〉 Chapter 27—The Heart and Blood
Chapter 27—The Heart and Blood
Physiology of the Circulatory System
737. Perfect health depends upon perfect circulation.—Testimonies for the Church 2:531. (HL 178.1)
738. The more active the circulation the more free from obstructions and impurities will be the blood. The blood nourishes the body. The health of the body depends upon the healthful circulation of the blood.—The Health Reformer, May 1, 1873. (HL 178.2)
739. At every pulsation of the heart, the blood should be propelled to the extremities quickly and easily in order to have health.... The current of human life is struggling to go its accustomed rounds, and should not be hindered in its circuit through the body by the imperfect manner in which women clothe their limbs.—The Health Reformer, May 1, 1872. (HL 178.3)
740. The limbs were not formed by our Creator to endure exposure, as was the face. The Lord provided the face with an immense circulation, because it must be exposed. He provided, also, large veins and nerves for the limbs and feet, to contain a large amount of the current of human life, that the limbs might be uniformly as warm as the body.—Testimonies for the Church 2:531. (HL 178.4)
741. The limbs and feet have large arteries, to receive a large amount of blood, that warmth, nutrition, elasticity, and strength may be imparted to them. But when the blood is chilled from these extremities, their blood-vessels contract, which makes the circulation of the necessary amount of blood in them still more difficult.—The Health Reformer, April 1, 1872. (HL 178.5)
742. The extremities are chilled, and the heart has thrown upon it double labor, to force the blood into these chilled extremities; and when the blood has performed its circuit through the body, and returned to the heart, it is not the same vigorous, warm current which left it. It has been chilled in its passage through the limbs. The heart, weakened by too great labor and poor circulation of poor blood, is then compelled to still greater exertion, to throw the blood to the extremities which are never as healthfully warm as other parts of the body. The heart fails in its efforts, and the limbs become habitually cold; and the blood, which is chilled away from the extremities, is thrown back upon the lungs and brain, and inflammation and congestion of the lungs or the brain is the result.—How to Live, 72. (HL 179.1)
Nervous Control of the Circulatory System
743. The nerves control the circulation of the blood; ... for instance, you are impressed that if you bathe, you will become chilly. The brain sends this intelligence to the nerves of the body, and the blood-vessels, held in obedience to your will, cannot perform their office and cause a reaction after the bath.—Testimonies for the Church 3:70. (HL 179.2)
744. You have a determined will, which causes the mind to react upon the body, unbalancing the circulation, and producing congestion in certain organs; and you are sacrificing health to your feelings.—Testimonies for the Church 5:310. (HL 179.3)
745. The exercise of the brain in study without corresponding physical exercise has a tendency to attract the blood to the brain, and the circulation of the blood through the system becomes unbalanced. The brain has too much blood and the extremities too little.—Testimonies for the Church 3:138. (HL 180.1)
Causes of Diseases of the Blood and Circulation
746. Those who are not in health have impurities of the blood.—Testimonies for the Church 3:70. (HL 180.2)
747. A bad circulation leaves the blood to become impure, induces congestion of the brain and lungs, and causes diseases of the heart, the liver, and the lungs.—The Health Reformer, April 1, 1872. (HL 180.3)
748. By interrupting the circulation of the blood, the entire system is deranged.—The Health Reformer, November 1, 1870. (HL 180.4)
749. The chief if not the only reason why many become invalids is that the blood does not circulate freely, and the changes in the vital fluid which are necessary to life and health do not take place. They have not given their bodies exercise nor their lungs food, which is pure, fresh air; therefore it is impossible for the blood to be vitalized, and it pursues its course sluggishly through the system.—Testimonies for the Church 2:525. (HL 180.5)
750. Foul blood will surely becloud the moral and intellectual powers, and arouse and strengthen the baser passions of your nature.—Testimonies for the Church 2:404. (HL 180.6)
Innutrition
751. Flesh meats, butter, cheese, rich pastry, spiced foods, and condiments are freely partaken of by both old and young.... The blood making organs cannot convert such things into good blood.—Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, 47. (HL 180.7)
752. In order to make a good quality of blood, we must have the right kind of food, prepared in a right manner.—Testimonies for the Church 1:682. (HL 181.1)
753. A poor quality of food, cooked in an improper manner, and insufficient in quantity, cannot make good blood. Flesh meats and rich food and an impoverished diet will produce the same results.—Testimonies for the Church 2:368. (HL 181.2)
Errors in Diet
