The Amish people are associated with the notions of simplicity and convention. You may believe their insular policy compromises their health. Get ready for a surprise because the Amish community is one of the healthiest around. A look at some facts and figures shows that illness is rare among Amish folk. Learn some of their best practices, and boost your health.
The Amish way of life isn’t typically considered to be trailblazing.
But when it comes to health and longevity, studies are showing the Amish may be up to something. The Amish rarely get cancer In fact, a study published in the journal Cancer Causes and Control found virtually no instances of cancer among the Amish of Holmes County, Ohio. Out of 26,000 individuals, only 191 cancer cases were identified between the years 1996 and 2003.
While a huge percentage of Amish lead a clean lifestyle. Those that decide to smoke, drink or become obese see their chances of cancer increase. Overall cancer rates in the Amish are 60 percent of the age-adjusted rate for Ohio and 56 percent of the national rate. Tobacco-related cancers in Amish adults are 37 percent and non-tobacco-related cancers are 72 percent of the rate for Ohio adults.
Surprisingly, the researchers who conducted the study weren’t expecting to find such a low cancer rate. In fact, they theorized that the Amish would have higher instances of cancer because of their small gene pool, which should have increased the incidence of cancer-related gene mutations. Instead, this small gene pool, combined with a few lifestyle factors, may be responsible for their low cancer rate.
The secret to Amish health lies in their restrictive lifestyle. As you probably know, the Amish are a conservative Christian group that shuns conveniences
of the modern world because they believe that modern technology negatively impacts humility, family, community, and faith. Most Amish communities shun modern society as a whole, others are more open minded and may embrace technology as long as it doesn’t disrupt family and community stability.
1. They Lead A Humble Life
Amish families rely on hard labor to survive. In fact, Amish children quickly learn how to build homes and furniture as well as how to tend to the land. This constant exercise maintains their cardiovascular health and keeps their organs and tissues fueled with essential nutrients and oxygen. The Amish also don’t smoke or drink, aren’t sexually promiscuous, and keep their skin covered from the harsh sun. These habits reduce their risk of developing certain cancers. (1).
2. They Make Everything At Home
Since Amish people shun modern conveniences, they don’t use the chemical-laden products popular in American homes, such as dishwasher soap, deodorant, fragrance plug-ins and toxic cleaning products. Amish people also aren’t exposed to cancer-causing EMFs in their daily life because they simply don’t own any appliances or electronics. (2).
3. They Eat Organic Food
Most Amish communities grow their own organic food and use heirloom seeds, which tend to be more biological compatible with the human body than GMO seeds. Plus, these communities don’t rely on herbicides, pesticides or chemical fertilizer and their meat and dairy products don’t contain any hormones or antibiotics. (3).
4. They Believe In Traditional Medicine
Amish people experience fewer medical interventions throughout their
lifetime than other Americans. When they have a medical problem, most Amish families rely on traditional medicine and natural remedies to get their health back on track. Some even prefer reflexologists and chiropractors to conventional doctors (4).
This limits their exposure to liver-damaging pharmaceuticals and the potentially devastating side-effects of conventional drugs. Although Amish people are often ridiculed for their choices, they do seem to have it right when it comes to living a carcinogen-free life. While joining them may be a bit of a stretch, it’s worth looking into following a more natural lifestyle to ensure better long-term health.
Who are the Amish People?
The Amish are a Swiss Anabaptist community with fundamental Christian beliefs. They have links with Mennonite churches but are distinct from them. They’re descendants of a group of Alsatian Anabaptists led by Jakob Ammann. The Amish speak a variety of West Central German known as “Pennsylvanian Dutch.” Groups of them flocked to Maryland, Illinois, Virginia, North Carolina, and New York from Switzerland in the 19th century.
What makes them stand out is their philosophy of simple living. You can tell an Amish person from their every day, fuss-free garb. The men wear pants with buttons. Women wear long skirts and white headdresses.
The Amish Philosophy
The Amish community bases its regulations on a set of strict rules they call Ordnung, A literal interpretation of the Bible is a premise for their beliefs. Their community values humility, and it extols the need to be patient with others. Yielding to others is a hallmark of maturity. They place community needs above their own, and keep work and play within the Amish sphere of influence. Individualism and pride threaten community harmony; the Amish adopt a culture of sharing and a minimalist lifestyle.
Perhaps the most important hallmark of Amish culture is its resistance to modern cultural influences. You will not find telephones or microwaves in an Amish household. The Amish people travel using physical means of transport, often going about on horses. Notably, much older Amish folk refuse to visit doctors or hospitals, preferring to rely on traditional herbs and remedies when they fall ill.
The Top 10 Health Secrets of the Amish People
You may think that such a philosophy has adverse effects on their health. However, the Amish people seldom fall ill. Research has shown that Amish children have fewer incidences of allergies compared with the kids who grew up on European farms. Their secrets to good health are straightforward and accessible, yet people of the secular, modern world rarely tap on them.
