The Better Health Blog

How can one possibly review this documentary when the subject itself is so large, the issues so broad, and begets such emotional involvement during the viewing and aftermath of this film?  Food, Inc., the documentary is a must see if you are on the path to becoming responsible for your own better health.  The people closest to me know that I often say “Know what you believe, and why you believe it”…  this film is really a beginning to understand “What you eat, and why you eat it”.  Don’t you think we should know what we are eating?

People used to know these things.  We used to eat foods grown locally.  Most of the foods we find at our local grocer has traveled 1,500 miles before reaching our dinner tables.  We have become complacent to the fact that we don’t know where our foods come from, who farmed them, or how they were farmed.  Of impact in this documentary is the fact that much of our food comes to us via the factory and not the farm.  Factory grown and harvested beef, pork, and poultry should both disgust and outrage you.  If you ever eat Tyson poultry products take responsibility for yourself and that of your family to learn how they raise their chickens… and the fact that their love of money far outweighs any desire to treat God’s creatures with respect… and that includes you.

Understand that I am not condemning the killing of animals for food.  I am disgusted by the way in which these animals are treated, the lack of sanitation, and the absence of God’s natural course of nature that has led to foods without nutritional value or worse, to harbor drugs, pesticides, and bacteria such as E. coli.  My internal reaction to the outright disdain for life, both animal and human exposed by this documentary, led me to repent for ever being part of this horrific system… and I will do my best to avoid being a part of it again.

As always, take action and do your own research.  Learn more about the issues exposed in the film.  If you think this is just another conspiracy theory, think again.  We cannot ignore the growing awareness against big government, big pharma, or big agra.  The love of money and personal gain has brought us very low and the first step in turning things around is discovering the truth.  If you don’t like this film or disagree with the content then keep researching… but please do some research and know what you believe, and why you believe it.

5 Stars
Food, Inc. (2008)
Rated PG
Director: Robert Kenner

Reducing acid forming foods from my diet has been the most beneficial action I have ever taken regarding my overall health.  Our bodies naturally regulate internal pH to between 7.30 and 7.40 with perfect alkalinity considered to be at 7.365.  Acid forming foods have become an issue with the introduction of refined and processed foods such as bleached white flour and sugar.  A more accurate label for refined flour and sugar would be toxins however rather than foods.

Acid forming foods deplete the body of oxygen and make a friendly environment for illness.  Instead of allowing our bodies to heal from within using proper nutrition, doctors prescribe acid forming pharmaceuticals which manage our original maladies into chronic diseases.   The best strategy to avoiding disease is prevention.  One of the first steps toward a healthy body is a diet consisting of 80% alkaline forming foods.  When examining what foods are acid forming it will become clear why we also have an obesity problem today.  Most people are simply not eating the foods their bodies were designed to be eating.

The chart below lists common foods with an approximate, relative potential of acidity (-) or alkalinity (+), as present in one ounce of food.  There is a lot of information across the web on this topic.  I recommend that you do your own research into this and adjust your diet accordingly.  Begin by eliminating one or two of the most acid forming foods or beverages from your diet.  Slowly replace those with an alkaline forming food.  Eat alkaline forming foods generously everyday and try to make acid forming foods a smaller part of your typical daily diet.

Table: pH scale of alkaline and acid forming foods
Source: “The Nutrition Factor” by Dr. Jimmy Steger, N.D., Phd.

This is a great first step in overall awareness.  Research nutrition thoroughly.  Take responsibility for your own better health.  We have been told a lot of untruths regarding what is healthy for us.  The pH effect is only one reason the USDA’s food pyramid needs to be thrown on the compost pile.  I’ll be sharing more of what I have found on that soon.

After 9 million downloads of e-Sword FREE Bible study software, many people have yet to hear about it.  If this is new to you please visit http://www.e-sword.net and get your free copy.  The basic installation provides tools that greatly increase your study time effectiveness.   With the basic install you will receive the King James Version, the King James Version w/ Strong’s numbers, and Strong’s’ Concordance.  You can add modules, most of which are free, of additional translations/paraphrases, dictionaries, map, and more.

