THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM & EIGHT LAWS

GODLY TRUST
“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart...It shall be health to thy navel...”
Pro.3.5&8

Stress has a great deal to do with good digestion, stress tends to inhibit digestive juices from being secreted
which retards digestion, and this leads to food either putrefying (if it is protein) or fermenting (if it is
carbohydrates). When under high emotional or physical stress a fast may be an appropriate remedy for the
sufferer, as food that is not absorbed becomes a poison in the system, and has to be gotten rid of.

In the Bible we read of examples where stress brought about periods of abstinence from food

2nd Sam.12.15-17 “And Nathan departed unto his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife bare
unto David, and it was very sick. David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and
lay all night upon the earth. And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth:
but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.”

Stress usually comes as a result of our sins, someone else's, or an unexpected circumstance or event. Stress is
centered around worry, and can be caused by an over-active imagination. An abiding trust in God will help us
keep our focus on today and not on the problems of tomorrow. Read Matt. 6.34.

AIR
“The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly. “
Pro.20.27

“Fresh air will purify the blood, refresh the body, and help to make it strong and healthy. The invigoration
produced will be reflected upon the mind, imparting to it tone and clearness, as well as a degree of composure
and serenity. It gives a healthful stimulus to the appetite, renders the digestion of food more perfect, and
induces sound, sweet sleep. Living in close, ill-ventilated rooms, weakens the system, makes the mind
gloomy, the skin sallow, and the circulation feeble; the blood moves sluggishly, digestion is retarded…”
CTBH.104.

Fresh air is needed for the digestion of food, as oxygen is needed along with glucose for energy, without which
digestion is retarded.

EXERCISE
“In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou
taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”
Gen.3.19

Exercise is needed for digestion as it increases the oxygen supply, and keeps your eliminative organs doing their
job effectively. Just the simple act of walking will help the peristaltic action of your bowels to move waste along
your colon more rapidly. It is recommended that heavy physical labor or exercise be not after a meal though, as
blood is taken from the stomach which is necessary for digestion. It can also stimulate digestion and give you
more of an appetite.

Neither study nor violent exercise should be engaged in immediately after a full meal; this would be a
violation of the laws of the system. Immediately after eating there is a strong draft upon the nervous
energy. The brain force is called into active exercise to assist the stomach; therefore, when the mind or
body is taxed heavily after eating, the process of digestion is hindered. The vitality of the system, which is
needed to carry on the work in one direction, is called away and set to work in another. CDF 103.
Exercise promotes intestinal activity, reducing gas and constipation. A leisurely stroll after every meal is great!
Exercise raises the circulation rate which helps to lift blood back to the heart from the digestive organs. It clears
out the lymphatic system ready for the chyle.

SUNSHINE
“Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy
righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward.”
Isa.58.8

Sunshine stimulates the liver which has a multitude of functions; one of which is to secrete bile into the
stomach. The salts contained in the bile act like a detergent to emulsify fat, that is to break up fat into small
droplets that can be digested and can be acted upon more effectively by digestive enzymes. Bile also acts in the
absorption of fat from the small intestine.

Sunshine stimulates the beta cells to produce insulin. Sunshine also stimulates the production of glycogen
synthetase, which takes glucose from the blood and stores it as glycogen in the liver.

Sunlight has the ability to penetrate into the organs and affect each cell. It increases appetite, peristalsis,
production of digestive juices, production of enzymes, hormone balance etc.

It aids in the whole process of digestion – assimilation, elimination, and the internal metabolism. It is good also
for even belly aches, - just lay down in the sun with your shirt up for a few minutes and put it to the test. Avoid
however full-body exposure to the sunshine half an hour before and after the meal, as the suns energy can alter
your own energy balance and interfere with digestion.

Stomach ulcers and bowel cancers can be greatly assisted by sunlight.

REST
“When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I
trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble.”
Hab.3.16

Rest for the stomach is just as needful than the rest that our muscles need from physical labor. Rest is needed
between meals for the stomach to be strengthened for its next onslaught of food. How long should we wait
before we eat the next meal?

“In many cases the faintness that leads to a desire for food is felt because the digestive organs have been too
severely taxed during the day. After disposing of one meal, the digestive organs need rest. At least five or six
hours should intervene between the meals, and most persons who give the plan a trial will find that two meals
a day are better than three.” Ministry of Healing 304.

We also need to consider that while we sleep we need to have our stomach in a restful condition too, which
means an empty stomach, as during sleep the body is busy in repairing tissue, cleaning up, repairing cells and
eliminating waste. Eating late at night adds an unreasonable load to these organs, which eventually wear them
out, because they can’t have their nightly grease and oil change!

