Lifestyle Medicine

3 John 1:2

Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.

Acts 10:38

God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.

Because of these scriptures and others like them we believe it's God's will for you to be healthy. We don't deny that Christian people can get sick but we do believe it's not God's will for us to be sick. Therefore when we get sick we should seek healing. We believe in supernatural healing and the laying on of hands. We believe in flowing in the gifts of healings to see good outcomes for people. If you seek God and don't receive a miraculous healing we believe in going to the doctor. We celebrate conventional health care and it's successes especially with it's treatment of bacterial infections and trauma. When it comes to chronic disease however, lifestyle is very powerful to change health outcomes.

The American College of Lifestyle Medicine believes that 80% of chronic disease comes from lifestyle factors. We all have genetic pre-dispositions. Our genes may load the gun but our lifestyle can be the finger that pulls the trigger.

Because the law came through Moses and grace and truth came through Jesus Christ we believe that the grace of God is available to all who are in Christ Jesus. According to Titus 2:11-12 the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age. There is no God inspired decision we can't make. Sometimes people struggle with various addictions and we believe the name of Jesus is higher than any addiction a person may face. We believe we can do and be anything God wants us to do or be. We believe it's the will of God for us to live long lives (Psalm 91:16) and we believe a healthy lifestyle facilitates this globally. Because of the practical nature of lifestyle we love to share the 6 pillars of lifestyle medicine as the optimal way to live one's life for optimal health and wellness.

1). Plant Based Nutrition: The oldest living population on the planet is the Seventh Day Adventist population in Loma Linda California. They eat a predominantly whole food, plant based diet consisting of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, nuts & seeds. The ancient Okinawan Japanese introduce a small amount of fish into their diet. They therefore die a little sooner than the Seventh Day Adventists.

2). Optimal Activity: The body was meant for motion. The data on optimal activity is 90 minutes a day of moderate cardiovascular activity like walking.

3). Stress Management: Stress is a killer. The Bible teaches us not to be anxious for anything (Philippians 4:6-8) With the grace of God we can manage stress and anxiety. We also believe that counseling and therapy can be helpful for people to work through issues that may have given a root to anxiety.

4). Risky Substance Avoidance: It's pretty much conventional wisdom that certain things are bad for you. Tobacco cessation, alcohol cessation, avoiding street drugs is a good idea if you want to be healthy.

5). Developing Nurturing Relationships: The data shows that lonely people die before people that have family and friends who they love and who love them. Having a good relational support structure (like a Church) helps enhance the quality of people's lives.

6.) Getting Optimal Sleep: Getting enough sleep usually 7-8 hours a night has been shown to help the body recover and repair itself. Along the same themes is the observing of the sabbath. Biblically, when the people of God ignore the sabbath, God gets that time in other ways. We would be wise to get adequate rest and sleep so we can recharge and rejuvenate.

1 Corinthians 6:12

“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything.

Have you been mastered by something other than Jesus? There is grace available to help you say no to that desire.