The Bible answers life’s spiritual questions and much more. Today, there can be confusion over how to live healthy lives. But we can, and should, turn to God’s Word for answers according to two leading health experts.
Jordan Rubin and Dr. Josh Axe have both witnessed the importance of Biblical health, which they describe in detail in their book, The Biblio Diet: Live Long, Master Metabolism, Reduce Pain, Fight Depression, and Conquer Cancer with Healing Secrets from the Bible.
“Today we are very divided on what can make one healthy. I always believe that God knows best. He’s the same yesterday, today and forever,” Rubin told CBN News.
“It helped heal Jordan of cancer and Crohn’s disease,” Dr. Axe told CBN News. “It helped heal my mom of cancer, it helped me heal, and we want to see God’s people healthy. And we know that the greatest way to get healthy is following the principles based on the Bible.”
Modern Research Validates Ancient Wisdom
Many of the health principles written thousands of years ago and recorded in the Bible are now scientifically proven, such as the health benefits of fasting.
“Nearly every single biblical figure fasted,” Dr. Axe said. “Everyone from Moses to King David to Queen Esther. We see Jesus fasting. We see later the disciples fasting and the early church fasted.”
Current research confirms fasting increases the healing mechanism called autophagy.
“Which is, our body can go into this hyper-detoxification mode, cleaning up dead cells and getting rid of infections like parasites, Lyme disease, and viruses out of our body,” Dr. Axe explained. “It supports weight loss. It supports fighting cancer.”
Axe and Rubin also tout the health benefits of thinking Biblically, which research also confirms. Scientific studies reveal the mind-body connection and the better health outcomes among patients with faith-filled outlooks.
“It is critical if you have been diagnosed with an incurable, chronic disease, that you choose life and you believe in the healing promises of God,” Rubin said. “‘I will live and not die, but declare the glory of the Lord.’ We encourage people to use mindset as medicine:
- ‘As a man thinks in his heart, so is he,’
- ‘Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks,’ and
- ‘Death and life are in the power of the tongue.'”
A Healthy Microbiome
The Bible frequently references eating gut-friendly foods, which scientists only in recent decades declared a foundation of good health.
“70% of our immune system lives in our gut,” said Dr. Axe. “There are studies showing that our gut and brain are connected for issues like depression, anxiety, Alzheimer’s. We know it’s connected to our hormonal system. 90% of your serotonin is created in your gut.”
Scripture specifically mentions wild-caught fish and grass-fed beef.
“It also talks about fermented foods like sourdough bread and fermented vegetables and foods,” said Dr. Axe. “In fact, fermentation was ancient refrigeration in a way, in terms of not keeping it cool, but keeping it, allowing it, to stay fresh longer due to the good microbes and probiotics created during the fermentation process. In the Bible it talks about Abraham serving two angels and the angel of the Lord, fermented cheese, which is a fermented food there as well.”
Rubin said Americans in particular could learn from the verse in Revelation noting, “The leaves are for the healing of the nations.”
“We are the most under-spiced nation per capita. And I’ll throw herbs in there as well,” he said. “When Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees, in what is commonly referred to as, ‘The Woes,’ he said, ‘You tithe dill, mint, and cumin.’ Cumin is amazing for the upper respiratory tract. Mint is great for the brain, and dill is powerful for the gut.”
Biblical Dos and Don’ts
The Bible mentions a number of super foods, like figs which are healthy to eat, but in the Bible, figs were also used externally to heal King Hezekiah. Also pomegranates, which contain antioxidants and can help balance blood sugar and boost muscle strength. Interestingly, pomegranates contain the same number of seeds, on average, 613, as the number of laws in the Old Testament.
Olive oil, a staple of Biblical diets, is hailed today as the healthiest fat by most dieticians.
Axe and Rubin recommend honey as a go-to sweetener. The Bible tells us John the Baptist ate honey. King Solomon wrote about eating honey, too, noting it’s unwise to eat too much of it.
While it’s recommended we look to scripture for examples of what to eat, we might also heed the warnings about what to avoid.
“One food that oftentimes people say, ‘You should eat this food,’ where we believe that you shouldn’t, and the Bible warns against it, and that is pork. And in addition to that, shellfish,” said Dr. Axe, adding, “Pork is the greatest carrier of parasites and infections of any animal.”
So while in today’s medical landscape people choose to identify as vegan, keto, or vegetarian, health experts Jordan Rubin and Dr. Josh Axe recommend becoming a “Bibliotarian” – someone who eats, drinks, and thinks according to the Bible.
Recommended Articles:
