Signs of the Times - January/February 2024 by Adventist Media

the RESOLUTION SOLUTION a christian perspective on the world today

In this issue Jan/Feb 2024 What in the World Pg 04 The Summer to End all Summers Pg 06

Grow Where You Are Pg 12

THE RESOLUTION SOLUTION

How to actually achieve your New Year’s resolutions PAGE 32

Pregnancy: Debunking the Ticking Clock Pg 18 The Great Silence: How Can We Reconnect? Pg 24 Turning the Tide for Fiji Pg 38 A Bright Day in Brighton Pg 40 Breathe Deep: An Interview on Vaping Pg 46

Ask Pastor Jesse Pg 52 The Book of Hope Pg 54

Five Foods to Increase Brain Health Pg 60 Sudoku and Crossword Puzzle Pg 62

All Things New You’ll have no doubt noticed that this issue has a new look and feel. We’re excited by this change because we believe that each and every issue should not only be full of amazing content—but that it should also be beautiful. Beauty is important because it’s what makes life worth living. Imagine how poor your life would be if you could never experience the work of your favourite musician, writer or artist. Or, even worse, imagine how much worse off we’d be without the beaches of Fiji, Milford Sound, Uluru or any number of other examples of wild wonder. Natural beauty inspires us to create beauty. Without his garden, Monet may never have received the inspiration to paint. It is widely believed that the island of Upolu, Samoa, formed the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island. JRR Tolkien’s vision of the Shire in The Lord of the Rings was based on the countryside of his local area of Worcestershire, England (though for me, the Shire will always be in Matamata, New Zealand). When I read the Bible, one of the strongest themes is of creation and re-creation. The opening pages of Genesis tell of God creating a garden. The final chapters of Revelation are of Him restoring the broken mess of our world into a beautiful new paradise with His throne at its centre. As you embark on this new beginning with us, I hope you find the beauty that inspires you, too. I’m incredibly proud of our team and ultimately, I’m grateful to God who inspires me. May you too embrace beauty—and create.

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JESSE HERFORD Associate Editor

VOL 139 NO 1

ISSN 1038-9733 EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER Brad Kemp EDITOR Jarrod Stackelroth ASSOCIATE EDITOR Jesse Herford ASSISTANT EDITOR Zanita Fletcher COPYEDITOR Tracey Bridcutt GRAPHIC DESIGN Theodora Pau’u Talia Valderrama PHONE +61 2 9847 2222 EMAIL info@signsofthetimes.org.au WEBSITE signsofthetimes.org.au ADDRESS Adventist Media PO Box 1115, Wahroonga New South Wales 2076 SUBSCRIPTIONS Kelli Geelan PHONE +61 3 5965 6300 Australia/New Zealand, $A28/$NZ30; South Pacific countries, $A41; Other countries $A51 Published since 1886, Signs of the Times is printed 11 times a year by the Seventh-day Adventist Church and is registered as a periodical. Seventh-day Adventist Church (SPD) Limited ABN 59 093 117 689 NOTE The inclusion of a person or their image within does not imply their endorsement of the Seventh-day Adventist Church or its beliefs. Unless otherwise stated, Bible verses are from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, Anglicised. Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc®. Used by permission of Hodder & Stoughton. All rights reserved worldwide. COVER IMAGE: GETTY IMAGES

WHAT IN THE WORLD

AUSTRALIA’S OLDEST PERSON AUSTRALIA

Catherine van der Linden from South Australia recently celebrated her 111th birthday and is believed to be Australia’s oldest living person. Born in the Netherlands, she is also believed to be the oldest-known Dutch person in the world. She shared that her secret is to “be happy with yourself and content with what life gives you . . . and keep moving, don’t sit still”. Van der Linden takes long walks, rides her bike and goes to the gym a few times a week. Her dedication to moving her body has inspired other residents at her nursing home to follow her routine. —News Australia

SINGLE-USE VAPES SOON TO BE BANNED AUSTRALIA

Importing single-use, disposable vapes will be banned in Australia as of January 2024. Medical practitioners will be able to prescribe them, but the new legislation is aimed at preventing minors from being able to easily access them. Originally designed to help smokers “ease off” their nicotine addiction, vapes have now become a recreational activity of their own. Health experts hope that this new ban will bring vapes more in line with their original purpose.—The Guardian

DIGITAL KICKS UNITED STATES

THE PUB WITH NO BEER An Auckland pub has decided to stop selling booze after a number of violent incidents took place. The owner and his lawyer decided it would be safer and better to trade without alcohol. The pub will continue to sell food and non-alcoholic beverages and run the gaming room, as well as keep its hotel rooms for emergency housing.—9 News 4

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ROMAIN—UNSPLASH, ENGIN AKYURT—PEXELS, RYAN PLOMP—UNSPLASH

NEW ZEALAND

Those once smelly things we called sneakers have become highly sought-after commodities. As reports rise of kids begging, stealing and borrowing money to get their dream shoes, corporations and celebrities are raking it in, marking shoes up to sometimes 10,000 times the cost of manufacturing. According to Guinness World Records, the Kanye West Adidas Air Yeezy shoe sold for $US1.8 million. Now, in 2024, Nike, Adidas and other brands are creating digital companies to trade highly expensive “virtual sneakers” in the form of non-fungible tokens (NFT), that can’t be worn but can exist in the digital space. —ABC Net JAN/FEB 2024 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES.ORG.AU

The Summer to End all Summers The Aussie summer is an iconic part of our culture. But as our climate changes, how should we change with it?

MATT HARDY—PEXELS

JESSE HERFORD

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fishermen in the late 16th century after the newborn Jesus, El Niño, along with its sister La Niña, have dictated the weather of nations in the Pacific rim for centuries. Generally speaking, El Niño means warmer and dryer conditions for whichever country it affects, whereas La Niña heralds cooler and wetter conditions. However, it’s not as though El Niño evaporates water from thin air. The hotter and dryer conditions in Australia, for instance, could mean torrential rain and flooding in Indonesia at the same time. In 2016 (the hottest year in recorded history1), El Niño caused an extreme drought in Papua New Guinea. Oxfam estimated that in the same year, about 3 million Papua New Guineans (or one-third of its population) were affected by the drought.2 For those of us in the South Pacific, this year’s summer could be cause for real concern. El Niño is notoriously difficult to predict, which makes it even more difficult for health and weather experts to make recommendations on how to appropriately prepare. According to Dr Karl Braganza, senior climate scientist at the Bureau of

In Australia and NZ, it’s also those closest to the poverty line who will suffer the most.

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Meteorology, reduced rainfall is almost a certainty. Speaking to The Guardian, he cautioned that “after three consecutive years of very wet La Niña summers, there is now a lot of grass and vegetation that could become fuel for fires”.3 The good thing, he mentioned, is that at least we haven’t had back-to-back hot and dry summers, meaning undergrowth hasn’t had several years to dry out.

getting chilly

The other factor that El Niño affects is the amount of sea ice in the ocean. Both the north and south poles contribute to this statistic—but it’s Antarctica this season that is the cause for concern among climate scientists. Every year, like the waves of the ocean, the sea ice around Antarctica ebbs and flows. In winter, it grows and in summer, it shrinks. Last year broke a new record for the lowest amount of sea ice around the continent. The average amount between 1981 and 2010 was 18.71 sqkm.

In 2023, the max was 16.96 sqkm.4 In lay terms, this is likely an indication of the slowly warming global ocean temperatures. Sea ice acts as a natural dam wall, preventing land ice from falling into the ocean. The more land ice falls into the ocean, the higher ocean levels will rise, endangering island nations and cities that border oceans. Already, Tuvalu5 and the Solomon Islands6 are seeing the effects of these changes, as their land masses slowly but visibly sink beneath the waves. In Australia and New Zealand, it’s also those closest to the poverty line who will suffer the most. In Sydney, temperatures vary between the suburbs of Penrith in the west and Manly in the north-east by a factor of 10 degrees or more.7 The difference is in both urban planning and geography. In large housing estates like you’ll find in Sydney’s Box Hill or Marsden Park, houses are built incredibly close to each other, with lots typically around 300-450 sqm. To JAN/FEB 2024 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES.ORG.AU

TAP10—GETTY IMAGES

rowing up, a fixture of my childhood was the iconic Aussie summer. I spent many of my early years either indoors with the air conditioning turned up full-blast, or swimming in our local watering hole. The scorching sun was a constant, with days of humid weather on the east coast or dry, oven-like temperatures in the west. When I moved to New Zealand a few years later, I experienced a whole new climate. From the frigid arctic wind of Invercargill to the sticky, wet coastal humidity of Tauranga, as in Australia, New Zealand is a land of extremes. Once, in the middle of a Rotorua summer, I and several hundred others were pitching our tents at a campsite when we were hit by the tail-end of a tropical cyclone. I still remember rushing into town, soaking wet, to meet fellow campers at the laundromat to dry our clothing. That week, raincoats and gumboots were sold out across the entire city of Rotorua. Though I didn’t understand it at the time, the extreme temperatures of my childhood were the result of a climate phenomenon known as El Niño. Originally named by Peruvian