So let’s look at an example of how this can help with our studies…

With e-Sword open using the King James version with Strong’s numbers, let’s do a search on all the instances of the word “fire” in the Bible.  First, click on the icon that looks like a set of binoculars, type the word “fire” in the search field, and let’s select just the New Testament for this demonstration.

The search results will show that the English word “fire” is in the New Testament a total of 83 times in 79 different verses.  By double clicking on a verse in the search result area you are immediately taken to that verse in the reading pane.  You may also click “accept” which will close the search window but save your search results in the drop down tool just to the right of the binocular icon.  You can then scroll to each verse or simply click on the directional arrow, either forward or backward through the list.

From this particular study you can see how the English word fire is used in the context of each verse.  We can learn something already from the first three results as they are in the consecutive verses of Matthew 3, verses 10, 11 and 12.  We see “fire” in all three verses…

Matthew 3:10-12 KJV
(10)  And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
(11)  I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
(12)  Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

By hovering the mouse over the Strong’s number next to the word fire we see it is the Greek word “pur”, and it is this same Greek word each of the times it is mentioned in these particular verses.  You may recall that denominations of the Christian church teach fire as being undesirable.  We see from verse 10 the trees that bring not forth fruit, representing evil man, thrown into the fire.  In verse 12 we see chaff purged from the threshing floor and also thrown into the fire.  How then do we understand verse 11 which states that Jesus baptizes us with the Holy Ghost and with fire?

If you hover your mouse pointer over the word “and” in verse 11 you see it is the Greek word “kai” and it is a copulative conjunction… meaning the Holy Ghost and fire are connected, they go together.

Continue to read through the other verses from your search on the word “fire”.  How do we reconcile this seeming contradiction?  If we think the Bible contradicts then we know we are not understanding… because we know God’s Word does not lie.  What do we do with Hebrews 12:29 that states:

(Hebrews 12:29 KJV)
For our God is a consuming fire.

I believe the brick and mortar church of man teaches that fire is a bad thing… am I wrong?  Doesn’t fire equate to hell… a place of fiery torment that lasts for billions and billions and billions of years… and then some more?

Doing topical word studies using e-Sword can bring greater understanding.  Continue to study all types of words with their Hebrew or Greek origins.  At some point I hope you find yourself asking questions.  Using my demonstration study of the word fire you will discover verses as the ones in 1 Corinthians 3:13-15:

1 Corinthians 3:13-15 KJV
(13)  Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
(14)  If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
(15)  If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

Do these verses leave you with questions?  Do you know what you believe and why you believe it?  Too many of us for too long have ignored the commandment to study, expecting our pastors and priests to do it for us.  I don’t believe that has been working very well, do you?

We are not commanded to read our Bibles… we are commanded to study our Bibles.

(2 Timothy 2:15 KJV)  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Search for this verse in e-Sword and look for the meaning of the Greek word “spoudazo” translated “study”.

to use speed, that is, to make effort, be prompt or earnest: – do (give) diligence, be diligent (forward), endeavour, labour, study.

e-Sword is a great study tool.  If God so inspires you, I am sure you will gain understanding and a love for the truth by using it.

One last thought:  Jesus said that the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field… it’s hidden.  We have to find it.  That means we have to dig and search…  which requires diligence and labor.  Ask for understanding and a love for the truth, then start digging.

Book Review: The Maker’s Diet by Jordan S. Rubin

The name and premise of this book had me very curious.  I wanted to see how Rubin collected, organized, and understood information on diet from the Bible.  Overall I believe he has done a fair job.  In addition to nutrition he touches upon positive thinking, stress management, fasting, resting, exercising, herbs, oils, hydrotherapy, music therapy, and of course prayer.  I was expecting a thorough book on a Bible based diet and did not find the extra information to be that interesting.  While the book may be titled The Maker’s Diet, he really conveys The Maker’s Lifestyle.  He attempts to sell too many ideas, providing summaries lacking enough evidence to really close on them individually.  Even with the extra fluff I was able to find a few good takeaways bookmarked for later review.

