“Good Health to You!”

WITH such words the first-century governing body of Christians closed a letter to the congregations. The Greek expression they used had the thought, ‘Be made strong, keep well, be in health.’​—Acts 15:29.

Though “Good health to you” served as what we call a letter’s complimentary closing, it touches on something dear to all of us​—our health. People have long sought better health. Yet have you noticed how many today seem overly concerned about it? Have you wondered what is balanced for a Christian?

What Affects Views of Health

The surging interest in health may reflect how deeply people sense their mortality. Death comes so quickly! (Psalm 90:10) You can understand why, if a person feels that his present life is all there is, he might do almost anything to avoid disease conditions that could speed death’s approach.

Also, views on health are affected by the widespread distrust of “the establishment,” including authorities in conventional medicine. This distrust causes many persons to doubt the quality of commercial food products. Having heard about health damage from too much refined “junk food” with chemical additives, millions choose to limit how much processed food they eat. Many feel so strongly about “natural foods” that they will eat virtually nothing else. Others, knowing about tragedies such as the birth defects from thalidomide, are suspicious about drugs. They suspect that there may be side effects of drugs that pharmaceutical firms strongly promote and that a few busy physicians prescribe without careful monitoring.

An outgrowth of all of this is that people are exercising more independence in health matters. You probably acknowledge that each adult ought to make his own health decisions, based on reliable information about the various choices. But are there dangers that we need to consider? Can the Bible help us in health matters?

Christianity Is Good for Your Health

The first-century governing body’s letter explained that Christians should ‘abstain from fornication and from blood.’ (Acts 15:28, 29) This is wise even from the health standpoint. Fornication exposes persons to venereal diseases and unwanted pregnancies. Blood transfusions have infected countless thousands with hepatitis and diseases like the often-fatal virus that Pope John Paul II received.

Think, too, of the better health that comes from applying God’s counsel relating to drunkenness and smoking. Dr. Joel Posner reported that 60 percent of the money spent in the United States for health care is for illnesses connected with the use of alcohol and tobacco.​—Proverbs 20:1; 2 Corinthians 7:1.a

The Bible protects our health in other ways too. You can understand that this is so when you consider what it says about keeping clean. (Exodus 30:17-21; Deuteronomy 23:12-14) Even the overall spirit that a Christian develops as he studies the Bible can improve his health. By pursuing mildness, kindness and love, he lives more peacefully with others, and this protects his health. (Proverbs 14:30) Further, the Christian’s high regard for life moves him to take reasonable precautions to avoid risks. For example, he may be more conscientious than most in using automobile safety belts. (Acts 17:24, 25, 28) Dr. K. L. White, deputy director of the Rockefeller Foundation’s division of health sciences, said that such matters of “lifestyle and personal behavior” are “major factors in influencing the health of individuals.”

Then there is this Bible counsel: “Is it honey that you have found? Eat what is sufficient for you, that you may not take too much of it and have to vomit it up. The eating of too much honey is not good.” (Proverbs 25:16, 27) Whatever may be the relative merits of honey versus sugar as a sweetener, that counsel provides a rule for good health: Make moderation a key to your diet. If a person can eat a varied diet and avoids eating to excess, as well as too much of any one food, he will reap health benefits. The comments about honey have extended value as to health efforts.

Vitamins, Minerals and Herbs

Improved nutrition has contributed to better health. A key has been the discovery of our vitamin and mineral needs. For example, the deficiency diseases beriberi, pellagra, scurvy and rickets can be cured or avoided by a balanced diet with adequate vitamins B, C and D. Also, as doctors have become more involved with nutritional research, reports have appeared about other diseases that seem to respond to large amounts of certain vitamins and minerals given under medical supervision.

Yet many persons have on their own begun taking large doses of food supplements, as if serious deficiencies abound. Some who pursue such self-medication feel, ‘If a little is good, then more is better,’ and, ‘Vitamins and minerals can’t hurt you because your body gets rid of any excess.’ It is true that if you take too much of certain vitamins they may ‘pass along into the intestines and are discharged into the sewer,’ the effect merely being expensive body wastes. (Matthew 15:17) But if you take too much of other vitamins and minerals, they can cease to be nutrients and start to act as drugs, even being harmfully toxic.

