
endorphins that bring energy and healing.

Divorce can be one of the most illness-producing events in people’s lives.

Divorce causes millions to suffer through the heartache of abandonment.
Legal battles over ownership and childcare cause more pain. Many become
angry, bitter, and refuse to forgive. These negative emotions weaken the
immune system leading to illnesses. No wonder the scriptures urged people to
work out their problems and avoid divorce.

The Bible says that those who help the poor and the sick will find healing
quickly (Isaiah 58). It’s fascinating that a survey of 3,300 people who
volunteered to help others without pay, reported that they felt a special joy and
most felt healthier than other people they knew.

We can determine to find greater physical health by choosing to think and

speak in positive ways, rejecting sadness and anger. Compassion for others
will bring peace and joy to us as well as them. “Health is wealth,” including
the wealth of friendship, harmony, and joy.

Mummies, Egypt and the Bible

Have you been amazed at how much reliable health wisdom is in these ancient
scriptures? It is even more amazing when we understand the secret of the
mummies of Egypt. The mysterious pyramids of Egypt have long intrigued
people around the world. Ancient Pharaohs were embalmed, wrapped in cloths,

2
Nedley, Dr. Neil, Depression, The Way Out p. 14, & 17
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 and buried deep in the pyramids with much treasure. Many of these graves
were later robbed. Some however, remained hidden until they were discovered
within the last one hundred years.

In 1975 a team of specialists gathered to perform autopsies on the Egyptian

mummies in the Manchester Medical School museum in England. The bodies
were 4000 years old. As they studied the bodies they were surprised to realize
that the Pharaohs had died of very similar diseases as people in affluent
countries today.

Why is this? The ruling class Egyptians that were mummified lived elegant
lives, with very rich and complicated diets. They liked to eat pigs, cows, goats,
sheep, ducks, and geese, and used quite a bit of animal fat and sugar. They also
avoided exercise. Many suffered and died with diseases like heart disease,
cancer, cirrhosis of the liver, arthritis, constipation, gallstones, gout, and
osteoporosis.

Did the Egyptians have good medical knowledge? A medical book written in
Egypt 3500 years ago prescribed black calf blood boiled in oil with the fat of a
rattlesnake to prevent the hair from turning gray. They also used magic water
cures, horse dung, and worm’s blood. They used lizards’ blood, pigs’ ears, dog
feces, and even flies to treat various diseases.

During this time, an Israelite man named Moses was born in Egypt. He was
adopted by an Egyptian princess and raised in Pharaoh’s royal court. Moses
was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. Moses’ life took a dramatic
turn when he chose to help rescue thousands of his own Israelite people out of
Egyptian slavery. He went on to write an important section of the Bible.

It is fascinating that Moses wrote down such excellent health wisdom when all
those around him were following bad health practices. This fact has helped
many people trust the Bible’s counsel on other subjects. These scriptures are a
collection of wisdom in proverbs, stories, and historical records. Many people
have experienced greater health, increased peace, and more harmonious
relationships as they’ve read and meditated on the Bible. You can enjoy the
same.

Your Health

Dr Helen Morton discovered wisdom from the Scriptures that helped her escape cancer, diabetes, and
heart problems. A simple summary of what can help our health is:

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 1. Eat Nutritious Foods
2. Avoid Harmful Foods
3. Live with Balance
4. Keep Garbage out of the Body
5. Enjoy Life

Meditation Moment

Let’s stop for a minute to meditate on the meaning of the following quotes. Think of how these truths can
benefit your life.

 “Health is wealth.”

 “Good understanding gains favor, but the way of the unfaithful is hard.”
(Proverbs 13:15).

 “A merry heart does good, like a medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the
bones.” (Proverbs 17:22).

Now reflect on the stories and their meanings.

 How is your body like the car that Khun Jack’s father gave him?

 Which of the healthful ideas that Dr. Helen learned do you need to start practicing?

 What habits do you have that are hurting you?

The Choice Regarding Health is Yours

Suppose a mother had a two-year-old girl. The little girl sees a shiny knife and
wants to play with it. As she reaches for it, the mother grabs it away. The girl
cries. She wants it and she wants it now! No matter how loudly she cries, her
mother won’t give it to her. She loves her too much to let her play with
something that will hurt her. Instead the mother distracts her girl with a pretty
toy.

Our bodies are like that little girl. We crave certain things that will hurt us.
Our minds must be like the mother. We must not give in to what our tongues
and bodies shout for. Instead we can choose to distract ourselves with
something that is better. It’s time now for you to make some good choices for
your health.

Take Action: Check the things below that you will put into practice this week.

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_____ I will eat more fresh fruits and vegetables to improve my health.
_____ I will not use alcohol, drugs or tobacco.
_____ I will think and speak about positive things, seeking harmony with those
around me.
_____ I will begin reading the scriptures, searching for its wisdom.

With the good choices you’ve just made, you should begin feeling happier and
more energetic soon!

You can trust that it’s true, “Health is wealth.”

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