Resources

General Christian Health Resources

Faith and Health Connection is an excellent website that, as the name suggests, emphasizes the relationship between faith and health. It contains a great deal of valuable information about Biblical teaching and modern medical research.

Hope Renewed seeks to help people improve their mental wellness by exploring the integration of the mind, body, and spirit.

Worthy Links – Christian Search Engine includes links to many great Christian sites, including a selection of other sites about health and wellness.

Exercise – Get Moving (Chapter 4 in the book)

Here are a couple of websites detailing the dangers of physical inactivity.  The first is the World Health Organization’s site on Physical Activity.  The second is a summary of a Surgeon General’s Report on Physical Activity and Health.  There are also links to the full report as well, if you are interested in a more in-depth discussion.

And here is a good Time Magazine article on the subject from 2005.

A pedometer can be a fun tool to track the amount of movement that you get and can help motivate you to get more exercise.  Here is a highly-rated Omron pedometer that you might consider.

Moderation and Portion Control (Chapter 6 in the book)

To determine an appropriate caloric intake based on your personal factors (such as gender, age, weight, and fitness level), go to the MyPyramid website of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and click on “Get a Personalized Plan” in the upper left corner.  The MyPyramid website has many other useful features and information as well.

The Portion Teller Plan, by Lisa R. Young, includes great information about proper portion sizing, including guidelines and visuals and sample meal plans.

For practical help in taking the guesswork out of portion sizes, consider the Meal Measure, a simple device that helps to ensure that you are putting proper portion sizes on your plate.

The Complete Book of Food Counts, by Corinne T. Netzer, is a straightforward book that lists the calories and several other qualities (protein, carbs, fat, cholesterol, sodium, and fiber) of an incredible array of foods.

Sleep and Rest (Chapter 8 in the book)

The Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School maintains a very useful sleep website with excellent information about the importance of sleep, how much sleep you need, and how you can make sure that you get enough.

If you prefer a well laid out book on the subject, you can try The Harvard Medical School Guide to a Good Night’s Sleep, by Lawrence Epstein, the President of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

Here is an interesting article describing how too little sleep can lead to weight gain.

Nutrition (Chapter 9 in the book)

A great place to start further exploring better nutrition is the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Nutrition for Everyone website.  This site contains a wealth of good information on basic nutrition, as well as links to valuable information on other health topics.

Another good site with lots of good basic nutrition information, as well as numerous links to other nutrition resources, is the Nutrition page of the MedlinePlus website from the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health.

For a well-organized and more in-depth discussion, consider Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy, a great book about healthy eating by Walter C. Willett.

Reducing Stress (Chapter 10 in the book)

Here is a short document called “Managing Stress” from The Patient Education Institute, Inc. that provides a good overview of the types of stress, the risks it presents, and management techniques.

Here is an excellent and inspirational lecture by professor Randy Pausch about reducing stress through better time management.

Stress Management for Dummies, by Allen Elkin, is a very good book covering a lot of topics related to stress and stress management.

More Exercise (Chapter 11 in the book)

Here is a link to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Physical Activity for Everyone website.  This site includes detailed information about the quantity and type of exercise appropriate for everyone.  Explore the links on the left side of the page for even more information.

For an introduction to more serious exercise, Fitness For Dummies by Suzanne Schlosberg is an excellent resource, covering a broad array of topics related to exercise, fitness, and health.

Forgive Yourself (Chapter 12 in the book)

Here is an interesting discussion of the health benefits of forgiveness from the Mayo Clinic.  Here’s another interesting article on forgiveness.

Total Forgiveness is a nice book by R. T. Kendall explaining that forgiveness is a core message of the gospel.

Forgive for Good, by Dr. Fred Luskin, is another great book on the subject of how and why to forgive, emphasizing the health effects of forgiveness and presenting specific techniques to use.

More Natural, Less Processed Food (Chapter 13 in the book)

If you don’t yet know your way around the kitchen, here are a couple of very good cooking basics books:  How to Boil Water, from the Food Network Kitchens,  and Now You’re Cooking: Everything a Beginner Needs to Know to Start Cooking Today, by Elaine Corn.

Super Natural Cooking: Five Delicious Ways to Incorporate Whole and Natural Foods into Your Cooking, by Heidi Swanson, is (as the title suggests) focused on recipes using healthier ingredients.  Also check out the author’s website, 101 Cookbooks, which includes some interesting articles and lots of great-looking recipes.

Techniques of Healthy Cooking, from the Culinary Institute of America, includes hundreds of recipes, but also lots of great information about diet, nutrition, meal planning, and healthy ingredients.

A Healthier Home (Chapter 14 in the book)

For detailed information about indoor air quality, explore the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Indoor Air Quality website.

For more information about the dangers of carbon monoxide, read the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s Carbon Monoxide Questions and Answers document.

Here is a detailed article from CNN about the new car smell.

Home Safe Home, by Debra Lynn Dadd, is a book that discusses numerous potential health hazards in the home, and recommends specific improvements that you can make.

Homes That Heal, by Athena Thompson, is another good book on the topic.

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