Editorial

O
ur world has been battling an unprecedented global pandemic—the novel COVID-19
virus. At the present, over 173 million people have been infected worldwide, and over
three million people have died. The rapid spread of the disease has brought many
changes to our lives. It has disrupted economies, increased unemployment, suspended
schools, closed businesses, and even churches. In some countries, health care systems
have been overwhelmed. As Covid have risen, reports about the pandemic have dominated the
news. No wonder thousands of people are worried and fearful about the future.
Have you felt overwhelmed with the Coronavirus this past year? Perhaps you’ve had changes
in your eating patterns, difficulty sleeping, worsening chronic health problems, increased stress,
loneliness, and anxiety about your health and that of your loved ones? You are not alone. Our
life and health, and of our loved ones have been endangered like never before. But there is
hope. We have good news for you!
A critical key with COVID-19 as with any other disease is to have a vigorous immune system.
Then, we not only reduce the risk of getting the virus but also if we do get it, we will have
fewer symptoms, and a shorter duration of the illness. But, we can’t wait till we get the virus
to strengthen our immunity, we must do it now while we are well. If another pandemic strikes,
only those who are strong will survive.
Where can we learn how to boost our immunity? From the One who created us. God has
given us laws or health principles—which if practiced regularly—will keep our body, mind,
and spirit strong to prevent disease, and to overcome it when we do get it. Our Creator also
has the solution on how we can beat stress and loneliness, as well as fear and anxiety. In this
magazine, we will demonstrate how science has tested and validated God’s health principles.
Best of all, we’ll show you how to incorporate these simple health principles into your lifestyle.
These health principles follow the acronym FreshStart:

F resh Plant Food

R est
E xercise
S unlight
H20 water
S elf-control
T hankfulness
A ir
R elationships
T rust in God

Are you ready to begin your journey to stronger immunity, as well as improved physical,
mental, and spiritual health? Make FreshStart a part of your daily lifestyle. Our Creator wants
to help you. He designed you to be healthy. “The thief does not come except to steal, and
to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more
abundantly” (John 10:10 nkjv). Let’s take on that abundant life!

Dragan Ivanov, M.D. | Internal Medicine Specialist | Professor at the University in Novi Sad, Serbia
.................................................................................................................................................................
 Table of Contents
2 Editorial
3 Table of Contents
4 F Fight Covid With Plant Foods
11 R Rest: The Key to a Fresh Start
16 E Exercise: Health Within Walking Distance
21 S Sunny Health
25 H Hydrothermal Therapy
for Better Immunity
31 S Self-Control, a Healing Virtue

36 T Thankfulness for Better Health

4O A Improve Immunity With Fresh Air

45 R Relationships for Health and
Happiness
49 T Trust: Faith Over Fear
52 Immune-Boosting Recipes

Editors:
Publisher:
Reformation Herald Publishing Assn.
5240 Hollins Road
Roanoke, VA 24019
(540) 366-9400
Liliane Balbach, John Baer, DC Aldo Cordova, MD
MS, RDN Medical Editor

Disclaimer:
The information in this magazine is educational and general in nature. Neither the editors or authors intend these articles to be a substitute for
medical diagnosis, counsel, or treatment by a qualified health professional.
4

Fight Covid With

Plant Foods
.................
By Liliane Balbach,
MS, RDN

W
ould you like to know five life-changing strategies that can strengthen your immunity,
lower and even reverse your risk of heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, as well as
some cancers? Bonus health benefits include: optimized kidney function, healthy weight,
improved mood, and longer life.
In the United States, we are so privileged to have the ability to produce an abundance of health-
ful food that’s available all year round. Yet, a recent national report reveals that a poor diet is “now
the leading cause of poor health in the U.S. and causes more than half a million deaths per year.”1
Cardiovascular disease afflicts half American adults. Nearly 3 in 4 Americans are obese or over-
weight, while 19% of our children and adolescents are obese. Nearly half of our adults suffer from
diabetes and prediabetes. This is why so many Americans were vulnerable to COVID-19.1
A current study looked at the metabolic health of Americans found that only 12% don’t have
high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high triglycerides, diabetes, or pre-diabetes.2 These condi-
tions, along with excess fat around the midsection, are called metabolic syndrome. Together they
cause low-grade whole-body inflammation, and increased risk of infections, pneumonia, and can-
cers. Dr. Mozafarian, Dean of the Freidman School of Nutrition Science at Tufts University, states:
“The statistics are horrifying but unlike Covid (these lifestyle diseases) happened gradually enough
that people just shrugged their shoulders. However, beyond age, these are the biggest risk factors
for illness and death from Covid-19. And Covid KILLS by causing an overwhelming inflammatory
response that disables the body’s ability to fight off pathogens.”3

Plant-based nutrition to the rescue

If you or one of your loved ones has one of these diseases, it is time to make a change for life
and health! The good news is that research repeatedly shows that a plant-based diet may lower the
risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), hypertension4, and type 2 diabetes5 and may prevent and often
reverse them. A plant-based diet may prevent and treat asthma, thus lowering the threat of serious
consequences if you develop a COVID-19 infection.6
Plant foods are loaded with vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, and zinc which can also boost im-
munity. Vegetarians have been shown to have more effective white blood cells compared to non-
vegetarians due to their low intake of fat and high intake of vitamins from plants.7
Fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes are rich in phytonutrients and antioxidants which
can protect us against harmful pathogens. Antioxidants in these foods help decrease inflamma-
 Fight Covid with Plant Foods | 5

tion by combating unstable compounds Special antioxidants in berries and dark

called free radicals. These compounds can green leafies may make them brain foods.
cause inflammation when they build up at A study from Harvard University and
high levels in your body. Look which are Bringham and Woman’s Hospital looked
the top antioxidant foods (see Table I). at health and lifestyle questionnaires of
The five lifestyle changes below will help 121,000 nurses, and found that those who
to optimize your immune system, sup- consumed at least ½ cup of blueberries
press inflammation, and even reverse cer- and 1 cup of strawberries per week had up
tain diseases. to 2 ½ years slower rates of cognitive de-
cline compared to those who didn’t have
5 WAYS TO STRENGTHEN IMMUNITY any.11
AND FIGHT DISEASE
Practical tip:
1. Eat anti-inflammatory foods Eat ½ cup of blueberries or berries, and
We know that inflammation has been other foods in this category daily.
linked with arthritis, but now also with
heart disease, cancer, diabetes, asthma,
and Alzheimer’s. Diet and exercise es-
pecially helpful in combating chronic in-
flammation.10 Berries, and red and purple ½ CUP OF
fruits and vegetables are anti-inflammato- BERRIES / DAILY
ry and antioxidative when they are con- AND OTHER
sumed regularly. Berries may also boost PURPLE FOODS
our levels of natural killer cells–a type of
white blood cell that’s critical in fighting
viruses and cancerous cells.

Table 1

Top Antioxidant-Rich Fruits, Vegetables, and Spices27

Fruits Vegetables Spices
1 Blueberries, wild Garlic Amla*
2 Blackberries Kale Cloves
3 Raspberries Asparagus Peppermint
4 Blueberries, cultivated Red cabbage Allspice
5 Plums Broccoli Cinnamon
6 Red Grapes Beet greens Oregano
7 Pomegranate Beets Thyme
8 Strawberries Spinach Sage
9 Red Cherries Onion Rosemary
10 Oranges Corn

* Dried Indian gooseberry powder

• Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables in a rainbow of colors.
• Avoid eating the same two or three choices.
• Foods with darker, richer colors are higher in antioxidants.
6 | LifeSource—FreshStart Your Immunity

2. Feed your Microbiome regular eating and sleeping schedule.14 The

Our body has trillions of bacteria, virus- good news is that one month on a plant-
es, and fungi known as the microbiome. based diet can increase the good guys and
Most of them are found in a “pocket” of decrease the bad diseasing-causing bugs.
our large intestine and are called the gut Legumes provide the highest source of
microbiome.12 While some bacteria are fiber; next are vegetables, whole grains,
linked with disease, others are very import- fruits and nuts. (See Table 2.) There is zero
ant for our immune system, heart health, fiber in meat, chicken, fish, or dairy! Eat-
healthy weight, and general health. Since ing a high fiber diet has been linked with
70% of our immune system lives in the gut, a 40-50% decrease in respiratory-related
a healthy gut microbiota is essential to a deaths. Soluble fiber found in beans, oats,
robust immune system. peas, apples, citrus, carrots, and barley
The typical western diet high in saturat- binds cholesterol and decreases airway
ed fat, seafood, dairy, sugar, and processed inflammation, and mucus, as well as im-
food encourages the growth of unhealthy proves lung function in asthmatics.15 If you
gut bacteria that produce pro-inflamma- would like to have improved blood sugar
tory compounds and negatively affect our and insulin levels, a slimmer waist, as well
intestines, brain, liver, and immune sys- as a lower risk of stroke, colon cancer, and
tem. But, when we eat a whole food plant- obesity, eat more beans.16, 17 These dyna-
based diet, we stimulate our body to pro- mite health benefits come from the fiber,
duce friendly gut bacteria that produce phytates, and folate found in beans. But
anti-inflammatory compounds. The fiber only 3% of Americans are getting enough
packaged in the plant foods we eat feeds fiber in their diet. Make sure your body
our gut microbiome. A healthy gut micro- isn’t starving for fiber. Next time you go
biome can improve our immunity and help food shopping, pick up a variety of dried
keep harmful pathogens from entering our or canned beans that you haven’t had be-
body and digestive tract.13 For optimal gut fore and start enjoying the superb health
health, we also need adequate sleep, and a benefits of this superfood.

LEGUMES:
1-3 cups daily
Table 2

FIBER CONTENT OF FOODS

Food Category Serving size Fiber (g) Food Category Serving size Fiber (g)
Fruit 1 2-5 Meat Any 0
Vegetables 1 3-14 Chicken Any 0
Whole grains 1 1-8 Fish Any 0
Legumes (Beans) 1 cup 8-19 Dairy foods Any 0
Nuts 1/4 cup 3-4 Dressings Any 0
Oat bran, raw 1 ounce 12 White bread Any 0.6
Fiber One Bran Cereal 1/2 cup 25 White rice Any 0.6

Practical Tips:
• Use a variety of legumes: pinto beans, chickpeas, split peas, black, kidney, navy beans,
lentils and red lentils.
• Eat 1-3 cups of beans daily.
• Add beans to salads, casseroles, veggie roasts, burgers, and spreads.
• Eat about 10-15 g of fiber at every meal. 1 cup of beans has 9-19 g of fiber per cup.
• Women need 25 g/day; men 38 g of fiber per day.
• Increase your fiber gradually up to 40+ g daily.

Drink 8-12 glasses of water per day.

Table 3
3. Avoid Immune Suppressors
Added sugars, saturated and trans Top 10 High Sugar Foods 20
fats, red and processed meats, white flour Food Serving size Sugar g (tsp)*
foods, and vegetable oils combined with a
sedentary lifestyle promote chronic inflam- Milkshakes (blended with candy) 12 oz. 85 g (21 tsp.)
mation.18 Saturated fats are found mostly Grape juice 16 oz. 72 g(18 tsp.)
in meats, dairy, processed foods, and co- Sugary drinks (Cream soda) 16 oz. 66 g (16 tsp.)
conut and palm oils, and they raise blood Cake w/coconut frosting 1 slice 64 g (16 tsp.)
cholesterol. People who consume diets Commercial Candies (Skittles) 2 oz. bag 47 g (12 tsp.)
high in saturated fats and cholesterol are at Lowfat fruit yogurt 1 cup 47 g (12 tsp.)
risk for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and Pancakes with syrup (fast food) 3 pancakes 45 g (11 tsp.)
Cereal bars (Nutri-Grain) 1 bar 39 g (10 tsp.)
cancer.19 So, if you have bacon and eggs
Sports drinks 20 oz. 38 g (10 tsp.)
for breakfast, that’s your first saturated fat
Ready to Eat Cereals (Familia) 1 cup 28 g (7 tsp.)
bomb; for snack you have a doughnut and
coffee, that’s another fat and sugar bomb. * teaspoon
Then, just as inflammation starts to calm (See Table 3.) For example, a cream soda has 66 g of sugar
down, it’s lunchtime! You may hit your ar- and lowfat fruit yogurt 47g in one cup.
teries with another load of harmful food. The next time you go to the grocery store if you are
So, unhealthy meals don’t just harm us in- used to walking through the ice cream, cookie, and soda
ternally, but within hours of going into our aisles, stop! Make a U-turn and go to the produce section.
mouth.
What about sugar? Research shows
that added sugars and refined carbohy- FRUITS:
drates (white flour products, white rice, 3-4 servings
pastries, and many breakfast cereals) which daily
are stripped of fiber, and nutrients contrib-
ute greatly to obesity. To strengthen our
immunity and decrease inflammation, we
need to limit our fat and sugar intake.19
8 | LifeSource—FreshStart Your Immunity

Stock up on those colorful fruits bursting Practical Tips:

with flavor, loaded with natural sugar, fiber, • Add 2 tablespoons of ground flax or chia
phytonutrients, and antioxidants. seeds/day to your cereal.
• Eat ¼ cup of raw nuts daily.
Practical tip: • Avoid frying foods in oil; steam in vege-
• Sugar intake: Men limit to less than 9 tsp. table broth or a little water.
(37g) of added sugar per day; women • Cook your soups without oil; add lots of
less than 6 tsp. (25 g) per day (American onions and garlic for flavor.
Heart Assn.) • Use cold-pressed olive oil sparingly.
• Eat 3-4 fruit per day. 5. Eat foods rich in antioxidants
“Dark green leafy vegetables are the most
4. Eat healthy fats nutrient-rich foods on earth. An analysis of
Omega-3 fatty acids have powerful ben- all the different types of food, by a team of
efits for your body and brain. They reduce Harvard University researchers, showed that
inflammation, improve risk factors for heart dark greens offer the strongest protection
disease, may help prevent cancer and fight against major chronic diseases.24 Each extra
depression and anxiety. They are found serving you eat per day reduces one’s risk of
in flax seeds, chia seeds, walnuts, avoca- a heart attack 25 and stroke by 20%.26 The ni-
dos, edamame, and many dark green leafy tric oxide from vegetable nitrates improves
vegetables. Add these whole plant fats to oxygen efficiency opening arteries so more
your diet but use vegetable oils sparingly. blood can flow to the brain.27
Research shows that oil may impair white Nitric oxide is a key messenger in the
blood cell function and that high-fat diets body; it signals muscles within artery walls
may lower immunity.21, 22 Even vegetarians to relax, it helps blood vessel dilation to
might be using too much oil in their diet, promote better blood flow. There is evi-
and also frying foods, both of which in- dence that it even helps lower blood pres-
crease inflammation. sure and improve brain function.27 Without
Over the past few decades, we’ve had nitric oxide your arteries can stiffen and in-
an increase in non-alcoholic fatty liver crease your risk of a heart attack. You can
disease, cardiovascular disease, obesity, eat certain vegetables that are rich in nat-
inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), rheu- ural nitrates which your body can convert
matoid arthritis, and Alzheimer’s. This has into nitric oxide.27
coincided with a dramatic increase in the If you are immunocompromised, or just
consumption of polyunsaturated vegeta- wish to enhance your immunity, you need
ble oils, while our intake of omega-3 fats to know the power of nitric oxide. A re-
has been low.23 search study in 2005 found that nitric ox-

Nuts, Seeds,
Avocato, Olives:
Limited seeds to 2
tablespoons daily.
Nuts 1/4 cup/daily.
 Fight Covid with Plant Foods | 9

ide significantly inhibited the replication Practical Tip:

of SARS coronavirus, meaning it disrupted • Eat one large green leafy salad daily.
the virus’s ability to grow.28 • Eat 1 clove of garlic a day. Use lots of garlic
Beets are high in nitrates and can raise and onions in cooking, in salad dressings.
nitric oxide levels. One study showed that
consuming a beet juice supplement raised It’s your choice
nitric oxide levels in subjects by 21% in You may say: This all sounds great. Sure,
just 45 minutes. Another study showed I’d love to eat a plant-based diet, but I feel
drinking just 3.4 ounces of beet juice dai- this diet is a little extreme. Dr. Caldwell Es-
ly significantly raised nitric oxide levels in selstyn, the physician featured in “Forks
men and women. Several studies showed Over Knives,” has been helping hundreds
a 10-point systolic blood pressure drop in of people stop and reverse the progression
subjects within hours after drinking beet of heart disease states:
juice. This effect lasted all day.29 “Some people think the plant-based
Besides beets, dark green leafy vegeta- whole foods diet is extreme. Half a mil-
bles like kale, broccoli, cabbage, spinach, lion people a year will have their chests
arugula, and celery are packed with nitrates, opened up and a vein taken from their leg
which are converted to nitric oxide in your and sown on to their coronary artery. Some
body. The single best way to get your ni- people would call that extreme.”31
tric oxide fix is to eat one large green salad Tomorrow morning when you get up,
daily!29 Not an iceberg salad, but romaine, drink 2-3 glasses of water, and instead of
and other dark leafy greens. Another great bacon and eggs, cook some oats, or qui-
way to include dark green leafy veggies in noa, for breakfast. Sprinkle ground flax-
your diet is by adding them to pasta sauces seed and some blueberries and pour some
and soups during the last few minutes of almond milk on top. On the side, you have
cooking. another two more fruits and a handful of
Garlic also boosts our nitric oxide levels; it walnuts. This breakfast is for champions
diminishes an over-reactive immune system who wish to boost their immunity and low-
by squelching inflammation while boosting er their risk of lifestyle diseases. Your family
our protective immunity. Garlic also lowers will thank you for going the extra mile and
blood pressure and cholesterol. In one tri- preparing a breakfast that extinguishes in-
al, researchers studied the prevention of vi- flammation and prevents snacking.
ral disease with garlic. Subjects taking garlic Now as lunch rolls around, instead of
supplements had 60% fewer colds and re- having a hamburger and French fries, you
covered in only 1.5 days instead of five days.30 can have a black bean burger and large
My 90-year old dad believes in the immune salad with baked fries. For dinner, you can
power of garlic. He has his daily dose by cov- have Western chili and cornbread, served
ering every inch of his toast with avocado with broccoli and a large salad. Is it worth
and thin slices of raw garlic, 3-4 cloves per your time to shop, plan, and cook healthy
day! Perhaps you may wish to try his recipe? meals for yourself and your loved ones?

