Culture & Christianity: The Allen Jackson Podcast - Beef, Bread & the Bible: Reclaiming God’s Design for Health [Special Guest Jordan Rubin]

Episode Date: October 3, 2025

Modern nutrition has strayed far from the wisdom found in God’s Word. In this eye-opening episode, Pastor Allen is joined by Jordan Rubin, New York Times bestselling author of The Maker’s Diet and a leading voice in biblical health. Together, they explore how returning to God’s original design for food is not just a path to better health, but a spiritual act of stewardship and obedience. From fad diets to food pyramids, we've been fed a steady stream of nutritional advice that often leads to sickness and disease. It's time for the Church to return to the fundamentals of food and embrace a biblically-based diet.—It’s up to us to bring God’s truth back into our culture. It may feel like an impossible assignment, but there’s much we can do. Join Pastor Allen Jackson as he discusses today’s issues from a biblical perspective. Find thought-provoking insight from Pastor Allen and his guests, equipping you to lead with your faith in your home, your school, your community, and wherever God takes you. Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3JsyO6ysUVGOIV70xAjtcm?si=6805fe488cf64a6d Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/culture-christianity-the-allen-jackson-podcast/id1729435597

Well, welcome to culture and Christianity. If you listen to content very often, you've heard me say that transformation starts at our kitchen table. It extends to our holiday table and then eventually it extends into your circle of influence. Well, I am inviting everybody that listens these days to have a meal once a week at your kitchen table with your family. That's not a very high bar one time a week to sit down with that group of people that you're doing life with. It's a wellness check. It's a time to. to hear, you know, what have you cried about? What have you celebrated since we were together last? It's a way to model your faith. It's how we get ready to go into the world. Well, my guest today is going to contribute to that meal a week. In fact, he's going to contribute to more than that. Everybody I talked to is interested in healthier so that we can fulfill God's purposes for us and our own plans for our lives. And most of us don't know how to get started. So Jordan Rubin is going to give us some first steps on a way to bring God's health into our lives. in some really practical ways. I think it will be a blessing to you.

And remember, our spiritual life starts at the kitchen table, and so does our physical well-being. I think Jordan Rubin will be a help to that. Enjoy the podcast. You know, you don't have to look far to see that our economy is in real turmoil. Our nation is $37 trillion in debt. Inflation rates made it hard to buy and sell a house. Even a car, we're all feeling it.

When you go to the grocery store and you spend an extra dollar or two in every item, that gets personal in a hurry. Well, the most important thing we can do during uncertain times is to invest ourselves in knowing God better. Read his word, pray. That's the only place we're really going to find stability we need for the disruption that I'm pretty certain is ahead of us. Beyond that, it's just plain wise to make the best decisions possible in our daily lives with our investments. When you think of all the options out there, gold is an investment that has stood the test of time. That's why I work with preserved gold.

They've treated me with honesty, integrity, kindness every step of the way. They're offering a free wealth protection kit, and all you need to do is text Allen, that's A-L-L-E-N to 50-505. As a bonus, you'll get up to $15,000 in free gold and silver with a qualified purchase. Go ahead and text them today. Jordan Rubin, welcome. It's great to be here. I always feel like I need to eat clean for three or four days before I see you. You mean you might not have been? I was just assuming, Pastor.

I'm doing much, much better. In fact, I think I ought to start this with kind of a true confession. We were at a Christmas event together in Nashville, and we ended up being seated in close proximity. And I was carrying all of my Christmas pounds. And when I saw you, I was convicted. I said, you know, I really needed to get with you. I need to get healthier. And he didn't say much. And within a week, you're in my office with the place. with the plan. And so this is almost October. I'm almost 10 months into, it's probably the cleanest I've eaten

over that brought a period of time in a long, long time. So thank you. It was a convicting evening. I was sitting next to Jesus. So imagine how I felt. Jonathan Rumi was right next to me. So that was a very cool experience.

Yeah, you were between Jesus and the center and it was a good day. We both got a little progress. Well, I have read your book. In fact, I read it for it was fully in print. the Bibliot Diet, pretty intimidating title, you know, if you come with that authority. But you've really invested your adult life in helping people be healthier. Absolutely.

