— Health from a biblical perspective —

Dear health-minded Reader,

It’s fair to assert that most pay far more attention to nutrition and exercise — plus mental and spiritual well-being, than their oxygenation;  except, perhaps indirectly through exercise, but not of itself.  It’s not surprising because neither the sick-care industry nor media give it much play.  It’s like bio-hydration: there’s no money to be made in telling us to drink more water, or in this case, breathe more fresh air.

But, oh the health benefits!  In fact, this subject is so vital to one’s health and well-being, we REALLY should have covered it prior to our just-completed series on water.  As important as water truly is to health, oxygen is vastly more so.  We pray this new series will both inform and motivate you to study it out, then adapt the principles to your own life. It’s worth it!

Bio-Oxygenation

More vital than water

For weeks in early 2005, Diane lay on our couch with the living room looking more like an ER than an LR.  An oxygen concentrating machine huffed and puffed day and night, to which she was plumbed 24/7 via a thin tubing.  Additionally, every few hours we would turn on a lung medicating machine, through which she eventually received 54 treatments; its acid playing havoc with her teeth.  With praise first to God, then to the medical paraphernalia, she has now largely recovered.

Precipitating this life-threatening episode was her unwise, several-day visit of to one of our kid’s homes.  They were smokers.  Their visitors were also smokers.  Bad enough, but they also live in Phoenix; its air a toxic brew of pollutants, that’s also low in oxygen; occasionally down to 11%, compared to a nominal 20.  To boot, Diane’s lungs had already been impaired in 1996 when we were infected with 7 tick-borne diseases between us.  Reduced respiration, air pollution, an oxygen shortage along with second-hand smoke — nearly did her in.  Even after being able to get about, she looked like a wobbly golf caddy pushing a large oxygen bottle whenever leaving the house.

How Important is “O2”?

In order of precedence, the five most vital elements to sustain human life are: oxygen, water, sodium, potassium and calcium.  Think about it:  we can live for weeks without food; days without water ... but only a few minutes without air (oxygen).  It is necessary to every normal cellular activity; nothing (good) happens without it.  Its presence promotes anabolic activity (constructive metabolism) and its absence permits an (anaerobic) environment that is conducive to catabolism (destructive metabolism).  In other words, oxygen helps keep us healthy & its shortage leads to sickness.

In fireplaces, rocket motors and blast furnaces, oxygen is the catalyst that makes things burn; that “oxidizes” them.  It also causes iron to rust; a slower form of that process: “oxidation”.  Metabolically, oxygen is the catalyst to “burn” food nutrients, converting them into (ATP) energy needed for every bodily activity.  Water, sodium and potassium are all involved in the process of delivering digested food nutrients to and thru a cell’s membrane, to be “burned”.  In effect, our cells function like micro furnaces; 100 trillion of them!  They work 24/7 to generate energy and that requires an adequate supply of oxygen.  As you know, it comes from air, but how does it get to the cells?  By the process of bio-oxygenation.

From air to internity

With each inhalation, air, with all its pollutants and hopefully about 20% oxygen, rushes through the lung’s passageways (bronchia) and into its myriad air sacs (alveoli) — the latter sometimes likened to bunches of hollowed-out grapes.  It’s within the alveoli’s cellularly thin walls that air and blood intermingle; where oxygen molecules make the transfer.  It’s also at this juncture the process of oxygenation can be impaired.

For example: •if one is a smoker, the alveoli are, to some degree, coated with tobacco’s tar, inhibiting the exchange.  •If one lives in acidic/polluted air, there’s a corrosive and coating effect of these sensitive tissues that reduces their ability to function.  •If one does not drink enough water and their body is dehydrated (as are some 75% of folks) the body constricts the bronchia and thus oxygen intake.  Although this thirst signal is typically named “asthma”, it’s a defense measure to protect the lung’s delicate tissues when there’s not enough water to adequately hydrate them.  •If one is a shallow breather and/or doesn’t get enough exercise, many alveoli can collapse, reducing respiration capacity.  NOW consider a shallow-breathing, under-exercised and dehydrated smoker, living in polluted air ... a combo just inviting sickness, disease and early death.

Oxygen deprivation

A chronic shortage of any of the three life basics (air, water and food) produce proportionate debilitation, sickness and disease.  How, where and to what extent varies according to the individual because we all have our “weak links” ... the most likely place of manifestation.  But even our weak links can function adequately, so long as they are supplied with the optimal amount of the three basics.

As with an insufficiency of nutrients or water, not enough oxygen affects every one of the body’s 100 trillion cells.  It impairs their ability (and that of the tissues and organs they comprise) to perform all the vital functions required to maintain good health.  This includes generating energy, removing metabolic waste, fighting invaders and dealing with damaged cells, plus the neurological, hormonal, brain, digestive and elimination functions.  They all require a steady, optimal supply of oxygen — “O2”.