Here’s Why The Amish RARELY Get Cancer
1. The Amish Shun Vaccines
For a start, they do not get vaccinated, despite pressure from the government. The absence of vaccines may explain why there are few people with disabilities or autism in the community.
2. The Amish Eat Organic Food
One important hallmark of Amish culture is farming.
The community is self-sufficient and grows produce that is free of GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms). The toxins in GMO products cause inflammation. The Amish people are robust, thanks to their preference for natural foods. Amish people processed foods, which are high in fat, sugar,
and artificial ingredients. Because they avoid these harmful excesses, many
of them have trim and fit figures. Health Hazards of GMO foods.
3. The Amish Diet Consists of Many Healthy Fats
The Amish eat high-fat diets, but the fats they consume are healthy. They take in grass-fed dairy, packed with vitamins A, E, and K2. The incidence of cancer and cardiovascular disease in this community is negligible.
4. The Amish are Physically Active People
The Amish community boasts a small, 3% obesity rate. Amish people take an average of 18000 steps a day. According to Professor David R Basset of the University of Tennessee, the Amish show people of the modern era how far they have fallen behind regarding physical activity.
5. The Amish Use Physical Forms of Transport
This community relies on physical forms of transportation. Many of them are expert horsemen and do not rely on tractors to do farm work. The exertion keeps them physically fit.
6. The Amish Have Little Stress
The Amish live stress-free lives. You will find few incidences of fatigue
and heart disease within this community because it bases its existence on cooperation and harmony. Because they do not compete, their lives are relatively stress-free. Stress elevates cortisol, which triggers heart disease
in the long-run.
7. Emphasis on Calmness
What also helps to lower stress levels in this community is serenity.
The Amish people focus on patience, tolerance and waiting for others.
This mindset encourages calmness and pressure-free life.
8. A tech-free Life Removes Health Hazards
The Amish community’s complete rejection of technology explains why many of its people are in perfect health. Radiation from television sets, computers, and mobile devices emit an odorless gas known as radon, which may trigger cancer in the long run. Their back-to-basics lifestyles prolong their lives.
9. More Exposure to Nature
As farmers, the Amish folk have constant contact with nature. They have immediate access to fields and other natural environments. The Amish have less exposure to smoke and other pollutants associated with urban living.
A New England Journal of Medicine study shows why a natural setting keeps the Amish healthy. Researchers compared Amish people with the Hutterites, another farming community which shares similar ancestry. They found that Hutterites were more allergic than the Amish because they lived further away from their cowsheds and livestock.
10. Sense of Community
The Amish take care of themselves. Many of them devote themselves to caring for the elderly and other members of the community with chronic illnesses. Though they may rely on natural remedies and avoid conventional health practices, many of them do compromise and see doctors when there is an absolute need. You may not be able to embrace the Amish lifestyle fully, but you can adopt some of its best practices. Eating healthily and being active, as the Amish folk are, will keep you in the pink of health.
׺°”˜`”°º ×Amish and Mennonites× º°”˜`”°º
What’s the difference between Amish and Mennonites?
Amish and Mennonites share numerous similarities. But this question
is more complicated than it may first appear, as the Amish are a diverse group, as are the churches that fall under the Mennonite umbrella. Below, a look at some similarities and differences among different factions of the Amish and Mennonites.
Basic similarities between Amish and Mennonites!
Amish and Mennonites of today emerged from a similar cultural and religious heritage. The Amish split off from the Mennonite group in the 17th century in reaction to what one faction saw as liberalizing trends. The descendants of these early Anabaptists have formed a wide variety of Christian churches, though with certain unifying characteristics and beliefs. Though practice varies, today Amish and Mennonites share values of non-resistance, adult baptism, and in some cases plain clothing.
Old Order and Conservative Mennonites
Old Order Mennonites, or “Team” Mennonites (so named for the “team” of horse and carriage together) are closest to the Amish culturally. Old Order Mennonites dress plain, though in somewhat different styles than Amish,
and rely on the horse and buggy for transportation.
Old Order Mennonites have an agricultural heritage and maintain small
labor-intensive farms as the Amish do. They also speak Pennsylvania Dutch, a key cultural marker. They practice social shunning to a degree, though are generally more lenient than Amish in applying Meidung (the German term
for social avoidance). Old Order Mennonites and Amish run joint parochial schools in some parts of Lancaster County.
There are a number of differences between the two groups, especially when it comes to technology. Old Order Mennonites generally allow electricity in the home, as well as telephones. They make greater use of tractors as well. Old Order Mennonites worship in meetinghouses, while all but one group of Amish have retained home worship. Old Order Mennonites have developed home enterprises as the Amish have, but have tended to remain in agricultural occupations more so than the Amish.
