by Leilani Hortaleza

“It’s a miracle and a blessing to be at Hartland!” Ruth Warner, originally from Michigan, came to the Lifestyle Education Center (LEC) at a friend’s suggestion.
Ruth had been in an accident and could walk only with great pain. She suffered constant pain in her hips, joints, and lower back. Recurring headaches and fatigue also plagued her. “I came to the LEC to be changed,” she said.

Ruth wanted to learn how to make these changes in her health. “A better understanding of how to make these changes came from the health lectures. I appreciated being educated.” She found herself not only learning valuable
information, but also practicing what she learned. “I appreciated so much the cooking demonstrations, the treatments, and the transformation in the way I
feel. I can walk better, and I have had no headaches since the first day here.” Ruth
continued to lose weight and was soon able to walk with minimal pain.

In addition to these changes, Ruth also discovered other blessings. “I was able to
form some very good friendships; the young people here are wonderful. Dr. Tolan taught me so much about food properties and spent a lot of time with the health guests.”

Ruth also found time to improve her most important friendship. “I learned how to
maintain a closer walk with God. I see now the great importance of spending quiet time with Him.”

Not only has Ruth experienced healing, but so have some of her friends! One of
them came to visit during the LEC session and sat in on a health lecture. “The
next day he went from drinking sixteen cups of soda per day to straight water. He
changed his diet, too, by eating more fruits and vegetables each day. That’s pretty powerful!” says Ruth.

Now that Ruth has completed the session, she plans to continue making the right choices with her lifestyle. “I pray that I will stay faithful. This body is for God’s
glory, and it is His temple. By my own choices I was bringing harm to it. Now, through obedient choices, I can have good health. I am really excited to see what the Lord will do.”

Since she’s been home, Ruth’s enthusiasm has been contagious! “I’ve already encouraged four other friends to come to the LEC,” she says. One of them even requested Ruth’s prayers for his health. “I was able to take all the knowledge that I’ve learned at Hartland and tell him, ‘Drink water and get sunshine.’ It’s nice to have an answer. It’s nice to give people hope!”

by Rachel Perry

“For years I wanted to attend Hartland’s lifestyle program.”

Geraldine Barlip was one of five health guests who participated in the first 18-day session at Hartland’s new Lifestyle Education Center (LEC). “I knew about Hartland and its lifestyle program a long time ago, and I had wanted to come for years,” she says, “but it never worked out until now.”

Geraldine had been battling high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and diabetes—all stemming from her weight problem. “I had a lot of anxiety because I thought I needed to be everything to everyone. I finally figured out that I can’t help anybody else unless I help myself.” She knew she needed to exercise, but her sedentary job made it difficult. Hartland’s lifestyle education program provided the perfect opportunity.

At first, Geraldine’s body rebelled at the new exercise routine. Every muscle in her body screamed, “What are you doing to me?” But Geraldine is no quitter. She persevered, and the more she exercised, the better she felt. By the end of the session, she had lost 11 pounds, and according to her, that was “just a start.” “Now I have an exercise plan,” she says. “I’m not going to sit and think about it; I’m just going to do it.”

Her blood glucose and cholesterol levels also went down, as well as her anxiety. “I just love it here. Everybody’s so loving, caring, and attentive. I’m not stressed anymore. I feel much stronger and more able to handle things. I’ve got a lot of cookbooks and easy, delicious recipes now, so I’ll be cooking more.”

Perhaps most importantly, Geraldine was spiritually energized. “Because of all these things that I had before—my stress, my being overwhelmed, and everything else, the Lord was just pushed to the side. He was in my heart, but not in my mind. But now I’ve learned to put Him first, and I’ve gotten much closer to Him. I thank God for that.”

On March 30, 1996, while administering anesthesia at Marion General Hospital, a feeling of extreme weakness swept over fifty-one year old Dr. Ben Sanidad, and he slipped to the floor. After being helped to a gurney and resting he felt strong enough to stand up again. Another doctor urged Ben to stay overnight for tests.

The next morning an endoscopy revealed a small, fast-growing tumor on his esophagus. This grim diagnosis of esophageal cancer sounded in Dr. Sanidad’s ears as a death sentence. It seemed there was nothing he could do, so he numbly resigned himself to his fate. He had personally seen the rapid physical decline of patients with this condition and expected to live no more than six months longer. It seemed hopeless, with no possibility of seeing his children grow up or of enjoying his wife’s companionship, no chance to get serious about his relationship with God.

But wait—what about prayer? Ben wondered if God would even listen after he had ignored Him for so long. “Oh, God, please hear me,” Ben prayed. “I’m powerless to face this problem alone. Before I die, Lord, help me draw closer to Esther, the kids, and to You,” he pleaded.

Indeed, God was listening, and in a marvelous way, He completely answered Ben’s prayer.

While waiting for the surgery that would remove the tumor prior to chemotherapy, Ben began reading his Bible and earnestly praying for guidance and healing, if this was God’s will. “God was my only hope,” he says. Ben’s children left school to be by his side.

His wife Esther contacted many friends to request prayer for Ben. She encouraged him to exercise faith in God’s way. Ben was anointed in their home, and his faith began to grow.

After surgery, due to complications, chemotherapy was delayed for several weeks. During this time, Ben and Esther researched the two most common cancer treatments: radiation and chemotherapy. The statistics were bleak and unpromising, so they researched alternative treatments. Ben also read Counsels on Diet and Foods and Ministry of Healing, by E.G. White.

As he read, Ben began to make lifestyle changes. He quit taking all medications and put off chemotherapy. He contacted Hartland Lifestyle Education Center. With God’s help, Ben turned his back on all he had learned as a physician and headed in a different direction—God’s way of healing.

At Hartland Lifestyle Education Center, Ben entered wholeheartedly into the program. He learned about God’s eight natural remedies and other things medical schools don’t teach. During the eighteen-day program, Ben’s strength gradually returned, and he began to feel health and joy again. Upon his returning home, friends, neighbors, and acquaintances saw the radical change and asked, “What has made the difference?” Ben has had many opportunities to give his testimony of God’s healing mercy and power.

