“The Intelligent Person” Topics List
The Life Foundations Nexus
THE MENTALLY HEALTHY LIFESTYLE
Maintaining Good Mental Health
By Dr. Michael J. Bisconti
The Lord directs us to make the maintenance of
good mental health a part of our lives.
No plan for a mentally healthy
lifestyle is guaranteed to maintain good mental health. The reason is that such plans cannot
possibly take into consideration all of the variables in the lives of everyone
who follows such plans. These variables
include how mentally healthy a person is or is not, the effects of age, needs
determined by gender, how well the person follows the plan, etc., etc. However, following a mentally healthy
lifestyle plan will increase the likelihood of maintaining good mental
health. On the other hand, if God
promises you that following a mentally healthy lifestyle plan will
result in the maintenance of good mental health, then it will.
God promises us
mental health if we do our part. II Timothy 1:7 says:
For God
hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound
mind.
God has given us the spirit, the Holy Spirit, of a sound mind but God will only give us mental soundness (mental health) if we meet certain conditions. You will find some of these conditions in the following plan for a mentally sound (healthy) lifestyle.
This web page is for everyone.
One of the guiding principles
of this plan is to keep things as simple as possible. This plan is as brief as possible.
Another guiding principle is that a mentally sound (healthy) lifestyle plan can always be improved. Therefore, this plan will constantly be updated. Many sources of information have been and continue to be consulted and new sources are continually being added. Some key sources of information are listed at the end of this web page. All but one are websites. If you cannot access a given website, let us know. We do not necessarily endorse everything on these websites.
The
number attached to each item rates its value with respect to maintaining
mental soundness (health). The
rating scale is from 1 to 10. “1”
indicates least value. “10” indicates
greatest value. As more information is
obtained, the rating of an item may change. Please note that a rating lower than 10 still means that you
should be concerned about the rated item.
Also, the ratings of items we know will never change appear in white on a black background.
Ask God to show you how to
maintain mental soundness (health). God
is greater than any mentally sound (healthy) lifestyle plan.
Definition of Mental Health (rated 10)
Mental health is mental
soundness.
Signs of Mental Soundness
(Health) (rated 10)
A mentally sound (healthy) person does not try to harm
themself and does not try to harm others except, if necessary, in self-defense
and/or the defense of others.
Fulfill your
responsibilities. Your mental soundness
(health) is influenced by your moral soundness. An unrighteous person does not have the mental health that a
righteous person has.
Physical Health (rated 10)
Follow our “Healthy Lifestyle Plan” (see our Health page). Good physical health means good brain health. Note that we said “good brain health” and not “good mental health.” Mental health is not brain health. Brain health is sometimes necessary in order for a person to have mental health. Sometimes it is not necessary. For example, a person can have a brain tumor that causes partial vision loss. This particular lack of brain health cannot affect one’s mental health. Therefore, one can lack brain health and still have mental health.
Maintain adequate levels of the brain fuel glucose
by eating often enough. Poor
concentration and low energy levels can be a sign that it's been too long since
your last meal. Folate (folic acid),
vitamin B-12 and vitamin E are nutrients to investigate with regard to brain
health.
Folate sources:
·
Leafy dark green
vegetables
·
Legumes (dried beans and
peas)
·
Citrus fruits and juices
(orange, lemon, etc.)
·
Most berries
·
Wheat bread is better than
white bread.
Vitamin B-12 sources:
·
Meat
·
Poultry
·
Fish
·
Dairy products
·
Eggs.
·
Fortified cereals
Vitamin E sources:
·
Soybean
and its oil
·
Safflower
and its oil
·
Corn
and its oil
·
Sunflower
seeds
·
Nuts
·
Whole
grains
·
Wheat
germ
·
Leafy
vegetables (Contain an appreciable amount of Vitamin E.)
Chastity (rated 10)
Read our Chastity page. Your mental soundness (health) is influenced by your moral soundness. An unrighteous person does not have the mental health that a righteous person has.
Knowledge (rated 10)
Only knowledge that prepares one to have sound
beliefs is necessary for mental soundness (health).
Sound Beliefs (rated 10)
Sound beliefs are the
nutrition of the mind. Here are a few sound beliefs a person must
not reject if they are to have mental soundness (health):
Fundamental (Intuitive) Beliefs
·
An idea is not a physical
object.
·
A physical object is not
an idea.
·
A thought is not a
sentence.
·
A sentence is not a
thought.
·
A mental image is not a
physical object.
·
A physical object is not a
mental image.
·
The mind is not a physical
thing.
·
Emotions are not physical
things.
·
Emotions are invisible.
·
The mind is invisible.
·
The idea of the mind is
not the mind.
·
The mind is not an idea.
·
Knowledge is invisible.
·
Beliefs are invisible.
·
The soul is invisible.
·
Emotions occur in the
soul.
·
Emotions do not occur in
the body.
·
Emotions affect the body.
·
The mind is not the brain.
·
The brain is not the mind.
Progressive
(Rational) Beliefs
·
Pleasure is better than
pain.
·
Pleasure is better than
numbness.
·
Numbness is better than
pain.
·
Good is better than evil.
·
Love is good.
·
Hatred is evil.
·
Wealth is better than
poverty.
·
It is good to plan ahead.
Advanced
(Moral) Beliefs
·
God exists.
·
God is invisible.
·
God rules the universe.
·
God rules the world.
·
God holds people
accountable for their actions.
·
Murder is a sin.
·
Adultery is a sin.
·
Stealing is a sin.
·
Laziness is a sin.
Sound Beliefs (Spiritual) (rated 9)
Spiritual beliefs promote
mental soundness (health) but they are not indispensable to mental
soundness (health). Here are a few:
·
God loves people.
·
Every person has the opportunity
to be granted a place in heaven.
·
It is good to love God.
Websites