Cholesterol is a term that evokes fear in the hearts of many because of its association with heart disease. But cholesterol is an important substance in our bodies and without it we would die. It serves as the substrate for production of vitamin D, all of our sex hormones, and serves as the outer covering of the brain and nerves. Cholesterol is produced by the liver in optimal quantities for optimal health. When we consume cholesterol containing foods, this excess is where the problem lies. You may have seen commercials stating, “When diet and exercise are not enough, that ____.” With the diet generally recommended you will need ____! The recommended diet is not cholesterol-free therefore it will fall short of achieving the desired blood cholesterol level. So for the best results we must go back to the Creator’s plan. The original diet in Genesis 1:29 was cholesterol free; because only foods derived from animals contain cholesterol because only animals have livers. There is one caveat; blood cholesterol levels are also increase by eating hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats, usually found in baked goods. So to reduce your blood cholesterol, it’s important to eliminate these fats also. If you need another reason to read labels there it is! 

Lipids in the blood are necessary to life, but when they are too high in the forms of cholesterol and triglycerides, it spells trouble. Heart disease is the number one killer of Americans and can be reduced by as much as 50% with an optimal diet and exercise. But what is an optimal diet? One containing at least 5 servings of fruits and 5 servings of vegetables, both very low in fats and incorporating beans on a daily or frequent basis because beans contain a type of fiber (soluble) that reduces blood cholesterol. Hidden fats in foods must also be reduced. When shopping it’s important to read the nutritional labels, and if the fat calories comprise more that 10-20 percent of the total calories, it would be best to leave that product on the self or use it sparingly and infrequently. Increasing dietary fat increases blood fats which increases heart disease and certain cancers including colon, prostate and breast. So be a wise consumer and avoid high fat foods, for yours and your family’s health sake.

The emphasis for February in the HEALTHY CONGREGATIONS AND COMMUNITIES Initiative is on lipids or fats. To be “LESS OF OURSELVES IN 2012”, we must reduce the intake of fats. One of the reasons why is because unlike proteins and carbohydrates which contain 4 calories per gram, lipid or fats contain 9 calories per gram.  So it’s easy to see why eating lipid laden food would sabotage a weight management program. Consider the increase in calories of the following foods:

    1 medium baked potato - 161 calories       
    1 medium French fries - 487 calories
    1 cup okra - 31 calories      
    1 cup fried okra - 600 calories
    1 slice whole wheat bread - 69 calories       
    1 slice WW bread with margarine - 169 calories

Therefore it’s easy to understand from the above examples how eliminating fried foods and added fat will reduce ones waist line. So why not try it this week. Reduce the use of added fats in the form of margarine, oils and fried food by at least 50%! It will not affect the taste of your foods but it will affect your health in positive ways.

“Eating breakfast is a daily habit for the "successful losers" who belong to The National Weight Control Registry. These people have maintained a 30-pound (or more) weight loss for at least a year, and some as long as six years. Most -- 78% -- reported eating breakfast every day, and almost 90% reported eating breakfast at least five days a week - which suggests that starting the day with breakfast is an important strategy to lose weight and keep it off," says James O. Hill, PhD, the Registry's co-founder and director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. Two studies in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association backed up this finding. Breakfast is important to weight loss. A group of researchers analyzed data from a government-funded study that followed more than 2,000 young girls from ages 9 to 19. They found that regular cereal eaters had fewer weight problems than infrequent cereal eaters. Those who ate cereal occasionally had a 13% higher risk of being overweight compared to the regular cereal eaters. Another research group analyzed government data on 4,200 adults. They found that regular breakfast eaters were more likely to exercise regularly. And women who ate breakfast regularly tended to eat fewer calories overall during the day. Those men and women who ate breakfast cereal had lower overall fat intake -- compared to those who ate other breakfast foods.” (WebMD, August 31, 2010)
“It is the custom and order of society to take a slight breakfast. But this is not the best way to treat the stomach. At breakfast time the stomach is in a better condition to take care of more food than at the second or third meal of the day. The habit of eating a sparing breakfast and a large dinner is wrong. Make your breakfast correspond more nearly to the heartiest meal of the day.” (CG 390) 

You know you should eat a good breakfast every day, right? And that breakfast should be the biggest meal of the day in terms of quantity and caloric content. But what constitutes a good breakfast? A good traditional breakfast would consist of a whole grain cereal with soy, rice or almond milk, (there is really no reason to drink cow’s milk in 2012.) 1-2 slices of whole grain bread, 1-2 tablespoons of nuts or a tablespoon of nut butter and five servings of fruit. Alternatives may include grits, tofu, whole grain toast, 5 servings of fruit and several nuts. Many prefer eating what you might consider dinner foods for breakfast such as brown rice, beans, greens, yams, etc. Whatever your preference is, the most important thing is to eat a good breakfast! Why not make it a habit of eating a nutritious breakfast every day; for better health. It will aid in becoming, “Less of Ourselves in 2012!"