LARRY SNICKERS—PEXELS

accommodate the maximum number of lots within a given estate, building companies will typically bulldoze the entire area. Trees, bushes, natural waterways, swamps—everything is removed, drained or filled in. Ironically, trees and shrubbery are then later planted along streets or in yards. Any that survive the harsh weather conditions will take upwards of 20 years or more to mature. Contrast this with older, established suburbs. These typically have larger lots (those that aren’t subdivided, that is). Established trees decades old (or more) are built around, rather than ripped out. More natural bush is preserved, creeks are left alone and as a result, temperatures are more moderate. The stark chill of winter is not so harsh, whereas the burning summer sun is absorbed into leaf

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matter and thereby creating a cooler pocket for those who live there.

let’s get practical

Of course, this is all very well for those who can afford to live in such areas. In most cities in the world, leafy-green suburbs with large lots are typically only for those with more wealth. The upper-middle class is more and more being pushed to suburbs like Marsden Park and those on the lower end of the economic spectrum are left to either share run-down homes with other people or crowd into high-rise apartments. Suffice it to say that for most of us, this summer will be intolerable at best. At worst . . . well, that remains to be seen. On a practical level, here are five practical things you can do to stay cool this summer.

1. Keep the blinds closed. If you have large north or west-facing windows, these can heat up to an uncomfortable degree. Curtains, blinds or blackout window furnishings can help reduce the amount of sunlight entering your home and therefore, keep the temperature more stable. 2. Close the doors of unused rooms. If you’re using central cooling, a wall-mounted heat pump or fans, the more space they need to cool, the harder they’ll work. If you’re only using the living room, why cool the other rooms? 3. Stay hydrated. If you’re hot and sweaty, you’ll lose a lot of water through your pores. Drink lots of fluids and as a bonus, you’ll cool down. 4. Use breathable materials. Linen is a fantastic material to wear during hot weather because it has a lower thread count than polyester or cotton. Did you know the same can be said for bed sheets? Wealthy people prize higher threadcounts, but in actuality the lower your sheets’ thread count, the cooler they’ll be to sleep on. 5. Cook in the morning or outside. There’s nothing worse than putting a bunch of veggies in a 200-degree oven at 4:00 in the afternoon when it’s 32 degrees outside. Rather, try cooking outside on a barbecue—or earlier in the morning, when it’s cooler. On the one hand, those of us lucky enough to live in places with a cooler thermal footprint will notice

the increased temperatures but it’ll be a blip. On the other hand, there’s very real dangers for those living in high-density housing, social housing or copy-paste housing estates. No matter where you are or what class you belong to, we’re all in this together. Though I may be insulated from effects of changing climate today, tomorrow I may find my home washed away in a flood or burned down by a fire. It’s worth remembering that although it’s not my fault alone, I still have a responsibility to my fellow human. Whether that looks like writing a letter to your local MP, donating to a cause that helps those affected by climate change or bringing awareness through a non-profit, there’s something we all can do. Jesse Herford is a pastor and associate editor for the Australia/New Zealand edition of Signs of the Times. He lives in Sydney, Australia with his wife, Carina and their miniature schnauzer, Banjo. 1. <public.wmo.int/en/media/press-release/ wmo-confirms-2016-hottest-year-record-about11%C2%B0c-above-pre-industrial-era> 2. <oxfam.org/en/powerful-el-nino-brings-droughtsand-food-insecurity-millions-papua-new-guinea> 3. <theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/ aug/05/a-summer-of-heatwaves-on-the-horizonfor-australia> 4. <theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/26/antarcticsea-ice-shrinks-to-lowest-annual-maximum-levelon-record-data-shows> 5. <theguardian.com/global-development/2019/ may/16/one-day-disappear-tuvalu-sinking-islandsrising-seas-climate-change> 6. <gviaustralia.com.au/blog/disappearing-land-5-pacific-islands> 7. <newscientist.com/article/2273355-sydneys-inland-suburbs-are-10c-warmer-than-the-coast-inheat-waves>

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Grow where you are LARRY SNICKERS—PEXELS

Growing your spiritual life into maturity is simpler than you may think.

DANIEL MATTEO

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that location makes all the difference when you’re planting trees. A tree planted in a spot in my backyard that receives equal amounts of sun and shade has flourished. Its friend beside it was in the sun all the time and quickly died. Its other friend who is always in the shade has grown small and sickly. I believe we can learn a lot about what it means to grow and mature spiritually from taking notice of the growth of trees. Becoming the “new creation people” Jesus has called us to become is similar to how a tree grows. After all, a tree needs air, water and sunlight to thrive and be healthy. If it goes without one or more of those three things for a long time, it will eventually shrivel and die. Whether you’re only thinking of starting a journey of faith or you’ve been on the road a while, there are a lot of things the Bible says you can do to grow. Church attendance is one that springs to mind (and I’m not just saying that because I’m a pastor). However, the New Testament authors identified three main spiritual disciplines that every person needs to grow their faith.

We can learn a lot about what it means to grow and mature spiritually from taking notice of the growth of trees.

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They are (1) Bible study, (2) prayer and (3) sharing our faith. Like a tree can live for a time without water, we may be able to survive for a while without Bible study or prayer but if we go too long without them, we will become spiritually sick and eventually numb. Speaking symbolically of divisive people, Jesus once said, “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire” (Matthew 7:19). Even the apostle Paul once complained about how childish the Corinthian church was spiritually. “Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still

worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarrelling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans?” (1 Corinthians 3:1-3). Those are some strong words for those of us who aren’t very “mature”! However, the great thing about the Bible is that it never gives us bad news without also giving us some awesome news. Jesus let us know clearly how we could grow in Him by saying, “I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in Me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me. I am the JAN/FEB 2024 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES.ORG.AU

CDC CDFV65CLDQQ—UNSPLASH

ave you ever taken time to notice the wonder of a simple tree? They are actually pretty amazing. Tall, majestic and strong, they provide the earth with the oxygen we so desperately need to take our next breath. I found a funny story about trees in the letters column of a Reader’s Digest recently: “I walked into the lobby of my apartment building recently and was greeted by this notice: ‘To whoever is watering these plants, please stop. They are the property of the building, and our maintenance staff will take care of them. They may have already been watered, in which case you will be overwatering them. Besides, these plants are fake.’” Some people need the extra instruction. I myself have had a pretty diverse experience with the growth of trees. Generally, when I try to grow them, they don’t survive. Most recently, I accidentally destroyed a promising young avocado tree (with my yard trimmer) that I was trying to grow in my backyard. Rest in pieces, little avocado. One thing I have noticed however is

vine; you are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:1-5). Do you see? It’s as easy as remaining in Him! Through His death on the cross Jesus triumphed over the forces of evil. He who subjugated the powers of darkness during His earthly ministry has broken their dominance and made certain their ultimate doom. Jesus’ victory gives you victory over the evil that still seeks to control you as you walk with Him. If you’re on the road of faith, God’s Spirit also lives with you and empowers you to do what you can’t do on your own. If you choose to commit your life to Jesus as your Saviour and Lord, you will be set free from the burden of your past mistakes. No longer will you live in fear of evil powers nor subject to

the meaninglessness of your former way of life. In this new freedom in Jesus, you are called to grow into the likeness of His character, communing with Him daily in prayer, meditating on His Word and on His providence, singing His praises, gathering together with others for worship and participating in the mission of the Church. As you give yourself in loving service to those around you and in witnessing to His saving power, His constant presence with you through the Spirit will transform every moment into a divine appointment. Always, always remember that Jesus died on a tree so that you could grow and mature like one. I want to commit to growing in Him every day, starting today. How about you? Daniel Matteo is a Seventh-day Adventist pastor in Victoria, Australia. He is married to Katy and has two children, Grace and Samuel.

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Pregancy:

Debunking the Ticking Clock Is the biological clock real? Perhaps what we thought as truth around women’s fertility are actually just myths we should discard. SISI TORO

DEAGREEZ—GETTY IMAGES

Disclaimer: though the data presented in this article is scientifically backed, every person’s experience is different. Science on fertility is emerging and many factors may affect your situation.

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environment can help keep your ovaries healthy and help you produce good quality eggs into your late 40s or further. The so-called “35 cliff” is largely exaggerated, with research indicating that fertility decline is more gradual than initially believed.1 A 2004 study showed that women between 35 and 39 had an 82 per cent chance of getting pregnant within a year with regular unprotected sex, only a small dip from the 86 per cent chance for women aged 27–34.2 The idea of a “biological clock” isn’t just about age—your environment and stress play a huge part too.3

The so-called “35 cliff” is largely exaggerated.

