CHAPTER 10

making the daniel cure a way of life

I (SUSAN) RECEIVE COUNTLESS EMAILS FROM MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE amazed at the health results they experience while on the twenty-one-day Daniel Fast. They write to me almost as though they are asking permission to continue on the fast and eat this way for the rest of their lives. My response is typically some version of both “No” and “Yes.” No, because being on a continual spiritual fast is an oxymoron — fasting is intended to be a temporary experience. But I also say a resounding “Yes” because changing eating habits to a natural, whole-food plan can provide remarkable and rapid health benefits — as described in detail in chapters 5 to 8.

We hope you are truly interested in moving away from the disease-promoting eating habits that are so prevalent today and in adopting the principles of the Daniel Cure, a healthy eating plan that can last a lifetime. Choosing this way of eating as a lifestyle begins with the twenty-one-day Daniel Fast. During the fast, you’ll cleanse your system from sugar, fat-laden foods, and chemical additives. Plus your body will be more adequately hydrated.

As you reset your body for optimal health, you’ll find that your cravings for unhealthy foods will diminish, your taste buds will be recalibrated, and you will feel better because your body is operating more efficiently. After completing the fast, you can use the knowledge and experience gained, coupled with the Daniel Cure lifestyle principles, to develop a sustainable, healthy eating plan.

DANIEL CURE LIFESTYLE PRINCIPLES

The guidelines for a twenty-one-day Daniel Fast are based on the fasting experience of the prophet Daniel (Daniel 1 and 10) and are clear about the foods that can and cannot be eaten. However, choosing a lifestyle of healthy eating based on the Daniel Fast requires adapting the fast and personalizing it into a plan you can follow long term. For example, you may choose to maintain a strictly plant-based eating plan, or you might decide to follow a plant-focused plan but add a small amount of low-fat meat, skim milk, and yogurt to your weekly menu, recognizing the health benefits of these foods. (See “Do I Really Need to Eat Animal Products for Adequate Protein and Calcium?” on page 108.) But how will you make these decisions, and how will you know that your choices are aligned with the Daniel Cure? The answer? You build on the foundation of the Daniel Fast and make choices using five foundational Daniel Cure principles.

1. Make a firm commitment to be healthy. This is most important and is your first step to success. If you recognize that your current lifestyle plan is not conducive to optimal health, acknowledge this and seek an alternative. Once you commit yourself to becoming healthy, you can then determine your specific course of action. This should include physical action, such as adopting an appropriate dietary and physical activity plan, and spiritual action, such as engaging in daily prayer and Bible study. As you get started, consider completing the Daniel Cure Pledge (see page 276).

2. Eat natural, clean, nutritious foods regularly throughout the day. The right foods (including both plant and animal products) will provide your body with the nutrients it needs for optimum health. Frequent meals will allow you to maintain stable energy levels throughout the day, without crashes. You will function at your best when you regularly eat natural, clean, nutritious food throughout the day.

3. Drink adequate water to keep your body well-hydrated. As with food intake, consuming water regularly throughout the day is of vital importance. (See “The Health Benefits of Water” on page 29.)

4. Get adequate exercise and sleep to maintain your health. While nutritional intake is the focus of this book, regular exercise should be a part of every healthy lifestyle. (See “What about Exercise?” on page 111.) Getting enough quality sleep each night will help greatly in your quest for improved health. Proper sleep allows for greater productivity in all aspects of your life.

5. Seek the Lord in all you do and accept his gift of grace as he empowers you to adopt a lifestyle of health. If you attempt to make this lifestyle change on your own, the chance for long-term success is not good. This is the unfortunate reality. Our advice: Start your journey with the God of the universe as your guide. He will take you exactly where you need to go.

Each of these principles has been independently touched on in this book. However, when pulling the nutrition-specific principles together, we generate a plan very similar to the “modified” Daniel Fast that Rick’s research team studied and noted similar benefits compared with the traditional plant-based Daniel Fast in which no animal products are consumed. (See Study 5 on page 281 in the appendix “The Science behind the Daniel Fast.”)

