by Todd Elder at Exploring Creation
In modern society, we currently do a great many things against our environement and ourselves in terms of health. Why do I bring this up? First, we were made to be stewards of this world and we have not done well. What was created by the Almighty was good. It has since been cursed because of sin and it has continually been abused and misused through the millenia. Second, because helping people with their health is something I care about. Too many people within family, friends, acquaintances, co-workers, etc are chronically or frequently sick or with some type of pain. This is not how it should be.
Much of this has come about through the past century because of greed and laziness ... we try to find cheaper and easier ways to do things at a cost of pollution and disease. Instead of trying to fix the problem, we have created an incredible medical industry that fights the symptoms of sickness and not the root of the problem. We ignore the simple concept of good health. Sometimes, a modern medical student will likely go through their entire medical training taking courses in medicine (the use of drugs to treat symptoms) and not take even one basic course in health (the best prevention of illness around).
We all know that if we take good care of a car it will run well for years and that if we ignore it or abuse it that within a short time the car will cease to function. It is the same with our bodies. If we take care of it, it feels and operates so much better. And if our environment is clean then it is all the easier to take care of ourselves. Just imagine how long you would last if you decided to never clean the house and the dishes. It would only be a few days before messes started piling up and all the dishes are caked on with old food. We would not want to live in those conditions and that is because we know it promotes disease and sickness.
Our stewardship of the planet comes heavily into play here. We should realize, even as big as this earth is, that we need air and water to live. Yet these are two areas of the planet we have badly polluted. We should take care of our environment as we indiviudally are able. That starts in our own homes, but it extends out from there into our yards, the neighborhood, the city, the state, the nation, and the world. Admittedly, the greatest influence we have is in the local areas close to us, but other levels are possible also. We can have an impact on the political level through voting. We can impact how companies manage our natural resources through our purchases. We ourselves can be more diligent not to just dump our waste chemicals (oil, anti-freeze, etc) out on our lawns.
One of the great dangers around us is air pollution. This is an industrial nation and we produce many forms of air pollution. We do not have to live down wind from an oil refinery to notice a smell in the air because we are all creating pollution. When we drive a car emissions are let out, when we smoke a cigarette many chemicals are let out, even when we buy new furniture we bring some very harsh chemicals into our home (that new carpet or furniture smell can be quite harmful). Our own homes are becoming traps for pollutants as well. Housing is increasingly becoming a sealed environment which encourages the growth of mold, mildew, and fungus because areas remain damp and dark for longer periods of time due to decreased ventilation.
The Chemical hazards we face when at work can be amazing. I have worked in several different jobs and know that firsthand I have come into grease, paint, welding, chemical fertilizers and pesticides, diesel fumes, and the list goes on and on. It is not pleasant and it all adds up. I have felt the difference when I have gotten away from those types of work environments. The scary thing is that many of these same chemicals get into our soil and into our water supplies where it can remain for years.
Our food is becoming hazardous as well. The list of man-made chemicals that are being added to foods grow daily. Many different chemical treatments are made with plants. Hormones and anti-biotics are routinely given to cattle. This includes genetically engineered foods as well because we really do not know what the long term outcome of such tampering is. It does not take long to realize that the more we process the food, the less nourishing it is for our bodies. The Almighty created our food for us and He got it right the first time ... it is again our desire for money and power that make us pursue these alternatives. Again I ask at what cost?
It does take more time, effort, and cost to eat healthy, but the benefits of good health are worth it. Our bodies and our planet are a couple of the few things we will have with us our entire lifetime. I believe that deserves some consideration.