And I write this not as an expert on biblical eating, but an expert in being broken and watching as God's principles healed me after trying everything else. And so I have often said when you're dealing with a health issue, you may go to somebody with a lot of and a lot of diplomas, but I want to meet somebody who was diagnosed with an illness and overcame, as the Bible says, by the blood of the lamb and the word of his testimony. And that's really the outpouring of this book is to live a biblically healthy lifestyle in the modern world. So very much what your program is about, how do we take principles that should be in the church and live it outside, because frankly, most of all of our eating and living

is outside of that Sunday morning window. So the Bibliot Diet promises, and I'm talking about the Bible here, to help people live long, master metabolism, reduce pain, fight depression, and conquer cancer with healing secrets from the Bible. And we're not backing down on this. I'm so confident that God has revealed these,

I'll say, hidden in plain sight truths, today for a reason, not understanding it all myself of why the timing, I know that we're in a position where people are going to receive this message differently than maybe ones I've shared a few decades ago. Well, I think the hidden piece to me is it's not a part of the cultural dialogue. It's in the Bible, but most of the voices in our culture don't lead with biblical authority. And you have stepped back to that and given it a place of prominence in your book and in your life. I suspect most people listening know a bit of your story, but maybe, because this isn't

theoretical for you, you've lived this out. Can you give us a high-level view of some, you had to overcome some real health challenges? Absolutely. So somewhere about 32 years ago, I was diagnosed with Crohn's colitis when I was 18 years old, and I was at death's door for two years. So it really, as someone who was a follower of Jesus as a teenager, I dedicated my life to the Lord. I, I ministered to others, whatever walk of life I was in, whether it was in college or at home, I lived for God. So for me to be diagnosed with incurable diseases didn't make a lot of sense to me because of what I had given up to follow Jesus. But I learned in a two-year battle that God's greatest platforms are built in that valley of the shadow of death.

and during that time, all I knew was that I was trapped in a prison that was my own body. And I had this thought that if I could be healed and I could help just one person avoid disease or overcome it, then this living hell will have been worth it. And God did heal me, but not with medicine, not with natural cures. I visited 69 medical experts seeking treatments, but with a health plan from the Bible. and many of these same principles have been communicated in books I've written such as the Maker's Diet nearly 22 years ago and now the Bibliot Diet. But that story didn't end with me as a teenager getting very sick and having this before picture looking like a skeleton and then this after picture where I was healed. Years later, I was diagnosed with cancer and told I had a 100% chance of dying in 90 days if I didn't go the conventional route of chemotherapy.

surgery, followed by more chemotherapy. And once again, God met me at my point of need, taught me a lot, and I overcame supernaturally and naturally cancer. And the Bibliot Diet is really the first time I share that message in writing. 18 years I've been sitting on this quietly while God has brought people into my life who I could minister to and coach to overcome this dreaded disease. So virtually every condition that is in this book that we talk about that God can set us free from, I've either dealt with directly, helped a family member navigate or coached people through it.

So it is very personal to me. And I said this to you last time we talked. God has given me more revelations since the book, which is just two weeks old. And it just amazes me how the story of this living Bible unfold. even though I have read it or listened to it, it's got to be hundreds of times. And just last week in Revelation, once again, one word spoke to me that relates to, I believe, God's plan for our health. And obviously there's going to be many more writings.

It can't just be all in one book. But I feel good that if somebody reads the Biblio Diet and practices the principles, they will be living by B-Book in a greater way. And I think I told you this, pastor, before years ago, probably 1520, the paleo diet became very popular. And it was steeped in some good nutritional wisdom, but packaged in a very evolutionary, anti-biblical, hundreds of thousands or millions of years of human existence way. And I first had the idea for the biblio diet when I would hear so many people, including Christians, saying, I'm on paleo. I'm following paleo. knowing that it predated modern civilization and a lot of what the Bible said, and I didn't believe that, but people were saying it, and I thought,

wouldn't it be amazing if someone was healthy looking or lost a bunch of weight or overcame a disease and a friend of theirs said, what have you followed or why are you so healthy? I'm on the Biblio diet. That's what I want to see. I want to see God gain the glory for this quote-unquote newfound health that has been there the whole time. Absolutely.

You know, the maker's diet, and this is my layman's terms, was a little more hardcore. Yes. Coming out of that time when you'd face some Crohn's disease, I mean, some serious intestinal issues. So there was a high priority on focusing on that. Bibliudial it, to me, feels a little more accessible. Yes. To the average person and a general invitation towards just overall health. And you don't feel like you're just on the,

radical end of the spectrum, not that the maker's diet was, but it was facing a more drastic circumstance. And that was by intention. Most of the people that I communicated with in the early 2000s had a serious autoimmune disease, inflammatory disease, incurable situation, and it called for desperate measures, but also a lot of what I recommended was widely unavailable. And pastor, I attend World Outreach Church when I'm in the state of Tennessee. I go back and forth between here in Alabama, and you talk about growing up in a barn and being in a small southern town,

I'm pleased to say that the Bibliot Diet Foods are available in Murphysboro, Tennessee. And that's a lot, that's saying a lot. You can go to Costco, you can go to sprouts, you can go to Publix, you can go to restaurants. 20-some years ago you had to order things or go to these small health food stores with cobwebs and strange people, you know.

