Appendix 1

Health & Medical statements found in The Ministry of Healing (M. of H.), 1905 Spiritual Gifts Volume 4 (S. G.), 1864

Score - Verified

VII. PROPER DIET

This is the largest section in the book and, in modern medical thinking, a major factor influencing degenerative disease. Improper eating not only produces malnutrition, but also is of major importance for longevity in the developed world. It probably is close to the importance of smoking on health.

What 25 – Simple Food R 40 G 45 A 132 C 31 J 53 K 81

M. of H. page 302 – “To make food appetizing and at the same time simple and nourishing, requires skill; but it can be done. Cooks should know how to prepare simple food in a simple and healthful manner, and so that it will be found more palatable, as well as more wholesome, because of its simplicity….. If travelers would eat regularly of food that is simple and nutritious.”

S. G. page 129 – “and be satisfied with plain, simple food.”

Comment – I am not too sure what is meant by simple food. Today it would mean not highly processed or refined foods, with low or no added salt or sugar. However, other writers in the mid19th century, such as Sylvester Graham, meant low in culinary changes, such as cooking, grinding, sifting as well as mixing foods or adding flavors. I have given her full marks for the more general principle that, in many foods, the less there is done to change food the better, e.g. apples are better nutritionally if eaten raw, than cooked, grated or juiced. I have not given a significant score as the extreme that was meant by this term at the time was too encompassing.

M. of H. pages 296 - “Grains, fruits, nuts, and vegetables ….. These foods, prepared in as simple and natural a manner as possible, are the most healthful and nourishing”

Page 299 – “The various preparations of rice, wheat, corn, and oats ….., also beans, peas, and lentils.”

S. G. page 130 – “a wholesome diet of fruits, plain bread and vegetables.”

Comment – These products contain the healthful fatty acids, fibre, antioxidants and other phytochemicals that are essential to prevent many of the degenerative diseases of western society. These include heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity and more. It is nearly impossible to have sufficient of these essential nutrients if there is more than a minimum of animal originating foods in the diet. None of these were thought essential in the 1960s. In fact the only missing nutrient in vegetable foods is vitamin B12. (Vegetables grown on animal excreta compost or water drunk untreated from a stream are contaminated by vitamin B12 so only Western vegetarians are at risk.) The World Health Organisation considers low fruit and vegetable in the diet causes 3.9% in the loss of health in developed counties.

The Victorian Burden of Disease Study rated a low fruit and vegetable intake as causing a loss of 2.2% of years lost from healthy active life.

Score – Significant (1960 – Unverified)

Why 23 - Grains, Fruit, Nuts and Vegetables (What 26)

M. of H. page 296 – “These foods, (grain, fruit, nuts and vegetables) prepared in as simple and natural a manner as possible, are the most healthful and nourishing”

1869, Testimonies for the Church Vol. 2, page 399 – “Fruits and grains, prepared in the most simple form, are the most healthful, and will impart the greatest amount of nourishment to the body, and, at

Appendix 1

Health & Medical statements found in The Ministry of Healing (M. of H.), 1905 Spiritual Gifts Volume 4 (S. G.), 1864

the same time, not impair the intellect.”

Comment – There were grave doubts in the 1960s that this was a suitable diet. Now it is not only acknowledged as a suitable diet, but is regarded as a superior diet. Only one nutrient, vitamin B12, is deficient.

Why 24 – Better for Stomach and Taste (What 26)

M. of H. page 298 – “Persons who have accustomed themselves to a rich, highly stimulating diet (meat and spices) have an unnatural taste, and they cannot at once relish food that is plain and simple. It will take time for the taste to become natural and for the stomach to recover from the abuse it has suffered.”

S. G. page 130 – “It will take time for the taste to recover from the abuses which it has received, and to gain its natural tone. ….The stomach is not fevered with meat, and overtaxed, but is in a healthy condition, and can readily perform its task.”

Comment – There is no difference to the stomach in handling meat or vegetable foods except that high fat and protein foods are slower to digest, but this has no effect on health. The adjustment of the taste is a psychological change and not a physical one.

Score – Unverified

Why 25 – Endurance & Strength (What 26)

M. of H. page 296 – “They (grain, fruit, nuts and vegetables) impart a strength, a power of endurance, and a vigor of intellect that are not afforded by a more complex and stimulating diet (meat).”

Page 316 – “It is a mistake to suppose that muscular strength depends on the use of animal food. The needs of the system can be better supplied, and more vigorous health can be enjoyed, without its use.”

1884, Counsels on Diet and Food, page 407 – “But they will have greater powers of endurance if they abstain from meat than if they subsist largely upon it.”

Comment – There is an increase in endurance, but not strength, mental vigor or effect upon passion in those on a vegetarian diet. The increase in endurance was not believed in 1960.

Why 26 – Good Blood (What 26)

M. of H. page 316 – “The grains, with fruits, nuts, and vegetables, contain all the nutritive properties necessary to make good blood. These elements are not so well or so fully supplied by a flesh diet.”

1865, Selected Messages, Book 2, page 420.1, from “How to Live” No. 2 - “Men and women, by indulging the appetite with rich and highly-seasoned foods, especially flesh-meats …. the blood becomes impure”

Comment – Vegans lack vitamin B12 to make blood. In a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet, the eggs and milk provide the vitamin B12. Also the iron is not as well absorbed from vegetable sources of food, but most vegetarians have adequate, but not excessive iron levels. Excessive iron levels are a heart disease health risk. Higher cholesterol levels are the main disadvantage of a meat diet.

