WHEN we became Seventh-day Adventists we soon realized that Adventists taught, although not all practiced, some rather unique health principles. Gradually we began to accept and practice many of these, but it was not until I became a student at the Loma Linda University School of Health that I really began to understand the scientific and Biblical backgrounds for these health practices. Prior to this, Adventists told me, "Oh, this isn't good for you" or "It's all right to eat this." But nowhere had I heard an explanation of why it was or wasn't good that really satisfied me. When I began to understand the reasons for these, particularly those in relationship to dietary practices, then my family and I began to make changes in our way of eating and also in our approach to exercise.
My lovely wife has been very helpful and willing to evaluate and adjust our cooking and eating habits. Actually, we hesitated about becoming vegetarians at first; but as she experimented with new and different meatless recipes we felt better, slept better, and did not have that heavy, groggy after-dinner feeling. And we actually found ourselves looking forward to our meals, eager to taste something new.
It isn't easy to change, of course, but now my wife and I really don't miss meat. She actually enjoys preparing these new meals and finds that, surprisingly, it isn't as difficult as before to decide what to plan for a seven-day menu. She was very cooperative in trying Loma Linda meat analogs and slowly phasing out meat and eggs. At first we began with dinner cuts, gradually decreasing our meat consumption. My Italian wife even complements her spaghetti with a meat-analog sauce. Because she was eager to make changes that would enhance our family's health, we increased our consumption of greens and decreased our protein.
We like vegetables, and I've planted a garden. We've been fortunate gardenwise this season, for we've enjoyed fresh onions, parsley, and Swiss chard from our garden all winter. We always have sweet basil growing during sea son, because my wife enjoys cooking with herbs. We like legumes, especially with the Swiss chard.
Our older son, who is three, eats whatever is prepared. We have closely watched his eating, and to date he has not had a piece of candy.
In addition to the meat aspect of our diet, we've practically eliminated all refined sugar; we eat only pure whole-wheat or sprouted-wheat bread; and we eat only two meals a day. I try to walk every day for exercise, and weather permitting, we go bike riding. We feel better and sleep better with exercise included in our living. The amazing part of our diet change and exercise is that I was able to drop my cholesterol count 100 mg. per cent in six months. I have lost about ten pounds in the process.
Our meals are simple but nourishing and easy to prepare. We don't feel that we need to "doc tor everything up" with extra calories that don't do us any good whatsoever. For example, unflavored yogurt is very nutritious and adds a special flavor to cooking. Starchy dishes are out because they are high in calories. We even go easy on the margarine because too much adds unnecessarily to the calorie count. We've changed to cooking with unsaturated oil, also. We enjoy vegetable-protein foods, plus lots of fruits and vegetables. Many recipes are on the cans of meat substitutes and also in "Today's Food," and my wife invents her own delicious dishes, as well.
As I progress in the School of Health at Loma Linda, I am amazed at the health program that is in the Bible. God tells us that the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. This passage always seems to be with me. We are concerned about our health, and my wife and I want to have good nutrition in our home, especially since we have two sons to educate. We hope to impress on them that it is their privilege to take care of their bodies physically, emotionally, and spiritually. We realize that there is a relationship between good nutrition and a child's capacity to develop in all these areas.
Another amazing aspect of our program is that both my wife's family and mine have become interested in our health practices, and they are enthusiastically incorporating new recipes into their meal-planning also.
The most important change our new diet has made in our lives, however, is in how much better we feel.
