The Daniel Plan: 40 Days to a Healthier Life, written by Pastor Rick Warren, is a compelling book, which not only affords the reader material for a healthier diet; it also provides the reader with godly principles that make a difference in their life. According to NewsOK, “The Daniel Plan is far more than a diet; it is about living a healthier life based on biblical principles,” as quoted by Pastor Warren.
“You can’t love if you don’t have the energy to love. If you go home every night and lie on the couch because you’re exhausted from not eating right and your blood pressure is too high, well, how can you make a difference? Change your life and change the world. That’s our goal with this book,” stated Warren.
Pastor Warren collaborated with Dr. Daniel Amen to author The Daniel Plan. Dr. Amen is the founder of Amen Clinics. He also works with Dr. Mark Hyman, an expert on metabolism and the founder and medical director of The Ultra Wellness Center, and chairman of the board of the Institute for Functional Medicine, according to the Christian Post.
The book held the number 1 spot with The New York Times bestseller list in December, 2013 in the “Advice, How To and Miscellaneous” category. Centering on five principles;
“(1) Faith – recognizing and using God’s power in life and treating one’s body and mind with the care that He intended
(2) Food – taking out the junk food and choosing real, whole foods
(3) Fitness – encourage participants to bring back fun into exercise
(4) Focus – talking back to your negative thoughts
(5) Friends – doing The Daniel Plan in a community is more effective than doing it individually”
“The Daniel Plan’ is not a book, it’s a movement, Hyman was quoted as saying. In addition to the faith element, what makes ‘The Daniel Plan’ different from other healthy lifestyle programs is the essential of friends. We have found people who did the program together lost twice as much weight as individuals who did it alone. It is the power of the community. They shop, cook, eat and exercise together. And that accountability – the love factor – is what helps people change.”
The book reminds individuals that the keys to health are found in God’s word, and thousands have lost weigh on the plan. Amen adds, “Every time you have a thought, your brain releases chemicals. Knowing how to talk back to your negative thoughts is critical to being able to focus on the truth in God’s Word and helping you live in the fullness of mental and physical health God wants for you.”
Warren confessed of his need to shed extra weight in November 2010 during a baptism ceremony with 800 attendees. He remembers, “I had a thought – it wasn’t spiritual – that we are all overweight. Then I thought, I am overweight. I am a terrible example to our people.” After this experience, Warren decided it was time to shed the extra pounds he accumulated over the years.
Developing an understanding of principles in holistic health is essential for Christians, “God cares about everything in your life. He cares about the body, soul and spirit. Jesus went into every village – preaching, teaching and healing. Preaching involves our soul. Teaching involves our mind, and healing involves our body. If our body is the temple of God’s spirit, then we had better give him a healthy temple,” adds Warren. He removed sweets and snacks from his diet. He is excited that some of his members utilize The Daniel plan to maintain health and fitness.