By taking excessive amounts of certain vitamins, persons have damaged body organs, or worse. As just one example, a man in Britain who was taking large amounts of carrot juice and vitamin A died from the resulting hypervitaminosis. Numerous children, too, have been harmed by excessive vitamins given by parents who were sincere but misinformed on nutrition. As to minerals, an ophthalmologist and eye surgeon makes this personal observation: “I’m concerned about many who are taking massive doses of calcium, copper, zinc and chromium. I’m starting to find blinding conditions in 20- to 30-year-old brothers and sisters.” Recall the Bible’s wise counsel about honey. Whether it be a synthetic drug or a natural vitamin, mineral or herb, too much may hurt you.

Yes, care is in order as to herbs also. Obviously some herbal remedies have value; digitalis and quinine, for example, are from “herbal” sources. A study in Kenya showed that “at least 50 per cent of the herbal remedies used by the witch doctors have genuine medical value.” Yet that means that many have no known value. And the fact that Jehovah purposed “vegetation” to be man’s original food does not mean that all herbs are safe. Tobacco and marijuana are “herbs.”​—Genesis 1:29, 30.

Even herbs that seem to help one person may endanger another. A traveling minister in Ohio had stomach distress. Concerned friends urged him to take a common herbal remedy. When the problem persisted he went to a medical doctor whose extensive tests located gallstones. The doctor also discovered that the minister’s blood was not clotting; a cut might have caused him to bleed to death. When the doctor learned of the herbal remedy, he said that it was known to lead to blood-clotting problems. Once off that herb the blood problem went away.

Giving Suggestions

It is understandable that a person who wants to help a sick friend or relative might suggest something that he feels helped him or that he heard is effective. Sometimes it might even be a Christian kindness to do so, as when the apostle Paul advised young Timothy to avoid the local water but to ‘use a little wine for the sake of his stomach and his frequent cases of sickness.’​—1 Timothy 5:23.

A person who regularly recommends drugs, vitamins, minerals or herbs should be careful, though, especially if he lacks a thorough knowledge of health and the body’s organ systems. He ought to ask: Do I really have the facts? Though a drug, vitamin, mineral or herb apparently helped me, do I know whether it might harm someone else? If it did, might I be partially responsible and accountable? Or even if what I suggest is harmlessly ineffective, might I be the cause of a person’s delaying effective treatment until his condition becomes critical or fatal?​—Compare 1 Timothy 5:22.

Some have got unusually enthused about a health measure. As an extreme example, a Christian elder found under his door a letter from a friend who sold vitamins. In part it said: ‘There is a logical and amazing reason why the (brand) supplements get results. It’s just like “the truth” compared to “Babylon the Great.” Sometimes I don’t even know how some of our brothers and sisters got the truth. They ignore Proverbs 18:13 even though all our intentions are to help them.’

That some, for whatever reason, could develop almost a religious zeal about health matters underscores the need for all Christians to exercise care that they do not become unbalanced.

Other Questions

Christians can be thankful that we have the counsel of God’s Word, for in various ways it helps us to keep healthy. Yet other aspects of health merit attention, such as: How can I determine what treatment to accept? What about unorthodox forms of diagnosis or therapy? Are there spiritual dangers with any of these? How should your view of God’s kingdom affect your thinking on health? The next article will consider these aspects.

“Good Health” and Christian Reasonableness

THE apostle Paul wrote to Christians in ancient Philippi: “Let your reasonableness become known to all men.” He thus encouraged them, and all Christians since, to manifest a spirit of moderation and intelligent balance.​—Philippians 4:5.

We need reasonableness when it comes to our health. For example, we need to avoid overindulgence or extremes in what we eat, and we should get adequate exercise and rest. Our attitude toward treatments should likewise be based on reason, reflecting care that we do not get caught up emotionally in some health fad. Reasonableness is also needed in balancing our spiritual health and our physical health; we need to “make sure of the more important things” so that health concerns do not push God’s kingdom into second place.​—Philippians 1:10.

Selectivity as to Treatment

In deciding on medical or health matters, it is good to appreciate that even these matters can be influenced by popularity or fads. You may be able to recall treatments that once were popular but now are viewed quite differently. Do you remember when doctors used X rays for acne, removed children’s tonsils for minor reasons or prescribed the new sulfa drugs or penicillin for almost any infection? Things have changed. Though these therapies might be appropriate in some cases, experience and research have revealed some undesirable side effects or indicated that they should be employed quite selectively.

