My wife probably will not like this - but alot of this stuff rings true with what I understand about health. But then again, I only have had one biology course in my life, so what do I know??:
Kathy Freston
Kathy Freston
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Posted: September 24, 2009 08:34 AM
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A Cure For Cancer? Eating A Plant-Based Diet
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Read More: Animal Protein , Cancer , Cancer Cure , Carcinogens , Casein , Cure For Cancer , Health , Kathy Freston , Nurtition , Plant-Based Diet , Preventative Medicine , T. Colin Campbell , Living News
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I have been working closely recently with a few extraordinary nutritional researchers, and I find that the information they have compiled is quite eye opening. Interestingly, what these highly esteemed doctors are saying is just beginning to be understood and accepted, perhaps because what they are saying does not conveniently fit in with or support the multi-billion dollar food industries that profit from our "not knowing". One thing is for sure: we are getting sicker and more obese than our health care system can handle, and the conventional methods of dealing with disease often have harmful side effects and are ineffective for some patients.
As it is now, one out of every two of us will get cancer or heart disease and die from it - an ugly and painful death as anyone who has witnessed it can attest. And starting in the year 2000, one out of every three children who are born after that year will develop diabetes--a disease that for most sufferers (those with Type 2 diabetes) is largely preventable with lifestyle changes. This is a rapidly emerging crisis, the seriousness of which I'm not sure we have yet recognized. The good news is, the means to prevent and heal disease seems to be right in front of us; it's in our food. Quite frankly, our food choices can either kill us - which mounting studies say that they are, or they can lift us right out of the disease process and into soaring health.
In the next few months, I will share a series of interviews I've conducted with the preeminent doctors and nutritional researchers in the fields of their respective expertise. And here it is straight out: they are all saying the same thing in different ways and through multiple and varying studies: animal protein seems to greatly contribute to diseases of nearly every type; and a plant-based diet is not only good for our health, but it's also curative of the very serious diseases we face .
Cancer
On the subject of cancer, I've asked Dr. T. Colin Campbell, Professor Emeritus of Cornell University and author of the groundbreaking The China Study to explain how cancer happens and what we can do to prevent and reverse it. Dr. Campbell's work is regarded by many as the definitive epidemiological examination of the relationship between diet and disease. He has received more than 70 grant years of peer-reviewed research funding, much of which was funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), and he has authored more than 300 research papers. He grew up on a dairy farm believing in the great health value of animal protein in the American diet and set out in his career to investigate how to produce more and better animal protein. Troublesome to his preconceived hypothesis of the goodness of dairy, Dr. Campbell kept running up against results that consistently proved an emerging and comprehensive truth: that animal protein is disastrous to human health.
Through a variety of experimental study designs, epidemiological evidence, along with observation of real life conditions which had rational biological explanation, Dr. Campbell has made a direct and powerful correlation between cancer (and other diseases and illnesses) and animal protein. Following is a conversation I had with him so that I could better understand the association.
KF: What happens in the body when cancer develops? What is the actual process?
TCC: Cancer generally develops over a long period of time, divided into 3 stages, initiation, promotion and progression.
Initiation occurs when chemicals or other agents attack the genes of normal cells to produce genetically modified cells capable of eventually causing cancer. The body generally repairs most such damage but if the cell reproduces itself before it is repaired, its new (daughter) cell retains this genetic damage. This process may occur within minutes and, to some extent, is thought to be occurring most of the time in most of our tissues.
Promotion occurs when the initiated cells continue to replicate themselves and grow into cell masses that eventually will be diagnosed. This is a long growth phase occurring over months or years and is known to be reversible.
Progression occurs when the growing cancer masses invade neighboring tissues and/or break away from the tissue of origin (metastasis) and travel to distant tissues when they are capable of growing independently at which point they are considered to be malignant.
KF: Why do some people get cancer, and other don't? What percentage is genetic, and what percentage has to do with diet?
TCC: Although the initiated cells are not considered to be reversible, the cells growing through the promotion stage are usually considered to be reversible, a very exciting concept. This is the stage that especially responds to nutritional factors. For example, the nutrients from animal based foods, especially the protein, promote the development of the cancer whereas the nutrients from plant-based foods, especially the antioxidants, reverse the promotion stage. This is a very promising observation because cancer proceeds forward or backward as a function of the balance of promoting and anti-promoting factors found in the diet, thus consuming anti-promoting plant-based foods tend to keep the cancer from going forward, perhaps even reversing the promotion. The difference between individuals is almost entirely related to their diet and lifestyle practices.
Although all cancer and other diseases begin with genes, this is not the reason whether or not the disease actually appears. If people do the right thing during the promotion stage, perhaps even during the progression stage, cancer will not appear and if it does, might even be resolved. Most estimates suggest that not more than 2-3 percent of cancers are due entirely to genes; almost all the rest is due to diet and lifestyle factors. Consuming plant based foods offers the best hope of avoiding cancer, perhaps even reversing cancer once it is diagnosed. Believing that cancer is attributed to genes is a fatalistic idea but believing that cancer can be controlled by nutrition is a far more hopeful idea.
KF: You said that initially something attacks the genes, chemicals or other agents; like what?
TCC: Cancer, like every other biological event--good or bad--begins with genes. In the case of cancer, gene(s) that give rise to cancer either may be present when we are born or, during our lifetimes, normal genes may be converted into cancer genes by certain highly reactive chemicals (i.e., carcinogens).
Consider 'cancer genes' as seeds that grow into tumor masses only if they are 'fed'. The 'feeding' comes from wrongful nutrition. It's like growing a lawn. We plant seeds but they don't grow into grass (or weeds) unless they are provided water, sunlight and nutrients. So it is with cancer. In reality, we are planting seeds all of our lifetime although some may be present at birth, not only for cancer but also for other events as well. But this mostly does not matter unless we 'nourish' their growth.
The chemicals that create these cancer genes are called 'carcinogens'. Most carcinogens of years past have been those that attack normal genes to give cancer genes. These are initiating carcinogens, or initiators. But more recently, carcinogens also may be those that promote cancer growth. They are promoting carcinogens, or promoters.
Our work showed that casein is the most relevant cancer promoter ever discovered.
Aside from chemicals initiating or promoting cancer, other agents such as cosmic rays (energetic particles) from the sun or from the outer reaches of space may impact our genes to cause them to change (i.e., mutate) so that they could give rise to cancer 'seeds'. The most important point to consider is that we cannot do much about preventing initiation but we can do a lot about preventing promotion. The initiating idea is fatalistic and outside of our control but the promotion idea is hopeful because we can change our exposure to promoting agents and reverse the cancer process, thus is within our control.
KF: What exactly is so bad about animal protein?
TCC: I don't choose the word "exactly" because it suggests something very specific. Rather, casein causes a broad spectrum of adverse effects.
Among other fundamental effects, it makes the body more acidic, alters the mix of hormones and modifies important enzyme activities, each of which can cause a broad array of more specific effects. One of these effects is its ability to promote cancer growth (by operating on key enzyme systems, by increasing hormone growth factors and by modifying the tissue acidity). Another is its ability to increase blood cholesterol (by modifying enzyme activities) and to enhance atherogenesis, which is the early stage of cardiovascular disease.
And finally, although these are casein-specific effects, it should be noted that other animal-based proteins are likely to have the same effect as casein.
KF: Ok, so I am clear that it's wise to avoid casein, which is intrinsic in dairy (milk and cheese), but how is other animal protein, such as chicken, steak, or pork, implicated in the cause and growth of cancer?
TCC: I would first say that casein is not just "intrinsic" but IS THE MAIN PROTEIN OF COW MILK, REPRESENTING ABOUT 87% OF THE MILK PROTEIN.
The biochemical systems which underlie the adverse effects of casein are also common to other animal-based proteins. Also, the amino acid composition of casein, which is the characteristic primarily responsible for its property, is similar to most other animal-based proteins. They all have what we call high 'biological value', in comparison, for example, with plant-based proteins, which is why animal protein promotes cancer growth and plant protein doesn't.
KF: Isn't anything in moderation ok, as long as we don't overdo it?
TCC: I rather like the expression told by my friend, Caldwell Esselstyn, Jr., MD, the Cleveland Clinic surgeon who reversed heart disease and who says, "Moderation kills!" I prefer to go the whole way, not because we have fool-proof evidence showing that 100% is better than, say, 95% for every single person for every single condition but that it is easier to avoid straying off on an excursion that too often becomes a slippery slope back to our old ways. Moreover, going the whole way allows us to adapt to new unrealized tastes and to rid ourselves of some old addictions. And finally, moderation often means very different things for different people.
KF: Are you saying that if one changes their diet from animal based protein to plant-based protein that the disease process of cancer can be halted and reversed?
TCC: Yes, this is what our experimental research shows. I also have become aware of many anecdotal claims by people who have said that their switch to a plant-based diet stopped even reversed (cured?) their disease. One study on melanoma has been published in the peer-reviewed literature that shows convincing evidence that cancer progression is substantially halted with this diet.
KF: How long does it take to see changes?
TCC: It is not clear because carefully designed research in humans has not been done. However, we demonstrated and published findings showing that experimental progression of disease is at least suspended, even reversed, when tumors are clearly present.
KF: Consider a person who has been eating poorly his whole life; is there still hope that a dietary change can make a big difference? Or is everything already in motion?
TCC: Yes, a variety of evidence shows that cancers and non-cancers alike can be stopped even after consuming a poor diet earlier in life. This effect is equivalent to treatment, a very exciting concept.
