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"Foods that may be used in place of meat include legumes, nuts, cheese, eggs, milk and avocados. Vegetables and cereals contain protein in lesser amounts. Nuts, with the exception of pecans, are very rich in this food principle, while pine nuts and almonds contain protein in larger percentage than does meat itself. The soy bean is more than a substitute for meat. It is rich in lime, and contains vitamins that meat lacks; its protein is 'complete.' It is very evident that one need have no fear of suffering from lack of protein when meat is left out of the diet." |
Spiritual healing is an important phase of the work of students of The Rosicrucian Teachings. Healing is accomplished with the aid of the Invisible Helpers, who are sufficiently advanced in evolution to be able to leave their physical bodies and function on the spiritual planes at night. They are under the guidance of the Elder Brothers of the Rose Cross.
The Healing Department is the office of The Rosicrucian Fellowship through which healing requests are channeled, and any person in any part of the world may apply for healing to the Healing Department. He contacts the healing force through his application and through successive weekly letters which maintain his connection with the Invisible Helpers.
This work is conducted on the freewill offering basis. To be placed on the Healing List, address as follows: The Rosicrucian Fellowship, Healing Department, 2222 Mission Avenue, Oceanside, California, 92058, U.S.A.
The Rosicrucian motto, “A sane mind, a soft heart, a sound body,” implies the harmonious coordination of mind, soul, and body in a balanced whole, so that sound mentality, brotherly love, and good health combine to make life a continual adventure of buoyant hopes and aspirations to live according to the highest ethics.
One writer and physician defines health as a condition that makes possible the highest enjoyment of life and the greatest constructive work, and that shows itself in the best service to the world. He adds, “It involves keeping the body and mind at the highest levels, living at one’s best and not being satisfied with mere absence from sickness. Health may be defined as the quality of life that renders the individual fit to live most and serve best.”
Health is a quality that lifts, inspires, and urges one on toward effort and achievement. To develop this balance, the three primary factors — right thoughts, right actions, and right foods — must become part of daily life.
Many factors determine the selection of food. No two people are alike; hence, “One man’s food is another man’s poison.” The kinds and amounts of foods required are influenced by many conditions, such as height, weight, climate, season, rate of metabolism, state of health, condition of the glands, individual temperament, age, rate of growth of children, amount of exercise, and amount of sleep.
Another important factor which is often called “the psychology of digestion” includes the state of mind at the time of eating and the enjoyment derived from the food. Never eat solid food while under emotional strain such as worry, fear, or anger, or while very tired, cold, or otherwise uncomfortable. Food, to be beneficial, must be thoroughly assimilated. While tastes for certain foods must often be acquired, an aversion to any particular food is sometimes a natural warning against that food or combination of foods. It must be remembered, however, that taste is the result of training and habit, and every healthy person can and should learn to eat all vegetables and fruits.
As the science of dietetics progresses, more diseases are being included in the class of nutritional disorders. It is now a well-recognized fact that chronic cases, for example, of asthma, hay fever, catarrh, skin diseases, etc., respond to correct diet. No diets can be given offhand, however, as “food tests” must be made and the diet planned according to the patient’s needs and idiosyncrasies. A well balanced diet is safest for healthy people, as it contains combinations of all elements necessary for maintaining health.
The average proportions of food principles in a good diet are: carbohydrates, 60 percent; fats, 25 percent; and protein, 15 percent. In addition, for the regulation of body processes, there must be minerals, vitamins, water, and cellulose. The general outline given below may prove helpful in planning a balanced diet according to individual needs.
1. Function: to produce heat and energy.
2. Sources: sugars and starches; sugar cane, beets, sweet fruits, honey, cereals, breadstuffs, potatoes, and starchy vegetables.
1. Function: to produce heat and energy.
2. Sources: butter, cream, vegetable oils, olive oil, nuts, nut products, cotton seed oil products, chocolate, coconut, avocado.
1. Function: to build and repair tissue.
2. Sources: milk, cheese, eggs, nuts, legumes, cereals, avocados.
Minerals
(Cell, Tissue, or Food Salts)
Minerals are vital for health and well-being. Although only small quantities are found in the physical body, each has special functions of importance. They promote life in every cell and fluid. Indeed, without minerals, vitamins cannot perform their work and good health cannot be maintained. In preparing grains and vegetables it is essential to avoid excessive heat. Use a minimum of water and cover saucepans with air-tight lids to prevent oxidation during cooking and retain nutrients and precious minerals.