GREENS:
Take 2-6
servings by Vegetables:
mouth daily. 4-5 servings
Unlimited daily
refills!
10 | LifeSource—FreshStart Your Immunity

Table 4

Foods and Supplements to Boost Immunity

Micronutrient Dose Food Sources

Garlic: antiviral Eat 1/day Fresh garlic, aged extract, and garlic supplements.

Turmeric Curcumin: antiviral, anti-inflammatory Herb Supplement Use freely in cooking and supplement.

Zinc: oral zinc supplement may protect against 30 mg lozenge Beans, lentils, nuts, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds.
respiratory tract infections (common cold).

NAC helps with serious lung infections. Several studies show that sub-
N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) 600 mg 2x/day jects with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) who were treat-
ed with NAC had shorter stays in the ICUs compared to the controls.29

Some supplements can interact with medications and may not be appropriate for people with certain health conditions. Be sure to check with your health-care provider before
taking any supplements.

Absolutely! And by the way, given you every herb that yields back on the original plant-based
get your family involved in the seed which is on the face of all diet? You can count on Him! As
preparation of healthy food. the earth, and every tree whose you begin your wellness journey,
Your health and their health de- fruit yields seed; to you, it shall why not ask Him to renew your
pend on it! be for food.”32 This diet prevents health and taste buds, and give
inflammation, lowers our sus- you a desire to adopt a plant-
Rx from Eden ceptibility to viruses, enhances based diet for optimal life and
By now perhaps you are curi- our immunity, and prevents and health?
ous to know who prescribed the even reverses some diseases.
original health-promoting plant- The Creator gave us fruits and
based diet? Over 6,000 years ago, vegetables in a rainbow of col- Scan this QR code to
a wise and loving Master De- ors loaded with phytonutrients, watch an in-depth
signer created man in His image antioxidants, vitamins, and min- video presentation on
and prescribed him the original erals designed to nourish every this topic.
plant-based diet in the garden of cell of our body. Do you think He
Eden. And God said, “See, I have is interested in helping you get

Sources: Platelet Glycoprotein VI Signaling and Inhibits Platelet Activation and 19

DiNicolantonio L et al. The Evidence for Saturated Fat and for Sugar
Thrombus Formation. J. Nutr. jn245944; first published online August Related to Coronary Heart Disease. Prog Cardiovasc Dis. Mar-Apr
1
Report of the 50th Anniversary of the White House Conference on 30, 2017. 2016;58(5):464-72.
Food, Nutrition, and Health: Honoring the Past, Taking Actions for our 10
Nair AR, et al. Blueberry supplementation attenuates oxidative stress 20
U.S. Agricultural Research Service Food Data Central. [Link]
Future March 2020 within monocytes and modulates immune cell levels in adults with [Link]/
2
Araujo J, Cai J, Stevens J. (2019). Prevalence of Optimal Metabolic metabolic syndrome: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled 21
Soldati L et al. The influence of diet on anti-cancer immune
Health in American Adults: National Health and Nutrition Examination trial. Food Funct. 2017 Nov 15;8(11):[Link]:a0.1039/ responsiveness. J Transl Med. 2018;16:75-93.
Survey 2009–2016. Metab Syndr and Relar D 17(1):46-52. c7o008153. 22
Wood LG et al. Assessment of dietary fat intake and innate immune
3
Mozafarian D, Mande J, Micha R. Food Is Medicine—The Promise 11
Devore, EE et al. Dietary intakes of berries and flavonoids in relation to activation as risk factors for impaired lung function. Eur J Clin Nutr.
and Challenges of Integrating Food and Nutrition Into Health cognitive decline. AnnNeurol, 2012; DOI: 10.1002/ana.23594 2010;64:818-825; Rasmussen LB et al. Effect of diet and plasma fatty
Care. JAMA Intern Med. 2019;179(6):793-795. doi:10.1001/ 12
Qin J, et al. A human gut microbial gene catalogue established by acid composition on immune status in elderly men. Am J Clin Nutr.
jamainternmed.2019.0184. metagenomic [Link] 2010 Mar 4;464(7285):59-65. doi: 1994;59:572-577.
4
Kahleova H, Levin S, Barnard ND, Vegetarian dietary patterns and 10.1038/nature08821. 23
Patterson, et al. Health Implications of High Dietary Omega-6
cardiovascular disease. Prog Cardiovasc Dis. Published online May 13
Holscher HD. Dietary fiber and prebiotics and the gastrointestinal Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids. J Nutr Metab. 2012; 2012: 539426.
29, 2018. microbiota. Gut Microbes. 2017 Mar 4;8(2):[Link]: 24
Hung HC et al. Fruit and vegetable intake and risk of major chronic
5
Hosseinpour-Niazi S, Mirmiran P, Hedayati M, Azizi F. Substitution of 10.1080/19490976.2017.1290756. Rinninella E et al. Food disease. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2004;96(21):1577-84
red meat with legumes in the therapeutic lifestyle change diet based components and dietary habits: keys for a healthy gut microbiota 25
Joshipura KJ, Hu FB, Manson JE, et al. Fruit and vegetable intake on
on dietary advice improves cardiometabolic risk factors in overweight composition. Nutrients. October 7, 2019. risk of coronary heart disease. Ann Intern Med. 2001;134(12)1106-
type 2 diabetes patients: a cross-over randomized clinical trial. Eur J 14
Hall E, Vale P. Twelve Ways to Improve Gut Health. May 7, 2020 14.
Clin Nutr. October 29, 2014. [Link]/blog/twelve-natural-ways-to-improve-gut-health- 26
Joshipura KJ, et al. Fruit and vegetable intake in relation to risk of
6
Serafini M, Peluso I. Functional Foods for Health: The Interrelated without-probiotics/ ischemic stroke. JAMA 1999;282(13):1233-9.
Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Role of Fruits, Vegetables, Herbs, 15
Wypych TP, Marsland J, UBags ND. 2017 Jul. 2017. The impact of 27
Greger, M. (2015). How not to Die, p. 136.
Spices and Cocoa in Humans. Curr Pharm Des. 2016;22(44):6701- diet on immunity and respiratory diseases. Ann Am Thorac Soc. Vol. 28
Akerstrom A, et al. (2005). Nitric oxide inhibits the replication
[Link]: 10.2174/1381612823666161123094235. 14, Issue Suppl. 5 July 2017. cycle of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus. J Virol
7
Vegetarian-based dietary patterns and their relation with inflammatory 16
Hosseinpour-Niazi S et al. (2012). Legume intake is inversely Feb;79(3):1966-9. doi: 10.1128/JVI.79.3.1966-1969.2005.
and immune biomarkers: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Adv associated with metabolic syndrome in adults. Arch Iran Med 2012 29
Greger M. (2015 Sept. 30.) Oxygenating Blood with Nitrate-Rich
Nutr. 2019;10:433-451. (15)9. Vegetables. Greger, M. (2015). How not to Die, p. 137.
8
Pour, PM. The Signaling Pathways, and Therapeutic Targets of Antiviral 17
Mollard RC et al. Regular consumption of pulses for 8 weeks reduces 30
Greger M. (Jan 22, 2020.) Benefits of Garlic for Fighting Cancer and
Agents: Focusing on the Antiviral Approaches and Clinical Perspectives metabolic syndrome risk factors in overweight and obese adults. Br J the Common Cold. [Link]. Vol. 49.
of Anthocyanins in the Management of Viral Diseases. Front. Nutr 2012.108 – Suppl -1:S111-22. 31
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Pharmacol, 08 November 2019. 18
[Link] 32
The Bible, Genesis 1:29, NKJV.
9
Yanling Yao. Plant-based Food Cyanidin-3-Glucoside Modulates Human inflammation
 .....................................................
11

By Aldo Cordova, MD
with Serban Ionita, BS

Rest: The Key

to a Fresh Start
S
leep is for the weak” has become
the new slogan in our new culture
that is always on the go with a coffee in
one hand and a never-ending to-do list in
the other. We see sleep as a waste of time instead
of what it truly is—a pillar of a healthy life. According
to data from the National Health Interview Survey, more
than 30% of the adults in the U.S report sleeping less than 6
hours per night.1 The Creator, in His mighty wisdom, granted us
a time to rest, so that sleep, nature’s sweet restorer, would bring
quiet and repose to overworked bodies and minds. We should sleep
long enough to wake up fresh and ready to tackle the work and stresses
of our day. The inspired word highlights the importance of sleep as it tells us:
“yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet”( Proverbs 3:24).

Why we sleep
This may seem like a simple statement with a simple answer. Indeed, we sleep to feel rested.
But there is much more to why we sleep and why sleep is one of the key principles of good health.
During sleep, our bodies are actually quite active. This is the time the body repairs cells and mus-
cles, grows bones, makes proteins, and releases hormones. It also gets rid of toxic waste and re-
stores our energy. All these functions are crucial for overall health, without which, our bodies will
not operate well.
Physiologically speaking, sleep is important for our body to experience restoration and growth.
Our blood supply to the muscles is increased in deep sleep and this allows our body to recover.1
Our body temperature also decreases during sleep, conserving energy. Our body’s cellular activity
levels are lowered allowing our tissues to rebuild and grow. Also, the secretion of growth hormone
from the pituitary gland reaches its peak during deep sleep.1 This hormone maximizes the restor-
ative and growth effects of sleep.
Our sleep is divided into two main phases: Rapid Eye Movement (REM) and non-REM sleep.
During the night, our bodies cycle through the various stages of sleep each occurring for about
12 | LifeSource—FreshStart Your Immunity

90-120 minutes with four to five cycles particular interest today in a world plagued
taking place during a typical night of by the SARS Coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) is
sleep. REM is the phase of sleep where the role of sleep on immune function. It’s
some of the most intense nervous system interesting that in the midst of a pandemic,
activity takes place. During REM sleep, our how little attention is given to the impor-
oxygen levels increase, our brain tissue tance of a vibrant immune system.
absorbs more amino acids and our blood Our immunity is strongly affected by the
circulation increases. amount of sleep we get. Research shows
The REM stage of sleep is critical and is that individuals who don’t get an adequate
a stage of vigorous brain activity. During quality or quantity of sleep are more likely
this stage, there is the firing of neurons that to get sick after being exposed to a virus
retrieve and store the memories we made like the common cold. Insufficient sleep can
during the day. Short-term memories are also slow down our recovery if we get sick.3
converted into long-term memories. Essen- While we are sleeping, our immune
tially, while we are sleeping, our brain is busy system releases proteins called cytokines.
sorting all of the day’s events making sure The release of cytokines normally increas-
we will be able to remember them later on. es in situations of stress, injury, and infec-
When we learn something new, neurons form tion, and results in inflammation. Sleep-
specific connections with other neurons. It is deprivation places our body under stress
during REM sleep that much of the growth and therefore, causes the body to ramp up
of specific neural connections takes place. its production of these inflammatory cy-
These neural (nerve cell) pathways form a tokines.4 Short-term (acute) inflammation
tangible framework for our memories.1 is important to the healing process, but
Sleep requirements vary by age with long-term (chronic) inflammation harms
infants needing about 16 hours/day, teen- the body. Moreover, when we are sleep-
agers needing about 9 hours per day, and deprived these cytokines work less effec-
adults 7-8 hours per day. A 22-year popu- tively and result in what can best be de-
lation follow-up study showed that women scribed as a dysfunctional immune re-
sleeping less than 7 hours increased their sponse. Besides that, other cells and an-
risk of dying by 21%, and men by 26%.2 tibodies that fight infection are reduced
when we don’t get adequate sleep.
Sleep is protective against disease The constant production of cytokines
Studies show that people who have and the state of chronic inflammation due
long-term sleep deprivation have an in- to sleep deprivation leaves our immune
creased risk of cardiovascular disease, obe- system depleted of the necessary building
sity, and type 2 diabetes (see Table 1). Of blocks and energy to mount an aggressive

Studies show that

people who have
long-term sleep
deprivation have
an increased risk
of cardiovascular
disease, obesity, and
type 2 diabetes
 Rest: The Key to a Fresh Start | 13

counterattack when a new immune threat of light that most suppresses the produc-
strikes—whether it be cancer, bacterial, tion of melatonin is that part of the visible
virial or fungal in nature. light spectrum called Blue Light. Blue light
For example, a recent study took blood is found in sunlight, but also in the light
samples of 11 pairs of identical twins and emitted by smart phones, TV/video moni-
found that the sibling with a shorter night’s tors, and LED lights.
sleep had a depressed immune system When our circadian rhythms work prop-
compared to the sibling that had ade- erly there is a normal cycle of wakefulness
quate sleep.5 Optimal sleep time should be and sleep, rest and activity, tiredness, and
7 to 8 hours but not less than seven each alertness. It is important to limit environ-
night. Another study showed that people mental interference to our circadian rhythm
who lose as little as three hours of sleep such as: light, travel to different time zones,
could reduce the effectiveness of their im- time of exercise, and time of eating. One
mune system by 50%.6 Improper sleep over study showed that the best time to exercise
a long period is known to trigger dormant is in the afternoon, while exercising late at
autoimmune disorders and can severely night can have a negative effect on circadian
impede the body’s ability to maintain op- rhythms.7 Another study showed negative
timal health. In conclusion, when we don’t effect on the circadian rhythm of those eat-
sleep, we weaken our immune system so ing late evening meals.8 Studies have shown
it is unable to fight off foreign pathogens how disturbances to our circadian rhythm
with which we come into contact. can lead to increased risk for type 2 diabe-
tes, obesity, certain cancers, memory loss,
Melatonin and the importance of routine mood disorders, and depression. A healthy
One of the key components of regulating circadian rhythm is crucial to our health as
our sleep cycle is melatonin. Melatonin is a it regulates all major functions of our body.
hormone produced at the base of the brain in Having a regular sleep schedule allows for
a small gland called the pineal gland. It takes the natural production of melatonin to take
the amino acid tryptophan, which we can get place while improving our immunity, our
from our diet, and converts it into melatonin. mental health, and preventing disease.
The function of melatonin is to send signals
to the brain and other organs that affect Food sources of melatonin
sleep and other body rhythms. The circadi- If you have trouble falling asleep at
an day/night rhythms, are most important to home, or are travelling and experiencing
sleep, and result in normal changes in mental jetlag, you can take one or two plant foods
and physical activity on a daily basis. to increase your blood levels of melatonin.
The conversion of tryptophan to mela- Cranberries are the most melatonin-rich
tonin is regulated by the presence of light. fruit. Eating just one ounce(1/3 cup) of
During daylight hours, the conversion to fresh cranberries is equivalent to taking a
melatonin is decreased. During the night melatonin supplement. But what about the
hours when there is less light, more mel- extreme sourness? You can easily blend
atonin is produced. As a result, melatonin them in a smoothie. However, dry cranber-
levels increase after dark and peak in the ries or cranberry juice have no melatonin.
middle of the night between the hours Pistachios are the most melatonin-rich
of 11 pm and 3 am. Since the function of food ever recorded. To get a physiological
melatonin is to make us drowsy and put dose you need to eat only two pistachios.
us to sleep, this pattern of when mela- That’s over 200 mcg of melatonin per gram
tonin is produced makes sense. The kind pistachios. To get the normal daily spike of
14 | LifeSource—FreshStart Your Immunity

melatonin your brain gives you, eat just The next morning after sleeping in, he
two nuts in the evening.9 had a great reduction in his sleep drive,
but also the timing of his internal clock had
Balancing our daily sleep-wake signals changed. The “Go” signal did not begin ris-
In a healthy person, there are two com- ing at the time that it should have. As a re-
peting signals: the alerting signal and the sult, there was a shift in the rise of the alert-
sleep drive signal. One signal tells you to ing signal causing it to lag behind the rising
“Go,” the other tells you to “Slow.” Both sleep drive. This causes the alert signal to
signals are produced by our internal clock. turn off later during the day making it diffi-
With every waking hour, there is an increase cult to fall asleep at a reasonable time. The
in our sleep drive (the desire to sleep). As we shift in our internal clock causes the alerting
rest, our sleep drive dissipates and our alert signal to turn on later during the following
drive increases causing us to wake up. This morning, and this makes it hard to wake up
signal counteracts the sleep drive to allow the next day. In conclusion, sleeping in does
us to stay awake for about 16-17 hours daily. not allow us to catch up on our sleep; it just
Figure 1 shows us a graphical represen- unbalances the internal clock.
tation of these competing signals and their
effect on sleep activity. Scenario 2: Working the Night Shift
It is a common belief that people can According to the Centers for Disease
adapt their sleep to their lifestyle and work Control, in 2004 about 15 million Amer-
schedule thinking, “If I go to bed late, I icans worked the night shift and slept
will catch up on sleep later.” The following during the day. Are these people getting
scenarios portrayed by the Harvard Sleep proper rest? How does the body cope
Center demonstrate that such beliefs are with this physiological paradox?
false.10 The biggest problem with night shift
work is that there is a misalignment between
Scenario 1: Social Jet-lag the individual’s working wake schedule
and their biological circadian rhythms. On
A college student went out and par-
the weekends, when not on the job, these
tied with his friends until late at night,
workers have a more normal schedule. Un-
but he thought, “No problem, I will get
fortunately, the misalignment between their
caught up with sleep by sleeping late
sleep and wake signal continues. The mis-
the next morning.” Does that work?
alignment also distorts their sleep cycles
and as a result, the night shift worker never
Sleep Drive vs. Alerting Signal Figure 1 gets enough restorative sleep.
Other studies on sleep reveal that there
is more to getting a good night’s rest than7
melatonin alone. For example, a recent
study showed that exercising late at night
can have a negative effect on circadian
rhythms.8 A similar effect is seen in those
eating late evening meals.