If doctors schooled in the “scientific method” and trained to be cautious about new drugs or therapies could be influenced by prevailing opinion, how much easier it might be for laymen to become unbalanced about health fads. And millions have. Often they have taken up some treatment having a limited therapeutic value but that was grossly misused by unqualified persons. Other “cures” that became popular actually were totally ineffective because they were frauds.a They were promoted by men happy to separate sick people from their money. And, of great concern to Christians, some of the popular treatments seem to have involved ‘uncanny powers’ or spiritism, which the Bible condemns.​—Isaiah 1:13; Deuteronomy 18:10-12.

‘But,’ some ask, ‘how can I know whether a treatment might be a fraud?’ That can be difficult, for many of the past treatments that virtually everyone now recognizes to have been worthless had scientific-sounding names. And the literature distributed about them offered explanations that some found plausible. Where, then, can we find help?b

Applying Reasonableness

The disciple James wrote that “the wisdom from above is . . . reasonable.” (James 3:17) Though he is not a health expert, a Christian’s striving to be reasonable can help him to evaluate diagnostic (or testing) methods and therapies.

Of course, we must realize that there are different approaches to many health questions; an active Christian cannot become knowledgeable about all of them. But when he needs treatment and is presented with a recommendation, he can ask: ‘Does the suggested therapy seem reasonable, consistent with knowledge about the body and disease? Or does it seem strange, even spectacular in its claims? Am I being influenced to accept this treatment by uninformed persons or those who stand to benefit financially? If I have doubts about it, should I wait until more facts are known?’

These questions may sound elementary, but the fact that some bizarre treatments became popular in the past shows the value of considering the questions. This also might be illustrated by a recent experience: A woman, with a normal education and employed in an office, went to a practitioner who stressed an extreme dietary treatment. She later told friends that she had been shown “bottles of tumors that patients had passed,” including a “brain tumor.” Reasonableness could move you to think: Does the average person know what a real tumor looks like, and so how could he identify a true tumor regardless of how it supposedly was “passed”? Also, since the brain is enclosed, how could someone “pass” a brain tumor through the intestinal tract or in any other way?

Finally, many of the past tests or treatments that proved worthless were promoted with claims about “miracle substances,” unusual “body forces” or strange methods by which a practitioner took ‘readings,’ perhaps from a pendulum or from a body part that did not seem related to what was being diagnosed. The appeal was to emotion, mystery or even to spiritistic forces, not to reasonableness.​—Compare Leviticus 19:26.

What About Testimonials?

We are further aided by this: “Anyone inexperienced puts faith in every word, but the shrewd one considers his steps.”​—Proverbs 14:15.

That is good counsel, for most of us have heard of treatments that were recommended with testimonials such as, ‘Doctors told Mr. Jones that he had four months to live, but he took ​——​ and now he is fine.’ Whether “Mr. Jones” actually had the disease or not, you may know that many past health frauds were endorsed with testimonials. This certainly does not mean that we need be critical if an acquaintance relates a personal experience. However, in making major health decisions we ought to do more than ‘put faith in every word of testimonials.’

For example, even if “Mr. Jones” had a disease and did improve, why did he? A strong influence in health treatments, including conventional medicine, is the “placebo effect.” Studies have shown that approximately 30 to 40 percent of patients improved after treatment with inert pills or water injections. Science Digest (September, 1981) reports: “Faith, hope, trust, all important components of the placebo effect, can at times heal wounds, alter body chemistry, even change the course of the most relentless diseases.” Hence, when deciding how much ‘faith to put in every word,’ remember the “placebo effect” and ask, Has the treatment itself been established as effective by sound research and extensive testing?

Even if a report goes beyond a mere testimonial, it is good to consider whether the therapy is morally or religiously acceptable. The Journal of the American Medical Association reported on a 28-year-old woman who developed lupus erythematosus, a serious immunological disease that can be identified by numerous clinical tests. Declining medication, she went to a witch doctor who “removed the curse placed on her.” She returned free of symptoms, evidently cured. The JAMA report posed the question of how an Asian witch doctor could ‘remove an evil spirit’ and cure her. The treatment apparently was effective, but Christians would avoid it or other treatments that they feel might involve some form of spiritism.​—Compare Matthew 7:22, 23.

