The Biblical prescription for health and healing 3,000 years ago would definitely make the NY Times Bestseller List today in 2017. Why? Because all the latest scientific studies suggest a diet that was basically prescribed centuries ago in the Bible. For the Jews, cleanliness is equated with godliness. There are 613 commandments and prohibitions in the Bible, and no less than 213 of those are regarding health. The Israelites were commanded to be clean—both physically and morally. Physical cleanliness was akin to moral and spiritual cleaning.
Certainly, we need to consider the Laws of Kasruth—the Jewish Dietary Laws. They emphasize the importance of the cleanliness of food by specifically prohibiting the consumption of bottom feeders like shellfish and pork—still a repository of the parasite trichinosis and one of the most allergen-producing and immune-suppressing foods in our modern-day diet.
For years, I have been particularly puzzled by the biblical directive in Deuteronomy that states: “Thou shalt not seethe a kid in its mother’s milk.” Thanks to the latest research, I think I can better understand why “thou shalt not seethe a kid in its mother’s milk.” Since meat provides a highly absorbable type of iron and milk interferes with iron absorption because of its lactoferrin, mixing meat with milk would impair the growth of the developing child since iron is so necessary for brain function and red blood cell formation.
So, let’s journey back to the future—and see what people ate during Biblical times and how applicable the wisdom recorded in the Bible is for those of us today.
Consider this if you will: The fruits and vegetables consumed by the tribes of Israel provided more potent disease and age-defying antioxidants than the most commonly consumed produce today; the bible clearly prescribes “grass-fed” livestock, not grain fed; the Bible gives beans and lentils the Biblical seal of approval; the ancient Israelites experienced very low rates of both osteoporosis and arthritis because of an unusually high concentration of a trace minerals in their soil; the “bitter herbs” featured in the Bible are noteworthy miracle drugs, antibiotics that perhaps may have the ability to save mankind from plagues like the Avian Bird flu; and the Bible promoted detoxification—the missing link to health and healing.
In Deuteronomy 8:8, there is a description of the promised land, the land of Canaan where the modern-day Israel is now located. This land was described as a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depth that spring out of valleys and hills; a land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey; “a land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it.”
The pomegranate is a biblical superfood that has achieved superstar status today. It is widely considered to be the original apple that Eve ate in the Garden of Eden. The extraordinary medicinal properties of pomegranates were recently published in The Journal of the National Cancer Institute. They are widely believed to provide health benefits regarding cancer prevention and in the reduction of cardiovascular diseases. In The Journal of the National Cancer Institute it was stated that pomegranates can “punch all the right mechanical buttons to kill a tumor cell.” Today, you see pomegranates and pomegranates juice advertised everywhere. Instead of martinis we drink pometinis.
Plant foods consumed in Biblical days like pomegranates, figs, apples, and dates rank exceedingly high on the ORAC Scale—which is a measure of the anti-oxidant values of various plant foods and therefore the most valued food to prevent heart disease, cancer, and aging.
ORAC stands for Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity. The foods which are the highest on the scale include figs, apple peels, grape skins (which protect against blood vessel disease and hypertension), pomegranates (which provide antioxidants that inhibit the formation of cholesterol plaques in artery walls), garlic (the antibiotic activity of 1 milligram of garlic extract is equivalent to 15 units of penicillin), barley, and whole grains (the modern day Ezekiel 4:9 bread you find in health food stores is based upon the Ezekiel bread of the bible made from sprouted wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet and spelt). Some of the lowest on the on the ORAC scale include popular picks like iceberg lettuce, French fries, bananas, orange juice and onions.
There’s more to this story. Check back next week for The Biblical Prescription for Health and Healing: Part 2. In the meantime, you too can harness the power of ancient healing foods and treat your body to a daily detox with The NEW Fat Flush Plan—a full update of the New York Times Bestseller.