10 Tips to Improve Sleep Quality

1. Exercise daily, preferably in the fresh air.
Avoid strenuous exercise within three
hours of bedtime.
 Rest: The Key to a Fresh Start | 15

Table 1

Long-Term Results of Sleep Deprivation

Effect Description
Cognitive Poor performance with tasks requiring sustained attention and poor reaction time.
Mental Status Negative mood, irritability, sadness, low energy, and poor judgment.
Car Crashes Second leading cause of car crashes in the U.S.
Mortality Increased mortality rate. Men who sleep <6 hours have 4x the risk of mortality.
Obesity Increased risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Cardiovascular Higher risk of developing hypertension and coronary artery calcification.
Respiratory Depressed ventilatory response to high levels of CO2 and low O2 and decreased respiratory muscle endurance.
Immune Increased risk of infection.

2. Eat a light evening meal at least three passages on sleep. Follow them and the
hours before bedtime. science here presented, and you will have
3. Set up a regular sleeping/waking sched- truly restful sleep.
ule. Go to bed and wake up at regular 1. Go to bed on time and don’t be anxious
times even on weekends. Most efficient “It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up
sleep happens between 9 pm and 12 late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he
midnight. giveth his beloved sleep” (Psalm 127:2, nkjv).
4. Avoid napping. If you need a nap, take
a brief nap for 20-30 minutes around 2. Don’t oversleep
noon. “How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard?
5. Refrain from stimulants (coffee, cola, tea, when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?”
chocolate, energy drinks), nicotine, and (Proverbs 6:9).
alcohol. 3. Go to sleep in peace because God is in
6. Shut off blue lights (phone, computer, control
television) about two hours before bed- “I will both lay me down in peace, and
time. Turn off or lower house lights as sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell
these suppress the body’s natural re- in safety” (Psalm 4:8).
lease of melatonin.
7. Keep your bedroom well-ventilated, Scan this QR code to
cool, dark, and quiet. watch an in-depth
8. Keep your bedroom for sleeping. If you video presentation on
can’t sleep, go to another room, and this topic.
read a book until you feel sleepy.
9. Be thankful. Close your day by contem-
plating about your blessings. Write them
down. Set aside your worries and anxieties Sources:
and forgive those who have hurt you. Ask Maas, James B., and Megan L. Wherry. Power Sleep: The Revolutionary Program That
1

Prepares Your Mind for Peak Performance. New York: Villard, 1998. Print.
forgiveness of those you have offended. 2
Wurtman, Richard (MD). Physiology and clinical use of Melatonin. Up-to-date: Evidence-
Based Clinical Decision. January 14, 2014.
10. Relax your body and mind by taking a 3
Irwin M, et al. (1994, Nov.-Dec.) Partial sleep deprivation reduces natural killer cell activity in

warm bath, listening to calming classical

humans. Psychosom Med. 56(6):493-8. doi: 10.1097/00006842-199411000-00004
4
Krueger J. M. (2008). The role of cytokines in sleep regulation. Current pharmaceutical
music, reading the Psalms, and prayer.
design, 14(32), 3408–3416. [Link]
5
Chronic sleep deprivation suppresses the immune system. Science News, January 27, 2017.
[Link]
The best advice on sleep 6
[Link]

The best advice on restful sleep comes

7
Reynolds, Gretchen. “Why Afternoon May be the Best Time to Exercise.” Wellness. NY
Times, 12 Dec. 2012. Web.

from the Creator of sleep. In the Psalms Sleep: A Dynamic Activity. (2014, May). American Sleep Association. N.p., n.d. Web. 13.
8

and in the Bible we read several important

9
[Link]
10
What Is Sleep? (2007, Dec. 17). Healthy Sleep. Harvard School of Medicine, 2007. Web. 01
May 2014. [Link]
 .................................
By Diana Baiense, BS

A
re you interested in changing your life for the better and form-
ing healthier habits? Maybe you’re looking to get better sleep,
maintain a healthy weight, or have more energy throughout
your day. I am happy to share that there is something that can
help you reach those goals. It’s exercise! We all know that exercise is
good for us and that it has a 101 benefits, but only 23% of U.S. adults
get the recommended amount of exercise per week.1 I used to be part of
that statistic. As a pre med student at the university, I felt like my classes,
work, volunteering, and other activities were overwhelming, and I was
too tired to exercise. However, learning about the human body that God
created, how it works, and specifically studying exercise physiology con-
vinced me about the benefits of exercise. I realized that I can surely spare 30 minutes, five times per
week for exercise. This lifestyle change helped me study, think, and feel better. You also have access
to a better and healthier life today­–within walking distance. Let’s look at some significant benefits
of exercise that will instantly change your life for the better.

Benefits of Exercise: ercised improved their body image signifi-

cantly compared to those who did not ex-
Achieve a healthy weight ercise. Also, immediately after exercise, they
Getting into the habit of including physi- had significantly improved their self-percep-
cal exercise throughout your week is proven tions of body fat and strength.4
to maintain weight loss for a longer period.
Research shows that those who wish to lose Live longer
weight should exercise one hour per day, five Exercise can increase your longevi-
days a week.2 A 10-year study found that adults ty! A recently published study by Dr. Pedro
who exercise reduce the risk of gaining signif- Saint-Maurice discovered that adults walking
icant amounts of weight by nearly two-thirds.3 8,000 steps per day had a 51% lower risk of
Our weight also affects how we perceive death from all causes compared to those who
ourselves. Studies show that women who ex- had only 4,000 steps per day. Furthermore,
 Exercise: Health Within Walking Distance | 17

12,000 steps per day were associated with Have stronger bones and muscles
a 65% lower risk of death. Higher step Whether you are younger or older, it’s
counts were also associated with lower important to focus on developing strong
rates of death from cardiovascular disease bones and muscles to avoid injuries. Those
and cancer.5 more advanced in age are more likely to
develop conditions like osteoarthritis and
Have less stress, anxiety, and a better mood osteoporosis–degeneration of joints and
When we are stressed out by something loss of bone mass. These conditions cause
significant, the body’s fight-or-flight re- pain and an increased risk of fractures. By
sponse is triggered. Our heart rate and res- doing regular aerobics, muscle-strength-
piration increase, and our hands get sweaty. ening, and weight-bearing exercises, we
But repeated activation of this chronic stress slow osteoporosis while maintaining mus-
response has proven to hurt our body over cle mass and strength. Additionally, phys-
time. It contributes to the formation of ically active people have a lower risk of
clogged arteries, anxiety, and depression. hip fractures. In a recent study of men and
Dr. John Ratey, the author of SPARK, states, women aged 50 and above, those who en-
“We can literally run ourselves out of that gaged in less than one hour of daily house-
frenzy. Just as the mind can affect the body, hold activities, had an 85% higher risk of
the body can affect the mind. . . . After all, hip fracture than subjects spending 6 hours
the purpose of the fight-or-flight response doing those activities. Subjects engaged in
is to mobilize us to act; so physical activity leisure time activities, had a 24% lower risk
is the natural way to prevent the negative of hip fractures.8
consequences of stress.”6
Within just a few minutes of moder- Improve sleep
ate exercise, we can experience its mood- Do you struggle with getting a good
enhancing effect. Scientists assert that ac- night of undisrupted sleep? So does 30%
tive people are less depressed than inac- of the general population.9 Sleep and rest
tive people.6 Exercise stimulates the body’s are necessary for the body to heal, rejuve-
nervous system and causes it to release nate, and repair itself. Lack of sleep pro-
neurotransmitters–chemicals such as se- duces poor judgment, bad mood, and can
rotonin and dopamine which regulate our lower the ability to learn or retain infor-
mood and make us calm and happy. En- mation. People who sleep poorly are at
dorphins are neurotransmitters that are greater risk for developing obesity, cardio-
released during exercise and help relieve vascular disease, and even early death.10 By
pain and stress. exercising regularly, our sleep will be more
restful, deep, and restorative.
Be smarter and sharper
We all want to think better and quick- Strengthen your immunity
er. Studies have shown that people learn Our immune system is our body’s first
vocabulary words 20% faster after exercise line of defense against disease and patho-
than before exercise. It was also discovered gens. Exercise has also a positive effect
that exercise increases the levels of pro- on our immunity. A few studies from the
teins in the brain, which work, to physical- University of Bath’s Department of Health
ly grow neurons and develop neural net- concluded that in the short term, exercise
works that support learning and memory. helps the immune system find and deal with
This means our brain literally grows in size pathogens. In the long term, regular exer-
and functions better with exercise.7 cise slows down changes in the immune
18 | LifeSource—FreshStart Your Immunity

Exercise has been proven to

improve the antipathogen Reduce the risk of cancer
activities of white blood cells Regular exercise protects against cancer
and other immune cells.13 It was by improving the immune, pulmonary, and
also shown to reduce the severity antioxidant defense systems. Researchers
at the National Cancer Institute conduct-
of acute respiratory infection
ed a large study and found that exercise
symptoms, and lower the
lowered the risk of developing 13 differ-
number of symptomatic days.14
ent types of cancer in comparison to those
who weren’t physically active.18
system that result from aging, thus reduc- Increase energy and endurance
ing the risk of infections.11 Regarding the Are you affected by periods of low en-
COVID-19 virus, researchers recommended ergy and fatigue throughout the day? The
that we should exercise regularly during this treatment may be a simple exercise ses-
time.12 Exercise has been proven to improve sion! For example, sedentary, otherwise
the antipathogen activities of white blood healthy adults who engaged in as little as
cells and other immune cells.13 It was also 20 minutes of low-to-moderate aerobic
shown to reduce the severity of acute re- exercise, three days a week for six consec-
spiratory infection symptoms, and lower the utive weeks, reported an increase in ener-
number of symptomatic days.14 gy levels and feeling less fatigued.19 This is
because exercise enhances blood flow car-
Lower your risk of cardiovascular rying oxygen and nutrients to muscle tis-
disease and hypertension sue, thus improving their ability to produce
Exercise and a plant-based diet are the more energy.
key pillars in reducing cardiovascular risk
and controlling hypertension. A study of How to start:
men between (ages 42-60) found that 2.2 Begin slowly. If you are not able to
hours of leisure-time exercise each week walk 30 minutes as suggested by the
reduced the risk of heart attacks by 69%.15 physical exercise guidelines, walk for 10
A mere 2.2 hours of exercise in a 168-hour minutes. The next day, you might walk 12
week can significantly lower the risk of heart minutes until you work up to your goal.
attacks. Those who engage in regular ex- But you can also divide your exercise into
ercise are also better equipped to prevent, three 10-minute sessions, and that will
treat, and control hypertension. Hyperten- also be effective.
sive individuals should aim to do aerobic
exercise of moderate intensity for at least 1. Warm-up and cool-down
30 minutes for 5-7 days per week, and resis- Begin and end your exercise session
tance training for 2-3 days per week.16 with a 5-minute walk or a few stretches to
get your muscles warmed up. This helps
Keep blood sugar and insulin levels prevent injuries.
controlled
Physical activity can lower your blood 2. Follow the simple FITT Formula
sugar up to 24 hours or more after a work- Frequency: 5+ times per week
out by making your body more sensitive to Intensity: Moderate or vigorous
insulin. In the short term, exercise can low- Time: 30 – 60 minutes per day
er blood sugar. Regular exercise can also Type: Aerobic exercise
lower your A1C levels in diabetics (A1C test
measures average blood sugar levels in the
3. Choose activities you enjoy
past 3 months).17
By engaging in activities you truly en-
 Exercise: Health Within Walking Distance | 19

wonderfully made.” God loves us and has cre-

ated us for a purpose. This is why the Scripture
reminds us: “Don’t you realize that your body is
the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you
and was given to you by God? You do not be-
long to yourself, for God bought you with a high
price. So you must honor God with your body”
(1 Corinthians 16:19, 20, nlt). Our body is com-
pared to a beautiful sacred temple and we are
challenged to keep it in the best working order.
What a privilege and responsibility! Let’s do our
part in and keep our body healthy with good nu-
joy, you are more likely to stick with it. Vary trition, rest, and exercise. Make the choice today
your exercise activities for more fun. to be the healthiest version of yourself so you
may serve God and humanity with a strong body
4. Aerobic exercise and a sharp mind!
Moderate aerobic exercise such as walk-
ing, biking, playing basketball, or swim- Scan this QR code to
ming should be done for about 150-300 watch an in-depth
minutes per week, 5-7 times per week. video presentation on
Aerobic exercise increases the efficiency of this topic.
respiration, improves the delivery of blood
to the muscles, decreases body fat, and
strengthens muscles.20 Sources:
1
Blackwell DL, Clarke TC (2018). State Variation in Meeting the 2008 Federal Guidelines for Both Aerobic

5. Strength and flexibility exercise

and Muscle-strengthening Activities Through Leisure-time Physical Activity Among Adults Aged 18-64:
United States, 2010-2015. National health statistics reports, (112), 1–22.

To build and strengthen muscles, two

2
Benefits of Physical Activity. (2020, Feb. 25). [Link]
[Link]

or more hours should be dedicated to

3
Harvard Health Publishing. (n.d.). Leisure-time exercise. [Link]
healthy/leisure-time-exercise

strength and flexibility exercises: push-ups, Salci E, Ginis, KA (2017). Acute effects of exercise on women with pre-existing body image concerns:
4

A test of potential mediators. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 31, 113-122. doi:10.1016/j.

weight training, resistance bands, squats,

psychsport.2017.04.001
5
Saint-Maurice F, Troiano RP, et al (2020). Association of Daily step count and STEP intensity with
pull-ups, gardening. 24 It is vital to engage 6
mortality among us adults. Jama, 323(12),1151. doi:10.1001/jama.2020.1382
Ratey JJ, Hagerman E (2013). Spark: The revolutionary new science of exercise and the brain. New
in these exercises 2-3 times a week because York: Little, Brown.
Bergland. (2013, October 11). Scientists discover why exercise makes you smarter. [Link]
they protect against back pain and injuries,
7

[Link]/us/blog/the-athletes-way/201310/scientists-discover-why-exercise-makes-you-
smarter
maintain bone strength, and prevent loss 8
Lagerros YT, Hantikainen E, et al (2017). Physical activity and the risk of hip fracture in the elderly: A
prospective cohort study. European Journal of Epidemiology, 32(11), 983-991. doi:10.1007/s10654-
of muscle mass and disability as we age. 9
017-0312-5
Insomnia. (n.d.). [Link]
10
Mullington JM, Haack M, et al (2009). Cardiovascular, inflammatory, and metabolic consequences

6. Get a health clearance

of sleep deprivation. Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases, 51(4), 294-302. doi:10.1016/j.
pcad.2008.10.003

Get a health clearance before starting a

11
Simpson RJ, Campbell JP, et al (2020). Can exercise affect immune function to increase susceptibility
to infection? Exercise immunology review, 26, 8–22.

moderate exercise program if you are a male University of Bath. “Regular exercise benefits immunity—even in isolation.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily,
12

31 March 2020. [Link]/releases/2020/03/[Link]

over 40 or a woman over 50 years of age. Nieman DC, Wentz LM (2019). The compelling link between physical activity and the body’s defense
13

system. Journal of Sport and Health Science, 8(3), 201-217. doi:10.1016/[Link].2018.09.009

14
Grande J, Keogh, J, et al (2020). Exercise versus no exercise for the occurrence, severity, and duration
of acute respiratory infections. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. doi:10.1002/14651858.
Designed for movement 15
cd010596.pub3
Harvard Health Publishing. (n.d.). Leisure-time exercise. [Link]
Our body is made up of more than 600 healthy/leisure-time-exercise
Sharman JE, La Gerche A, et al. Exercise and cardiovascular risk in patients with hypertension. Am J
muscles, which indicates that we were de-
16

Hypertens. 2014;28(2):147–158. doi: 10.1093/ajh/hpu191

signed for action and movement. Did you

17
Blood sugar and exercise. (n.d.). [Link]
safely/blood-glucose-and-exercise

know that by incorporating exercise into

18
Moore SC, Lee IM, et al (2016). Association of Leisure-Time Physical Activity With Risk of 26 Types
of Cancer in 1.44 Million Adults. JAMA internal medicine, 176(6), 816–825. [Link]

your daily routine you will be honoring our

jamainternmed.2016.1548
19
Puetz TW, Flowers SS, et al (2008). A randomized controlled trial of the effect of aerobic exercise

great Creator? You are God’s masterpiece

training on feelings of energy and fatigue in sedentary young adults with persistent fatigue.
Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 77(3), 167-174. doi:10.1159/000116610

and He declares that you are “fearfully and

20
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2018). Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans,
2nd edition. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
 Plant-Based Diet Linked to
20

Lower Risk of Severe Covid-19

By Liliane Balbach, MS, RDN

A new unprecedented study low a plant-based or vegetari- tochemicals, vitamins, minerals,

showed that plant-based diets an diet. When they combined and fiber. They stated: “These
could significantly slash one’s participants who followed a nutrients are hypothesized to
risk of severe COVID-19. The re- plant-based, a vegetarian diet, support the immune system
search study was conducted at or a pescatarian diet, they had as they play important roles in
Colombia University by Sarah 59% lower odds of moder- the production of antibodies,
Seidelmann, MD, over a two- ate-to-severe COVID-19. These proliferation of lymphocytes,
month period. The researchers associations did not change af- and reduction of oxidative
surveyed 2,884 front-line doc- ter adjusting for medical con- stress. . . . Our results suggest
tors and nurses from six coun- ditions, body weight, smoking, that a healthy diet rich in nutri-
tries who had “substantial ex- exercise, and access to personal ent-dense foods may be con-
sidered for protection against
posure to Covid-19 patients.”1 protective equipment (PPE).1
severe COVID-19.”1
The participants filled out a Conversely, those who fol-
The data is in. If we want to
medical history and lifestyle lowed a low-carb, high-protein
reduce COVID severity, a health
questionnaire, COVID-19 symp- diet had a 48% greater risk of whole plant food diet has come
toms/outcomes, and a dietary moderate-to-severe COVID-19. out as the star. Let’s enjoy our
intake questionnaire. Compared to those who fol- whole plant foods knowing that
The results were ground- lowed plant-based diets, those we are doing the best for our
breaking: Participants who fol- on a low-carb, high-protein body and immune system!
lowed solely a plant-based diet had nearly a four-fold risk.1
diet had 73% lower risk of ex- What accounted for these Sources:
periencing moderate-to-severe differences? The researchers 1
Seidelmann SB, et al. Plant-based diets, pescatarian diets
and COVID-19 severity: a population-based case–control
COVID-19 symptoms compared emphasized that plant-based study in six countries. BMJ Nutrition, Prevention &
Health 2021;bmjnph-2021-000272. doi: 10.1136/
to participants who did not fol- diets are rich in nutrients, phy- bmjnph-2021-000272
 .................................................
Sunny Health | 21