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start worrying?

2013 study on certain primates, which confirmed that adult females keep making new eggs throughout adulthood.5 This exciting discovery reached humans in 2016 during a drug trial, revealing the human ability to develop new eggs, too.6 These findings challenge the dogma that women have a limited number of eggs and that they must have kids within a certain “appropriate age window”. We know men keep making new sperm, so why has it been so hard to fathom that it could be the same with women and their eggs? Critics might harp on about the whole “egg quality declines with age” tune. Yet, Dr Ray Peat in his book From PMS to Menopause: Female Hormones in Context7 talks about studies like Maurer and Foote’s where older animals still made eggs even past their prime fertile years. When these eggs from older animals were put into younger animals, healthy babies were born. This points

towards stress, not old eggs, as the real problem affecting fertility by altering the uterine environment.8 Stress, from all sorts of things—our surroundings, emotions or physical issues—seems to be the “bad guy” in fertility problems, creating hostile uterine conditions for embryo development. Cortisol, a stress hormone, triggers oestrogen increase, which in turn lowers thyroid function, leading to hypoxia (low oxygen) in cells, disrupting the delicate balance necessary for fertility. Dr Peat notes that older animals had too little oxygen in their uterus to sustain an embryo during the typical implantation phase. A parallel was drawn when young animals were given oestrogen, resulting in a similar lack of oxygen in the uterus and consequently, thwarting the implantation of the embryo. So, the story is shifting from worrying about getting older to focusing on stress and excessive oestrogen, highlighting

Traditionally, women are told their fertility starts dipping fast from their mid-30s due to a decreasing supply of good eggs, but new research is starting to debunk these old thoughts. A big eye-opener was when studies showed that adult female mammals, including humans, can make new eggs throughout their life. In 2004, a breakthrough study by Harvard Medical School scientists showed that adult female mice could produce new eggs in their ovaries.4 This led to more research, like a

SHVETS PRODUCTION— PEXELS

or many women, the idea of a “ticking clock” often paints a scary picture, hinting at a countdown toward menopause which many fear as the end of fertility. This topic brings up a lot of emotions for many women, impacting how they feel about growing older, their self-worth and their identity. For me, this “biological clock” talk became real when people started bringing it up soon after I got married two years ago. As a 36-yearold woman who is getting ready for what doctors call a “geriatric” pregnancy, it’s crucial to clear up the misunderstandings and replace fear with hope. There’s a widespread belief that women’s fertility drastically drops after 35. Society’s pressure makes women feel like they are racing against time with many fearing they’ll run out of good eggs sooner or later, pushing the narrative towards a desperate rush to have babies while time is “on their side”. But what if this biological clock isn’t really ticking on a chronological meter? Against common belief, studies show that your ability to have kids isn’t strictly tied to your age but is heavily influenced by both stress and your surroundings. A supportive

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environmental and lifestyle impacts on fertility—making biological fear less important.

against all odds

We know men keep making new sperm, so why has it been so hard to fathom that it could be the same with women and their eggs? 22

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previously mentioned, studies have shown that when eggs from older animals are implanted into younger ones, they can still create healthy babies. In other words, it’s not about the number of eggs a woman has from the get-go, rather the conditions both inside and outside her body. The theory that menopause happens not because of eggs running out but due to changes in the cellular environment, affecting hormone production and the conditions for a baby to start growing, gives a new perspective.

other factors

Choosing a lifestyle that supports fertility might help in prolonging a woman’s fertile span. Simple steps like reducing stress, eating organic foods, getting the right nutrients and

having strong, positive relationships can set the right scene for fertility. It’s like teaming up with God to create the best conditions for life and there’s a beautiful balance to that. In the Bible, Psalm 139:13, 14 talks about how we are “fearfully and wonderfully made”—even in the womb. Human life isn’t just science—there’s something supernatural about you. The beauty of creation, whether biological or supernatural, follows a special rhythm, moving beyond just chronological time. As we embrace this narrative of hope, let’s tune into the harmonious rhythm of God’s creation, finding comfort in the pace of our own personal journey. Sisi Toro is a Hawaiian-based health educator and speaker who promotes a plant-based life. She enjoys creating recipes, hiking mountains and going to the beach.

1. MJC Eijkemans, F van Poppel, DF Habbema, KR Smith, H Leridon & ER Te Velde, “Too old to have children? Lessons from natural fertility populations”. Human Reproduction, 2014. 2. DB Dunson, DD Baird, & B Colombo, “Increased infertility with age in men and women.” Obstetrics & Gynecology, 2004. 3. S Xiao, JR Coppeta, HB Rogers, BC Isenberg, J Zhu, SA Olalekan & LR Donahue, “A microfluidic culture model of the human reproductive tract and 28-day menstrual cycle”. Nature Communications, 2017. 4. J Johnson, J Canning, T Kaneko, JK Pru & JL Tilly, “Germline stem cells and follicular renewal in the postnatal mammalian ovary”. Nature, 2004. 5. GZ Mak, RP Reynolds, & SD Calaminus, “Progenitor germ cells in the developing and adult ovary of primates”. Journal of Ovarian Research, 2013. 6. E Silvestris, S D’Oronzo, P Cafforio, G D’Amato & G Loverro, “In vitro maturation of oocytes from antral follicles after cryopreservation of human ovarian tissue”. Fertility and Sterility, 2016. 7. R Peat, From PMS to Menopause: Female Hormones in Context. Peat’s Publishing, 1997. 8. RR Maurer & RH Foote, “Maternal ageing and embryonic mortality in the rabbit”. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility, 1971.

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NADEZHDA MORYAK— PEXELS

Have you heard of Dawn Brooke? She’s a wonder woman who had a baby naturally at 59, challenging the traditional thinking around fertility. Dr Peat’s insights reveal substances like vitamin E and progesterone, opposing oestrogen and cortisol, maintain fertility in older animals, showing age isn’t the only relevant factor in fertility. The journey from a tiny egg to a full-grown individual is hugely dependent on the environment at the cellular level. Initial eggs may die off, making room for new eggs to be formed later. The key is the cellular environment during this formation. If sub-optimal, the new eggs might struggle. However, as

The great Silence: How can we Reconnect? It’s getting more and more difficult to connect with each other. Is it too late—or can we turn the tide?

EDDY BILLARD—UNSPLASH

ZACH TAN

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cent of adults worldwide suffered loneliness.2 Although the Covid-19 pandemic had indeed increased loneliness and isolation around the world, a downward trend in social connectivity has existed for some time.3, 4 For instance, the number of friends the average Australian has today is half as many as they had in the 1980s. In the UK, disconnection has grown so severe that a Minister for Loneliness was first appointed in 2018.5 Although it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly when this phenomenon of “social disconnection” started, it has grown into an increasingly existential issue that modern society has to deal with. The most immediate impact brought about by social disconnection is its negative mental and physical effect on the human body. “The relation which exists between the mind and the body is very intimate,” writes author and early Seventh-day Adventist leader Ellen White. “When one is affected, the other sympathises. The condition of the mind affects the health of the physical system.”6 These words have since been proven by science. Physical health is

The number of friends the average Australian has today is half as many as they had in the 1980s.

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more often than not affected by our mental state. Loneliness has been scientifically proven to be worse for the body than smoking, high blood pressure or obesity. It also causes increased anxiety, depression and antisocial behaviour. On the other hand, stronger social connection can actually lengthen your lifespan and strengthen your immune system.7

systemic issues

Social disconnection, as the word suggests, disconnects us from social interaction. Humans are wired to connect to others and it is through these connections that societies are built. In the workforce, interpersonal connections are a vital part of the

job-seeking process, whether working from home or in person, and are needed to increase the success rate of securing a financially stable job. Meanwhile, communities (such as churches, support organisations and local groups) intrinsically require connecting with people on a regular basis to fulfil their intended purpose. Even the most basic relationships such as friendship, family and romance require this skill and, in fact, could be said to be where we need it the most, as they require the willingness to be vulnerable and to proactively connect on a regular basis. Breaking these bonds due to neglect or unintentional disconnect is a tragic thought because of how avoidable such situations are.

