As I was reviewing information for this article, the Beyoncé’s song, “Formation” came to mind because practicing “How to Eat to Live” will help us get into line.
Have you ever learned something from a book or tape and couldn’t wait to put it into practice? How will you know it works unless you put it into practice? The Honorable Elijah Muhammad states in Book II of How to Eat to Live, “I am often experimenting as I teach you, so that I will know what happens if you go contrary to the teachings of “How to Eat to Live.
For years, many of us, especially Black people living in America, have been “chained” to a diet and way of life that leads us to a slow and sometimes fast path to death. If you have read the How to Eat to Live books or even the How to Eat to Live column in The Final Call, you have been well equipped with a wealth of knowledge to extend your life. However, as we see this detrimental world falling, there is a “last ditch” effort now being made to extend the lives of those in the “old world order.”
Recently, I was reading a book on enhancing your beauty that was recommended on a health show, I had a “deja vu” moment thinking, “Where have I heard this before?” The book entitled The Beauty Detox Solution stated, “It is commonly believed we should eat small meals often to keep our metabolism up and stabilize blood sugar. The truth, however, is that eating often is a sure way to age faster. … Every time we eat, digestion has to be kicked back up, and so does the consumption of our body’s precious enzymes. Constantly grazing [snacking] throughout the day is a sure way to burn our body’s enzymes more quickly … and speed up the aging process.”
All this does is bear witness to what the Honorable Elijah Muhammad stated in How to Eat to Live about the importance of eating “one meal a day” and retaining our beauty appearance. His information, which he received from Allah God in Person, is a very important point to remember. In How to Eat To Live Book I, the Honorable Elijah Muhammad states, “The foolish idea of eating three or four times a day-and all between meals–is like the poisonous swine who never has any regular eating habit. Even a dog will not eat when he is full most of the time.”
As I am flipping through the beauty detox book, I run across another section that said, “Cut out the soda! … Soda consumed regularly will demineralize our teeth and rob us of our beauty by eating up the precious minerals that create it.” In How to Eat To Live, Book I which was published many years earlier states, “You should not even drink a lot of soda pop. Some intelligent people will not drink one bottle of soda pop.”
Once you know some body of knowledge, then what? We are supposed to put our mathematical theology to work … act on it. When we don’t properly use or apply our knowledge, we suffer. We are given “authority” over our bodies and have been given a wonderful “body of knowledge” to help us properly care for our bodies.
“Eating to live,” thinking “good thoughts” and exercising are key components in “getting fit to live.”
Why is physical activity so important? According to “Fit for Life II: Living Health,” every part of your body depends on regular physical activity. “When a specific part of the body is put into action, the body responds by sending more blood, nutrients, and energy to that area. This response leads to an overall improvement in the health and vitality of the particular part involved. If exercise is neglected, the body will become weak and all its physical powers will be diminished, but with regular exercise the entire system will be strengthened and invigorated.”
Remember, belief accounts for nothing unless carried into practice. Every belief must be followed by an action. What do our actions indicate about our belief? As Beyoncé would say, “Okay ladies, now let’s get in formation, ‘cause I slay.”
May Allah (God) bless us all with peace, love, health, wealth and happiness.
(Audrey Muhammad is an aerobics instructor and the author of The Sister’s Guide to Fitness. To order, send a $12 money order to Get Fit To Live, P.O. Box 61402, Raleigh, NC, 27661. Please consult a physician before beginning any new exercise or dietary program. Email [email protected] to inquire about a Get Fit to Live workshop in your city).
