I was recently asked a question about the Diamond's book by Won Bae. At the time I didn't have the book, but having acquired it, I have skimmed over the first few chapters. I didn't have to look long or hard to find both good and bad. The negative aspects jumped out almost immediately. In these first couple of posts, I will delineate what I came across and how it is opposed to the health message and diet reform which Adventists have been given.

Rather than use quotes, I have used color to distinguish between quotes from the book, the SOP and the Bible. All that I have written is in green. Page numbers from the book are in parentheses ( ).
Quotes from the book Fit for Life are in black. I have not bothered to emphasize every word and phrase as it was emphasized in the book.
Scripture quotes are in red.
SOP quotes blue

Acknowledgments: . . . and especially to the teachers of Siddha Yoga whose combined efforts helped us make this information available to the public. (p. vii)

There is another thread on the forum which discusses yoga. See SDA Church Issues/Meditation and Yoga.

Natural Hygiene is based on the idea that all the healing power of the universe is within the human body; that nature is always correct and cannot be improved upon. (16)

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases. Psalm 103:2, 3.

And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee. Exodus 15:26

But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings. Malachi 4:2

Some people might be saying right now, "Hey, that's great, I drink my eight glasses of water a day." But in no way will drinking water bring you the success I am referring to. When I say high-water-content food, I am talking about two foods grown on this plants that naturally have a very high water content. Only two foods meet that requirement. They are fruit and vegetables. Anything else you eat is a concentrated food. Concentrated means that the water content as been removed, either by processing or cooking. I am not saying you have to eat exclusively fruits and vegetables to lose the weight you want to lose. What I am saying is that since our bodies are 70 percent water, we should be eating a diet that is approximately 70 percent water content, and that means fruits and vegetables should predominate in our diets. The other 30 percent will consist of the concentrated foods: breads, grains, meat, dairy products, legumes, and so on. (29)

Food combining teaches this: the human body is not designed to digest more that one concentrated food in the stomach at the same time. . . Potato is a vegetable. If you were to bite into a raw potato and chew it up, it would be a high-water-content food in your stomach. But once it is baked, you can chew it until your jaw atrophies and it will not turn to water. (39, 40)

I have recently left off the use of all liquids, such as homemade coffee, with my meals. I eat my food as dry as possible. The result is excellent. In the morning I take lemon and water. I drink nothing between meals unless it be occasionally some lemon and water. At the table I do not eat many things either. I use dry peas boiled, then strained, then baked, and canned tomatoes. When fresh, I use the tomatoes uncooked with bread. This is my principal article of food. [written in 1897] {21MR 290.6}

Grains used for porridge or "mush" should have several hours' cooking. But soft or liquid foods are less wholesome than dry foods, which require thorough mastication. Zwieback, or twice-baked bread, is one of the most easily digested and most palatable of foods. Let ordinary raised bread be cut in slices and dried in a warm oven till the last trace of moisture disappears. Then let it be browned slightly all the way through. In a dry place this bread can be kept much longer than ordinary bread, and, if reheated before using, it will be as fresh as when new. {MH 301.3}

Nuts and nut foods are coming largely into use to take the place of flesh-meats. With nuts may be combined grains, fruits, and some roots, to make foods that are healthful and nourishing. {PHJ, July 1, 1905 par. 9}

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. {CTBH 51.3}

My sisters, do not place upon your tables food that is exciting and irritating, but that which is plain, wholesome, and nutritious. Do not have too great a variety at a meal; three or four dishes are a plenty. At the next meal you can have a change. The cook should tax her inventive powers to vary the dishes she prepares for the table, and the stomach should not be compelled to take the same kinds of food meal after meal. {RH, July 29, 1884 par. 6}

Fruit should never be eaten with or immediately following anything. (51)

. . . eat fruit with the meals. . . {CTBH 51.3}

Nuts and nut foods are coming largely into use to take the place of flesh-meats. With nuts may be combined grains, fruits, and some roots, to make foods that are healthful and nourishing. Care should be taken, however, not to use too large a proportion of nuts. Those who realize ill effects from the use of nut foods may find the difficulty removed by attending to this precaution. It should be remembered, too, that some nuts are not so wholesome as others. Almonds are preferable to peanuts, but peanuts in limited quantities, used in connection with grains, are nourishing and digestible. {PHJ, July 1, 1905 par. 9}

[This message has been edited by Linda Sutton (edited March 26, 2001).]