Ben’s personal testimony in his book Choosing to Live is a most effective means of sharing the good news that it is possible to maintain or regain health by following God’s plan.

Over ten years have passed since the original diagnosis, and Ben is still following God’s plan for health. The cancer is still in remission. On many occasions, he has shared God’s principles of health with patients at Marion General Hospital, where he works.

A Healthy Lifestyle Gives Hope to Diabetics

Millions of Americans daily address the challenge of diabetes mellitus, also called type II diabetes or adult onset diabetes. Many diabetics take oral medication, and thousands more are dependent on insulin injections, one or more times a day.

“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones” (Proverbs 17:22).

Stop Smoking Program

These People Kicked the Habit. How About You?

Are you in bondage to a habit that is killing you? You don’t have to be. Yes, smoking is a tough habit to break and that is why you need help. At Hartland Lifestyle Education Center we have a five day stop smoking plan that really works. Thousands all over the world have been set free by this method.

John was hooked. He had tried many ways to stop smoking but nothing was working. At the urging of his mother, he signed up hoping that this time he would gain success. He immediately became enthused about what he was learning. Receiving a steam treatment to help eliminate toxins was part of his daily routine. It really surprised him that he was not experiencing any withdrawal symptoms and became so excited about the health principles that he was learning that he wanted to bring his wife through a health session. As we said goodbye to him, he promised to return with her. He was true to his word and we had an enthusiastic couple who eagerly grasped new health concepts and practices as a team. Cigarettes were no longer part of his life. He had replaced them with positive new habits and was happier because of it.

George is another man that found the program worked for him. He and his wife came up from Florida believing it was worth the trip and I am so happy to report that they were not disappointed. The love and support they received was a big contributing factor to George throwing away his cigarettes for the last time, and none too soon. Smoking had already damaged his lungs making it difficult for him to walk any great distance. Building up his tolerance with a regular exercise program he was able to walk 4 1/2 miles the day before he left and said that his breathing was much improved. Four years later found George and his wife returning for another lifestyle health program. No, he did not come back to stop smoking for he remained smoke free. They just wanted a refresher on all the important health principles and to get another dose of love. Alumni are very special to us, in fact they become part of our Hartland family.

Linda was a closet smoker, hiding it from family and friends. It was a terrible way to live and came to us seeking help. Along with her goal to stop smoking she wanted to lose some weight. Being a mathematician she found that subtracting 13 1/2 pounds from her weight was actually fun and the health principles added together equaled a better life, for she was now a non smoker and was free from her caffeine addiction. Lana lived in a neighboring town and she promised to come back for a visit and dinner but she did something even better, she came back one year later to go through another 18 health session reporting she still wasn’t smoking, and remained a vegetarian and no longer used caffeine. Can you beat that!

To stop using drugs was not easy but Michael was happy that cocaine was now a thing of his past. He knew he now needed to quit smoking. He also had an addiction to caffeine, drinking eight cups of coffee or Coke each day. He had a sister that loved him very much and made the preliminary calls to the Lifestyle Education Center concerning her brother. He agreed to give it a try. You can understand his apprehension as he walked into the office to register. His fears were soon dispelled as he became involved in the program. What amazed him was that he experienced no withdrawal symptoms. He replaced the negative with the positive. How about you?

“And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that health thee” (Exodus 15:26).

The clock struck one in the morning. Jose Rodriquez tossed and turned on his bed. He’d had this problem before, but now it was worse. “I was so dizzy again, and I could not sleep.” He tried to cure it through sleeping pills, but nothing would work. Finally, his brother suggested going through the Hartland Lifestyle session, and he agreed. “I have faith in this place. I know I will get help here.”

Did you know that some types of insomnia can be easily healed through God’s eight laws of health? This is what Jose had to find out the hard way. Each year about sixty million people suffer from insomnia, which leads to serious sleep deficits and other health problems. One’s likelihood of experiencing it increases with age, affecting 30% of men and 40% of women.

The session went smoothly for Jose. He enjoyed the food, the staff, and the whole environment. “The food was very good. I never thought I would eat like this, because I’ve never been on this kind of diet before,” he recalls. “The people were just beautiful inside and out. The staff and students were friendly, kind, and thoughtful. They taught me how to eat, how to cook, and how to manage my stress.”

“I learned that we don’t treat our bodies well,” he said. “I have to be more careful now. Yes! I know how to live.” Having been a meat eater, Jose had developed some health problems, but now he wants to keep a healthy diet. “No meat, no coffee—nothing like that. God wanted to change my lifestyle.”

“The most important part that I learned was prayer. In everything we did, we prayed, whether it was a hydrotherapy treatment or before going to bed.”

The Hartland Lifestyle session was truly a blessed experience for Jose. Now he sleeps well and is thankful that God taught him to live by His principles through the Hartland Lifestyle Education Center.

Before showing you the results of these few health guests I must say that almost everyone that comes through our lifestyle program has a reduction of their blood lipids. And that makes sense because of a simple plan that incorporates an enjoyable exercise program and deliciously prepared meals which are low fat and no cholesterol. A vegetarian cuisine does not mean you must sacrifice taste or satisfaction. The opposite is true for, almost without exception, everyone loves the food. This lifestyle is so simple that everyone can do it. You will be fully prepared to carry on at home as you attend the nutritional and health seminars and establish habit patterns as you live and work with us.

“Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth” (3 John 2).

Are You Controlling Your Blood Pressure or is it Controlling You?

Hypertension is a silent killer and not something to be ignored. Though deadly there is hope. Most high blood pressure can be decreased with very simple methods without any side effects.