754. Anything which is taken into the stomach and converted into blood, becomes a part of the being. Children should not be allowed to eat gross articles of food, such as pork, sausage, spices, rich cakes, and pastry; for by so doing their blood becomes fevered, the nervous system unduly excited, and the morals are in danger of being affected.—Testimonies for the Church 4:141. (HL 181.3)
755. Indulging in eating too frequently, and of too large quantities, overtaxes the digestive organs, and produces a feverish state of the system. The blood becomes impure, and then diseases of various kinds follow.—Spiritual Gifts Volume 4a, 133. (HL 181.4)
756. Catarrhal difficulties, kidney disease, headache, and heart troubles are the result of immoderate eating.—Unpublished Testimonies, August 30, 1896. (HL 181.5)
757. Your health is greatly injured by overeating and eating at improper times. This causes a determination of the blood to the brain.... You are in danger of apoplexy; and if you continue to disobey the laws of health, your life will be cut short suddenly.—Testimonies for the Church 4:501, 502. (HL 181.6)
758. The liver becomes burdened, and unable to throw off the impurities in the blood, and sickness is the result.—Testimonies for the Church 3:490. (HL 182.1)
759. While fever is raging, food may irritate and excite the blood; but as soon as the strength of the fever is broken, nourishment should be given in a careful, judicious manner.—Testimonies for the Church 2:384. (HL 182.2)
Flesh Meats
760. Flesh meats will depreciate the blood. Cook meat with spices, and eat it with rich cakes and pies, and you have a bad quality of blood. The system is too heavily taxed in disposing of this kind of food.—Testimonies for the Church 2:368. (HL 182.3)
761. The eating of flesh meats has made a poor quality of blood and flesh. Your systems are in a state of inflammation, prepared to take on disease. You are liable to acute attacks of disease, and to sudden death, because you do not possess the strength of constitution to rally and resist disease.—Testimonies for the Church 2:61. (HL 182.4)
762. When we feed on flesh, the juices of what we eat pass into the circulation....Thus a feverish condition is created, because the animals are diseased, and ... we plant the seeds of disease in our own tissue and blood.—Unpublished Testimonies, November 5, 1896. (HL 182.5)
Pork
763. Subsisting mostly on highly seasoned animal food produces a feverish state of the system, especially if pork is used freely. The blood becomes impure, the circulation is not equalized.—Spiritual Gifts Volume 4a, 126. (HL 182.6)
764. Pork, although one of the most common articles of diet, is one of the most injurious. God did not prohibit the Hebrews from eating swine’s flesh merely to show his authority, but because it was not a proper article of food for man. It would fill the system with scrofula, and especially in that warm climate produce leprosy and disease of various kinds.... Swine’s flesh, above all other flesh meats, produces a bad state of the blood.... It is impossible for the flesh of any living creature to be healthy when filth is its natural element, and when it feeds upon every detestable thing. The flesh of swine is composed of what they eat. If human beings eat their flesh, their blood and their flesh will be corrupted by impurities conveyed to them through the swine.—How to Live, 58. (HL 183.1)
765. Cancers, tumors, and inflammatory diseases are largely caused by meat eating.... Flesh diet cannot make good blood.—Unpublished Testimonies, November 5, 1896. (HL 183.2)
Impure Air
766. If the lungs are restricted, the quantity of oxygen received into them is also limited, the blood becomes vitiated, and disease follows.—The Health Reformer, February 1, 1877. (HL 183.3)
767. For fear of taking cold they persist from year to year in... living in an atmosphere almost destitute of vitality. It is impossible for this class to have a healthy circulation.—Testimonies for the Church 2:526. (HL 183.4)
768. Such can test the matter, and be convinced of the unhealthy air in the their close rooms, by entering them after they have remained a while in the open air. Then they can have some idea of the impurities they have conveyed to the blood through the inhalations of the lungs.—How to Live, 63. (HL 183.5)
769. By inhaling the impure air, the blood is poisoned, the lungs become affected, and the whole system is diseased.—How to Live, 61. (HL 184.1)
Lack of Exercise
770. Inaction of any of the organs of the body will be followed by decrease in size and strength of the muscles, and will cause the blood to flow sluggishly through the blood-vessels.—Testimonies for the Church 3:76. (HL 184.2)
771. The blood is not enabled to expel the impurities as it would if active circulation were induced by exercise.—Testimonies for the Church 2:529. (HL 184.3)
772. The exercise of the brain in study, without corresponding physical exercise, has a tendency to attract the blood to the brain, and the circulation of the blood through the system becomes unbalanced.—Testimonies for the Church 3:138. (HL 184.4)
Improper Clothing