And so it's really important. it's not only accessible, it's also pop culture, and young people are really attracted to this message because they don't want to grow up and be on 12 to 15 medications and have the bulk of their elderly life lived in pain or dementia, et cetera. So we're in a really unique time. All the messages in the Bible came at a time that was very unique, perhaps long overdue, and relevant. And I'm hoping that the Bibliot diet, since it's still in its infancy, becomes an enduring message that can improve the health and transform generations.

And that's a tall order, but we didn't give this of ourselves, Dr. Josh Axe and I, to have this be a moment. We wanted it to be a movement. Well, when you said change generations, it's what I thought about when I read this. Dave Ramsey is another Middle Tennessee person and friend. And Dave came along with some really radical notion like don't spend more than you make and you don't have to borrow money to pay for a car, which really challenged some generational thinking, but he's changed generations of people. When I read your book, I thought of that because you're saying eat real food.

You know, stop eating the hyper-processed stuff, eat real food in reasonable ways. And it sounds so simple, but it goes against so much of the conventional wisdom. I'm grateful to say some of that's changing in the public square. But I think your message in the Bibliadio Diet, what you and Dr. Axe have done, has that same kind of generational transformational potential if people will pick it up. And it's available. You should have to think a little differently. Yes. And I absolutely agree.

And it's pretty neat, Pastor. I may not have told you this. But in 2006, Dave Ramsey, myself, and Dr. Charles Stanley went on the Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise tour, which was a lot of fun. That's how I got to know Dave back in the day when I was not a resident of Tennessee. see, but I really look at this as something that I would love to approach that financial peace university level of churches. In the past, financial literacy and stewardship was not a pulpit message. I knew Larry Burkett back in the day and some of the original biblical financial messengers, so to speak, and the time has to be right now. Marriage principles are preached. Financial principles

are preached. And I believe it is the time for health and nutrition. I know there's some disparate views, conflicting views. I've said this often. There's a group or a camp that says you need to only eat plants because meat's going to kill you. And now there is a carnivore dieting group that's saying plants are trying to kill you. So we have differences of opinion. But what we can agree upon is that God created us, he created certain foods, and gave them a definition of food, and if we prepare them in a way that we did when we had less technology, frankly, and the way that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob did, we will be healthier. That would be for plant foods or for animal foods, although I am a clear, conscious omnivore, as I would say. I'm a biblical omnivore,

so I don't want men to read this and hide this because their wives might find out and then they're going to eat twigs, rocks, and berries. This is a man's diet. This is a woman's diet. You can eat steak. In fact, I prize it. You can drink milk. You can eat bread. You can eat salt and you can eat fat. So I think we've done a good job of making this something that people will be satisfied and, dare I say, excited to follow.

No, I agree. And there's results that come with it. I mean, there's change in how you feel and the energy levels you have. And just a simple reminder that what you eat junk in, junk out, I mean, we've got to pay a little more attention. But you do. You get me permission to eat red meat. You talk a lot about collagen. Yes. Because it's hard to get enough protein just from the foods we eat. So I know collagen is a big deal in what you talk about.

But it doesn't feel like a sacrifice. It just feels like awareness. And I think that's what changed for me. I just became a lot more aware of what I was eating. And I stopped being sloppy about it. and I got healthier because we need energy to do what God's called us to do. It's a roadmap. And pastor, this weekend at church, you challenged the congregation to have a family meal together once a week, not five days a week, not three, once a week to start, to have conversation,

to pray. And we've been very blessed to keep four of our six children together. That's why we're back and forth between Alabama and Tennessee. And it has a lot to do with being together and keeping that. family unit and engaging in not only conversation, but God's principles, but just like getting the schedules together, preparing the meal, and allowing the environment so that we can have positive conversation with our children without devices, the Bibliot Diet will take some discipline, some planning, but if you look back thousands of years ago, procuring and preparing food was

the bulk of what people did in peace times. The women, the men, this was a bigger part of their resources financially and their time. Only our generation believes you can pull up and say, can I have fries with that and have food in two minutes or less. Only our generation can go in and buy fruit already picked in that little plastic clamshell and then complain that the raspberries are $3 when if you try to grow them, the birds are going to eat some of them. The birds are going to eat some of them, some of them are going to have blight or mildew, and you're going to wish you could pay three bucks for those raspberries. So we want people to understand biblical health is a spiritual responsibility. And as we offer our bodies as living sacrifices, which no one wants to talk about

sacrifice, but if you will do that, just like in marriage between a man and a woman, just like raising your children within biblical boundaries, just like prayer, just like other spiritual disciplines in finance, et cetera, you're going to reap rewards and it's going to taste that much better. And it's like any discipline when you initially step into that, it's not comfortable. If you're not used to exercising and you start exercising, you're more sore than you are comfortable for a bit. And I found when I started, I had to change some of my habits. But with a little bit of discipline applied, you get to the other side of that transitionary period and there's a lot of benefits.

