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The public has been brain washed for many years to believe that fat is dangerous and should not be eaten – especially saturated fat.  It has been said that fat leads to obesity, high cholesterol and heart diseases.  All saturated fatty acids are not the same. In fact, there are more than a dozen different saturated fats with subtle differences that have profound health implications, and if you avoid eating all saturated fats you can suffer serious health consequences.

Saturated fats from sources like meat, dairy, some oils and tropical plants such as coconut actually provide a concentrated source of healthy energy in your diet. They also help in a lot of biological processes like utilising omega-3 fatty acids, the conversion of carotene to vitamin A, mineral absorption (especially calcium), providing building blocks for cell membranes as well as a variety of hormones and hormone-like substances.  It acts as carriers for important fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K and slow absorption down so that a person can go longer without feeling hungry.

There are many dangers associated with a low-fat diet:   it can raise bad (LDL) cholesterol, increase risk of injury, increase triglycerides, increase risk of stroke, worsen heartburn, and deny essential nutrients especially for children.

Most people replace the fats with grains and sugars which is a much more harmful choice. If vegetables were substituted instead, then it is far less likely that there would be a problem.

Of course there is a link between fat and heart disease.  It should however be blamed upon excess consumption of vegetable oils, hydrogenated fats and refined carbohydrates as well as vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

The following foods are likely sources of damaged fats and/or damaged cholesterol:

1.   pasteurized dairy products – this includes cheese and ice cream that have been made from pasteurised milk

2.   powdered milk

3.   powdered eggs

4.   meats that have been cooked at high temperatures, especially those that have been fried or deep-fried

5.   most commercial vegetable oils (those that are not cold-pressed)

6.   all hydrogenated oils

Low-fat diets are not the key to lowering cholesterol and low cholesterol does not necessarily imply good health.  Low cholesterol is linked to many problems including aggressive behaviour, depression, suicide and stroke.

The following foods are concentrated sources of healthy fats and/or healthy cholesterol:
1.   avocado
2.   nuts and seeds
3.   cold water fish
4.   organic eggs
5.   organic chicken
6.   grass-fed beef
7.   virgin coconut oil
8.   cold pressed olive oil

Although lower fat diets may be beneficial for some (especially those of the carbohydrate metabolic type) but all need some beneficial fats in their diet to stay healthy. To be afraid of, and exclude all fats is a prescription for disaster.

To learn more about the difference between healthy fats and cholesterol and damaged ones, read “Nourishing Traditions”, by Sally Fallon, and “The Cholesterol Myths”, by Uffe Ravnskov.

The public has been brain washed to believe that health is the absence of disease symptoms.  We were led to believe that disease suddenly strikes a person and if we fight it and feel better, we are healthy again,  These sudden diseases is seen as an outflow of our genetic make-up which means that our diseases are predetermined and thus we have no responsibility.  We expect that doctors will be able to help us to become healthy again!

This medical-paradigm is a myth, and a fundamental flaw.  As long as a person believes that his or her health or sickness is related to one’s genetic predetermination, there is no logic or hope for wellness or prevention.   Have you accepted the prevailing disease-paradigm, probably inadvertently? Do you believe your health is largely predetermined?  Or do you fully realize that your state of health is mainly determined by what you eat, how you move, and think?  This disease-based paradigm is what’s being taught in medical schools, even in some chiropractic colleges and naturopathy schools. It’s the prevailing belief system of the last century and still has an influence in this century.  It seems that this belief system was created and paid for by the pharmaceutical industry to the tune of tens of billions of dollars a year.

It is only a radical lifestyle change that help one to become healthier.  To know that you are responsible for your own health brings a tremendous freedom when you embrace this truth.  Because it also means that you have the ability to respond in a new and different way, and take control of your life to a much greater degree than you’ve ever been lead to believe, either by your traditional healthcare provider or by the media.

In stead of feeling that “disease will happen, and when it does, you treat it”, you must get right down to the root cause.   Your genes do not predetermine your health and longevity; it’s your lifestyle choices that trigger disease and sets the bar for your level of health.  It’s imperative to realise that it’s normal to be healthy!  Your lifestyle choices should be aimed at living up to your potential; to optimize your health, rather than trying to run from inevitable disease.  By waiting until you get sick, and then deciding to combat your illness with medicine or even natural therapies, you’re still operating within the same old paradigm.

Read about the work of Dr James Chestnut, “Chiropractic Educator of the Year” in 2007.

The human mind has an enormous influence on a person’s wellbeing.  Through the years it became clear to me that there are especially two aspects that have a determining influence on a person’s mind and body: yesterday and tomorrow.