After the regular meal is eaten, the stomach should be allowed to rest for five hours. Not a particle of food should be introduced into the stomach till the next meal. In this interval the stomach will perform its work, and will then be in a condition to receive more food. {CD 179.1}

In no case should the meals be irregular. If dinner is eaten an hour or two before the usual time, the stomach is unprepared for the new burden; for it has not yet disposed of the food eaten at the previous meal and has not vital force for the new work. Thus the system is overtaxed. {CG 387.4}

If all would eat at regular periods, not tasting anything between meals, they would be ready for their meals and would find a pleasure in eating that would repay them for their effort. {CG 387.5}

Regularity in eating is very important for health of body and serenity of mind. Never should a morsel of food pass the lips between meals. {CTBH 50.1}

A second meal should never be eaten until the stomach has had time to recover from the labor of digesting the preceding meal. {CTBH 50.2}

The stomach becomes weary by being kept constantly at work, disposing of food not the most healthful. Having no time for rest, the digestive organs become enfeebled, hence the sense of "goneness," and desire for frequent eating. The remedy such require, is to eat less frequently and less liberally, and be satisfied with plain, simple food, eating twice, or, at most, three times a day. The stomach must have its regular periods for labor and rest; hence eating irregularly and between meals, is a most pernicious violation of the laws of health. With regular habits, and proper food, the stomach will gradually recover. {CD 175.2}

Regularity in eating should be carefully observed. Nothing should be eaten between meals, no confectionery, nuts, fruits, or food of any kind. Irregularities in eating destroy the healthful tone of the digestive organs, to the detriment of health and cheerfulness. And when the children come to the table, they do not relish wholesome food; their appetites crave that which is hurtful for them. {CD 180.1}

The natural body cycles: 4 A. M. to noon— elimination (of body wastes and food debris). . . . When we awake in the morning, we have what is called "morning breath" and perhaps a coated tongue because our bodies are in the midst of eliminating that which was not used— body wastes.(21, 22)

Let your stomach rest when you sleep. A tainted breath and a coated tongue indicate that undigested food is lying in the stomach. {17MR 292.5}

But I must close this. I wish to say that I am never troubled with an offensive breath or a bad taste in my mouth. {21MR 291.2}

A hearty breakfast, which is usually a slap in the face of the principles of proper food combining, cannot bring you energy! It uses it! . . . If breakfast is skipped, not only will you not pass out from a lack of food (your body is actually still using the food eaten the day before), but you will be far more alert and energetic. . . . [Eat] only fruit and fruit juices until noon. (56)

It is the custom and order of society to take a slight breakfast. But this is not the best way to treat the stomach. At breakfast time the stomach is in a better condition to take care of more food than at the second or third meal of the day. The habit of eating a sparing breakfast and a large dinner is wrong. Make your breakfast correspond more nearly to the heartiest meal of the day. {CG 390.2}

It is quite a common custom with people of the world to eat three times a day, beside eating at irregular intervals between meals; and the last meal is generally the most hearty, and is often taken just before retiring. This is reversing the natural order; a hearty meal should never be taken so late in the day. Should these persons change their practice, and eat but two meals a day, and nothing between meals, not even an apple, a nut, or any kind of fruit, the result would be seen in a good appetite and greatly improved health. {CD 181.4}

We breakfast at seven, and take our dinner at one. It is seldom I have a faint feeling. My appetite is satisfied. My food is eaten with a greater relish than ever before. {4aSG 153.3}

This whole book is based on unsound, unproven medical science (which even Harvey Diamond acknowledges—see page 52). Their references to pagan religious practices such as yoga also tell me that this is a book to be left alone. It does not come into line with the heath message we were given through inspiration. Much of what he advances is contrary to known medical science including anatomy and physiology. With books like Ministry of Healing, Counsels on Health, Counsels on Diet and Foods we have no real need to turn to questionable sources for information. There are some good things in the book, but it is too mixed up with the questionable and the unreliable to be very useful.

Some are continually anxious lest their food, however simple and healthful, may hurt them. To these let me say, Do not think that your food will injure you; do not think about it at all. Eat according to your best judgment; and when you have asked the Lord to bless the food for the strengthening of your body, believe that He hears your prayer, and be at rest. {MH 321.2}

I eat the most simple food, prepared in the most simple way. For months my principal diet has been vermicelli and canned tomatoes, cooked together. This I eat with zwieback. Then I have also stewed fruit of some kind and sometimes lemon pie. Dried corn, cooked with milk or a little cream, is another dish that I sometimes use. {CD 491.2}

But the other members of my family do not eat the same things that I do. I do not hold myself up as a criterion for them. I leave each one to follow his own ideas as to what is best for him. I bind no one else's conscience by my own. One person cannot be a criterion for another in the matter of eating. It is impossible to make one rule for all to follow. There are those in my family who are very fond of beans, while to me beans are poison. Butter is never placed on my table, but if the members of my family choose to use a little butter away from the table, they are at liberty to do so. Our table is set twice a day, but if there are those who desire something to eat in the evening, there is no rule that forbids them from getting it. No one complains or goes from our table dissatisfied. A variety of food that is simple, wholesome, and palatable, is always provided. {CD 491.3}

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For I know that my redeemer liveth,
and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth.
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Linda