“What is it?” you ask. Eight simple remedies, Proper Nutrition, Exercise, Water, Sunshine, Temperance, Fresh Air and Proper Breathing, Rest, and Trust in God. Does it sound too good to be true? Well, come and experience it for yourself.

“And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee” (Exodus 23:25).

Weight Loss Case Histories

Is Your Weight Bringing You Down?

At Hartland you will learn life style principles that work. And by living here for 18 days you will see that you can really do it at home. Everyone that needs to lose weight does, and people love the food and not one person has said they experienced hunger while here.

“The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened” (Proverbs 10:27).

by Betsy Mayer

“Attention, Hartland family!” The voice on the campus intercom paused. “The Lifestyle Education Center has just passed county inspection!”

Hearty cheers rang throughout campus. I stopped my lecture, and my students and I knelt to thank God for another miracle. The day was Friday, January 9, 2009, and five health guests were scheduled to arrive on Sunday, January 11, exactly eighteen months from when the last Hartland lifestyle session had ended in July 2007.

Who would have ever dreamed that our 23-year-old lifestyle program would suffer a tragic setback of eighteen months? But in the next several weeks following that last program, a series of unanticipated events unfolded that made it impossible for us to legally operate in the original building. Today, despite that building’s impressive facade, it is still useless until it meets state regulations. Estimates to bring it to that level range from $800,000-$1.5 million. A serious fund-raising campaign is underway to accomplish this, and by God’s grace it will reopen.

The closing of that building was a staggering blow to the Institute. The college Health Ministries department was especially hard hit. Our health students receive their clinical training in the lifestyle education center. Without it, a core training component is missing.

Despite this setback, potential health guests have continued to call, and students desiring to study health ministry at Hartland continue to arrive. God has not given any indication that we should cease this vital work of healing and training. In fact, we are told that medical missionary work will be one of the last gospel agencies still functioning when preaching and teaching are no longer possible.

An Interim Program

In March of 2008, when it became evident that the lifestyle education center would be closed for a significant time, the college voted to conduct a temporary program in the newly completed ladies’ dormitory and to move the college ladies back into the mansion dormitory. A number of other alternatives were considered, but in the end, this was the only viable option. In preparation for this move, the mansion dormitory received long-overdue refurbishing and the new ladies’ dorm was altered to accommodate treatment rooms.

Next, we had to find staff for the interim program. When the old program closed down, lifestyle staff members either left or were incorporated into other open campus positions.

Finding a program manager was our first hurdle. Taquara Institute offered to loan us one of their staff members—Maria Gligor, a Hartland health ministry graduate who worked for four years in the Hartland Lifestyle Education Center before going to Brazil to help pioneer that school and health center. (Read more about her on page 11.) In November 2008, the U.S. Embassy granted her a five-year religious visa, our first miracle.

Ayumi Hashimoto, a Uchee Pines-trained lifestyle counselor who specializes in health education, is the program coordinator. Jesse Ravencroft, a Hartland graduate currently serving at Wildwood, helped for one month as our male therapist and exercise counselor. Our student therapists and chaplains assist throughout the day and on weekends.

Our first visiting physician was John Kelly, MD, MPH (Executive Director, Rocky Mount Lifestyle Health Center, Virginia). He was here one day a week.

Despise Not the Day of Small Things

The interim program is being conducted on much the same plan as our traditional program, with some practical modifications. As only one commercial kitchen is presently functioning on campus, the college cafeteria is preparing food for both menus. The health guests eat their meals in the mansion’s small cafeteria.

The modified facility can accommodate seven health guests. The rooms are lovely, with beautiful hardwood floors and a sink in each room. The treatment area in the basement offers a variety of hydrotherapies and full body massage.

There is a homey atmosphere in this lifestyle education center like the feeling of a close-knit family. The common sitting room is warmly appointed with comfortable chairs. The kitchen/dining area is used for cooking schools and health lectures.

During the rebuilding of Jerusalem, when circumstances were formidable and obstacles loomed large, the Lord sent a message to governor Zerubbabel: “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain…and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you. For who hath despised the day of small things?” Zechariah 4:6-10.

In a way, we are facing that great mountain again. And this is always good, for we are reminded how the work can still progress despite setbacks. We can show our students how to improvise, training them to make the best of whatever resources they may find when they leave Hartland to push God’s work forward in new and untried areas.

by Ayumi Hashimoto

Students offering health screening at a local Food Lion

“Will you be a speaker at one of the monthly meetings for international students at the University of Virginia?” asked a distinguished-looking lady on the last day of a health seminar held at my church. What an excellent opportunity to share the health message!

Three Hartland students came with me to the meeting where over seventy people gathered for a friendship night. The University of Virginia (UVA) students bonded with the Hartland students while learning new ways to stay healthy. “You are welcome back anytime,” the organizers told me. “Will you do a presentation again in February or March?”

The lady who invited us wants to help our students colporteur and give Bible studies to UVA students. And yes, we are planning a cooking class there next spring.

I also had the privilege of organizing the students in the Health Outreach class to give free chair massages and blood pressure check-ups on Sundays. This term, they went to two local Food Lion stores, as well as a Lutheran church where the Three Angels’ Chorale gave a concert. The reception was excellent. A lady who received a massage at Food Lion said, “It was great! If I had time, I would do it again.” The pastor of the Lutheran church commented, “Our members especially appreciated the food samples. Let’s plan a cooking class in my church.”
At another event, we gave out food samples and massages in a local library. Jim, a neighbor from Rapidan, attended, but not on purpose! “I went to the library to check my email,” he says. “One of the students met me at the door and said, ‘Come into the conference room and get a free back massage.’ So I did. Afterward, he gave me some pamphlets about his school.”

Jim decided to check Hartland out. Not knowing much about Adventism, he was tentative about the kind of reception he would get at Hartland. “I felt really awkward coming here,” he recalls, “but I am glad that you are so friendly and receptive.” Before he left, he stopped at Hartland Publications and bought The Great Controversy.

