Jordan S. Rubin
Jordan S. Rubin has earned a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine from Peoples University of the Americas School of Natural Medicine, and a Ph.D. in Nutrition and Natural Therapies from the Academy of Natural Therapies. He is also a certified nutritional consultant, a certified personal fitness instructor, a certified nutrition specialist, and a member of the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Find out more about Jordan at www.GPRXnow.com.
HEALTHY IDEAS
HOW TO GET SICK
HEALING HERBS & OILS
JORDAN'S TIP OF THE DAY
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KEEPING HEALTHY
Wellness Tips From the Maker's Diet
By Jordan S. Rubin
Certified Nutrition Specialist
CBN.com –
HEALTHY IDEAS
Think Fast
Biblical leaders such as Daniel, other prophets, David, Jesus, and Paul often launched great ministries after extended periods of fasting. Entire nations and cities declared fasts in times of crisis or during times of repentance and soul-searching. Fasting is the Creator's high-powered spiritual tool for receiving a breakthrough in body, soul, and spirit. People in virtually every civilization and culture have an instinctive understanding of the power of fasting — from listening to the "voice" of their natural bodies, if from no other source. Anyone who has been sick understands that in times of illness, hunger pangs tend to end. Any attempt to bypass those signals and eat often results in violent regurgitation or other discomfort.
The Bible describes numerous fasts that varied according to type, length, and purpose. Abstaining from all food and water or liquids should not be attempted today, but other kinds of fasts can work very well for you. For example, you may choose a fast that eliminates sugar, caffeine, carbonated soft drinks, junk foods, commercial breakfast cereals, or pork products. It is an excellent way to break free from food addictions or habits and to launch a healthier lifestyle.
Eat Away at Tooth Decay
Harvard-trained dentist Dr. Weston A. Price conducted a study of primitive diets after becoming alarmed by the number of cavities, crooked teeth, and deformed dental arches in his young patients. He made a five-continent expedition around the world to study how primitive societies ate and the relationship between their diet and their oral health.
What Dr. Weston found in these diverse primitive societies were that most individuals had a remarkable resistance to disease and perfectly straight teeth that were free of decay. The Maker's Diet advises against white flour products, heavy sugars, and white rice — all of which promote tooth decay — and helps to improve your oral health, as well as your overall physical health.
Consider Yourself a Masterpiece
When Michelangelo sculpted "David" or Monet painted "Water Lilies," neither of these amazing artists had any idea that their creations would eventually be considered masterpieces. Not so with our Creator. When God fashioned us, He knew He had made something to be admired for all time. And yet, His masterpiece is not complete. Daily, God sculpts us and molds us into things of even greater beauty. As you continue to do God's work and follow His plan for the way you should eat and survive, you will see how the Maker continues to increase your aesthetic, spiritual, and physical value.
Curry in a Hurry
For a taste of the exotic without leaving your own dining room, try this excellent, quick recipe for curried chicken.
4 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons whole-wheat flour (soaked)
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 cups coconut milk/cream
1 teaspoon minced onion
2 cups diced cooked chicken
Sea salt and pepper to taste
Lemon wedges
Melt butter in large saucepan over low heat. Add flour and curry powder and cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Pour in coconut milk. Increase heat to medium and bring to boil, stirring. Add the onion, then add chicken and heat through. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with lemon wedges.
Anxious? Follow Your Gut Feeling
If you are feeling anxious, Xanax doesn't have to be the solution. Anxiety is not a problem that requires prescription medication to resolve. Fortunately, the Creator equipped the human gut with its own ways of coping with pain and stress. The gut produces benzodiazepines, the same pain-alleviating chemicals found in anti-anxiety drugs such as Valium. It seems the gut is equipped to be your body's anxiety and pain reliever. If you continue to fuel your body properly with the Maker's foods, your gut will be better able to manage the stress and anxiety that come your way.
Fish Food
Fish are among the Maker's healthiest foods. They're loaded with healthy omega-3 fatty acids, a variety of nutrients, and they're a good source of protein. You want to make sure, however, that you're getting the safest, healthiest catch. Here are some quick tips for choosing the freshest fish.
