Eden Health

     “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth….And God said,’Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:’….So God created man in His image, in the image of God, created he him, male and female created He them”  Gen. 1:1,26,27 (KJV).  After Adam and Eve were created, God gave them the Garden of Eden for their home. And in the Garden of Eden, God gave Adam and Eve principles that they should follow for their health and happiness.

     At the very start God instructed them about their diet: “And God said, ‘Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.” Gen. 1:29 (KJV)

     He also specified the food for the animals and the birds and all creeping things that were alive at that time.  He gave them every green herb for their food (Gen 1:30).  So we could see here that at the very beginning both man and animals were vegetarians. Flesh was not a part of the original diet for both man and animals. If you would read Genesis 1:29 carefully, you would find out that herbs or vegetables were not part of the original diet as well.  It was after the fall of Adam and Eve that the herbs of the field or vegetables were added to the diet of man (see Gen. 3:18).

     Another principle that was given to Adam and Eve after the fall is found in Genesis 3: 17-19. Adam was to till the ground so he could grow plants for their food. He has to exercise more effort in order to eat and it is said that it was for his own good. So right after the fall, the Lord was telling Adam that exercise is needed in order to stay strong and healthy.

     A good diet made up of fruits, grains, nuts and vegetables was one of the first principles established in Eden. Exercise was also established after the fall.  A healthy diet and exercise are just two of the principles established by the Lord at the very beginning. The other principles would be discussed next time.