Calcium: promotes cell life and growth; forms matrix for tooth and bone development; supplies endurance and vitality; keeps water in the body, sunshine necessary for proper utilization. Sources: fruits, vegetables, cheese, egg yolk, milk, kelp, walnuts, sesame seeds.
Chlorine: body cleanser, purifier, digestive aid, waste eliminator. Sources: cheese, coconut, cow milk, goat milk, salt.
Fluorine: germ killer; forms tooth enamel, bone knitter; strengthens entire body. Sources: Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, cheese, egg yolk, goat milk, tomatoes, watercress.
Iodine: active in stimulating normal cell and gland action; beneficial to nerves. Sources: asparagus, carrots, dulse, garlic, grapes, Irish moss, mushrooms, pineapple, baked potatoes, watercress.
Iron: body’s janitor; carries oxygen from lungs to blood - forming part of the hemoglobin molecule; gives vitality, magnetism and “pep.” Sources: dried fruits, leafy green vegetables, legumes, brewers’ yeast, wholegrain cereals, egg yolk, blackstrap molasses, nuts.
Magnesium: nature’s laxative; promotes building of nerve cells; steadies nerves; aids well-being. Sources: whole grains, wheat germ, berries, corn, coconut, figs, dandelion, barley, grapefruit, oranges, peanuts, nuts.
Manganese: acts as brain and nerve food; coordinates proper transmission of nerve impulses. Sources: bananas, dandelion, eggs, endive, leafy vegetables, mint, nearly all nuts, parsley, peas, honey, senna leaves, watercress, whole grains.
Phosphorus: builds brain and bone; thought builder; aids hair and teeth growth; stimulates body functions. Sources: beans, cheese, cloves, corn, dulse, egg yolk, grapes, honey, Irish moss, kelp, lentils, lima beans, milk, nuts, agar, onions, pineapple, sage, sugar cane juice.
Potassium: necessary for proper functioning of the blood, liver and spleen; controls muscular system; promotes sleep. Sources: fruits, whole grains, leafy vegetables, figs, grapes, green peppers, lima beans, honey, green lettuce, mint, parsley, Swiss chard, watercress, watermelon, tomatoes.
Silicon: powerful antiseptic — acts as body’s surgeon; promotes resistance to infection; sharpens hearing; polishes and hardens bones and teeth; gives sparkle to eyes, gloss to hair. Sources: apricots, asparagus, barley, cabbage, cucumbers, figs, lettuce, oats, parsnips, rice, spinach, strawberries, tomatoes.
Sodium: maintains elasticity of the connective tissue; alkaline and curative agent, dissolves mineral deposits, blood purifier and builder; promotes digestion; gives strength and endurance. Sources: asparagus, beets, black figs, carrots, celery, cheese, cucumbers, egg yolk, honey, lima beans, okra, pumpkin, turnips, strawberries, string beans, wheat germ.
Sulphur: promotes good skin tone, strengthens hair and nails; nervous system benefic; increases bile flow; stimulates liver. Sources: asparagus, beans, bran, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, figs, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chestnuts, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, mustard greens, onions, peas, radishes, rutabagas, wild rice.
Vitamins serve as body regulators. They are not food elements but permeate and vitalize foods which otherwise lack health-promoting qualities. These substances have a special affinity for organic minerals carrying the Sun force — the life principle of food. Each vitamin performs specific functions — only small quantities are required but a deficiency may prove disastrous and it is essential to eat unrefined quality foods which supply the nutrients known to aid in better health and strength. Vitamins are not substitutes for vitamin-rich foods. A balanced diet of fruits, grains, and vegetables is necessary for greatest benefit from vitamin and mineral supplements. Vitamins are found in greatest concentration beneath the skin of fruits and vegetables and are unnecessarily lost when these skins are not utilized in food preparation.