Seek Qualified Help

It is obvious that in many cases we need expert advice about treatments and health questions. On whom can we rely? The Scriptures offer this wise observation: “Have you beheld a man skillful in his work? Before kings is where he will station himself.”​—Proverbs 22:29.

A man who studies a matter and develops skill becomes recognized as qualified, even an expert in his field. This is so, too, in the field of health. Thus when evaluating a recommendation from a doctor or health adviser, you might ask yourself: What are his credentials? The answer may not depend solely on his titles or the abbreviations after his name. Many persons have assumed titles to appear important. (Compare Matthew 23:6, 7.) Some who like to be called “doctor” may diagnose or treat (free or for moneyc) though they have merely read a few books or attended some hours of “classes.”

You might also consider: What is the extent and quality of his training? Is he respected by knowledgeable persons, viewed as qualified? The disciple Luke evidently had studied and gained sufficient experience so that when the apostle Paul referred to him as “Luke the beloved physician” his qualifications were respected.​—Colossians 4:14.

Of course, even some persons well trained in health matters have given bad advice or treatment. Why? Sometimes because of not having genuine interest in their patients. They may have developed some peculiar health theory. Or they have not kept up to date medically and so lack the specialized knowledge necessary. Here, too, the Bible can aid us.

It says: “There is a frustrating of plans where there is no confidential talk, but in the multitude of counselors there is accomplishment.” (Proverbs 15:22) This underscores the value of getting a second or third opinion. Many patients build up confidence in their doctor and so do not need another opinion on every recommendation he makes. But it is reasonable to get a second opinion on serious issues or when you are not comfortable about advice received. Be sure, however, to obtain the opinion from someone who you are confident will give you unbiased advice. Even if it is from someone who might have a different approach to the problem, it should be expert advice. Thus the “multitude of counselors” will aid you toward better health.

Balancing Spiritual Health and Physical Health

With all this discussion of health and treatment, devoted Christians ought to keep this in mind: Important as our physical health is, our spiritual health is much more important!

Jesus counseled: “Quit being anxious about your souls as to what you will eat or about your bodies as to what you will wear.” Yes, we need to guard against becoming overly anxious about feeding, clothing or even medicating our bodies. How sad it would be if a Christian became so concerned with his physical health that he neglected his spiritual health! He could fall into the trap of the rich man in Jesus’ illustration, to whom God said: “This night they are demanding your soul from you. Who, then, is to have the things [including health] you stored up?” Jesus added: “So it goes with the man that lays up treasure for himself but is not rich toward God.”​—Luke 12:20-22.

True, we want to care for our health so that we can use our lives serving God. But reports from various areas indicate that some Christians have become preoccupied with physical health. As just one indication, a Witness in the Midwestern United States wrote: “So many seem so overly concerned with health. It is constantly on their minds [as reflected by their conversation].” The letter explained that many seem to have become excessively concerned about this after being told they had cancer by persons who are amateurs but who feel they can read whether someone has cancer and who then prescribe diets and food supplements. The Witness heard a visitor from California say: “We [with these health habits] do not associate with those in our congregation who choose to remain ignorant and go to their doctors.”

This is damaging from a number of standpoints. Christian meetings and conventions are not occasions for engrossed conversation about health, nor for attempting to diagnose others or promoting treatments. Rather, these gatherings are for warm, spiritual fellowship. Elders should watch that the Kingdom Hall does not become a center for propagandizing various health treatments or views, but remains a place of unity and true worship.​—Compare John 2:16, 17.

Perfect health is impossible in the present system of things. Such health will not be possible until the new system of things arrives. Then “no resident will say: ‘I am sick.’” And that will be because of their error and sin being pardoned. (Isaiah 33:24) So let us not be unreasonably concerned about our present health, as if pursuing physical perfection now. Rather, let us manifest wisdom and reasonableness by concentrating on our spiritual health.

Jesus indicated where we should focus our attention: “This good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14) We must not let ourselves be deflected from this divine assignment; health issues must not sidetrack us from wholeheartedly supporting the Kingdom. ‘Seeking first the Kingdom’ is the wise and reasonable course. It will bring the “peace of God” and thus may even improve our present health. But, more importantly, it will result in the treasure of God’s approval, with all the marvelous prospects that will become realities only when Christ’s ransom sacrifice is applied to mankind.​—Philippians 3:8-11; 4:6, 7; Matthew 6:33.