It is my joy to see how Hartland students touch the people’s hearts through the health message. Please pray that the Lord will continue to bless these contacts.

by Staff Writer

I was diagnosed in 2000 with breast cancer. “The way we ‘cure’ your type of cancer is to treat the disease until it goes into remission,” doctors told me. “There is no such thing as a total cure.” So I prayed for remission. And guess what? I got remission!

But at the end of four years, the cancer returned, spreading into my bones and throughout my lymph system. Then the Lord led me to Hartland Lifestyle Education Center, where I gained the tools to help me get on the path to health. That’s also when I changed my prayer. I stopped praying for remission. I was now praying for total removal! In March 2007 I left Hartland in search of a cure.

I sought out three doctors in Los Angeles, California, but they gave me no hope of recovery. One of them told me, “Linda, it doesn’t look good. You have so much cancer in you. I don’t know whether your body can respond positively to any of the treatments we have available.” But I went ahead with the treatments anyway, trusting God to answer my prayer.

I believe God gave me Psalm 118:17 for this hour of trial. It reads, “I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.” Somehow, deep down, I sensed that God was about to do something very special.

I began to seriously consider being anointed. Providentially, Dr. Colin Standish was going to be in Glendale, California, just 25 minutes away from where I was living at the time. I spoke to him about it, and he anointed me on Sabbath evening, January 19, 2008.

The following Wednesday the clinic did a complete series of diagnostic tests on me. A week later one of my doctors, a Muslim, called me. He anxiously explained that he had the results of my tests in front of him. Simply put, there was no longer any cancer present. “Do you mean that there is no cancer in any of the three areas you have been treating?” I questioned. (They hadn’t been treating all of it – just three main sections.) “No,” he replied. “There is not a speck of cancer anywhere.”

“Linda,” he added, “there is no other conclusion that can be drawn, other than that your God has heard you.”

I rest confidently in the knowledge that what happened to me can happen to anyone who is fervently seeking the Father’s will. I wouldn’t be alive today if it weren’t for His mercy and grace! Christ’s promise is sure: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33.

by Rachel Perry

Daily outdoor exercise raises Lynn and Dee’s energy levels.

“You don’t have to be sick to better your health,” says Dee Green, a recent guest at Hartland Lifestyle Education Center (HLEC). “A lot of people complain about being tired, but investing in your health will give you extra energy.”

Lynn and Dee Green actually work at Hartland—Lynn in plant services and Dee in Hartland Publications. But they realized that their health wasn’t as good as it should be, even though they knew the health message. “I wanted to improve my health,” Lynn shares, “since I had a lot of bad habits that needed to be broken, like eating late at night and not exercising enough. I decided to go through a session at Hartland Lifestyle Education Center to help me get back on track.”

“Working in an office all day, I don’t often get the exercise and the sunshine that I should be getting,” Dee confesses. “But daily outdoor exercise really raised my energy level a lot during the session. Every morning I looked forward to my walks with Gao Na, my student therapist. We talked about everything, from Scripture to what she wants to do after she graduates. It was my favorite time of the day.”

Lynn also experienced a boost, both physically and intellectually. “Being a guest at the Lifestyle Education Center not only improved my endurance, but it improved my lifestyle in general. The lectures taught me many things about my eating habits, hypertension, and many other aspects of life. Dee and I still drink lemon water every morning, since we learned that it gives our bodies a good ‘jump start.’”

Having experienced the relaxing, rejuvenating effects of exercise in the great outdoors, Lynn and Dee started brainstorming. How can we continue getting our exercise after the session is finished and we have to return to work? They both came up with the same answer: hiking. Now they go hiking every weekend. “At first we only hiked one or two miles,” Lynn says. “Then we moved it up to three miles, and I said, ‘This is enough for me!’ But we kept at it, increasing the mileage each time. Now, sometimes we hike as much as 20 miles in a day!”

Dee especially enjoyed the closeness she felt with each of the other health guests. “I felt like I’d known them my whole life! Everything we did, we did together, and that really bonded us. It was so encouraging to see the progress that everyone else was making. One lady could hardly get out of bed when she arrived, but by the end of the session she was participating in all the exercises with us.”

“I think everybody should go through a session at HLEC, even if they’re not sick, so they can see the benefits of a healthful lifestyle,” Dee concludes.

“My doctor wanted to start dialysis, but I wanted to give Hartland a chance.”

“When I came here, I was really sick,” says Angelita Ancheta. “But after three days, I already felt a difference!”

Angelita came to Hartland Lifestyle Education Center with kidney failure. The doctors had told her, “You need to do dialysis immediately.” However, knowing the risk involved with dialysis, she wanted to find an alternative. After hearing the testimony of another health guest who has experienced lasting results from his stay at Hartland, Angelita decided that this would be a wise investment.

“When I came, I was always tired and cold. Just going up and down the stairs made me tired. But now I feel good! I have energy to do my housework!”

Because she doesn’t like the cold, Angelita tended to stay inside most of the time. But this just made her circulation sluggish, so she was still cold! However, at Hartland, Angelita was encouraged to go for a brisk walk every morning with her therapist and participate in a group exercise session with the other health guests. After one of these exercise sessions, Angelita exclaimed, “This is the first time I’ve sweat in two years!”

Now, seven months later, she is continuing the exercises she learned at Hartland. She says, “If it is cold outside, I just do the exercises inside—running in place, bending, stretching—just as I did at Hartland.”

Angelita’s husband, Antonio, came to Hartland Lifestyle Education Center with his wife, but he didn’t want to join the lifestyle session at first. However, after reading an article in the Hartland Ministry Report about Dr. Sanidad, he changed his mind. “I wanted to make sure that I was healthy,” he said. “It was not easy to come here all the way from British Columbia, Canada. But it was worth it. The program was very helpful to me, because I learned how to maintain my health with a new lifestyle.”

