Exercise and weight loss

If you ask beginners why they are exercising, most will likely say to lose weight. However, you do not have to exercise to drop those unwanted pounds. Consider this, 3,500 calories equals one pound, so if you consume 3,500 calories, and don’t burn them, you will likely gain a pound. It does not matter that those 3,500 calories come from healthy foods or junk foods Let’s compare two imaginary people: one attempting to lose weight through exercise alone, and the other through diet alone.

The person using exercise alone worked out consistently for 30 days. During each workout session they burned 3500 calories. However, after each workout session, they consumed 3600 calories. At the end of 30 days, this person would have made great strides toward improving their fitness; their weight would have remained the same. It does not matter how much or how hard you exercise, you consume more calories than you burn, you will not lose weight.

The second person lost weight through diet alone. It was determined that their metabolic rate was 2,500 calories. Our metabolic rate is the rate at which our body burns calories. For 30 days, this person did no exercise but consumed 2,000 calories a day. At the end of 30 days, they did not make any improvement toward fitness, but experienced weight loss.

The purpose of exercise is not only to lose weight but to develop, and maintain a level of fitness. If exercise is done in conjunction with an adequate diet and proper nutrition, weight loss and improvements in health will be the end result. Instead of focusing on weight loss, I would suggest that your focus on your body fat percentage. Consider this; if you weigh 190 pounds, and you lose ten pounds of muscle then gain ten pounds of fat, you will still weigh 190 pounds. However, you won’t be as fit.

The imaginary people used in this illustration are in fact imaginary, but the results are real. Try to understand the principles of the illustration.

Jonathan Kelsey

The Benefits or Risk of fast food consumption

In our rapid moving society that functions at a rate which continues to move faster and faster each day, in this high tech age we live in, fast food has quickly been adopted as the no.1 food of choice. As advertisements have premiered on billboards throughout  our neighborhoods, schools, and of course the billion dollar business of television. Burger king promotes its famous whopper and Mcdonalds its Big Mac. Each item on the menu for decades has defined the expected American diet.

As the corporate goals aim to make these American fast food chains much more of a household name in our homes than the word of God. The media takeover in our communities, mostly the poor communities takes control of our minds, and stomachs; Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Kentucky Fried Chicken to name a few. Their success comes from the fast pace of each parent or single parent in the home working with no time for the togetherness of family dinners.

So they offer consumers a quick, cheap, convenient meal Thus, our delicate bodies become deteriorated by improper eating habits. But let’s never fool ourselves. Sin and Satan’s desire that we all lose sight of Christ saving grace lies at the door. Thus, allowing the door to become our mouth and what we consume each and every day. Which is all too often high in fat, salt content and low in fiber and calcium. But what they don’t tell you is that.

Fast food is a major contributor to rising state of Obesity; Calorie-laden fast food meals can contain nearly a full day’s worth of calories and fat, and if eaten regularly, increases your chances of obesity. According to CBS News Health Watch, almost one-third of U.S children between the ages of 4 and 19 consume fast food, which, depending on the regularity with which fast food is eaten, can cause a 6-pound weight increase per year.

Also Fast Food increases Diabetes; Consumption of fast food has been linked to an increased chance of developing Type 2 Diabetes. In Type 2 Diabetes, either your body is unable to regulate blood sugar with insulin, or is unable to produce insulin. Increased body fat, along with a high-sugar and high-carbohydrate diet, can increase your body’s resistance to insulin, which monitors your blood sugar levels. An article published by the US Department of Health and Human Services states that people who ate fast food two or more times per week were twice as likely to experience insulin resistance.

Fast food is also typically very high in Sodium. A large order of fast food french fries can contain as much as 30% of your daily value of sodium. While important to consume in small amounts, excess sodium builds up in your bloodstream. Your heart must work harder to pump blood successfully, which can cause hypertension and high blood pressure. Also excess salt consumption is associated with strokes. A chronic consumption of excess sodium may lead to edema or water retention.

