"Anna L. Abrante" wrote:

> How come the Hasidic Jews aren't the healthiest people on Earth?
> Don't they follow their gods word to the letter?

Yes, they try to... but, they cannot be expected (as a group) to be
the "healthiest people on Earth" because the Jewish dietary laws have
nothing to do with physical health.  One can (and, unfortunately, many
do) follow an abysmally unhealthful diet (SAD, etc.) that is
nevertheless 100% strictly kosher.  One can also be Paleo and kosher
(though there is a separate issue of eating bread on Sabbaths/holidays
to contend with)... while on the other hand one can also be "vegan"
and kosher (though there is a separate issue of eating meat on
Sabbaths/holidays to contend with).  In fact, just about *any* diet
can be adapted to the kosher rules, with certain modifications.

Besides the dietary laws, Jews are taught to guard their health, as
well as to put aside all other laws in order to save a person's life.
This is where religiously-observant individuals will seek guidance in
finding the optimal balance in a given situation.

--
Deanna