Antonio and Angelita used to eat a lot of meat, especially pork. But after one of the nurses explained how the meat’s waste products (especially nitrates) destroy the kidneys, they decided to cut it out of their diet. “We have to change our lifestyle,” they resolved. “We have to eat more vegetables and fruits. It’s going to be very different now.” Praise the Lord, Antonio and Angelita are still meat-free today!

At the end of the session, Antonio said, “By the grace of the Lord, we saw our health improve in the eighteen days we spent at Hartland Lifestyle Education Center, and we are happy.” He nodded in agreement as Angelita added, “I’m going to share this; I have to spread the good news to my friends!”

Lifestyle changes made bypass surgery unnecessary.

Seven stents which had not resolved my heart problems, blood sugar out of control, cholesterol level nearly 200-my doctor thought my case was hopeless without surgery. A triple bypass was next on the list.

My doctor knew about the benefits of lifestyle changes, but he didn’t think I could do it. However, as a friend of ours suffered through a bypass surgery and its aftermath, I determined I didn’t want that for myself, so I was really motivated. Thanks to Hartland Lifestyle Education Center (HLEC), I proved my doctor wrong.

I had been through Hartland’s lifestyle program twice before, and this time I was able to convince my wife, Frances, to come with me. She also had some health problems which she wanted to correct, so she decided to give Hartland a try. I’m glad we were able to come together; it made everything easier and really brought us closer to each other.

I entered the HLEC with a blood pressure of 158/95. My cholesterol was 192, and my triglycerides stood at 334. Hartland was able to help me get completely off my diabetes and cholesterol medicines and significantly lower my blood pressure medication. I left HLEC with a blood pressure reading of 116/74. My cholesterol had dropped to 174, and my triglycerides were now 221. At first, I couldn’t even walk for five minutes; but before I left, I was able to walk for a whole hour! I feel about twenty years younger! And on top of all of this, I lost 17 pounds.

Miracles happened to me at HLEC. Just last month my doctor told me that my blood flow was normal. Also, I didn’t even know I was stressed until I had been at Hartland two weeks. Now that I’ve changed my diet and lifestyle, my stress is going away. My health is better. I feel good.

As I went through the program at HLEC, I couldn’t help but be impressed by the spirituality and loving care of everyone there. No matter what was happening-a treatment, meeting, walk, etc. everything was prefaced by a prayer. The staff who served us were good examples to my wife and me, and made us feel like we were almost in heaven.

I praise God for everything. He’s been good to us. We have a lot to be thankful for. God used Hartland to save my life- eally!

By Jim Romanek and Rachel Perry HMR |June-July 2006

To ask about our natural health improvement program, call 800-763-9355 or email lifestyle@hartland.edu

By Romi Talento and Hilary Overcash Hartland ministry report | April-May 2006

I was facing either dialysis or kidney transplant. “Either choice is unthinkable for me,” I told some friends. “I’ve got to do something now, before it’s too late!” Then I determined to try a lifestyle approach to my health problems and I turned to the Hartland Lifestyle Education Center. I arrived with my five different medications for gout, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. Diabetes may seem like a minor thing, but it affects all the organs of the body. I used to be a big meat eater, but I wanted to lower my intake of fats to help my diabetes. I also used to be more physically active, but my osteoarthritis started to bother my knees too much. In fact, I have already postponed knee replacement surgery three times. Over time, my poor diet and my inactivity led to excess weight, which hasn’t helped matters. I was a little concerned about the cost of attending the Hartland Lifestyle Education Center, but my health is more important than money. Money can be earned, but once health is gone, the power to earn money is also gone.

What a difference eighteen days at Hartland makes! Now I am off all my prescriptions. I’m thirty pounds lighter, and my cholesterol levels have improved. I’ve even received many treatments on my knees including fomentations, paraffin wax treatments, and pool exercises. I’m walking a lot and my knees are doing better. There is still chronic pain, but with my new lifestyle, lighter weight, and exercises, I am praying that this, too, will go away. The staff here is very conscientious and very helpful. They often share quotes from the Bible, and you can just see that they possess a Christian attitude. There’s no lack of spirituality here. There is prayer before everything, from a hydro treatment to pool exercises. Trust in the Lord is simply part of the regimen. The Hartland staff is committed to our spiritual as well as physical health.

At the end of the session, we were treated to a farewell luncheon and presented with certificates and small gifts. Many students came to support us, as well. I know many people that could also use this kind of help. They need the lifestyle changes that are advocated here. I will certainly tell them the good news about Hartland’s Lifestyle Education Center!

By Romi Talento and Hilary Overcash Hartland ministry report | April-May 2006

I was facing either dialysis or kidney transplant. “Either choice is unthinkable for me,” I told some friends. “I’ve got to do something now, before it’s too late!” Then I determined to try a lifestyle approach to my health problems and I turned to the Hartland Lifestyle Education Center. I arrived with my five different medications for gout, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. Diabetes may seem like a minor thing, but it affects all the organs of the body. I used to be a big meat eater, but I wanted to lower my intake of fats to help my diabetes. I also used to be more physically active, but my osteoarthritis started to bother my knees too much. In fact, I have already postponed knee replacement surgery three times. Over time, my poor diet and my inactivity led to excess weight, which hasn’t helped matters. I was a little concerned about the cost of attending the Hartland Lifestyle Education Center, but my health is more important than money. Money can be earned, but once health is gone, the power to earn money is also gone.

What a difference eighteen days at Hartland makes! Now I am off all my prescriptions. I’m thirty pounds lighter, and my cholesterol levels have improved. I’ve even received many treatments on my knees including fomentations, paraffin wax treatments, and pool exercises. I’m walking a lot and my knees are doing better. There is still chronic pain, but with my new lifestyle, lighter weight, and exercises, I am praying that this, too, will go away. The staff here is very conscientious and very helpful. They often share quotes from the Bible, and you can just see that they possess a Christian attitude. There’s no lack of spirituality here. There is prayer before everything, from a hydro treatment to pool exercises. Trust in the Lord is simply part of the regimen. The Hartland staff is committed to our spiritual as well as physical health.