In addition, some studies have shown that calcium competes with sodium. In other words, as the intake of sodium increases, there is an increase in the urinary excretion of calcium. This increased excretion of calcium may be responsible for reduced peak bone mass and increased bone demineralization. Which, in turn, increases the risk for osteoporosis and bone fractures among women. This concept is extremely important when thinking in terms of children who are in the critical stage of developing bone density.

The recommended limit for sodium is 2,200 mg. On average, exceeding these recommendations in our fast food culture is quite easy since a Burger King Whopper contains 870 mg of sodium and a large order of McDonald’s fries contains 290 mg, making it possible for individuals to reach more than half the limit in one meal.

Fast Food is Low in Nutrients such as Hamburgers served on white bread, french fries, high-fat meats, and other high-carbohydrate which lack important nutrients. Such as, vitamins found in fresh produce, fiber found in whole grains and protein served without added fat. Foods which are high in sugar and carbohydrates but low in nutrients are also often less filling than healthier options, and can lead to overeating. Furthermore, non-nutritious fast food several times per week can impact your energy levels and mood, and may put you at risk for vitamin deficiency.

So we see, these diets that are high in fat with no nutrient dense foods such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables, are also typically low in fiber. Because of the lack of complex carbohydrates which are often high in fiber, and lower cholesterol levels, which brings about an improved digestive function, which usually decreases the risk of cardiovascular disease and some forms of cancer.

Decreased in physical activity also plays a major roles in the the fast food epidemic; As the Technological age has fewer children getting any physical activity, as idol time is spent surfing the net instead of hitting the net on the basketball court. The temptation of fast food is great because the fast foods are easily available, convenient and cheap. But as parents, educators and churches we must forever set examples and councils on diets and foods. And since many food patterns begin during childhood, parents, teachers, and our churches should avoid using fast foods as rewarding meals.

But to attempt to educate our children on healthy food choices. While  advocating nutrient dense diets, that are rich in whole grains, fresh fruits, and vegetables along with an increase in physical activity. And as we draw closer to Christ’s soon return we must continue to focus our attention on Paul’s statement in 1 Cor. 10:31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Mrs. White also tells us in Ministry of Healing “In order to know what are the best foods, we must study God’s original plan for man’s diet. He who created man and who understands his needs appointed Adam his food.”

“Behold,” He said, “I have given you every herb yielding seed…., and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for food.” Grains, fruits, nuts, and vegetables constitute the diet chosen for us by our Creator. These foods, prepared in as simple and natural a manner as possible, are the most healthful and nourishing. Because they impart a strength, a power of endurance, and a vigor of intellect that prepares us for God’s pure and holy kingdom. Remember my friends “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” 1 John 3:2

Is television detrimental to our health and salvation?

Our over saturation of television programming has turned the United States into a nation of zombies who are easily manipulated by government and corporate advertisers.  Sin and Satan’s desire that we all lose sight of Christ saving grace, while forgetting that life is too short to squander away in front of the TV.

For we only have but a short period of probation, from birth to death in which to prepare for God’s pure and holy kingdom. Watching TV immediately shifts our brain activity from beta waves, associated with logical thought and analytical processes; to alpha waves, commonly associated with susceptibility, suggestibility and an unfocused state of mind which lacks the act of knowing, perceiving, or remembering the things God deems beneficial, and precious for our salvation.

Recent studies suggest that the more TV you watch, the more likely you are to develop a host of health problems and to die at an earlier age. In the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers combined data from eight such studies and found that for every additional two hours people spend glued to the tube on a typical day, their risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases by 20% and their risk of heart disease increases by 15%.

And for every additional three hours the study participants spent in front of the TV, their risk of dying from any cause during the respective studies jumped 13%, on average. Extended TV watching has reached epidemic proportions, especially in the U.S. The connection between TV and disease isn’t a mystery. TV watching eats up immeasurable time that could be spent walking, exercising, or even just moving around, But most important it takes away time that should be spent studying the word of God and doing His will.

