Most people know what choices they should be making to live a healthier life. But few people have the discipline to consistently live in a healthy way- myself included.The Bible is clear that not only our souls are sacred to God but our bodies as well. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body."
The context of these verses have to do with Paul's warnings against sexual immorality. But the principle that our bodies are sacred to God and how we treat them applies to every aspect of our health.
I speak from experience when I say that making changes in your health habits will radically change your life for the better. At age 24, I weighed 250 lbs on a 6'3" frame with 20% body fat. My cholesterol level was over 200. My blood pressure and pulse rates were high. I changed my eating and exercise habits. I started measuring everything and setting goals. I now am 37 and weigh 195 lbs with 12% body fat. My cholesterol, blood pressure and pulse rates are in the excellent range. I say this not from a source of pride, but to encourage you that changes can be made no matter where your starting point is. In my study and experimentation of what constitutes good health, I have discovered four keys:
1. Reduce Stress.
Stress is an often neglected part of the health picture. People can exercise, eat well, get proper rest and still be on unhealthy if they do not manage stress well. Exercise, diet and sleep are all integral parts of reducing stress. But there are other areas that are important for us to focus on- four areas come to mind:
Meditation- prayer and reflection on the Bible should be the starting point of every believer's day. David tells us that everyone who is godly should offer prayers to God at a time when He may be found. He is our hiding place to preserve us from trouble- Psalm 32:6-7.
Plan- Thoreau said, "Most people live lives of quiet desperation, but I have chosen to live deliberately." Many good things happen to us despite our plans. But planning is a God-given skill that helps us reduce stress. The disorganized life leads to stress. We should constantly ask ourselves: what do I need to purge from my possessions and schedule to make my life simpler and less stressful?
Forgiveness- How many people do you know that add constant stress to their lives by harboring bitterness and a lack of forgiveness? A lack of forgiveness is stressful. Grace is the peaceful, pleasant way. Jesus says, "If you forgive others their sins, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive you."- Matthew 6:14-15. We must daily forgive. We are much worse than we could ever imagine and God is far more graceful than we would ever give Him credit for. The truth of this must compel us towards forgiveness.
Quiet- Life is too noisy and stressful. We should make intentional efforts to reduce the noise. Kierkegaard and others have labeled noise- the tyranny of the urgent. The piece of mail/email we have to read to be better informed; the compelling news story; the important sporting event on television. All of these areas ask for our time and focus, but do they add value to our lives? My family is attempting to turn off all technology from 6pm- 5am. This is a work in progress. I have been recording sporting events that I want to watch. And a funny thing happens... after I check the score in the morning, I don't want to watch most of the games I record. We need to cultivate quiet in our lives.
2. Rest
About 25% of the US population have reported problems with insomnia. Eclessiastes 5:12, "Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep." Solomon was telling us something profound here. We should hold on loosely to all of life's cares and travel light. More stuff equals more worry. If you are having trouble sleeping, you should make changes to your routine. Meditation on some key passages of Scripture about anxiety- Matthew 6:25-34; Psalm 23- or reading Dale Carnegie's How to Stop Worrying and Start Living may be helpful.
The National Sleep Foundation advises the following if you are not getting adequate rest:
- Consume less alcohol and caffeine; avoid nicotine.
- Avoid heavy meals and drinking lots of fluids before going to sleep.
- Exercise regularly, but do so in the daytime.
- Try a relaxing routine- soaking in hot water or turning off all technology after 6pm.
- Establish a regular bedtime and time to get up each morning.
3. Diet
I struggle most in this area. I have a hard time doing anything in moderation. I have the type of personality that will purchase a food that is not good for me- cookies or ice cream. Next, I proceed to eat that item sooner rather than later to purge that food from my home. And when I crave it again, I buy more and repeat the cycle. I know in theory how important moderation is, I just have a hard time practicing it. I pray that God will empower me to make improvements in this area.
Luigi Cornaro wrote an excellent short book on this topic. Luigi was told by a doctor that he would die within weeks; Luigi was in his 30s. Luigi pleaded with God to spare his life and made changes in diet. His strategy was to avoid gluttony and seek moderation. God not only spared his life but Luigi lived to be over 100 years old- quite a feat considering he lived in the 15th century when the average life expectancy was below 50 years old.
Luigi's book Discourses on the Sober Life can be downloaded here: http://www.stewardshipmandate.com/Health_HowtoLive100Years-Cornaro.pdf
I also am coming to understand more and more how important it is to rid our bodies of chemicals that affect our moods, bodies and thinking. We have been sold a bill of goods that prescription drugs are the answer to what ails us. Drugs may be necessary in some cases, but they are too quickly prescribed and too often relied upon.
I recently quit drinking diet sodas through the urging of a friend who had researched the effects of natural sweeteners on the brain. This was hard for me- I had a psychological and physical addiction to them. I have concluded in the two weeks that I have had no diet sodas that my thinking is clearer. I grind my teeth at night and have noticed that this has declined substantially after quitting diet sodas. I ran across a website that has a lot of helpful diet related information that is free of trying to push certain health products on you. It is a wee bit radical but interesting: http://newstarget.com.
4. Exercise
Every muscle in our body needs to be exercised regularly including the brain. Obesity costs this nation $100- $240 billion per year depending on what study you prefer. Diet is partially to blame but we also live inactive lives. Texas is one of the worse states for obesity. Houston, Dallas and San Antonio routinely make the list of 10 fattest cities. Walking is discouraged in these cities and reliance on cars is encouraged.
One of the most important commitments for our weeks should be to schedule exercise time. For me- I attempt to go to the gym 3 or 4 times per week for 2 hours each time. When I am there, I lift weights, read while riding the stationary bike and play basketball. The hour of basketball allows me to overcome some of my dietary excesses.
Exercise should be: regular and intense. Too many people don't exercise often enough. Others don't expel much effort when exercising. Something is better than nothing but if you want to see benefits, you must do it consistently and intensely.
Good health is a process. We should strive for the philosophy of Ashley Montagu in regards to exercise. Ashley said, "Die young as old as possible." One day all of those who trust in Christ will have a resurrected, perfected body. But until that day, we must strive to be the best stewards of this temporary, decaying body that the Lord has entrusted to us.
For His Glory,
Ashley Hodge
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