PEARLS 2012 ARCHIVE: THE ESSENTIAL EXERCISE

MARCH 31, 2012 – Week 5

"If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." (Luke 9:23)  

“... How many who call themselves Christians are unwilling to exercise self-denial, even for Christ's sake. How often the love for some pernicious indulgence is stronger than the desire for a sound mind in a sound body! Precious hours of probation are spent, God-given means squandered, to please the eye or to gratify the appetite. Custom holds thousands in bondage to the earthly and sensual.” (Review and Herald, June 15, 1886) 

Are you willing to deny self and follow God's program for exercise. A final benefit of walking. “Several studies in older people suggest that walking-even for as little as 45 minutes a week-helps ward off Alzheimer's disease. 

Regular strolls are also linked to mental sharpness in seniors. But regardless of your age, walking is likely to help keep your mind active...particularly if you stroll with friends; walking while talking is a surefire brain booster.” (click here for the full CNN article, published in June 13, 2008)

So take a walk with a friend this week for a better mind. Join other Christians in the “In Step for Life” walking program. 

Visit http://www.adventistsinstepforlife.org to get started.

~David L. Moore, MD

PEARLS 2012 ARCHIVE: WALKING & MENTAL HEALTH

MARCH 24, 2012 – Week 4

“Walking can relieve depression, anxiety, and stress. Just one 30-minute walk may make you feel better when you're down, University of Texas researchers found. Head out for 90 minutes five times a week and you'll get the biggest boost, according to a new study from Temple University. One possible explanation: Walking helps the body produce endorphins, the mood-boosting chemicals linked to "runner's high. A brisk walk in the afternoon will help you get a better night's sleep, according to the National Sleep Foundation. 

Experts say that walking may boost levels of the feel-good hormone serotonin, which relaxes you. Or, the rise in body temperature brought on by walking may signal the brain to lower your temperature later, which promotes sleep. (Avoid a walk two hours before bed --that's too late to cool down.)" (click here for the full CNN article, published in June 13, 2008)

Why not join other Christians in the “In Step for Life” walking program. Visit http://www.adventistsinstepforlife.org to get started. 

~David L. Moore, MD

PEARLS 2012 ARCHIVE: THE HEART & WALKING

MARCH 17, 2012 - Week 3

In a study conducted at Duke University Medical Center, walking briskly for 30 minutes every day lowers the odds of developing metabolic syndrome, a group of risk factors linked to higher risks of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. Don't have time for a daily half-hour walk? A British study found that active commuting (incorporating walking and cycling into your sedentary commute) is associated with an 11 percent reduction in heart-disease risk, especially among women. 

If you can't get 30 minutes at one time, you can break it up into segments which you can fit into your day. In addition to reducing heart disease, diabetes and strokes, “just 30 minutes of walking three times a week does wonders to prevent and treat thinning bones. This kind of exercise, which uses 95 percent of your muscles, actually pushes your bones to get stronger so they can handle the load.” (click here for the full CNN article, published in June 13, 2008)

So why not get started today. So why not join other Christians in the “In Step for Life” walking program. Visit http://www.adventistsinstepforlife.org to get started.

PEARLS 2012 ARCHIVE: THE BEST EXERCISE!

MARCH 10, 2012 – Week 2

“Walking, in all cases where it is possible, is the best remedy for diseased bodies, because in this exercise all the organs of the body are brought into use.... There is no exercise that can take the place of walking. By it the circulation of the blood is greatly improved.” (Testimonies, vol. 3, p. 78) 

“Walking for 30 minutes a day can prevent weight gain in most people who are physically inactive, according to a Duke University study. The reason walking helps control your weight: It's easy! 'The harder the exercise is, the less people will do it,' says Johnny Benjamin, MD, chairman of the department of orthopedics at Indian River Medical Center in Vero Beach, Florida.” (click here for the full CNN article, published in June 13, 2008) 

Why not join other Christians in the “In Step for Life” walking program. Visit http://www.adventistsinstepforlife.org to get started. Its imperative for weight management!
~David L. Moore, MD

PEARLS 2012 ARCHIVE: BODILY EXERCISE!

MARCH 3, 2012 – Week 1

The month of March's emphasis in the acronym BLESSED is exercise. It is unlikely that you can enjoy optimal health and achieve and maintain your appropriate body weight without it. But God tells us in 1 Timothy 4:8,  “For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.” In this Scripture a balance is emphasized that we would do well to heed. Physical activity is very important for health, remember God placed man in a garden that he might get exercise on a daily basis; but for everything God gives, the devil counterfeits it. Instead of walking and useful labor which God originally gave mankind, other forms which may be Satan inspired are being adopted which lead away from Jesus to focus on self. So be careful what forms of exercise you adopt; are they leading to Christ or do they lead to embracing worldly activities and customs. So Paul under inspiration identifies something vastly more important than bodily exercise; godliness! So be careful how you exercise! Why not join other Christians in the “In Step for Life” walking program. Visit http://www.adventistsinstepforlife.org to get started.