Of interest is the mention of SBOs or soil based organisms.  These are the good microorganisms now absent from the soils we grow our food in.  These same microorganisms or probiotics are also missing from most Americans diet.  I plan on making my own Kefir from goat’s milk and try fermented vegetables such as sauerkraut or pickled carrots.  I would have enjoyed more detail on these enzyme rich foods but I will also enjoy researching these further on my own.

He gives too brief a report on the dangers of refined flour and sugars considering their abundant use and danger to people’s health.  I do not agree with the amount of positive emphasis he places on meat, dairy, and grain.  These are acid forming foods I would not recommend for daily intake to anyone, especially those already hosting disease in their body.

The book contains many not so often mentioned recommendations for a healthier life.  I appreciated many of these such as the importance of sunlight for vitamin D, getting to bed before midnight, the dangers of immunizations, and many others.  He covers the nutritional value of specific foods… some of which I see differently and will cover in more detail in another post.  My favorite chapter lists the most healing herbs and their benefits as well as essential oils.  For the most part he sticks to foods only mentioned in the Bible, so other healthy foods and herbs go without mention.

The twelfth chapter lays out the diet within a specific forty day plan.  Again, this is forty days of lifestyle change not just a change of diet.  Everything from prayer to aromatherapy is outlined in the plan.

The book contains recipes… most of which I didn’t find too practical.  There is a large section in the appendix dedicated to online vendors for health food, supplements, and other products as well… it was reminiscent of the Yellow Pages.

Overall, three stars.  I would recommend reading this if you have an interest in nutrition and already have some basic knowledge.  Readers will need to distinguish what works best for themselves.

Does God Lie?
In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; (Titus 1:2 KJV)

God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? (Numbers 23:19 KJV)

And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent. (1 Samuel 15:29 KJV)

Does God’s Word Lie?
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. (John 17:17 KJV)

If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; (John 10:35 KJV)

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (2 Timothy 3:16 KJV)

Does God’s Word contradict? Wouldn’t that be the same as lying? If I think the Bible contradicts, I must not understand.

How Many Will Jesus Save?
And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. (1 John 4:14 KJV)

Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:4 KJV)

For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe. (1 Timothy 4:10 KJV)

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9 KJV)

Whose Will and Whose Pleasure?
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. (Philippians 2:13 KJV)

Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: (Isaiah 46:10 KJV)

Does God Fail?
He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. (1 John 4:8 KJV)

Love never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. (1 Corinthians 13:8)

Does All Mean All?
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:22 KJV)

The word “all” comes from the Greek word “pas” and is defined as:

Including all the forms of declension; apparently a primary word; all, any, every, the whole: – all (manner of, means) alway (-s), any (one), X daily, + ever, every (one, way), as many as, + no (-thing), X throughly, whatsoever, whole, whosoever.

The “all” in the first half of 1 Corinthians 15:22 is the same “all” in the second half of the verse.  All in Adam die.  I personally know of no one over about nineties years of age.  I have heard there are people living well over 100 in certain parts of the world… but they do die eventually.

I can see that in Adam all die.

The verse says “as in Adam all die”.  The word “as” is the greek “hosper” and is defined as:

just as, that is, exactly like: – (even, like) as.

How can all mean all in the first half of the verse and not in the second half of the verse?  I could ask a pastor if I wanted to see an attempt at making God a liar… or I can continue to pray for understanding and a love for the truth. I realize the Bible is not a book for toilet seat reading… I am commanded to study.

These scriptures are clear… but clearly do not agree with the doctrine of today’s Christian church.

Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. (Matthew 7:14 KJV)