Vitamin A gives a smooth skin; normal vision; resists infection and disease; promotes growth and longevity; stored in the body for use as needed; depletes rapidly under strain and stress. When cooking, it is imperative to use a pan with a tight-fitting lid; season just before serving to retain vitamin. Sources: fruits, green and yellow vegetables, leafy greens, peas, prunes, egg yolks, pumpkin, green beans, soybeans, squash, tomatoes.
Vitamin B Complex best known of this family are:
Vitamin B-1 (Thiamine) spark plug or “pep” vitamin.
Vitamin B-2 (Riboflavin) for longevity; skin and eye beauty.
Niacin — for healthy skin, blood and digestion.
Vitamin B-6 (Pyridoxine) nerve soother; restful sleep.
Pantothenic Acid — prevents tooth decay; delays age changes; food allergies.
Folic Acid — anti-anemic vitamin.
Inositol — keeps arteries and hair young.
Biotin — for energy and mental health in later life.
Cholin — for liver health; aids fat digestion and gall bladder.
Thus we realize the importance of each vitamin in the B complex and their correlation to better health. Sources: bran, buttermilk, cheese, yellow corn meal, dried dates, egg yolk, honey, green lima beans, mushrooms, nuts, peanuts, raisins, beet greens, leafy greens, whole-grains, rice bran, rice polishings, buckwheat-cotton-seed-peanut-soybean-wholewheat flours.
Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) promotes growth: maintains connective tissue; aids tooth and bone formation; protects blood cell walls; overcomes infections. Needs replenishing daily; lost rapidly in exposure to room temperature — less when refrigerated. To prevent vitamin loss, cook in a tightly-covered container over a low heat using small amounts of liquid; never use soda when cooking and refrain from thawing frozen foods before cooking. Acid fruits and vegetables lose less vitamin C than non-acid, even during canning; non-acid lose nearly all vitamin C in that process. Sources: fruits including citrus, leafy green vegetables, turnips, pure honey, pineapple, rose hips, tomatoes, yellow vegetables.
Vitamin D is an essential for metabolism of calcium and phosphorus; promotes growth during childhood; aids growth, bone and teeth; nerve relaxer. Sources butter, egg yolk, milk. Non-food sources: sunshine and irradiation. Vitamin D is needed daily to supply the minimum requirement. Non-dairy sources: sprouted seeds, mushrooms, sunflower seeds, green leafy vegetables.
Vitamin E (Tocopherol) is indispensable to growth and function of reproductive glands and organs; strengthens heart muscles; believed to destroy scar tissue; repairs and strengthens cells; good for skin. Vitamin E is not harmed in cooking or storing, but is quickly destroyed when rancid. Sources: germ of all cereal grains, alfalfa, avocado, carrots, whole corn, egg yolk, leafy vegetables, coconut-olive-wheatgerm-soybean oils.
Vitamin F (Fats) provide energy; carrier of vitamins; surrounds, protects, and holds in place kidneys, heart, liver, etc. Preserves body heat in temperature changes; prolongs digestive process. An excess causes weight gain, obesity, and indigestion by slowing digestion and absorption. Best stored in covered containers away from direct light in cool place. Sources: avocados, eggs, cotton-seed — peanut — safflower — sesame-soybean oils.
Vitamin G assists in prevention of pellagra and its symptoms. Sources: legumes, milk, green vegetables.
Vitamin K is necessary for blood coagulation. Sources: leafy green vegetables, beet and carrot tops, yogurt, acidophilus, Swiss chard.
Vitamin P (Rutin) gives healthy skin and arteries; normal blood pressure, prevents strokes. Sources: lemon and orange peel, green peppers.
Vitamin U is so named for its beneficial action on ulcers. Sources: raw cabbage juice, celery, fresh greens, raw egg yolk, some vegetable fats. Sensitive to heat, none in cooked foods.
1. Functions: to dissolve nutritive materials thus making absorption possible; to prevent constipation; to keep mucous membranes soft; to aid in regulating body temperatures; to form an essential constituent of tissue cells and body fluids, such as blood, lymph, and digestive juices.
2. Sources: distilled water and fruit juices are the best sources. Only water that is free from lime and magnesia compounds should be used, as the deposit of these in the system causes hardening of the arteries and tissues, commonly known as “old age.” If much mineral deposit has been going on in the past one meal a day should be omitted and buttermilk or grape juice substituted, as both act as solvents of calcareous material. Drink plenty of pure water between meals.
