Introduction

Your faith is the key to all of your endeavors, and is especially important in your efforts to improve your health and to lose weight.

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

1 Corinthians 6:19–20

There are many excellent reasons to take good care of your body. You can lessen or avoid entirely the discomfort, pain, and expense associated with many illnesses, diseases, and chronic conditions, both mild and severe. You can feel rested, strong, energetic, and happy on a daily basis, instead of being tired and down. You can enjoy the increased self-esteem and confidence that comes from being in control and from looking and feeling the way you want to. And you can enjoy a higher-quality, longer, and more productive life. Perhaps the best reason, though, for taking good care of yourself is found in the quote above from 1 Corinthians. Your body is not your own – God has placed the Holy Spirit in the temple that is your body, with the instruction to honor God with your body. In this light, good care of your body is an important element of your faith.

Taking proper care of yourself, however, can be challenging. It requires knowledge, discipline, effort, and persistence. But it is an extremely worthwhile endeavor, and you do not have to do it alone. This book will help you to establish a regular practice of prayer to enlist God’s help in meeting health-related goals that you will set for yourself. Moreover, this book provides fundamental and practical information about how to take excellent care of yourself.

Who This Book Is For

Anyone who wants to improve his or her general health. The program described in this book can help you improve your overall health, allowing you to feel better, have more energy, and improve your ability to avoid illness.

Anyone who wants to lose excess weight. Being overweight can lead to various health problems and can harm your self-esteem and confidence, so losing excess weight is a worthwhile goal. In many cases, the changes in diet and lifestyle described in this book can help to bring about the desired changes in weight and size.

Anyone who wants to address specific health concerns. This program may also help with specific health concerns, such as high cholesterol or elevated blood pressure. Many health issues can be significantly improved by using the common-sense approaches outlined in this book. Please note, however, that if you have been diagnosed with or are concerned about any particular condition or disease, it is crucial that you work with your physician to address that condition and to determine the safety and appropriateness of any program, including this one.