Andrews University

Department of Public Health, Nutrition, and

Wellness

Brandon Harper 191737

Extremes in the Diet

April 1, 2019

Sylvia Marsh Fagal MS, RD

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 Living in the world today, it seems like balance is becoming a rarity. Everywhere

we look people are constantly running from one place to another, not getting adequate

amounts of sleep and their diets are no different. Now more than ever, eating disorders

and food related illnesses are prevalent. Day by day stories of anorexia, bulimia, binge

eating, and obesity appear on the news next to statistics which display how unhealthy

our society is. For this reason, Ellen G. White’s chapter of “Extremes in the Diet” in

Counsels of Diet and Food interested me. I wanted to see what Ellen G. White had

spoke about this subject and what her advice is.

To my surprise, Ellen G. White began the chapter by addressing the idea of

being consistent before ever mentioning anything about our diet and food. She began

by saying that as Christians we need to avoid extremes; Christians should not be too

strict in their beliefs nor should they disregard the teaching of Jesus. The inspired

author went on as far as to say “These extremists do more harm in a few months than

they can undo in a lifetime. They are engaged in a work which Satan loves to see go

on.”1 Unfortunately, this statement is very true; it is easy to see how completely

disregarding God’s teachings can lead to living far away from balance. Many times, the

extremes that people do not see is the same that the Pharisees participated in. People

sometimes become so strict with their beliefs that they forget to be loving, kind, and

patient as Jesus was. As a result, instead of bringing more people to meet Jesus and

change their lives, this behavior repels possible converts and leaves them with a bad

impression of Seventh-Day Adventists.

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 After setting up the idea of being consistent and balanced, Ellen G. White

transitioned into the actual diet. She mentions how the health message has separated

people into two groups—once again those that do not follow it completely and those that

follow it too rigidly. Ellen G. White says that the first group of individuals are not

following the balanced diet because their foundation is not firm as she says “This is why

they are so unstable. Instead of weighing their motives in the light of eternity, instead of

obtaining a practical knowledge of the principles underlying all their actions, instead of

digging down to the bottom and building upon a right foundation for themselves, they

are walking in the light of another’s torch, and will surely fail.”1 They adopted the lifestyle

because they saw someone else do it and not because they truly wanted to change. In

order to correct this, the individual needs to truly wish to change because and only then

will they successfully maintain the balanced lifestyle they are looking for.

“The other class take wrong views of the reform. They adopt too meager a diet.

They subsist upon a poor quality of food, prepared without reference to the nourishment

of the system. It is important that food be prepared with care, so that the appetite, when

not perverted, can relish it.”1 This is what Ellen G. White has to say about the second

group of people. These are the ones that listened to the reform but took the information

too far; they begin depriving themselves of proper nutrition. They begin to limit their

foods to only two or three options “But in eating too small an amount, and that not of the

best quality, they do not receive sufficient nourishment.”1 Certain also began to resort to

foods that are low in quality or simply the cheaper options. As expected, due to this

extreme under nourishment individuals will become malnourished and run high risks od

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diseases that cause “poverty of the blood…disease most difficult to cure, which were

due to impoverished diet.”1

Having addressed the dangers of both extremes in the diet, Ellen G. White

continues to give the solution to the problem. She starts by stating that regarding diet

there is more than one possible solution by saying “Not all can eat the same things.

Foods that are palatable and wholesome to one person may be distasteful, and even

harmful, to another.”1 In many cases fruits and vegetables may be the perfect solution to

an unhealthy lifestyle, but if someone has Chronic Kidney Disease certain fruits and

vegetables can actually be very harmful. Because every person is unique and therefore

requires a personalized diet, Ellen G. White advocates for variety within our meals. She

says, “all meals should not be composed of the same kinds of food without variation.

Food should be prepared with simplicity, yet with a nicety which will invite the appetite.”1

It is true that the health message calls for a simple diet, but this in no way advocates for

the elimination of variety in the diet. Without variety the temple of God begins to be

weakened and diseased which is not what God desires for His children. To end the

chapter, Ellen G. White once again reinforces the idea of being balanced and avoid

becoming an extremist.

Since these writings were published, some time has passed. Science continues

to improve, but it seems like nothing has changed. Sadly, it seems like matters have

even gotten worse. Foods stray farther and farther away from fruits, vegetables,

legumes and whole grains. Processed foods combined with a fast-paced lifestyle have

only encouraged individuals to both knowingly and unknowingly become extremist.

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 In the article, Binge eating, trauma, and suicide attempt in community adults with

major depressive disorder it is discussed how many individuals are depressed in todays

society. There are many different causes that contribute to these feelings, but

disordered eating was actually “among the widely reported and easily observable

psychiatric symptoms in depression”2 The article continued to mention how emotional

eating I also quite commonly observed in depression and suicidal individuals. In my

opinion this directly ties in with Ellen G. Whites analysis not only on the diet but also on

the spiritual impact that being at an extreme has on us.

