In Genesis 1:6 we read about our fourth principle of WELLNESS - Lots of Fresh Air. We read, “Then God said, ‘Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.’” On the second day of creation in preparation for the creation of man, God made the pure air of the then untainted atmosphere.

Every cell of the body requires oxygen to function. Food is important, but a person could live about a month without food. Water is important as well, as a person can only live a few days without it. Fresh air is even more important, for in the absence of oxygen, brain cells begin to die within 4-6 minutes.

Unfortunately, we don’t live in the untainted atmosphere of a newly made earth. The reality is that there is a lot of pollution in the air around us. Many people don’t realize that the worst pollution is inside, not outside. If you stay in a room with the doors and windows closed, or in a car with the windows up and the air on recirculate, you are actually polluting the air by your breathing. The contaminant levels, such as carbon dioxide, increase and the oxygen level decreases. Air within closed spaces is frequently much more polluted than even the smog-laden air of major cities.

The worst way to pollute your air is to smoke, or live with someone who smokes. Cigarettes contain over 400 chemicals, 60 of which are known to cause cancer. Tobacco can be transmitted to your children and others by simply contacting your smoke-laden hair and clothes. People who don’t smoke, but live with those that do, can develop lung and other cancers as a result of breathing second-hand smoke.

So, what do you do to get fresh air? Open the windows of your home on a regular basis. Open the windows of your car, or turn the air on fresh, rather than recirculate. Get out of the city environment and spend some time in the woods, near a waterfall or stream or by the oceanside. The air in these areas is charged with negative ions which have many positive health benefits. Even better would be to move to the country where you can live in the fresh atmosphere of God’s creation.

For tips on overcoming your addiction to tobacco, visit our website under our Wellness, by the Book section. Remember, in order to truly overcome an addiction you need the power of God working in your heart. So come to Him and ask for His help. He loves to free His children from the things that hold them in bondage.

God bless you abundantly as you learn to live God’s WELLNESS way.