TEMPERANCE - A
REMEDY FOR
DISEASE
" Every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things." (1 Corinthians 9:25). Our problems and our sicknesses are often the result of our own intemperate habits. A man does not die; he kills himself. A healthy, happy person is one who is well balanced physically, mentally, and spiritual y.
Temperance means self control or moderation in the enjoyment of those things which are good, and the avoidance of that which is harmful. For a better understanding of temperance, I am breaking this chapter into two sections. Part I will deal with moderation in that which is good; and part two will deal with avoiding that which is harmful.
PART I - MODERATION IN THAT WHICH IS GOOD
We learned earlier in this book that sunshine is very healing to the body, but too much sunshine will result in sunburn; too much exercise will cause exhaustion; too much sleep causes one to become lazy; too much money causes one to become selfish; too much entertainment causes one to become irresponsible; too much reading can ruin one's eyes; too much hurrying can cause a nervous breakdown, and too much food can cause obesity. We can plainly see that we all need some sunshine, some exercise, some food, etc., but too much is harmful. If a little is good that doesn't mean that a lot is better. This is especially true when it comes to food. We need moderation in all good things, and I'm going to be covering just three of them, moderation in food, cleanliness, and entertainment.
MODERATION IN FOOD
Most obese people can improve their situation by simply reducing their intake of food and increasing physical activity. Overeating can be the root cause of any number of illnesses, from gastric indigestion, obesity, heart disease, etc. The less active an individual is, the less food is required. Overeating not only puts undue stress on the digestive organs, but it weakens the entire body system making it more prone to disease. A person who can control his appetite is a self-disciplined individual.
MODERATION IN CLEANLINESS
Personal cleanliness is actually another type of moderation, cleanliness of body and clothes. No one wants to be around someone who doesn't regularly bathe or wash their clothes. Cleanliness of one's home and belongings is also important. Have you ever had the unfortunate experience of visiting someone whose house was so dirty and cluttered that you could hardly get in the front door? Many diseases are the result of poor sanitation. Closely related to cleanliness, is neatness and tidiness. Keeping things neat and in order is encouraging to our mental attitude.
MODERATION IN ENTERTAINMENT
The major entertainment in America is the television set. The average child watches over 40 hours of T.V. a week. That adds up to almost 6 hours a day. This is not moderation at all and that is why we are having so many problems with our youth today like violence, sexual permissiveness, disrespect, lying, stealing, etc. What can we expect when they watch this on T.V. over 40 hours every week?
PART II - AVOIDING THAT WHICH IS HARMFUL
HARMFUL EFFECTS OF COFFEE. TEA. COLAS AND CHOCOLATE
90% of the American Population use caffeine
HARMFUL EFFECTS OF BAKING POWDER AND SODA
The use of soda and baking powder is harmful. Soda causes inflammation of the stomach by eating away the lining of the stomach. Soda also decreases the pancreatic juices, which are used for digestion; and all baking powders leave a residue of soda and bicarbonate of soda which destroys vitamins. The alum baking powder leaves a residue consisting of Glauber's salts (sulfate of soda) and aluminum hydrate (which itself is poisonous to the body). The cream of tartar baking powders leave a residue of tartar of soda and potash -Rochelle salts. The phosphoric baking powders leave a residue of phosphate of lime and soda.(3) Some health food stores carry a baking powder which they are told is a health baking powder and is not harmful. This is not true, there has never come on the market a baking powder that does not leave a residue of soda.
CLOSING
Our bodies are not our own, to treat as we please, to cripple by habits that lead to decay. The wonderful mechanism of the human body does not receive half the care that is often given to a mere lifeless machine. Our bodies belong to God, He has arranged every fiber and nerve and sinew and muscle and will keep our bodies in perfect health, if we will cooperate with Him by being temperate and obeying His natural laws of health.
Medical World News, March 19, 1979.
(2) Psychopharmacology in the Practice of Medicine by Murray E. Janik. Reviewed in Journal of Family Practice 4 (6): 1180-1888, 1977.
(3) Hoffman, Jay Ph.D., The Missing Link, pg. 83, 1984.