If oxygen levels drop too low for too long, anaerobic activity can ensue: disease producing virus or bacteria (pathogens) that thrive without oxygen.  Localized, the results are often called tumors, cancers, etc.  When systemic, it can bear any of a whole range of names: multiple sclerosis,  phlebitis, Parkinson’s, leukemia, etc.  Their exact cause is typically elusive, with low oxygen rarely identified and are thus chalked up to the familiar, “etiology unknown.”  Assuring an adequate supply of oxygen is one way to help avoid these expensive and life-shortening experiences.

Why the deprivation?

This was rarely an issue when I was growing up, for three main reasons: lifestyle, dietary and environmental.  Lifestyles have dramatically altered as our nation gravitated from a more rural, agrarian and manufacturing society.  Hard to imagine as it might be for those under 50, my family’s  early lifestyle was commonplace.  We lived in the country; grew, raised or foraged for much of our food; spent much of our time out-of-doors and physically worked hard.  All of which were sources of more oxygen.  Moreover, we didn’t have TV, VCRs, DVDs, computers, video games, X-boxes, i-pods, A/C, microwaves, shopping malls and most of the things that now keep most of us inside, on our duffs — most of the time.

Our diets were celestial compared to today: garden fresh produce, eggs from our own, or a local’s free range chickens; the same for raw, fresh milk.  Even more urbanized folk had whole milk delivered to their door.  Whole-grain bread was common as was “wild” dessert; any of a wide variety of nuts, berries or fruit harvested mostly from the wild.  A high percentage of our (mostly) “organic” diet was also eaten raw.  Meat was secondary to a combination of fresh tomatoes, corn, green beans, carrots, lettuce, endive, wild dandelions and water cress, squash, potatoes, cucs, cauliflower, cabbage, etc.  Our idea of a summer treat was a garden tomato frozen on a stick or snacking on a dozen varieties of wild nuts and berries — all sources of more oxygen, enzymes and nutrients; especially eaten raw.

The environment was still clean enough to (judiciously) drink water from springs and streams.  Even I now find that hard to believe!  Sure, there was some air pollution from “unscrubbed” factory smokestacks.  But there were also 10s of thousands fewer pollutants from chemicals, cleaners, cars and crud, most all of which reduce our breathing capacity or the air’s oxygen.  To get about, more people either walked, took a bus or train; two-car families were rare.  The country’s population was 90 million and a “super highway” had 4 lanes at 50 MPH.  Our bodies were clothed with naturally produced fabric rather than petroleum or chemically concocted cloth.  Our ears were blessed with the sounds of cows, birds, bees and wind in the trees — not boom boxes, tractor-trailers, jets and today’s numberless noises than further stress our health.

We can neither turn back the clock nor undo the downside of population growth and “progress” (?).  However, there are many simple, inexpensive ways to cope with these unhealthy changes, starting with ways of better bio-oxygenation.  More later.

— From our readers —

I also appreciate that you are interested in the physical needs of your readers as well.  The information is right on and will help many come back to excellent health.  If they’ll just do it! — VA Beach,VA

We really liked your last newsletter on hydration! — Amarillo, TX

Thanks for your articles on water intake & salt, which I’m studying. — Venice, FL

I am back at home recovering.  The reason is that in the last month I came down with DEHYDRATION from not enough drinking water.  I was in a nursing home for three weeks. — Murphy, NC

Dear “Murphy” — You’re in our prayers and though it pains us to see anyone suffering, your situation helps make 2 of the most basic points we’ve tried to get across.  (1) dehydration is a very serious matter, to which we’re sure you’ll add, “A-men!”  And (2) one cannot wait until “feeling thirsty” to drink water, especially as we age, when our thirst sensitivity wans.  Drinking plain, pure water must become a regular part of our diet.  Here are some basics distilled from our recent articles.

Rehydration Therapy

(1) Divide your weight by 2 to learn the minimum ounces to drink every day.
(2) Drink 16 oz upon arising.
(3) Drink 8 oz, 30 min. before meals.
(4) Drink 8 oz 2-1/2 hrs after meals.
(5) Drink 8 oz prior to bedtime.
(6) Drink even more if you work hard.

NOTE: it is imperative to increase salt intake with this regimen; typically 1/2 tsp of sea-salt/day.  More detailed information is available, free for the asking.  Just call or write.  — ed.

Disclaimer: The Hallelujah Health NEWS newsletter emphasizes nutrition-related health issues, to educate, encourage and provide lifestyle information.  There is no intent to diagnose, treat, prescribe for, cure or prevent disease.  The author or publisher assumes no responsibility for the use or effects of said information.  Hallelujah Health NEWS is a free public educational service, solely to promote a healthier lifestyle.

ABOUT US:  Founded in 1993, Hallelujah Living Ministries is a donation-based, non-denominational Christian outreach to uplift, inform and challenge followers of Jesus Christ.  For more information or a copy of our always-free print newsletter, please include a  postal mail address along with your comments and prayer requests. Thank you for visiting  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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