Seventh-day Adventist Statement of Consensus Concerning Female Genital Mutilation

Introduction
As part of their mission to the entire world, Seventh-day Adventists have a firm commitment to provide health care that preserves and restores human wholeness. By wholeness we mean the harmonious development of the physical, intellectual, social, and spiritual dimensions of a person's life, unified through a loving relationship with God and expressed in generous service to others. Because Adventists believe that each human being is created in God's image as a unified person, rather than as a duality of body and soul, we believe in a ministry of grace that affects all aspects of human life, including physical and emotional well-being.
Ministry to the entire person leads Seventh-day Adventists to be concerned about the widespread practice of female genital mutilation.^[1] Often referred to as "female circumcision" or, more recently, "female genital cutting," such practices currently affect scores of millions of living women and girls, with additional millions of girls disfigured annually. These estimates do not account for the young girls who die as a result of the more radical forms of genital mutilation. These practices range from excision of the clitoral prepuce to complete removal of the vulva with closure of the vaginal opening. Our central concern, expressed in this statement of principles, is for all forms of female genital injury that lead to physical dysfunction or emotional trauma. Moreover, such procedures are often done with unclean instruments, without anesthesia, on forcibly held young girls between the ages of four and twelve. Hemorrhage, shock, infection, incontinence, damage to surrounding organs, and massive scarring are frequent results. In addition to this physical devastation, genital mutilation is also emotionally traumatic.
Women who have been subjected to genital mutilation are also often afflicted with a variety of long-term gynecological health problems, including fistulas, chronic infections, and problems with menstruation. Upon entering marriage, intercourse is usually a painful, traumatic event, often necessitating reopening of the scarified vaginal opening. Childbirth may also be impeded due to rigid scarring of the tissues. At times, maternal and fetal deaths also result.
In the cultures where female genital mutilation is prevalent, the practice is considered justified for a variety of reasons. It is believed, for example, that such mutilation will preserve virginity in unmarried women, assist in controlling their sexual drive, strengthen sexual faithfulness for married women, and increase sexual pleasure for their husbands. It is also believed that removal of all or part of female genitalia improves cleanliness, is cosmetically desirable, and makes childbirth safer for the infant. Because of these beliefs, women who have not undergone such procedures may be considered unsuited for marriage. Despite evidence against such reasons, and despite the efforts of numerous human-rights organizations, the practice of female genital mutilation continues in a variety of cultures, with a prevalence exceeding 90 percent in some countries.
In some cultures, female genital mutilation is defended as a form of religious practice. While Seventh-day Adventists strongly advocate protection of religious liberty, Adventists believe that the right to practice one's religion does not vindicate harming another person. Thus, appeals to religious liberty do not justify female genital mutilation.
Biblical principles
The Adventist Church's opposition to female genital mutilation is based on the following biblical principles:
1. Preservation of life and health. The Bible presents the goodness of God's creation, including the creation of human beings (Gen 1:31; Ps 139:13, 14). God is the Source and Sustainer of human life (Job 33:4; Ps 36:9; John 1:3, 4; Acts 17:25, 28). God calls for the preservation of human life and holds humanity accountable for its destruction (Gen 9:5, 6;
Ex 20:13; Deut 24:16; Jer 7:3-34). The human body is "the temple of the Holy Spirit," and followers of God are urged to care for and preserve their bodies, including the Creator's gift of sexuality, as a spiritual responsibility (1 Cor 6:15-19). Because female genital mutilation is harmful to health, threatening to life, and injurious to sexual function, it is incompatible with the will of God.
2. Blessing of marital intimacy. Scripture celebrates the divinely ordained gift of sexual intimacy within marriage (Eccl 9:9; Prov 5:18, 19; Song of Sol 4:16-5:1; Heb 13:4). The practice of female genital mutilation should be renounced because it threatens the Creator's design for the experience of joyful sexuality by married couples.
3. Healthful procreation. For married couples, the gift of sexual union may be further blessed by the birth of children (Ps 113:9; 127:3-5; 128:3; Prov 31:28). The fact that successful childbirth is threatened by female genital mutilation is additional grounds for opposition to this practice.
4. Protection of vulnerable persons. Scripture prescribes that special efforts be made to care for those who are most vulnerable (Deut 10:17-19; Ps 82:3, 4; Ps 24:11, 12;
Isa 1:16, 17; Luke 1:52-54). Jesus taught that children should be loved and protected
(Mark 10:13-16; Matt 18:4-6). The genital mutilation of young girls violates the biblical mandate to safeguard children and protect them from harm and abuse.
5. Compassionate care. Love for the neighbor prompts Christians to provide compassionate care to those who have been injured (Luke 10:25-37; Isa 61:1). Christians are called to care with compassion for those who have experienced physical and emotional trauma caused by female genital mutilation.