Remember, although a traditional Daniel Fast includes only plant-based foods, the Daniel Cure allows for additional freedom of food choices. Specifically, the Daniel Cure plan proposes that all clean, natural, and non-processed plant- and animal-based foods are acceptable — recognizing the fact that much nutritional value comes from both plant and animal foods. For example, lean meats and low-fat dairy products are excellent sources of protein and micronutrients — with research supporting the opinion that restricting all animal products from your diet is not necessarily the best idea. In fact, Rick’s studies found that even for vegetarians, including small amounts of meat and dairy was a better option for overall health than restricting all animal foods.

The diagrams on page 104 provide a representation of what your nutritional intake might look like when following either a traditional plant-based Daniel Fast or the Daniel Cure approach. In both plans you’ll eat small and frequent meals throughout the day, with an abundance of dietary fiber, fruits, and vegetables, while minimizing processed foods and saturated fat. You’ll also drink plenty of water.

You’ll notice that for each plan (and ideally, for each of your meals) your plate should be split into three even sections — one part low-fat protein (plant- or animal-based), one part vegetable/fruit, one part whole grain. If you are using meal-replacement shakes as discussed in chapter 13, simply follow the recipes provided and you will be adhering closely to the three-section split — albeit in a blender.

On each plate you will notice that for both the Daniel Fast and the Daniel Cure plans, two of the three sections are essentially the same. The only difference is that you have a bit more freedom in the Daniel Cure plan to consume bread as a whole grain. Other than that, the plans are technically identical, with your goal to consume natural fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, and whole grains throughout the day. The main difference between the two plans lies in the protein sources. Specifically, the Daniel Fast includes only plant-based protein sources, including protein powders such as soy and pea. The Daniel Cure allows for a wealth of protein options, including poultry, beef, pork, fish, and dairy, in addition to all forms of protein indicated for the Daniel Fast. Of course, both plant- and animal-based protein powders are also options with the Daniel Cure.

As for the amount of food to consume, eat as much as you would like. But keep in mind that your goal with each meal should be to walk away feeling satisfied but never “stuffed.” An example dinner meal when following the Daniel Cure approach might consist of a 4–5-ounce chicken breast, a large sweet potato, one cup of steamed vegetables, and one piece of fruit. Simple, clean, balanced eating designed for health success! See chapter 22 for sample menus.

For both plans, the small amount of fat that you receive will likely be contained in the actual foods you consume (nuts, nut butter, meat, dairy, etc.). Of course, you may also receive small amounts of fat in the form of oil used to season and cook your food.

The bottom line is this: Both plans represent a very healthy way for you to take control of your life through dietary intake. If you are committed to a twenty-one-day Daniel Fast for spiritual growth, we suggest that you adhere to the traditional plant-based Daniel Fast plan. However, once you complete this and are seeking a plan that can be maintained long-term, you might feel more comfortable with the Daniel Cure approach due to its flexibility.

For example, while some men and women are perfectly fine giving up all animal products for the long-term, many are not. Some would like to enjoy a juicy burger on occasion or a perfectly seasoned and grilled medium-cooked steak. Some might enjoy a breakfast with egg whites or a snack of low-fat cottage cheese and pineapple. Others might indulge with a glass of red wine and a few small slices of cheese. All of these food choices are acceptable to consume while following the Daniel Cure approach — as long as you do so in moderation.

The key to your success is to adopt an approach that includes natural, unprocessed foods — whether plant based or not. Changing the lifelong habits of the way you eat will take time and commitment. But keep your eyes on the goal and the life-changing benefits of clean eating. Keep in mind that your new way of healthy living doesn’t mean you can never have a piece of cake or a Coke. We know that you will not eat clean food for every meal from this day forward for the rest of your life. Such a goal is an invitation to failure. It’s special to enjoy an occasional sweet dessert, a few slices of pizza, or a plate of homemade lasagna. Foods are pleasurable and you want to have the option to appreciate certain foods — on occasion. However, your path to success is to not consume such foods on a regular basis. Develop a “new normal” for you and your daily eating plan that has health and vitality as its guaranteed results.