Our emphasis for January is BREAKFAST! You have heard the adage, “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and supper like a pauper.” There is a lot of truth in this statement. Inspiration tells us, “And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.” (1 Kings 17:6) God made sure Elijah had a good breakfast every day. And, “The habit of eating a sparing breakfast and a large dinner is wrong. Make your breakfast correspond more nearly to the heartiest meal of the day.” (CG 390.2) Eating a nutritious breakfast each day is associated with better verbal affluence, improved problem solving, better scholastic abilities and improved energy. It is also an aid to weight management, which will be addressed later this month in an upcoming Pearls for Health. So, if you want better grades for your children or grandchildren, if you desire better physical, mental and spiritual health, make sure to start your day with a good breakfast.

Happy New Year! God has blessed you to see another new year and I know you praise Him for this blessing. 2011 with its challenges, blessings, aspirations, victories and failures has passed; and a new chapter in your life’s book has opened. How will this chapter read? The choice is yours and mine. The 2012 conference wide health initiative, “LESS OF OURSELVES IN 2012” focuses on becoming more like Jesus; living according to His will and not yours. John 3:30, “He must increase, but I must decrease,” is our objective! This decrease encompasses every aspect of life. From a health prospective the emphasis is centered on weight management. Because of the epidemic of obesity in this country it is stated that the current generation will be the first in modern history to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents. And as Christians, how can you and I witness to others with the Biblical truth that, “I can do all things through Christ which strengheneth me;” (Phil. 4:13), when our physical weight contradicts that assertion? Therefore for 2012 the Pearls For Health will share a lifestyle that will enable us to become less of ourselves and allow God to increase in our lives!

2011 will soon end; how has your health been this year? Have you seen God work as you have chosen to follow His health plan? Remember good health is in most instances a matter of choice. We find the power to make better choices through our relationship with God. Phil. 4:13 states, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Matt 6:33, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” All these things mean everything we need! As we begin 2012, let’s put first things first! Our commitment to Christ must be paramount, because His commitment to us is unfailing! As we continue to follow God’s plan for health, we can and will “WATCH GOD WORK!”

“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” (Heb. 10:25) For health, this is an imperative. Dr. Harold Koenig, a Duke University psychiatrist and head of its Center for the Study of Religion/Spirituality, relates that, “Those who frequently watch religious TV or radio were more likely to be told by their doctors that they had high blood pressure,'' he told United Press International.” ''Elderly blacks were more likely to have high blood pressure and to watch the religious media.'' The finding is significant, he said, because blood pressure rises at least some in three quarters of those studied who listened to religious radio or watched religious TV at least once a week. That's more than the number of people who said they prayed or read the Bible daily. People who attended religious services at least once a week posted lower readings than those who attended less often. Koenig said the likelihood of having a diastolic blood pressure of 90 or higher, the level most often associated with strokes or heart attacks, was 40 percent lower among those who attended a religious service once a week and prayed or studied the Bible once a day than among those who did so less often. So let us study our Bibles, pray, and attend church services and not depend on the radio or TV for our spiritual sustenance. Depending on others for our spiritual food will kill us!

Much has been said about the benefits of exercise throughout the year; how it lowers blood pressure, prevents heart disease, increases the good type of cholesterol (HDL), improves digestive functions, reduces the detrimental effects of stress, helps prevent osteoporosis, improves back pain and so on. Many say, “I can’t exercise vigorously enough for it to be beneficial.” But a study out of John’s Hopkins School of Medicine says “a regular dose of ‘lifestyle physical activity,’ like brisk walking or raking leaves, can improve health as much as agonizing gut-busting gym workouts.” Remember, God placed man in a garden, not a gym, to do his exercise/work. Adventist Home p. 96 states, “The greatest benefit is not gained from exercise that is taken as play or exercise merely. There is some benefit in being in the fresh air, and also from the exercise of the muscles; but let the same amount of energy be given to the performance of useful work, and the benefit will be greater. A feeling of satisfaction will be realized, for such exercise carries with it a sense of helpfulness and the approval of conscience for duty well done.” THE BEST EXERCISE IS THE EXERCISE YOU DO!