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ast September, on a vacation trip to the Philippines, I had two incredible experiences, both of them taking place in the span of a single week. The first was meeting an online friend I had been talking to for several months. We met up at a mall and spent our time talking about our hobbies and lives. The second was going to a local Seventh-day Adventist church. Everyone there was hospitable and welcoming and we got to know each other over lunch. It was a lively experience that really made me feel the love of Jesus through the community. Both of these events involved something I always struggled with: interacting with new people and taking steps to relate to them. This may seem trivial—after all, social interaction is something everyone has to partake in at some point—but this is a problem that many of us face today. Although modern society projects an image of increased connection, studies reveal the opposite: a rise of antisocial behaviour and loneliness, along with heightened anxiety, to the point that there seems to be a “loneliness epidemic”.1 A global survey by Statista taken in 2021 found that roughly 33 per

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let’s reconnect

TYLER NIX—UNSPLASH

Thankfully, there are practical steps we can take to avoid social disconnection. A few of them include: Putting down your phone. This might seem obvious, yet it is far easier said than done. Today’s increasingly interconnected world has made the phone a vital toolkit; emails from work, connections with family, making new acquaintances online, all of these things are just a finger flick away thanks to the phone. However, we have the tendency to become far too attached to these devices. How many hours a day have we spent scrolling through our feed? Spending less time on a gadget is a good way to improve your mental health and spend more time on more productive recreation. Working in-person. Online work has many benefits, such as more flexible schedules and removing transportation costs. However, some people report feeling disconnected from their colleagues while working from home, and as a result feel “lonely” while working.8 Try working at least one or two days in the office (or wherever you work) where you can come into face-to-face contact with your coworkers. This will allow you to make more meaningful small talk with others during break times and practise interpersonal social skills needed in everyday life. As well as this, human interaction is great for building a better sense of unity during team projects. Get to know your local community.

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The rise of digital entertainment, online shopping and other forms of luxury through the screen has killed a lot of enthusiasm for going to community gathering spots such as cafés, parks, and community centres.9 Proactively taking steps to connect with the community you live with is a good way to get muchneeded social interaction. Going to farmers’ markets is a good way to connect with people and a way to get locally-grown products, while attending marathons or other events that involve physical activity can help you meet other like-minded people while improving your physical health. Additionally, getting involved in the community is a good way to make the world a better place. Find a church. Churches are usually holding some kind of event on a given weekend and are wonderful opportunities to get to know other people. After returning from my trip to the Philippines, I participated in a fundraiser held by a church I attend. Working together behind the fundraising booth and getting to talk to new people was ultimately a fulfilling experience that benefitted not only those who attended but also me, giving credence to the saying that “the generous soul will be made rich” (Proverbs 11:25, NKJV). Join smaller communities. This might seem contradictory to what has been said so far but it is okay to be part of online communities. However, instead of trying to join the barrage of comments of internet JAN/FEB 2024 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES.ORG.AU

caution, especially if you plan to meet up with each other one-onone. Forming friendships in-person requires a degree of vulnerability and if you’re not careful, you could get taken advantage of in rather unpleasant ways. I highly recommend you know what your online friend physically looks like before meeting them (perhaps ask them to video chat in order to confirm their face) and on the day of the meeting itself, bring a friend or relative along with you for safety purposes.

Getting involved in the community is a good way to make the world a better place.

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“It is not good for man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18). These simple words reveal the foreknowledge of the Creator and have become prophetic in describing today’s world. The increasing loneliness and disconnection spreading throughout the world is something that needs to be addressed, starting with each and every one of us. No matter how daunting it may be to us, remember that you’ll never be alone whenever you connect with others; others will walk and have walked a similar path to yours in the road to social connection. Go out there and start connecting with people. It won’t just benefit others—it will benefit you, too.

1. <psychologytoday.com/au/blog/mind-brain-andvalue/202112/why-loneliness-is-on-the-rise> 2. <statista.com/statistics/1222815/loneliness-among-adults-by-country/#:~:text=According%20to%20a%20global%20survey,often%2C%20 always%2C%20or%20sometimes> 3. <psypost.org/2022/01/massive-meta-analysisfinds-loneliness-has-increased-in-emergingadults-in-the-last-43-years-62377> 4. <psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Fbul0000332> 5. <abc.net.au/news/2023-07-17/social-media-workhours-cost-of-living-rising-loneliness/102563666> 6. Ellen Gould White, Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, Good Health Publishing Co, 1890. 7. <ccare.stanford.edu/uncategorized/connectedness-health-the-science-of-social-connection-infographic/> 8. <oak.com/blog/top-5-virtual-team-building-activities-to-bring-your-colleagues-together/> 9. <linkedin.com/pulse/disconnect-how-technology-has-created-more-society-cassandra-shuck> 10. <mumsatthetable.com/>

Zach Tan is a writer based in Melton, Victoria. He has an eccentric sense of humour and is constantly on the lookout for new things to write about.

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ROB CURRAN—UNSPLASH

streamers or influencers, try forming a tighter-knit community of people with similar beliefs or interests. Online group chats, hobby circles or parenting support groups10 are good examples of smaller online communities you could join. Meet online friends. In smaller communities, online friendships could eventually reach a stage where people are comfortable with meeting up in real life; many friendships have been formed this way. However, this step must be taken with extreme

the

RESOLUTION SOLUTION

ASHLYN CIARA—UNSPLASH

Most of us give up on our New Year’s Resolutions within the first few weeks of setting them. Is there a way we can not only follow through—but also become the person we desire to be? DR CHRISTIANA LEIMENA-LEHN

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If you are young and female, you are more likely to set a resolution than any other demograpic. “Resolutions never succeed” and the origin of resolutions “is pure vanity. The result is absolutely nil.” That’s according to Oscar Wilde, at any rate. It is comforting to know that I am not alone on this quandary of failing to commit to my guitar-learning resolution. However, is this failure purely anecdotal? The question remains: is it worth it to make New Year’s resolutions at all? 34

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reality

Interestingly, the top 10 New Year’s resolutions on the web are mostly about making healthy lifestyle choices. Chances are you can relate to these popular resolutions of: eating healthier, losing weight, exercising more, sleeping more, travelling overseas, being more sustainable, having work-life balance, saving money, being more organised, living life to the fullest, learning new skills, meditating more or finding love. According to the latest Finder’s survey,1 about 71 per cent of Australians (14 million people) made New Year’s resolutions in 2023. The survey further showed that if you are young and female, you are more likely to set a resolution than any other demographic. A research group found that people are also more likely to make a resolution at the start of the year and those that plan from January are 10 times more likely to stick with the plan six months later, compared to those who make the resolution later in the year.2 Despite the mixed contentions that making a New Year’s resolution is already a guarantee of a failure, two studies in Scranton (New York, USA) and Sweden3 showed that 46 per cent or 55 per cent of people who have made New Year’s resolution have succeeded in continuing at least six months or one year, respectively. It appears that the glass is both half-full and half-empty, which is not too bad of a ratio, all things considered. These mentioned lifestyle resolutions are worth doing

for our own physical, emotional and social health, as well as a greater spiritual experience. Perhaps the problem is not making resolutions, but how we make them, how we value them and what we do with our proclaimed resolution. Adopting a new lifestyle resolution is not just a series of events but a journey to become something new. Just like any planning, there will always be stumbles, challenges, barriers and limitations. However, just because we can fail doesn’t mean that goals are never meant to be pursued. Perhaps we just lack the know-how to make our resolution a success. So, here is a collection of tips to help you succeed.

ask why

We often want to become something but haven’t necessarily done a failure “post-mortem”. Although Dr Joann Lukins (a performance psychology expert) doesn’t necessarily favour setting New Year’s resolutions, she presented an important point to “audit yourself” on why you are not what your resolution aims for you to be.4 Take for example, “I want to have a better sleep routine.” Why don’t you already have a good sleep routine? Is it because you are working too late? Is your spouse or partner or housemate a late sleeper? Are you under a lot of stress? Ask why you are not already there and reflect on what or who is the barrier to your change.

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SHOEIB ABOLHASSANI—UNSPLASH

The new year has come and many of us desire to start fresh again with new hope or maybe a recycled dream from last year’s unfulfilled resolution. Did you recently make a New Year’s resolution? I’m one of those people who have recycled the same resolution year after year for about five years. I wanted to learn to play the guitar but even after the fifth year, I still haven’t learned. At one point, I succeeded in picking up a guitar and giving it a strum a few times—but it didn’t stick. Some people resolve never to make New Year’s resolutions and some have boldly stated that

be specific

Understand exactly what you would like to change and make a specific plan. One of the common New Year’s resolutions is to eat healthier. So, what will you do to eat healthier? Consider a specific plan rather than, “I should eat more vegetables and fruit every day.” Perhaps a more specific goal is, “I would like to eat one piece of fruit every day and add one more serving of vegetables, in addition to my regular lunch and dinner plates. Then I will review and add another serve as I move more on the journey.”