KF: This is sounding like it's a cure for cancer; is that the case?
TCC: Yes. The problem in this area of medicine is that traditional doctors are so focused on the use of targeted therapies (chemo, surgery, radiation) that they refuse to even acknowledge the use of therapies like nutrition and are loathe to even want to do proper research in this area. So, in spite of the considerable evidence--theoretical and practical--to support a beneficial nutritional effect, every effort will be made to discredit it. It's a self-serving motive.
KF: What else do you recommend one does to avoid, stop, or reverse cancer?
TCC: A good diet, when coupled with other health promoting activities like exercise, adequate fresh air and sunlight, good water and sleep, will be more beneficial. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
For help on how to lean into a plant based diet, check out my blog post here; and for recipes click here.
For more information about diet and cancer, visit tcolincampbell.org.
THIS BLOG ATTEMPTS TO SHOW HOW SCIENCE IS CATCHING UP WITH REVEALED RELIGION
THIS BLOG IS AN ATTEMPT TO PUT ALL THE COOL STUFF THAT I BUMP INTO ABOUT THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST AND EVENTS THAT LEAD UP TO IT INTO ONE LOCATION.
THE CONTENTS WILL BE FROM AN LDS PERSPECTIVE. IF YOU DISAGREE WITH ANYTHING IN HERE, I DO NOT PARTICULARLY CARE TO ARGUE, UNLESS YOU CAN ADD TO THIS BODY OF WORK. I HAVE AN OPEN MIND, THAT IS WHY I READ STUFF FROM ALL DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES AND SEEK LEARNING FROM THE BEST BOOKS. I JUST AM NOT HERE TO ARGUE ABOUT IT - BUT TO PUT IT OUT THERE WHERE OTHERS CAN PERUSE/PURSUE IT. I TAKE PARTICULAR INTEREST IN HONEST SEEKERS OF TRUTH AND BELIEVE THAT SCIENCE IS REVEALED RELIGION'S BEST ALLY. YOU WILL SEE ALOT OF TOPICS IN THIS BLOG THAT SHOW SCIENCE BACKING - AND SLOWLY CATCHING UP WITH - REVEALED RELIGION.
ENJOY!!
THE CONTENTS WILL BE FROM AN LDS PERSPECTIVE. IF YOU DISAGREE WITH ANYTHING IN HERE, I DO NOT PARTICULARLY CARE TO ARGUE, UNLESS YOU CAN ADD TO THIS BODY OF WORK. I HAVE AN OPEN MIND, THAT IS WHY I READ STUFF FROM ALL DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES AND SEEK LEARNING FROM THE BEST BOOKS. I JUST AM NOT HERE TO ARGUE ABOUT IT - BUT TO PUT IT OUT THERE WHERE OTHERS CAN PERUSE/PURSUE IT. I TAKE PARTICULAR INTEREST IN HONEST SEEKERS OF TRUTH AND BELIEVE THAT SCIENCE IS REVEALED RELIGION'S BEST ALLY. YOU WILL SEE ALOT OF TOPICS IN THIS BLOG THAT SHOW SCIENCE BACKING - AND SLOWLY CATCHING UP WITH - REVEALED RELIGION.
ENJOY!!
Showing posts with label WORD OF WISDOM. Show all posts
Showing posts with label WORD OF WISDOM. Show all posts
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
A DEFINITIVE WORK ON THE WORD OF WISDOM
There is nothing in this article that I would retract or argue with. We wonder why our health is not any better than that of the people of the world when we have modern revelation. Its because we are following after the ways of the world. When I teach on this subject, I always hit this bent - just not this in-depth. My hat is off to this thoughtful, excellent researcher in his work:
CLICK LINK
Here is the article copied and pasted in case the site ever goes down. I will use this info for the rest of my life to promote the true law. As with all laws we were originally given, we are living a lesser version of them - or a perverted version of them. Law of Consecration/Tithing; Celestial Marriage (plurality)/Monogamy; the Lord's Law of Health(Word of Wisdom)/the world's base and corrupt diet. Folks, maybe it is just me, but not only have we fallen off the wagon, but the wagon is being dragged along some incorrect path; and its upside down with the wheels spinning in the air as its being dragged along..... We are in a state of apostasy as a people - and I think the Bretheren just are at a loss as to what to do with us. If you taught most of this stuff in EQ, you would be run out on a rail.....
I hope you enjoy this article as much as I did:
A fresh take on the Word of Wisdom
Posted by Steven Reed // October 5, 2011 // Health
The Word of Wisdom is a revelation that includes many instructions from the Lord pertaining to the substances we consume that therefore make up our bodies. The promised blessings for obedience to the principles revealed to us are priceless and varied. But before getting to this modern dietary law, let’s start with a few examples of instructions concerning diet that God has given to man since the beginning.
A brief history of divinely mandated dietary laws
The Garden of Eden
We read, there was a garden eastward in Eden where Adam and Eve were counseled concerning that which they took into their bodies for nourishment:
And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. (Genesis 2:16-17)
Since they were allowed to eat of every tree of the garden, we can assume that their diet in this case was strictly limited to vegetation. There is no evidence of man consuming flesh for food at this point. The only thing they were counseled to not partake of was the fruit of the tree of knowledge.
Now the interesting thing about these dietary restrictions is that they had a specific purpose; to facilitate the fall, create a state whereby redemption was necessary and allow for the eternal progression and posterity of man. Have you ever thought about what other purposes God might have in mind for the other dietary laws he has instituted over time?
Post Garden of Eden Counsel
After partaking of the fruit of the tree of knowledge, Adam is given new counsel as to what he will eat from this time forward.
And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast…eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;…and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground;…Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.(Genesis 3:17-18,23)
This is all that we read about diet at this point. In the next chapter we read that Abel kept flocks and we can assume at least two or three things that they were used for:
1. Sacrifices (Adam and his posterity offered sacrifices to the Lord)
2. Clothing (think of the coats of skins the Lord provided for Adam and Eve)
3. Food? (It doesn’t appear clear one way or the other but it is certainly possible)
Noah and his people
We begin to get a little more information as we see the Lord teaching Noah what is acceptable to him in terms of what he may eat.
And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered. Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things. (Genesis 9:2-4)
They are told that every moving thing that liveth is ok to eat, just as the green herbs are ok to eat. But interestingly, the Joseph Smith Translation of Genesis 9:11 reads:
And surely, blood shall not be shed, only for meat, to save your lives; and the blood of every beast will I require at your hands.
This seems to indicate that while the Lord approved of his people eating flesh for food, that it was to only be in circumstances where you needed to do so to “save” your life. He further indicated that we would be accountable for the blood of every beast that we slay.
The Law of Moses
The Law of Moses contains, perhaps, the most rigorous set of dietary restrictions and laws that has ever been revealed. These may be found in Leviticus chapter 11 and Deuteronomy chapter 14. The Lord begins saying “These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth (Lev 11:2)” So it is clear that God has ordained animals for the use of man, for food and for raiment.
The Restoration’s Word of Wisdom
In March, 1831 a revelation was given to Joseph Smith mainly to counteract the ideas being promoted by Ann Lee who claimed to be the embodied Jesus Christ who had returned to the earth. One of the things she and her followers taught was abstention from the eating of meats to which the Lord replied:
And whoso forbiddeth to abstain from meats, that man should not eat the same, is not ordained of God; For, behold, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and that which cometh of the earth, is ordained for the use of man for food and for raiment, and that he might have in abundance. (D&C 49:18-19)
This goes right in line with the previous instructions that we have read about in the Old Testament. But just in case one might assume that “abundance” means “open season” on the shedding of blood, the Lord adds a caveat in the next verse:
And wo be unto man that sheddeth blood or that wasteth flesh and hath no need.
Well, when exactly does one “need” to shed blood for food? Thus far, we have read that it should be done to “save your lives”.
A few months later August of 1831 we get further guidance from the Lord in:
Verily I say, that inasmuch as ye do this, the fulness of the earth is yours, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and that which climbeth upon the trees and walketh upon the earth; Yea, and the herb, and the good things which come of the earth, whether for food or for raiment, or for houses, or for barns, or for orchards, or for gardens, or for vineyards; Yea, all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart; Yea, for food and for raiment, for taste and for smell, to strengthen the body and to enliven the soul. And it pleaseth God that he hath given all these things unto man; for unto this end were they made to be used, with judgment, not to excess, neither by extortion. (D&C 59:16-20)
These verses instruct us that all things are made for the benefit and use of man, both plant and animal alike. This sounds very much like the counsel given to both Noah and Moses and is consistent with what the Lord has said in other places. It seems to be an established fact that all these things are for us to use, but with judgment and not to excess.
In 1833, a new revelation was given concerning these things and is perhaps the clearest of all revelations on the matter. However, there is something uniquely different about this revelation, it was given as a unique set of instructions to the people of the last days for important key purposes. In the beginning of the revelation the Lord states:
In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days, I have warned you, and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation— (D&C 89:4)
The Lord in his infinite foreknowledge is aware of “evils and designs” that could be dangerous to us, so he is seeking to warn His people by giving a clear set of instructions. The Lord then goes on to list a set of things to beware of along with a set of things TO partake of. Now I think it is common for people to concern themselves with the negative items on the list, after all, we are being warned of danger are we not?
Perspective on caffeine
I think we drastically misinterpret the Word of Wisdom in many ways, one of which can be illustrated by our dreadful fear of the insidiously evil additive caffeine (yes my tongue is a bit in cheek here).
