Section 9—Interrelationship of Body and Mind
Chapter 41—Diet and Mind (Part 2)
The Digestive Organs Affect Life’s Happiness—The digestive organs have an important part to act in our life happiness. God has given us intelligence that we may learn what we should use as food. Shall we not, as sensible men and women, study whether the things we eat will be in agreement or whether they will cause trouble? People who have a sour stomach are very often of a sour disposition. Everything seems to be contrary to them, and they are inclined to be peevish and irritable. If we would have peace among ourselves, we should give more thought than we do to having a peaceful stomach.—Manuscript 41, 1908. (Counsels on Diet and Foods, 112.)
Vigor of Mind Depends Upon the Body (counsels to writers and ministers)—Obey the principles of health reform and educate others to do this. The health of the mind is to a large degree dependent upon the health of the body, and the health of the body is dependent upon the way in which the living machinery is treated. Eat only that food which will keep your stomach in the most healthy condition.
You need to learn more thoroughly the philosophy of taking proper care of yourself in regard to the matter of diet. Arrange your work so that you can have your meals at regular hours. You must exercise a special care in this matter. Remember that to live the truth as it is in Jesus requires much self-discipline.—Letter 297, 1904.
Irregular Hours and Careless Inattention to Laws of Health—The mind does not wear out nor break down so often on account of diligent employment and hard study as on account of eating improper food at improper times, and of careless inattention to the laws of health.… Irregular hours for eating and sleeping sap the brain forces. The apostle Paul declares that he who would be successful in reaching a high standard of godliness must be temperate in all things. Eating, drinking, and dressing all have a direct bearing upon our spiritual advancement.—The Youth’s Instructor, May 31, 1894.
Overcrowding the Stomach Weakens the Mind—Overeating, even of the most wholesome food, is to be guarded against. Nature can use no more than is required for building up the various organs of the body, and excess clogs the system. Many a student is supposed to have broken down from overstudy, when the real cause was overeating. While proper attention is given to the laws of health there is little danger from mental taxation, but in many cases of so-called mental failure it is the overcrowding of the stomach that wearies the body and weakens the mind.—Education, 205 (1903).
Indulgence Blunts Nobler Sentiments of Mind—The indulgence of appetite in overeating is gluttony. The great variety of foods often taken at one meal is enough to create a disordered stomach and a disordered temper. Therefore God requires of every human being cooperation with Him, that none may go beyond his proper boundary in overeating or in partaking of improper articles of food. This indulgence strengthens the animal propensities and blunts the nobler sentiments of the mind. The whole being is degraded, and the human agent becomes the slave of appetite, by pampering and indulging his own groveling sensual passions.—Manuscript 113, 1898.
Overeating Produced Forgetfulness and Loss of Memory (counsel to a gourmand)—You are a gourmand when at the table. This is one great cause of your forgetfulness and loss of memory. You say things which I know you have said, and then turn square about and say that you said something entirely different. I knew this, but passed it over as the sure result of overeating. Of what use would it be to speak about it? It would not cure the evil.—Letter 17, 1895. (Counsels on Diet and Foods, 138.)
Overeating Blunts the Emotions [See Counsels on Diet and Foods, 131-142, “Overeating,”.]—Intemperance in eating, even of food of the right quality, will have a prostrating influence upon the system and will blunt the keener and holier emotions. Strict temperance in eating and drinking is highly essential for the healthy preservation and vigorous exercise of all the functions of the body.
Strictly temperate habits, combined with exercise of the muscles as well as of the mind, will preserve both mental and physical vigor and give power of endurance to those engaged in the ministry, to editors, and to all others whose habits are sedentary. As a people, with all our profession of health reform, we eat too much. Indulgence of appetite is the greatest cause of physical and mental debility, and lies at the foundation of feebleness, which is apparent everywhere.—Testimonies for the Church 3:487 (1875).
https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/78.71#85
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for teaching us how intimately connected is the body and mind. Please bless us to follow Your guidance in their harmonious development. that we can be truly transformed to share Your love to those around us. With the right motives, we can be used of Your Holy Spirit to be a blessing. Thank You for the privilege of prayer and for knowing that through the name of Your Son we may expect what we ask, because we ask according to Your will to be in communion with Jesus. Please bless us to commit to doing right with the motive of divine love: overcoming every tendency to sin against You. Please grant to us a pure, wholesome, consistent Christian life, which is obtained by daily studying Your Word, the Holy Bible, under the guidance of Your Holy Spirit, to behold and reflect the character of Jesus to each other first and to the world. Like Jesus, please bless us to not be conformed to this world, but to be truly transformed into the persons You would have us be, working fully in the service of the King: Jesus. Please bless us truly to contemplate the life of Christ and to allow Your Word to develop within us that true religion, borne of love, which ennobles the mind, refines the taste, sanctifies the judgment, and makes us patient partakers of the vibrant health, purity, and holiness of Heaven. Because we ask all these in the Awesome name of Your Son, Almighty Jesus the Christ, our Savior, we say Thank You and Amen.
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DID YOU KNOW THIS…?
¶Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.—3 John 1:2 KJV —[The WORD OF GOD—It’s the only flesh that is safe to eat (meditate on) to live forever!]
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Do you feel sorrowful, disconnected—without a place to feel at home or useful? I pray this might show you the way forward. Watch…
https://www.youtube.com/live/2QB6fcwVuws?si=fsEvZU-rkI-BngfD
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FREE HEALTH TALK* open to the public Thursdays at 5pm at Country Life Natural Foods Store and Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurant, 1217 Eberhart Avenue, Columbus, GA.
Thursday, Aug. 13: “Obesity and Weight Loss”
*Exception: $10 for any cooking class
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WHGR 91.5 FM went LIVE noon on Thanksgiving Day 2025, for Hurtsboro (my childhood home town) and surrounding areas, including Tuskegee, Alabama.
If you want to support Christian radio programming for these final days, please visit
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Thank you!!!
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I coordinate wonderful health and worship events and conferences online and onsite as a gospel medical missionary at Uchee Pines, a total plant-based health retreat, where doctors and practitioners specialize in lifestyle medicine. For event details, visit https://www.ucheepines.org/events
Therefore, if at any time you fail to receive this post as a text, please visit
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NOTE: These began as daily texts to encourage my academy roommate and dear friend of nearly 50 years, until she suddenly passed March 2023. Now I continue to compile and send them to anyone who will receive them and to her family in honor of their mom. Lately, I have begun featuring consecutive chapter portions of a select Bible-based book.
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My personal prayer is that God will bless me to find ways to multiply this gift, so that we all may be encouraged to be found faithful in the sight of a Holy God, whenever Christ returns or our eyes are shut in the sleep of death.
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