With that in mind, note that the Daniel Cure plan also includes the option of consuming items such as coffee, tea, and occasional sweeteners. You should also consider including a cheat meal in your weekly menu and possibly a dessert. Doing so may help you remain on track, knowing that you do not need to be perfect in order to make progress. (See “Dietary Perfection versus Progress” on page 106.)

EATING TO LIVE

If you feel that food is controlling your life, you might ask yourself the following question: Are you eating to live or living to eat? Food is nourishment — a way to fuel our bodies with macro- and micronutrients so we can be at our best — physically, emotionally, and spiritually. World-class athletes understand this principle, but many of us tend to treat food more as a way to “fill up” or to experience pleasure. Again, it’s important to enjoy food and to make meals satisfying to the taste buds. But if our food choices are part of the reason we are sick, overweight, chronically fatigued, or out of shape, then we need to shift our perception of food and why we eat. That means resetting our minds and our actions toward eating to live. Eating to live means eating for nourishment and to care for the body — the temple of the Holy Spirit — with which each of us has been entrusted.

DIETARY PERFECTION VERSUS PROGRESS

Most people start a dietary plan believing that they need to adhere to it perfectly. Not so. In fact, the perfectionist mentality is likely responsible for the massive failure rate among so many who set out to change their diets. I (Rick) have talked with many people who believe if they are not perfect, they may as well just give up. As you embark on a new way of eating aimed at optimizing your lifelong health, I encourage you to include “cheat” meals in the plan. One or two such meals per week will work well for most people. Now, I know the diehard dieters may not agree with this, as they maintain the all-or-nothing mentality. I was once one of those people and can appreciate the discipline displayed by those who can eat perfectly every day, day in and day out. But few such people exist, and it’s clearly better to have 90 percent dietary success all the time (for the remainder of your life) than it is to have 100 percent success for only a short time. That’s what happens for most people — they start out strong, their enthusiasm wanes after the first two to three weeks, and they quit. This is not the way to adopt a healthy way of eating for life.

Your cheat meals might include dinner at your favorite restaurant or a great meal at home with the family, followed by an ice-cream sundae. Whatever you crave, treat yourself to something special — but don’t go overboard. The next day, get right back to the dietary plan you set for yourself. Remember, the goal is not perfection, but progress. If you have been struggling with your dietary plan (30 percent of your meals are of good quality; they’re relatively low in calories and high in nutrients), great progress would be moving up to 75 to 80 percent of all meals being of good quality. For example, you eat four meals per day, or twenty-eight meals per week. If you decide to have one cheat meal on Wednesday and another on Saturday (along with a dessert), we’d call that three “cheat meals.” Now your success rate has moved up to 89 percent (twenty-five of the twenty-eight meals are good meals). It may not be perfection, but it’s great progress!

MAKE A QUALITY DECISION

Changing deeply entrenched eating habits is hard, but it’s far from impossible. It all starts with a decision, or what we call a “quality decision.” A quality decision requires thorough consideration and prayer. It requires thinking about the kind of person you want to become as well as the decisions you need to make. It means you’ve weighed the benefits and the consequences of the decision. You’ve presented the matter to God and asked the Holy Spirit for direction. You’ve studied what the Word teaches and applied its truths to the matter you’re considering.

Once made, your quality decision then fuels your thoughts and your actions. It informs what you do and how you go about doing it. For example, when you make a decision to pursue healthy eating as a lifestyle, you no longer need to go on a series of temporary diets that lead you to say, “I can’t have that candy bar.” Instead, you operate from a different mind-set: “I don’t want that candy bar because it interferes with obtaining my goals and becoming the healthy and fit person I want to be.”

To pursue your goal of developing a healthy lifestyle, you’ll experience the temporary hardship of forgoing foods you may have really liked but now realize are incompatible with your goal. You may need to consistently get up earlier and go for that daily walk, even if that self-defeating voice in your head puts up a fight and says, Oh, you can always go tomorrow. Or You’re okay. You walked a few days last week. You deserve a day off. I know from experience that sitting on a couch or munching on a bag of potato chips doesn’t move me closer to who I want to be. So I leave the potato chips on the grocery store shelves, get myself up off the couch, and go for a walk. That’s the kind of shifting that’s not only possible but becomes routine when we can make a quality decision that enables us to become who we want to be.