And I'm living example of that. I'm curious, Maha has, I don't think you could have co-in made that happen purposefully. But, I mean, there's a lot of discussion about helping America be healthier again. And even I understand they're going to change the food pyramid that they've barked at us about for as long as I can remember. There's got to be some encouragement that there is a national conversation happening about some of the horrific things that we've been doing to our diet. Pastor Allen, I've been in the natural health movement for over 30 years now. And if you would have told me that I would have the head of the FDA in my office slash podcast studio, this was just before Dr. Macri was named, the Surgeon General, soon to be, hopefully,

would be a colleague who we've collaborated with myself and Dr. Axe. And then the president of the United States talking about possible links to all. autism, certain medicines, expanding vaccine schedules. I probably wouldn't have believed you. So we are very blessed. I often wonder why it took so long. I think about the people that came before us that suffered as a result because the Bible says my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge,

Josea 4-6. But then it says, because you rejected the knowledge, I'm going to reject you from being my priest. So I would encourage people today, whether it's the Biblio Diet, whether it's Secretary Kennedy or President Trump or whomever is providing the health information that you do not reject it. You look into it and you understand that this might be for you,

even if you need to reorient your cultural dietary beliefs or your taste buds or where you shop or how you shop. And some parents are very discouraged when they have to try to get their children from eating candy and thinking that's what strawberry tastes like to eating a real strawberry. But it can work, it can happen. And the best way I tell parents to help their children get healthier is to model what they should be eating. Because it isn't fair if your child is on some kind of special diet. Maybe it is an autism spectrum disorder or maybe it is a Cedar Disorder or maybe allergies

or maybe eczema, so many childhood diseases today. and parents will put their children on a diet that they're not willing to follow. So I encourage families, generations, and because now I'm over 50, I'm hearing people that were teenagers when they were exposed to the maker's diet or my previous work, and they've now had children and they're raising them in a healthy way, or they're farming, or they have a farmer's market, or they're a chiropractor. So it's been a interesting road, and I pray that this is a tipping point, not because I want this to be easy for me, but because I know that God's heart is to see his people set free from bondage of sickness and disease, and that extends to what we would consider

mental and behavioral illness, which is rampant in the church. It's not talked about, but it's rampant. We can be set free. And for me to have the freedom to say things that I've always said, but now not having to worry about being canceled, it's amazing. Not that cancellation, is a bad thing. Sometimes you need to go there, but we're able to go really deep with this message, and we've got some wind at our backs. And that's God, but it's also people that are in government now. But at the same time, Pastor, I would never have believed 20, 30 years ago that I would see government officials at a memorial service sharing the gospel. I mean, I literally believe what Donald Trump Jr. did was share the gospel. It may not have been theological,

theoretically perfect or long, but it was a clear, accurate representation of scripture by man and woman after man and woman in government. So it's an incredible time. And I do see the revival word thrown around a lot,

but I see something happening. I see churches fuller. I see people having discussions about God and about Israel. I may not agree with everything people are saying, but it's a part of discussion. And as Charlie Kirk said, the key is to get people in a discussion, right? So we're seeing that. And I hope the Biblio Diet can get people to talk about health and nutrition and not always talking about junk food as a part of our culture,

joking about it, celebrating it. I mean, literally people will talk about their sugary coffee drink, which has the equivalent of 12 teaspoons of sugar, just like it's a everyday right of passage on the to work or to get a day started. I want that to change. And in fact, there's a beverage I suggest people consume that is the only thing that God says is a cure for most, if not all, that ails us. And I know you've been drinking it. And that's healing leaves. We call that healing leaves. And it's in the book. And it's something I'm so excited about. Almost everybody I know wants to feel better, have more energy. I mean, myself included, I went to a concert a few months ago. It's been almost a year ago now. And I sat down next to a friend

Jordan Rubin was there. I made an offhand comment. I need to feel better, get a little healthier. He showed up in my office a couple days later with a plan for me. Part of it was a diet. My diet was centered on Oreos. He had some different ideas. But a part of what he brought to me was this multi-collegin protein. It's been a part of my routine for months now, and it's made a difference. More energy, I feel better. My joints feel better. It's real food from real food sources. Helps us feel better. I recommend it to you. It's made a difference for me. I think it'll help you. Go to ancientnutrition.com. You can put in code Allen 30.