Yes, many Mormons will avoid caffeine as if it were an illegal street drug, but where did this aversion to caffeine come from?
I have a theory that is rooted in the fact that we are always wanting to know the exact reasons why the Lord has banned certain things in the Word of Wisdom. Somewhere along the lines, we figured that some of the “don’ts” in the Word of Wisdom are addictive in nature. The Lord has given us agency and doesn’t want us addicted to things to he counsels us to avoid them; makes sense. So what is addictive about some of these items? Alcohol can be addictive as well as tobacco for certain reasons, but what about Coffee and Tea? Ah, they have caffeine in them.
So maybe caffeine in these beverages is one of the main culprits for these drinks being banned by the Lord. We assume that caffeine, since it is addictive, must be avoided anywhere it can be found, but this is where the hypocrisy sets in.
A can of Coca-cola harbors 35 milligrams of caffeine and is on most Mormon’s “no-no list”, yet many of these Mormons may still enjoy a Hershey’s dark chocolate candy bar that harbors 31 milligrams of caffeine. Eat a Hershey’s kiss, and you’re eating 1 milligram of caffeine and I’ve seen these given to primary children – oh the horror! Caffeine is found plentifully in chocolate, which can be found regularly in treats consumed at home and at church activities.
Now I have heard people claim that they have “withdrawals” when they stop drinking their favorite caffeinated beverage. They attribute this to the addictive qualities of caffeine, but is it the caffeine that is causing the withdrawals or is it something far less obvious?
What if there was something else in those fizzy drinks and many other things that we ingest that was discovered to be more addictive than caffeine and even more addictive than crack cocaine? Wouldn’t you want to know immediately what this horrifying substance was so that you could adjust your eating habits accordingly?
Sure, that can of Coke has 35 milligrams of caffeine, but did you ever consider that the 39,000 milligrams of SUGAR might have anything to do with your withdrawal headaches? Yes, sugar is, in fact, a highly addictive substance.
In a recent French study, scientists found data that led them to conclude:
Our findings clearly demonstrate that intense sweetness can surpass cocaine reward, even in drug-sensitized and -addicted individuals. We speculate that the addictive potential of intense sweetness results from an inborn hypersensitivity to sweet tastants. In most mammals, including rats and humans, sweet receptors evolved in ancestral environments poor in sugars and are thus not adapted to high concentrations of sweet tastants. The supranormal stimulation of these receptors by sugar-rich diets, such as those now widely available in modern societies, would generate a supranormal reward signal in the brain, with the potential to override self-control mechanisms and thus to lead to addiction.
Are we so focused on “evil and conspiring men” putting caffeine in our beverages that we are blind to the astronomical increase in added sugars being put into virtually EVERYTHING we consume! What else is there that we take into our bodies regularly that shouldn’t be there? These conspiring men are good at what they do and you’ll remember how good they are every time you participate in a ward function where “refreshments” are served. Instead of donuts, how about some fruit? Call me crazy, I guess.
Statements from general authorities of the church concerning eating meats
I was surprised to find very little said concerning the eating of meats in recent years. Most of the quotes that I found were all very similar and not very specific, they just say “sparingly” and leave you to interpret what that means. I think this make sense given that the church is a global one now and they are speaking to people in many circumstances, some of which live in famine-ridden countries; so I think they are more careful about what they say.
As we look backwards in time to when the church was centered mostly in the United States, we see leaders of the church speaking more specifically on the matter.
President George Q. Cannon (This one starts off talking mostly about hunting):
We should by every means in our power impress upon the rising generation the value of life and how dreadful a sin it is to take life. The lives of animals even should be held far more sacred than they are. Young people should be taught to be very merciful to the brute creation and not to take life wantonly or for sport. The practice of hunting and killing game merely for sport should be frowned upon and not encouraged among us. God has created the fowls and the beasts for man’s convenience and comfort and for his consumption at proper times and under proper circumstances; but he does not justify men in wantonly killing those creatures which He has made and with which He has supplied the earth. SOURCE
George Q. Cannon of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, 7 April 1868:
We are told that swine’s flesh is not good, and that we should dispense with it; and we are told that flesh of any kind is not suitable to man in the summer time, and ought to be eaten sparingly in the winter. [“Word of Wisdom—Fish Culture—Dietetics,” reported by David W. Evans, Journal of Discourses, vol. 12 (Liverpool: Albert Carrington, 1869), pp. 221–22.]
Brigham Young, President of the Church, 19 July 1877
Mothers, keep the children from eating meat…Now, sisters, will you take notice, and instruct those who are not here today, to adopt this rule—stop your children from eating meat, and especially fat meat. [“Relief Societies—Talk to Mothers—Improvement Societies—Domestic Matters—Training Children—Home Production—Silk Interests,” reported by James Taylor, Journal of Discourses, vol. 19 (Liverpool: William Budge, 1878), pp. 67–68; spelling modernized.]
Lorenzo Snow, President of the Quorum of the Twelve, 11 March 1897:
[President Lorenzo Snow] introduced the subject of the Word of Wisdom, expressing the opinion that it was violated as much or more in the improper use of meat as in other things, and thought the time was near at hand when the Latter-day Saints should be taught to refrain from meat eating and the shedding of animal blood. [in Journal History of the Church, 11 March 1897, LDS Archives; see also Leonard J. Arrington, “An Economic Interpretation of the ‘Word of Wisdom,’ ” Brigham Young University Studies, vol. 1, no. 1 (Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University Press, Winter 1959), p. 47.]
Joseph Fielding Smith, President of the Twelve, 30 Dec. 1966
This is my answer to you in relation to President Brigham Young’s statement that mothers should not feed their small children meat. Yes! Small children do not need the flesh of animals. May I add also that adults would be better if they would refrain from too much eating of meat. As far as I am concerned the eating of meat should be very sparingly. In fact I will be contented if the Millennium was to be ushered in next week. When it is, we will learn that the eating of meat is not good for us. Why do we feel that we do not have a square meal unless it is based largely on meat. Let the dumb animals live. They enjoy life as well as we do.
In the beginning the Lord granted man the use of the flesh of certain animals. See Genesis 9:1-6, but with so many fruits of the soil and from the trees of the earth, why cannot man be content? Naturally in times of famine the flesh of animals was perhaps a necessity, but in my judgment when the Millennium reaches us, we will live above the need of killing dumb innocent animals and eating them. If we will take this stand in my judgment we may live longer. [In a letter to a member sister in El Paso, Texas, dated 30 Dec. 1966, quoted in Health Is A Blessing: A Guide to the Scriptural Laws of Good Health, by Steven H. Horne, advance publication copy (Springville, Utah: Nature’s Field, 1994), p. 34.]
Heber J. Grant, President of the Church, 4 April 1937 said:
I think that another reason why I have very splendid strength for an old man is that during the years we have had a cafeteria in the Utah Hotel, I have not, with the exception of not more than a dozen times, ordered meat of any kind. On these special occasions I have mentioned I have perhaps had a small, tender lamb chop. I have endeavored to live the Word of Wisdom, and that, in my opinion, is one reason for my good health. [in Conference Report, April 1937, p. 15.]
Heber J. Grant, President of the Church, 1 October 1937
It is no hardship to me to eat meat sparingly. I lived for several years, during the winter time, in the Utah Hotel and I am sure that not more than ten or a dozen times did I order meat, and then it was some small lamb chops; no pork, no turkey, no chicken, no veal of any kind did I ever eat during that time at the cafeteria. [in Conference Report, October 1937, p. 14.]
John A. Widstoe speaking of the Word of Wisdom in his 1937 book “The Word of Wisdom, A Modern Interpretation” wrote:
The revelation deals only with grains, fruits, vegetables– nature’s products– and with meat to be used sparingly in cold or famine, but it does not follow that foods not specifically mentioned in the Word of Wisdom are prohibited…It is believed by many that grains, fruits and vegetables are chiefly valuable as foods for other than their protein content. This is incorrect, for a properly selected low meat or wholly vegetarian diet, if supplemented with milk, cheese and eggs, will support life completely. The above conclusion is fully borne out by experiments carried out by men of the highest professional training and integrity. SOURCE
Jessie E. Smith, Wife of Joseph Fielding Smith, President of the Church said:
My husband doesn’t eat meat [but rather] lots of fruit and vegetables. [in Gerald E. Jones, PhD Dissertation entitled Concern for Animals as Manifest in Five American Churches: Bible Christian, Shaker, Latter-day Saint, Christian Scientist, and Seventh-Day Adventist (Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University, 1972), p. 118.]
Elder Joseph F. Merrill of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said in a General Conference of the church:
The foods to be used most sparingly are those which contain a great excess of protein, such as meat, eggs, cheese, and beans. On this account, there are many authorities who think that it would be safer to discard the use of meat altogether than to continue to use it so freely as many Americans are doing. [He goes on to quote a USDA bulletin which states:] ”meat may be omitted from the diet altogether, for it has been determined that all necessary protein and energy may be obtained from other materials.” …Americans eat too much meat, a non-essential in human diet, because all the proteins needed are available in the other foods just named.” SOURCE
Joseph Fielding Smith said concerning the use of flesh:
While it is ordained that the flesh of animals is for man’s food, yet this should be used sparingly. The wording of this revelation is perfectly clear in relation to this subject, but we do not always heed it. The designated grains for the use of man, beasts and fowls, is scientifically correct. (CHMR, 1948, 2:148.)
