I Strive to Be Healthy by… Young Adults Ways to Strive to Be Healthy

I Strive to Be Healthy by…  From the March Issue of the Ensign Magazine. Click on the Title for the full article and more info.

Here young adults share their patterns of healthy living based on teachings from the Word of Wisdom, from other scriptures, and from our latter-day prophets. How have these teachings blessed your life? These young adults bear testimony that as we learn and honor these teachings for healthy living, we will receive the promised blessings.

Establishing Good Sleeping Habits

In today’s world, addictive substances are sometimes viewed as a way to deal with pressures and stresses. In addition, many drink coffee because they feel they need extra energy. Because my mother taught me the importance of good sleeping habits, I know that these additional substances aren’t necessary; adequate rest is a much more effective solution (see D&C 88:124). When I get a good night’s sleep, I have more energy for the day. I am better able to handle the stresses of life, my mind enjoys increased clarity, and I am better able to work under pressure.

Anthony Castillo, Florida, USA

Enjoying Mountain Biking

Being healthy and living the Word of Wisdom (see D&C 89) are not merely about staying away from coffee, tea, tobacco, alcohol, and harmful drugs; good health is also about fueling my body with good things and wisely engaging in activities that will enable me to function optimally. I am passionate about mountain biking. By maintaining my physical and spiritual health, I can pursue my passion and know that I will be blessed with strength and endurance.

Brock Dunlap, Texas, USA

Gardening

We learn from the scriptures that the soul has two parts: body and spirit (see D&C 88:15). Gardening is a healthy hobby that nourishes both. It’s hard work; it would be so much easier to run to the store to pick up my veggies and herbs. However, the benefits of gardening go far beyond having access to healthy food. I love the moments of focused meditation that come along with working in a garden. It is a time that I can clear my mind of distractions and focus on the task at hand. Also, gardening is a way for me to gain momentum for living a healthy lifestyle. When I garden, I find that I’m more aware of what I’m eating throughout the day and that I’m more inclined to exercise. It is truly energizing. And when I treat my body well, my spirit benefits also. I feel closer to Heavenly Father and know that I’m becoming the soul he wants me to be.

Laura Gauthier, Illinois, USA

Drinking Green Smoothies

For a long time it was difficult for me to get any fruits and vegetables into my diet because of some serious food allergies. I could hardly eat more than four blueberries at a time without feeling ill. When I discovered green smoothies, everything changed. At first my body struggled, but over time my allergies diminished substantially and I became full of energy. I love creating new smoothies, and I try to put the most nutrient-dense and colorful fruits and vegetables into them: kale, Swiss chard, spinach, lime, peaches, mango, strawberries, coconut, and so on. I am grateful for the Word of Wisdom and for the blessings I’ve received as I’ve incorporated its principles into my life.

Tara Walker, Idaho, USA

Seeking to Reach My Potential

Being diligent in both exercising and eating right has helped me realize how blessed I am to have a healthy body and how important it is to take care of it. I want to be able to live a long, healthy life. I want to be in the best physical, mental, and spiritual condition I can be for as long as possible so I can reach my full potential on earth. I think that is one of the reasons why our Heavenly Father gave us teachings in the scriptures and from living prophets about how to stay healthy—so we will be able to do what we came to earth to do and to carry out His will.

Allyson Macy, Utah, USA

Exercising Often

For me, exercise is one of the best ways to rejuvenate my body and my mind. When I get carried away thinking about problems and questions that I have, it is exercise that helps me see things more clearly. I don’t always run or lift weights; sometimes I just go for a walk. It’s interesting that after exerting energy to exercise, I always have more energy and feel more alert. When I get in a routine and exercise regularly, I have a happier outlook on life. I know that the Lord has given us a stewardship over our bodies. Exercise is one way that we can show Him that we are grateful for the blessing of a mortal body.

Ryan Brown, Michigan, USA

Appreciating Both Body and Spirit

I know that the Word of Wisdom is a true code of health for both our spirits and our bodies. As I have learned more about how to eat well, exercise, and seek balance in other aspects of my life, I have gained a deeper understanding of the sacred relationship between our bodies and our spirits. I have learned to respect my mortal body and be grateful for it, no matter what is going on in my life. My testimony of the importance of good health has been reinforced through teachings in the Doctrine and Covenants and teachings from our living prophets. I know we are blessed when we seek to follow these teachings and live them fully.

Christine Baird, Texas, USA

Focusing on the Blessings

My favorite blessing promised in the Word of Wisdom is that we can “find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures” (D&C 89:19). For a long time, this was a very abstract phrase to me. But now I understand that this promise includes improved self-discipline and self-control. We gain greater power to exercise our agency because our minds are clearer, our bodies are stronger, and our hearts are at peace. As I live the Word of Wisdom and maintain a healthy lifestyle, I find that the Lord more readily answers my prayers for health, peace, and joy.

Linda Flores, Washington, D.C., USA

Teachings for healthy living: 1 Corinthians 3:16–17; 6:19–20; Doctrine and Covenants 59:16–20; 88:124; 89; Boyd K. Packer, “Ye Are the Temple of God,” Ensign, Nov. 2000, 72–74

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A Principle with Promises

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

1.          1. 

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.

2.          2. 

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.

3.          3. 

See wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/what-are-the-health-benefits.

4.          4. 

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.

5.          5. 

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.

6.          6. 

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.

7.          7. 

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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