~David L. Moore, MD

PEARLS 2012 ARCHIVE: BREAKFAST AND WEIGHT MANAGEMENT!

JANUARY 28, 2012 – Week 4

“Eating breakfast is a daily habit for the 'successful losers' who belong to The National Weight Control Registry. These people have maintained a 30-pound (or more) weight loss for at least a year, and some as long as six years. Most -- 78% -- reported eating breakfast every day, and almost 90% reported eating breakfast at least five days a week - which suggests that starting the day with breakfast is an important strategy to lose weight and keep it off," says James O. Hill, PhD, the Registry's co-founder and director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. 

Two studies in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association backed up this finding. Breakfast is important to weight loss. A group of researchers analyzed data from a government-funded study that followed more than 2,000 young girls from ages 9 to 19. They found that regular cereal eaters had fewer weight problems than infrequent cereal eaters. Those who ate cereal occasionally had a 13% higher risk of being overweight compared to the regular cereal eaters. Another research group analyzed government data on 4,200 adults. They found that regular breakfast eaters were more likely to exercise regularly. And women who ate breakfast regularly tended to eat fewer calories overall during the day. Those men and women who ate breakfast cereal had lower overall fat intake -- compared to those who ate other breakfast foods.” (WebMD, August 31, 2010)

“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.” (Child Guidance, 390)

~David L. Moore, MD

PEARLS 2012 ARCHIVE: WHAT IS A GOOD BREAKFAST?

JANUARY 21, 2012 - Week 3

You know you should eat a good breakfast every day, right? And that breakfast should be the biggest meal of the day in terms of quantity and caloric content. But what constitutes a good breakfast? A good traditional breakfast would consist of a whole grain cereal with soy, rice or almond milk, (there is really no reason to drink cow’s milk in 2012.) 1-2 slices of whole grain bread, 1-2 tablespoons of nuts or a tablespoon of nut butter and five servings of fruit. Alternatives may include grits, tofu, whole grain toast, 5 servings of fruit and several nuts. Many prefer eating what you might consider dinner foods for breakfast such as brown rice, beans, greens, yams, etc. Whatever your preference is, the most important thing is to eat a good breakfast! Why not make it a habit of eating a nutritious breakfast every day; for better health. It will aid in becoming, “Less of Ourselves in 2012!”

~David L. Moore, MD

PEARLS 2012 ARCHIVE: BREAKFAST!

JANUARY 14, 2012 – Week 2

Our emphasis for January is BREAKFAST! You have heard the adage, “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and supper like a pauper.” There is a lot of truth in this statement. Inspiration tells us, “And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.” (1 Kings 17:6) God made sure Elijah had a good breakfast every day. And, “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) Eating a nutritious breakfast each day is associated with better verbal affluence, improved problem solving, better scholastic abilities and improved energy. It is also an aid to weight management, which will be addressed later this month in an upcoming Pearls for Health. So, if you want better grades for your children or grandchildren, if you desire better physical, mental and spiritual health, make sure to start your day with a good breakfast.           

~David L. Moore, MD                                                                                                              

PEARLS 2012 ARCHIVE: LESS OF OURSELVES IN 2012

JANUARY 7, 2012 – Week 1

Happy New Year! God has blessed you to see another new year and I know you praise Him for this blessing. 2012 with its challenges, blessings, aspirations, victories and failures has passed; and a new chapter in your life’s book has opened. How will this chapter read? The choice is yours and mine. The 2012 conference wide health initiative, “LESS OF OURSELVES IN 2012” focuses on becoming more like Jesus; living according to His will and not yours. John 3:30, “He must increase, but I must decrease,” is our objective! This decrease encompasses every aspect of life. From a health prospective the emphasis is centered on weight management. Because of the epidemic of obesity in this country it is stated that the current generation will be the first in modern history to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents. And as Christians, how can you and I witness to others with the Biblical truth that, “I can do all things through Christ which strengheneth me;” (Phil. 4:13), when our physical weight contradicts that assertion? Therefore for 2012 the Pearls For Health will share a lifestyle that will enable us to become less of ourselves and allow God to increase in our lives!  

~David L. Moore, MD

Dr. Moore's 10 Commandments For Getting A Good Night's Sleep

1. Thou shalt have a regular schedule for go to and getting out of bed.
2. Thou shalt not take naps unless they are consistent, on a daily basis.
3. Thou shalt exercise regularly (daily if possible, preferably in the mornings.)
4. Thou shalt avoid caffeine in all forms (coffee, tea, chocolate, soft drinks.)
5. Thou shalt not use alcoholic beverages! They may help you fall to sleep but they distort the regular sleep cycle.
6. Thou shalt not take sleeping pills.  Try a herbal tea like hops, scullcap or valerian.
7. Thou shalt find the best room temperature for you to sleep in. (Most people sleep better in a cool room.)
8. Thou shalt relax before going to bed. Take a warm bath, read a calming book, listen to soothing music and avoid stressful thoughts.
9. Thou shalt NOT eat heavily before going to bed.
10. Thou shalt trust God to give you the sleep you need.