Spencer W. Kimball in 1978 quoted Joseph F. Smith who said:
“I do not believe any man should kill animals or birds unless he needs them for food, and then he should not kill innocent little birds that are not intended for food for man. I think it is wicked for men to thirst in their souls to kill almost everything which possesses animal life. It is wrong, and I have been surprised at prominent men whom I have seen whose very souls seemed to be athirst for the shedding of animal blood.” (Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed., Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1939, pp. 265-66.)
Elder Harold G. Hillam of the seventy said in October 2001:
The scriptures tell us that all grains are good for us (see D&C 89:14) and that meat is “ordained for the use of man” but should be “used sparingly” SOURCE
L. Tom Perry said in 1996:
The Word of Wisdom contains some very positive aspects. It encourages us to use grains, particularly wheat, and to use fruits and vegetables and the sparing use of meat. SOURCE
Since recently we are left to determine what the meaning of the word “sparingly” means in relation to the Word of Wisdom, it becomes necessary to examine the scriptures further for additional clarification.
The laws concerning man’s core diet and the consuming of flesh
In Doctrine & Covenants 89, we are introduced to a simple outline of what God has ordained for man to eat:
And again, verily I say unto you, all wholesome herbs God hath ordained for the constitution, nature, and use of man—Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof; all these to be used with prudence and thanksgiving. (D&C 89:10-11)
So all wholesome herbs and fruit are ordained, or set apart, for the constitution, nature and use of man. Now it is important to analyze some of the words in these verses. Going by the trusty Webster’s 1828 Dictionary, we learn that herbs are defined as “A plant or vegetable with a soft or succulent stalk or stem, which dies to the root every year, and is thus distinguished from a tree and a shrub, which have ligneous or hard woody stems.” Further, “The word herb comprehends all the grasses, and numerous plants used for culinary purposes.”
Fruits are defined as “the produce of a tree or other plant; the last production for the propagation or multiplication of its kind; the seed of plants, or the part that contains the seeds; as wheat, rye, oats, apples, quinces, pears, cherries, acorns, melons, &c.”
Now what does it mean that these things are to be for the “constitution” and “nature” of man? Constitution in this instance means:
“The state of being; that form of being or peculiar structure and connection of parts which makes or characterizes a system or body. Hence the particular frame or temperament of the human body is called its constitution. We speak of a robust or feeble constitution; a cold, phlegmatic, sanguine or irritable constitution. We speak of the constitution of the air, or other substance; the constitution of the solar system; the constitution of things.”
So herbs and fruit are ordained to be the things that constitute the human body; you are what you eat, right? What about “nature”? Nature is “The essence, essential qualities or attributes of a thing, which constitute it what it is” and there you have the word “constitute” again.
Continuing with the revelation we read:
Yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used sparingly; (D&C 89:12)
Read the language very carefully, the Lord says that he has also “ordained” the flesh of beasts and fowls for the USE of man, with thanksgiving and that they are to be used sparingly. Note that herbs and fruits were ordained for the “constitution, nature and use of man” but when speaking of the flesh of beasts the words “constitution” and “nature” are NOT used, furthermore, it is emphasized that they are to be used sparingly. Sparingly means:
“Not abundantly. Frugally; parsimoniously; not lavishly. Abstinently; moderately.”
If we take a deeper look at the word “abstinently” we read that it means:
“in general, the act or practice of voluntarily refraining from, or forbearing any action. More appropriately, The refraining from an indulgence of appetite, or from customary gratifications of animal propensities. It denotes a total forbearance, as in fasting, or a forbearance of the usual quantity. In the latter sense, it may coincide with temperance, but in general, it denotes a more sparing use of enjoyments than temperance. Besides, abstinence implies previous free indulgence; temperance does not.”
In verse 13 the Lord elaborates by saying:
And it is pleasing unto me that they should not be used, only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine.
The Lord is pleased when the flesh of animals is not used as food with the exceptions being, only in times of winter, cold or famine, or in the words of Genesis 9:11, “to save your lives”.
In verse 14 the Lord indicates what the staff of life should be:
All grain is ordained for the use of man and of beasts, to be the staff of life, not only for man but for the beasts of the field, and the fowls of heaven, and all wild animals that run or creep on the earth;
The Lord indicates that all grain is ordained to be the staff or support of life for man and the animals as well; and speaking of the animals, he refers to their use yet again:
And these hath God made for the use of man only in times of famine and excess of hunger.
So it isn’t just winter time that the Lord is concerned about, he prefers it seems, that the flesh of animals is only to be consumed when we do not have access to the herbs, fruits and grains that he has ordained for our constitution and nature. The Lord continues in verses 16 and 17 to emphasize this point to us:
All grain is good for the food of man; as also the fruit of the vine; that which yieldeth fruit, whether in the ground or above the ground—Nevertheless, wheat for man, and corn for the ox, and oats for the horse, and rye for the fowls and for swine, and for all beasts of the field, and barley for all useful animals, and for mild drinks, as also other grain.
Animal protein as an addictive and carcinogenic substance
Casein is a protein found in animal products such as meat, milk and cheese. While unprocessed and unseasoned fruits and vegetables are naturally casein-free. So what’s the big deal about casein? Well, many people are allergic to it along with gluten for instance, but here’s were it gets interesting; what if you knew that it was also an addictive substance?
The Orlando Sentinel July 13, 2003, published an article that revealed some interesting information about cheese:
Why is cheese so addicting? Certainly not because of its aroma, which is perilously close to old socks. The first hint of a biochemical explanation came in 1981, when scientists at Wellcome Research Laboratories in Research Triangle Park, N.C., found a substance in dairy products that looked remarkably like morphine. After a complex series of tests, they determined that, surprisingly enough, it actually was morphine. By a fluke of nature, the enzymes that produce opiates are not confined to poppies — they also hide inside cows’ livers. So traces of morphine can pass into the animal’s bloodstream and end up in milk and milk products. The amounts are far too small to explain cheese’s appeal. But nonetheless, the discovery led scientists on their search for opiate compounds in dairy products.
And they found them. Opiates hide inside casein, the main dairy protein. As casein molecules are digested, they break apart to release tiny opiate molecules, called casomorphins. One of these compounds has about one-tenth the opiate strength of morphine.The especially addicting power of cheese may be due to the fact that the process of cheese-making removes water,lactose and whey proteins so that casein is concentrated. Scientists are now trying to tease out whether these opiate molecules work strictly within the digestive tract or whether they pass into the bloodstream and reach the brain directly…
The cheese industry is miles ahead of them, having gone to great lengths to identify people who are most vulnerable to addiction. It dubs them “cheese cravers,” and tracks their age, educational level and other demographics so as to target them with marketing strategies that are tough to ignore. With a $200 million annual research and marketing budget, the dairy industry is not content to have you just sprinkling a little mozzarella on your salad. It is looking for those Americans who will eat it straight out of the package, whatever the cost to their waistlines or cholesterol levels.
At a “Cheese Forum” held Dec. 5, 2000, Dick Cooper, the vice president of Cheese Marketing for Dairy Management Inc., laid out the industry’s scheme for identifying potential addicts and keeping them hooked. In his slide presentation, which was released to our organization under the Freedom of Information Act, he asked the question, “What do we want our marketing program to do?” and then gave the answer: “Trigger the cheese craving.” He described how, in a partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the dairy industry launched Wendy’s Cheddar Lover’s Bacon Cheeseburger, which single-handedly pushed 2.25 million pounds of cheese during the promotion period. That works out to 380 tons of fat and 1.2 tons of pure cholesterol in the cheese alone. A similar promotion with Pizza Hut launched the “Ultimate Cheese Pizza,” which added an entire pound of cheese to a single pizza and sold five million pounds of it during a six-week promotion in 2000. The presentation concluded with a cartoon of a playground slide with a large spider web woven to trap children as they reached the bottom. The caption had one spider saying to another, “If we pull this off, we’ll eat like kings.”
So I guess we can see direct fulfillment in this case of the Word of Wisdom’s warning:
“In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days, I have warned you, and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation—” (D&C 89:4)
Here are some quotes regarding the addictive properties of casein starting with a brief statement from the Great Plains Laboratory:
The peptides from gluten and casein are important because they can react with opiate receptors in the brain, thus mimicking the effects of opiate drugs like heroin and morphine. – Great Plains Laboratory
Dr. Neal Barnard, in an interview with the Washington Post had this to say:
Certain foods appear to stimulate the release of opiate chemicals within the brain. These are chemical cousins of morphine and heroin. The are not as strong as illegal drugs, but appear to be strong enough to keep us coming back, especially when we are stressed, tire, angry, or alone.