GETTING STARTED

Making significant changes in daily habits is difficult. That’s why so many people start off with great enthusiasm and determination but ultimately fall back into their comfortable routines. But you can be successful if you set yourself up for success. Studies indicate that there are four essential components for reversing bad habits and developing new habits for lasting change in one’s life.

1. Increase Your Awareness

Increasing awareness means learning more about the subject you are pursuing. When it comes to health, we hope you now are more aware of the opportunity you have to adopt a healthy lifestyle. We also hope that you have a better understanding of the very real threats you face if you don’t take good care of your body. But it’s important to keep pouring information into your mind. Start reading health magazines or watching educational television programs related to health and fitness. Be more aware of television commercials for certain foods and recognize that what “they are selling” isn’t really what you want to buy.

2. Develop New Habits

The key to eliminating old habits is to replace them with new habits. When it comes to taking better care of your health, this includes habits related to what you eat, how you exercise, and how you rest. If you’ve had unhealthy eating habits, you can replace them by planning a new healthy dietary plan and incorporating it in your daily life. This will involve experimentation with a variety of foods as well as collecting and experimenting with recipes that you find satisfying and enjoyable. Although not a focus of this book, developing the habit of simple exercise that you can do consistently is crucial to your overall health success. (See “What about Exercise?” on page 111.)

DO I REALLY NEED TO EAT ANIMAL PRODUCTS FOR ADEQUATE PROTEIN AND CALCIUM?

No, you don’t need animal products to obtain protein and calcium in adequate amounts. With proper planning, you can get all of the protein, carbohydrate, fat, and micronutrients you need from a 100 percent plant-based diet. This includes all nine of the essential amino acids and all of the essential fatty acids (for more information on amino acids, see “What Are Amino Acids?” on page 120). However, most vegetable proteins are incomplete — they do not contain all nine essential amino acids you need in order to manufacture new proteins in your body. If you plan to avoid eating animal protein, you need to educate yourself on “complementary” protein sources.

Certain food protein sources are incomplete in their amino acid profile (for example, brown rice). However, when eaten along with other food protein sources that contain “complementary” amino acids, such as corn, beans, nuts, and seeds, you can generate a meal that contains a complete protein. Various examples of these complementary proteins are rice and tofu, whole-wheat pita bread and hummus, rice and lentils. Soy is a complete source of plant protein. You might consider using a soy protein powder as discussed in chapters 11 and 13. (See www.DanielCure.com/supplements.) By following the simple guidelines of mixing incomplete protein sources to ensure complete protein nutrition and/or using a soy protein powder, you should be able to obtain adequate protein of sufficient quality.

It’s important to note that the overall quality of animal protein is generally superior to plant-based protein. This is why I (Rick) do not believe a strict vegetarian/vegan diet — no animal products — is ideal for extended periods. Rather, a slight modification of the Daniel Fast (which is essentially an extremely purified vegan diet) that includes small quantities of animal protein (lean meat and dairy) is ideal for most people. Now, I understand that many people who follow a vegan plan believe their eating plan has changed their life. Certainly, a vegan plan can have many advantages if adhered to in a purified form. And a vegan plan is a good alternative to the high-calorie, high-fat, high-sugar diets many people consume daily. However, my view is that it may be a good approach, but it is not the best approach.

Getting enough calcium is another concern with a vegan plan. The recommended daily allowance for calcium for men is 1,000 mg/day and for women is 1,200 mg/day. This can easily be obtained by taking a dietary calcium supplement, which is likely a good plan for anyone who decides to forego animal products, especially dairy. Calcium supplements should generally be taken with food twice a day to enhance absorption (for example, 500 mg in the morning with breakfast and 500 mg in the evening with dinner). In addition to a calcium supplement, you might choose to routinely eat a variety of the following foods: broccoli, cabbage, kale, and certain calcium-fortified food items such as tofu, cereals, and fruit drinks.