A different article titled Inpatient treatment has no impact on the core thoughts

and perceptions in adolescents with anorexia nervosa, looked to study how hospitals

could attempt to make a change in adolescents with anorexia nervosa. Throughout their

stay at the hospital, these teens successfully reached their appropriate weights and

temporarily ate in the way they needed to. The sad part is that just as Ellen G. White

had mentioned unless someone makes a change for themselves the change will not be

permanent. These patients stated that there was no reduction in their anorexic thoughts

or in the way they look at themselves by saying “Inpatient treatment of anorexia nervosa

in adolescents does not significantly modify core anorexic thoughts and perceptions.”3

Balance and consistency in the diet is not something that can be done mindlessly; this

must be done with intention and purpose in order to truly make a change.

My last article titled Eating a Balanced Diet: A Healthy Life through a Balanced

Diet in the Age of Longevity, once again also lined up perfectly with the counsel that

Ellen G. White. The article addresses how medical professionals in South Korea wanted

to come up with some guidelines in order to stop their people from experiencing health

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problems—like obesity. They released their ““Ten Guidelines for a Healthy Life: Korean

Medical Association statement”4 which addressed many health tips and one of them

was “eating a balanced diet.”4 To supplement this guideline the food balance wheel was

created to regulate “the recommended caloric intake, consuming a balanced distribution

of nutrients, and engaging in an adequate amount of physical activity.”4 As if the article

did not fully convince that what Ellen G. White was saying was true it goes on to talk

about the importance of balance. It underlines that it is essential for balance stating, “It

is crucial to eat an appropriate—neither excessive nor deficient—amount from each

food group.”4 The guidelines go on to encourage everyone to eat more fruits,

vegetables, grains, beans and dairy products. The only real difference is that they also

encouraged meat consumption. Ellen G. White of course advocated against meat, but

this is the only real place where the article does not support Ellen G. White.

To conclude, I am just amazed that even though Ellen G. White wrote all these

things some time ago, all of what she has said is held up by modern science. Many

people may try to contradict her teachings and claim that science knows best, but there

is no refuting the support that science offers. As I college student, I am aware of how

difficult keeping a balance in diet can be. Classes, assignments, projects, making time

for exercise and so many other tasks take up so much of our time. I know that I cannot

achieve this alone and that is why I believe that asking God is a vital step in succeeding.

God is our creator and He knows what is best for our bodies so with all this information I

will ask him to help me make this change. I know that in the end making this change

permanent will allow me to feel better than I have ever felt before and ensure the my

best possible health.

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References:

1. White EG. Counsels on Diet and Food; “195-213”,

https://egwwritings.org/ef=en_CD.195.3¶=384.1561.

2. Grilo C, Becker D. Binge-eating disorder and major depressive disorder co-

morbidity: Sequence and clinical significance. European Psychiatry. 2016;33.

doi:10.1016/j.eurpsy.2016.01.322.

3. Fennig S, Klomek AB, Shahar B, Sarel-Michnik Z, Hadas A. Inpatient

treatment has no impact on the core thoughts and perceptions in adolescents

with anorexia nervosa. Early Intervention in Psychiatry. 2015;11(3):200-207.

doi:10.1111/eip.12234.

4. Lim S. Eating a Balanced Diet: A Healthy Life through a Balanced Diet in the

Age of Longevity. Journal of Obesity & Metabolic Syndrome. 2018;27(1):39-

45. doi:10.7570/jomes.2018.27.1.39.

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 Brandon Harper
Profession of Dietetics Section 01
April 3, 2017
Eating You Alive Documentary
After watching Eating You Alive, my eyes were opened to so many “healthy” practices

that are playing major roles in obesity and diseases. Over half of adults in the United States

suffer from chronic disease like: cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, obesity, hypertension,

Alzheimer’s, and arthritis. All over the U.S.A, doctors tell their patients that the problems they

face are hereditary and the only option they have are drugs and chemotherapy but this

documentary proves otherwise. The documentary describes how many of these diseases can be

prevented, slowed down, and even reversed by consuming a plant based diet and cutting back on

animal and processed products. Throughout this production, many different individuals talked

about how they had been diagnosed with several diseases that could not be fixed for one reason

or another; each person desperately needed help. It is when they switched to a plant based diet

that every person began to see how their blood pressure dropped, their cholesterol was lower,

and they were losing a significant amount of weight. As some of the individuals talked about the

impact that this new lifestyle caused in their life they could not hold back their tears.

The documentary also talked about how all kinds of oils, dairy products, and many other

healthy products are more harmful than beneficial. Oils that we constantly consume like olive oil

are full of fat and healthy cereals like “All Bran” are mostly sugar instead of fiber. Not only does

that production comment on the health benefits that a plant based diet provides, but they also

explain how this diet helps the environment. They commented that if we stop eating animal-

based products we could cut down fifty-five percent of the carbon productions; in fact we harm

the environment more by consuming animal based products than we do through factories and

driving cars.
 Brandon Harper
Profession of Dietetics Section 01
April 3, 2017
The final benefit that Eating You Alive addressed was the protection of animals. Every

minute 20,000 animals are slaughtered to make these products that everyone loves to consume.

By consuming a plant based diet we will no longer be ignoring all the abuse and inhumane

treatment that animals are suffering. All in all, by consuming a plant based diet we will not only

be helping ourselves, but we will improve our environment and the animals that share this

environment with us.