Not every food does this. The groups that do are sugar (and sugar-fat mixtures, such as butter cookies, as well as foods that produce sugar rapidly), chocolate, cheese, and meat. Let me share some of the evidence for this. In emergency rooms, doctors use the drug naloxone to block opiate receptors. So when a person has overdosed on heroin, naloxone can save their life. If we give it to a seriously addicted chocoholic–a person who really binges on it–chocolate is much less attractive. This suggests that chocolate’s attraction is not just its taste, but rather its effect on the brain. The same has been found for sugary foods, cheese, and meat…It is odd to think of meat as “addicting” but there are many people who feel they really cannot give it up, even after they have had a heart attack or a relative has developed colon or breast cancer (two forms of the disease linked to meat consumption).” - Dr. Neal Barnard is a nutrition expert, an adjunct associate professor of medicine at the George Washington University School of Medicine and the president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. SOURCE
Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., M.D. in an interview said concerning casein:
“With dairy products you’ve got the whole problem of animal protein which is known to contribute to [heart disease], and you have casein, and that’s where Dr. T. Colin Campbell has really gotten four stars — he’s shown absolutely how horrifically powerful casein is as a tumor promoter, not to mention the IGF, which is the “Insulin-like Growth Factor” in milk, which is another tumor promoter.” SOURCE
Dr. T. Colin Campbell, whose name you might recognize from the now famous “China Study” produced some amazing research that found links between animal protein and cancer:
When Campbell and his colleagues looked at the connection between animal protein and late cancer, they discovered they were able to trigger and then shut down the formation of cancerous tumors by adjusting the amount of animal protein. In the study, the lab animals were expected to be at the end of their lives within 100 weeks. All 58 animals with diets consisting of 20 percent proteins were dead at the end of the 100-week period. All 60 at the 5 percent level of protein were living after the 100 weeks. SOURCE
Dr. Campbell has also said:
…the nutrients from animal based foods, especially the protein, promote the development of the cancer whereas the nutrients from plant-based foods, especially the antioxidants, reverse the promotion stage. This is a very promising observation because cancer proceeds forward or backward as a function of the balance of promoting and anti-promoting factors found in the diet, thus consuming anti-promoting plant-based foods tend to keep the cancer from going forward, perhaps even reversing the promotion.
…Our work showed that casein is the most relevant cancer promoter ever discovered. SOURCE
The addictive effects of animal protein are known and skillfully manipulated to bind us to them for profit. In my opinion, I believe that this more than fulfills the Lord’s words in the Word of Wisdom concerning “conspiring men in the last days” and considering the dangerous, carcinogenic effects of animal protein, I would say that we have direct evidence that “evils and designs” are certainly used by the companies that promote these products in our diets.
But what about fish? When asked this question in an interview, Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., M.D. said this:
“For the question about whether or not you want to eat fish, here I refer to my friend and colleague Dr.John McDougall, a kindred spirit, John has explained it this way: that a piece of muscle, whether with claws with a hoof, whether it flaps a wing, whether it wiggles a fin, all animal muscle is made of animal protein,animal fat, and animal cholesterol, none of what you want. Now you do get some Omega-3s from fish, but you also get a lot of PCBs and mercury, and other things you don’t want. But you can get Omega-3 through flax seed meal, which is what I prefer.” SOURCE
Does the Word of Wisdom preach Vegetarianism or Veganism?
A Vegetarian is defined as “A person who does not eat meat, and sometimes other animal products, esp. for moral, religious, or health reasons.” and a Vegan is defined as “A person who does not eat or use animal products.”
Now we approach the fine line.
I personally believe that according to scripture, both Vegetarianism and Veganism are not in line with the teachings of the Lord. Therefore, I would never refer to myself as a Vegetarian or a Vegan or any other such label. I also believe that, according to scripture, the modern practice of consuming animal flesh on a daily, regular basis, while we live in times of prosperity and plenty is in violation of the Lord’s instructions.
I have sought out further instruction from modern prophets on the subject of consuming of meat and there isn’t much detailed information. They always point back to D&C 89 and almost always mention “sparingly”. It seems that the revelation itself is plain enough to not warrant a more in-depth analysis.
The clear facts are that God has ordained herbs, fruits and grains for the constitution and nature of the bodies of man and that he has also ordained the flesh of animals for the use of man in times of famine, excess hunger and when it becomes necessary in order for survival.
So what does that mean for us today?
Well, it may mean some incredibly difficult dietary changes for each one of us. It’s taken me years, to adjust the eating habits of my family to be more along the lines of what the Lord has revealed and I am still working on it. It has meant giving up things I used to eat abundantly, things I used to and still do savor. I have a freezer full of beef which I will gratefully maintain in case I ever need it. However, on my journey, I have discovered a wealth of incredibly delicious and nutritious things to eat that are in line with the principles of the Word of Wisdom.
As I have been feasting upon herbs, fruits, grains and nuts, my tastes have adapted and now crave these items. I’ve dramatically reduced my sugar intake and am continuing to drop weight. I’m just beginning to realize that these changes have significantly affected my life concerning the promised revelatory treasures of knowledge and hidden knowledge. I’m not completely there yet; I’m still learning about this subject more and more, but I can say that as I have tried to pattern my life closer to the Lord’s instructions, I have been blessed.
I am sensitive to the fact that in many nations around the earth, people do not have very much choice in what they get to eat. Many of these people live in a state of constant famine and in these cases, I believe that they are fully authorized to utilize the flesh of animals for sustenance. I also support the Church in its maintaining of vast herds of livestock for the feeding of the needy, just as Abel was a keeper of flocks. But are WE, justified in partaking of the same where we are literally surrounded by stores where we can purchase any food we want at any time?
The Promise of living the principle
In 2003, at a Church Educational System (CES) Fireside for Young Adults, President Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said some extremely significant things concerning the Word of Wisdom:
The “Word of Wisdom [was] given for a principle with promise” (D&C 89:1, 3). But what is the promise? The promise, of course, is personal revelation…Now, the Word of Wisdom is, I think, only incidentally to keep us healthy, if we will observe it. But that matter of physical health is a losing battle. You know, no matter what you do to take care of your body, in due course, it begins to weaken! We are not going to live forever in this life…The point is, if you want to move on spiritually and do as you ought to do in this life, the principle outlined in the Word of Wisdom shows you the requirements. You cannot just toy with it…And so, like it or not! If you are tampering, if there is any mischief, you have got to quit it! It is not that you are going to be a healthy athlete all of your life, and it is not that you are going to avoid old age. It is that you will have the key to revelation. When your body begins to deteriorate, the patterns of revelation will be augmented and magnified. (Boyd K. Packer, The Instrument of Your Mind and the Foundation of Your Character, LINK)
So the Word of Wisdom is only incidentally about health and wellness. The key purpose is to guide us in the management of the constitution and nature of our bodies so they they can be an “instrument of [our] mind”, existing in a state whereby they will not be obstacles to our ability to receive revelation.
President Packer clearly states “the Word of Wisdom shows you the requirements. You cannot just toy with it”. Are we willing to follow the Word of Wisdom as revealed to us? Or will we continue to follow the diet of the average American citizen? Remember, the Word of Wisdom (yes, the entire thing) was given to warn and forewarn us “In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days.”
Conclusion
Why should we think that these evils are limited only to dangerous drugs and not to the very foods that we consume regularly? Do we not see the rampant cancers, obesity and disease even among members of the church who abstain from illegal drugs, alcohol and tobacco?
If we do not change, we will continue to see more of the same. In a world where science is as fickle as the weather when determining what we should or should not eat, the Word of Wisdom is a rock of safety and consistency. If we have found ourselves in a state where we are not healthy physically or spiritually or worry about our future health, perhaps the best counsel is summed up in the three words offered by the Old Testament prophet Haggai: “Consider your ways” (Haggai 1:5)
——-
Updates:
* Added section “Animal protein as an addictive and carcinogenic substance” – October 11, 2011
* Added section “Statements from general authorities of the church concerning eating meats” - October 11, 2011
* Added several quotes to the “Statements from general authorities…” section (Special thanks to Brian from LatterDayConservative.com) – October 11, 2011
About the Author
I grew up in South Texas, served a mission for the Church in the Idaho Boise Mission, have a degree in Management and background in Graphic Design. I thoroughly enjoy the study of any subject I can get my hands on. I particularly enjoy topics relating to religion, symbolism and government.
by Steven Reed
CLICK LINK
Here is the article copied and pasted in case the site ever goes down. I will use this info for the rest of my life to promote the true law. As with all laws we were originally given, we are living a lesser version of them - or a perverted version of them. Law of Consecration/Tithing; Celestial Marriage (plurality)/Monogamy; the Lord's Law of Health(Word of Wisdom)/the world's base and corrupt diet. Folks, maybe it is just me, but not only have we fallen off the wagon, but the wagon is being dragged along some incorrect path; and its upside down with the wheels spinning in the air as its being dragged along..... We are in a state of apostasy as a people - and I think the Bretheren just are at a loss as to what to do with us. If you taught most of this stuff in EQ, you would be run out on a rail.....
I hope you enjoy this article as much as I did:
A fresh take on the Word of Wisdom
Posted by Steven Reed // October 5, 2011 // Health
The Word of Wisdom is a revelation that includes many instructions from the Lord pertaining to the substances we consume that therefore make up our bodies. The promised blessings for obedience to the principles revealed to us are priceless and varied. But before getting to this modern dietary law, let’s start with a few examples of instructions concerning diet that God has given to man since the beginning.
A brief history of divinely mandated dietary laws
The Garden of Eden
We read, there was a garden eastward in Eden where Adam and Eve were counseled concerning that which they took into their bodies for nourishment:
And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. (Genesis 2:16-17)
Since they were allowed to eat of every tree of the garden, we can assume that their diet in this case was strictly limited to vegetation. There is no evidence of man consuming flesh for food at this point. The only thing they were counseled to not partake of was the fruit of the tree of knowledge.
Now the interesting thing about these dietary restrictions is that they had a specific purpose; to facilitate the fall, create a state whereby redemption was necessary and allow for the eternal progression and posterity of man. Have you ever thought about what other purposes God might have in mind for the other dietary laws he has instituted over time?
Post Garden of Eden Counsel
After partaking of the fruit of the tree of knowledge, Adam is given new counsel as to what he will eat from this time forward.