1. Function: to produce bulk for cleaning intestines by stimulating peristalsis.
2. Sources: bran, whole cereals, fresh vegetables, fruits.
Good nutrition implies a moderate food supply which furnishes every essential substance needed by the body in the right proportions. Some of the factors which result in poor nutrition are:
1. Insufficient amounts and improper kinds of foods.
2. Physical defects, such as poor teeth, infected tonsils, enlarged adenoids.
3. Faulty habits of eating and living which include: lack of fresh air and sunshine; inattention to personal cleanliness; unpleasant surroundings; unwholesome mental attitudes; too little recreation; improper elimination
A carefully planned and balanced menu for each meal may consist of the following:
Breakfast — Orange juice or fresh fruit and a few almonds may form the morning meal for persons of sedentary habits who rise late and lunch early. Those who lead a strenuous life may fortify themselves by a well-selected breakfast consisting of fruit or fruit juices, cereal, alternating with egg and whole wheat bread, and a beverage. The fruit should be preferably oranges, grapefruit, or fresh fruit in season. Stewed or dried fruit may be substituted frequently.
Dinner — Soup, a meat substitute, one cooked vegetable, potato or whole rice, raw salad, and a light dessert may compose the dinner. The dinner soup is usually a clear soup or consommé, but may be omitted altogether unless there is special need for stimulating the appetite or for warmth.
Luncheon or Supper — Soup, raw salad, cottage cheese, one slice whole wheat toast, and a dessert may constitute the supper; or, such foods as compensate for any dietary deficiency which may have occurred in the other two meals may be used.
The following classification of foods will be found helpful in planning meals:
Muscle-Formers (Protein): Milk, eggs, cheese, nuts, legumes (Peas, beans; lentils).
Bone-Formers: Milk, whole cereals, vegetables, fruits.
Blood-Formers: Vegetables, especially green leafy ones, egg yolk, bran and whole cereals, fruits.
Fats and Oils: Butter, cream, olive and other oils, nuts.
Starches: Cereals, potatoes, breads.
Sugars: Cane, beet, maple, fruits, sweets.
Proteins: Milk, cheese, eggs, nuts, legumes.
Vitamins: Whole cereals, milk, eggs, vegetables, fruits.
Bulk (Cellulose): Coarse vegetables, bran, and whole cereals.
Foods that may be used in place of meat include legumes, nuts, cheese, eggs, milk and avocados. Vegetables and cereals contain protein in lesser amounts. Nuts, with the exception of pecans, are very rich in this food principle, while pine nuts and almonds contain protein in larger percentage than does meat itself. The soy bean is more than a substitute for meat. It is rich in lime, and contains vitamins that meat lacks; its protein is “complete.”
It is very evident that one need have no fear of suffering from lack of protein when meat is left out of the diet.
1. The lower animals are evolving Spirits, have sensibilities, and are animated by the life of God. We must help instead of hinder their evolution.
2. Vegetables have greater sustaining, strengthening, and energy-giving power than meat, and require less energy for assimilation.
3. Meat is full of toxins and products of decay, also quantities of waste products of the slain animal, such as uric acid.
4. Vegetable proteins are not subject to putrefaction within the intestines as are meat proteins.
5. Our cells are built from the food we eat, and we partake of the characteristics of that material of which our physical bodies are composed.
6. Spiritual development is much more difficult with the lowered vibrations caused by the utilization of the flesh of animals.
A dogmatic statement in regard to the use of these beverages may antagonize many persons, as views concerning the effect often are conflicting. It is unquestionably true that to some persons coffee is a poison, causing toxic conditions, disordered digestion, and nervous disturbances. On the other hand, some persons drink it without any bad effects. The same may be said of tea and cocoa. It is unwise to say that these products will harm no one. The methylated purines found in coffee are approximately 3 to 9 grains, in tea, 6 to 8 grains, and in cocoa more than 4 grains per ounce.
Many years ago nearly all medical authorities taught that alcohol was a food, a stimulant, a remedy of the highest value. Today all this is changed. The result of laboratory researches conducted to determine the nature of alcohol and its effects upon the human body has completely upset and reversed the old beliefs and teachings.
