By Claire
I was sitting at the dinner table recently with my family, and we came upon a pretty normal conversation for us: allergies. My sister is extremely allergic to quite a bit of foods such as soy, peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, and pears. Because of this she has a very strict diet, and can’t have regular bread which is a part of our sacrament at church services. My other sister has a gluten and dairy intolerance; she ends up in bed for days if she eats even a crumb of bread.
This past year, I took a class on campus about Church History. One of the things we talked about was our word of wisdom, which is a set of guidelines set by God for us to follow. It includes not partaking of alcohol, hot drinks, drugs, or anything else that could harm our bodies. It also talks about eating meat sparingly and eating a lot of fruits and vegetables. As we discussed this piece of doctrine, we somehow got on the topic of allergies and illnesses that prevent you from eating some of the good things on the Word of Wisdom. That’s when we discussed having a personal word of wisdom.
A personal word of wisdom is a guide to a specific individual. It would include a list of “don’ts”, meaning a list of foods that you shouldn’t eat because it will make you sick. The word of wisdom is all about being the healthiest you can be, and God would want you to be healthy!
So, I get a little angry when people say, “It’s fine, you can have a little,” because they are saying that it’s okay to let just a little bit of a toxin into your body! In my mind, that’s tantamount to tempting me to drink alcohol or coffee and saying it’s okay because it’s “just a little bit”.
This year, I will be working on my own personal Word of Wisdom. This will include foods that make me feel sick or that I think I’m allergic to, and also include things I should limit or eat sparingly. Here is what I have so far:
Claire’s Personal Word of Wisdom:
Eat meat sparingly, ie not with every meal
Avoid sugary/carbonated drinks
Avoid processed foods
Stay away from raspberries, nuts, and other allergies (deadly toxins!)
And, because I also believe fitness should be on my personal word of wisdom:
Exercise 30 minutes daily (yesterday I went swimming with my friend Hannah!)
In the upcoming weeks, I will discuss more ways to eat healthy and even share some of my favorite recipes! In the meantime, why don’t you write your own personal word of wisdom or whatever you decide you want to call it? It’s a good place to start as you learn to eat and live a healthier, more wholesome, holistic life! And remember, if something makes you feel sick, you probably shouldn’t be putting it in your body. If there’s one thing I’ve learned in the last few months, it’s that if something looks unappetizing to you and makes you feel nauseated, don’t eat it! And NEVER be afraid to say no if someone offers something toxic to you!
Love your life, live your life, live well!
Claire
No comments:
Post a Comment