Bay Roberts
             Seventh-day Adventist Church

Over the last decade the subject of health has become more and more prominent. Health consciousness has tremendously increased everywhere. Also, many are concerned regarding new sicknesses and diseases that are baffling modern medicine. As a result, many important questions are being asked by individuals. Often the inquiry is made as to what must be done to stay healthy and avoid sickness. Others ask concerning what aspect of health needs to be stressed the most, since this is indeed a very broad subject that enters into many different areas. Surely these queries are quite valid for those in pursuit of healthy bodies and peace of mind.

Conventional medicine with its many different branches is well known by everyone. Preventative medicine and alternative means of healing have also been around for many years and consist of many different aspects which include such areas as natural remedies, wholistic healing, hydrotherapy, homeopathy, reflexology, herbology, and much more. However, one of the most important aspects of health that many people often overlook is the necessity of prevention. What is very much needed by all is a knowledge of how to preserve their bodies from different diseases and ailments and exactly how to keep it functioning at its highest or optimum capability. Thus, while it is true that a prescription or remedy is essential when the need arises, it is more essential to recognize and concentrate on prevention. The logical conclusion is that prevention is better than prescription.

Although all the different departments of health are essential in themselves, most of them are unfortunately more concerned with treatment, cures, healing procedures or techniques, instead of preventing the development of health problems in the first place. The Creator never intended for any of His dear creatures to be sick. Thus God designed all nature in such a way that when His moral and natural laws are obeyed, our bodies, minds, and spirits will be able to continue functioning in a positive and healthy manner at all times.

If the Creator's natural laws of health are consistently incorporated into our lifestyle today, we would seldom, if ever at all, continue to experience sickness. Unfortunately, due to man's disobedience to his Maker, sickness and death have become natural occurrences in life. Hence the use of various prescriptions, treatments, therapies, vitamin and mineral supplements, as well as many different herbs, have only really become essential as a result of man's disobedience. Their increased and ever increasing necessity can be seen in the negative effects of bad diets and other unhealthful practices on the minds and bodies of men and women today.

Surely, a knowledge of such things like herbs and certain natural remedies are very essential to the healing of the mind and body from various diseases and ailments. However, a knowledge of proper health practices and principles that aid in the natural maintenance of the human body will always prove to be more important and extremely essential to our happiness, health, and well-being.

Since the practice of a healthy lifestyle acts as a deterrent from sickness and disease, it is better to possess and promote a knowledge of the laws and principles of good health instead of only knowing about treatments and cures whose need arises as a result of failure to adopt preventative measures on a regular basis. However, again it must be stressed that the different treatments, remedies, cures, etc., have their place, but always remember that 'prevention is better than prescription' as much as 'caution is better than cure.'

All should become aware of the laws of health and promote them as a lifestyle. We should see the need to learn more about the eight natural laws of health, which includes the proper understanding of the effects of nutrition, exercise, water, sunshine, etc. We believe that these laws should constitute the foundation of all our instruction to our children and others in the area of health. By so doing, we can prevent many health problems from arising in the first place.

It should be observed that when a person gets sick and they go to their doctor, the physician often prescribes at least one or more of the eight natural laws to help the person get well (such as the need for more rest, the necessity of drinking plenty of good, clean water, and the need to get out in the sunshine). Thus, it is evident that some medical practitioners also see the need for using some natural means.