If you're buying whole fish, look for:
Moist, shiny skin
Intact scales and bright coloring
Reddish, damp gills
Firm flesh that springs back when you touch it
Clear eyes that aren't sunken in
A fresh smell
If you're buying fish fillets, look for:
Firm flesh
Clear, even coloring
Moist appearance
A fresh smell
Choosing Complete Proteins
Under normal conditions, the healthy human body is able to manufacture all but eight of the necessary twenty-two amino acids. The remaining eight must come from the food you eat. Animal protein is our only complete protein source, providing all eight essential amino acids. When we fail to get the essential amino acids and protein we need, we begin to lose myocardial (heart) muscle, which may contribute to coronary heart disease. While the consumption of organic fruits and vegetables is an obvious and important foundation of the Maker's Diet, the human body cannot function optimally without certain proteins and fats available only from animal sources.
Animal products purchased from grocery stores are prone to contamination from pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilizers as well as the common overuse of antibiotics and growth hormones in large-scale commercial feedlots, making these food sources downright dangerous. For these and other reasons, we only recommend animal proteins from beef, lamb, goat, buffalo, venison, elk, and other clean red meats; fish with fins and scales from oceans and rivers; chicken, turkey, and other poultry raised in a free-range or organic and grass-fed setting.
Honeyed Carrots
This simple vegetable side dish comes together quickly and is sure to brighten your holiday table.
4 cups sliced carrots
3 Tbsp. orange juice or water
3 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. Celtic sea salt
¼ tsp. ground ginger
2 Tbsp.honey
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until carrots are as tender as you like, or about 20 to 25 minutes.
Servings: 6
Create a Sanctuary
Is there a place in your home where you can always go to pray, write, or just sit quietly and reflect on your day? Our homes are full of high-stress zones. If you need to get away, don't hide in a noisy TV room or a cluttered entryway. Create a space that's just for you.
Whether it's in a bedroom or another quiet corner, choose a spot that's away from the high-traffic areas in your home. Then make it yours. Partition it off with a screen or a large plant. Paint the area a different color. Give yourself a comfortable place to sit, write, or pray. Use this area for your morning and evening prayers, your journaling sessions, or just as a place to consider the accomplishments and challenges of your day.
Sweet Holiday Alternatives
A healthy holiday menu might seem like a contradiction in terms, but there are plenty of ways that you can have a festive, delicious meal that won't ruin your eating plans. Simply substitute foods that are full of processed ingredients and unhealthy fats with organic, natural alternatives. For example, you don't have to give up all the cookies and pies that you love just because you're avoiding refined white sugar. For all your baking, try all-natural sugars or raw honey, which can easily be adapted for all kinds of baked goods. Other options include raw cane sugar, pure maple syrup, or raw molasses. To sweeten coffee and tea, try stevia, a sweet-tasting herb that won't affect your blood sugar levels.
Choosing Clean Meats
Pork and dishes made from pork top many Americans' favorite food lists. Some people don't realize, however, that these foods come from an unclean animal — swine. The pig did not make the Creator's list of "clean" animals for a very good reason. Clean animals like cows and deer that chew the cud have an advanced digestive system that includes an alimentary canal and a secondary cud receptacle. They have three stomachs to process and refine their clean, vegetation-based food in a process that can take up to twenty-four hours.
Pigs or swine, on the other hand, never limit their diet to vegetation. They will eat anything they can find — including their own young and sick or dead pigs from the same pen.
It's no wonder, then, that pork contains poisons and by-products that can harm you, including the destructive enzymes cadaverine and putrescine. For your health, stick to the animals that the Creator chose as his ideal food for humankind.
Knowing Sacrifice and Reward
Changing your life can require great sacrifice. Giving up old habits and things you love and feel attached to takes practice, patience, and true dedication to your goal. If you occasionally lose sight of why you're struggling, remember that nothing great is ever accomplished without risk or effort. When you reach your goal, the rewards — both physical and spiritual — will make up for all you gave up. In fact, you'll feel richer and more fulfilled than ever before.
Jesus said, Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. (Mark 10: 29–30)
Mashed Orange Yams
This delicious side dish is at home on your table any day of the year, but it's an especially good accompaniment to your holiday meal.