One day God will question us about our time and say to each and everyone, EITHER “Well done, good and trustworthy servant! Since you’ve been trustworthy with a small amount, of time I’ll put you in charge of a large amount (Eternal life). Come and share your master’s joy!” OR, He will ask you, one final question, why was, house wives of Atlanta, Scandal, DWTS, The Voice, and Grays Anatomy more important then studying my word and doing my will? And the saddest words we will ever here repeated, He will say, I know you not.

In Ephesians 5:15-17 Paul states “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is”,Moses had seen an entire generation wander aimlessly in the desert because they refused to believe God’s word. Instead, choose to believe the ten spies who said the land God had promised them was too difficult to conquer.

Therefore 40 years, the Israelites roamed the wilderness, with no specific destination in sight. An entire generation was sentenced to an inactive and slothful wandering in the wilderness. It has been estimated that an average of almost 90 people a day died during those years. Then only Moses, Joshua and Caleb remained to represent the generation that left Egypt. Many of us experience this same dilemma, wandering in the wilderness of TV! TV! And More TV as the years flies by.

We must realize as Christians our stay on this earth is only for a little while. Time is precious, and how we spend and use it for God’s glory and honor, is of vital importance to our spending eternity with Christ. God in the wise foresight and anticipation teaches us how we should be discerning and perceptive about the proper use of our time.

The time never should come in a Christian’s life here on earth. When, if he were asked to mention the period of his greatest love to Christ, he would not say without thinking, “Right at this present moment. And we as future citizens of Gods pure and holy society will never realize the importance of that statement and what it means to our salvation.

By allowing the foolishness of what we watch on TV to consume our precious time that should be spent focusing on our love for Christ and how he changes our lives each day as we study His word. The constant watching of TV only allows us to loose sight of our journey here on earth, as it begins to influence our lives, and not God’s word and His relationships with us.

As Fenelon tells us, “Time is given to us to prepare for eternity.” And we may also reverse that statement and say – eternity is given to prepare us for time. But if we fail to live out our time wisely here on earth by watching those things on TV, that takes our focus away from Christ. Then, our character becomes what we watch on TV and not what the Spirit of God prepares us for.

So my friends, today decide to turn off that TV and spend each precious moment you have left on this earth searching to capture the mind and character of Christ. In 2 Peter 3:8-11 Peter tells us But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and our works, and time, that are done on this earth will be exposed. So my friends let’s decide today, to give it all to the Master. Of course the first step is to turn off your TV and open the word of God as you stay focused on His promises, and continue to tell yourself “This world is not my home. I’m just passing through my treasures are not here but laid up somewhere way beyond the blue. I can fill the presence of God’s Spirit each day as the celestial Angels beckons me from heaven’s open door. And that is why I can never feel at home on this earth anymore. Oh, Lord, I know there is no friend like you, so please continue to lead, guide and show me, to live throughout eternity with you, what must I do?”

The answer is very simple. Open up the word of God and study as if your life depended on it, because it does. As John says in John 6:63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.

Flesh a necessity for our survival or not

In the beginning God gave our first parents Adam and Eve all the food necessary for a total Physical, Mental, and spiritual lifestyle, a lifestyle that would never cease to bring vitality and endurance to, the perfect. Anatomy that He had created in the likeness of Himself. It was contradictory to His plan at creation to have the life of any creature taken.

There was to be no death, or disease, in Eden. The fruit of the trees in the garden was all the nourishment required for man’s needs. In creating man’s food on the third day when He said and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself after His kind: and God saw that it was good.

The Lord showed what the best diet for his well-being was. Only after the flood did God give man permission to eat animal food. Those individuals, who lived before the flood after man sinned, ate animal food to gratify their sinful lusts, and this continued until their cup of iniquity was full with God, and He “repented that He had made man on the earth and it grieved Him at His heart.”