By Ophelia Gherman, MD

A
global pandemic has marked 2020! In less than 5 months, the unabat-
ed COVID-19 virus, known as Sars-CoV2 has jumped across continents,
leading to global uncertainty and threatening peace and security. And
now, after four major disease outbreaks of the 21st century, most of us
are realizing that despite our medical and technological advancements as well
as our research and sanitation, we are unprepared and vulnerable to many more
devastating pandemics. Many blame the emergence of these pandemics on the
way humanity has inhabited the planet. But I’d like to take the view that human-
ity has exploited much more than just the planet. We have exploited our bodies,
minds, and spirits, and gambled away our health.
We have fled from country life and agricultural labor, and now we’ve built a rich economic de-
pendence on hydrocarbon resources. Our escalating suburban lifestyle along with our modern
jobs, and high-tech hobbies have removed us from the intimate connection with nature. We drive
to work and spend long hours sitting at our desks bathing in fluorescent-lit offices. We’ve been
eating nutritionally-depleted foods while depending on modern medicine, doctors, hospitals, phar-
maceutical companies, public health officials for direction on how to take care of our health and
well-being.
As our world still struggles with COVID-19, scientists have already announced that a new, highly
infectious strain of swine flu, called G4, has been discovered to potentially cause another outbreak.
What makes some viruses a pandemic potential? The ultimate threat of a pathogen depends on a
combination of two factors: The virus’s virulence and the human body’s immune response. To be
highly virulent means to be able to attach quickly, invade the human body rapidly, and evade de-
tection and attacks by the immune system. Likewise, a healthy immune system responds quickly by
detecting the virus or pathogen and mounting a quick response to fight off the infection. It is well
known that the coronavirus species has multiple mild strains that can cause mild illnesses in most
individuals much like the common cold strains. However, the viruses known as MERS-CoV, Sars-
CoV, and Sars-CoV2 are more aggressive and capable to rapidly taking advantage of those with
compromised immune, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems. People at the greatest risk of fatal
complications have one or more health problems such as high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes,
arthritis, autoimmune disorders, and cancer. Smoking, the use of alcohol and recreational drugs,
poor sanitary habits, lack of adequate sleep, and exercise are additional culprits. Such persons’ im-
22 | LifeSource—FreshStart Your Immunity

mune systems’ mount an insufficient and

unorganized response to the virus.

Sluggish immune system

Why do viruses still find a way to slide past
our immune system’s security checkpoint?
Viruses are efficient machines that copy
themselves more than a million times a day.
They don’t have a proofreading mechanism
to correct mistakes; they experience constant
mutations and adaptations to exploit the
weakest immune system.
In chronic inflammatory diseases, such
as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity, the hydroxylase. This discovery speaks volumes
cells of the body are constantly solicited to to the importance of the sunshine vitamin
multiply, producing changes around the within the lymph nodes, brain, colon,
cell, and causing DNA damage. This leads pancreas, placenta, and skin.
to a higher risk of fatal infections. Yet, there
is another worldwide nutritional deficiency Innate and adaptive immunity
that is associated with a lowered immune Let’s take a look at why Vitamin D is
system, higher risk of disease complications, important for our immune system. The
infections and increased mortality.1 immune system is organized into two main
groups: the adaptive and innate immune
Vitamin D system. The role of the immune system is to
Traditionally called the sunshine vitamin, distinguish between normal and abnormal
Vitamin D acts more like a hormone than cellular components and between ‘self’
a vitamin. Vitamin D deficiency is a global and ‘non-self.’3
pandemic with about 1 billion people The adaptive immune system contains
having low vitamin D levels. It has been several types of white blood cells that
associated with multiple diseases and must be prepared to respond to a harmful
forms of cancer including breast, colon, invader. The adaptive immune system then
and prostate cancers. Its role encompasses remembers and recognizes similar attacks
more than just acting as a contributor and responds more efficiently in the future.
to cell functions. It acts as a director, a This well-orchestrated response can take
security guard, and the main actor in weeks or even months to occur.
the process of manufacturing important Conversely, the human innate immune
proteins, activating our immune system, system is a non-specific response that is
and insuring healthy DNA replication.2 triggered just hours after an offender is
The initial form of Vitamin D, as sensed. It does not require prior exposure
produced within the skin, is inactive, and to the offender to be recognized. Innate
must be activated beginning in the liver immune protection is found mostly in
and finalized in the kidneys. The main the frontline protection barriers of the
enzyme responsible for this conversion is mouth, lungs, gastrointestinal system,
1-alpha hydroxylase; it is largely present genito-urinary system, skin and surface
in the kidneys. But recent research has of the eye. The key immune cells that are
shown something amazing! Other organs present within the protective barriers are
can also produce their own Vitamin D, called macrophages. Their main role is to act
locally, because they too contain 1-alpha as scavengers, engulfing bacteria, viruses,
 23

and old, dying cells, as well as cancer cells.

In order to control and maintain a focused
attack by these cells, Vitamin D must be
efficiently present in our body.4
Viral upper respiratory infections (URI),
also called the common cold and seasonal
flu, are major causes of illness and mortality
each winter. The innate immune response codes, skin color–and to a great degree
is first in line to respond to the presence of pollution. Poor absorption through the
a virus in the sinus lining, by causing mild gut, a diseased liver or kidney deficiency,
inflammation, perhaps a fever, and mucus and some medications can silently lead
production. Fever is produced by the to Vitamin D deficiency. An insignificant
release of pyrogens, which trick the brain amount of Vitamin D can be obtained from
into thinking the body has cooled off. The fortified foods such as milk and yogurt.
brain turns up its thermostat and increases Although we may think we are exposed
the body temperature internally while to plenty of sunlight, the best way to
cooling the surface of the skin, producing know if your vitamin D level is adequate
chills. The difference between a balanced is to get a blood test. Measurement of
and imbalanced immune response is the 25-hydroxyvitamin D in the blood, and
ability of the body to produce a well- not 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D, is used to
controlled fever, enough to awaken the determine vitamin D status. An optimal
immune system, degrade pathogens, and Vitamin D blood level is between 40-60
then appropriately begin to normalize. ng/mL. During the summer months, one
When the trigger of infection causes can obtain and maintain a healthy Vitamin D
uncontrolled fever and inflammation, level. Sensible sun exposure (usually 15-30
excessive mucus production begins to minutes on the arms and legs or the hands,
overwhelm the upper respiratory tract and arms, and face) three times per week is a
overwhelms the body’s response.5 reasonable approach to guarantee vitamin
A key example of impaired innate immune D sufficiency. Dark-skinned people need
protection is a person who has a chronic more time in the sun because they have
runny nose, which results in continuous year- melanin, a compound that protects against
round inflammation and mucus production, skin damage by reducing the amount of
leading to frequent sinus infections and UVB light that is absorbed.
bronchitis. Vitamin D can reduce one’s However, during the long winter months,
susceptibility to chronic inflammation. A Vitamin D levels should be supplemented
lack of Vitamin D can lead to poor allergy with a Vitamin D supplement of 2,000
responses and high mucus production. IU-5,000 IU per day. Research shows that
Other respiratory tract diseases that have consistent supplementation of Vitamin D
shown beneficial outcomes, in response to was more beneficial compared to sporadic
Vitamin D treatment have been tuberculosis, one-time doses. Before starting Vitamin D
cystic fibrosis, and scleroderma.6, 7, 8 supplements, however, please consult with
your health-care provider. 9, 10, 11
Healthy levels of vitamin D Sunbathing offers another mechanism of
Notwithstanding the sun’s universal immune strengthening. Science has shown
presence, a great number of the human that regular sessions of thermal heating can
population’s exposure to sunlight is release signals, thereby boosting your natural
limited by geographical latitude, seasonal killer cells. Sunbathing and sauna baths,
patterns, air pollution, sunblock use, dress when heating the body core temperature
24 | LifeSource—FreshStart Your Immunity

to 100–103°F for short durations of time,

triggers the immune system to fire rapid
attacks against the intruder, causing an
unfavorable environment for viruses to
inhabit and attack.
Spending more time in the fresh air and
sunlight can help optimize our Vitamin
D level and result in an increased sense
of peace and happiness. Some of the
latest studies show that sunlight cues our
retina to trigger serotonin production.
Serotonin production, in the brain, is not
only important in preventing depression
and imbalanced emotions and thoughts,
but also for improving memory. The Bible
emphasizes this positive benefit of sunlight
as it relates to our mental health and
happiness. “Truly the light is sweet, and it
is pleasant for the eyes to behold the sun”
(Ecclesiastes 11:7, nkjv).
Sunlight is important within the body as
well as within our homes. A famous writer
by the name of Ellen G. White wrote: “If the
windows were freed from blinds and heavy
curtains, and the air and sun permitted to efforts to choose outdoor exercise in fresh air,
enter freely the darkened rooms, there would where you can strengthen your cardiovascular
be seen a change for the better in the mental system, and receive a rich boost in Vitamin
and physical health of the children. The pure D. For glowing health, experience the deep
air would have an invigorating influence benefits of Vitamin D and remember to
upon them, and the sun that carries healing always keep a sunny disposition.
in its beams would soothe and cheer, and The sun’s energy turns a chemical in your
make them happy, joyous, and healthy.”12 skin into vitamin D3, which is carried to your
Her advice, regarding sanitation and health, liver and then your kidneys to transform it to
was way ahead of her times. active vitamin D.
It is our privilege to optimize our immune
system with a balance of healthy nutrition, Scan this QR code to
exercise, fresh air, rest, moderation in work watch an in-depth
and liberation from anxiety and fear, and video presentation on
exposure to sunlight. Next time you get a this topic.
chance to embrace and maximize sunlight’s
energy, don’t gamble it away. Make decided

Sources:
1
Vanlint S. (2013). Vitamin D and obesity. Nutrients. Mar 20;5(3):949-56. Current allergy and asthma reports vol. 9,3: 205-12. doi:10.1007/s11882-009-0030-5
2
Meeker S et al. “Protective links between vitamin D, inflammatory bowel disease, and colon
8
Brockman-Schneider RA et al. (2014 Jan). Effects of vitamin D on airway epithelial cell
cancer.” World J Gastroenterol vol. 22,3 (2016): 933-48. doi:10.3748/wjg.v22.i3.933 morphology and rhinovirus replication. PloS one vol. 9,1 e86755. doi:10.1371/journal.
3
Aranow C. (2011). Vitamin D and the immune system. J Invest M 59,6: 881-6. doi:10.2310/ pone.0086755
JIM.0b013e31821b8755
9
Ben-Shoshan M. (2012). Vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency and challenges in developing
4
Hewison M. (2010). Vitamin D and the immune system: new perspectives on an old global vitamin D fortification and supplementation policy in adults. Int J Vitam Nutr
theme. Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am 39,2: 365-79 doi:10.1016/[Link].2010.02.010 Res.82(4):237‐259. doi:10.1024/0300-9831/a000117
5
Aranow C. (2011). Vitamin D and the immune system. J Invest M 59,6: 881-6. doi:10.2310/
10
Anjum I et al. (2018 Jul 10). The Role of Vitamin D in Brain Health: A Mini Literature
JIM.0b013e31821b8755 Review. Cureus 10,7 e2960. doi:10.7759/cureus.2960
6
Martineau AR et al. Vitamin D supplementation to prevent acute respiratory tract infections:
11
Meeker S et al. (2016). Protective links between vitamin D, inflammatory bowel disease, and
systematic review and meta-analysis of individual participant data BMJ  2017; 356:i6583 colon cancer. World J Gastroenterol vol. 22,3 (2016): 933-48.
7
Lane AP. (2009). The role of innate immunity in the pathogenesis of chronic rhinosinusitis.
12
White EG. (1915). Review and Herald Publ. Assn. Healthful Living, p. 229.
 ...............................................
By Dexter Shurney, MD

B
ecause of the recent Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, there has been a lot of talk about how we
should protect ourselves during times of fatal infection. At the time of this writing, there are over
173 million confirmed cases and more than 3.7 million deaths from this infectious disease world-
wide. Our public health officials have advised that we socially isolate ourselves, wash our hands
frequently, and wear a mask whenever we are in public. Undoubtedly, these are all good recommenda-
tions to help us reduce our exposure to the virus and the subsequent risk of becoming infected. However,
what has been missing from the discussion is how to improve our frontline defense of infection—any
infection—including COVID-19, by having a strong immune system. This is important since it’s impractical
to believe that we can live our lives inside a “sterile bubble,” nor would any of us wish to do so. Therefore,
not only is a strong immune system essential to our current and future health, but it is also vital to our
civil and religious freedoms. We want to live our lives more abundantly in the most basic ways through
person-to-person interaction.
We know that a healthy lifestyle, which includes physical activity, proper diet, hydration, adequate sleep,
temperance, spending time outdoors, and trust in God, leads to a healthy body. As a physician, I can say
that I have seen remarkable transformations in the health of patients using these simple lifestyle principles.
I have found this always to be the case and not the exception when used consistently and appropriately.
My patients, family, and friends have been asking me, “What can we do to reduce our risk and reduce
the spread of the virus?” My answer is, a healthy body is the foundation of a healthy immune system.
26 | LifeSource—FreshStart Your Immunity

A healthy lifestyle and a strong immune sys- [SDA] medical school (College of Medi-
tem are inextricably linked. In other words, cal Evangelists at Loma Linda, California)
you can’t have one without the other. during the time of the Spanish flu, provides
Yet, are there still other things that us with data on 1,123 patients in SDA san-
should possibly be on our radar in our itariums which we now refer to as Lifestyle
search to optimize our immune health? Centers. In his analysis, Dr. Ruble reports
Public health authorities today have used and compares the results on the treatment
data from 1918 Spanish flu records to of pneumonia and death between 10 Ad-
promote social distancing to “flatten the ventist Sanitariums with the U.S. Army hos-
curve” of the COVID-19 infection. These ef- pitals. Of the 1,123 patients in his report,
forts are very important and saved count- 446 were treated with hydrotherapy in san-
less lives in 1918. But is it possible that we itariums; 677 were treated as outpatients
can learn other valuable health lessons and were taught how to do hydrotherapy
from the Spanish flu? We believe so! at home. (See Figure 1.)
Hydrotherapy–the therapeutic use of Results show that 16.7% of patients in
water–was used effectively during the U.S. Army hospitals contracted pneumonia
1918 pandemic. Hydrotherapy has been even with the best medical care. (See graph
used from ancient times until the present. 1.) Notice that patients who were treated
President Roosevelt used hydrotherapy to as outpatients had about one half (8.3%)
treat his polio. Historically, hydrotherapy as much pneumonia as those in the U.S.
was advocated by Seventh-day Adventists Army. Of the Sanitarium patients only 2.4%
[SDA] as a key element in the training of had contracted pneumonia.1
SDA health-care professionals. The pio- Death rates from the flu in U.S. Army
neers of the early Seventh-day Adventist hospitals were 6.7%. (See bar graph 1),
movement advocated and popularized a while death rates in outpatients were only
powerful health message that included 3.8%. This was significantly lower, since the
using lifestyle as a therapeutic interven- death rates for the general public treated
tion, expressly for the treatment of dis- in hospitals were from 13% to 40%. In con-
ease—beyond and in addition to disease trast, only 1.3% of Sanitarium inpatients
prevention. died with the flu.1 What was the main dif-
Let’s go back 100 years to learn what ference between the U.S. Army hospitals
they were doing during the 1918 Spanish and Sanitariums? The Sanitariums had a
flu before there were Intensive Care Units higher success rate, evidently due to the
and ventilators. Dr. W. A. Ruble, a physician use of hydrothermal therapy treatments, a
and a leader at a Seventh-day Adventist regulated diet, and good nursing care.

The Spanish flu, also known as the 1918 flu.