Yesterday is the past.  Many people carry a lot of baggage from the past on their backs.  Quite often it is experiences from childhood that influenced them negatively.  Sometimes it was lack of love from parents or a lack of attention that resulted in a weak or distorted self-image.  That can cause the subconscious mind to send a message which leads to a condition where the body attackts itself – an auto-immune disease.  In the same way bitterness or a grudge against someone which is supressed by the subconscious can have a detrimental effect on the body and its functioning.  There might be guilt feelings which were not taken care of; it can also negatively affect the body.

Tomorrow is the future.  Many people live in the future – they are anxious or worried.  They are afraid of what the future holds regarding their personal finances or their health, specially in the senior years; they worry over their children or grand children; they worry about our country’s future or the possibility of another world war … All of these have a tremendous negative effect on our minds as well as our bodies.  It causes stress which in the long run can lead to different diseases.

Yesterday does not exist anymore.  Tomorrow has not arrived yet.  So easily we allow our lives to be ruled by things that do not exist!  All that we have is today.  There is so much beauty around us which we seldom really see … there are so many opportunities that we miss … because we focus on yesterday or tomorrow.  We must live today and finish off the past by forgiving others, forgiving ourselves and accepting forgiveness.  We must come to rest in Someone who has been in the future: our heavenly Father.  He said that his name is “I am”.  He lives in the present; his time is always NOW and He invites us to live in the present with Him.

Die moderne wêreld is bekend vir sy materialistiese siening van tyd: “tyd is geld”.  Dit het ‘n groot invloed op die lewenstempo van elke dag  – alles moet met haas gedoen word want anders mors ‘n mens tyd.  Kortpaaie word vir alles uitgedink.  Wanneer mense siek is, skryf die dokters medikasie voor wat die probleem vinnig aanspreek en die simptome dadelik wegneem – geen tyd mag verlore gaan nie.

Verder wil mense nie pyn of ongemak verduur nie.  Farmaseutiese en mediese navorsing soek ywerig na wondermedisynes vir die genesing van ondermeer die groot bedreigings soos kanker, vigs, diabetes en hartaanvalle.

Die goeie nuus is dat daar baie en effektiewe medisynes gedurende die afgelope eeu ontdek en gemaak is – baie pyn en lyding is daardeur verlig en daarvoor kan ons net dankbaar wees.  Dit is byvoorbeeld vir my ondenkbaar om ‘n tand te laat trek sonder die moderne verdowingsmiddels en pynstillers.
Die slegte nuus is dat hierdie kitsmedikasie nie regtig genees nie maar slegs die simptome verlig.  Dit is net die ingeskape genesingskrag in die liggaam wat werklike genesing kan teweegbring.  Die meeste medisynes het gevaarlike newe-effekte en behoort slegs in ernstige situasies en dan vir ‘n beperkte tyd gebruik te word.  In plaas daarvan om die liggaam te genees, plaas medisynes dikwels ‘n groter las op die liggaam wat juis werklike genesing kan teëwerk;  ons moet besef dat die oorgrote deel van medisynes chemies van aard is en daarom vreemde elemente vir die liggaam.

Hoe kan ons werklike genesing beleef?  Ten eerste is dit nodig dat persepsies moet verander.  Ons moet besef:

• dit is nie ‘n liggaam wat genesing nodig het nie maar ‘n persoon – daar moet ‘n holistiese benadering wees;
• niemand kan regtig in alle aspekte van die lewe gesond wees nie want dan was so-iemand volmaak;
• genesing is ‘n lewenslange proses wat nooit eindig nie maar wat kan lei tot geweldige groei in lewenskwaliteit;
• genesing van ‘n bepaalde probleem neem tyd want die liggaam moet sigself herstel en triljoene nuwe selle vorm.  Om dit te kan doen, moet die liggaam van die beste roumateriaal voorsien word soos vars lug, suiwer water, voedsame kos en ‘n positiewe ingesteldheid met positiewe denke en woorde;
• elkeen moet verantwoordelikheid neem vir sy of haar eie gesondheid en nie probeer om die verantworodelikheid op iemand anders te laai nie – die geneeshere is slegs daar om jou te help in jou eie reis na gesondheid en kan nie daarvoor verantwoordelik gemaak word nie.

Daar is nie ‘n kortpad nie!  Daar is geen wonderpil vir genesing nie!

Om prakties te raak:  wanneer jy ‘n akute en dringende probleem het, gee dadelik aandag aan daardie simptome wat die lewe baie moeilik of ondraagbaar maak en gebruik die nodige medikasie slegs om dit so vinnig moontlik te verlig.  Indien nodig, maak jou mediese dokter jou spanmaat en leer uit sy/haar kennis en wysheid.  Maak self jou keuses.  Moenie voorskrifte aanvaar sonder om te weet wat die newe-effekte is nie.  Probeer dan uitvind wat die wortel van die probleem is en verander onmiddelik jou lewensstyl of omstandighede wat die siekte tot gevolg gehad het.