And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast…eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;…and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground;…Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.(Genesis 3:17-18,23)
This is all that we read about diet at this point. In the next chapter we read that Abel kept flocks and we can assume at least two or three things that they were used for:
1. Sacrifices (Adam and his posterity offered sacrifices to the Lord)
2. Clothing (think of the coats of skins the Lord provided for Adam and Eve)
3. Food? (It doesn’t appear clear one way or the other but it is certainly possible)
Noah and his people
We begin to get a little more information as we see the Lord teaching Noah what is acceptable to him in terms of what he may eat.
And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered. Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things. (Genesis 9:2-4)
They are told that every moving thing that liveth is ok to eat, just as the green herbs are ok to eat. But interestingly, the Joseph Smith Translation of Genesis 9:11 reads:
And surely, blood shall not be shed, only for meat, to save your lives; and the blood of every beast will I require at your hands.
This seems to indicate that while the Lord approved of his people eating flesh for food, that it was to only be in circumstances where you needed to do so to “save” your life. He further indicated that we would be accountable for the blood of every beast that we slay.
The Law of Moses
The Law of Moses contains, perhaps, the most rigorous set of dietary restrictions and laws that has ever been revealed. These may be found in Leviticus chapter 11 and Deuteronomy chapter 14. The Lord begins saying “These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth (Lev 11:2)” So it is clear that God has ordained animals for the use of man, for food and for raiment.
The Restoration’s Word of Wisdom
In March, 1831 a revelation was given to Joseph Smith mainly to counteract the ideas being promoted by Ann Lee who claimed to be the embodied Jesus Christ who had returned to the earth. One of the things she and her followers taught was abstention from the eating of meats to which the Lord replied:
And whoso forbiddeth to abstain from meats, that man should not eat the same, is not ordained of God; For, behold, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and that which cometh of the earth, is ordained for the use of man for food and for raiment, and that he might have in abundance. (D&C 49:18-19)
This goes right in line with the previous instructions that we have read about in the Old Testament. But just in case one might assume that “abundance” means “open season” on the shedding of blood, the Lord adds a caveat in the next verse:
And wo be unto man that sheddeth blood or that wasteth flesh and hath no need.
Well, when exactly does one “need” to shed blood for food? Thus far, we have read that it should be done to “save your lives”.
A few months later August of 1831 we get further guidance from the Lord in:
Verily I say, that inasmuch as ye do this, the fulness of the earth is yours, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and that which climbeth upon the trees and walketh upon the earth; Yea, and the herb, and the good things which come of the earth, whether for food or for raiment, or for houses, or for barns, or for orchards, or for gardens, or for vineyards; Yea, all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart; Yea, for food and for raiment, for taste and for smell, to strengthen the body and to enliven the soul. And it pleaseth God that he hath given all these things unto man; for unto this end were they made to be used, with judgment, not to excess, neither by extortion. (D&C 59:16-20)
These verses instruct us that all things are made for the benefit and use of man, both plant and animal alike. This sounds very much like the counsel given to both Noah and Moses and is consistent with what the Lord has said in other places. It seems to be an established fact that all these things are for us to use, but with judgment and not to excess.
In 1833, a new revelation was given concerning these things and is perhaps the clearest of all revelations on the matter. However, there is something uniquely different about this revelation, it was given as a unique set of instructions to the people of the last days for important key purposes. In the beginning of the revelation the Lord states:
In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days, I have warned you, and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation— (D&C 89:4)
The Lord in his infinite foreknowledge is aware of “evils and designs” that could be dangerous to us, so he is seeking to warn His people by giving a clear set of instructions. The Lord then goes on to list a set of things to beware of along with a set of things TO partake of. Now I think it is common for people to concern themselves with the negative items on the list, after all, we are being warned of danger are we not?
Perspective on caffeine
I think we drastically misinterpret the Word of Wisdom in many ways, one of which can be illustrated by our dreadful fear of the insidiously evil additive caffeine (yes my tongue is a bit in cheek here).
Yes, many Mormons will avoid caffeine as if it were an illegal street drug, but where did this aversion to caffeine come from?
I have a theory that is rooted in the fact that we are always wanting to know the exact reasons why the Lord has banned certain things in the Word of Wisdom. Somewhere along the lines, we figured that some of the “don’ts” in the Word of Wisdom are addictive in nature. The Lord has given us agency and doesn’t want us addicted to things to he counsels us to avoid them; makes sense. So what is addictive about some of these items? Alcohol can be addictive as well as tobacco for certain reasons, but what about Coffee and Tea? Ah, they have caffeine in them.
So maybe caffeine in these beverages is one of the main culprits for these drinks being banned by the Lord. We assume that caffeine, since it is addictive, must be avoided anywhere it can be found, but this is where the hypocrisy sets in.
A can of Coca-cola harbors 35 milligrams of caffeine and is on most Mormon’s “no-no list”, yet many of these Mormons may still enjoy a Hershey’s dark chocolate candy bar that harbors 31 milligrams of caffeine. Eat a Hershey’s kiss, and you’re eating 1 milligram of caffeine and I’ve seen these given to primary children – oh the horror! Caffeine is found plentifully in chocolate, which can be found regularly in treats consumed at home and at church activities.
Now I have heard people claim that they have “withdrawals” when they stop drinking their favorite caffeinated beverage. They attribute this to the addictive qualities of caffeine, but is it the caffeine that is causing the withdrawals or is it something far less obvious?
What if there was something else in those fizzy drinks and many other things that we ingest that was discovered to be more addictive than caffeine and even more addictive than crack cocaine? Wouldn’t you want to know immediately what this horrifying substance was so that you could adjust your eating habits accordingly?
Sure, that can of Coke has 35 milligrams of caffeine, but did you ever consider that the 39,000 milligrams of SUGAR might have anything to do with your withdrawal headaches? Yes, sugar is, in fact, a highly addictive substance.
In a recent French study, scientists found data that led them to conclude:
Our findings clearly demonstrate that intense sweetness can surpass cocaine reward, even in drug-sensitized and -addicted individuals. We speculate that the addictive potential of intense sweetness results from an inborn hypersensitivity to sweet tastants. In most mammals, including rats and humans, sweet receptors evolved in ancestral environments poor in sugars and are thus not adapted to high concentrations of sweet tastants. The supranormal stimulation of these receptors by sugar-rich diets, such as those now widely available in modern societies, would generate a supranormal reward signal in the brain, with the potential to override self-control mechanisms and thus to lead to addiction.
Are we so focused on “evil and conspiring men” putting caffeine in our beverages that we are blind to the astronomical increase in added sugars being put into virtually EVERYTHING we consume! What else is there that we take into our bodies regularly that shouldn’t be there? These conspiring men are good at what they do and you’ll remember how good they are every time you participate in a ward function where “refreshments” are served. Instead of donuts, how about some fruit? Call me crazy, I guess.
Statements from general authorities of the church concerning eating meats
I was surprised to find very little said concerning the eating of meats in recent years. Most of the quotes that I found were all very similar and not very specific, they just say “sparingly” and leave you to interpret what that means. I think this make sense given that the church is a global one now and they are speaking to people in many circumstances, some of which live in famine-ridden countries; so I think they are more careful about what they say.
As we look backwards in time to when the church was centered mostly in the United States, we see leaders of the church speaking more specifically on the matter.
President George Q. Cannon (This one starts off talking mostly about hunting):
We should by every means in our power impress upon the rising generation the value of life and how dreadful a sin it is to take life. The lives of animals even should be held far more sacred than they are. Young people should be taught to be very merciful to the brute creation and not to take life wantonly or for sport. The practice of hunting and killing game merely for sport should be frowned upon and not encouraged among us. God has created the fowls and the beasts for man’s convenience and comfort and for his consumption at proper times and under proper circumstances; but he does not justify men in wantonly killing those creatures which He has made and with which He has supplied the earth. SOURCE
George Q. Cannon of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, 7 April 1868:
We are told that swine’s flesh is not good, and that we should dispense with it; and we are told that flesh of any kind is not suitable to man in the summer time, and ought to be eaten sparingly in the winter. [“Word of Wisdom—Fish Culture—Dietetics,” reported by David W. Evans, Journal of Discourses, vol. 12 (Liverpool: Albert Carrington, 1869), pp. 221–22.]
Brigham Young, President of the Church, 19 July 1877
Mothers, keep the children from eating meat…Now, sisters, will you take notice, and instruct those who are not here today, to adopt this rule—stop your children from eating meat, and especially fat meat. [“Relief Societies—Talk to Mothers—Improvement Societies—Domestic Matters—Training Children—Home Production—Silk Interests,” reported by James Taylor, Journal of Discourses, vol. 19 (Liverpool: William Budge, 1878), pp. 67–68; spelling modernized.]
Lorenzo Snow, President of the Quorum of the Twelve, 11 March 1897:
[President Lorenzo Snow] introduced the subject of the Word of Wisdom, expressing the opinion that it was violated as much or more in the improper use of meat as in other things, and thought the time was near at hand when the Latter-day Saints should be taught to refrain from meat eating and the shedding of animal blood. [in Journal History of the Church, 11 March 1897, LDS Archives; see also Leonard J. Arrington, “An Economic Interpretation of the ‘Word of Wisdom,’ ” Brigham Young University Studies, vol. 1, no. 1 (Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University Press, Winter 1959), p. 47.]
Joseph Fielding Smith, President of the Twelve, 30 Dec. 1966
This is my answer to you in relation to President Brigham Young’s statement that mothers should not feed their small children meat. Yes! Small children do not need the flesh of animals. May I add also that adults would be better if they would refrain from too much eating of meat. As far as I am concerned the eating of meat should be very sparingly. In fact I will be contented if the Millennium was to be ushered in next week. When it is, we will learn that the eating of meat is not good for us. Why do we feel that we do not have a square meal unless it is based largely on meat. Let the dumb animals live. They enjoy life as well as we do.