Bottom line: You can obtain the nutrients you need to survive, and in some cases thrive, by adhering to a plant-based diet. But the addition of small amounts of animal products (lean meats and dairy) might make your diet even better.

Find creative ways to make exercise enjoyable — prayer walking, playing basketball, joining a cycling class, or dancing to an exercise DVD. Add some weight training a few days a week and you’ll be surprised how quickly your health will improve and your self-image will mend. Finally, make health a significant part of your prayer life. Allow the Lord to change you from the inside out. Open your heart to his loving encouragement and direction. Know for sure that his will for you is to be healthy, strong, able, and full of joy.

3. Change the Way You Think

Growth and change require changing the way you think, or what the apostle Paul described as “the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). Embrace what the Bible says about your health, your body, and your life. How do these truths impact your daily life? For example, one way to renew your mind is to develop a better understanding of nutrition and how it can change the way you think about the foods you’ll eat. We’ve heard this countless times from those following the Daniel Fast as they began for the first time to read food labels.

Become a lifetime student of health, well-being, and nutrition. Be aware of the words used in our culture to describe food and make sure you understand the true meaning. For example, I took a lunch break while writing this chapter and decided to watch a show on the Food Network. The chef was demonstrating how to prepare a dinner menu that included beef with root vegetables, a cheesy potato dish casserole, and a sugary chocolate dessert. In her excitement about the meal, she kept saying things like, “This is so good. The flavor is amazing! Oh, and it’s so easy to make, even if you’re not a trained chef.”

I could tell the meal was full of sugar and fat, but I was curious about the nutritional specifics, so I downloaded the recipes and entered the ingredients into a recipe analyzer. I was astounded at the results. An individual serving of the complete meal totaled 2,320 calories. That’s more calories than most adults need for a full day! Yet this chef described the meal as “good.” I knew my definition of a good meal was completely different — and this meal was definitely not good. In fact, it’s this kind of “good eating” that leads to obesity and life-threatening health conditions.

As we renew our minds, we need to clearly define what is truly good for us. We need to stand firm and decide upfront what is acceptable. Then, when faced with a challenge, we want to maintain our position.

4. Surround Yourself with Support

Developing new habits requires support. I tell my blog readers, “Health is the latest fashion statement and it will always be in style.” Seek out and surround yourself with people who want to live and eat healthy. Start a support or study group at your workplace or your church. Maybe you belong to a social group or have a couple of neighbors you can recruit to join you in your quest to develop and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Change is typically much easier and longer lasting with support.

Understanding the need for support, we have created the Daniel Cure Pledge. This pledge can be reviewed on page 276 and is also available at www.DanielCure.com, where an opportunity to sign the pledge is available. We encourage you to read it, commit to it, sign it, print it, frame it, and then live it. Your best days are ahead of you!

CHOOSING A LIFESTYLE OF HEALTH

For nearly twenty-five years, I’ve joined a growing group of friends and family for an annual reunion in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. I usually stay for about fifteen days, and the time is restful, enjoyable, and gives me precious time for contemplation and planning. It was during one of these times about ten years ago when I made a quality decision to pursue the kingdom-of-God lifestyle Jesus came to give all those who follow him — a decision to live every day in the joy, peace, rest, power, and security of the gospel. Part of that decision included presenting my body to the Lord as a living sacrifice (see Romans 12:1). I wanted to joyfully submit myself to God by caring for the body he created and entrusted to me. I wanted to choose life — to be healthy — and I knew my choice required actions consistent with my goal. “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power” (1 Corinthians 4:20).

The choice is ours. We each must take responsibility for where we are today concerning our own health. The great news is that taking responsibility means that we have a wonderful opportunity to choose life. Just like God says in his Word, “I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that both you and your children may live” (Deuteronomy 30:19). We hope that as you read these words, you accept the invitation and make a firm resolve within yourself to choose life … so you may live.

As followers of Christ, we have the most powerful change agent living inside of us. God’s Holy Spirit is in you and he’s your teacher, comforter, companion, and encourager. Engage the Holy Spirit in your decision to live a lifestyle of health. Ask for his guidance at the start of each day. Let him become your personal trainer. He never fails.

WHAT ABOUT EXERCISE?