 Hydrothermal Therapy for Better Immunity | 27

Figure 1

Adventist school beats the Spanish flu tibiotics as a treatment for

Besides the SDA Sanitariums, several pneumonia and other in-
Adventist schools also practiced hydro- fectious diseases. The
therapy during the 1918 pandemic. When 1927 Nobel Prize in
the deadly Spanish flu hit an Adventist Medicine was award-
seminary in Minnesota, the outlook looked ed to the Austrian
grim since the Spanish flu was known to neuro-psychiatrist
be unusually fatal for young adults. At least Julius Wagner Jauregg
120 people on campus were exposed to for “introducing fever
the flu. They were all housed under one therapy”3 in the treat-
roof. Although 90 of them developed ment of neurosyphilis. The
symptoms, not a single person developed term hydrothermal therapy is
pneumonia or died. These results were re- simply using water—alternating hot
markable compared to national and world- and cold—to produce the desired thermal
wide statistics. (heat) effect.
What treatment did these patients re- This form of thermal therapy is now be-
ceive? The doctor had ordered: strict bed ing rediscovered and is timely in light of
rest, a regulated diet, and hot and cold hy- COVID-19 because of its ability to boost
drotherapy treatments. No drugs were giv- the function of our immune system. Our
en. The patients were required to remain immune system is comprised of several
in bed and follow social distancing for 5-7 components that work harmoniously to
days after recovery. A report by a Hutchin- protect us from infection. There is a high-
son City Health Officer stated: “The record is ly specialized adaptive immune system
remarkable. It makes the ordinary methods which is responsible for making antibod-
of dealing with the flu appear irrational.”2 ies in response to specific antigens, which
are foreign microbial and non-microbial
How hydrothermal therapy helps our im- substances. Another part of our immune
mune function system is the innate immune system, com-
Hydrothermal therapy is a form of prised of natural killer cells and phago-
whole-body heat therapy that was in cytes such as monocytes. These are cells
common use before the discovery of an- that engulf and swallow invading harmful
 28 | LifeSource—FreshStart Your Immunity

microorganisms. It is the innate immune cells counts; it increases metabolism and

system that acts as the first responder to muscle relaxation. Cold water moves toxins
an infectious threat. It is this part of the im- to the lungs, the liver, and the kidneys. (See
mune system that COVID-19 and similar vi- Figure 2.) The best way to see how hydro-
ruses attack to gain an advantage over our therapy works is to try it for yourself.
immune defenses. This part of the immune
system is where hydrothermal therapy ap- Practical tips and precautions
pears to be the most beneficial. for hydrothermal therapy
What does science say about hydrother-
apy treatments? A randomized controlled When you get up tomorrow morning,
trial out of the Netherlands showed that get a drink of 2-3 glasses of water. Do your
taking routine hot-to-cold showers resulted morning routine of exercise/devotions.
in a significant reduction of self-reported Next, prepare to take your shower.
sickness absence without any reported
adverse effects.4 Contrast shower
Another study describes how regular
sauna bathing was found to reduce the in- 1. A good start is to take a 3-minute hot
cidence of the common cold by as much shower, then quickly turn on the cold
as fifty percent (50%) within six months.5 for 30 seconds. Switch back to hot, then
While the favorable effects of various cold again for three cycles.
forms of heat therapy have been known
since antiquity, it is only recently that we 2. For best results, make the changes from
have understood how. We now know that hot to cold abruptly. Always finish with
the effect is precisely at the innate level of cold, then dry off quickly.
immunity by boosting monocyte activation
and function. 3. Focus the spray where you need it the
Numerous studies show the link between most: on the face if you have a sinus in-
heat and our body’s ability to fight infec- fection, on the mid-back if you are tired,
tion. In 2002, Dr. Maria Zellner, based on her or on sore muscles.
study of volunteers placed into hot water
(39.5° C), to determine the effect on mono- 4. Make sure to keep your head cool.
cyte expression, concluded that the “ther-
mal effect of fever has been associated with 5. If you are catching a cold, take a 5-min-
better survival and a shorter duration of dis- ute hot, then a 1-minute cold shower.
ease in cases of infection.6 In summary, hot Repeat 3-minute cold, 1-minute hot for
water increases circulation, and white blood two cycles, and up to five cycles.
Figure 2
6. By taking a contrast shower 1-2 times
daily, many people can remain free from
colds and cases of the flu.

7. Contraindications: atherosclerosis, heart

disease, high blood pressure

Better than coffee

I’ve had patients tell me, “I can’t wake up
in the morning unless I have a cup of cof-
fee.” I’d respond: “A hot and cold shower is
better than coffee. Besides stimulating your
 Hydrothermal Therapy for Better Immunity | 29
innate immunity and natural killer cells, it utes. Put a second wet fomentation or
wakes you up, and gives you pep for the towel in the microwave for 4 minutes.
day. Best of all, it has no side effects.” Sau-
nas can be taken 3-4 times per week. After 5. Wrap hot moist fomentation/towel in a
treatment, disinfect the sauna or steam bath wool blanket that is cut to size. Apply the
with eucalyptus oil, which contains both an- hot heat pack to the front of the chest. If
tibacterial and antiviral properties. it is too hot, put another dry towel un-
derneath to avoid burning the patient.
Moist heat fomentations
The room where you do this treatment 6. Place the second heat pack on the back,
should be quiet, have dim lights, and be free under the spine from the nape to the
from drafts. Before you do this treatment, pelvis. Cover patient with blankets. Place
always have a prayer. Ask the Great Phy- the third fomentation into microwave.
sician to bless the simple water treatment
and relieve the patient’s health problem. 7. Replace fomentation every 4-5 min. Be-
tween each exchange, rub the chest and
Equipment needed: back with a washcloth dipped in ice water.

• 4 towels or fomentations 8. Continue with three exchanges or until

profuse perspiring. Keep the head cool!
• 4 blankets (preferably wool), cut to size to
cover the fomentations/towels
9. End with a cold mitten friction (wash-
• 2 washcloths cloth) rub to the chest. Cover patient
with blankets.
• 2 sheets to cover the bed and patient;
one blanket
10. When the treatment is complete, pour
• Bucket or small tub for a footbath. cold water over the feet and remove the
foot-bath.
• Large bowl for dipping washcloths in ice
water
11. Continue cold to the head until perspir-
• Ice ing subsides.

12. Bed rest for 20-30 minutes.

Procedure:
Contraindications:
1. Lay the patient on his/her back on a bed
Before doing this treatment, it is recom-
or sofa and cover him/her with a sheet
mended that you first consult your health-
and blanket.
care provider; this is particularly true if you
are pregnant or have an irregular heartbeat.
2. Place the patient’s feet gently into a
Other contraindications to hydrotherapy:
bucket or tub of hot water. (100° F for
diabetic neuropathy.) Make sure the wa-
ter for a diabetic does not burn him/her.
• Neuropathy
• Peripheral vascular disease
3. Keep the head of the patient cool with a
• Cancer
cold washcloth.
• Heart disease, heart failure
• High blood pressure
4. Wet a fomentation or a towel in water.
• HIV infection
Roll it and place it in a plastic grocery
• Diabetes
bag in the microwave oven for 4 min-
30 | LifeSource—FreshStart Your Immunity

The room where you do this treatment should be quiet, have dim
lights, and be free from drafts. Before you do this treatment, always
have a prayer. Ask the Great Physician to bless the simple water
treatment and relieve the patient’s health problem.

PROCEDURE FOR FOMENTATIONS

Bed or Table

A well-functioning immune system is “above all things,” both in our physical and
critical for survival. The immune system spiritual condition, and He wants us to enjoy
must be constantly alert, monitoring for the best of health. God puts within our reach
signs of danger. Heat followed by cold, such practical restorative methods, such as hy-
as in the case of hydrothermal therapy, may drothermal therapy, so that we may achieve
significantly improve your innate immu- optimal health. The good news is that there
nity, and we have shared with you several may be only a few “degrees” of separation
practical ways to put this into practice and between you and better health!
achieve the health benefits.
“Beloved, I wish above all things that thou Scan this QR code to
mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy watch an in-depth
soul prospereth.”7 This Bible text is quite il- video presentation on
luminating and reassuring when it comes to this topic.
our health. It tells us that God is interested,
Sources:
Plos One. 2016; 11(9): e0161749. September 15, 2016. [Link]
1
Ruble WA. Sanitarium Treatment of Influenza, Life & Health, May 1919. Accessed at http:// pone.0161749
[Link]/Periodicals/LH/[Link] 5
Ernst, E. et al. Regular Sauna Bathing and the Incidence of Common Colds. Ann Med
2
Shepherd F. Health Officer, Hutchinson City, Northern Union Paper, 1918. 1990;22(4):225-7. doi: 10.3109/07853899009148930.
3
Karamanou M. [Link]. Julius Wagner-Jauregg (1857-1940): Introducing fever therapy in the 6
Zellner M. et al. Human monocyte stimulation by experimental whole-body hyperthermia. Wien
treatment of neurosyphilis. Psychiatriki. 2013 Jul-Sep;24(3): 208-12. Klin Wochenschr. 2002 Feb 15;114(3):102-7.
4
Buijze G. [Link]. The Effect of Cold Showering on Health and Work: A Randomized Controlled Trial. 7
Bible: 3 John 2.
 31

By Valerie Karvatski, NP-C

S
hould I eat an apple or a donut? Should I forgive or hold a grudge? Should I work overtime,
or go home to have dinner with my family? Self-control is defined as the ability to have re-
straint over one’s impulses, emotions, or desires. It is the ability to delay gratification, to resist
an unwanted urge, and to reach one’s long-term goals. Self-control is what makes humans
different from the animal kingdom. Self-control is primarily embedded in the prefrontal cortex; this
is the problem-solving, planning, and decision-making center of the brain.

The idea of self-control is not an easy one in our age of self-pleasing excesses. Placing limits or
saying “no” to oneself is not considered conducive to happiness. However, contrary to current be-
lief, research shows that people are happier when they are the “origin of their behavior,” or live with
intentionality.1 John Milton the English poet once said, “He who reigns within himself and rules his
passions, desires, and fears, is more than a king.” But a revival of true self-control in living is greatly
needed, especially today.
32 | LifeSource—FreshStart Your Immunity

If I were to tell you that temperance

was much more than a good discipline for
character development, but also a signif-
icant promoter of health, well-being, and
overall success, would you believe it? A
study that followed a group of 1000 chil-
dren from birth to 32 years of age showed
that self-control during childhood pre-
dicted their financial success, substance
abuse, physical health, and criminal out-
comes. What’s more, researchers also no-
ticed that some children had mastered
concepts of self-control by as early as ten
years of age, while others had not.2 With the American Academy of Pediatrics’ rec-
this data in mind, it is not surprising that ommendation to avoid all screen time with
a 19th-century writer and educator wrote: children under the age of 2, given the spe-
“Temperance and self-control should be cific concern that screen time will limit their
taught from the cradle.”3 Another study engagement in useful and interactive play.
found links between self-control and men- Sadly, recent guidelines now place screen
tal health. Their findings suggest that those time limits per parental discretion.5 I often
with more self-control had fewer physical wonder what useful activities I miss out on
health problems, less mental health symp- when absorbed by my phone, or any screen
toms, and avoidance-style coping.4 for that matter. How many books have re-
The research is fascinating, but in which mained unread, conversations passed over,
practical ways can self-control produce and precious little life moments skipped?
health and well-being for us? To figure this Most smartphones have a screen time fea-
out, we have to look at lifestyle practices ture in which you can track the amount of
where we sometimes “overdo it.” Most of time you spend on your phone; this may be
us know about the importance of abstain- something you may want to check weekly.
ing from alcohol and tobacco. These areas But it’s not just what we miss out on, but
require complete abstinence, not moder- rather how we feel that makes excessive
ation. Modern medicine has established a screen time a problem. In teenagers, an
link between these health-destroying habits association has been found between so-
and diseases. But what about self-restraint cial media and television with symptoms of
in other areas that are less obvious, such as depression.6 As human beings, we need to
screen time, social media, and work? Do we be engaged with others and with our phys-
also need to practice self-restraint in things ical environment, thus interacting with the
that are good for us, such as exercise, eat- world around us. This is a great place to be-
ing, and sleeping? Let’s look at temperance gin to practice temperance in our daily lives.
as it relates to these practices.
Work
Screen time Learning how to work hard and enjoy
Technology in itself is not a bad thing, it is one of life’s great blessings! A strong
in fact, the advent of “screens” has given work ethic is a profound contributor to our
us capabilities that were unthinkable just overall happiness and success. For some,
20 years ago. But even good things can the problem lies in a lack of desire to work
become harmful when carried to excess. for others, it may be difficult knowing when
Parents of young children may be aware of to stop and rest. And yes, overwork can
 33

be detrimental to our health. There is ev-

idence that shows an association between
working long hours–55 or more hours per
week–and an increased incidence of heart
disease and stroke.7 It may not just be the
work itself but the stress that seems to
come with it. What’s more, it’s not just put-
ting in hours at the office. How many of us
have trouble winding down at the end of and by being temperate in everything we do, we
the day while scrambling to finish one more will find the balance necessary for health. For more
task on our to-do list? Whether we work at information on exercise, please see the article “A
home or outside the home, we never seem Healthier Life Within Walking Distance.” (See p. 16.)
to get our work all done. That is the time
to exercise self-control, take a deep breath, Eating
and make time for rest. Slow down after 7 Eating can be a real struggle. We worry about
to 8 pm and take time for family and per- what to eat and what not to eat. Even those who
sonal devotions, even if this means leaving eat a healthy plant-based diet can overeat or eat
some things undone. excessive amounts of certain foods. So how much
should I eat, and when should I stop? Overeating
has been a problem for mankind since the be-
ginning of time. This can be traced to a lack of
self-control or temperance. The Okinawans in Ja-
pan are known for their longevity, as some of the
healthiest centenarians on earth. They follow “hara
hachi bu,” the practice of eating until they are 80
percent full.9 This concept is unheard of in the
Western world where our fries are supersized and
“two for the price of one,” is an expectation. The
Wise man gives us the secret of self-control when
it comes to food, “Hast thou found honey? eat so
much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled
Exercise therewith, and vomit it.”10 These are strong words.
Most of us need to exercise more. But The next time you are tempted to overeat or snack
how much exercise is too much? It may sur- between meals, why not challenge your impulses
prise you to know that with exercise there is with the strong words of the wise king Solomon?
a threshold beyond which more is not better,
which does not equate to increased health
benefits. A study published in the Journal
of the American Academy of Cardiology
found an association between the amount
of jogging and all-cause mortality. Namely,
light joggers had a lower risk of death than
sedentary people who didn’t jog; however,
the mortality rate of strenuous joggers was
not different from those who didn’t jog at
all.8 Can you believe it? Those who jogged
excessively had the same rate of death as
the sedentary folks. Moderation is crucial,
34 | LifeSource—FreshStart Your Immunity

Sleep in my life, I sometimes have success here

How many of us wish we could just sleep or there. However, as time passes, I fail mis-
later in the morning, unhindered by our work erably in achieving lasting change. Thank-
restraints, children, and schedules? I know I fully, we are not left to battle our human
have at times! We all want more sleep, and tendencies alone. There is a Great Physician,
we suppose that more must be better. The Jesus Christ. He not only heals us but can
National Sleep Foundation recommends transform our intemperate bad habits! And
7-9 hours of sleep for healthy adults be- yes, He can help you cultivate self-control in
tween the ages of 18 and 64.11 As with the your life. Here are a few simple steps:
other lifestyle practices, there is also a need
to balance our sleep, and more may not be
better. Certainly, if you are falling below the 1. Identify the problem
7-hour minimum you do need more sleep. If you’re not sure which lifestyle hab-
For those of us getting more than 9 hours its in your life are intemperate, ask one of
of sleep, we may be doing more harm than your family members. They can often see
good. A study out of Finland found that the imbalance in your life better than you
sleep duration of more than 9 hours nightly do. Ask God to show you which behaviors
was associated with increased inflammation or activities in your life require self-control.
in the body.12 Further research has also sug- Say, “Lord, show me the areas in my life
gested that sleep outside of the 6-8 hour that are out of balance.”
range may be associated with increased risk
of death and cardiovascular issues.13 So set
your alarms to avoid oversleeping! Our fo- 2. Give away the problem
cus should be on the quality of sleep more Give the problem to God every morn-
than duration. We often feel tired, not be- ing, and throughout the day when you’re
cause we didn’t sleep long enough, but be- tempted to be intemperate. Pray for His
cause our sleep quality was poor due to late Holy Spirit to cultivate the fruit of temper-
evening meals. This causes our digestion to ance in your life.
continue far into the night. Eating light and
early evening meals is important for achiev- 3. Set goals
ing restful sleep. Set an achievable and specific goal re-
garding the area you struggle with. For
7 tips to cultivate self-control example, if you struggle with getting up
Knowing all the research is nice, but how on time, your goal would be: I will set my
do I personally establish new habits of self- alarm clock to 6:00 a.m. each morning for
control? Where do I start? In my own expe- the next 7 days.
rience, anytime I try hard to make a change
 Self-Control, a Healing Virtue | 35

4. Remove temptation
For example, if you are struggling with
screen time, consider leaving your phone in
“I can do all things through
another room or turning it off after 7 p.m. Christ who strengthens me.”

5. Be positive lives. In seeking health many fall to extremes of ei-

Often when we are struggling with a bad ther excess or deficiency. However, modern science
habit, we have a lot of negative thinking sur- has confirmed the old idea of temperance and its
rounding it. The next time you are struggling health-related virtues. It’s time for another revival
and thinking, “I can’t do this, it’s too hard,” say of temperance—only this time in your personal life!
out loud: “I can do all things through Christ who With Christ’s help, let’s live a life of moderation, bal-
strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13, nkjv). Each ance, and restraint. Improved health and wellness
time you resist the temptation will be easier to will be sure to follow.
resist the next time.
Scan this QR code to
There is no magic pill or potion for good watch an in-depth
health or longevity. Health and wellness are video presentation on
found in our daily habits of living and the this topic.
far-reaching principles by which we govern our
Sources:
Lancet. 386(10005):1739–1746.
1
Seligman, Martin E P. (2011). Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being. New 8
Schnohr P, O’Keefe JH, Marott JL, Lange P, Jensen GB. (2015). Dose of jogging and long-term mortality: the
York: Free Press. Copenhagen City Heart Study. J Am Coll Cardiol. 65(5):411–419.
2
Moffitt TE, et al. (2011). A gradient of childhood self-control predicts health, wealth, and public safety. PNAS, 9
Buettner, D. (2008).Blue Zones. Washington DC: National Geographic Society.
108 (7) 2693-2698. 10
Proverbs 25:16.
3
White, E.G. (1901) Child Guidance, p. 408. Review and Herald Publ. Assn. 11
National Sleep Foundation. (2015). Sleep Health: The Journal of the National Sleep Foundation. Retrieved
4
Boals A, Vandellen MR, Banks JB. (2011). The relationship between self-control and health: The mediating from [Link]
effect of avoidant coping. Psychol Health. 26(8):1049–1062. doi:10.1080/08870446.2010.529139 times
5
American Academy of Pediatrics. (2015). Growing up digital: Media research symposium. Retrieved from 12
Grandner MA, et al. Buxton OM, Jackson N, Sands-Lincoln M, Pandey A, Jean-Louis G. (2013). Extreme
[Link] sleep durations and increased C-reactive protein: effects of sex and ethno-racial group. Sleep. 36(5):769–
6
Boers E, Afzali MH, Newton N, Conrod P. (2019). Association of Screen Time and Depression in Adolescence. 779E.
JAMA Pediatrics.173(9):853–859. 13
Chuangshi, W et al. (2019) Association of estimated sleep duration and naps with mortality and
7
Kivimäki M, Jokela M, Nyberg ST, et al. (2015). Long working hours and risk of coronary heart disease and cardiovascular events: a study of 116 632 people from 21 countries, European Heart Journal, 40(20)1620-
stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis of published and unpublished data for 603,838 individuals. 1629.
 ....
By Septimiu D. Muresan, MS

T
here is something you know about me that is very personal. And there is something
I know about you that is very central to your well-being. There is something that we
know about every person we meet anywhere in the world that is the driving force of
everything they do and put up with. That “something” is the pursuit of happiness.
How we imagine our happiness, differs from one person to another.

