Article from: http://www.lds.org/ensign/2014/02/a-principle-with-promises?lang=eng
A Principle with Promises
By G. Craig Kiser
Medical and
nutritional science continue to support the truths found in the Word of Wisdom.
On
February 27, 1833, the Prophet Joseph Smith received a revelation setting down principles of good health, now
known as the Word of Wisdom. As a
physician, I find this revelation to be one of the most amazing the Lord has
provided, “showing forth the order and will of God in the temporal salvation of
all saints in the last days” (D&C 89:2). Though
medical science for the past 50 years has substantiated the health risks
associated with the use of tobacco and alcohol, both prohibited by the Word of Wisdom, it has
only been in the last decade that both medical and nutritional science have begun
to corroborate many of the dietary health benefits contained in this
outstanding revelation.
Fruits
and Vegetables
Natural
fruits and vegetables are among some of the most complex and nutritionally
dense foods on earth. They are packed with health-preserving phytochemicals and
micronutrients. They can heal injured blood vessels and help reduce the risk of
heart attacks, strokes, obesity, and diabetes.1 Raw fruits and vegetables—especially beans,
legumes, and vegetables in a variety of colors—are nutrient and mineral dense
and cholesterol free and thus serve as divinely engineered packets of
protection for our health.
Unfortunately,
it is estimated that nearly half of Americans eat fewer than two servings of
fruits and vegetables daily. This meager intake of fruits and vegetables was
listed as one of four bad habits associated with early death, the other three
being tobacco use, alcohol use, and lack of regular exercise.2
Grains
and Nuts
Natural
whole grains have many health benefits. They increase insulin effectiveness,
improve intestinal health, and help reduce the risk of diabetes, colon cancer,
and pancreatic cancer. They also lower blood pressure, decrease the chance of
heart failure, and help prevent strokes.3 Nuts have favorable oils and minerals that
support good nutrition and weight loss.4
Unfortunately,
when whole grains are stripped of the husk and germ (labeled as “refined” or
“enriched” grains), they lose much of their fiber, minerals, and vital
nutrients—and thus much of their protective value is also lost. Also, the body
digests refined grains as simple sugars, which rapidly increase blood-sugar and
insulin levels and are associated with a variety of health risks.5
Meat,
Fish, and Fowl
The
“flesh … of beasts and of the fowls” the Lord has “ordained for the use of
man,” but He cautions us to use such food “sparingly” (D&C 89:12). Medical
science has confirmed the wisdom of these words. Diets high in animal protein
offer limited nutrient value and contain unhealthy saturated fats. Excess
consumption of meat can also increase certain health risks.6
Processed
Foods and Energy Drinks
Processed
foods and packaged snacks are usually deficient in nutrients and high in sugar
or refined grains, hydrogenated oils (trans fats), and sodium. Since food
preferences and eating habits are established early in life, young parents
would be wise to guide their children to the natural goodness of whole grains
and garden-ripened fruits and vegetables.
Soft
drinks are low in nutrients and contain significant amounts of sugar,
high-fructose corn syrup, or artificial sweeteners. Although caffeine is not
listed specifically in the Word of Wisdom, we would be wise to understand that
there are risks associated with the consumption of this stimulant, especially
in the case of energy pills and high-energy drinks.7
Promises
Although
the confirming evidence provided by modern science may give us additional
reasons to keep the Word of Wisdom, it is ultimately our faith in the Lord’s
word and our consistent obedience to this revelation that will qualify us for
the promised blessings:
“All
saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the
commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones;
“And
shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures;
“And
shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint” (D&C 89:18–20).
The author lives in Oregon, USA.
In the
Best Condition
“The Word of Wisdom does not promise you perfect health, but it
teaches how to keep the body you were born with in the best condition and your
mind alert to delicate spiritual promptings.”
President Boyd K. Packer,
President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “The Word of Wisdom: The
Principle and the Promises,” Ensign, May 1996, 18.
Notes
See Jane V. Higdon, Barbara Delage, David E. Williams,
and Roderick H. Dashwood, “Cruciferous Vegetables and Human Cancer Risk:
Epidemiologic Evidence and Mechanistic Basis,”Pharmacological
Research, vol. 55, no. 3
(Mar. 2007), 224–36.
See Elisabeth Kvaavik, G. David Batty, Giske Ursin, Rachel
Huxley, and Catharine R. Gale, “Influence of Individual and Combined
Health Behaviors on Total and Cause-Specific Mortality in Men and Women: The
United Kingdom Health and Lifestyle Survey,” Archives of Internal Medicine, vol. 170, no. 8 (Apr. 26, 2010),
711–18.
See
wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/what-are-the-health-benefits.
See Deirdre K. Banel and Frank B. Hu, “Effects of Walnut
Consumption on Blood Lipids and Other Cardiovascular Risk Factors: A
Meta-analysis and Systematic Review,” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, vol. 90, no. 1 (July 2009), 56–63.
See David S. Ludwig, “The Glycemic Index: Physiological
Mechanisms Relating to Obesity, Diabetes, and Cardiovascular Disease,” Journal of the
American Medical Association, vol. 287, no. 18 (May 8, 2002), 2414–23.
See T. Colin Campbell, Banoo Parpia, and Junshi Chen, “Diet,
Lifestyle, and the Etiology of Coronary Artery Disease: The Cornell China
Study,” American Journal of Cardiology, vol. 82, no. 10, suppl. 2 (Nov. 26,
1998), 18–21.
See Amelia M. Arria and Mary Claire O’Brien, “The ‘High’ Risk
of Energy Drinks,” Journal of the American Medical Association, vol. 305, no. 6 (Feb. 9, 2011),
600–601.
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