In the beginning the Lord granted man the use of the flesh of certain animals. See Genesis 9:1-6, but with so many fruits of the soil and from the trees of the earth, why cannot man be content? Naturally in times of famine the flesh of animals was perhaps a necessity, but in my judgment when the Millennium reaches us, we will live above the need of killing dumb innocent animals and eating them. If we will take this stand in my judgment we may live longer. [In a letter to a member sister in El Paso, Texas, dated 30 Dec. 1966, quoted in Health Is A Blessing: A Guide to the Scriptural Laws of Good Health, by Steven H. Horne, advance publication copy (Springville, Utah: Nature’s Field, 1994), p. 34.]
Heber J. Grant, President of the Church, 4 April 1937 said:
I think that another reason why I have very splendid strength for an old man is that during the years we have had a cafeteria in the Utah Hotel, I have not, with the exception of not more than a dozen times, ordered meat of any kind. On these special occasions I have mentioned I have perhaps had a small, tender lamb chop. I have endeavored to live the Word of Wisdom, and that, in my opinion, is one reason for my good health. [in Conference Report, April 1937, p. 15.]
Heber J. Grant, President of the Church, 1 October 1937
It is no hardship to me to eat meat sparingly. I lived for several years, during the winter time, in the Utah Hotel and I am sure that not more than ten or a dozen times did I order meat, and then it was some small lamb chops; no pork, no turkey, no chicken, no veal of any kind did I ever eat during that time at the cafeteria. [in Conference Report, October 1937, p. 14.]
John A. Widstoe speaking of the Word of Wisdom in his 1937 book “The Word of Wisdom, A Modern Interpretation” wrote:
The revelation deals only with grains, fruits, vegetables– nature’s products– and with meat to be used sparingly in cold or famine, but it does not follow that foods not specifically mentioned in the Word of Wisdom are prohibited…It is believed by many that grains, fruits and vegetables are chiefly valuable as foods for other than their protein content. This is incorrect, for a properly selected low meat or wholly vegetarian diet, if supplemented with milk, cheese and eggs, will support life completely. The above conclusion is fully borne out by experiments carried out by men of the highest professional training and integrity. SOURCE
Jessie E. Smith, Wife of Joseph Fielding Smith, President of the Church said:
My husband doesn’t eat meat [but rather] lots of fruit and vegetables. [in Gerald E. Jones, PhD Dissertation entitled Concern for Animals as Manifest in Five American Churches: Bible Christian, Shaker, Latter-day Saint, Christian Scientist, and Seventh-Day Adventist (Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University, 1972), p. 118.]
Elder Joseph F. Merrill of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said in a General Conference of the church:
The foods to be used most sparingly are those which contain a great excess of protein, such as meat, eggs, cheese, and beans. On this account, there are many authorities who think that it would be safer to discard the use of meat altogether than to continue to use it so freely as many Americans are doing. [He goes on to quote a USDA bulletin which states:] ”meat may be omitted from the diet altogether, for it has been determined that all necessary protein and energy may be obtained from other materials.” …Americans eat too much meat, a non-essential in human diet, because all the proteins needed are available in the other foods just named.” SOURCE
Joseph Fielding Smith said concerning the use of flesh:
While it is ordained that the flesh of animals is for man’s food, yet this should be used sparingly. The wording of this revelation is perfectly clear in relation to this subject, but we do not always heed it. The designated grains for the use of man, beasts and fowls, is scientifically correct. (CHMR, 1948, 2:148.)
Spencer W. Kimball in 1978 quoted Joseph F. Smith who said:
“I do not believe any man should kill animals or birds unless he needs them for food, and then he should not kill innocent little birds that are not intended for food for man. I think it is wicked for men to thirst in their souls to kill almost everything which possesses animal life. It is wrong, and I have been surprised at prominent men whom I have seen whose very souls seemed to be athirst for the shedding of animal blood.” (Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed., Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1939, pp. 265-66.)
Elder Harold G. Hillam of the seventy said in October 2001:
The scriptures tell us that all grains are good for us (see D&C 89:14) and that meat is “ordained for the use of man” but should be “used sparingly” SOURCE
L. Tom Perry said in 1996:
The Word of Wisdom contains some very positive aspects. It encourages us to use grains, particularly wheat, and to use fruits and vegetables and the sparing use of meat. SOURCE
Since recently we are left to determine what the meaning of the word “sparingly” means in relation to the Word of Wisdom, it becomes necessary to examine the scriptures further for additional clarification.
The laws concerning man’s core diet and the consuming of flesh
In Doctrine & Covenants 89, we are introduced to a simple outline of what God has ordained for man to eat:
And again, verily I say unto you, all wholesome herbs God hath ordained for the constitution, nature, and use of man—Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof; all these to be used with prudence and thanksgiving. (D&C 89:10-11)
So all wholesome herbs and fruit are ordained, or set apart, for the constitution, nature and use of man. Now it is important to analyze some of the words in these verses. Going by the trusty Webster’s 1828 Dictionary, we learn that herbs are defined as “A plant or vegetable with a soft or succulent stalk or stem, which dies to the root every year, and is thus distinguished from a tree and a shrub, which have ligneous or hard woody stems.” Further, “The word herb comprehends all the grasses, and numerous plants used for culinary purposes.”
Fruits are defined as “the produce of a tree or other plant; the last production for the propagation or multiplication of its kind; the seed of plants, or the part that contains the seeds; as wheat, rye, oats, apples, quinces, pears, cherries, acorns, melons, &c.”
Now what does it mean that these things are to be for the “constitution” and “nature” of man? Constitution in this instance means:
“The state of being; that form of being or peculiar structure and connection of parts which makes or characterizes a system or body. Hence the particular frame or temperament of the human body is called its constitution. We speak of a robust or feeble constitution; a cold, phlegmatic, sanguine or irritable constitution. We speak of the constitution of the air, or other substance; the constitution of the solar system; the constitution of things.”
So herbs and fruit are ordained to be the things that constitute the human body; you are what you eat, right? What about “nature”? Nature is “The essence, essential qualities or attributes of a thing, which constitute it what it is” and there you have the word “constitute” again.
Continuing with the revelation we read:
Yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used sparingly; (D&C 89:12)
Read the language very carefully, the Lord says that he has also “ordained” the flesh of beasts and fowls for the USE of man, with thanksgiving and that they are to be used sparingly. Note that herbs and fruits were ordained for the “constitution, nature and use of man” but when speaking of the flesh of beasts the words “constitution” and “nature” are NOT used, furthermore, it is emphasized that they are to be used sparingly. Sparingly means:
“Not abundantly. Frugally; parsimoniously; not lavishly. Abstinently; moderately.”
If we take a deeper look at the word “abstinently” we read that it means:
“in general, the act or practice of voluntarily refraining from, or forbearing any action. More appropriately, The refraining from an indulgence of appetite, or from customary gratifications of animal propensities. It denotes a total forbearance, as in fasting, or a forbearance of the usual quantity. In the latter sense, it may coincide with temperance, but in general, it denotes a more sparing use of enjoyments than temperance. Besides, abstinence implies previous free indulgence; temperance does not.”
In verse 13 the Lord elaborates by saying:
And it is pleasing unto me that they should not be used, only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine.
The Lord is pleased when the flesh of animals is not used as food with the exceptions being, only in times of winter, cold or famine, or in the words of Genesis 9:11, “to save your lives”.
In verse 14 the Lord indicates what the staff of life should be:
All grain is ordained for the use of man and of beasts, to be the staff of life, not only for man but for the beasts of the field, and the fowls of heaven, and all wild animals that run or creep on the earth;
The Lord indicates that all grain is ordained to be the staff or support of life for man and the animals as well; and speaking of the animals, he refers to their use yet again:
And these hath God made for the use of man only in times of famine and excess of hunger.
So it isn’t just winter time that the Lord is concerned about, he prefers it seems, that the flesh of animals is only to be consumed when we do not have access to the herbs, fruits and grains that he has ordained for our constitution and nature. The Lord continues in verses 16 and 17 to emphasize this point to us:
All grain is good for the food of man; as also the fruit of the vine; that which yieldeth fruit, whether in the ground or above the ground—Nevertheless, wheat for man, and corn for the ox, and oats for the horse, and rye for the fowls and for swine, and for all beasts of the field, and barley for all useful animals, and for mild drinks, as also other grain.
Animal protein as an addictive and carcinogenic substance
Casein is a protein found in animal products such as meat, milk and cheese. While unprocessed and unseasoned fruits and vegetables are naturally casein-free. So what’s the big deal about casein? Well, many people are allergic to it along with gluten for instance, but here’s were it gets interesting; what if you knew that it was also an addictive substance?
The Orlando Sentinel July 13, 2003, published an article that revealed some interesting information about cheese:
Why is cheese so addicting? Certainly not because of its aroma, which is perilously close to old socks. The first hint of a biochemical explanation came in 1981, when scientists at Wellcome Research Laboratories in Research Triangle Park, N.C., found a substance in dairy products that looked remarkably like morphine. After a complex series of tests, they determined that, surprisingly enough, it actually was morphine. By a fluke of nature, the enzymes that produce opiates are not confined to poppies — they also hide inside cows’ livers. So traces of morphine can pass into the animal’s bloodstream and end up in milk and milk products. The amounts are far too small to explain cheese’s appeal. But nonetheless, the discovery led scientists on their search for opiate compounds in dairy products.