So, what is the connection between happiness and thankfulness? Many people would say,
“Well, that’s very easy. When you are happy, you are thankful!” Is it true that happy people
are thankful? We all know several people who have everything they need to be happy, and
yet they are not happy. We also know people who have a lot of adversity and who are gen-
uinely happy. Why? Because they are thankful or grateful. So, it is not happiness that makes
us thankful. It is thankfulness that makes us happy!
 Thankfulness for Better Health 37

What is thankfulness?
Cicero, the early statesman and schol- GRATITUDE BENEFITS AT A GLANCE
ar, regarded gratitude not only as “the
greatest of the virtues but the parent of all Study Results
others.” The word gratitude, derived from
the Latin root gratia, is the root word of Counting Blessings vs. Burdens (2003)5
“grace,” “grateful,” and “gracious.” In Latin, Participants who kept a gratitude journal reported:
all derivatives of the word gratitude have
to do with kindness, generosity, gifts, the • 16% fewer physical symptoms
beauty of giving and receiving, or getting • 19% more time spent exercising
something for nothing.
• 10% less physical pain
What do we mean by thankfulness? And
how does it work? Think of your own ex- • 8% more sleep
perience. Someone gives you something • 25% increased sleep quality
valuable, a gift. You haven’t bought it. You
haven’t earned it. You haven’t worked for
it. It was just given to you. So when you re- The Grateful Heart (2004)6
ceive something truly valuable to you and Emotions of appreciation and gratitude have been shown
realize it was freely given, then thankful- to induce a relaxation response.
ness spontaneously springs in your heart.
That’s how thankfulness happens. Positive Psychology (2005)7
• A gratitude visit reduced depressive symptoms by 35% for
Gratitude makes us healthier several weeks.
Research studies show that being grate-
ful has many benefits on one’s mental and • A gratitude journal lowered depressive symptoms by
physical health. It can decrease pain, lower 30%+ as long as the practice was continued.
blood pressure, improve immune function,
and provide more efficient sleep. There is Gratitude: Effects on Blood Pressure (2007)8
even some limited research, showing that Patients with hypertension who counted their blessings
gratitude can extend our lifespan by a few once a week had a significant decrease in systolic blood
months or even years. 1, 2, 3 pressure.
A study from the University of Califor-
nia San Diego, School of Medicine found Gratitude Influences Sleep (2009)9
that more grateful people had better heart Gratitude was correlated with reduced time to fall asleep, im-
health due to less inflammation and health- proved sleep quality, and increased sleep duration.
ier heart rhythms.4

By simply being thankful to God for all the daily gifts He gives us, our body experiences
many health benefits! And science now confirms what the Bible already declared thousands
of years ago: “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones”
(Proverbs 17:22). To be merry means to be cheerful, lively, and joyful. What a great gift from
our heavenly Father!

Gratitude improves your sleep

Gratitude can help with insomnia by reducing the amount of time required to fall asleep,
increasing sleep quality and sleep duration. The key is what’s on our minds as we’re trying to
fall asleep. If we are worrying about our children or work, the level of stress in our body will
38 | LifeSource—FreshStart Your Immunity

increase, keeping us awake and reducing being thankful because Psalm 136 tells us:
our sleep quality and quantity. However, if “O give thanks unto the Lord for his mercy
we’re thinking about a few things that we endureth for ever” 26 times. He certainly
are grateful for today, this will induce the knew by experience the great blessings of
relaxation response and put us to sleep. Yes, an attitude of gratitude. This is an excel-
gratitude is a safe and free sleeping aid! lent psalm to read to encourage gratitude
In one study, 65 subjects with chronic in us and remind us of the things we can be
pain were asked to complete a daily grati- thankful for. Take a few moments and read
tude journal at night.10 The results showed Psalm 136. Read it especially when you are
that they reported half an hour more sleep feeling overwhelmed and anxious. Since
than the control group. In another study the mercy of God endures or lasts forev-
of 400 healthy participants, those who had er, that means that those who live thankful
higher scores on a gratitude test also had lives, trusting in His salvation, will not only
significantly better and longer sleep. They live longer but will live forever!
reported falling asleep faster and having less
difficulty staying awake during the day. The Gratitude increases energy levels
reason that grateful people slept better is Gratitude and vitality are strongly cor-
not that their life was better. Levels of grat- related. Grateful people are much more
itude were more dependent on personality likely to report physical and mental vigor. A
and life perspective than on life situations.11 study of 1662 people also found a correla-
The Bible says, “The sleep of a laboring tion between vitality and gratitude even
man is sweet, whether he eats little or much; after controlling for extroversion, agree-
but the abundance of the rich will not per- ableness, neuroticism, and perceived social
mit him to sleep” (Ecclesiastes 5:12, nkjv). A desirability. This means that vitality and
person that works diligently and lives with gratitude are strongly correlated because
an attitude of gratitude experiences a sweet high-energy people and highly grateful
sleep according to the Scriptures. We can people share personality traits like extro-
see that it’s not the abundance of riches version in common.13
that brings happiness, but rather a thank-
ful attitude. On the contrary, worry, anxiety, Robbers of thankfulness
stress, and many other negative side effects Various factors may rob us of a thank-
may be brought by an ungrateful attitude. ful attitude. The first one is cynicism, which
What a privilege we have to be thankful to is an inclination to believe that people are
God for life, light, sunshine, water, food, motivated purely by self-interest. Cynicism
and thousands of other blessings that we is especially poisonous to the person who
sometimes take for granted. has this attitude. Pessimism is another rob-
ber of a thankful attitude. In this case, we
Gratitude helps us live longer may be inclined to question whether some-
The results of a few different studies thing will happen or whether it is worth-
also show that an attitude of gratitude while. Another robber of thankfulness may
appears to extend our lifespan. We know be materialism, which is a tendency to
that optimism has been used to success- consider material possessions and physical
fully predict mortality decades later. Stud- comfort as more important than spiritual
ies have shown that optimists lived a few values. Materialism goes hand in hand with
years longer than pessimists. A few years envy­­
–feelings of discontent or resentful-
may not sound like much, but I know that ness. These feelings are aroused by see-
when I’m about to die, I would like to have ing someone else’s possessions, talents,
a few more extra years. We also know that or qualities. Narcissism is another negative
gratitude is strongly correlated with posi- attribute that can hinder or kill our attitude
tive emotions like optimism.12 of gratitude. A narcissist has an excessive
King David experienced the mental, interest in or admiration of oneself and
physical, and spiritual health benefits of one’s physical appearance.14
 Thankfulness for Better Health | 39

the most of every day that our Creator

gives us is the key to a healthy and happy
life here and in the world to come.

1. Keep a thankfulness journal and write

down 5-10 things you’re thankful for
each evening.
Instead of cultivating these negative at- 2. Offer thanks to God throughout the
tributes, let us rather develop these positive day­–for a beautiful sunrise or breath-
thoughts and attributes: “Whatever things taking sunset, for food, shelter, home,
are true, whatever things are noble, whatever family, and friends . . . for the gift of His
things are just, whatever things are pure, what- Son Jesus Christ.
ever things are lovely, whatever things are of
good report, if there is any virtue and if there 3. Express your appreciation to a few peo-
is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these ple each day­–family members, neigh-
things” (Philippians 4:8, nkjv). bors, coworkers, the mailman, or any-
one who needs it.
Increase your daily dose of thankfulness
The key to receiving the health benefits 4. As your brain shifts into a thankful
of thankfulness is that we must have a con- mode, ask God to help you find good
tinual attitude of thankfulness. We cannot even in difficult circumstances.
experience gratitude only once in a while.
The Bible says, “In everything give thanks: Rejoice and be glad
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus Medical science has recently discovered
concerning you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). the health benefits of thankfulness that the
That means being thankful in good times Bible has been teaching us for thousands
and in bad times, in all the circumstances of years. “A merry heart doeth good like
of life. How is that possible? By becom- a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the
ing aware that every given moment is a bones”(Proverbs 17:22). Begin and finish
gift. I haven’t earned it. I haven’t brought each day with this potent dose of thank-
it about. I have no guarantee that another fulness: “This is the day which the Lord has
moment will be given to me. This moment made; we will rejoice and be glad in it”
is the most valuable thing that I have. This (Psalm 118:24, nkjv).
moment, with all the opportunities, is life. Scan this QR code to
The life we all have, the moments we re-
ceive to improve or correct are all from
watch an in-depth
God! He gives us everything. “For in him video presentation on
we live, and move, and have our being” this topic.
(Acts 17:28). Being thankful and making

Sources:
1
Danner DD, et al. (2001, May). Positive Emotions in Early Life and Longevity: Findings From 9
Wood AM, Joseph S, Lloyd J, Atkins J. (2009, Jan). Gratitude Influences Sleep Through
The Nun Study. J Pers Soc Psychol, 80(5): 804-813. [Link] the Mechanism of Pre-Sleep Cognitions. J Psychosom Res. 66(1): 43-48. [Link]
17232-009 [Link]/science/article/abs/pii/S0022399908004224
2
Maruta T, et al. (2000, February). Optimists vs. Pessimists Survival Rate Among Medical 10
Froh JJ, Sefick WJ, Emmons RA. Counting Blessings versus Burdens: An Experimental
Patients Over a 30-Year Period. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 75(2): 133-134. [Link] Investigation of Gratitude and Subjective Well-Being in Daily Life. J School Psych, 46(2):
[Link]/science/article/abs/pii/S0025619611641840 213-233.
3
Brummett BH, et al. (2006 February). Prediction of All-Cause Mortality by the Minnesota 11
See ref. 9. 1 Danner DD, Snowdon DA, Friesen, WV. (2001, May). Positive Emotions in Early
Multiphasic Personality Inventory Optimism-Pessimism Scale Scores: Study of a College Life and Longevity: Findings From The Nun Study. J Pers Soc Psychol, 80(5): 804-813.
Sample During a 40-Year Follow-up Period. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 81(12): 541-1544. [Link]
[Link] 12
Danner DD, et al. (2001, May). Positive Emotions in Early Life and Longevity: Findings From
4
Mill PJ, et al. (2015) The Role of Gratitude in Spiritual Well-Being in Asymptomatic Heart The Nun Study. J Pers Soc Psychol, 80(5): 804-813. Maruta T, et al. (2000, February).
Failure Patients. Spirituality in Clinical Practice 2(1): 5–17. [Link] Optimists vs. Pessimists Survival Rate Among Medical Patients Over a 30-Year Period. Mayo
scp0000050) Clinic Proceedings. 75(2): 133-134. Brummett BH, et al. (2006 February). Prediction of All-
5
Froh JJ, Sefick WJ, Emmons RA. Counting Blessings versus Burdens: An Experimental Cause Mortality by the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory Optimism-Pessimism
Investigation of Gratitude and Subjective Well-Being in Daily Life. J School Psych, 46(2): Scale Scores: Study of a College Sample During a 40-Year Follow-up Period. Mayo Clinic
213-233. [Link] Proceedings, 81(12): 541-1544.
6
McCraty R, Childre D. (2004). The psychology of gratitude. [Sect. 12 The Grateful Heart: The 13
McCullough, ME, et al. (2002)The Grateful Disposition: A Conceptual and Empirical Topography.
Psychophysiology of Appreciation]. The grateful disposition: A conceptual and empirical topography. J Pers Soc Psychol, 82(1),
7
Seligman, ME et al. (2005). Positive Psychology Progress: Empirical Validation of 112–127. [Link]
Interventions. Am Psychol, 60(5): 410–421. 14
Solom, RC. (2013). Thieves of thankfulness: inhibitors of gratitude. EWU Master’s Thesis
8
Shipon RW. (2007). Gratitude: Effect on perspectives and blood pressure of inner-city Collection. 126. [Link]
African-American hypertensive patients. Dissertation Abstracts International: Section B: The
Sciences and Engineering, 68(3-B), 1977.
 .................
By Aldo Cordova, MD

I
n 1918-1919 the H1N1 Spanish flu pandemic killed nearly 50-100 million people and became
known as one of the most fatal pandemics, more fatal than the one we are facing now with
COVID-19.1 During the tragedy, a technique was developed that aided the recovery process and
slowed down the spread of disease. This technique was known as the “open-air regimen,” in
which tents or wards were built outside U.S. hospitals, and patients were exposed to fresh air during
the day; at night, patients were kept warm with hot water bottles. This was not a new concept, as
similar practices had been used by British doctors to treat children with tuberculosis. The concept
was so effective that a famous physiologist Dr. Leonard Hill published an article in the British Medi-
cal Journal stating that the best way to heal from influenza was to practice “deep breathing of cool
air and sleeping in the open.”2 And so, as we face a new pandemic, we have one of the best reme-
dies available to us, the gift of fresh air.

Figure 1
Physiology of breathing
The gift of breathing was granted to us at
creation. In Genesis 2:7 we read: “And the Lord
God formed man of the dust of the ground, and
breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and
man became a living soul.” God gave us the
ability to breathe, and this became essential to
life. We know this is true as humans can last for
days without food and water, but after one min-
ute without air, brain cells begin to die. After just
three minutes, there is serious brain damage.
This happens because every cell in our body re-
quires a constant supply of oxygen to produce
energy and to help eliminate waste, specifically
carbon dioxide (CO2). This process begins as our
diaphragm, the muscle dividing our chest from
our abdomen, contracts and allows our lungs to
expand. (See Figure 1.)
 Improve Immunity With Fresh Air | 41

Air enters through our nose or

mouth, into our airway which be-
gins at the trachea, and branch-
es out like a tree into bronchi.
These branches become smaller
until they are very tiny turning
into terminal bronchioles which
house alveoli–small sacs of air
that resemble grape clusters.3
It is here that oxygen exchange
takes place. (See Figure 2.) These
alveoli are surrounded by a mesh
of tiny blood vessels known as
capillaries. Oxygen diffuses from
the alveoli into the capillaries
and CO2 diffuses into the alveo-
li; and as we exhale, CO2 is elim-
inated. This pathway works well
if we breathe fresh air, which is Figure 2
high in oxygen and low in CO2.
The concentration difference al-
lows for oxygen to diffuse into
our blood and for carbon dioxide
Proper ventilation
to be eliminated.
What happens if we breathe recycled air at our work or in our
homes? Living or working in close, ill-ventilated rooms weakens
our body, and slows down our circulation because the blood is
not purified or vitalized by oxygen in the air.4 Breathing recy-
cled air with a higher concentration of carbon dioxide causes
our body to eliminate less of it, and then we become robbed
of vitality. In contrast, when we are outside, our blood is well
oxygenated, and we get all the benefits of fresh air.
We need to open the windows and let fresh air come into
our homes and offices, as this will improve our mood. Sci-
entists have found that serotonin (the happiness hormone)
release is affected by the amount of oxygen in the blood. So,
the more air we take in, and the more deeply we breathe,
the higher the levels of serotonin, which makes us happy and
gives us a sense of well-being, helping to prevent depression.5
We can also add a brisk walk in the open air to our daily rou-
tine. This will promote good circulation throughout the body,
give a healthful glow to the skin, and bring oxygen-vitalized
blood to the extremities.6
42 | LifeSource—FreshStart Your Immunity

Effect of negative air ions air which fill the lungs with oxygen, purify
Have you noticed when you go to the the blood. They impart to it a bright color,
beach or a waterfall in the mountains, how and send a life-giving current to every part
relaxed you feel after walking around for of the body. Deep respiration soothes the
several hours? This is another amazing nerves; it stimulates the appetite and ren-
benefit of inhaling fresh air. Few people ders digestion more perfect; and it induces
know about this benefit of negative air ions sound, refreshing sleep.”11 Most people
(NAIs). These are electrically charged mol- don’t experience this benefit due to what
ecules in the atmosphere. They are formed is known as apical breathing. This refers
when a gas molecule receives enough en- to shallow breathing, which uses only the
ergy to accept an electron (smallest par- upper part of the chest and not the dia-
ticle of energy with negative charge or phragm. With this type of breathing, there
electricity). Air rich in NAIs is found in the is not enough time for gas exchange as we
mountains, by waterfalls, rivers, and beach- only bring air to the top of our lungs. If we
es.7 NAIs have many health benefits. As want oxygen to enter our blood, we must
they enter our bloodstream, they stimulate learn to take deep breaths more often. This
biochemical reactions that increase levels problem is more common now because
of serotonin helping to fight depression. A people work indoors, sitting slouched on
study at Columbia University showed that their desks, taking shallow breaths. This is
patients exposed to a negative ion genera- why proper posture is also essential for ef-
tor had as much clinical improvement as if fective breathing. Let’s begin by teaching
they were taking antidepressants.8 our children correct breathing techniques.
NAIs also increase the flow of oxygen to “The teacher should impress upon his pu-
the brain, enhancing alertness and men- pils the importance of deep breathing. . . .
tal energy, helping to protect us against Let exercises be given which will promote
germs and allergens found in the environ- this and see that the habit becomes es-
ment.9 This is another reason that we need tablished.”12 If children and youth would
to be regularly in nature, enjoying fresh be taught this concept from a young age,
air. One health educator speaks about the they would have more energy and health-
benefits of country living for our health. ier blood to nourish the entire organism.
“So far as possible, all who are seeking to
recover health should place themselves How breathing affects different organs
amid country surroundings where they can When God designed the human body,
have the benefit of outdoor life. Nature is all organs were designed to work in coop-
God’s physician. The pure air, the glad sun- eration with each other. So, our breathing
shine, the flowers and trees, the orchards affects many other organs. Fresh air pu-
and vineyards, and outdoor exercise amid rifies the blood, refreshes our body, and
these surroundings, are health-giving, thus invigorates our brain. It makes our
life-giving.”10 mind clearer, resulting in composure and
serenity, which can help those suffering
Breathing technique and posture from anxiety.13 This is why we feel men-
In 2016 Apple released the “Breathe” tally renewed when we take a stroll in na-
App on all their smartwatches. This app ture and inhale fresh air. Fresh air soothes
works by alarming the user to engage our nervous system and induces sound
in deep breathing sessions for 1–5 min- sleep, which helps us awake refreshed and
utes every five hours to reduce stress. We happy.14 Interestingly, our gut has its own
know that “to have good blood, we must nervous system and fresh air improves our
breathe well. Full, deep inspirations of pure digestion, by increasing blood flow to the
 Improve Immunity With Fresh Air | 43

