Healthful Living

Helpful Suggestions as to Treatment

Regular Habits

693. The stomach must have its regular periods for labor and rest.... With regular habits and proper food, the stomach will gradually recover.... Efforts should be made to preserve carefully the remaining strength of the vital forces, by lifting off every overtasking burden. The stomach may never fully recover health, but a proper course of diet will save further debility, and many will recover more or less, unless they have gone too far in gluttonous self-murder.—How to Live 1:57. HL 169.1

694. A second meal should never be eaten until the stomach has had time to rest from the labor of digesting the preceding meal.—How to Live 1:55. HL 169.2

695. The stomach becomes weary by being kept constantly at work; the remedy such require is to eat less frequently and less liberally, and be satisfied with plain, simple food, eating twice, or, at most, three times a day.—How to Live 1:56. HL 169.3

Rest

696. The stomach must have careful attention. It must not be kept in continual operation. Give this misused and much-abused organ some peace and quiet rest.—Unpublished Testimonies, August 30, 1896. HL 169.4

Exercise

697. Exercise will aid the work of digestion. To walk out after a meal, hold the head erect, put back the shoulders, and exercise moderately, will be a great benefit.... The diseased stomach will find relief by exercise.—Testimonies for the Church 2:530. HL 169.5

Air

698. He has not had the vitalizing air of heaven to help in the work of digestion.—Testimonies for the Church 2:374. HL 170.1

699. Pure, fresh air ... excites the appetite, renders the digestion of food more perfect, and induces sound, sweet sleep.—Testimonies for the Church 1:702. HL 170.2

Bathing

700. Bathing helps the bowels, stomach, and liver, giving energy and new life to each. It also promotes digestion, and instead of the system's being weakened, it is strengthened.—Testimonies for the Church 3:70, 71. HL 170.3

Mental Influence

701. The less the attention is called to the stomach after a meal, the better. If you are in constant fear that your food will hurt you, it most assuredly will. Forget self, and think of something cheerful.—Testimonies for the Church 2:530. HL 170.4

702. At meal-time cast off all care and taxing thought. Do not be hurried, but eat slowly and with cheerfulness, your heart filled with gratitude to God for all his blessings.—Gospel Workers, 174. HL 170.5

703. You eat too much, and then you are sorry, and so you keep thinking upon what you eat and drink. Just eat that which is for the best, and go right away, feeling clear in the sight of Heaven and not having remorse of conscience.—Testimonies for the Church 3:374. HL 170.6