4 to 5 medium yams
3 Tbsp. butter
1 to 2 Tbsp. honey
1/3 to 1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Celtic sea salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pierce yams in several places with a sharp knife and bake until soft, about 50 minutes. Remove from oven; when cool enough to handle, peel yams and place flesh in a large bowl. Add all remaining ingredients and mash until smooth. Adjust seasoning and serve hot.
Serves 4.
HOW TO GET SICK
Stay Out of the Sun
You have probably heard from some critics of sun exposure that the sun's UV rays cause greater risks for melanoma and other forms of skin cancer. However, the people who actually get the most exposure to sunlight in different parts of the world exhibit the lowest incidence of skin cancer.
Civilizations throughout history have understood that the sun is vital to human health. The human skin uses the energy from the sun to manufacture vitamin D for the body. This vitamin is important for many reasons, including its role in strengthening immune system function and proper mineral absorption.
Remember that it is important to couple sun exposure with a healthy diet, especially healthy fats. Rex Russell, M.D., notes that when sunlight activates the phytochemicals in healthy foods, their consumption not only blocks the harmful effects of UV rays, but also produces "antiviral, antibacterial, and anticancer components, as well as pest repellents."
Source: Rex Russell, M.D., What the Bible Says About Healthy Living (Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 1996)
Shower Every Day, but Don't Take a Bath
For their convenience, showers in many ways have won out over baths in our culture. In fact, many contemporary apartments and homes have only shower stalls in them and no bathtubs. Although it may seem the only option for many, showering — especially in excess — can actually rob your hair and body of their natural oils. It can also alter your body's pH (especially if you're using certain alkaline shampoos and soaps). If the Maker has a preference, it might be the use of ritual bathing that combined washing in a shallow bath and sprinkling (showering for brief periods).
Put Synthetic Materials in Your Body
You've heard the horror stories. Whether it's a movie star or someone in your community, you know about people whose lives were ruined after receiving silicon implants. They can burst, harden within the body, or inflame nearby tissues, leading to a host of health problems. Even something as small as a contact lens, especially the soft kind designed for long-term wear, can pose a significant risk of infection under certain conditions.
These products offer conveniences and cosmetic benefits, but remember that they are still foreign objects that the Maker never intended for us to insert into our bodies.
Focus on Aerobics
While regular exercise is important for your health, keep in mind that high-intensity aerobic exercise, especially when it seriously elevates your heart rate for long periods of time, is essentially unnatural for your body.
Throughout history, human beings in virtually every culture engaged in the functional, moderate-paced exercise that was necessary on the farm, at sea, or while hunting wild game. Long-distance walking or slower-paced labor functions may have been punctuated by intense but relatively brief bursts of physical labor or high-speed movement.
Intense aerobic exercise, like jogging or running on hard surfaces, may lower the immune response and create more oxidation through stress than anaerobic exercise (strength training). Consider marathon runners, who often struggle with decreased resistance to viruses and bacterial infections during their peak training seasons. They also battle chronic ligament and joint problems and long-term degeneration of organs and tissues.
When it comes to choosing the best exercise for your health, stick to moderate-paced activity with the occasional short burst of higher-intensity movement. What worked for your ancestors can work for you.
Get Your Cavities Filled With Mercury
For more than 150 years, the dental profession has carefully avoided using the term "mercury" when describing the material used to fill tooth cavities for millions of Americans. They call it "silver amalgam," "silver fillings," or "amalgam fillings." The true composition of dental amalgam is, in fact, 45 to 55 percent mercury, with about 30 percent silver and other metals such as copper, tin, and zinc. Mercury is a heavy metal toxin that has been linked to digestive disorders, fatigue, emotional problems, immune system suppression, and neurological problems.
While dentists have been slow to embrace the idea that mercury is dangerous, several recent court cases have put the spotlight on mercury and the health problems it can cause. Talk to your doctor about alternatives to mercury fillings. Composite fillings are entirely safe, and they blend right into your teeth. You'll help your health and you'll avoid all that conspicuous silver.