Score – Unverified

Appendix 1

Health & Medical statements found in The Ministry of Healing (M. of H.), 1905 Spiritual Gifts Volume 4 (S. G.), 1864

Why 27 – Digestion (What 26)

M. of H. page 295 – “It is a wonderful process that transforms the food into blood and uses this blood to build up the varied parts of the body; but this process is going on continually, supplying with life and strength each nerve, muscle, and tissue.”

Comments – By making this statement non-specific Ellen White avoids the error expressed by Graham and Coles, who seems to place the formation of blood as a part of digestion.

Score – Verified

M. of H. page 298 – “Nuts and nut foods are coming largely into use to take the place of flesh meats. With nuts may be combined grains, fruits, and some roots, to make foods that are healthful and nourishing. …. Care should be taken, however, not to use too large a proportion of nuts.” 1899, Letter – “We eat no meat or butter, and use very little milk in cooking. …. but our family think much of the nuts prepared in a variety of ways.”

1902, Testimonies for the Church Vol. 7, page 134 – “I have been instructed that the nut foods are often used unwisely, that too large a proportion of nuts is used,”

Comment – It was not until the end of the 19th century that Ellen White debated the use of nuts. As stated above, this was in response to common usage.

In the 1960s, nuts were regarded as having incomplete proteins and thus were not thought a good meat replacement; but there was no reason Why nuts could not be eaten freely if there was not excess calorie intake. Now nuts are regarded as good nutrition, but being high in fat, should not be eaten in excess. With the mixing of nuts with other sources of protein there are no problems with them being incomplete proteins. Being mono-saturated fats they are now regarded as desirable, but only in modest amounts—a handful a day.

Score – Significant (1960 – Unverified)

Why 28 – Ill Effects of Nuts (What 27)

M. of H. page 298 – “Those who realize ill effects from the use of nut foods may find the difficulty removed by attending to this precaution. (don’t eat a large proportion) It should be remembered, too, that some nuts are not so wholesome as others. Almonds are preferable to peanuts, but peanuts in limited quantities, used in connection with grains, are nourishing and digestible”

Comment - It is hard to fully understand what Ellen White is talking about, but she does not give an adequate reason for restricting the use of nuts. Also it would be totally debatable as to which is the better nut.

Score – Unverified

What 28 – Superfine Flour G 43 A 129 C 32 J 54 K 77 M. of H. page 300 – “superfine white flour is not the best”

S. G. – page 153 - “bread upon our table has been unleavened cakes, made of unbolted wheat-meal” Comment - It was known in the 1960s that a number of nutrients are removed in making white flour, but, other than constipation, no major health problems were associated with white flour.

It is now known that a high fibre diet, as found in whole meal grains, protects against bowel cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Thus even fibre is regarded as a nutrient.

Score – Significant (1960 – Unverified)

Why 29 - Superfine Flour (What 28)

M. of H. page 300 – “Fine-flour bread is lacking in nutritive elements to be found in bread made from the whole wheat. It is a frequent cause of constipation and other unhealthful conditions.”

Appendix 1

Health & Medical statements found in The Ministry of Healing (M. of H.), 1905 Spiritual Gifts Volume 4 (S. G.), 1864

1868, Testimonies for the Church Vol. 2, page 68 – “Fine-flour bread cannot impart to the system the nourishment that you will find in the unbolted wheat bread.”

Comment - This is a true statement.

Score – Verified

What 29 – Mixing Foods G 71 A 130 C 55 (J 52)

M. of H. page 299 – “There should not be a great variety at any one meal, …. It is not well to eat fruit and vegetables at the same meal. …. It is better to have the fruit at one meal and the vegetables at another”

However the general tone on page 297 is for variety – “Nature's abundant supply of fruits, nuts, and grains is ample,” and on page 318 – “Some restrict themselves to a very meager diet, not having sufficient variety to supply the needs of the system, and they suffer in consequence.”

1870, letter – “I do not think such large varieties of fruit are essential,”

1870, Testimonies for the Church Vol. 2, page 368 - “Large quantities of milk and sugar eaten together are injurious.”

Comment - As Mrs. White was having only two meals a day, it would be hard to get variety without mixing foods during each meal. Except for a comment in a letter in 1870 – all the comments about mixing foods were written towards the end of the 19th century.

In the 1960s, it was known that there should be a variety of plant foods eaten at the same time to obtain the essential vitamins and amino acids required for health, especially in a vegetarian.

It is now known that, not only should plant foods be eaten in large amounts, but to prevent degenerative diseases we should eat many of these food types in every meal and every day for the phytochemicals they contain.

Score – Unverified

What 29a – Mixing Foods

S. G. page 153 – “We use fruits and vegetables liberally.”

Comment – In Spiritual Gifts, she expressed this principle much closer to correct.

Score. – Significant

Why 30 – Variety of Foods & Mixing Fruit with Vegetables (What 29)

M. of H. page 299 – “There should not be a great variety at any one meal, for this encourages overeating and causes indigestion.”

Page 299 –“ the use of both will often cause distress and inability to put forth mental effort.” 1897, Healthful Living, page 207 – “So many varieties are introduced into the stomach that fermentation is the result. This condition brings on acute disease, and death frequently follows.” Comments – There is no evidence of this being true. Eating a variety of foods does not in itself

encourage overeating, indigestion, distress or dulling of the mind. Also fermentation does not occur in the stomach or anywhere in the digestive system, nor does mixing foods cause disease or death.

Score – Unverified

Why 31 – Fermentation (What 29)

M. of H. page 301 – “Milk bread does not keep sweet so long after baking as does that made with water, and it ferments more readily in the stomach.”

1890, Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, page 56 – “But the sugar and milk combined are liable to cause fermentation in the stomach, and are thus harmful.”.

Comments - Fermentation requires yeast and yeast cannot survive in the stomach due to the acid and digestive enzymes. No fermentation occurs in the stomach.