There is nothing in life that is greater than our health. A healthy family is the greatest blessing. A sick family is the greatest tragedy. It is interesting, when one person becomes sick, the whole family suffers and when one family suffers, the whole community becomes unstable. A family that has a sick person has been imbalance for some time and a community that has many sick families has been disordered for a long period.
Sickness such as physical and mental, never arise without cause and the underlying cause, in all instances, is our own disorderly way of life. Sicknesses are simply a warning from our intuition(or may I say Almighty God), telling us that our way of life has been in disharmony. A person suffering from sickness should reflect deeply, apologizing to him or herself, family community and the universe. Sentimental consolations, including the presentation of candies, fruits or flowers to a sick person are not helpful in anyway – not at all. Sick people need our deep concern and warm care to guide them toward the proper understanding of why they are suffering. They also need us to guide and inspire them toward the proper food and nourishment that will end their suffering without any further complications and serves as a basis for the way of life which they need to follow from now on.
Beyond anything else, the orientation of family and community should be directed towards maintaining the best health of their members. To keep a family in healthy physical, mental and spiritual condition, it is not necessary to have regular consultations or to receive any special treatment from a family doctor. The best method traditionally, is the common practice of gathering the family together regularly to eat meals that are prepared, acquire a loving spirit. Traditionally , the centre of the household is the mother who is usually most mindful of everyone’s daily health and well being, though any one who is mature physically and mentally can serve as the daily cook. Through her love and skill in the kitchen, the family is able to to derive limitless benefits.
At the table everyone’s physical and mental conditions are periodically observed and discussed in a light, humorous spirit, and meals can be adjusted according to everyone’s personal requirements with certain condiments, garnishes and seasoning. Special dishes may even be prepared for certain members of the family. During the meal, each member of the family exchanges daily thoughts and experiences in harmonious conversation, creating a spirit of fellowship and mutual respect. Naturally, as the family eats the same food together, a similar quality of blood and, consequently, thinking develops. Over time, the family becomes on, with all members sharing the same dream and destiny in life.
Interestingly, without eating whole balanced meals together, there can be no biological, physical and social unity, which is the essence of the family. The home becomes simply an impersonal living space.
When family members eat in separate ways and at separate time, dissatisfaction and division spread. Personalities and opinions begin to differ and clash, eventually causing a lack of understanding and sympathy. Though there maybe other contributing factors, the fundamental reason for the increase of conflicts, arguments, separation and ultimately a divorce among married people and the disintegration of the family(modern), is a decline of the home- cooked meal.
Similarly, in the community life, if the majority of people do not eat a well-balanced diet, social disorder prevails. The structure and operation of modern societies is based upon fear (produced by the unhealthy conditions of the kidneys and bladder), suspicion (produced by the malfunctioning of the triple heater), insecurity and anxiety(produced by an unhealthy heart and small intestines). Human relations become laden with distrust as people suffer from false, self imposed delusions. Greed and selfishness prevail in community life as every member of society becomes defensive and protective of his or hers private interest and benefits. To control the excesses of this way of life, the community must produce educational, political, economical, religious and military systems that regulate and restrict daily life through rules and ethics, laws and taxes, force and punishment. Training is geared towards standardization; everyone is taught the same concepts to meet the uniform set of requirements. Individual freedom and creative self expression are then sacrificed in the process. Greater community sickness only leads to greater social organization and greater control over our lives. At the same time, spreading physical and mental degeneration causes the rapid internal weakening of society it self. Finally, replete with sick people, sick families and sick communities, economically unstable to support itself and politically unable to govern because of leaders who are sick or lack in vision and judgment, the civilization collapses.
Good food, well prepared and properly eaten, gives us the ability to continually prevent disease from overwhelming us. Understanding and judgment will follow naturally as we seek methodically a way of life compatible with our internal physiological development.
*We Claim No Copyright To The Above Images*
*Submitted by Ted Emanuel
*Article originally printed in ANTIGUA SUN newspaper, Dec 1998
Ted Emanuel is a licensed naturopathic physician whose passion is promoting physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellness through a macrobiotic (balance) diet and corrective exercises tailored to the individual’s need.
A leading proponent of the natural system of beauty, skin and health care, he has developed his own Internal/External philosophy during a long and illustrious career in the United States and the Caribbean. He is skilled in the art of African/Oriental diagnosis in which he uses sight, sound, touch and smell to evaluate the body’s organs, glands and systems. Top medical experts and practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine have acclaimed his diagnostic techniques. Ted Emanuel has had significant success in the use of the energetic properties of food to treat cancers, cardiovascular disorders, diabetes , lupus , obesity, HTLV-1 virus and many other disorders .
He has traveled and lectured extensively and has been a consultant to universities and health food organizations. Currently he is focused on his Naturopathic Wellness Retreat, Wellness Workshops (Companies, Churches,Groups) and consultancy.
Ted Emanuel’s commitment to discipline is demonstrated in his fourth degree black belt title, (https://emanuelsite.wordpress.com/2013/04/06/my-shotokan-journey/ )which he received from the Japan Karate Association and the International Shotakan Karate Federation.
“Food is the main sustenance of life , without it sickness can never be definitively corrected or cured”
Ted Emanuel Wellness /Solutions 
Pretty! This has been a really wonderful article.
Many thanks for providing these details.