Feed Your Baby Synthetic Formula
When it comes to feeding your baby, nature's solution is undoubtedly the best one. Breast milk is loaded with nutrients to help babies grow healthy and strong, and it also contains important antibodies that help protect them from illness. Breastfed babies are less likely to suffer from allergies, respiratory infections, and dental problems than those who are fed by artificial means. Women who breastfeed will reap the benefits, too. They'll reduce their risk of breast and ovarian cancer. In fact, breastfeeding may even help ease the symptoms of postpartum depression. Breast milk is, in many ways, the Maker's most perfect food.
HEALING HERBS & OILS
Myrtle
This essential oil comes from a bush that grows wild in regions of North Africa. Myrtle was used in various purification ceremonies in biblical times. Today, myrtle can be used to balance hormones, soothe the respiratory system, battle colds and flu, and treat asthma, bronchitis, coughs, and skin conditions (including acne, psoriasis, and blemishes).
Hyssop
Psalm 51:7 tells us, "Purify me with hyssop and I shall be clean."
Traditionally used to cleanse sacred places, hyssop was also used in purification rituals and to drive away spirits.
Modern science has shown that hyssop oil can be used to relieve anxiety, arthritis, asthma, respiratory infections, parasites, fungal infections, and cold and flu symptoms. This fresh-smelling oil also metabolizes fat, increases perspiration, and can help the body detoxify.
Spikenard
Used to anoint the feet of Jesus in the gospels, this oil has a long history of both ritualistic and practical use. In biblical times, spikenard was used as a medicine, mood enhancer, and perfume. More importantly, it was used to prepare bodies for burial.
Modern times have found plenty of use for spikenard as well. It has been shown to relieve allergies, migraines, and nausea. Spikenard also supports the cardiovascular system and calms the emotions.
Juniper
This conifer still grows in Israel and is likely to be the "algum timber" King Solomon requested of Hiram, King of Tyre, in Chronicles 2:8–9. Its essential oil is known as cade oil or juniper tar and is prized for its fresh scent. This essential oil is commonly used in men's fragrances and in soaps. Edible juniper berries and needles are even used to flavor smoked meats.
In addition to treating psoriasis, eczema, and other skin and scalp conditions, juniper oil has been prized throughout history for its antiseptic qualities. The lignans in some junipers could also be used to produce etoposide, a drug used to treat testicular and lung cancers. A potent antiviral compound in junipers may also inhibit several viruses, including those linked with the flu and herpes.
Source: Rex Russell, What the Bible Says About Healthy Living (Regal Books, July 1, 1996)
JORDAN'S TIP OF THE DAY
Garden-Variety Protein
Germinated or fermented seeds, legumes, and cereal grains are the best sources of protein in the vegetable kingdom, but they're low in essential tryptophan, cystine, and threonine. This is why you should strive for variety when you choose fruits and vegetables. The more you eat, the more complete your nutrient and protein intake will be.
Making Your Brown Eyes Blue?
Cosmetic contact lenses, which can change the color of your eyes or even change the way they look entirely, are all the rage, especially among teenagers. But these lenses often don't fit correctly, allowing for dangerous bacteria to creep underneath them. To stay completely safe, stick with the eye color that the Maker gave you.
More or Less Omega-3's
When it comes to omega-3 fatty acids, not all fish are created equal. Fish like mackerel, herring, tuna, trout, and salmon are rich in these nutrients, but others, like pike, haddock, and flounder, contain far less.
One Biblical Fast
The ten-day "Daniel" fast is a modified fast with virtually unlimited applications. It is named after Daniel and his Hebrew companions who fasted from rich (and possibly unclean) meats and wine. The results were phenomenal. Daniel and his friends even chose to continue on this diet for three years. (See Daniel 1:12–-15 and Daniel 1:5, 14–16.)
Two Keys to Optimal Health
There are only two guidelines for optimal health and nutrition: (1) Optimize the nutrition entering your body and (2) Reduce the toxins in your body. Virtually every disease can be traced back to ignoring those guidelines in some way — and it all starts in the small and large intestines.
