Obesity and ...1

Studies at Northwestern University showed that those who attend religious services frequently are significantly more likely to become obese by the time they reach middle age. Director of Baylor University's Program on Religion and Population Health, Jeff Levin, hypothesized that people who attend services along with activities such as Bible study and prayer groups may be "sitting around passively instead of being outside engaging in physical activity." Dr. Daniel Amen, author of Change Your Brain, Change Your Life, found in his clinics that brain health is highly linked to physical healthy. When a person's weight went up, the function in the prefrontal cortex, the most human, thoughtful part of the brain went down. In an effort to help church attendees be healthier, Amen teamed up with the pastors at Saddleback Church to institute “The Daniel Plan,” named after the Old Testament writer who refused to eat the Babylonian king's food. Reportedly, this plan utilizes such health tools as keeping a food journal, drinking water throughout the day, getting proper sleep, ingesting high quality calories, and regular exercise. Reports are that 15,000 people became involved in this 52-week plan to get the church healthier and that collectively the participants have lost a 250 thousand pounds . . .