After the flood God permitted man to continue to eat animal food to shorten their sinful lives. Soon after the flood, mankind began to rapidly decrease in size, and in length of years. It was never Gods will that we should gratify our appetites, by the killing of animals as a means of survival. If we are to be a peculiar people in God’s sight, we must exercise temperance in all things.

Health reform and the elimination of eating animals must be one of our main priorities if we are to endure to the end, and finish this race in preparation to live throughout eternity with our Lord and Savior. The word of God warns us that unless we abstain from fleshly lusts, the physical nature will always be brought into conflict with our spiritual nature.

Thus warfare is forever in battle between our propensities toward the lust of the flesh, imperiled by the indulgence of appetites that is unsanctioned by heaven, and what Gods originally plan for our well-being was intended for us from the beginning in the Garden of Eden.

And If we would always focus on Paul’s words in Romans 12:1,2 “I Beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what that is good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

PORK

The tissues of the swine swarm with parasites. Of the swine, God said, It is unclean unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, nor touch their dead carcass. This command was given because swine’s flesh is unfit for food. Swine are scavengers, and this is the only use they were intended to serve.

Never, under any circumstances, was their flesh to be eaten by human beings. One reason for God’s rule forbidding pork is that the digestive system of a pig is completely different from that of a cow. It is similar to ours, in that the stomach is very acidic. Pigs are gluttonous, never knowing when to stop eating.

Their stomach acids become diluted because of the volume of food, allowing all kinds of vermin, Parasites, bacteria, viruses, and toxins to pass into the pigs flesh, because of their overeating. These toxins and infectious agents can be passed on to humans as well when they eat a pig’s flesh. Influenza (flu) is one of the most famous illnesses which pigs share with humans.

This illness is harbored in the lungs of pigs during the summer months and tends to affect pigs and humans in the cooler months. Sausage contains bits of pigs’ lungs, so those who eat pork sausage tend to suffer more during epidemics of influenza. Eating pork can also lead to gallstones and obesity, probably due to its high cholesterol and saturated fat content.

The pig is the main carrier of the taenia solium worm, which is found it its flesh. These tapeworms are found in human intestines with greater frequency in nations where pigs are eaten. This type of tapeworm can pass through the intestines and affect many other organs, and is incurable once it reaches beyond a certain stage.

In the U.S., three of the six most common food-borne parasitic diseases of humans are associated with pork consumption. These include toxoplasmosis, taeniases or cysticercosis caused by the pork tapeworm Taenia solium and trichinellosis.

BEEF

Beef can harbor a deadly new germ, called e.coli O157:H7. This new germ is now a major cause of serious food poisoning. Beef and dairy cattle can carry the germ with no apparent adverse health effects. The germ, found in cattle feces, has contaminated beef and produce grown with cow manure.

So far it has killed dozens of people and sickened thousands. In August, 1997, 25 million pounds of beef were recalled, the largest food recall in the world’s history, because of O157:H7 contamination of beef destined to Burger King restaurants.

The precautions against the germ – including cooking to 160º F (71º C) – reveals a disgusting side of beef production – there is no way to prevent fecal contamination during slaughter There are numerous claims today about saturated fat.

Some claim that we do not need any saturated fat to survive, or that all saturated fat is bad, while others tell us to eat freely and that this substance is essential for our health. While not all saturated fat is bad, saturated fat from animal products like meat appears to directly affect the function of our cardiovascular system in many negative ways.

Not only is it linked to putting a strain on one’s heart through possible fat deposits in the arteries, increasing one’s blood pressure and causing artery damage, but it is the major fat responsible for dangerous weight gain. Today’s meat is even higher than ever in fat because of how the animals are raised, with no exercise or natural grazing capabilities.

Hence they sit in a cage and are over fed, which leads to higher than normal unhealthy fat deposits. Besides the increased chances of colon cancer, meat can cause a lot of digestive disturbances for the very same reasons. Meat takes a long time to pass through the intestines, where during this time it putrefies.