6. Sharing truth. Christians are called to overcome error by expressing the truth in a loving manner (Ps 15:2, 3; Eph 4:25). The fundamental truth of the gospel is intended to liberate people from all types of bondage to falsehood (John 8:31-36). Thus, Christians should join in sharing accurate information about the harm of female genital mutilation and the beliefs that underlie this practice.
7. Respect for cultures. Christians should be sensitive to and respectful of cultural differences (1 Cor 9:19-23; Rom 12:1, 2). At the same time, we believe that God's principles transcend cultural traditions (Dan 1:8, 9; 3:17, 18; Matt 15:3; Acts 5:27-29). The fundamental principles of Scripture provide a basis for the transformation of cultural practices. While we acknowledge that female genital mutilation is firmly entrenched in many cultures, we find this practice to be incompatible with divinely revealed principles.
Conclusion
Because female genital mutilation threatens physical, emotional, and relational health, Seventh-day Adventists are opposed to this practice. The Church calls on its health care professionals, educational and medical institutions, and all members along with people of good will to cooperate in efforts to eliminate the practice of female genital mutilation. Through education and loving presentation of the gospel, it is our hope and our intention that those threatened by this practice will find protection and wholeness and that those who have been subjected to this practice will find solace and compassionate care.
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This document was adopted by the General Conference Christian View of Human Life Committee in April, 2000, and was referred to those Church departments and institutions which will find the material useful.

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^[1]"Currently, the different types of female genital mutilation known to be practised are classified as follows: Type I Excision of the prepuce, with or without excision of part or all of the clitoris Type II Excision of the clitoris with partial or total excision of the labia minora Type III Excision of part or all of the external genitalia and stitching/narrowing of vaginal opening (infibulation) Type IV Unclassified: includes pricking, piercing or incising of the clitoris and/or labia; cauterization by burning of the clitoris and surrounding tissue; scraping of tissues surrounding the vaginal orifice [angurya cuts] or cutting of the vagina [gishiri cuts]; introduction of corrosive substances or herbs into the vaginato cause bleeding or for the purposes of tightening or narrowing it; and any other procedure that falls under the definition of female genital mutilation given above." This classification is taken from Female Genital Mutilation: A Joint WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA Statement. Published by World Health Organization, Geneva, 1997.

Mediterranean diet lowers risk of heart attack, stroke

People who ate a Mediterranean diet high in extra-virgin olive oil showed fewer heart problems after five years, a study shows.

• Eating a Mediterranean diet high in extra-virgin olive oil has health benefits, a study suggests
• A Mediterranean diet high in nuts can also boost heart health
• Study participants showed fewer heart problems and lower deaths from heart disease

The Mediterranean diet is a well-known weapon in the fight against heart disease, but exactly how effective is it?

To find out, researchers led by Dr. Ramón Estruch, from the Department of Internal Medicine at the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, put the Mediterranean diet to the test against a low-fat diet.

They followed participants to track rates of heart attack, stroke and heart-disease-related death. After nearly five years, the results were so striking for one group that the study was stopped early, according to research published online by the New England Journal of Medicine.

The group that showed the least heart problems and lowest rate of heart disease deaths? Those who ate a Mediterranean diet high in extra-virgin olive oil. Coming in at a close second were participants who ate a Mediterranean diet high in nuts.

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Compared with those eating the low-fat diet, the extra-virgin-olive-oil group showed a 30% lower risk of having a heart attack, stroke or dying of heart disease after five years, while those consuming the Mediterranean diet with more nuts showed a 28% lower risk of these outcomes.

"We think the strength of this study comes from the fact that we measured hard outcomes and not just blood pressure or changes in cholesterol levels," says Estruch. "We really believe the Mediterranean diet lowers incidence of (heart attack), stroke and cardiovascular deaths."

Previous studies have linked Mediterranean diets to fewer heart attacks and deaths from heart disease, but most of those have correlated people's recall of their diet with heart-disease outcomes rather than randomly assigning participants to eat specific diets and then following them for heart-disease risk, as Estruch and his colleagues did.