POLINA-KOVALEVA—PEXELS

don’t be too ambitious

Being overambitious at the starting line can become a recipe for failure. The resolution goal is often unrealistic to achieve. Take the example of, “I’d like to run in 2024.” With that, the plan is to jog 30 minutes every day. At this point in time, you may not have a lot of experience with jogging. You may likely jog and in the first five minutes realise this was why you never picked up jogging before—especially when you still have 25 arduous minutes to go. You may even continue into the second week and eventually find the effort was too much. Instead, you could consider trying to set a more realistic goal by doing the run-walk method of timed intervals of two minutes of brisk walking, followed by jogging for 30 seconds and repeat eight times. Add a five-minute walk for a warm-up and cool-down, then SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • JAN/FEB 2024

adjust the walking pace and the interval times. This kind of start will make your jogging distance go further, be less stressful and feel more motivating.

track and reward

Tracking your progress can be a rewarding experience. As you make progress, you’ll slowly begin to see yourself transform into the person you want to become. Rewarding yourself is also a great way to increase momentum. To track your progress, download an app or get a wall calendar. For any of the days that you complete a task, mark it off. When you record your efforts, you receive an immediate reward. Change happens day-to-day and the motivation kicks in further as you continue with your new habit.

Being overambitious at the starting line can become a recipe for failure. set your environment

Having a good environment around you helps to implement change, says James Clear, author of Atomic Habits.5 Consider whether your environment prompts you to do the action or to back out. If your resolution is to read more and your goal is to read a chapter every night before bed, put the book on the pillow when you make your bed in the morning. As you go to bed, the environment around you will prompt you that the book is readily available and waiting to be opened. Remove the barriers and make it easier for yourself to succeed.

values and identity

The apostle Paul wrote in Romans 5:4, “Patience produces character, and character produces hope.” Planting new habits takes patience, which in turn brings about character change. James Clear suggests that to maintain a new habit, ask yourself what value you want to adopt as you implement change.6 It is not striving for perfection that allows you to move forward, it’s about taking one step at a time closer to who you want

to be. The goal may start with reading more books or doing 10,000 steps per day but consider your goals with a value in mind. Your goal can be reframed to, “I want to be a reader”, or “to be an active person”. What do you value and what would you like to strive to be as you maintain the new lifestyle? What would you like to see as you go through this new year? It’s not easy to teach an old dog new tricks. Breaking habits is hard—but it is possible. It’s never too late to start something new or improve your life. As you begin to adopt a new mindset you may impact someone along the way. As for me, perhaps with these tips I may one day be able to play “Auld Lang Syne” on guitar—or even inspire someone else to adopt something new. Dr Christiana Leimena-Lehn has worked in cardiovascular research in molecular cardiology and hypertension. She has a passion in educating and promoting whole-person health and nutrition. 1. <finder.com.au/new-years-resolutions-statistics> 2. Norcross JC, Mrykalo MS, Blagys MD. Auld lang syne: success predictors, change processes, and self-reported outcomes of New Year’s resolvers and nonresolvers. J Clin Psychol. 2002 Apr;58(4):397-405. doi:10.1002/jclp.1151 3. Oscarsson M, Carlbring P, Andersson G, Rozental A. A large-scale experiment on New Year’s resolutions: Approach-oriented goals are more successful than avoidance-oriented goals. PLoS One. 2020;15(12):e0234097. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0234097 4. <abc.net.au/news/2022-12-30/most-common-new-years-resolutions-2023-for-australians/101787132> 5. <jamesclear.com/choice-architecture> 6. <jamesclear.com/identity-based-habits>

make a difference

Turning the Tide for Fiji

fighting diabetes in the Pacific) to conduct health screenings. Pamela Townend, 10,000 Toes coordinator for the South Pacific, said, “We provided healthy juices and health screenings to the village as this is part of the work we do in Fiji to turn the tide on diabetes. By working together, we can achieve more.” ADRA Australia senior fundraising manager Aleksandra Ewing said, “The highlight of the trip was the opportunity to work alongside the local community, learn about their lives and their culture and see first-hand the impact that the ADRA project has made in their lives.” She added that the experience was enriched by a visit to a local farm. “It was truly moving to see the pride in 38

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a local farmer’s eyes about what he had been able to achieve thanks to the knowledge gained from ADRA.”. Participants for this initiative were selected through the Spirit of Sanitarium Awards (SOSA)—an awards program that recognises employees who reflect the philosophy and values of the Sanitarium Group. Since the program’s inception in 2003, SOSA has had close to 7800 nominations submitted, 235 recipients recognised

and more than A$1 million donated to charity. “Like ADRA, one of our key values is to ‘serve others’,” said Bruna Tawake, manager of community partnerships and communications at Sanitarium. “We value ADRA’s community development approach that’s built on careful assessment of community needs, collaboration with communities and giving communities a hand-up, not just a hand-out. Partnering with ADRA for this project and this service trip is another example of an ongoing, valued partnership between Sanitarium and ADRA.” Ashley Stanton serves in ADRA Australia’s communication and marketing team. She lives in the heart of Sydney with her husband and two cats. To learn more about ADRA, visit <adra.org.au>.

SUPPLIED

Partnering with the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), a team of 21 from Sanitarium Health Food Company Australia recently spent five days in Fiji providing better sanitation and healthcare for local communities. During their stay, they constructed 10 toilets for 15 families and a bathroom designed for a person with a disability. The team also partnered with 10,000 Toes (a non-profit committed to

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The first time the Seventh-day Adventist Church came onto the scene in Australia, it was strange—yet compelling.

ROBYNMAC—GETTY IMAGES

MATTHEW J LUCIO

omething strange was happening in Middle Brighton, Victoria. A “cotton city”1 of 100 white tents had appeared in a 10-acre field,2 planted with military precision (except for the stubborn blue gum trees3 standing their ground). Calling SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • JAN/FEB 2024

it a “city” was hardly an exaggeration: there was running water, gas for stoves—and even a mail delivery. Seemingly overnight, a bizarre new neighbourhood had been pitched in the midst of the Melbourne suburb of Brighton.

Brighton

your new neighbours

The summer of 1893–94 was not an auspicious time for an expensive camp meeting, let alone one organised by a relatively new group of Christians in the colonies: Seventh-day Adventists. Australia was suffering a devastating depression and Australian Adventists then numbered only in the hundreds. Many of those were on loan from America, such as the resident of tent 15—an

elderly American by the name of Ellen G White. She saw the Brighton camp meeting as an opportunity for Adventists to introduce themselves to the people of Melbourne and so people from across the continent gathered in force at the corner of Dendy and Roslyn Street. The spectacle of a camp meeting during a depression ensured that the scoffers, sceptics and curious would alike come to hear Adventist preach-

ROBYNMAC—GETTY IMAGES

A Bright Day in

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religious liberty

Religious liberty was a particular concern for Adventists, especially as some members had been arrested 42

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and fined for working on Sunday. Along with the Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU), the New South Wales Council of Churches formed to promote Sunday observance in the colony by pushing for a constitutional preamble recognising God as “the ultimate source of all law and authority” in Australia.5 Embracing Adventist teachings could make life troublesome, even in an ostensibly Christian society. Two brothers, Albert and Richard Anderson, accepted Saturday as the Sabbath. They closed their music store in North Fitzroy on Saturdays, against the vehement objections from their family, who warned that the business could never survive. The mother of one of the Anderson wives “looked upon her as a disgrace to the family” for accepting the Sabbath, though both the business and the family went on to thrive. The call for religious liberty was for the home, too. When one wife decided to accept Saturday as the biblical Sabbath, her husband demanded she renounce the Sabbath or move out. Insisting that she ought to obey God, she stunned him by leaving. Their teenage daughter then accepted the Sabbath and she too was given the same choice. Distraught, the husband pleaded with his wife to go see their pastor. She reluctantly agreed and they showed up at the unwitting pastor’s house at 10pm at night. After laying the case out, the husband asked, “Did I do right in treating my wife thus?” The

pastor reassured him that he had done the right thing. But the husband shot back with unexpected anger. “No, I did not do right. I abused my wife and was unkind and abusive to my child. I see now how shameful was my course in treating a woman, the mother of my children, in so heartless a manner.” The husband then asked forgiveness from his family and loved and respected his wife more than he had before.6 The Adventist plea for religious liberty in Australian society was a plea for space to be Adventist in Australia without being penalised. It was a plea to legislators, the public and families to open their minds about what it means to be a Christian and a citizen.

in Chicago, these squads of spiritual and medical care volunteers were tasked with “looking up those in the city who were not able to take care of themselves . . . and helping them in every way to a higher appreciation of life”.7 Kellogg believed that “God’s cause is the cause of all humanity, and God’s work is to help and bless every human being”. Shortly after the Brighton camp meeting, some 60 believers in North Fitzroy joined a help band with each member given charge over a street. They would visit each home, asking, “If there be any sickness or distress in the home?” Food and clothes were quickly donated but two doctors were also ready for a free house call if needed.8

