When one of our sons returned home from his mission to Romania, he did not look healthy. Prior to his mission, he had been an extraordinary athlete. Because he was leaving five days after returning home to serve in Nauvoo as a performing missionary for four months, I placed him on supplemental vitamins and minerals.
A few weeks into the experience, the rigors of dancing and singing with a sub-optimal diet regimen caught up with him. He called home “sick” from a physician’s office. Antibiotics did not seem to help. Several weeks of being “sick” with no dramatic improvement on his part led me to give this counsel: “Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200. Go directly from the doctor’s office to the grocery store and buy fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grains and meats. Get started today on the supplements [unopened] and I predict you will be well in about five days.”
He called ten days later. He was clearly on the mend, and finished his performing mission strong. Now, nearly two years after his performing mission, he continues to eat foods that are healthy and invigorating to his mind and body.
If we are to be a healthy people, we must focus on and fill our lives with what the Lord has prescribed (or “ordained for the constitution, nature and use of man”). Health comes from the word heal, which means to restore to soundness or wholeness (Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary).
“And all saints who remember and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health…; And shall find wisdom. . . And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint.” (Doctrine and Covenants 89:18-20). In the 89th Section of the Doctrine and Covenants, we find the Lord’s modern-day revelation on health known as the “Word of Wisdom.” My focus in this article is not on the things that are not for the body or belly-tobacco, alcohol, coffee, tea- but rather those things “ordained for the use of man.”
Verse 10 talks about “wholesome herbs” (vegetables and plants) and “every fruit in the season thereof”. Elder John A. Widtsoe defined the counsel this way: “The phrase ‘in the season thereof,’ referring to fruits and vegetables, has raised much speculation. It indicates simply the superior value of fresh foods as demonstrated by modern science, but does not necessarily prohibit the use of fruits or vegetables out of season if preserved by proper methods.” With the blessing of quality preservation, today it is possible to enjoy nearly every food “in the season thereof” all through the year. Notice that Elder Widtsoe uses the word preserved, and not processed, which I will address later.
Verse 14 comments that “all grain is ordained for the use of man,” although verse 17 clarifies specifically that “wheat [is] for man.”
Verse 12 clarifies that “flesh also of beasts and of fowls” has been “ordained for use of man.” “Nevertheless they are to be used sparingly.” In Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language, sparingly is defined as follows: “1. Not abundantly; 2. Frugally; 3. Seldom; 4. Not frequently; 5. Cautiously.” Sparingly does not imply vegetarianism, for “whoso forbiddeth to abstain from meats, that man should not eat the same, is not ordained of God.” D & C 49:18. John A. Widtsoe of the Quorum of the Twelve said, “naturally, that includes animal products. . . such as eggs, milk and cheese.” (Evidences and Reconciliation (ER) 3:155-57, 1951).
We have discussed what the Lord has said about what we should eat. Let us turn our attention to the quantity of food intake we should ingest. In the 59th Section of the Doctrine and Covenants, verses 16, 17 and 20, we read “the fulness of the earth is yours, the beast. . . And the fowls. . . And the herb, and the good things which come of the earth. . .Unto this end were they made to be used, with judgment, not to excess. . .” President Joseph Fielding Smith said, “The Lord has given us all good herbs, fruits and grains. These are to be the main foods of men, beast, and fowls. But we should not overlook the fact that they are to be used with ‘prudence and thanksgiving.’ In another revelation (Sec. 59), we are told they are not to be used ‘to excess, neither by extortion.’ The difficulty with most of the human family is eating too much, and failing to heed the Lord’s counsel. There would be less disease and mankind would live longer if all would also heed the counsel of the Lord concerning the use of wholesome foods.” (Church History and Modern Revelation (CHMR) 1:385)
Perhaps we can now give attention to the modern practice of permitting other people to prepare and process (and often adulterate) the food we eat. President Joseph Fielding Smith also had this to say. “We, today, have before us abundant evidence of the evils and designs of wicked men. . . It is also seen in the advertising of prepared foods. So bad did this condition become some decades ago that the National Government had to take the matter in hand and Congress passed laws to control the evils which had arisen. These pure food laws have been very beneficial but even now there are ways by which the laws are evaded.” (CHMR 1:384) John A. Widtsoe commented “The revelation (Section 89), a warning against ‘evils and designs’ of ‘conspiring men,’ which may interfere with full human health, is prophetic. Throughout the ages the lust for gold has tempted men to place adulterated or dangerous foods upon the market. While pure food and drug laws now protect the people more than in the past, these ‘evils and designs,’ through excessive and misleading advertising, continue to appear in new and deceptive forms.” (ER 3:154). These statements were made decades ago.
Some people wonder why the Lord has not been more specific about diet and drink. He has made it clear that He does not “command in all things” (see Doctrine and Covenants 58:26). President Joseph Fielding Smith commented on this subject: “The Word of Wisdom is a basic law. It points the way and gives us ample instruction in regard to both food and drink, good for the body and also detrimental. If we sincerely follow what is written with the aid of the Spirit of the Lord, we need no further counsel. …Thus by keeping the commandments we are promised inspiration and the guidance of the Spirit of the Lord through which we will know what is good and what is bad for the body, without the Lord presenting us with a detailed list separating the good things from the bad that we may be protected. We will learn by this faithful observance that the promises of the Lord are fulfilled.” (Improvement Era, Feb. 1956, pp. 78-79.)
Having said that, it is interesting to note Brigham Young’s comment that what we take into our bodies has a clear relationship to our ability to feel the Spirit and affect our health. “When we go on a trip to the settlements and stop at the brethren’s houses, it is ‘Brother Brigham, let us manifest our feelings towards you and your company.
‘ I tell them to do so, but give me a piece of johnnycake; I would rather have it than their pies and tarts and sweetmeats. Let me have something that will sustain nature and leave my stomach and whole system clear to receive the Spirit of the Lord and be free from headache and pains of every kind.” (Journal of Discourses 13:153, italics added). Elder John A. Widtsoe made it clear that attention to and focus on the Lord’s law of health is worth it when he said: “The reward for keeping the Word of Wisdom is four-fold: 1. Self-control is developed. That is implied in verse 3 of the revelation which states that “the Word of Wisdom is ‘adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all Saints, who are or can be called Saints.
‘ 2. Strength of body, including resistance to contagion, is a result of wise living. 3. Clearness of mind is the gift of those whose bodies are in a healthy condition. 4. Spiritual power comes to all who conquer their appetites, live normally and look upward to God.” (Program of the Church, pp. 39-40.)
Remember, we are only given one body, which is our temple. “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the spirit dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” I Cor. 3:16-17. I have discussed items that might be felt to be in the temporal realm, but “I say unto you that all things unto me are spiritual, and not at any time have I given unto you a law which was temporal;” D & C 29:34.
I thank the Lord for the truths He has revealed in these latter days regarding our temporal and spiritual welfare (health). Let us be aware of and resistant to the ‘evils and designs which exist in the hearts of conspiring men’ and live this ‘principle with a promise, adapted to the capacity of the weakest of all saints.”
Healthful Hints:
- Fresh vegetables and fruits are best for consumption, although preserved (not processed) vegetables and fruit are acceptable. Grains are for our use (but this does not imply polished, refined, or processed grains). Meat is to be eaten sparingly.
- Portion sizes should not be excessive.
- Evil men inspired by greed will market dangerous foods with enticing labels.
- Obedience to the Lord’s Law of Health brings blessings of a physical, mental, emotional and spiritual nature.