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Testimony Studies on Diet and Foods
which the Lord has given us, simple food is the best to insure health
and strength. Exercise is necessary to her health.
Testimonies for the Church 2:362-365
Many who have adopted the health reform have left off everything
hurtful; but does it follow that because they have left off these things,
they can eat just as much as they please? They sit down to the table, and
instead of considering how much they should eat, they give themselves
up to appetite, and eat to great excess. And the stomach has all it can
do, or all it should do, the rest of that day, to worry away with the
burden imposed upon it. All the food that is put into the stomach, from
which the system can not derive benefit, is a burden to nature in her
work. It hinders the living machine. The system is clogged, and can
not successfully carry on its work. The vital organs are unnecessarily
taxed, and the brain nerve-power is called to the stomach to help the
digestive organs carry on their work of disposing of an amount of food
which does the system no good....
And what influence does overeating have upon the stomach? It
becomes debilitated, the digestive organs are weakened, and disease,
with all its train of evils, is brought on as the result. If persons were
diseased before, they thus increase the difficulties upon them, and
lessen their vitality every day they live. They call their vital powers
into unnecessary action to take care of the food that they place in
their stomachs. What a terrible condition is this to be in! We know
something of dyspepsia by experience. We have had it in our family;
and we feel that it is a disease much to be dreaded. When a person
becomes a thorough dyspeptic, he is a great sufferer, mentally and
physically; and his friends must also suffer, unless they are as unfeeling
as brutes. And yet will you say, “It is none of your business what I eat,
or what course I pursue?” Does anybody around dyspeptics suffer?
Just take a course that will irritate them in any way. How natural to
be fretful! They feel bad and it appears to them that their children are
very bad. They can not speak calmly to them, nor, without especial
grace, act calmly in their families. All around them are affected by
the disease upon them; all have to suffer the consequences of their
infirmity. They cast a dark shadow. Then, do not your habits of eating
and drinking affect others? They certainly do. And you should be very