Alcohol presents a social problem and will be settled only by education. What are the facts regarding its effects upon health? They are seen in the nervous system; the digestive tract and circulatory system show impaired changes from its use. The external effects of alcoholism show in irritability, increased susceptibility to disease, and lowered vitality. Alcohol is not a food (it burns too fast for the human machine); it poisons the highest centers and sets free the lowest instincts in man by impairing the controls of the brain.
Esoteric students know that those who use alcohol cannot function in the higher worlds because with the lowered vibrations produced by its use the pituitary body and pineal gland cannot be set in motion, as they function through the higher ethers.
It has been shown that there are other constituents than nicotine to consider when viewing tobacco from a health angle. There are, for instance, gases of ammonia, pyridine derivatives, and carbon monoxide — all harmful — although nicotine is probably the most injurious. The youth who looks forward to excellence in athletics, achievement in business or professions, or to self-control, will select his habits as carefully as he does his friends, his food as carefully as his facts, and will not do anything that he knows is injurious to body and mind. Smokers find that they become nervous, lose their appetite for wholesome food, show a distinct loss in efficiency, and a loss of spiritual powers.
The taste for condiments is altogether an acquired one. It is true these substances may be used in extremely minute quantities for a long time without apparent injury, but their free use finally irritates the stomach, damages the liver and kidneys, and many contribute to high blood pressure and hardening of the arteries. Spices and condiments are not foodstuffs in the ordinary sense, but stimulate the desire body and passions. Those that contain irritating oils are mustard, horseradish, pepper, and other spices.
When salt is used in small quantities no evidence of serious injury is apparent; however, when used too liberally it produces various disorders of nutrition and overworks the kidneys. In certain forms of disease salt may be wholly excluded from the diet by order of the physician.
Foodstuffs may yield either an acid or a basic ash. Acidity or alkalinity of foods means the reaction which they will ultimately yield after being burned in the body. The acids of most fruits are so utilized in the body that an alkaline or basic ash results. Some other foods, such as cereals and meat, not acid in taste, are strongly acid when their final products reach the blood.
The human body always maintains a slightly alkaline reaction in the blood and tissues regardless of the diet. If the food has been potentially acid, however, the disposal of the excess will result in a strongly acid urine. This indicates an excess of acid in the blood and tissue-fluids which is likely to cause kidney and blood vessel disease, a tendency to common colds, gout, and other ailments.
To keep the body in a state of health and high resistance to disease, the normal alkalinity of the blood and tissue-fluids must be maintained. This can be done by a neutral or slightly basic diet, which means avoiding an excess of acid-producing foods. By referring to the following list a diet may be so selected as to balance the acid-base factors.
Lima Beans, Dates, Spinach and other Greens, fresh Beets, Milk, Molasses, Raisins, Almonds, Parsnips, Coconuts, Pineapple, Sweet Potatoes, Plums, Cabbage, Bananas, Oranges, Tomatoes, Lemons, String Beans, Peas, Cottage Cheese, Watercress, Carrots, Figs, Rutabagas, Turnips, Cucumbers, Apples, Pears, Radishes, Onions, Peas, Celery, Melons, Squash, Lettuce, Potatoes, Peaches, Mushrooms, Grape Juice
Meats, Corn, Fish and Shell Fish, Walnuts, Poultry, Cheddar Cheese, Cereals, Breads, Flour Products, Egg Yolks, Barley, Rice, Spaghetti, Butter, Lentils, Peanuts, Cranberries, Prunes, Rhubarb, Pastry, Macaroni
Tapioca, Cream, Cornstarch, Honey, Natural Syrup
Acidosis relates to a condition of the body in which acids are predominant.
There are two forms of acidosis: true acidosis which is often called acid condition, referred to above; and relative acidosis, caused by improper combustion and assimilation of fats, which is counteracted by a low fat diet.
The ash results of prunes, cranberries, and rhubarb are alkaline in nature, but because of the unoxidizable acid they contain, increase the acidity of the body.
(Although The Rosicrucian Teachings advocate a vegetarian diet, meats and fish included under their proper listing of acid-producing foods, as a matter of general information.)
