If you read my entry A Lifestyle Change (see Musings "In the Kitchen" or Archives), then you are familiar with the three main points of Rex Russell's book What the Bible Says About Healthy Living. Simple and easy to read, Russell tells his own journey in discovering eating habits based on the Bible. From his studies he came to three important conclusions; 1) eat only what God intended to be eaten as food, 2) eat it as close as possible to the way God created it, and 3) don't make any food your god.
Next, Russell goes through different food categories and details the good, the bad, and the ugly. And I mean really ugly. For example, catfish are scavenger fish that eat off the bottom of the lake or river. Basically, they are trash consumers that eat the waste products around them. When properly cooked, testing reveals that contaminates are still high in the fish meat. Then as consumers, we eat what we think is safe when really it is not. Or how about this; the FDA allows for more foreign matter in pasteurized, homogenized milk than in raw milk and it does not eliminate all the bad bacteria. Raw milk is actually cleaner! (I couldn't bring myself to actual say what is found in traditional FDA approved milk. Check out www.realmilk.com for the real scoop.)
I can not say I agree 100 percent with every statement that Russell makes in his book, nor will most people. For example, I do not feel his statements about wine are completely correct. Russell feels everyone should abstain from wine completely. Jesus' first miracle was to turn water into wine. Why would he do something miraculous that was so bad for us? I would agree that it should be used in moderation and some individuals should abstain completely from alcohol, however this does not make wine off limits for everyone. Also, many will take issue with his interpretation of Peter's vision that it was okay to eat unclean animals. Personally, I know I have freedom in Christ to eat whatever I wish to consume. However, not all things are profitable at all times.
Don't throw the baby out with the bath water. If I could recommend one book that outlines the basics of eating correctly, this would be it. Just putting his principles into practice will keep you busy for quite a while. Ahhh...but you'll feel so much better. I do!