That's A-L-L-E-N-30. You'll get a 30-% discount, and it'll also bless our ministry. Again, that's ancientnutrition.com, Alan, A-L-L-E-N-30. You get a 30% discount on multi-collegin protein. You'll feel better, and you'll bless our ministry. Thanks. I think the bigger picture on this, or related to that even, is I don't think we can separate our health from our,

faith. My mom was healed when I was a boy, supernaturally, and she stayed with us for another 50 plus years, for which I was very grateful. But Christians will say to me, do you believe in prayer, or do you believe in medicine? And I'm like, yes. But I think the same is true with our diet. You know, I'm not going to ask God to bring healing to me if I'm doing things to intentionally destroy my health. And I think what you're reminding us of is that our diet is a diet is a important part of that. God clearly cares about our health and our diet. When he brings the slaves out of Egypt, one of the core components that he puts in place for his covenant people is their food. And it's not to give them a set of restrictive rules. It's so they can be healthy. And I think

you're reminding us of many of those principles so that we can be healthy for the purposes of God. And I believe in supernatural healing, but I don't believe God's going to do what I won't do or what I just, I don't think he's going to bless me if I don't give, live generously. And I don't think he's going to help me be healthy if I'm destroying my health with a fork. And you remind us of that in some very practical ways. Maybe can you, I don't know how much of this you give away in your interviews, but can you, what's your invitation into the Biblio diet? You're going to take away all of my red meat and, you know, am I just going to eat seeds and nuts from now on?

I've read the book, so I know a little bit of the answer. Well, let me say this, first of all. we have an opportunity to live within God's promises that are very clear. You mentioned the Exodus. So we see in Psalms that this two million-ish group cross the Red Sea, and the Psalmist says that there was not one feeble among all their tribes. They were healthy. Later Moses offered in Exodus 1526,

if you follow my commandments, give heed to my statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you, that I have brought upon the Egyptians, for I am the Lord that heals you. And Pastor, there's a modern Hebrew word for doctor. Yes. I mean, he literally said, I'll be the Lord your doctor. Yes.

And there is lots of archaeological evidence that the people in Egypt suffered from many of the same diseases we do because they were so good at preserving themselves. We're talking about heart disease and cancers. And this was not very common back in that time, but God is promising the Israelites that they'd be, a healthier group of people. And part of that has to do with the meats you eat.

So on the good and bad side, I think red meat is one of the healthiest foods on the planet. King Solomon consumed it every day. He was the wealthiest. He was the wisest. And he was the king that lived at the most peaceful time ever. So when you've got peace, when you've got money, and you've got all the knowledge of the human body and animals,

you would eat what is best. He ate beef, goat, lamb, venison. Then on top of it, if that wasn't enough, he had chicken, duck, and turkey or whatever version of that was in the Bible, and he had bread. So I'm ready to bring beef and bread back into the diet. And most nutrition experts say to avoid both or at least one. Now, I want to tell you the best beef or red meat to consume, and you can get it anywhere. And I'm going to tell you the best way to prepare bread because I used to joke about this, the whiter the bread, the sooner you're dead.

So don't think you're going to eat something. You could sit on your porch for 50 years and even the bugs won't eat. That's white bread. But there's a delicious way to live. Fat is good for you. Why? Because the Bible says, if you follow my commandments, you'll eat the fat of the land. Every time there was a party in the Bible, they killed the fatted calf.

People are always saying, eat lean meat. The Bible says eat the fatted calf, which was more about the age of the calf. and it's prime of life. And fat was important to God. The fat portions went to God and was a pleasing aroma to him. The high priests ate bread and meat for seven days during their initiation with a little bit of olive oil. And we think olive oil is amazing. You may like that or not.

But at the Rubin House, we have a shot of olive oil every night. And we quote, Acts 1-8 when we have it. because oil represents the Holy Spirit, but it also is a boon for our health. In fact, Pastor, olive oil at a certain level of polyphenols, which are compounds and olives, is considered a medicine in Greece. It's part of their medicinal culture. And we also talk about eating sweets like fruits and honey. We talk about the best ways to prepare food.