Fresh air purifies the blood, refreshes our body, and thus invigorates
our brain. It makes our mind clearer, resulting in composure and
serenity, which can help those suffering from anxiety.

intestines which helps us absorb more nu- or 2.5 km) on the first day and 3 miles (5
trients. Air is so important that proper ab- km) on the second day. After analyzing
dominal breathing has been used as thera- their blood, they found that the number of
py for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), which NK cells and killer enzymes had increased
causes abdominal cramping, bloating, and each time blood was collected. But why did
loose stools or constipation. Diaphragmat- this happen? The explanation given, in the
ic (deep) breathing increases blood flow study, was that phytoncides are released
to the abdomen and relieves pain. Well- from trees like alpha-pinene, beta-pinene,
oxygenated blood helps cleanse the liver and isoprene. 17 These molecules have an
of impurities, viruses, and bacteria.15 There enhancing effect on NK cells.
is no doubt that with an abundant supply A second study was performed to con-
of fresh air, every organ–including our im- firm these benefits on a larger scale. In the
mune system–will function more efficiently second study, they had two groups of sub-
and receive a healthy stimulus. jects; one group was assigned to the forest,
while the other was taken to a big city. The
Effect of fresh air on the immune system subjects walked, either in the forest or in the
As we’ve faced the uncertainty of city. Blood samples were collected on the
COVID-19, many have chosen to stay at 7th day and 30th day after the study. During
home­–and though this is considered so- the study, the researchers also quantified
cially responsible, very few are aware that the number of phytoncides (alpha-pinene,
exposure to fresh air can strengthen our beta-pinene, and isoprene) in both settings,
immune system. Let’s see how forest bath- and concluded that these molecules were
ing can improve our immunity. When we abundant in the forest, but none in the
are outdoors, our innate immune system city.17 The results were consistent with their
is invigorated, offering an immediate de- first study which showed that subjects who
fense when we are exposed to harm such walked in the forest had an increased num-
as a virus. Natural Killer (NK) cells are part ber of natural killer (NK) cells. The amazing
of the innate immune system and have en- thing is that the levels of NK cells remained
zymes that destroy cancer cells and also vi- high even 7 days after the study, with only
ruses, some of which are Granulysin, Perfo- a small decrease by day 30. Another benefit
rin, and Granzyme A and B. Research shows for those who walked in the forest, was that
that something as simple as “forest bath- their urine adrenaline levels dropped sig-
ing,” which is simply walking through the nificantly. Adrenaline is a stress hormone
forest, can help stimulate these cells and known to decrease the number of natu-
protect us from the disease. A study done ral killer cells. So those who walked in the
by Stanford Medicine in collaboration with forest had lower levels of adrenaline, while
the University in Tokyo aimed to prove this those in the city had much higher levels
relationship.16 In the first study, they sent and therefore lower immunity.17 This is part
the subjects to walk in the forest for 3 days. of the reason why people living in large
They told them to walk for 2 hours (1.5 mi cities are more susceptible to getting sick,
44 | LifeSource—FreshStart Your Immunity

while those who spend at least a few hours • If possible, live in country settings.
in nature, even if it is just once a week, can • Keep your windows open and let the
have better immunity. Now imagine how sun and oxygen come in.
great we would feel if we lived in the coun- • Add potted plants in the home and of-
try instead of in the city! fice to improve air quality.
How can we apply the research from Ja-
pan to our lives? Ideally, it is best to live in Breathing exercises
country settings away from the pollution of Breathe deeply once every 10 seconds
the city. However, if that is not possible, we by timing yourself with a stopwatch. The
can go to the country on the weekend and only way to breathe only 6 times a min-
spend time walking/hiking in the moun- ute and not get short of breath, is to take
tains, in the forest, or near bodies of water. deep breaths. This type of breathing exer-
Based on the studies from Japan, the nat- cise will improve your oxygen saturation
ural killer cells in our immune system will throughout the whole day. Another good
remain elevated up to seven days after our daily habit is to take 10-20 slow, deep ab-
nature walks, and by the 30th day, it will be dominal breaths after each meal and be-
slightly decreased. Only a wise and loving fore bedtime.18
Creator could give us such amazing results
as we obey His laws and enjoy the relax- Take a deep breath
ing and immune-strengthening benefits of The gift of air, given to us by the Cre-
fresh air. But don’t despair if you can’t live ator, affects our body and mind. Let us
in the country. Bring green plants into your take daily walks outdoors and ventilate
house to oxygenate the air, open the win- every room in our home. If at all possible,
dows, and pull away the drapes. Plant flow- live in the country where the air is pure, or
ers, and shrubs in your balcony and your at least visit once a week. Then as we learn
backyard. Every change you implement to to obey our Creator’s simple health laws,
bring fresh air into your environment will we will improve our health, prevent dis-
help get rid of viruses, mold, and pollen. ease, and stimulate our immune system.
As you take each breath today, remember,
How to get more fresh air “the Spirit of God hath made me, and the
breath of the Almighty hath given me life”
• Breathe in deeply through your nose. (Job 33:4).
• Wear loose-fitting clothing
• Avoid smoking and exposure to sec-
Scan this QR code to
ond-hand smoke.
watch an in-depth
• Exercise outdoors.
video presentation on
• Go on nature walk/hikes in the forest,
waterfalls, lakes, or oceans one day a this topic.
week for several hours.
Sources:
1
Hobday, RA, Cason, JW. The Open-air treatment of pandemic influenza. Am J Public Health, 10
White, EG. (1905). The Ministry of Healing, pp. 263, 264. Pacific Press Publ. Assn.
Oct. 2009. [Link]/pmc/articles/PMC4504358/. 11
White, EG. (1951). Counsels on Health, p. 59. Pacific Press Publ. Assn.
2
Hill, L. (1919, Mar 1). The defense of the respiratory membrane against influenza. Br Med 12
White, EG. (1932). Child Guidance, p. 365. Pacific Press Publ. Assn.
J.1(3035):238-40. 13
White, EG. (1890). Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, p. 104. Good Health Publ. Co.
3
Human Physiology - Respiration. Human Physiology Respiration, [Link]/ 14
White, EG. (1905). The Ministry of Healing, p. 272. Pacific Press Publ. Assn.
ritchisong/[Link]. Accessed 7 May 2020. 15
Diaphragmatic Breathing. (2017, October). Resource Center.
4
White, EG. (1976). Healthful Living, Leaves-of-Autumn Books, pp. 72, 73. [Link]
5
White, EG. (1951). Counsels on Health, Pacific Press Publ. Assn., p. 59. breathing/
6
White, EG. (1905). The Ministry of Healing, p. 272. Pacific Press Publ. Assn. 16
Li, Q et al. Forest bathing enhances human natural killer activity and expression of anti-
7
Jiang, SY, et al. (2018, Sept. 28). Negative air ions and their effects on human health cancer proteins. (2007). Int Immunopathol and Pharmacol, vol. 20, no. 2_suppl, pp. 3–8.
and air quality improvement. Int J Mol Sci, MDPI. [Link]/pmc/articles/ doi:10.1177/03946320070200s202.
PMC6213340/. 17
Li, Q et al. (2008). Visiting a forest, but not a city, increases human natural killer activity
8
Terman M, Terman JS. (1995 Jan1). Altern Complement Med. 1(1):87-9. doi: 10.1089/ and expression of anti-cancer proteins. Int J of Immunopathol and Pharmacol, vol. 21, no 2,
acm.1995.1.87. pp. 117–127. doi:10.1177/039463200802100113.
9
Mann, D. (2002, May 6). Negative Ions Create Positive Vibes. WebMD. [Link]/ 18
Nedley, N. (2011). The Lost Art of Thinking. Nedley Publishing. p. 253.
balance/features/negative-ions-create-positive vibes#2
 By John Baer, DC

A
lonely 94-year old man in Minnesota decided to put in a swimming pool in his back yard for
the neighborhood children. Now his back yard is the focal point of activity in the summer,
filled with laughter, splashing, happy children, and their parents and grandparents. And now,
he is no longer lonely. A new survey of 10,000 people showed that more than three in 5
Americans are lonely, with more and more people reporting feeling that they are left out, poorly un-
derstood, and lacking companionship.1 Another survey of 2000 people revealed that 1 in 4 people
don’t feel they have someone to confide in.2. And we know loneliness has been on the rise especially
with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Social connectedness creates a positive feedback loop of physical, social, and emotional well-
being. Social connectedness has been diminishing in our world. Sadly, there are many people in our
country today that have no one to confide in, no close friends, and no one that they can call just to
chat with or share a problem that they’re facing.
46 | LifeSource—FreshStart Your Immunity

Benefits of social connections not only give us pleasure, but can have a
The opposite feeling of loneliness is so- large positive impact on our mental, emo-
cial connectedness. What is social connect- tional, and physiological health. One land-
edness? It is the subjective experience of mark study by House and co-investigators
feeling close to someone, having a sense revealed that lack of social connections is
of belonging. Healthy social connections more detrimental to our health than smok-
ing, high blood pressure, and obesity.3
Reversely, 148 studies found that people
who had healthy robust relationships had
a 50% increased chance of living longer
regardless of age, gender, and country of
origin. Just like exercise and healthy weight
are crucial to our physical health, the pres-
ence or absence of healthy relationships is
recognized as a potential risk or protective
factor for morbidity and mortality.4
Our social connectedness is tied to a
host of conditions including the develop-
ment and progression of cardiovascular
disease, repeated myocardial infarctions,
atherosclerosis, autoimmune dysregulation,
cancer, high blood pressure, and slower
wound healing.5 Poor social ties have also
been related to impaired immune func-
tion.6 COVID-19 with its social distancing
and stay at home orders has had a negative
impact on relationships. Many people have
not been able to attend church and to visit
friends and family.
Social relationships affect your health
through behavioral, psychosocial, and phys-
iological pathways. Relationships have a cu-
mulative impact on your health. So, through-
 Relationships for Health and Happiness | 47

out life, as time passes, the benefits accumu- Life is more fulfilling when we do it
late over time. For instance, it was found that with others! We accomplish more, we
socially isolated adults with coronary artery share the burdens and the celebrations.
disease had a 2 to 4 times greater risk of This is why Solomon says: “Two are bet-
subsequent cardiac death than their peers ter than one, because they have a good re-
who were more socially connected.7 ward for their labor. For if they fall, one will
In the interest of protecting our elders, lift up his companion. But woe to him who
there is a progression of loneliness in our is alone when he falls, for he has no one to
world. This social disconnection may have help him up” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-11, nkjv).
cumulative effects over time. Loneliness in-
creases the risk of depression and anxiety. Motivation for connection
Increased physical health problems ulti- Do you feel like you have only a few peo-
mately lead to premature mortality.8 It will ple with whom you can have meaningful
be very interesting to see future research, relationships? Or perhaps you have no mo-
post-Covid on the impact the pandemic tivation to make new connections with oth-
has had on our world health in populations ers? Good relationships begin with our
that never contracted the disease. The fear, connection to Jesus Christ. He taught
worry, anxiety, and loneliness that has re- us that love is the basis of connecting
sulted from the COVID-19 pandemic, I be- with others: “A new commandment I give
lieve, will impact health and mortality to a to you, that you love one another; as I have
larger extent than we imagined. loved you, that you also love one anoth-
er” (John 13:34, 35, nkjv). Without being
What makes social connections healthful connected to Jesus Christ in a loving re-
Researchers are exploring the behavior- lationship, our connections with others
al and biological factors which produce the may be self-centered. But being con-
health benefits of connecting with others. nected to Him, the fountain of love, our
For instance, they have found that social love for others will always be fresh and
connections help lower the harmful levels true. “Let each of you look out not only for
of stress which can negatively affect our gut his own interests, but also for the interests
function, coronary arteries, insulin regula- of others” (Philippians 2:4, nkjv).
tion, and the immune system. Also, there is
evidence that caring behaviors trigger the How to connect with others
release of stress-reducing hormones. Showing someone that we care, does
not need to be expensive like putting a
Our social needs pool in our backyard. It requires no special
Are you wondering where our needs for equipment. We can show a person we care
social connection came from? After God about them by offering to help. Research
created Adam and placed him in a beautiful shows that engaging in daily conversation
garden, He watched him and said: “It is not can improve mental and physical health.
good that man should be alone; I will make Here are some other practical ideas:
him a helper comparable to him” (Genesis
2:18, nkjv). Then He created Eve for him. We 1. Focus on healthy social relationships. If
usually use this verse to refer to marriage, they are not healthy, let them go.
but it is a basic principle that applies to all
relationships. God created us to live in fam- 2. Concentrate on quality, not quantity re-
ilies, groups, or communities. Family as well lationships. You may have 1,000 Face-
as friends are important to healthy social re- book or Instagram friends, but they may
lationships. not be quality relationships.
48 | LifeSource—FreshStart Your Immunity

3. Share and listen. Engage in heart to someone else. Thinking deeply and shar-
heart conversations. Be a good listener. ing lovingly will stimulate brain functions,
Allow people the opportunity to express thereby slowing cognitive decline.
how they feel and what they think. This
will build solid relationships.
Seize the opportunity
Are you wondering where to begin scat-
4. Show that you care and are interested in tering your love? Begin where you are, with
others. The best way to do this is to ask your family members, coworkers, neigh-
questions. Use open-ended questions bors, and anyone in your sphere of influ-
that ask what and why. This will build ence. So instead of shutting up our love
deeper conversations and understand- and sympathy to ourselves, let us seize the
ing of the other person. opportunity and contribute to the good of
others.

5. Be regular in communicating with oth- “Kind words, looks of sympathy, ex-

ers. Stay in touch in person, by phone, pressions of appreciation, [these ges-
and by text. tures] would be to many a struggling and
lonely one as the cup of cold water to a
thirsty [person]. . . . Every word or deed
6. Be positive and seek to help others and
of unselfish kindness to [someone] with
you will boost your cognitive health.
whom we are brought in connection is
an expression of the love that Jesus has
7. Create new connections. Broaden your manifested for the whole human family.”9
horizons and take an interest to meet
the friends of your friends. I have come to believe that our greatest
personal asset is not our car, house, retire-
ment plan, or even the size of our bank ac-
8. Start or join a group that centers around count, rather our largest personal asset are
a common interest such as gardening, the relationships that we possess. So, invest
cooking, hiking, etc. in this asset regularly and liberally, and you
will be blessed with health and happiness
all the days of your life. I challenge you to
9. Re-activate previous relationships that seize the opportunity each day to build in-
you may have allowed to die. Re-connect tentional healthy relationships.
with old friends and relatives that you
may not have spoken with for a long time. Scan this QR code to
watch an in-depth
video presentation on
It is positively good for your health to this topic.
take a moment of your time to share with

Sources:
1
[Link] Observational and Experimental Evidence. J Soc Pers 26:73-92.
2
NY Post April 30, 2019. [Link] 6
Kiecolt-Glaser JK, et al. (2002). Emotions, Morbidity and Mortality: New Perspectives From
no-one-to-confide-in/ Psycho-Immunology. Annu Rev Psychol 53:83-107.
3
House, JS, Landis, KR, Umberson D (1988). Social Relationships and Health. Science 7
Brummett BH, et al. (2001) Characteristics of Socially Isolated Patients with Coronary
241(4865)540-5. Artery Disease who are at Elevated Risk for Mortality. Psychosom Med 63: 267-72.
4
Umberson, D, Moutez JK. (2010). Social Relationships and Health: A Flashpoint for Health 8
Luchetti M. et al. (2020), June 22). The Trajectory of Loneliness in Response to Covid-19.
Policy. J Health Soc Behav; 51(5) S54-566. Am Psychol. Advance online publication. [Link]
5
Ertel KA, et al. (2009). Social Networks and Health: A Life Course Perspective Integrating 9
White, EG. In Heavenly Places, p. 207. Review and Herald Publishing Assn. 1967.
 By Paul M. Balbach, FNP, NP-C

A
nxiety, stress, and fear. How can we handle
them and prevent them from being con-
sumed by them? How can we counteract their
negative effects on our immune system and
health?
Anxiety is gripping our nation and the world due
to the pandemic, natural disasters, economic insecu-
rity, and social deterioration. To escalate the problem,
news and social media are flooded with the latest sto-
ries of devastation, disease, and death. All of this neg-
ativity is causing a significant impact on the mental
health of individuals and families. Is there something
you can do to reduce your stress, with its harmful ef-
fects on health, and maintain a positive attitude in
these challenging times?