At the end of the session, we were treated to a farewell luncheon and presented with certificates and small gifts. Many students came to support us, as well. I know many people that could also use this kind of help. They need the lifestyle changes that are advocated here. I will certainly tell them the good news about Hartland’s Lifestyle Education Center!

By Janine Legaspi | Hartland Ministry Report – Feb/March 2006

Tommie, come here; I have some good news,” said Maria, a nurse of the Hartland Lifestyle Education Center (HLEC).* “What is it?” I asked. “You’re going on a fast for fifteen days. A fast? I can’t say “yes” or “no” to her. If I say “yes,” I will be miserable. But if I say “no,” what’s going to happen to my health? I finally replied, “We’ll have to work it out one day at a time.”

I’ve learned that God is so good. He gave me the strength to live. I was diagnosed with prostate cancer more than ten years ago. In 1995, I had my first surgery. Since I’d had no trouble since then, I thought that the cancer was gone, but in October 2004 I felt severe pain in my ribs. I went to many physicians—from my family doctor to another doctor, to a urologist, and finally to an oncologist who told me I was in the last stage of cancer.

Amazingly, it didn’t bother me. I knew I just had to pray harder and do what the Lord wanted me to do. My phone became extremely busy because of calls coming from friends and family who wanted to see how I was doing. “How are you feeling? Are you losing weight?”
I had four chemotherapy treatments, but my prostate specific antigen level (PSA) was still going up. Then I received thirteen radiation treatments and my PSA went down a little. However, I was still in pain. My church pastor had urged me many times to go to the HLEC, and I finally went last September (2005). The words of the urologist were clearly imprinted in my memory: “Avoid fried food, dairy products and cheese.” To my surprise, the staff at the HLEC taught me the same thing, plus the eight laws of health: the proper use of nutrition, exercise, water, sunshine, temperance, air, rest, and trust in God.
What a wonderful journey it was to be at the HLEC! The cheerfulness and positive attitude of the staff and students brought encouragement to my heart. They didn’t hesitate to stop and pray with me at any time during the day. After a few days, my weight dropped from 188 pounds to 174 pounds. I got more than enough sleep, and I felt very relaxed. I still have cancer, but I don’t have any pain. The doctors are very happy that I’m still alive. So am I!
I thank God for HLEC and its staff. Most of the time when people find out they have cancer, depression and stress creep into their lives. That was not true for me, though. With God’s help through the lifestyle education center, I learned how to deal with stress. Psalm 118:8 says, “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.” After more than ten years, here I am—alive and kicking, and serving the Lord by teaching others the principles I learned at Hartland. Praise the Lord!

Hartland Ministry Report | June/July 2005

In May 1999, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease. I changed my eating habits, incorporated some natural treatments, and took only three of the twelve prescribed chemotherapy treatments.

In July, I finalized my plans to stop the chemotherapy and go to the Hartland Lifestyle Education Center (HLEC). On August 30th, I began their ten-day program. My goal was to learn how to balance my life and nourish my body. I had asked God to heal me, and I knew that if I wanted to maintain my healed status, I couldn’t continue my old lifestyle.

When Jesus healed, He instructed that person to “go and sin no more.” For me, that meant that I needed to take stock of my present habits and get them in line with what God had originally planned. Nutrition, Exercise, Water, Sunshine, Temperance, Air, Rest, and Trust in God – N.E.W.S.T.A.R.T. for short – helped me accomplish that. While at HLEC, my day started with freshly-squeezed lemon juice in warm water, and I was encouraged to drink at least two liters of water a day.

The food was prepared free of all animal and refined products, and with very little salt or concentrated sweets. I was supplied with recipes and learned by hands-on training how to prepare wholesome meals. Lots of fresh fruits and vegetables were served at each meal, and I was encouraged to eat until comfortably full.

My daily program also included essiac tea (a cancer-fighting formula), slippery elm, combination teas (Pau D’Arco, red clover, echinacea), carrot juice, soy milk, a banana milkshake using soy milk or nut milk (to encourage weight gain), and activated charcoal (to draw out impurities from the body).

Following is a brief synopsis of what I learned at Hartland Lifestyle Education Center:

Cancer is cancer. The N.E.W.S.T.A.R.T. regimen is good for all types of cancer, as well as other debilitating diseases.

Nutrition: Regular mealtimes are best, 4 to 6 hours apart, depending on how heavy the meal, with no snacking in between meals. Increase the amount of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains while avoiding animal products, refined and concentrated sugars, sweets, and starches. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and supper like a pauper. Make liberal use of garlic (a natural antibiotic) and drink at least 8 ounces of carrot juice per day. Eat at least 50% of the diet raw. Reduce salt and fat intake, including free fats (which are the oils “freed” from the food they were in).

Exercise: “There is no drug in current or prospective use that holds as much promise for sustained health as a lifetime program of physical exercise.” Bortz: JAMA 1982:248.1203. Walking is the best form of exercise. Three miles per day is strongly recommended.

Water: We need at least 8 to 10 glasses a day to maintain the body systems at their highest efficiency, to cushion the joints, to cool the body through perspiration, and to hydrate the brain for clear thinking. Hydrotherapy, which is water treatment for the body’s outside, helps to increase the immune response. Fever treatment, the most aggressive form of hydrotherapy, helped me.

Sunlight: Used with discretion, sunshine can renew vigor and provide the glow of health.

Temperance: This is the moderate use of that which is good, and abstinence from all that is harmful.

Air: Pure fresh air is one of God’s universal cleansers. It increases oxygen absorption and decreases the need for pain medicines.

Rest: “Early to bed and early to rise” still is wise. One needs between 7 and 9 hours per night, with the hours before midnight providing the most beneficial rest. One should avoid naps after meals and allow fresh air in the bedroom at all times throughout the year, while avoiding chilling or over-warming.