Salt is good, not bad. In fact, some people are living unhealthfully because they use too little salt. Of course, there's a right salt and a wrong salt, as in everything. But God created us to enjoy our food, and he created food to fuel our bodies. So it's a little bit of a combination of you get to eat some things. You didn't think you could. We give you permission for that because if the Bible says red meat is good, I'm doing it. I don't care what this doctor or that doctor says because they're going to catch up eventually.

By the way, this was a post-biblio diet revelation, but Job chapter 29, which it's an amazing chapter because it is the longest message that Father God has ever given anyone in Scripture. I mean, he talks about how he created this animal and that animal and the lightning and the thunder, and he's more or less saying, Job, step down, do you know who I am? And then Job says to God, when I was in my prime, the streets flowed with cream and the rocks poured out olive oil. Pastor, I want olive oil and cream in my diet every day because Job was the most amazing God-following man in his prime.

So I'm going to take a clue and say, I'm glad I'm consuming cream and I'm consuming olive oil. And by the way, don't skim your milk because if God wanted skim milk or low fat, he would have put a cream separator on the utter of a cow, goat, or sheep. This is in some ways common sense, but in other ways it's biblical revelation. why would you refer to someone as the cream of the crop who's the best salesman on your team? Or why would you say the cream rises to the top when talking about the best player

on a particular football team? We've forgotten these things and therefore we've fallen prey to nutritional diatribes that are flat out wrong. Like everything fat-free in the 90s and now we want to eat this or that, throwing away the yolk of an egg

even though it's the best tasting part. Well, by the way, egg yolks are phenomenal brain food. And all those times we ate egg white omelets, we were robbing nutrients from our brain and throwing the best part down the drain. But if we listen to the Bible, the Bible says, I don't want the white of the egg. It's tasteless. Now, it could also mean it doesn't give me what I'm looking for, what I need. No.

You know, it's hard to admit that the help we need has been there in front of us the whole time. It takes some humility. Yes. And that part I appreciate about you because you remind me, you have reminded me, have to come back to some of the fundamentals. You know, I did an interview. I've talked to multiple people in the last few weeks who said that when the tobacco companies were prohibited from marketing and some of the things, they invested heavily in food companies.

They did. And they have tried to create the same dependency upon foods that aren't good for us, that they tried to create a dependency with tobacco products. And the result of that is America, the most affluent nation in the history of civilizations. I mean, you can find some outliers. We have the highest sensitive obesity of childhood diabetes, of heart. I mean, our health condition is awful. And it's got to be directly linked to our diets.

And so you're extending to us an invitation to feel better, to help our kids feel better, to be healthier. And it's available to us. It doesn't require us to learn a whole new menu. It's just to kind of pay more attention to the Bible. You'd think the preachers would be leading the parade on this one. Well, I hope they will. In fact, last night I had a friend who's a pastor of a very large church, connect me with another pastor who is a leader among ministering to college students. And in the description of this pastor who has a really tough disease, probably autoimmune in nature, he's hospitalized. he gave us his health information. He says, I follow a college diet.

He's 45 years old. And a lot of youth pastors are not eating the best diet in the world. But why is that? Why is our church culture come to youth group and have a mile long pizza and ice cream Sunday? Now, I'm not against pizza or ice cream. I eat both of those. I just eat the right kind of pizza with the right kind of flour and the right kind of sauce

and cheese. And my ice cream is probably second to none. I make it a lot myself. and there are even brands you can get at the store, but you've got to be selective. You mentioned the nefarious actions of certain, I'll say, corporate conglomerates, the addictive nature of certain substances, such as artificial sweeteners, for example,

are far greater than nicotine. In fact, where I grew up in South Florida, there's a medical doctor who wrote an 800-page book on the addictive and neurotoxic results of aspartame, which has been called Nutrisweed or whatever it is, in diet sodas. Because the word diet's so good, we consume it. And not only do we consume it, I know people that were consuming 18 of those a day, 12 of those a day. They didn't drink any water.

They couldn't stop, all because it was sugar-free. Meanwhile, this doctor said that excessive aspartame consumption was causing his patients to experience multiple sclerosis-like symptoms, age-related neurodegeneration, Alzheimer's, dementia, et cetera. And again, it was more addictive than nicotine than recreational drugs, et cetera. So we need to be so careful to eat what God created for food in a form that's healthy for the body. You don't need to eat a meal that has 62 ingredients. I like an ingredient list such as apple, contains apple.

