Did you know that some early Adventists ate pork, smoked cigars, drank coffee, and were abysmal work-a-holics? What caused a change to our Adventist pioneers' dreadful health habits?

Here's the scoop:

Shortly after our church organized [became an “official” church] in May of 1863, Ellen G. White had one of her most important visions. Can you guess what it was about? That's right—healthly living! As the early Adventists studied their Bibles, prayed and talked about how lifestyle issues relate to Christianity, some became convinced that pork, caffeine, and smoking were bad news. But to help others also make good choices, God sent a special message about health to Ellen White. Here's what God showed her (and it's still important today!).

Some Ingredients of the
Otsego Health Vision

The principles God gave in that 1863 health vision promised God's people more energy, more zest for life, less sickness, and greater appreciation for spiritual things if they would choose to live by them. Here's a sample! (I have an important question to ask you when you've finished reading them.)

1. True temperance means control in everything we do. This includes appetitie (don't eat too much just because it tastes sooooo good!), as well as not using alcohol, tobacco, drugs, or caffeine, etc.
2. Swine's flesh (pork) is not to be eaten under any circumstance.
3. Keep your body and home very clean!
4. Rich cake, pies, and puddings are destructive to your health (rich means lots of sugar and fat content).
5. Eating between meals injures the stomach and digestive process.
6. Turning to a nutritious diet of whole grains, fruits, nuts, vegetables, and little sugar may overcome the physical damage caused by a wrong diet.
7. Sunlight is important, and so is fresh air, especially where you sleep.
8. Outdoor exercise is essential to healthy minds and bodies.
9. Caring for health is a spiritual matter; it reflects a person's commitment to God, and to others who are impacted by our choices.
10. Don't blame God for deaths or disease caused by unhealthy choices!

The Adventist Lifestyle

These principles and others* became the practical outline of the Seventh-day Adventist lifestyle. Ellen White often wrote about these core principles, probably most clearly in her book, The Ministry of Healing. God didn't want “health reform” to be a negative, “can't-enjoy-anything” message! These principles inspire Seventh-day Adventists and others to make healthy choices so they will live happier, longer,** and more meaningful lives to better serve others.

So, here's my important question: How well do YOU practice these principles? Ellen White herself admitted it isn't always easy—even she struggled. (At first she hated whole grain bread and craved white bread and meat. But she persisted in making healthy choices and eventually really enjoyed nutritious food.)

What is the most important reason we make healthy choices? It's because we love Jesus who gave everything for us, even His own life. We do not want to make poor choices that would hurt Him who loves us so much.

“You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.” 1 Cor. 6:19-20 NLT