Trust in God: Trust leads to hope, peace, and joy. Our greatest needs are to love and be loved. Assurance of God’s divine love, wisdom, and power gives security and stability in difficult times.

Five months later, on November 5, 1999, my oncologist pronounced me “clean as a whistle”! Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

(Update: In April 2005, Brenda told us her cancer is still in remission. More praise!)

By Darrel Dacres | Hartland Ministry Report, April/May 2005

“Glory to God, and thanks to Hartland for teaching me the eight laws of health.”

In 1996, when the stress was overwhelming, I had migraine headaches and difficulty sleeping. I accepted an invitation to church with an open mind. What did I have to lose? Something clicked! I found the joy and happiness that I had been looking for.

However, the joy didn’t last. I started getting confused. I tried putting everything in perspective by starting to plan my new life. When nothing was going my way, I got more and more agitated. I said, “If this is what God is all about, I might as well go back to my old life.”

I went from one pastor to another trying to find an answer until I was ready to give up. Life became a living hell as I fought with myself. Finally, I got on my knees and prayed, “God, I am trying to find You. Today I am surrendering my whole life to You. If stress is going to kill me, forgive me for all my sins and take me.”

I went to a mission in Atlanta, Georgia, for two weeks and found some peace. Upon my return to Cayman, I again started planning my new life. When nothing was going my way, I got agitated and confused again. God spoke to me and said, “Let go and let Me.” I then prayed and asked God to let His will be done.

In answer to my prayer, my nephew suggested that I contact a place in Virginia called Hartland. After much prayer for guidance, I made arrangements to go to the Hartland Lifestyle Education Center. My life will never be the same. I have a new life in Christ. I became a vegan and made dramatic changes in my lifestyle. I no longer take any medication for migraine headaches, and since becoming vegan I have not gotten a virus. I’m sleeping better, and I have more energy. I know that this is what God intended for His children from the beginning. “Thank You, dear Lord, for making me whole.”

By Ed Hill | Hartland Ministry Report, February/March 2005

Freedom From Depression and Pain Possible With God’s Remedies

Mrs. Deloris Hill is a former nurse who retired from the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond, Virginia. Mrs. Hill entered the Hartland Lifestyle Education Center’s eighteen-day program because of her fight with cancer. She says that the staff members and their treatment programs were a tremendous blessing to her.

Before going to the Hartland Lifestyle Education Center, Mrs. Hill could not do any walking. Afterward, this seventy-year-old lady could walk up and down hills! Family members thank God for this simple blessing of her being able to walk again.

Mrs. Hill had never fasted before. At Hartland, she fasted twice: a five-day fast and later a three-day fast. Also, as a result of the efforts of the staff, Mrs. Hill could lift weights and ride the stationary bike in the exercise room when this was not possible before! God was truly good to this now-active lady.

For many years, Mrs. Hill had suffered with crippling back pain that the doctors could do nothing about. Pain pills and resting in stationary positions were the only sources of relief. Praise God that this disabling pain has left her and never returned! Mrs. Hill has said that she wants to continue to exercise and eat the way she learned at Hartland.

Still another wonderful providence of God is that while Mrs. Hill was at Hartland, she was able to stop taking her depression medication completely and has not taken any since.

There was yet another gift that Mrs. Hill received from the Hartland Lifestyle Education Center. The alert staff members were the first to point out signs of kidney problems to Mrs. Hill. When she notified her doctors in oncology and general practice, the doctors were totally unaware of the problem.

The Hartland Lifestyle Education Center staff is “second to none,” Mrs. Hill says, and she fondly remembers each of the staff members by name. Mrs. Hill said of her care, “I got so much out of it. I was so inspired!” This dedicated Roman Catholic lady was so impressed that she said if she had the health and strength, she would sell her property and go to work for Hartland Lifestyle Education Center. Her short stay at the Lifestyle Education Center was truly a cornucopia of blessings for all concerned. I know—I’m her son.

By Linda Haynes | Hartland Ministry Report, December 2004/January 2005

I am thankful for my cancer. Satan meant it for my destruction, but Jesus used it for good.

In January 2000, after six months of mammograms, sonograms, and needle biopsies-all of which were normal-a biopsy indicated that I had breast cancer. Following a mastectomy in March, all the doctors strongly urged chemotherapy and radiation. They gave me less than a 50% chance of survival after five years.

I began to follow the doctors’ treatment program, even though I had witnessed other family members’ torment, destruction, and premature deaths from the same treatment. When there were problems in giving me chemotherapy, I told my family that God simply did not want me to do this. So I prayed for God’s plan for my recovery. My prayer life became specific. God answered by directing me to Hartland Lifestyle Education Center, to be under the care of a Christian doctor.

The tender heart of the Christ-centered doctor was a stark contrast to the many other doctors I had seen. Hartland Lifestyle Education Center was a wonderful gift from Jesus. I learned about lifestyle changes that I needed. Applying that knowledge was not always easy. It required discipline to fully make the changes. I liked the structured program and positive atmosphere. I felt that the Holy Spirit was in every part, whether it was in the classroom, therapy session, or cooking class. Christ was there and He helped me, so I praise God for that.

The students and staff know what they’re doing and they love their patients. That means so much when you’re dealing with life-threatening disease. They are my brothers and sisters in Christ. Hartland was so rewarding after seeing conventional doctors. It was a heap of a blessing!

If you have cancer, first call on Christ, our Great Physician, and seek His guidance. In the Bible, He has given us some specific counsel, as well as general guidelines, to maintain our bodies, minds, and hearts in the best possible state. Be careful about conventional medicine. God’s plan is better.

Breast cancer changed my life. Hartland gave me the tools to be on the path of health. I’m more aware of what I put in my body for fuel, and with God’s help, I follow the eight laws of health as my daily routine. It’s been five years since I’ve been diagnosed and after Hartland, I feel wonderful. I’ve got more energy. All honor and praise and glory be to Jesus Christ, my Lord and Saviour!!