Every time the stomach churns as it mixes and digests the food, the nervous system ‘wakes up’, resulting in
raising us momentarily out of our sleep. This interruption affects the quality of sleep so much that on average a
person who would need only 6-7 hours sleep to be fully rested, needs 8-9 hours sleep if they have a late meal!
Some researchers believe that every time the stomach churns, we turn in our sleep. If you have disturbed sleep,
leave off the evening meal completely or have a piece of fruit only.
 WATER
“He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.”
John.7.38

Drinking at Meals.
“Taken with meals, water diminishes the flow of the salivary glands; and the colder the water the greater
the injury to the stomach. Ice water or iced lemonade, drunk with meals, will arrest digestion until the system
has imparted sufficient warmth to the stomach to enable it to take up its work again.” HL.089.

“The more liquid there is taken into the stomach with the meals, the more difficult it is for the food to
digest; for the liquid must first be absorbed. Do not eat largely of salt; give up spiced pickles; keep fiery food
out of the stomach; eat fruit with the meals, and the irritation that calls for so much drink will cease to
exist. But if anything is needed to quench thirst, pure water is all that nature requires. Never take tea, coffee,
beer, wine, or any spirituous liquor.” CDF 420.

HYDROLYSIS:

When the building blocks are being put back together to build a more complex molecule, a water molecule is
removed where the blocks are to be joined together. Not enough water results in an inability to produce all of
the millions of different products needed throughout the body each second!!!

Water is needed for proper digestion although that which we add in excess of that which the body needs for
digestion is just going to retard and hamper its work. This teaches us a very important spiritual truth; that we
should not water down the truth that we swallow or it will retard the work of God to make that Word a part of us
and be assimilated properly.

The gastrointestinal tract requires water for lubrication which helps the food pass through easier. A good
example of this is swallowing. Have you ever had a dry throat and tried to swallow? In the Bible Jesus
anointed a man’s eyes with spittle (saliva), Mark 8.23, which is representative of the Holy Spirit, Acts 10.38. In
order for us to break down the spiritual food we need the anointing of the Holy Spirit, which will help us to
swallow the truth.

TEMPERANCE
“Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly
things.)”
Phil.3.19

NUTRITION
“And he said unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee.
Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness.”
Eze.3.3

Persons who have indulged their appetite to eat freely of meat, highly seasoned gravies, and various kinds of
rich cakes and preserves, cannot immediately relish a plain, wholesome, nutritious diet. Their taste is so
perverted they have no appetite for a wholesome diet of fruits, plain bread, and vegetables. They need not expect
to relish at first food so different from that in which they have been indulging. If they cannot at first enjoy plain
food, they should fast until they can. That fast will prove to them of greater benefit than medicine, for the
abused stomach will find the rest which it has long needed, and real hunger can be satisfied with a plain diet. It
will take time for the taste to recover from the abuses it has received, and to gain its natural tone. But
perseverance in a self-denying course of eating and drinking will soon make plain, wholesome food palatable,
and it will be eaten with greater satisfaction than the epicure enjoys over his rich dainties.-- HL.093.

“Cheese should never be introduced into the stomach.” HL.094.

“It is impossible for those who give the reins to appetite to attain to Christian perfection. The moral sensibilities
of your children cannot be easily aroused, unless you are careful in the selection of their food. Many a mother
sets a table that is a snare to her family. Flesh-meats, butter, cheese, rich pastry, spiced foods, and condiments
are freely partaken of by both old and young. These things do their work in deranging the stomach, exciting the
nerves, and enfeebling the intellect. The blood-making organs cannot convert such things into good blood. The
grease cooked in the food renders it difficult of digestion. The effect of cheese is deleterious. Fine-flour bread
does not impart to the system the nourishment that is to be found in unbolted wheat bread. Its common use will
not keep the system in the best condition. Spices at first irritate the tender coating of the stomach, but finally
destroy the natural sensitiveness of this delicate membrane. The blood becomes fevered, the animal propensities
are aroused, while the moral and intellectual powers are weakened, and become servants to the baser passions.
The mother should study to set a simple yet nutritious diet before her family.” CTBH.046.

“Because we, from principle, discard the use of those things which irritate the stomach and destroy health, the
idea should never be given that it is of little consequence what we eat. I do not recommend an impoverished
diet. Many who need the benefits of healthful living, and from conscientious motives adopt what they believe to
be such, are deceived by supposing that a meager bill of fare, prepared without painstaking, and consisting
mostly of mushes and so-called gems, heavy and sodden, is what is meant by a reformed diet. Some use milk
and a large amount of sugar on mush, thinking that they are carrying out health reform. But the sugar and milk
combined are liable to cause fermentation in the stomach, and are thus harmful.” CTBH.056.

“Spices at first irritate the tender coating of the stomach, but finally destroy the natural sensitiveness of this
delicate membrane. The blood becomes fevered, the animal propensities are aroused, while the moral and
intellectual powers are weakened, and become servants to the baser passions.”-- HL.093.

“Those who would have clear minds to discern Satan's devices, must have their physical appetites under the
control of reason and conscience. The moral and vigorous action of the higher powers of the mind are essential
to the perfection of Christian character…” 2RED.057.