Spirit of Prophecy
An introduction to the writings of Ellen G. White — the lesser light pointing to the greater light, the Word of God.
Counsels on Diet and Foods
Overview
Counsels on Diet and Foods is the most complete gathering of Ellen G. White's writings on diet, nutrition, and healthful eating. Decades before mainstream science recognized the close link between diet and health, she pointed clearly to the connection between the food we eat and both our physical and spiritual welfare. This compilation brings together the full range of her instruction on the subject -- the relation of diet to health and to spirituality, the principles of a wholesome plant-based diet, the dangers of overeating and harmful foods, healthful cookery, feeding children, temperance, and the place of proper eating in Christian living. It is practical, wide-ranging, and remarkably ahead of its time.
Purpose & Background
The book was assembled to make Ellen White's scattered counsel on diet available in one topically organized reference. Its aim is not devotional reading from cover to cover but ready guidance on each aspect of healthful eating, so that believers can understand and apply sound dietary principles. It reflects the conviction, central to the Adventist health message, that caring rightly for the body honors God, sharpens the mind for spiritual things, and prepares God's people for service.
Best For
Anyone interested in the biblical and health principles behind the Adventist approach to diet, including those studying nutrition, cooking, temperance, or healthful living. Because it is arranged topically, it serves best as a reference to consult by subject rather than a book to read straight through. A valuable companion to The Ministry of Healing.
Publisher
Review and Herald Publishing Association
The material was first drawn together in 1926 as Testimony Studies on Diet and Foods, a topically arranged textbook for dietetics students at the College of Medical Evangelists (now Loma Linda University). That printing was soon exhausted, and an enlarged edition titled Counsels on Diet and Foods appeared in 1938, prepared under the direction of the Board of Trustees of the Ellen G. White Estate. Unique among her books, it clusters the counsels topically under general headings rather than reading as a continuous narrative.
Contents
Counsels on Diet and Foods is arranged topically in about 25 chapters. Because of its length, the chapters below are grouped by the theme they cover. The complete chapter-by-chapter text is available free at the read link.
- Diet and Spirituality -- the relation of diet to health, to the mind, and to the spiritual life
- Principles of Good Nutrition -- adequacy of the diet, proper combinations, and regularity in eating
- Reforming the Diet -- how to make dietary changes wisely, and cautions against extremes and fanaticism
- Foods to Choose and Avoid -- fruits, grains, and vegetables; the question of flesh foods; and harmful articles
- Overeating and Temperance -- the dangers of overeating, rich foods, stimulants, and intemperance
- Healthful Cookery and the Home Table -- the importance of good cooking, healthful preparation, and diet in childhood
- Diet in Special Settings -- health foods, the sanitarium dietary, and diet as a rational remedy in sickness