Christian help bands

health matters

The Adventists in Brighton also wanted to help alleviate the suffering caused by the depression. Ellen White encouraged the formation of “Christian help bands” in Australia. Pioneered by John Harvey Kellogg

Seventh-day Adventists wanted to reform Australia’s practices at Brighton, too. Before the camp meeting was opened to the public, White appealed to Adventist leaders to begin producing healthy foods JAN/FEB 2024 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES.ORG.AU

SUPPLIED

ers talking from sunrise until well into the evening. One local minister took the bait and tried to turn one meeting into a formal debate. Yet, there were cheaper ways for people to hear an Adventist sermon. The genius of the Brighton camp meeting is how it opened Adventists up for inspection. As a local reporter perceptively put it, “The camp is really a reflection of the home life of the people, and what the public will see there, is the Seventh-day Adventists at home”.4 Newspapers routinely commented on the cleanliness and order of the camp as they did upon the preaching. It was as if the Adventists of Australia had gathered in one place to say: “Hear what we have to say and see how we live.” The curious Melburnian could stop by any Adventist tent for a chat, not just those trained to speak for the faith. This transparency worked, given how dozens of Adventist obituaries over the next half-century testified of a person first hearing the message in Brighton. On the outside, the Brighton camp meeting looked like other camp meetings, if a bit tidier. Those who paid close attention would have realised that the preaching and the pageantry were all part of Adventism’s incredible ambition to reform the entire world.

as Kellogg was doing in America. There was little money and even less experience in manufacturing food but within a few years, the first health food company in Australia was registered: Sanitarium Health Food. Health reform was hardly a popular subject. One writer called the Adventist health reform in Brighton to be “a manifestly national danger”, given that meat, tobacco and alcohol were significant sectors of the Australian economy. This writer called for a special tax to be levied on vegetarians, non-drinkers and “anti-tobacconists” for failing in their patriotic duty to contribute to the national economy. Still, Adventists had allies in promoting reform. Though Adventists were at odds with some in the WCTU over Sunday laws, they united in promoting temperance. Responding to a letter from a woman in the temperance movement, White assured her that “all [Adventists] are vegetarians.”9 White clearly understood the phrase “all are vegetarian” to be aspirational, for she still served meat in her home. Yet White finally decided to give up meat for good when a Catholic woman knelt at White’s feet to plead with her that eating meat was animal cruelty. White said, “I felt ashamed and distressed.”10 Later, she wrote: “The battle was at an end.”11 Seventh-day Adventists are fundamentally reformers. If the Adventist message was taken seriously, no aspect of life would be left untouched, from the State to the 44

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dinner plate. Knowing how radical their idea of change was, Adventists (temporarily) made their home in Middle Brighton and invited their neighbours to see what it looks like to live the Adventist message. Reform ended up being a two-way street, as White realised she needed to be more consistent in modelling the health message. In the end, dozens— if not hundreds—gave their lives to Jesus and were baptised. In the Brighton camp meeting, the audacity of the Adventist mission of reform for the world was plainly seen and captured by the phrase: “We aim at nothing less than the whole world.”

Uncover the Power of Gut Health Listen, Learn and Thrive

Matthew J Lucio is a pastor hailing from Peoria, Illinois. He is also a podcaster and founder of the Adventist History Project. To find out more, head to <adventisthistorypodcast.org>. 1. Ellen G White, “Interesting Experiences in Australia,” ARSH, July 30, 1895. <adventistdigitallibrary.org/ adl-350760/advent-review-and-sabbath-heraldjuly-30-1895?view_only=true&solr_nav%5Bid%5D=b5fd643d7540cdf638fb&solr_nav%5Bpage%5D=0&solr_nav%5Boffset%5D=7> 2. <documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/ BEST/BEST18931108-V08-22.pdf#search=Brighton> 3. <documents.adventistarchives.org/Periodicals/ BEST/BEST18931108-V08-22.pdf#search=Brighton> 4. The Prahan and St. Kilda Chronicle, 6 Jan 1894, p2. <trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/163666994?searchTerm=%22Camp%20Meeting%22> 5.<law.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_ file/0005/2771438/02-Beck.pdf> 6. <beta.egwwritings.org/read?panels=p12670.848&index=0> 7. The Sanitarium Medical Mission 8. <trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/65658382?searchTerm=Adventist> 9. Letter from EGW to MMJ O’Kavanagh, 8 Jan 1894. 10. <beta.egwwritings.org/read?panels=p251.14&index=0> 11. <beta.egwwritings.org/read?panels=p14060.5181013&index=0>

Listen Now

The Guts to Change podcast with Dr. Leimena-Lehn covers: • What is gut health? • How does it affect your day-to-day? • How can you achieve better gut health?

Breathe Deep:

An Interview on Vaping

An excerpt of our interview on Signs Radio with respiratory health expert and anti-vaping campaigner, Professor Renee Bittoun.

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CONNOR BOTTS—UNSPLASH

Read the full transcript or listen to the podcast interview here:

SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU • JAN/FEB 2024

areas. Meanwhile, I’m writing about how to help people stop smoking and in the process, I learned a lot about nicotine addiction. Fast-forward into my retirement and under the radar comes this particularly nasty way of delivering nicotine called vaping. In the 1990s, I was already seeing various apparati people were constructing to vaporise nicotine. But it didn’t look like the vapes we know now. Jesse Herford: Were they more comparable to a hookah? Renee Bittoun: [laughing] No, more like a bong. They were sometimes, but not always battery-operated. Some of them operated the same as inkjet technology. It’s the technology that’s improved. So, people just assume vaping’s safer compared to smoking because when you smoke, you’re burning tobacco leaves. What people don’t realise is that when you smoke, it falls on the upper part of your lungs whereas if you vape, it gets down deep into the millions of alveolar sacs. Those air sacs are all covered with arterial blood. The lungs pump oxygen into the blood, which travels to the left side of the heart, then pumps it directly to the brain. Putting it crudely, vaping injects nicotine directly into your veins. Nicotine is a very short-acting drug. It only lasts in the body about 40 minutes, after which it wears off. When the brain responds to nicotine, it gets happy—dopamine, serotonin,

beta endorphins. So, within the space of 40 minutes, you’re already starting to go into withdrawal, which generates the need to have another one. It’s the speed of delivery that worries me more than anything else. Jesse Herford: That’s crazy. I know for me, this has seemed that almost overnight vaping is everywhere. In fact, I was just reading an article from The Guardian that said that in 2021, one-in-50 young women in the UK vaped. In 2022, it was

People just assume vaping is safer compared to smoking.

1-in-15. I was born in 1992 and so, all I knew about smoking was that it was a scary thing. You could only get cigarettes behind the counter. Maybe I’m biased since I grew up as an Adventist and anti-smoking—you could say—is almost part of my religion. I never experienced it and neither did my friends. That’s why I think it’s so scary now that many of my peers who grew up in that same world are now taking up vaping and nobody seems to have a problem with it. Renee Bittoun:Yeah, it flew under the radar. I think Australia is a target for this because it’s a non-smoking community. The other most scary part is that younger people are primarily doing it. Because we have always known that the younger you were when you were exposed to nicotine, the harder it was to quit later in life. The reason is that our brain develops a quirky response to nicotine. It’s a plant that grows wild all over the world and it acts as a pest repellent. Back in the day, people used to have [problems in the garden with] snails. They’d take out a cigarette, break it open and disperse it around a plant and it would repel the snail. Jesse Herford: So even animals have the good sense to stay away! Renee Bittoun: Exactly. We were never built to smoke the stuff. Jesse Herford: Let’s talk about dosage and how much nicotine is delivered. Is there a difference between a traditional cigarette and a vape?

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HARUN—PEXELS

Jesse Herford: Professor Bittoun, we first learned about your work through an article that was published in The Conversation.1 Do you want to tell us a little bit about your background? How did you become interested in this idea of passive vaping? Renee Bittoun: It goes back to the 1970s. I come from a respiratory background, which is pertinent when you’re setting up laboratories—which I did at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney—to test lung function. As I was doing that, I thought, I’m testing all these people who are so sick from smoking. Why are we spending so much money [testing them] when we could just prevent it? I looked around and at the time, there wasn’t anybody doing much about smoking prevention except for one group—the Seventh-day Adventists and their “Five-Day Plan”. In 1979, I started the first smokers’ clinic in Australia—and the second one in the world. Hundreds of people came [to the clinic] and this snowballed into me being asked to lead the “Quit Campaigns” clinics. That’s when we realised that people who were influenced by passive smoking had a case for saying, “We don’t want this in the home, or in public, or at work.” You probably grew up in an environment where nobody smoked sitting next to you on a bus, in a restaurant or at work. We now take all these areas for granted as being non-smoking

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nicotine. Keep in mind— one milligram of nicotine is a fatal dose. So, how come you don’t die from that one milligram? It’s because 80 per cent is lost in the air. That’s why I was so interested in passive vaping. Is it safe to be standing next to somebody vaping when it was never safe to stand next to somebody smoking? Let’s say your grandmother is visiting and she wants to cuddle the baby—but she’s a smoker. It’s sometimes quite difficult in some cultures or just certain families. Sometimes you can’t just say to a person, “You can’t smoke in here.” People often think, “This is my home. This is my castle. I’ll do what I like here.” So, what do you do? You take the child and go outside when grandma or grandad enters the room. And sure enough, we’ve seen significant changes because the person learns that it’s unacceptable for their grandchildren to be exposed to nicotine. You have the autonomy to do that.

