Thank you reviewers who have reviewed The Physically Fit Messiah: Wellness Wisdom PAST and PRESENT.
Healthiness is the closet thing to Godliness!
Book Review by Sezoni Whitfield:
I found The Physically Fit Messiah interesting, inspiring, and fun to read! Reading a story about lifestyle choices for overall good health and a long life can only lead to something that just feels right. Cal Samra is an octogenarian who plays tennis four times a week, eats a Mediterranean diet, and enjoys organic gardening.
The book is a compelling read about human behavior and habit as they relate to diet and health (i.e.; overeating, poorly eating, excessive drinking, smoking, physical inactivity, high sodium and processed food consumption, and the environment)—all of which that can wreak havoc on our health.
Samra collaborated with some big names in medical and religious fields to help him create this wholesome, spiritually centered story about clean living. He gives proven accounts of wellness in health care that date as far back as early Greek Christian physicians—physicians then and now who encourage a healthy diet and exercise.
I enjoy the humor the author uses to enhance the story. I got a kick out of the 15 exercises to avoid. My only issue with the book was that there wasn't enough empirical data to support how genetics and natural causes beyond anyone's control play a part in our health. But it addressed other concerns in depth like man-made "agents of death" and their effects on our environment. A sigh of relief comes when the author stresses the importance of prayer, faith, love, and good relationships with Christ, family, friends, and pets for illnesses medication can't heal.
If you pooh-pooh the wisdom of our elders and have little regard for history, this book may not be for you. If you believe you can garner motivation to live longer and at the same time promote in others a healthier lifestyle, this book is a gem for keeps! I definitely recommend this read!
MORE REVIEWS:
"The description of your new book on Amazon made my day. Your ideas and tips are so important, and so neglected. Congratulations to you, and to Robert Reed, for bringing this book out—and at $15!" ~ Prof. John Morreall, Chair of the Department of Religious Studies at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, VA.
Reviewed by Richard R. Blake
A Fresh Look at Jesus’ Exhortation to His Disciples to “Be of Good Cheer,”
With Sage Wisdom from Wellness Advocates Past and Present
Award winning humorist, editor, and publisher, Cal Samra’s The Physically Fit Messiah: Wellness Wisdom PAST and PRESENT is a refreshing approach to the relationship of faith, humor, and health. Pastors and church editors subscribed to Samra’s “Noiseletter” for over 30 years. The newsletters provided reproducible cartoons and humorous illustrations for church publications and for introducing humor into sermon applications.
The Physically Fit Messiah is packed with fast moving facts, wellness principles to live by, real-life stories that illustrate and confirm the healing power of exercise, the healing power of prayer, and the healing power of pets. He reinforces the healing power of humor with tongue-in-cheek cartoons, jokes, and stories that help the reader experience personally the benefits of laughter. He highlights the work of Patch Adams and the impact of Chloe the clown on the healing process.
Readers from all faiths will find encouragement from the history of the early Greek Christian physicians, the Franciscans, John Wesley, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Ellen White, Mary Baker Eddy, the Quakers, and modern health reformers.
Samra is highly recognized for his reputation as a health and humor historian, for his strong Christian faith, and as an advocate for physical fitness, nutrition, and health care reform. He demonstrates his keen sense of wit and subtle humor in his writing as well as his passion for historical research and for his skill as a newspaper writer and editor.
A complimentary copy of this book was provided for review purposes. The opinions expressed are my own.