What the Bible says about healthy living (Opinion)

Saturday, March 26, 2011 by: Fleur Hupston
Tags: Bible, health, health news

(NewsTarget) Millions view the bible as a book of practical wisdom, and rightly so since it contains a lot of reliable guidance not only in spiritual matters, but also in areas such as living a healthy, full life. Remarkably, these laws were written thousands of years ago and are just as relevant today. Consider some examples:

Vegan Diet

In 607 BCE, Jerusalem was destroyed by Babylonian armies and surviving Jews were taken as exiles to Babylon. The prophet Daniel was one such exile. He and 3 of his companions were singled out as young men of aptitude and were to undergo a 3 year training program in which they were learn, among other things, the Chaldean language and literature.

The young men refused to "pollute themselves with the delicacies of the king's table and with his drinking wine." The Babylonian diet likely consisted of a variety of meats such as pork, rabbit, beef, shellfish, lobster and so on, probably cooked in rich and oily sauces.

Instead of this fare, the teenagers insisted on a diet of only vegetables and water. The result? "Their countenances appeared better and fatter than all the children who were eating the delicacies of the king". Academically, they surpassed all the other learned men in King Nebuchadnezzar's realm. Daniel chapter 1.

Drinking wine

The bible does not prohibit drinking in moderation. But it does have much to say on the subject of drunkenness and gluttony.

"Who has woe? Who has uneasiness? Who has contentions? Who has concern? Who has wounds for no reason? Who has dullness of eyes? Those staying a long time with the wine, those coming in to search out mixed wine." Prov 23:29 - 35

"Do not come to be among heavy drinkers of wine, among those who are gluttonous eaters of flesh." Proverbs 23:20

"Do not be getting drunk with wine, in which there is debauchery." Ephesians 5:18

Cleanliness, food prohibitions and disease

The laws given to the Israelite nation were penned approximately 3 500 years ago. These laws, found in the Old Testament of the Holy Scriptures, contributed to the health of the nation:

Any person, who touched a dead animal or body, was to wash his/her hands and garments and not to come near anyone else until evening time. Leviticus 11:39 - 40

Excrement was to be correctly disposed of and buried. Deuteronomy 23: 12,13

Quarantine for infectious diseases such as leprosy was strictly enforced. Leviticus chapter 13

Israelites were expressly forbidden to eat the blood or fat of an animal. Leviticus 7:22 - 27.

Although the eating of meat was permitted, certain animals were deemed unclean and therefore the meat of such animals was considered unfit for human consumption. An example of this is pork. Interestingly, modern research has shown that, because of their indiscriminate feeding habits, pigs can carry up to 200 different diseases and 18 different parasites and worms, including tapeworms and the deadly worm called trichinella spiralis.

Sources:

http://www.onlinetruth.org/Articles%20Folder...
http://www.rondaniel.com/library/27-Daniel/D...
New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

About the author

Fleur Hupston is a professional freelance writer. She is passionate about natural, healthy living and is currently studying to be a naturopath. She divides her time between writing for Natural News and various other sites, home schooling her children and studying part time.