Watch Out for Antibacterial Soap
It seems that antibacterial soaps are often promoted as the best way to keep clean. But most of these soaps contain triclosan, which may be absorbed through the skin and pose a risk to the liver. Plenty of regular soap, sufficiently heated running water, and thorough scrubbing will do the job just as well with no side effects.
Create a Work of Art
As God has sculpted you into something beautiful, devise a way that you can create something beautiful to celebrate. Write a poem, take a photo, or draw a picture. Find an opportunity to exhibit your artistic side and experience the rejuvenating power of creativity.
Add a Vegetable to Your Curry
Curried chicken goes great with just about any vegetable, but you may want to consider making it with broccoli or cauliflower, both fiber-rich options. Just take two cups of the vegetables and place them in a steamer basket over boiling water until tender. Cook up some brown rice as well for a complete meal.
Relieve Chronic Coughs with Myrtle
For a more natural solution to chronic coughs or asthma, sprinkle four drops of myrtle on a tissue and inhale. The soothing oil will help relieve congestion and better balance your cough. Plus, it will help stimulate your immune system to ward off other potential respiratory problems.
Treat Yourself to Sweet Potatoes
While the consumption of sugar has led to terrible tooth decay in this country, one sweet food that shouldn't concern you is sweet potatoes. When eaten plain or in fermented form, this delicious food significantly reduces the risk of blood sugar imbalances! So have some sweet potatoes and reap their probiotic benefits.
Make Today a Sun Day
If the weather permits, take some time to be in the sun today, whether it means heading outside during your lunch break or getting a moment away in the morning or evening. If you can't make it outside, stay in and write about a particularly wonderful time you have had recently in the sun and how it affected your mood.
Choose the Shoes
Looking for that perfect pair of walking shoes? Choose a pair that is lightweight and made from breathable fabric, and always test for flexibility. You should be able to twist and move all the way through the toe of the shoe.
Hyssop on the Table
Hyssop is edible and used in teas or as a flavoring in savory dishes. Its blue flowers also make an attractive garnish in a salad, but don't add too much. Hyssop can have a bitter taste that's best only in small doses.
Hyssop can work wonders in opening up the respiratory system and aiding in breathing problems like bronchitis or general nasal congestion that comes with the fall and winter seasons. Add a few drops of hyssop to your warm bath, soak, and let the oil's healing powers go to work.
Let the Sunshine In
Sunlight and fresh air can make your special spot even more sacred. Choose a place near a window, so you can breathe fresh air, soak up the sun, and be inspired by the sights out your window while you reflect.
A Sticky Solution
To make a quick substitution in your baking, replace each cup of granulated sugar with 1/3 cup of molasses. Reduce the liquid in the recipe by 1/4 cup for each cup of molasses you use.
Dental Fillings: The Composite Advantage
Not only are composites safer for you than mercury fillings, they also come with another health benefit: They bond directly to the teeth, making them stronger and less likely to decay.
Precious Oils
In biblical times, essential oils were counted among a family's valuables, right alongside jewels and coins. In fact, the resins of some essential oils were even regarded as precious stones.
Juniper on Your Table
Edible, bittersweet juniper berries can add a whole new flavor to your cooking. Roast meats with them, or use them in salads and salad dressings, stuffing, and in gravies and sauces.
The Creator's Meats
For a quick reference when it comes to choosing meats, remember the Bible's guidelines: Choose meat from animals that have cloven hooves and also chew their cud. There are no exceptions to this rule. If an animal has just one quality or the other, its meat is unclean.
Eyes on the Prize
Think about why you've decided to eat and live as the Maker prescribed. Is it to improve your health? To develop a more intimate relationship with God? When you're struggling with today's challenges, take a few moments to consider the purpose behind your struggle.
Yams and "True" Yams
When is a yam not a yam? When it's a sweet potato. Most "yams" in the United States aren't yams at all, but varieties of orange-fleshed sweet potatoes. "True" yams are found mostly in tropical climates, have yellow or white flesh, and can weigh up to eight pounds each!
An Added Benefit of Breastfeeding
One of the little-known benefits of breastfeeding is that it can help you shed excess weight you gained during pregnancy. You'll lose between 200 and 500 calories a day while breastfeeding — numbers that add up to big results on the scale.
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