In the study, the participants in the Mediterranean diet groups agreed to replace red meat with white meat like chicken and eat three or more servings of fish each week, along with three or more servings of fruit and two or more servings of vegetables a day.

The extra-virgin-olive-oil group also consumed more than four tablespoons of the oil a day, replacing regular olive oil with the extra-virgin variety, which contains more potentially heart-healthy compounds like polyphenols and vitamin-E tocopherols -- which can lower levels of inflammatory factors that contribute to heart disease -- in addition to oleic acids, which are lower in the saturated fat that can build up in blood vessels.

The group that consumed more nuts was asked to eat a combination of 30 grams of walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts every day. These groups were also asked to stay away from sodas and red meats. The participants eating the low-fat diet ate three or more servings of fish or seafood a week and the same amount of fruit and vegetables as the Mediterranean diet groups. They were discouraged from consuming more than two tablespoons of vegetable oils, including olive oil, each day.

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To ensure that other factors that could affect heart-disease rates were not playing a role, the researchers also adjusted for the total amount of calories the groups were eating, since obesity can be a major contributor to heart attack and stroke.

Even after making these adjustments, however, the olive-oil group showed statistically significant drops in heart-disease risk. And because the three groups were randomly assigned to their diets, Estruch says that factors like the amount of exercise the participants did, or the medications they took, would be about the same in all three groups, and thus affect all participants equally.

Estruch says that the study has some limitations, most notably that the low-fat diet group may not have had as intense an intervention during the first part of the study as the Mediterranean groups did, potentially biasing the results in favor of the Mediterranean diet. Some volunteers also dropped out, most of whom had higher body mass index on average, which may also skew the results toward a beneficial effect of the Mediterranean diet, since the individuals who remained might have been more motivated to take care of their hearts to begin with.

Still, the findings add to the body of evidence that suggests the Mediterranean diet can play an important role in protecting the heart, and should guide doctors and patients who want to avoid heart disease toward eating the foods that can help them the most.

Hypertension and its causes

What is blood pressure?

In a bicycle tire, air pressing against the inner wall of the tire keeps it inflated. Depending on how much air is in the tire, it is either full of air and ready to roll, or too low and looking "flat." In the body, blood pressure works the same way. Blood pressure is the force of blood pressing against the inner walls of blood vessels. Just like air in a bike tire, the force of the blood inside a blood vessel determines the blood pressure.
To measure a person's blood pressure, doctors take several readings using a blood pressure cuff (also called a sphygmomanometer). Blood pressure is expressed as 2 numbers and is often read as one number "over" another (e.g., "120 over 70"). These 2 numbers represent the pressure inside the blood vessels when the heart contracts (systolic - top number) and when the heart is relaxed (diastolic - bottom number).
Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). A person's blood pressure varies throughout the day. It changes depending on the time of day and a person's activity and may increase in stressful situations.

What is hypertension?

When blood exerts too much pressure on the inner walls of the blood vessels, this is known as hypertension. Even though the word contains "tension," this is not strictly a disease of anxious people, although high stress levels over a prolonged period of time can influence the level of blood pressure. A person who has a systolic pressure equal to or above 140 mm Hg or a diastolic pressure equal to or above 90 mm Hg on a number of consecutive readings is said to have high blood pressure. Normal blood pressure is less than 120 mm Hg for systolic blood pressure and less than 80 mm Hg for diastolic blood pressure.
Many people who have hypertension are not aware of their condition, and many discover their condition during a routine yearly examination with their doctor.

Causes and classes

In the 95% of cases where the exact cause of hypertension is unknown, it is called essential hypertension or primary hypertension. Lifestyle, environment, and family history of the condition all play a role in these cases.
In the other 5% of cases, the cause can be linked to a medical condition. Reviewing medical and family histories often helps determine the underlying medical problem that led to high blood pressure. Some of the medical conditions that may increase a person's blood pressure include:

• a previous heart attack
• a previous stroke
• hormonal disorders
• kidney disease

If you have secondary hypertension, the underlying medical condition will be treated first.

Classes

Doctors divide hypertension into classes based on the blood pressure reading:

• pre-hypertension: systolic blood pressure from 120 to 139, diastolic from 80 to 89
• stage 1: systolic 140 to 159, diastolic 90 to 99
• stage 2: systolic ≥ 160, diastolic ≥ 100

A diagnosis may be made if either of the numbers, systolic or diastolic, is out of the normal range.