The solution
The Bible offers God as the solution for our dilemma
and His promises to help us face the future with faith
and hope. Jesus speaks of our time, “Men’s hearts failing
them for fear, and for looking after those things which
are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall
be shaken” (Luke 21:26 AKJV). But the next passage
says, “And then shall they see the Son of man coming
in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these
things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up
your heads; for your redemption [draws near].”1
Whether you are overwhelmed with fear or filled
with faith and hope depends on where is your focus?
If your focus is on natural disasters, on the pandemic,
or on economic insecurity your heart will be filled
with fear, but Jesus says, “Look up.” When we look
to Heaven’s sanctuary, we see Jesus and discover the
strength of His promises. In Christ we find confidence,
and our hearts are filled with faith because He loves
us with an everlasting love.
We do not fear because Jesus is always by our side
no matter what we must go through.
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I
am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”2
50 | LifeSource—FreshStart Your Immunity

Science proves health benefits of trust • Improving management of stress, illness,

Did you know that science proves the chronic pain.
health benefits of trusting God? Research • Creating positive emotions—happiness,
studies show numerous mental and physical hope, positivity.
health benefits for people who have faith in • Providing a purpose and meaning in life.
God and attend church. Evidence from over • Improving self-worth.
1,200 studies and 400 reviews, shows signif- • Helping with depression, anxiety, and
icant health benefits for people of faith who some mood disorders.
are involved in organized religion. Especially, • Improving balanced thinking.
persons with physical disease have greater • Decreasing suicide cases and attempts up
needs, but these needs may be met by trust- to 80%.
ing in God. These benefits include improved
health, longer life, improved coping, as well Perhaps you need to make lifestyle chang-
as improved quality of life.3 es such as lose weight, lower your blood
Research studies confirm that spiritual- pressure, or blood sugars, but have not been
ity is so powerful it helps persons cope with successful in the past. Have you considered
stress. Spirituality protects people from heart that the power to change may need to come
disease and cancer, lowers blood pressure, from without rather than from within? Con-
and strengthens immunity. Studies show that sider that science is now discovering what
people of faith have increased positivity and the Scriptures revealed thousands of years
optimism. What provides all these benefits? ago: “Blessed is that man that makes the
Just three words–faith in God. A compilation Lord his trust.”7
of multiple research articles shows the many The physical and social health benefits of
health benefits of religion and spirituality. Reli- trusting God, praying, and attending church
gious people have a “Someone” to go to with are listed below:8
all their worries, cares, and stresses. Based on a
large body of evidence-based research, these • Improved sleep.
persons can enjoy improved mental health, • Decreased anxiety, panic attacks, and stress.
and adapt to adverse health situations more • Improved mood, happiness, joy, and peace.
easily than others. The benefits of trust also in- • Positive relationships with others in 87%
clude the body’s reaction to diseases and how of people studied.
it responds to treatment.4 • Decreased substance abuse in 86% of
This should not be a surprise because people.
in the Psalms we read: “Commit your way • Improved interpersonal relationships,
to the Lord; trust also in Him, and He shall empathy, and compassion.
bring it to pass.”5 When we give our plans, • Decreased crime.
worries, and health problems to God, and • Improved marital stability.
believe that He will help us, then we can • Improved respect, social support, and so-
stop worrying. This verse states that when cial interaction.
we trust God, He will “bring it to pass.” Bring • Smoking cessation, increased physical ac-
what to pass? He will help us pass through tivity, and improved dietary choices.
our current difficulties, stressors, or family
conflicts. Whatever it may be, when we have Effects on immunity
faith in Him, “He will bring it to pass!” What is the relationship between our men-
Dr. Harold Koenig, from Duke Universi- tal state, religious involvement, and immuni-
ty, has made it his lifework to study religion ty? Studies have connected emotional stress
and health. He shows the following mental to the development of the common cold9 and
benefits for people who are spiritual and re- the incidence of infectious diseases in gener-
ligious:6 al. Other research has linked religious involve-
 Trust: Faith Over Fear | 51

ment to lower levels of inflammatory cyto- own understanding; in all your ways acknowl-
kines (a molecule secreted by immune cells edge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”13
that promotes inflammation) and markers We need to trust God with our finances, our
of immune dysregulation.10 One compelling family, our worries, the pandemic, and the fu-
study showed that persons living with HIV, ture—trust Him with everything.
who have used religious coping after their di- Next time when problems overwhelm you,
agnosis, suffered significantly less decline in read Philippians 4:6, 7 in the Scriptures. “Be
their CD4 cell counts (important white blood anxious for nothing, but in everything by
cells for fighting infection), and had a slow- prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving,
er progression of the disease over four years let your requests be made known to God; and
than those who did not.11 the peace of God, which surpasses all under-
standing, will guard your hearts and minds
You can trust Him through Christ Jesus.”14 Then tell yourself, “I
As we have seen, research studies show a am not going to be anxious about this prob-
strong correlation between trusting in God lem. I will tell God about it in prayer.” After all,
and experiencing far-reaching mental, phys- God has over 1,000 solutions that you know
ical, and social health benefits. You can trust nothing about, so why don’t you trust Him?
God, the Creator of the universe with all your
anxieties and fears. He loves you and cares Start getting the benefits today
about your health and every detail of your life. Although the world we live in may be full
To trust God means to have faith in Him. Faith of troubles and problems, you can have faith
is trusting God as your best friend. Believing over fear because God has revealed the future
that you are not a speck of cosmic dust, but to us. We know Jesus is coming again, and we
that you have been created by a loving God want to be ready to meet Him. “Let not your
who wants to help you in health, sickness, joy, heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe
and sorrow in being the best version of you. also in Me. In My Father’s house are many
mansions; if it were not so, I would have told
Overcome fear with faith you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go
Anxiety and worry are states of mistrust and prepare a place for you, I will come again
that had led to many dangerous conse- and receive you to Myself; that where I am,
quences ranging from drug addiction to there you may be also.”15
suicide. They may lead to high blood pres- Now is the time to build a trusting rela-
sure, heart disease, and even cancer. Anxiety tionship with God by talking to Him daily in
is more prevalent than ever, but the good prayer and learning His will by reading His
news is there is a prescription for anxiety in word–the Bible. Your mental, physical, emo-
the Bible! It says, “Casting all your [anxiety] tional, and spiritual health benefits are just 3
upon Him for He cares for you.”12 What does words away–Faith in God!
that mean? Take your eyes off the situations
and people that make you anxious and tell Scan this QR code to
God all about your troubles. Then trust that watch an in-depth
He will take care of you. video presentation on
What can you trust God with? “Trust in the this topic.
Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your

Sources:
1
Luke 21:26–28, AKJV. 6
Koenig HG, McCullough ME, Larson, DB. Handbook of Religion function in older adults. Int J Psychiatry Med. 27(3): 233-50
2
Isaiah 41:10, NKJV. and Health. Oxford University Press, 2001. 11
Ironson G et al. An increase in religiousness/spirituality occurs
3
Mueller PS, Plevak DJ, Rummans TA. Religious involvement, 7
Psalm 40:4 NKJV. after HIV diagnosis and predicts slower disease progression
spirituality, and medicine: implications for clinical 8
Koenig HG, McCullough ME, Larson, DB. Handbook of Religion over 4 years in people with HIV. J Gen Intern Med 2006 Dec; 21
practice. Mayo Clin Proc. 2001 Dec;76(12):1225-35. doi: and Health. Oxford University Press, 2001 Suppl 5: S62-8
10.4065/76.12.1225. PMID: 11761504. 9
Cohen S et al. (1991).Psychological stress and susceptibility to 12
1 Peter 5:7, NKJV.
4
Koenig HG, McCullough ME, Larson, DB. Handbook of Religion the common cold. NEJM 325(9): 606-12 13
Proverbs 3:5, 6, NKJV.
and Health. Oxford University Press, 2001. 10
Koenig H et al. (1997). Attendance at religious services, 14
Philippians 4:5, 6, NKJV.
5
Psalm 37:5, NKJV. interleukin-6, and other biological parameters of immune 15
John 14:1–3, NKJV.
52 | LifeSource—FreshStart Your Immunity

Layered Rainbow Salad | By Diane Baer

Ingredients:

4 cups spinach 1 cup cucumber, chopped 2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped 1 cup broccoli (raw or steamed) 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped 1 15 oz. can lentils, drained and rinsed Salt to taste
2 carrots chopped ¼ cup sunflower seeds

Assemble the Salad:

1. Layer all vegetables in a bowl and top with lentils and seeds.
2. Mix the lemon juice, olive oil, sea salt, and red pepper in a small bowl.
3. Drizzle dressing over the salad. Serves 4.

Vegan Spinach Lasagna | By Ana Lucia Souza

Ingredients:

1 lb. lasagna noodles Tofu-Basil Ricotta ½ cup fresh basil, finely chopped
1 large package spinach, steamed 16-ounces firm tofu, well-drained ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
and chopped or 1 cup mushrooms, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice Directions:
or 2 small zucchinis ¼ cup vegan mayonnaise (optional) 1. Remove moisture from tofu with a paper towel.
2 cloves garlic, pressed 2. Mash tofu until creamy like ricotta. Combine with
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes cashew sauce and mix well.
 53
White sauce
1 ½ cups of cashews Directions:
4 cups of water 1. Blend all ingredients in the blender until very smooth. Place cashew cream in a saucepan.
salt to taste on low heat.
4 cloves of garlic 2. Stir constantly until it boils. Turn off.
½ cup nutritional yeast flakes 3. Mix spinach with the cashew sauce.

Red sauce
6 tomatoes peeled 1 cup of tomato sauce (optional)
4 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon oil Directions:
2 teaspoons oregano 1. Blend the tomato mixture in the blender until creamy. Do not cook the sauce.
salt to taste

To assemble:

Preheat oven to 375°F

Layer the ingredients as follows:

1. 1 cup tomato sauce. Cooked lasagna noodles. Tofu-Basil

Ricotta. White sauce.
2. Lasagna noodles. 1 cup red sauce. Tofu-basil ricotta.
Vegetables. White sauce.
3. Lasagna noodles. 1 cup red sauce. Tofu-basil ricotta.
Vegetables. White sauce.
4. Lasagna noodles. Red sauce. Drizzle with remaining white
sauce.
5. Bake lasagna at 375°F (190°C) for 45–50 minutes covered
with foil.

Roasted Vegetables | By Liliane Balbach

1 small butternut or other squash, cubed 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

Ingredients:

2 red bell peppers, seeded and diced 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
3 potatoes, cubed 2 tablespoons olive oil
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed 2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 red onion, quartered Salt to taste
1 pound firm tofu, cubed (optional) 2 tablespoons chicken-style seasoning

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F (245°C).

2. Dry tofu with paper towels. Cut in cubes. Mix with chicken-style seasoning and a little
salt. Let it marinate while you prepare veggies.
3. Cut vegetables into medium-large chunks. Combine squash, red bell peppers, sweet
potato, and potatoes in a large bowl. Separate the onion quarters into pieces and add
them to the mixture.
4. In a small bowl, stir together thyme, rosemary, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt. Toss with
vegetables until they are coated. Spread evenly on a large roasting pan.
5. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven, stirring every 10 minutes, or until
vegetables are cooked through and browned. Serves 12.
 Ingredients: Maria’s Lithuanian Borscht | By Marline Balbach

1 tablespoon water or canola oil 3 teaspoons salt

1 large onion, chopped 8 cups of water
1 crushed clove garlic 4 bay leaves
6 medium potatoes, diced 3-4 cups cooked beets, peeled and shredded

Directions:

1. Sauté the onion and garlic in a soup pot with 1 tablespoon water or oil.
2. Add diced potatoes. Do not add water. Turn on medium-low. Cover and let it simmer 10-15 minutes. Stir occasionally.
3. Add 8 cups water, bay leaves, and shredded beets.
4. Bring to a boil. Turn on medium. Cook for about 45 minutes.
5. Add up to ¼ cup fresh lemon juice or to taste.
6. Add plant-based sour cream or yogurt. Serves 4-6.

Fresh Kale Salad | By Liliane Balbach

Ingredients:

⅓ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice ⅓ cup raw sunflower seeds

3 tablespoons Braggs liquid aminos or soy sauce 7 cups fresh kale, finely chopped
⅓ cup juice from 1 can of black olives 4 green onions chopped
½ teaspoon garlic powder or 1 large clove, chopped. 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 teaspoon onion powder ½ cup sliced black olives
1 cup red bell pepper, diced.
 55

Directions:

1. To make the dressing, combine the first 5

ingredients in a jar and shake.
2. Toss kale, olives, corn, peppers, scallions in a
large bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad
and stir to mix. Allow the salad to marinate
about an hour or overnight.
3. Just before serving, add the sunflower seeds
and red bell pepper. Makes 8 cups.

Cream of Mushroom Soup | By Mariola Dumitru

Ingredients:

1/2 cup onions, chopped 1/2 cup leeks, finely chopped Salt to taste
3 garlic cloves, minced 1/4 cup chopped parsley 1 cup cashews, soaked for a few hours
1 cup celery, chopped 6 cups of sliced mushrooms 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
1/2 cup carrots, peeled and chopped 1 tablespoon of McKay’s seasoning

Directions:

1. Blend soaked cashews with 1 cup of

water until creamy.
2. Sauté onions and garlic in a few
tablespoons of water until onions are
transparent.
3. Add carrots, celery, leeks, parsley,
and seasonings. Sauté for a few more
minutes.
4. Add mushrooms and enough water to
cover the vegetables.
5. Bring soup to a boil until all the
vegetables are well cooked.
6. Add arrowroot powder or corn starch
dissolved in 1/2 cup of water.
7. Simmer for 5 or more minutes and turn
off the burner.
8. Add blended cashew cream.
9. Serve with finely chopped green onions
and garlic bread!
 Ingredients: Quinoa-Black Bean Bowl | By Liliane Balbach

Quinoa ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

1 cup quinoa, red or multi-colored ½ teaspoon cumin Juice of half a lime
2 cups water ½ teaspoon chili powder 2 tablespoons cilantro or parsley, chopped

Directions:
1. Rinse and drain quinoa. Bring water to a boil over high heat.
2. When water is boiling, reduce heat to medium and add quinoa.
3. Cover pot and simmer until water is absorbed, about 15-20 minutes. Add salt.
Ingredients:

Sweet Potatoes 1 teaspoon olive oil ½ teaspoon chili powder

2 large sweet potatoes, diced ¼ teaspoon cumin ¼ teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.

2. Peel the potatoes, cube them, and toss in a bowl with spices and olive oil.
3. Place an even layer on the baking sheet. Roast them for 20 minutes or until tender but still firm.
Ingredients:

Cashew Cream Drizzle Juice of 1 lime

1/2 cup raw cashews, washed ¼ cup of cilantro or parsley, chopped
½ cup water Pinch of salt, chili powder and garlic powder

Directions:

1. Blend all the above ingredients until smooth.

To assemble the Bowls:

1. 2-3 cups of black beans canned

or freshly cooked.
2. Divide the quinoa into 4 bowls.
Place the black beans to one
side of the bowl, and sweet
potatoes on the other. Drizzle
with cashew cream on top.
3. This recipe can be made
quickly if the quinoa and beans
are cooked a day before.
4. Makes 4 servings.
 Veggie Patch Tabouleh Salad |
57

By Marline Balbach

Ingredients: 1 cup bulghur wheat 1 cup boiling water 1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Cover the bulghur wheat with boiling water. Add salt.

2. Let it sit for one hour.

Chop and mince the following vegetables:

3 cups parsley, finely chopped (add fresh peppermint or basil to the mix) 3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup cucumber, finely diced 1 ½ teaspoon salt
½ cup red, yellow, or orange pepper 2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tomatoes, diced ¼ teaspoon coriander
½ cup onion, finely diced 1 garlic clove, minced
3 green onions, finely sliced dash of cayenne
½ cup chopped avocado

Secret tips to a good tabouleh salad:

1. Mix the rehydrated bulghur with all the diced vegetables.

2. The secret to a good tabouleh salad is that the bulghur wheat is not too soggy.
3. Use lots of minced parsley, but not too much tomato.
4. The salad tastes best when refrigerated for 1 hour.
5. Consume salad within 24 hours. Serves 6 people.
6. Serve salad with lentils, brown rice, and hummus with pita bread.
 Ingredients: Golden Sauce | By Liliane Balbach

1 ½ cups water 1 teaspoon olive oil

1 cup potatoes, diced ½ teaspoon onion powder
½ cup carrots, diced 1 small clove garlic, optional
1 teaspoon sea salt 1 tablespoon chicken-style seasoning
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
lemon juice

Directions:

1. Place water, carrots, and salt into boiling water. Cook about 10 minutes until
soft, but not mushy.
2. Put potato-carrot mixture with water into blender; add lemon juice, chicken-
style seasoning, oil, and yeast flakes. Blend until smooth and creamy.
3. Serving suggestion: great topping for patties, pilaf, roasts, and steamed
vegetables.

Oatmeal Nut Roast | By Heidy Silva

1 onion diced 1 tablespoon onion powder

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil or 1 tablespoon vegetable broth 4 cups water

1 1/2 teaspoon basil 1/2 cup Braggs liquid aminos or soy sauce
1 teaspoon oregano 4 cups quick oats
⅓ cup nutritional yeast flakes 1 cup chopped nuts (cashews are best)
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. Sauté onion and nuts until translucent. Add seasonings and mix well. Let it cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add liquids and bring to a boil. Add oats and let boil for 5 minutes. Pour into mold and let it sit for 1 hour.
4. Bake at 375°F degrees for 45 minutes.
5. Variation: Add some frozen corn, diced celery, roasted bell peppers, and olives for added flavor and visual appeal.
6. Use this roast recipe to make burgers, or meatless meatballs for spaghetti.
7. Best when served the next day, but if it must be eaten immediately, allow roast to cool for 20-30 minutes.
 Green Smoothie |
59
Ingredients: By Susan Lausevic

1 banana 1 tablespoon chia seeds

1 pear 1 tablespoon flax seeds
1 apple 3 cups kale leaves, chopped
1 cup chopped pineapple 2 cups water

Directions:

1. Place the ingredients into the blender in the order given.

2. Add water. Blend well till creamy.