Jesse Herford: Why hasn’t the government restricted the sale of vapes like they have cigarettes? Renee Bittoun: The tobacco industry is a well-funded lobby group globally. On the other hand, it doesn’t take a lot of people to counter this by exposing it for what it is. This is especially true now that this a consumer issue. I often bring up with people that not too long ago, we had chewing tobacco in Australia. People are often surprised. Most people don’t even know we had it—and they certainly don’t miss it. There’s current legislation going forward that means you’ll need a prescription for vaping.2 I’m for not only having legislation, but also for having litigation. Don’t depend on the government to move things. It’s against the law to sell vapes to kids. I personally go into vape stores and give them a piece of my mind. I’m not having all the progress we’ve made destroyed, all so that these big tobacco companies can make a quick buck from my grandkids. Jesse Herford: So, we know vaping is addictive, but we also know that it’s possible to overcome addiction. You run an amazing initiative called the Vaping Cessation Clinic. Do you want to tell us a little bit about that? Renee Bittoun: It started to become very evident to me because a lot of people who had been coming to the smokers’ clinic wanted to quit vaping. So, I thought, it’s time we put some programs into place. The younger you are when you start

vaping, the more you neuroadapt to nicotine and use it in place of other chemicals. When they try to stop doing it, some people become very distressed. Nicotine is nicotine, regardless of what form it takes. Vaping withdrawals can actually be worse. The bottom line is, you’ve got to remember, one-in-two smokers dies from it. That’s a 50/50 chance. Part of the definition of addiction is loss of autonomy. So then, what are we going to do? We get out the big guns sometimes. Pharmacotherapies, behavioural changes, there’s a lot to do. This is not something that’s going to go away in a couple of days or weeks. We know that relapse is common. And of course, all your friends are doing it. It’s also cheap, which we don’t want. It all makes relapse highly likely. That’s the thing—if we ban this, it’s gone for the vast majority. I think we’ve got good evidence to say that banning is the best option. Jesse Herford: Awesome. Professor Bittoun, thank you so much for sharing on this serious topic. I just want to say, thank you for all your work over so many years in smoking and respiratory disease—as well as your work today. Renee Bittoun: Hopefully it’ll be my last hurrah! Thank you. 1. <theconversation.com/passive-vaping-time-wesee-it-like-secondhand-smoke-and-stand-up-forthe-right-to-clean-air-198766> 2. Since the publishing of this conversation, the Australian government has announced it will ban the importation of single-use vapes outside of a medical prescription.

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ALI HASSAN—PEXELS

Renee Bittoun: It’s a tricky question because over the decades, we’ve learned that what you’re breathing in matters more than what’s in it. I know that sounds strange but when you “suck hard” on a cigarette and hold your breath, you get more than if you just “puff”. The same applies to vaping, too. If you’re “dragging in” and holding your breath, you’re going to get more transit time for the chemical to pass across the alveolar wall into your bloodstream. So, is one vape like 40 packets of cigarettes? It’s hard to say. We’re trying to look more scientifically at blood levels of nicotine in people rather than how much you’re using. If a vape has 3000 puffs in it and you use it up in one day versus a week, is that the same? Jesse Herford: So, it’s not apples to apples. Renee Bittoun: No, it’s tricky. My medical students and I are looking at what’s in your saliva when you vape. The apparatus you’re using might say 4000 puffs or 30 milligrams of

As a pastor, there are questions I’ve encountered over and over again, sometimes about the Bible but usually about everyday life. If you’ve never had the opportunity to ask a pastor tough questions this is the right place. I’ll do my best to respond authentically and biblically! Why do Christians insist that Jesus is the “only way” to eternal life? Couldn’t we think of different religions as different pathways to the same destination? Josh, Feilding, NZ What you’re referencing is one of the many exclusivity claims in the teachings of Jesus. This is one of the greatest criticisms of Christianity. After all, Hitchens, Dawkins, Harris and other opponents of faith have on numerous occasions pointed out how seemingly immoral it is to assert that a person

might be “eternally doomed” simply because they were born in the wrong place at the wrong time. Let’s face it— even if you’re a person of faith, the idea of someone never having a chance of knowing Jesus simply because they were born in a faraway tribe in the Amazon rainforest is troubling. There are two things I’ll say about this. (1) Jesus certainly does make some high claims about Himself. In John 14:6 Jesus says: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” If Jesus were simply another spiritual leader along the lines of the Buddha, Deepak Chopra or Eckhart Tolle, then His claim would be absurd. However, Jesus’ claim is far more absolute. He 52

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claims to not only be the way, but truth and life itself. He wasn’t simply making a religious claim—He was making a claim about ultimate reality. With this in mind, I have always struggled with thinking about Christianity as a mere religion. Following Jesus isn’t a religious act—it’s about aligning oneself with the wellspring of existence. No other religious leader has ever made such an outrageous claim. It would do well for us to consider—if Jesus really is who He claims to be, how should we respond to Him? Should we treat Him as just another spiritual teacher? Or, would we do well to take seriously His claims? (2) It’s no secret that Christianity is the product of the West. What started as an obscure Jewish sect in the Middle East only took 100 years or so to dominate the Roman Empire. It was only in 313 AD that Constantine issued the Edict of Milan, legalising Christianity. Less than 70 years later, the Edict of Thessolanica was issued by Theodosius I, making it the state religion of Rome. Though its roots are in Judaism and the teachings of Jesus are rooted in a Jewish worldview, by the time Christianity became a cultural juggernaut, it had been transformed into a thoroughly western religion. But what about ancient Mesopotamians? Or how about African tribes in the 15th century? Or the aforementioned remote Amazonians today? Do they miss out on eternal life simply because they were born in the wrong place, at the wrong time? In Genesis 15, God is sealing His

covenant with Abram. In verse 16, He makes a peculiar aside, saying that “the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure”. What does this mean? Simply that God has His hand on every nation, not just His “favourites”. On its own, this doesn’t mean much but when you consider stories like Jonah, where God shows unreasonable compassion (much to the chagrin of the prophet) on an evil and bloodthirsty people, a picture of God emerges. God cares about everyone. If He cared enough about the Amorites and the Ninevites in the Old Testament or the “heathen” Gentiles in the New Testament, imagine who He cares about today. God cares about Palestinians, Fijians, North Koreans, Americans and more. As 2 Peter 3:9 states, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

Want to get your question published in the next issue of the magazine? Ask Jesse a question by scanning the code below!

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The most popular book in the world has what many others don’t: hope. JUSTIN BONE 54

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PRISCILLA DU PEREZ—UNSPLASH

The Book of Hope

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now gone the other route with many different religious texts being available upon request. At least one of the reasons Bibles were placed in hotel rooms was for those who might check in during a low point in their lives. Those Bibles were placed there to offer one thing: hope to those who had none.

despair

Hope is in short supply. Despair is running rampant.3 To be clear, I’m not talking about the mental health condition of depression, rather about rates of reported pure despair. Despair is when we completely lose hope. The origin of the word comes from the Latin desperare—and is also where we get the modern English word desperate. When we have nothing to hope for in our current day-to-day or in the future and our outlook is bleak, we enter despair. When people feel that way for an extended period of time, it has a drastic impact on their health and happiness. We can feel this despair in different ways4—perhaps in our

Despair isn’t only something that can affect individuals but can also impact communities. thoughts, our minds circling negativity again and again, perhaps in our emotions, constantly feeling anger or irritation, or perhaps even having an “I don’t care” attitude. We could experience despair behaviourally and take more risks in everyday life, exhibiting behaviours that are out of character, often self-destructive, or we could feel it biologically, in that it can have an impact on our health itself as our body struggles to manage the amount of stress that despair can put on it. Or perhaps we could experience a mixture of those effects. Interestingly, despair isn’t only something that can affect individuals but can also impact

hope

Hope is a want or desire for something that isn’t evidenced. It’s when we wish for something that seems normally unattainable. For me as a youngster, that meant a Nintendo gaming system. There was no way our family could ever afford one and I doubted my parents even knew what one was. But I would see it in the toy store in my hometown and inside I felt a little burning coal of desire, a wish that I would one day have one. My friend wanted one too but his parents had told him they would buy him one. He didn’t need hope—he had assurance. He at least let me know I could play on his but I really hoped for my own. This isn’t one of those stories where my JAN/FEB 2024 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES.ORG.AU