We eat a lot of things that they don't publish the ingredients. And I'm going to say this, and I'll be a little generic, but in the church, there's a certain fast food restaurant we celebrate because they're closed on Sundays, and it's Jesus chicken, but Jesus chicken wouldn't have 38 ingredients in ultra-processed oils. And I believe that particular organization is amazing with employees. It's amazing in what they do with their money. But we need to offer something for people that's life-giving in our products. And in this case, it includes food.

and I said this pastor and it ruffles a lot of feathers, and I said it to a pastor's conference years ago, we tend to put something on our plate and we ask God in this saying grace to bless this food to the nourishment of our bodies, no matter what's on the plate, it could be food or it could be chemicals or God's definition of filth. I wonder if we would go log on to some pornographic material

and say, Lord, bless this, for the nourishment of my spirit. The point is, it's either blessed or cursed before it arrived on your device, on your television, or on your plate. And I got a lot of hems and haws and hoes and hoax and hoot and hoax. Yeah. Yes. And we have to understand that definition. And God's pretty clear on it.

Now, does he mention artificial sweeteners? No. But how about consuming things that God created on Earth versus what's created in a laboratory? That's a good start. If you will avoid lab-created things, and if you will buy things that spoil, this is a good one, before it does, and you eat it before it does, you're better off than having things that are in packages and have very long ingredients. Now, there's certain foods that you can buy frozen and canned. I'm not saying they're all bad, but eat like your ancestors. I don't believe our ancestors were Chromagnon man.

I believe they were Adam and Eve, and I believe they were Abel and Seth, and I believe they were Moses and Caleb. and these are the people that I try to pattern my life after. We're blessed to be able to afford a variety of foods that they couldn't always consume. But if you follow that definition, 99 times out of 100, you will be just fine. There are people that are very ill, pastor, that need to be even stricter on their diets. And we make suggestions for that, and we give resources for that. But for the average person, you can live longer, look and feel better, and how about dancing with your grandchildren at their wedding?

How about that being a goal? How about like Jacob, who sat with his grandchildren's children, as if they were his own, Ephraim and Manasseh and their children, and they were a blessing to him. And that's what we want. This isn't just about vanity or losing some pounds. This is about unlocking God's health principles here on earth in the modern time.

It's about being able to finish God's assignment for our lives. Now that's the reason we eat. You know, you made an illusion to fast food. And the people that listen to this podcast with any frequency you've heard me talk about are that we have worshipped. In the church, we have worshipped comfort and convenience. And that's not just true in how we choose to worship. That's true in how we eat. We want our food to be comfortable and convenient.

And the best things in life are on the other side of doing difficult. You know, a good marriage is not easy. It takes an investment, a sacrifice, a commitment. You have to do difficult things. If you have good children, if they grow up to be productive adults, that's not taking the easy way. And I have come to the conclusion that health is the same way. It's not just easy. It doesn't have to be extraordinarily difficult, but it isn't often about comfort and convenience.

I have to make a commitment to that. It's going to take a little bit of discipline. I'm going to have to make some changes. I know. I have to do radical things like have one meal a week with your family. you know, and you have given us a way to imagine that. And I am profoundly grateful for that. You know, the comments and that you point just to the leaves and the impact

that something as simple as a T could make in your health is remarkable to me. And reminding us that we need collagen, that we need to, you know, what it is and why it's important. I think it's a valuable contribution to this season when truth is coming in. into the public square. Absolutely. And I see a generation of Daniels, Hananias, Azarias, and Mishayel's, that's Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They were young men who decided based on God's principles, not convenience, because it was very inconvenient for them to ask for different food. It probably was a life or death risky situation for Daniel to say, hey, do you mind if I eat something different because the God over there of my people that you just captured me from told me to.

And it also was probably in some ways slim pickings for him because you can imagine they were offered all kinds of detestable foods, food sacrifice to idols. But what I pray over my life and what I want to see happen to my children is they would receive the results. After those 10 days, Daniel and his three friends had greater wisdom, countenance, and favor. They had in one translation, and fatness of flesh, which did not mean obesity. It meant rosy cheeks, and they stood apart from the leading men of that time. Think of it as Harvard or one of the Ivy League schools.

I know you and I don't think so highly of those schools in certain ways, but in the world's understanding, those are the smartest, those are the best. The formerly elite. The formerly elite. Daniel and his friends stood far above everyone else, and I was recently overhearing a conversation between my daughter who's 17 and a junior in high school.

She's an excellent nationally ranked flag football player and her coach. And the team in Alabama, they go on a bus and they'll stop to get fast food. They'll have these team dinners. And my daughter will either bring something. She won't eat or she'll eat something specific off the menu if it's a nicer restaurant that has accommodations. She does this on our own. I don't tell her what she has to eat or not eat.

but she was explaining to her coach, I don't eat fast food. I've never eaten it. And we don't run to medicines at the drop of a hat when anything happens and we don't have a microwave in our house. I know I'm extreme, but his comment was

that must be why I never see you get tired. That must be why you play offense, defense, and special teams. And he has two daughters on the team, the coach. And I'm interested to see how that little testimony and one moment in time can make an impact. My daughter's a young lady of few words. She lets her talking go out on the field, if you know what I mean.

