Ellen White emphasizes that health is deeply connected to spiritual life and that the laws governing our physical bodies are just as divine as the Ten Commandments. She teaches that violating these physical laws is actually a violation of God's law, as the human body is a complex machinery that must be cared for according to principle rather than mere appetite (GosHealth November 1, 1897, par. 2). When individuals allow their tastes to dictate their habits instead of following health principles, they often suffer from physical ailments like chills and fevers, which are simply nature's way of trying to resist the burdens placed upon it (2T 68.2). True health reform is described as a broad platform that involves temperance in every aspect of life, including eating, drinking, and dressing (20MR 4.4).
It is not limited to avoiding harmful substances like alcohol or tobacco; it also requires a careful regulation of the diet to ensure food is prepared in a simple, natural manner (CD 406.1). She warns that food made too rich or consumed in immoderate quantities wearies the digestive organs and leaves the stomach debilitated, making it unable to properly process even the most healthful meals (TSDF 176.2). The ultimate goal of health reform is to bring humanity back to God's original plan for temperance and to enable individuals to live for His glory (CD 124.1).
This physical care is an essential part of the work of salvation, as a clear mind and a healthy body allow a person to better understand divine truths and resist base passions (Te 237.4). By following these principles, believers become laborers together with God, developing their individuality and reflecting the divine nature in their daily lives (PCP 9.2).
