Can diet alone lessen the symptoms of chronic illness? Or even act as a cure? The Word of Wisdom, a code of health followed by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, warns against partaking in alcohol and tobacco as well as coffee and tea. Most of us adhere to these health precautions as a matter of course.
What is so often overlooked are the cautions regarding food. We are told to “eat meat sparingly” and really “only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine.” Instead, we are taught to consume “Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof” Also that, All agrain is ordained for the use of man and of beasts, to be the staff of life.
Having time and again read and supposedly understood this message, why do so many Latter Day Saints readily accept the American diet which is slowly killing those who follow it? The statistics are in, America, yet we continue on this destructive path, clogging our arteries, dulling our minds, addicting our bodies. The trouble is, food SEEMS so innocuous, so benign. Yet, the evidence of its power is overwhelming our healthcare systems and effectively shortening the lifespan of this generation.
Like so many, meat has always been the mainstay of our diet, beef in particular. However, we, as a family, have been inspired to drastically change the way we eat. Every one of us suffers from varying degrees of maladies. Our family consists of Gary, (age 50, carcinoid sydrome, ADHD, prostate issues, overweight), Karen, (age 47, asthma, allergies, overweight), and Cassie (16, major mood disorder, developmental delay, overweight). We have 2 adult children, Gary and Missy, who don’t live at home. Gary’s health is most dire, but we all suffer from conditions requiring medication, which sometimes effectively masks symptoms, but rarely address the disease itself.
Read the Word of Wisdom here.
We are very excited at the prospect of feeling better and we hope to chronicle our journey and thoughts and experiences using this blog. In our posts, we hope to share our experiences and perhaps gather information and success stories from others.