But I love seeing a light bulb go on and wondering what kind of change that's going to make. And I hope people that are watching and listening can be part of that change and can be that person who says, hey, I'm on the biblio diet. It's not my book. This is just a reflection. of God's message and I'm blessed, or should I say, I feel responsible to be a messenger and I'm blessed. But I know that I've been given so much, and it's expected of me to share this. And you know, pastor, writing a book's not easy. All the things that come with carrying a message,

but I feel like the timing is now. I don't know why God's chosen myself and Dr. Axe and others to share it, but I'm so privileged, and I'm just sitting back and watching with awe as people I know and people that I will never meet are turning their physical health over to God in a way that's meaningful, enjoyable, and is going to impact their future generations. Absolutely. The book is the Biblio Diet. I'm sure they can find it wherever, and they're going to see you because you're out telling this story with some determination these days. Yes, I am. But I'm an advocate. It's not like a theory. I didn't pick it up when the book got published. I've been living this for a good bit. And it's been a blessing in my life.

And I've been sharing it behind the scenes saying, you know, you've got to do this. And I can say that at this point in the journey, it's not about what you give up. It's about what I picked up, you know, the energy to do what I do. And I'm grateful for your coaching and your courage, just because we all know that if you take biblical truth and stand in the public square, you're going to take some lumps. And I know that's true for you as well, because you're challenging some conventional wisdom. But I thank you for your courage and your reminder that the Bible really is an authority we ought to pay some attention to. Well, Pastor Allen, I appreciate you living it out. I can't tell you how many people have asked for my help and my advice, and I'll

always give it. But I was told once a long time ago, you're going to have the answer to people's health and healing, and 99% may not listen. And I hope that number is higher. But for you, to say, I'm going to live a life in a way that honors my calling and you to think about, obviously, the thousands and thousands who you're shepherding over in this congregation, but also the millions who are seeing you on television and on this podcast and in the circles that you're being asked to share in because of the current events that are going on politically and with our faith, it's way more important than that convenience of eating something that we don't spend enough time to figure out what's really in it. You don't want to put something other than the right kind

of gasoline in your automobile because it probably won't work. If you get diesel and unleaded mixed up, you're in for a problem. I don't know a lot of cars, but I know that much. That won't work. We've been running on the wrong fuel all these years, but I'm excited no matter how old or young somebody is who's listening or watching, they get a chance to start today. Now is the appointed time. Today is the day of salvation. I'm not equating eating certain foods with spiritual salvation, but I do believe what you eat can either save your life or destroy it. And therefore, the message is for such a time as this. Whether you believe it or not, it's true. You know, people say to me, I don't believe in that. I'm like, you don't have to believe it. It doesn't change the

We just completed a conference on culture and Christianity, and we did a half a day segment on health. And you were gracious enough to be a presenter, but we had a doctor talk about abortion, pro-life doctor, and make a very compelling argument about life in the womb. Dr. Neil Anderson came and talked about the spiritual influences in our lives and how they affect us, body, soul, and spirit. and you talk to us about nutrition and our overall wellness. And I think to recognize that our health is not a single, it's not another pill. It's a holistic approach to who we are. And that's what I think you make so available.

It's not about some weird diet. I need to be healthy so I can do what God created me to be. And if that means I have to change what I put on my fork or on my plate, Christians are used to that. We change what we put in our glass. We change what we look at. We change how we speak to one another. We're willing to forgive. I think being willing to forgive, and you know, you mentioned Daniel and his diet, well, if you add to that his three times a day, he prays, all of that got him in trouble, but all of that made him an enormously useful vessel in the purposes of God. And you've given us a way to serve the Lord. I love it. Well, you know what? I just thought of this, but Daniel made

deliberate choices on what he ate and perhaps because of that he wasn't eaten. That sounds like another book. Jordan, thank you for the book and taking some time with our friends today. Thank you so much for having me. All right, culture and Christianity. You don't need a pulpit. You can use your plate to minister to your friends. You'll enjoy the book.

Hey, thanks for joining me today. Before you go, please like the podcast and leave a comment so more people can hear about this topic too. If you haven't yet, be sure to subscribe to Alan Jackson Ministries YouTube channel and follow the Culture and Christianity podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Together, let's learn how to lead with our faith and change our culture. I'll see you next time.