By Michael Carducci | Hartland Ministry Report, October/November 2004

Michael Experiences Restoration Through the Eight Laws of Health

I came to the Hartland Lifestyle Education Center with diabetes and heart disease. I had high blood pressure, poor circulation, and angina.

Twelve years ago I went to the hospital with chest pains. That’s when they found that I had diabetes. They did an angioplasty, but three months later the pain came back. In May 1992 they did a quintuple bypass surgery, and they told me that the surgical corrections would hold for ten years. I went back to my sedentary lifestyle and bad diet, and I was depending on my medications to keep me well.

When I first came to the Hartland Lifestyle Education Center, I was taking nine different medications – fifteen pills – a day. That cost $168 a month. The first time I went for a walk, I had to take two nitro-glycerine tablets because of chest pains.

Now I can walk for one hour in the morning, and I exercise another hour sometime during the day – all without chest pains. I’m not taking any medications now, and I’ve lost thirteen pounds. My fingernails and toenails are pink; they used to be white because of poor circulation. I feel twenty years younger, with a lot more energy than when I came here. I’m surprised that with two meals a day – eating my last meal at 12:30 p.m. – I’m not hungry in the evening. I sleep much better at night. I go to bed at 9:00 p.m., and I wake up when the Lord wakes me up. Sometimes He wakes me up at 4:00 a.m., but I feel rested!

I was amazed that the entire staff is so loving, kind, and patient with the health guests. They’re all positive and Christ-centered. Before I came, I knew that I was going to do better physically as a result of my visit, but I’ve also been helped spiritually. I’m going to miss the peace here.

The Lord has spared my life twice for a purpose. When I go home, my wife and I are going to share the eight natural laws of health as a ministry, so that others can receive the same benefits that I received here.

By Alina Pop | Hartland Ministry Report, August/September 2004

“I feel that the Lord is especially here to cleanse the mind, not just the body, so I can hear the voice of Jesus. It’s been nice to pray without getting sidetracked. It’s more for the spiritual; it wasn’t for the physical.” This brought Marcia Rodney to the Lifestyle Education Center. She lives in California and she came here with a desire to make some changes in her life.

Her opinion from the beginning was, “The juicing was really good. The first three days really made a difference in my energy level. I wasn’t hungry. I don’t think one person complained about being hungry. I saw a difference in my skin; it’s healing the scars. It’s made a dramatic improvement.”

Marcia was very touched to see that before any treatment or activity, the staff and students would pray. She was amazed at how God works through natural remedies. The staff impressed her, too. “They’re wonderful. They take the time to talk with you. There’s not a negative look. They’re there to help you. It’s truly a family-oriented environment.”

Her therapist gave her a small project while she was going through the session. “She challenged me to memorize Isaiah 53. Throughout the day I would contemplate the chapter. I got to really thinking about it. It’s heavy.”

Before coming to Hartland Lifestyle Education Center, Marcia was addicted to putting something in her mouth all the time. Here she learned how to overcome this addiction through Jesus’ power. “My energy level has been boosted. I wake up in the mornings not tired, because I haven’t eaten late at night or between meals. I was addicted to coffee until two months ago. Coffee in your diet makes your body tired. I lost 6% of my body fat and lost 6 pounds.”

“The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame and in the cause and prevention of disease.” –Thomas Edison

Marcia left with some goals. “I have a real mission. Now it’s the trials and testing. I want to help Grandpa with his diet and physical needs. I’m going home to teach my children to enjoy popcorn and fruit. They’re going to learn to make healthful food. On weekends we’re going to do something special, like make our bread.”

To those who are thinking about coming here, Marcia would say, “I know you would have godly, professional care. Have a determination because it’s not a quick fix. You’ve got to surrender your will to God, or else nothing works. You’ll just go up and down the roller coaster.”

“It’s been a really neat experience. It’s amazing the impact it’s had on me. I learned that it’s God who heals, but we help Him heal.”

By Norma Sayers | Hartland Ministry Report, June/July 2004

In August 2003, about a month and a half after I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and having had major surgery, I was brought by my husband to Hartland Lifestyle Education Center for their eighteen-day session.

There, it was suggested that I drink only juices for fifteen days, get plenty of fresh air, sunshine, exercise, and rest, drink a quart of two different kinds of teas a day lots of water, receive hydrotherapy treatments, attend health lectures, give up all of my bad habits, and pray a lot. Knowing myself, I was sure I could not do it.

When I was certain I couldn’t go on, the message I heard was about courage and determination. When I was overwhelmed, the message I heard was, “Let God take the burden.” Oh, there was much prayer, encouragement, and laughter at Hartland. And I did it a day at a time.

After I left, I sort of kept up with what I learned. I knew in my heart it was right, but, oh, the temptations! I had to work very hard and did not always resist. For the most part I did, though, and it became easier as time went by.

With a better diet, supplements, exercise, and other changes in my lifestyle, I noticed I looked better and felt healthier than I had in years. I was greatly encouraged by these signs of health.

My husband, family and friends have been behind me all the way.

But the most important message I had to learn was that GOD was with me all the way. All of the good things I have experienced and all of the love I have had showered on me are gifts from God. Even though I have doubted His existence,

He has put the cure for all of my troubles right in front of me – bountiful harvest, fresh air, sunshine, water, and prayer as a way to unburden my soul and heal my body.

After six months of mental reorganization and studying on the Internet, I went back to Hartland for ten days to make sure I was getting it right. The second time was a different experience because I knew what to expect and I was a lot stronger physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

Recently, tests showed that although the cancer marker is still high, it has gone down and the surgeon told me that the CT-scan looks “promising.”

After asking God to show me in some way that I was getting well, I realized that every day there is evidence if only I think about it. I thank my friends at Hartland for helping me to know that, without a doubt, there is hope, if only I let God do it.