Man Shall Not Live By Bread "Mostly"

Having a healthy mind has a lot more to do with the gut than many realise. The brain and mind is often in distress because the gut is in distress. Diet and nutrition are two of the most important subjects for all of us to consider because our physical, mental and moral nature all depend on what we put into our body and how it is digested. We should ever bear this statement in mind, which comes from God, “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health.” 3 John 1:2. If God wishes above all things that we have health, then we should expect our Bibles to be filled with instructions regarding health. Why would God wish this above all things and yet not give us information on this subject?

Throughout the Bible we find all the principles of health, which are: pure air, sunlight, temperance, rest, exercise, proper nutrition, water and trust in divine power. In this issue of The Healthy Christian we will be looking at our nutrition, in particular the amount of sugar we are to consume, either in the form of sweeteners such as honey or carbohydrates in the form of breads or biscuits etc.

Before we go deeper into the subject, we have to understand why excessive sugar is something to be dreaded. When carbohydrates are digested, the end products are glucose, fructose and galactose, which are simple sugars. These simple sugars enter the bloodstream. The pancreas then releases a hormone called insulin which allows sugar in the blood to enter the cells to be used in energy production. Remember, we do not have an unlimited supply of insulin each day. If we consume more sugar than what our allotted amount of insulin can handle after each meal, then the excess sugar will be left in the bloodstream which causes diabetes. The excess sugar in the blood will ferment (turn into alcohol), and it will clog the blood vessels and thus hinder the blood circulation. If one is diabetic then he or she is twice as likely to have high blood pressure. Therefore we want to avoid consuming too much sugar.

Most of us in laters years start to limit our intake of sweets but we often forget this fact, carbohydrates such as wheat, rice, oats, and ground provision all share one end point after digestion - sugar. Therefore we have to monitor the amount of these foods we consume if we want to avoid having excess sugar in our blood. The gut also does not like excessive sugar, because it leads to fermentation which will irritate the digestive organs.

On matters of nutrition, there is no one-size-fits-all. Each person has to become well acquainted with his or her body in order to know the effect of different foods. It’s more important that we know and understand the signs of deficiency or excess of each nutrient in order to tailor our diet to meet the needs of our system. The well known sign of high blood sugar is diabetes due to a defective pancreas or excess sugar in the diet. Diabetes is a slow progressive disease, it does not fall on us at once. Before we get to that point the body will give many signs that we are consuming too much sugar.

Some of the signs of high blood sugar include: darkness around the eyes, sleep loss, fatigue, excessive thirst, slow wound healing, frequent infections etc. I suggest that you do more research in this area if you are experiencing any of these symptoms. A high blood sugar will destroy the finer blood vessels all over the body, therefore it often leads to heart disease because the heart has to work much harder to pump blood around the system; this can result in sudden heart failure. The blood is the life current of the system. If the blood is kept pure and is able to circulate as freely as possible we will be healthy - without a doubt.

Our diet has changed much over the years. Different men and women have given their opinions on the subject of nutrition, but the sad outlook is that people are getting more and more ill. How could this be? I will tell you why this is happening. We have not looked to God’s word for answers regarding our diet. The Creator made man, and He made man’s food. He also gave man His word, full of instructions as to what, how much and when to eat that we may prosper and be in health in this present life and receive eternal life hereafter.

Regarding the amount of sugar we are to consume, whether it be in the form of sweeteners such as honey or carbs, does God’s word have anything to say on the matter? God recommends that we eat honey, because it is good. “My son, eat thou honey, because it is good;” Proverbs 24:13 KJV. However, He instructs us to not eat much of it. “It is not good to eat much honey:” Proverbs 25:27 KJV. He made us, and He knows our limit of sugar. The recommended amount of honey is two tablespoons each day and it is better eliminated from the diet if one has a compromised blood circulation.

Concerning carbohydrates, God also gives guidance as to the amount we are to consume. Remember that carbohydrates are broken down into sugar, so the same instruction regarding honey also applies to carbs. In the old days, people ate bread in the minority to comfort their hearts or make them feel happy. “And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts;” Genesis 18:5 KJV. “And it came to pass on the fourth day, when they arose early in the morning, that he rose up to depart: and the damsel's father said unto his son in law, Comfort thine heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward go your way.” Judges 19:5 KJV.

A morsel means a ‘small piece’. We are not to avoid bread but eat it rather in the minority. We all love grains, whether in the form of bread, pasta, biscuits, cakes etc, because we love the sweet taste of them and we find them very comforting. In fact many persons eat a lot of carbs when they are depressed because the sugar is comforting the their sorrowful heart. God knows that we love sweet things, in fact we were made to love sweet things. But we are to remember that our bodies are intelligent creations that are governed by laws or principles therefore moderation is key.

In most of the western world, there is a high consumption of carbohydrates and sugar. Could this have anything to do with the high prevalence of diseases we see today? We are to bear in mind that the excess sugar in the blood is not ‘preserved’ but it ferments (turns to alcohol) and alcohol is acidic. Therefore we can have the effects of alcoholism without drinking alcohol. Excess sugar in the blood will also be a source of food for bacteria in the body, leading to frequent infections and mucus buildup. The sugar hinders circulation and thus there is delayed healing of wounds. When sugar is used in excess it is worse than eating meat, because it clogs the blood vessels. High glucose levels is a slow life destroying state.

We should consume a diet high in fruits and vegetables and lower in carbohydrates, this will ensure that our blood sugar is kept at an appropriate level. A way to know if you have eaten too much carbs is to take notice of how you feel about two hours after your meal. If there is any discomfort that it means that you have over eaten because excessive sugar irritates the gut and other digestive organs.

With a little practice, we can all become excellent nutritionists for our own body by seeing how our it responds to different foods. Eat to your best judgement. But in order to do this you have to be conscious of the effect food has on your body. With the help of God, we can all be healthy, because He wishes this for us above all things. God bless you and let’s all be Healthy Christians. ”Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth. Jeremiah 33:6 KJV.