Indien jy ‘n kroniese probleem het, moenie medisyne as die oplossing beskou nie; om die waarheid te sê, as jy tans medikasie gebruik, neem ‘n besluit om so gou as moontlik daarmee op te hou, indien moontlik – langdurige gebruik is giftig en maak werklike genesing onmoontlik.  Dit is net ‘n radikale lewensstylverandering wat jou kan help.  Indien nodig, maak ‘n holistiese natuurlike geneser jou spanmaat en verkry insette van sy/haar wysheid en kennis of kry behandeling van ‘n praktisyn op die gebied van aanvullende genesing soos ‘n refleksoloog of ‘n masseur.

People in our society so often think others are responsible for them: the pastor or priest is responsible for their spiritual life and the doctor is responsible for their health.  In practical life I often had the experience that people expected me to solve their problems and then they sat back, waiting to see the results of my efforts!

Fortunately there are people trained and equipped to help in problematic situations.  That is their responsibility: to help. They are, however, not responsible for you and me.

Let us focus on the area of health care.  Those who are the healthiest and who ultimately enjoy the best quality of life are the people who take responsibility for their own health.  You cannot ruin your health by careless living and then, when the diseases come, expect that the doctor must repair all the damage resulting from a shabby lifestyle over many years.

• The first step in taking responsibility is a decision to care for and better your health from this day on.
• The second step is to obtain information about your specific needs by reading books or finding information on the internet (not anyone’s ideas, but solid scientific information).
• The third step is to start changing your lifestyle in the light of the knowledge you have gained:  change your daily program to make room for times of rest, relaxation, meditation and exercise.  Eliminate unnecessary stressors and handle the remaining stress in a correct way.  Give special attention to your diet by eliminating all junk food and eating real nourishing food. Start to drink enough pure water.
• The fourth step is to attend to all your relationships: bad or broken relationships can be a heavy burden on the health of your body.
• The fifth step is only necessary when problems crop up in spite of all these adaptations – you invite an expert like a medical doctor, a counselor or a physiotherapist (or any other person that can help in a specific area) to join you as a team and help you.  This person works for you and is being paid for the work.  He or she helps you, but does not take over your responsibility!  This type of teamwork has great benefits:  the expert does not feel the heavy load of total responsibility; you take decisions together and you are willing to give your whole hearted co-operation!

In ons samelewing dink mense maklik dat ander vir hulle verantwoordelik is: die predikant of pastoor is verantwoordelik vir hulle geestelike lewe en die dokter vir hulle gesondheid.  In die praktyk het ek dikwels ervaar hoe mense van jou as medemens verwag om hulle probleme op te los en dan terugsit en kyk wat die resultaat is van mý pogings!
Gelukkig is daar mense wat opgelei en toegerus is om mense in hulle probleemsituasies te help.  Hulle verantwoordelikheid is om te help. Hulle is egter nie vir jou en my verantwoordelik nie.

Kyk na die terrein van gesondheid.  Die mense wat die gesondste is en bly en wat uiteindelik die beste lewenskwaliteit geniet, is diegene wat self verantwoordelikheid vir hulle gesondheid neem.  Mens kan nie maar jou liggaam afbreek deur onverskillig te lewe en dan wanneer die siektes kom, verwag dat die dokter al die skade van jare se afskeep moet inhaal nie.

• Die eerste stap tot verantwoordelikheid is ’n besluit om van nou af jou gesondheid op te pas en te verbeter.
• Die tweede stap is om kennis in te win oor jou spesifieke behoeftes deur boeke te lees of op internet inligting te soek (nie enige opinie nie maar gegronde, wetenskaplike inligting).
• Die derde stap is om jou lewenstyl aan te pas in die lig van die kennis wat jy opgedoen het:  nou verander jy jou daaglikse program sodat daar tyd vir rus, ontspanning, stil word en oefening is.  Verder skakel jy enige onnodige stressors uit en begin jy om stres reg te hanteer.  Jy kyk veral na die kos wat jy eet en sorg dat jy gemorskos vermy en genoeg voedingswaarde inkry.  Jy begin genoeg suiwer water drink.
• Die vierde stap is om na jou verhoudingslewe te kyk: swak of gebroke verhoudings het ’n baie nadelige uitwerking op die liggaam.
• Die vyfde stap is slegs nodig wanneer daar probleme opduik wat nie reageer op die voorafgaande aanpassings nie – jy nader ’n kundige soos ’n mediese dokter, ’n berader of ’n fisioterapeut (of enige ander persoon wat op ’n bepaalde terrein hulp kan verskaf) om deel te word van jou span en te kom help.  Hierdie persoon werk vir jóú en word daarvoor betaal.  So iemand gee hulp maar neem nie jou verantwoordelikheid oor nie!  Sulke spanwerk het goeie resultate: die betrokke kundige voel nie oorlaai nie; julle neem saam besluite en jy is gewillig om jou heelhartige samewerking te gee!