Conservative Mennonites share theological similarities with the Amish, though they accept more technology, most notably the automobile. “Black-bumper” Mennonites are classified as a Conservative Mennonite group, so named for the standard dark color of their vehicles. Conservative Mennonites also maintain a degree of plain dress, including prayer coverings for women’s heads.
Beachy Amish
The Beachy Amish are an offshoot group that began in 1927 when a group in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, under the leadership of Bishop Moses Beachy, split from the Old Order church over the issue of social shunning.
Beachy Amish are theologically similar to Amish, and retain plain dress and somewhat similar appearance to Old Order Amish, though they accept certain technologies, notably the car and the computer. Some consider the Beachy Amish to be a Mennonite and not Amish group.
“Modern” Mennonites
There are a wide range of churches among the over one million Mennonites worldwide. Many are quite modern in what technology they use. Mennonites are no different in appearance than any other person in terms of dress and lifestyle, acceptance of cars, using the internet and modern technology, and going on to higher education and professional jobs. Modern Mennonites have founded a number of higher educational institutions, such as Goshen College in Indiana, and Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
Many Mennonites exhibit a mission-oriented approach which takes them to distant corners of the world in relief and evangelical efforts, while the Amish tend to focus spiritual and charitable efforts closer to home. But some Amish do cooperate with Mennonites on charitable efforts. Amish may contribute financially or by donating labor to higher-church Mennonite organizations, such as Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) and Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS).
Though as Anabaptist groups they reside under the same religious umbrella and may share some beliefs, modern Mennonites and Old Order Amish can seem very different.
At the same time, many Amish and Mennonites (particularly Old Order and Conservative Mennonites) share an affinity for one another. One sees this through their common language and similar style of plain dress, cooperation in areas such as schooling and disaster relief, as well as shared religious beliefs.
Emma Gingerich’s escape from the Amish community’s most conservative sect (news.com.au)
Now that you know how Amish and Mennonites compare, what about Old Order Amish and New Order Amish? Learn about the extreme customs
of the most conservative all Amish, the Swartzentruber communities.
Mennonites versus Amish.
Who are the Swartzentruber Amish? (amishamerica.com)
Who are the Andy Weaver Amish? (amishamerica.com)
Twelve Largest Settlements, 2020 | Amish Studies (etown.edu)
AMISH BASICS: Swartzentruber Amish – Amish Country Insider
Where time stands still: The Swartzentruber Amish | Ohio’s Amish Country
Difference Between Amish and Mennonite (With Table) – Ask Any Difference
For further information, see:
Spirit Body Mind Gender Ecology Peace Scrapbook: The Amish Struggle With Modernity: Donald B. Kraybill, Marc Alan Olshan: Amazon.com.au: Amazon US (sejinlifeforce.blogspot.com)
(1) An Introduction to Mennonite History: A Popular History of the Anabaptists and the Mennonites, Cornelius J. Dyck – Bing
(1) An Introduction to Old Order and Conservative Mennonite Groups, Stephen Scott – Bing video
(1) A Separate People: An Insider’s View of Old Order Mennonite Customs and Traditions, Isaac R. Horst – Bing
(1) Horse-and-buggy Mennonites: Hoofbeats of Humility in a Postmodern World, Donald B. Kraybill and James P. Hurd – Bing
(1) On the Backroad to Heaven: Old Order Hutterites, Mennonites, Amish, and Brethren, Donald B. Kraybill and Carl Desportes Bowman – Bing
2019_08_0300_Socialism_eBooklet_V8.pdf (thf-membership.s3.amazonaws.com)
Mennonite Church USA official website: mennoniteusa.org ✥✸✧✸✥ (✿◠‿◠)
Sometimes you wish it was easier, but if it was, everyone else would do it.
Then you remember you don’t want to be like everyone else.
Don’t wish for an easy life. Pray for the strength to endure a tough one.
We should just live our lives and actively participate in our lives without expectation or judgment about what our lives are, or aren’t. We should not become complacent. If we have a greater understanding of who we are, when we encounter difficulties, we can easily navigate them. Nobody said it would be easy, they only said it would be worth it. When we live authentically & focus on what’s important to us & align our thoughts, words and actions with our values and base goals on this, we will walk the road best for ourselves, not the easiest or the hardest.
MY LIFE MOTTO:
The greater the struggle the sweeter the victory. Embrace the difficult and
uncertain route you are on, it will all come together eventually.
Do what is right, not what is easy nor what is popular.
The road worthwhile is the road less traveled.
It’s not easy because it’s worth it.
Don’t be like everyone else.
Go beyond what is easy!!!
Cancer and The Amish – Bing
The Changing Season: | Cancer Quick Facts.
The Amish Cancer Secret (cancerdefeated.com)
Cancer and the Amish | Cancer Today (cancertodaymag.org)
10 Reasons Why the Amish People Don’t Get Cancer and Rarely Get Sick
Science Says This is the Best Way to Boost Your Immunity Now (msn.com)