Many people wonder how I handle my workload without getting sick or tired. I’m surprised by my health myself. I wasn’t this healthy when I worked in the corporate world – I usually missed at least a day or two a year from sickness. However, since I became Senior Pastor of Seoul Baptist Church about 19 years ago, I’ve never missed preaching on a Sunday due to health, except for one Sunday after I had an appendectomy. God, who promises to take care of us when we seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, has been faithful as I’ve tried to live my life pursuing those two things.
Everything comes from God’s grace, but there are a few things we need to do to receive His grace. Let me share the health secrets I practice. I have two criteria in following a health tip. First, it should not be costly. Second, it should not be hard to do.
The first tip: right before I go to bed and immediately after I get up, I lie on my back, stretch my arms and legs straight heavenward and shake them sideways 200 times, mimicking the motion of clapping. I learned this technique from a pastor who said that it was an exercise our ancestors did to invigorate the body. This exercise may help blood circulation, especially at the extremities. (This is the same principle of a Korean folk remedy for upset stomach that lets blood from the fingertips.) I used to feel dizzy when I got up in the morning from bed, and I had to hold on to the bedpost for a while before the dizziness disappeared. Since I started this exercise, that dizziness has disappeared.
Second, as soon as I get up from bed in the morning I drink a large glass of water. This seems to wash away all residues from stomach and help bowel movement. I used to get stomachaches from time to time, but I’ve rarely had such problems since I started doing this.
Third, I mix a large spoonful of naturally fermented apple vinegar with a glass of water and drink it twice a day. Many people say I look younger than my age. I wonder if this is due to my drinking vinegar, which is a common folk remedy for improving one’s complexion.
I recommended this to pastors with kidney problems who get tired easily. At least two pastors reported that they don’t feel as tired after taking this apple vinegar remedy. Interestingly, their skin looked tired before but glows now. Vinegar must be good for the complexion.
I believe that persistence is the key to staying healthy. When I find something that doesn’t cost money and isn’t hard to do, I do it consistently and persistently.
I have other health tips which I believe have played a more important role in my staying healthy, and I’ll share them in time.
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