What is a world view?
We are born into a community and brought up in the thought patterns found in that community.  Most people are never aware of the influence of this basic structure of thought: it acts as a box in which everything we know and experience fits.  It can also be compared to coloured glasses through which we look and interpret what we experience and see.  This is our worldview: a philosophical framework which cannot be proven but which binds us and inhibits our interpretation in order to keep it inside the box.  In a certain sense the world view acts as a comfort zone because we can interpret our world and all that is happening. Understanding brings security – something we all need and cherish.

Western world view
In the Western world the influence of the Greek philosophers like Plato and Aristoteles is still ruling our world view.  Amongst others, the idea of a dualism between material and spiritual is one of the most basic tenets of our world view.  When we look at the eastern countries we find a different approach: there is a strong tendency to see the whole of reality as a unity.  To them the whole world is one and there is no strong separation of the so-called material and spiritual aspects.

A shift in world view
In our time the most influencial change affecting the thought pattern of people in western countries is the shift from dualism to holism.  There is a distinct attractiveness in the eastern philosophies because they have so many practical effects on everyday life.  Buddhism influences for example cosmology, the theoretical science about the cosmos (the works of Fritjof Capra).  It influences people’s view of nature and by implication, the green movement.  It also influences our view of man and healthy living; the idea of mind-body as ’n unity which cannot be separated is growing stronger and is affecting the science of healing.  The excellent scientific research of Candace Pert is an example.  The New Age Movement is to a great extent built on eastern philosophy.

Contrary to general belief, the Christian Bible is not a western book but it originated in the Middle East with typical eastern thought patterns, as will be discussed in a follow-up aticle.

Waarheid gemeng met subjektiewe idees
Deur die eeue het mense probeer om die liggaam en gesondheid beter te verstaan: mense het uit ervaring geleer wat help en wat gevaarlik is.  Die kennis is van geslag tot geslag oorgedra en so het al die primitiewe volke oorleef.  Hierdie kennis was egter nie altyd op die waarheid gegrond nie maar was, soos by die “boererate”,  ‘n mengsel van waarheid en ‘n klomp bygeloof.
Deur die eeue was daar ook ‘n wetenskaplike soeke na kennis oor die mens, siekte en gesondheid.  Daar was geweldige vordering met wonderlike resultate.  Die lewenskwaliteit en lewensverwagting van die moderne mens het drasties verbeter.

Wetenskaplikes se werk is egter beperk: vanweë die enorme groot veld kan elkeen slegs op een of ‘n paar terreine van navor

From our own experience we know that Scripture is true when it says that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3: 23).  That means that we are all under condemnation because of a broken relationship to God our Creator and can’t save ourselves from the results and the penalty of our sins.  Only one man is different – Jesus Christ.  When He was on earth, He was without any sin, the perfect, obedient Son of God.  Now He lives his resurrected and perfect human life in God’s presence.

Those who are united to Jesus through the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit, have the life of this perfect human person planted in them.  This new life (also called the Spirit of Jesus) competes with the old sinful nature and leads the individual to crucify it; the child of God makes a deliberate choice to honour and obey the Lord Jesus and to stop ruling his/her own life.  Jesus the Saviour is also Jesus the King.

According to Jesus in Matthew 5: 12 there are two types of people: those who are part of the good tree bearing only good fruit (the Jesus-tree) and those who are part of the bad tree that bears only bad fruit (the Adam-tree).  In essence, sin is hostility against God; it is the life directed away from God to self.  Sin is a broken relationship between man and God; sins are the fruit of this attitude – the thoughts, the words and deeds that shows mankind’s self-deification.

In this sense the person changed by the Spirit of God does not sin anymore (1 John 3: 9); his or her attitude is neither enmity nor self-idolatry.  The true christian does however, still commit sins of disobedience against God, especially sins of omission (1 John 2: 1).  Although it is still dishonouring to God, it comes from the heart of a weak but growing child.  God knows that we long to be perfect, but cannot yet attain it.

On the other hand, when the Spirit of Christ lives in a believer, there can’t be continuing indifference to God and to obedience – at some stage there will be an awareness of sin and a return to the Father.  The more we come to realise how great and wonderful our God is – how glorious his majesty is, the more we become obedient and refrain from that which we know is not according to his will.