As an exercise enthusiast with formal training in exercise physiology, I (Rick) would be remiss if I failed to at least comment briefly on exercise. Of course, to do things correctly, we would need an entire book dedicated to the how and why of exercise that included both cardiovascular (aerobic) and resistance/weight (anaerobic) training. Exercise has been demonstrated not only to help people look and feel better but also to function as “medicine” to our ailing health. In fact, a recent joint initiative of the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Medical Association titled “Exercise Is Medicine” (http://exerciseismedicine.org) aims to increase awareness of the medicinal qualities of exercise. It’s that powerful.

In brief, make regular physical activity (for example, light walking, housework, yard work) and structured exercise (brisk walking, jogging, resistance training) a priority in your life. It is a great privilege and blessing to be able to exercise regularly. There are many people who would give anything to be able to exert themselves physically. Don’t take your own opportunity for granted. It may not last forever.

What follows are general guidelines for both cardiovascular exercise and resistance exercise. You should be doing both. Some health experts claim you can get by with a few brisk walks per week, as such activity does favorably impact the cardiovascular and metabolic systems. However, brisk walking or jogging does little for the skeletal and muscular systems, in particular the upper body. Weakness in both increases the risk of falling and of fractures. Every year, thousands of older adults suffer fractures of the hip, spine, leg, ankle, and wrist due to falls. These fractures typically are linked to low bone mineral density. Correctly prescribed resistance exercise (not walking) may help to improve bone strength. Bottom line: Make both cardiovascular and resistance exercise a priority in your life. They are both important for different reasons.

Guidelines for Cardiovascular Exercise

Frequency	3 to 5 days per week
Intensity	65 to 90 percent of max predicted heart rate (220 – age = max predicted heart rate; multiply this number by 0.65 to 0.90; use a higher percentage if you are in good physical condition and a lower percentage if you are in poor physical condition); exertion rating of “somewhat hard” to “hard”
Duration	20 to 60 minutes of continuous activity
Mode	walking, jogging, cycling, stepping, elliptical machine, aerobic class, swimming, hiking, jumping rope, inline skating, boxing, etc.

Guidelines for Resistance/Weight Training Exercise

Frequency	2 to 4 days per week (with each muscle group trained once every 3 to 6 days, depending on personal recovery)
Intensity	5 to 15 repetitions per set performed at a slow speed of movement such as 2 seconds to lower the weight and 2 seconds to lift the weight); exertion rating of “somewhat hard” to “hard”
Duration	30 to 60 minutes of intermittent activity (1 to 2 minutes of rest between each set)
Mode	All major muscle groups including chest, shoulders, upper and lower back, biceps (anterior upper arm), triceps (posterior upper arm), quadriceps (anterior thigh), hamstrings (posterior thigh), glutes (butt), calves, and abdominals.* A combination of free weights and machines may be used.

* These muscle groups may be split into two or more groupings, depending on how often you plan to exercise, or may be performed on the same day (during times when you will not have an opportunity to exercise more than one to two days in a week).

Follow these guidelines, work hard, and be consistent. The results will follow!

Oh … and when is the best time of day to exercise? When you can do it and feel your best. For me, it’s first thing in the morning (4:30 a.m.) before I’m presented with the demands of the day. For you, it might be on your lunch break or right after work. It really doesn’t matter. Just get it done. There is absolutely no evidence that exercising at a certain time of day is best for everyone.

TURN YOUR THOUGHTS INTO ACTIONS

1 Think of three things you can do to increase your awareness about food, exercise, and healthy eating. Maybe this involves reading a book on the subject. Maybe it includes a subscription to a health-specific magazine. Think of what will work for you and write it down.

2 Choose two new habits you want to develop that will contribute to your goal for a healthy lifestyle. This may be going to bed one hour earlier each night, going for an evening walk four days a week immediately after dinner, or limiting television watching to five hours each week so that you can devote additional time to prayer.

3 Design a specific plan to act on your hopes. When will you create an outline of your meals? Set a time. How will you exercise? Create a program. What will you do to make sure you have the support for your success? Develop a plan and reach out to others for support if you believe this will help.