A healthy mental state can be developed just as surely as firm, strong muscle. Although it is not easy, most persons can so direct their thoughts and order their lives to gradually build a high order of self-control.
Mental training means a training in control, in removing unwholesome states, and in substituting wholesome plans and purposes and gratifying interests.
The most common abnormal mental function is worry. Worry jangles the vibrations and actually frustrates the plans one wishes to achieve. Again we call your attention to the fact that “Christ exhorted us to be unconcerned about material things, for He knew the effect of fear and worry in retarding progress. When we do our duty and faithfully work from day to day, we are planning sufficiently for the morrow, and may depend upon that to take care of itself.”
A wholesome mental attitude cannot be acquired suddenly. It is not a gift, but must be gained by persistent and determined effort to see straight and keep the values of life clear. All our experiences can be stepping stones; worry makes them stumbling blocks.
In view of the above, we see that functional diseases of the nervous system frequently are caused by worry. Both hysteria and neurasthenia are direct results.
To train oneself in small things is to begin to build a power which, when crises arise, will enable one to be strong and self-sufficient. Children should be encouraged to face their problems without always expecting to be rescued.
Open-mindedness and breadth of view favor a sound mind with ability to see new relationships, to understand new meanings, and to find new values, making for variety, interests, and health.
Health laws are the laws of proper living. However, health can be affected by outside influences, such as one’s home surroundings and community environment.
The achievement of health and the overcoming of latent weaknesses depend upon building up well-ordered habits of thought and daily living. Habits need to be flexible in order that they may help us to change and improve our mental and physical modes of living. Unhygienic habits like taking unwholesome stimulants, entertaining depressing thoughts, etc. are definitely destroyers of health. By analyzing our health schedule we may find ways to improve it, such as adding an hour’s daily exercise out of doors, making certain additions and omissions in the diet, modifying sleeping arrangements for better air circulation, etc.
Correct habits of eating and hygienic living include fresh air and sunshine, daily outdoor exercise, personal cleanliness, cheerful and pleasant surroundings, wholesome mental attitudes, recreation, and proper elimination.
Careful attention should be given to elimination through the bowels, kidneys, and skin, as health and nutrition are to a great extent dependent upon the prompt and regular disposal of the body wastes.
The bowels can be regulated best by following certain rules regarding habit formation, diet, drinking water between meals and exercise.
The habit of evacuating the bowels at a regular time each day will prevent constipation among nearly all healthy people. Before or after breakfast and after the evening meal are times considered most favorable. The drinking of a glass or two of water immediately upon rising will stimulate peristalsis and assist greatly in the formation of a prompt, regular habit of elimination. In fact, drinking water freely all during the day is important for this purpose. Irregularity of meals and overeating, or the continued use of concentrated foods, especially carbohydrates, contribute greatly to constipation.
In spiritual healing, in order to facilitate the work of the Invisible Helpers, the patient must cooperate on all planes, for in the final analysis true health is dependent upon a harmonious coordination of Spirit, mind, emotions, and body. Often the cause of ill health exists in the finer invisible vehicles of a patient. For instance, anger, malice, or worry, will defeat the purpose of the most careful diet, generating toxic conditions, while faith, hope, love, and cheerfulness stimulate rhythm and harmony of the body, promoting the free flow of vital forces. Perhaps the most powerful way in which each person can help himself is to cultivate constructive emotions, which promote good health or aid in its restoration.
The patient who asks for Divine help and healing must prove his ability to receive this blessing. We note that Christ always gave the person to be healed something to do. Disobedience brings disease; obedience, no matter whether it involves washing in the Jordan or stretching forth a hand, shows a change of attitude, and the person is thus in a position to receive the healing balm which may come through Christ from our Heavenly Father, Who is the Great Physician.
One need not neglect physical methods because he asks for spiritual healing. The spiritual law must become operative in daily affairs or the physical vibrations cannot be raised in harmony with the law of health.
If physical treatment or a doctor's advice are required, we should remember that the doctor, too, with his knowledge, is a channel through which the Divine Physician works to further physical perfection. Good health depends primarily upon right relationship with God, in Whom we live and move and have our being. Therefore, the right attitude towards life is as much a health factor as is the condition of the body used by the indwelling Ego.
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