POSSESSED PHOTOGRAPHY—UNSPLASH

had always heard that the Bible was the most published book in the world but that didn’t really hit me until I checked out the records about it. Since the invention of the printing press and the production of the Gutenberg Bible, the Bible has been the most printed book in history.1 It is estimated that there are somewhere between five and seven billion Bibles in the world with around 2.5 billion of those printed between 1815 and 1975. Since then, the Bible has continued to appear on bestseller lists, being printed at a rate of about 80 million per year. That means that in the 10 minutes you might take to read this article, around 1500 more Bibles have been printed. That’s a staggeringly large number of Bibles. A significant portion have been placed by a group called The Gideons. They have placed more than 1.7 billion in hotel rooms of more than 190 countries all around the world.2 Hotel Bibles aren’t as popular now as they used to be (it’s probably more important to have wi-fi) and some hotels have

communities. When widespread events occur that affect a country, town or school community, despair can spread socially through said community. All of this has led to an increase in what the literature calls “deaths of despair”.5 The accumulation of despair and its symptoms can increase the risk of early death, a combination of health issues, risky behaviour like drug abuse and perhaps even the ideation of suicide driving some to a final, devastating solution. It’s hard to measure despair and all of us have felt a little of those symptoms at one time in our life or another. The danger comes when the one experiencing them is missing the essential ingredient of hope.

to a nearby police station. As I sat trembling in the interview room, I had lost all hope. I had nothing and my life was over.

Scriptures give us hope!

God knows we need hope to survive. While speaking with His chosen people in Jeremiah 29:11 He says, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” God’s plans for His people have always included hope. God is saying that He wants to give us hope, because many of the things we hope for in our ordinary wish fulfilment way end in disappointment. Instead God has a hope for us and He shares it with us in the Bible. I’ve recently observed people taking a section or two out of context, trying to stir up trouble for social media clout with a very shallow view of what the Bible is. Personally, if I had to summarise it, I would say it is a message of hope from God to a people who so often have none left—hope for today and hope for tomorrow. God says “You are not alone” by telling us that we are His, He loves us, He desires our good and He plans

God’s plans for His people have always included hope.

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for us to have a good future. He says we can have hope when things are hard and that we don’t have to carry the weight of our despair. Jesus says in Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” God tells us that we are forgiven, that He isn’t holding our bad deeds against us (2 Corinthians 5:19). Most of all, God gives us hope for the future and tells us that one day this world will be changed for the better, despair will disappear forever and we will be able to live with Him. Revelation 21:3 says, “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.’”

room. After a half hour, he came back and told me that the store owner had decided not to press charges and that I was free to go. I felt relief of course, but most of all I felt hope that my future may not be so bad after all. I had been forgiven of my crime and I walked out of the police station excited for my future, this time deciding to set my mind on a hope that God had promised me. I hope you will open the Scriptures and find the hope that God has for you as well.

consequences?

4. <ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6506367/>

Eventually the police officer came and took my statement, then left the

Justin Bone supports and trains pastors and congregations around Victoria, Australia, for the Seventh-day Adventist Church. He is passionate about helping people understand the Bible better. 1. <guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/bestselling-book-of-non-fiction> 2. <mentalfloss.com/article/30241/why-are-theregideon-bibles-hotel-rooms> 3. <sciencenews.org/article/deaths-of-despair-depression-mental-health-covid-19-pandemic>

5. Ibid.

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SHAAN JOHARI—PEXELS

parents bought me one—they really couldn’t afford it—and I never got one. But that didn’t stop me from wishing, and years later once I had a job of my own, the latest Nintendo gaming system was my first purchase. It wasn’t a big hope, but it was a hope nonetheless. Growing up, hope seemed to become more important, not less, because the things I wished for got more complex. I hoped for a girlfriend, an easy life, that I would win the lottery, that I would be able to afford a car. Then as life got harder, I hoped I would have enough money for my next meal, that I would be able to pay rent. I’ve hoped for many things but the more I didn’t receive, the more hope I would lose. After losing hope enough I really started noticing it. I stopped wishing for as many things or big things and my hopes started dying a little. I found myself bitter and angry, my hopes crushed too many times. I didn’t get what I had hoped for, so instead I began to take things and I started stealing little things here and there to get what I wanted. I’m not proud of it of course and my little career in larceny came to a sudden halt one day when I was caught shoplifting and taken

Five Foods to Increase Brain Health These foods can help your brain work better, at any age.

Eating a diet rich in wholefoods, like fruit, veggies and wholegrains, could protect your brain now and as you get older, too. The science shows that there are immediate benefits of eating brain 60

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foods. These include mood improvement, clearer thinking and combatting depression. What you put on your plate can also pay off in the longer term by helping to protect or delay age-related damage and diseases

1. Wholegrain cereals The glucose from carbohydrates is your brain’s preferred energy source. But the choice of carbs matters. Start the day with a lower-GI wholegrain cereal and glucose will be released into your bloodstream more slowly, providing a steady supply of fuel for the brain. Studies have shown eating breakfast can help improve concentration and when it comes to kids, that extends to better behaviour and learning in school. 2. Blueberries Berries are bursting with antioxidants and phytonutrients, which have been shown to boost cognition and memory. Blueberries are also high in polyphenols and flavonoids, the natural plant pigments that give berries their vibrant colour. Research shows these flavonoids contain high amounts of antioxidants which help reduce forgetfulness and mild confusion, a common part of ageing.

brain sharp, but they are also a source of iron and a rich source of folate. Folate is a natural form of vitamin B9 that’s important for healthy red blood cell formation. Research has found that improving folate status can have beneficial effects on your cognitive function. 4. Nuts and seeds Eating nuts has been linked with a reduced risk of depression as well as better cognitive function, learning, memory and mood. The combination of healthy fats (especially omega-3 fats found in walnuts and seeds like chia and linseeds) and nutrients with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in nuts may help protect vital functions of the brain and its blood vessels. 5. Fermented foods These are created when carbohydrates in food are converted into alcohol or acids by live microorganisms such as bacteria, yeasts and/or moulds. Eating fermented foods with live bacteria may help to improve gut health and reduce anxiety. A review of the research on fermented foods and cognition found promising signs for improved learning, memory and protecting brain cells.

3. Leafy greens Green leafy veg, such as spinach and kale, not only help support the immune system and keep an ageing Article courtesy of Sanitarium Health Food Company. Visit sanitarium.com.au or sanitarium.co.nz and subscribe to Recipe of the Week for a delicious plant-powered recipe in your inbox each week. JAN/FEB 2024 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES.ORG.AU

NICOLE ASHLEY R—PEXELS

such as Alzheimer’s and dementia. The Mediterranean and MIND diet are among the plant-rich diets that have shown significant brain health benefits. Sanitarium dietitian Charlotte Moor shares her five favourite foods to help support your brain health.

How closely have you been reading? Each keyword in this puzzle is also contained within this edition of Signs of the Times. Happy digging!

2 3

4 5 6

ns "the boy" or of Atomic Habits average Australian has half as many of e as they did in the 1980s a baby at the age of 59

SUDOKU

crossword clues DOWN 1 Means “the boy” 2 Author of Atomic Habits 3 The average Australian has half as many of these as they did in the 1980s 8 Had a baby at the age of 59

easy

2 2

5 7

4 9

ACROSS 4 A short-acting drug that lasts in the human body for 40 minutes 5 A minister for this need was appointed in the UK in 2018 6 The brand of gaming console Justin Bone wanted as a child 7 First of his name, made Christianity the state religion of Rome 9 A tree needs sunlight, air and this to thrive 10 Where the first Seventh-day Adventist camp meeting in Australia was held 11 When a woman’s menstrual cycle ceases 12 If you’re young and female, you’re more likely to make one of these

Across: Hint: 4 Across 4. a short-acting drug that lasts in the human body for 40 minutes 5. a minister for this need was appointed in the UK in 2018 6. the brand of gaming console Justin Bone wanted as a child 7. ﬁrst of his name, made Christianity the state religion of Rome 9. a tree needs sunlight, air and this to thrive

9 8 9

3 8

7 5

hard

4 1 2

2 9

1 7

9 ARUN ANOOP—UNSPLASH

Crossword Puzzle

CROSSWORD

7 2

SOLUTIONS AVAILABLE AT SIGNSOFTHETIMES.ORG.AU/FUN JAN/FEB 2024 • SIGNS OF THE TIMES.ORG.AU

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