The Ten Commandments for Health

This is another one of those articles I found while doing the laptop housecleaning.  I was quite sure I’d already posted it, but I couldn’t find any trace of it on the blog.

 

As Aaron and I were raising children, we took them to Sunday school and church every week.  We also had family home evening weekly and scripture reading most evenings.  (Wish I could say always, but it didn’t always happen.  Life, and human weakness.)   We held discussions and asked questions.  And often, especially when the kids were small, they gave the standard answers that seemed to apply no matter the question.  Pray. Forgive. Be kind. Be helpful.  Be cheerful.  Clean up after yourself.  Put your stuff away. 

As I’ve researched and written about so many preparedness-related health topics over the past several years, I’ve seen repeatedly that the answers to preventing many of our health issues and diseases today are the same.  Like the Ten Commandments.  They apply to everyone everywhere.

1.  Thou shalt have no other gods before me.   (No addictions—nothing that could compromise your ability to make good decisions—nothing.  No smoking, no alcohol, no drug dependence of any kind.)

2.  Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:

Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;  (No false gods or semi-addictions.  No “Well, I’m not addicted” items like… fill in the blank… no dependencies, no overeating.)

And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

3.  Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.  (Don’t test God, don’t do stupid things. No risky behavior, wash well, keep clean.)

4.  Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.    (Pray, meditate, forgive.  Meditating reduces blood pressure.  Forgiveness releases canker from our souls.)

Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work:  (Exercise.)

But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:  (Rest.  Our bodies need physical rest from our labors.)

For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.

5.  Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.  (What do parents tell their children?  Take your vitamins, eat your vegetables, brush your teeth.)

6.  Thou shalt not kill.  (Aim for a healthy diet—fruits, veggies, whole grains.  This doesn’t mean no meat, but for most people an excess of meat is not good.  This isn’t a place to argue or beg you’re an exception to rule.  I’m not God and you don’t answer to me.  This is just food for thought.  Diabetics will need to get more calories from animal protein and leafy greens to extend the insulin supply.)

7.  Thou shalt not commit adultery.  (Be faithful to your spouse.  Practice complete abstinence before marriage and complete fidelity after.  This will prevent the spread of STDs, all of which are making a comeback.  Many require expensive antibiotics or antivirals to treat, all of which are getting to be in short supply.)

8.  Thou shalt not steal (food or medications from others.  If you are eating more than you need, you are stealing food from others—whether your family or your future self.  Lose weight now.)

9.  Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.  (Be honest.  OK, I couldn’t come up with anything health related.  Sorry.)

10.  Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor’s.  (Build your own supply of food and medicine.  Don’t rely on someone else to do it for you.)