Putrefaction produces toxins and amines that accumulate in the liver, kidneys and large intestines, destroys bacterial cultures and causes degeneration of the lining of the small intestine. Over a few years of a regular meat diet, putrefied meat is going to adhere to the lining of your intestines, where it often causes various digestive problems such as IBS, stomach cramps, prolapsed colons, haemorrhoids, constipation and many other problems that are not even directly linked to the intestines.

CHICKEN

Quite simply, chickens are the most abused animals on the planet. Chickens raised for their flesh are packed by the thousands into massive sheds. They are fed large amounts of antibiotics and drugs to keep them alive in conditions that would otherwise kill them.

The antibiotics make chickens grow so large, so fast that they often become crippled under their own weight, bigger is better, This reckless use of antibiotics also makes drugs less effective for treating humans by speeding up the development of drug-resistant bacteria.

Only seven weeks after they are born, chickens are crowded onto trucks that transport them to the slaughterhouse. Tens of millions of chickens have their wings and legs broken in the process every year. They are trucked through all weather extremes, sometimes over hundreds of miles, without any food or water.

At slaughter, chickens are hung upside-down and have their throats slit, and they are often scalded to death in defeathering tanks A USDA study found that more than 99 percent of broiler chicken carcasses sold in stores had detectable levels of E. coli, indicating fecal contamination.

In other words, if you’re eating chicken flesh, you’re almost certainly eating poop. Consumer Reports states there are “1.1 million or more Americans sickened each year by undercooked, tainted chicken.” Chicken flesh is also loaded with dangerous levels of arsenic, which can cause cancer, dementia, neurological problems, and other ailments in humans.

Men’s Health magazine recently ranked supermarket chicken number one in their list of the “10 Dirtiest Foods” because of the high rate of bacterial contamination. Both the Center for Disease Control and the World Health Organization say that if the avian flu virus spreads to the United States, it could be caught simply by eating undercooked chicken flesh or eggs, eating food prepared on the same cutting board as infected meat or eggs, or even touching eggshells contaminated with the disease.

Chicken flesh and eggs are packed with cholesterol—a 3-ounce piece of skinless chicken breast meat has as much cholesterol as beef, and just one egg has nearly three times as much! This cholesterol, along with a high intake of animal fats, blocks arteries and causes heart disease.

FISH

Due to industrial pollution there are some risks for a buildup of contaminants in your body. The primary contaminant is mercury. Excess mercury accumulates in waterways and shows up in fish as the highly toxic methyl mercury.

If you eat fish that contains methyl mercury, the toxin can accumulate and remain in your body for up to a year. Fish may also contain other contaminants due to pollution. For most people, the amount of mercury ingested from fish is not a health concern. However, even small amounts of mercury may be harmful to developing fetuses, babies and young children.

In many places fish become so contaminated by the filth on which they feed as to be a cause of disease. This is especially the case where the fish come in contact with the sewage of large cities.

The fish that are fed on the contents of the drains may pass into distant waters, and may be caught where the water is pure and fresh. Thus when used as food they bring disease and death on those who do not suspect the danger.

Summary

Flesh was never the best food; but its use is now doubly objectionable, since disease in Animals is so rapidly increasing. There are many in the Christian community who feel that they cannot get along without flesh foods; but if they would place themselves on the Lord’s side, forever walking in the way of His guidance, they would receive strength and wisdom as did Daniel and his fellow companions when they refused to eat the king’s meat.

They would also thru faith in His word realize that God through His Spirit would give them sound judgment in all areas of healthy living. Many would be surprised to see how much more healthy they would be by the self-denial of animal foods as they keep their eyes stayed on the transforming power of Christ.

We as Christians are all, now being tested, and tried in preparation for the final stretch to the finish line, as we look forward to receiving that ultimate prize, Gods pure and holy kingdom. All of us as Christian have been baptized into Christ abiding love and grace, and if we would act our part as Gods Children, by separating from everything that would diminish our health in the sight of God, and gain strength as we grow in Christ who is the foundation, and center, of our mind and body.