773. Parents who dress their children with their extremities naked, or nearly so, are sacrificing the life and health of their children to fashion. If these parts are not so warm as the body, the circulation is not equalized.... The blood is driven to the head, causing headache or nosebleed; or there is a sense of fulness about the chest; producing cough or palpitation of the heart, on account of too much blood in that locality; or the stomach has too much blood, causing indigestion... The blood is chilled back from its natural course, and thrown upon the internal organs, breaking up the circulation and producing disease.—Testimonies for the Church 2:531. (HL 184.5)
774. Look at the tight-fitting waists of the dresses of these children. It is impossible for their lungs to have full action. The heart and liver cannot do their work, thus compressed....Look at their limbs, unclad except by the slight covering of cotton stockings .... The air chills the limbs, the life current is driven back from its natural course, and the limbs are robbed of their proportion of blood. The blood, which should be induced to the extremities by their being properly clad, is thrown back upon the internal organs. There is too much blood in the head. The lungs are congested or the liver is burdened; by interrupting the circulation of the blood, the entire system is deranged.—The Health Reformer, November 1, 1870. (HL 184.6)
775. The artificial hair and pads covering the base of the brain heat and excite the spinal nerves centering in the brain. The head should ever be kept cool. The heat caused by these artificial coverings induces the blood to the brain. The action of the blood upon the lower or animal organs of the brain, causes unnatural activity, tends to recklessness in morals, and the mind and heart are in danger of being corrupted.—The Health Reformer, October 1, 1871. (HL 185.1)
Lack of Cleanliness
776. The impurities of the body, if not allowed to escape, are taken back into the blood, and forced upon the internal organs.—How to Live, 60. (HL 185.2)
Heredity
777. From the food the mother was compelled to receive, she could not furnish a good quality of blood, and therefore gave birth to children filled with humors.—Testimonies for the Church 2:379. (HL 185.3)
Drugs
778. The disease which the drug was given to cure may disappear, but only to reappear in a new form, such as skin diseases, ulcers, painful, diseased joints, and sometimes in a more dangerous and deadly form. The liver, heart, and brain are frequently affected by drugs, and often all these organs are burdened with disease.... These organs, which should be in healthy condition, are enfeebled, and the blood becomes impure.—How to Live, 61. (HL 185.4)
How Improved
Exercise
779. The more we exercise, the better will be the circulation of the blood....Those who accustom themselves to proper exercise in the open air. will generally have a good and vigorous circulation.—Testimonies for the Church 2:525. (HL 186.1)
780. Brisk, yet not violent, exercise in the open air, with cheerfulness of spirits, will promote the circulation, giving a healthy glow to the skin, and sending the blood, vitalized by the pure air, to the extremities.—Testimonies for the Church 2:530. (HL 186.2)
781. There is no exercise that can take the place of walking. By it the circulation of the blood is greatly improved.—Testimonies for the Church 3:78. (HL 186.3)
782. Physical labor, a diversion from mental, will draw the blood from the brain.... The circulation of the blood will be better equalized.—Testimonies for the Church 2:569. (HL 186.4)
Fresh Air
783. In order to have good blood, we must breathe well.—The Health Reformer, November 1, 1871. (HL 186.5)
784. The influence of pure, fresh air is to cause the blood to circulate healthfully through the system.—Testimonies for the Church 1:702. (HL 186.6)
785. The chief if not the only reason why many become invalids, is that the blood does not circulate freely, and the changes in the vital fluid which are necessary to life and health do not take place. They have not given their bodies exercise nor their lungs food, which is pure, fresh air; therefore it is impossible for the blood to be vitalized, and it pursues its course sluggishly through the system.—Testimonies for the Church 2:525. (HL 186.7)
Water Drinking
786. Pure water to drink and fresh air to breathe invigorate the vital organs, purify the blood, and help nature in her task of overcoming the bad conditions of the system.—How to Live, 55. (HL 187.1)
787. Water is the best liquid possible to cleanse the tissues.—The Review and Herald, July 29, 1884. (HL 187.2)
Clothing
788. To secure a good circulation of the current of human life, all parts of the body must be suitably clad.—The Health Reformer, April 1, 1872. (HL 187.3)
Bathing
789. Bathing frees the skin from the accumulation of impurities which are constantly collecting, and keeps the skin moist and supple, thereby increasing and equalizing the circulation.—Testimonies for the Church 3:70. (HL 187.4)
790. A bath, properly taken, fortifies against cold, because the circulation is improved, ... for the blood is brought to the surface, and a more easy and regular flow of the blood through all the blood-vessels is obtained.—Testimonies for the Church 3:71. (HL 187.5)