13. What balanced view of health recommendations is advisable?

¹³ We do not live at a time when a fellow Christian can use “gifts of healing” to cure us. But some well-intentioned brothers give unsolicited health recommendations. Granted, someone might simply offer general, practical suggestions. Paul did so when Timothy was experiencing stomach problems, perhaps because the local water was polluted.a (Read 1 Timothy 5:23.) That, however, is quite different from trying to persuade a fellow Witness to use some herb, remedy, or diet that may not be effective or in some cases may even be harmful. At times, some have tried to persuade others with an explanation: ‘My relative had a similar disease, and he took . . . Then he got well.’ No matter how sincere the suggestion, we do well to keep in mind that there may be risks even with widely used medications and treatments.​—Read Proverbs 27:12.