And they found them. Opiates hide inside casein, the main dairy protein. As casein molecules are digested, they break apart to release tiny opiate molecules, called casomorphins. One of these compounds has about one-tenth the opiate strength of morphine.The especially addicting power of cheese may be due to the fact that the process of cheese-making removes water,lactose and whey proteins so that casein is concentrated. Scientists are now trying to tease out whether these opiate molecules work strictly within the digestive tract or whether they pass into the bloodstream and reach the brain directly…
The cheese industry is miles ahead of them, having gone to great lengths to identify people who are most vulnerable to addiction. It dubs them “cheese cravers,” and tracks their age, educational level and other demographics so as to target them with marketing strategies that are tough to ignore. With a $200 million annual research and marketing budget, the dairy industry is not content to have you just sprinkling a little mozzarella on your salad. It is looking for those Americans who will eat it straight out of the package, whatever the cost to their waistlines or cholesterol levels.
At a “Cheese Forum” held Dec. 5, 2000, Dick Cooper, the vice president of Cheese Marketing for Dairy Management Inc., laid out the industry’s scheme for identifying potential addicts and keeping them hooked. In his slide presentation, which was released to our organization under the Freedom of Information Act, he asked the question, “What do we want our marketing program to do?” and then gave the answer: “Trigger the cheese craving.” He described how, in a partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the dairy industry launched Wendy’s Cheddar Lover’s Bacon Cheeseburger, which single-handedly pushed 2.25 million pounds of cheese during the promotion period. That works out to 380 tons of fat and 1.2 tons of pure cholesterol in the cheese alone. A similar promotion with Pizza Hut launched the “Ultimate Cheese Pizza,” which added an entire pound of cheese to a single pizza and sold five million pounds of it during a six-week promotion in 2000. The presentation concluded with a cartoon of a playground slide with a large spider web woven to trap children as they reached the bottom. The caption had one spider saying to another, “If we pull this off, we’ll eat like kings.”
So I guess we can see direct fulfillment in this case of the Word of Wisdom’s warning:
“In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days, I have warned you, and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation—” (D&C 89:4)
Here are some quotes regarding the addictive properties of casein starting with a brief statement from the Great Plains Laboratory:
The peptides from gluten and casein are important because they can react with opiate receptors in the brain, thus mimicking the effects of opiate drugs like heroin and morphine. – Great Plains Laboratory
Dr. Neal Barnard, in an interview with the Washington Post had this to say:
Certain foods appear to stimulate the release of opiate chemicals within the brain. These are chemical cousins of morphine and heroin. The are not as strong as illegal drugs, but appear to be strong enough to keep us coming back, especially when we are stressed, tire, angry, or alone.
Not every food does this. The groups that do are sugar (and sugar-fat mixtures, such as butter cookies, as well as foods that produce sugar rapidly), chocolate, cheese, and meat. Let me share some of the evidence for this. In emergency rooms, doctors use the drug naloxone to block opiate receptors. So when a person has overdosed on heroin, naloxone can save their life. If we give it to a seriously addicted chocoholic–a person who really binges on it–chocolate is much less attractive. This suggests that chocolate’s attraction is not just its taste, but rather its effect on the brain. The same has been found for sugary foods, cheese, and meat…It is odd to think of meat as “addicting” but there are many people who feel they really cannot give it up, even after they have had a heart attack or a relative has developed colon or breast cancer (two forms of the disease linked to meat consumption).” - Dr. Neal Barnard is a nutrition expert, an adjunct associate professor of medicine at the George Washington University School of Medicine and the president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. SOURCE
Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., M.D. in an interview said concerning casein:
“With dairy products you’ve got the whole problem of animal protein which is known to contribute to [heart disease], and you have casein, and that’s where Dr. T. Colin Campbell has really gotten four stars — he’s shown absolutely how horrifically powerful casein is as a tumor promoter, not to mention the IGF, which is the “Insulin-like Growth Factor” in milk, which is another tumor promoter.” SOURCE
Dr. T. Colin Campbell, whose name you might recognize from the now famous “China Study” produced some amazing research that found links between animal protein and cancer:
When Campbell and his colleagues looked at the connection between animal protein and late cancer, they discovered they were able to trigger and then shut down the formation of cancerous tumors by adjusting the amount of animal protein. In the study, the lab animals were expected to be at the end of their lives within 100 weeks. All 58 animals with diets consisting of 20 percent proteins were dead at the end of the 100-week period. All 60 at the 5 percent level of protein were living after the 100 weeks. SOURCE
Dr. Campbell has also said:
…the nutrients from animal based foods, especially the protein, promote the development of the cancer whereas the nutrients from plant-based foods, especially the antioxidants, reverse the promotion stage. This is a very promising observation because cancer proceeds forward or backward as a function of the balance of promoting and anti-promoting factors found in the diet, thus consuming anti-promoting plant-based foods tend to keep the cancer from going forward, perhaps even reversing the promotion.
…Our work showed that casein is the most relevant cancer promoter ever discovered. SOURCE
The addictive effects of animal protein are known and skillfully manipulated to bind us to them for profit. In my opinion, I believe that this more than fulfills the Lord’s words in the Word of Wisdom concerning “conspiring men in the last days” and considering the dangerous, carcinogenic effects of animal protein, I would say that we have direct evidence that “evils and designs” are certainly used by the companies that promote these products in our diets.
But what about fish? When asked this question in an interview, Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., M.D. said this:
“For the question about whether or not you want to eat fish, here I refer to my friend and colleague Dr.John McDougall, a kindred spirit, John has explained it this way: that a piece of muscle, whether with claws with a hoof, whether it flaps a wing, whether it wiggles a fin, all animal muscle is made of animal protein,animal fat, and animal cholesterol, none of what you want. Now you do get some Omega-3s from fish, but you also get a lot of PCBs and mercury, and other things you don’t want. But you can get Omega-3 through flax seed meal, which is what I prefer.” SOURCE
Does the Word of Wisdom preach Vegetarianism or Veganism?
A Vegetarian is defined as “A person who does not eat meat, and sometimes other animal products, esp. for moral, religious, or health reasons.” and a Vegan is defined as “A person who does not eat or use animal products.”
Now we approach the fine line.
I personally believe that according to scripture, both Vegetarianism and Veganism are not in line with the teachings of the Lord. Therefore, I would never refer to myself as a Vegetarian or a Vegan or any other such label. I also believe that, according to scripture, the modern practice of consuming animal flesh on a daily, regular basis, while we live in times of prosperity and plenty is in violation of the Lord’s instructions.
I have sought out further instruction from modern prophets on the subject of consuming of meat and there isn’t much detailed information. They always point back to D&C 89 and almost always mention “sparingly”. It seems that the revelation itself is plain enough to not warrant a more in-depth analysis.
The clear facts are that God has ordained herbs, fruits and grains for the constitution and nature of the bodies of man and that he has also ordained the flesh of animals for the use of man in times of famine, excess hunger and when it becomes necessary in order for survival.
So what does that mean for us today?
Well, it may mean some incredibly difficult dietary changes for each one of us. It’s taken me years, to adjust the eating habits of my family to be more along the lines of what the Lord has revealed and I am still working on it. It has meant giving up things I used to eat abundantly, things I used to and still do savor. I have a freezer full of beef which I will gratefully maintain in case I ever need it. However, on my journey, I have discovered a wealth of incredibly delicious and nutritious things to eat that are in line with the principles of the Word of Wisdom.
As I have been feasting upon herbs, fruits, grains and nuts, my tastes have adapted and now crave these items. I’ve dramatically reduced my sugar intake and am continuing to drop weight. I’m just beginning to realize that these changes have significantly affected my life concerning the promised revelatory treasures of knowledge and hidden knowledge. I’m not completely there yet; I’m still learning about this subject more and more, but I can say that as I have tried to pattern my life closer to the Lord’s instructions, I have been blessed.
I am sensitive to the fact that in many nations around the earth, people do not have very much choice in what they get to eat. Many of these people live in a state of constant famine and in these cases, I believe that they are fully authorized to utilize the flesh of animals for sustenance. I also support the Church in its maintaining of vast herds of livestock for the feeding of the needy, just as Abel was a keeper of flocks. But are WE, justified in partaking of the same where we are literally surrounded by stores where we can purchase any food we want at any time?
The Promise of living the principle
In 2003, at a Church Educational System (CES) Fireside for Young Adults, President Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said some extremely significant things concerning the Word of Wisdom:
The “Word of Wisdom [was] given for a principle with promise” (D&C 89:1, 3). But what is the promise? The promise, of course, is personal revelation…Now, the Word of Wisdom is, I think, only incidentally to keep us healthy, if we will observe it. But that matter of physical health is a losing battle. You know, no matter what you do to take care of your body, in due course, it begins to weaken! We are not going to live forever in this life…The point is, if you want to move on spiritually and do as you ought to do in this life, the principle outlined in the Word of Wisdom shows you the requirements. You cannot just toy with it…And so, like it or not! If you are tampering, if there is any mischief, you have got to quit it! It is not that you are going to be a healthy athlete all of your life, and it is not that you are going to avoid old age. It is that you will have the key to revelation. When your body begins to deteriorate, the patterns of revelation will be augmented and magnified. (Boyd K. Packer, The Instrument of Your Mind and the Foundation of Your Character, LINK)
So the Word of Wisdom is only incidentally about health and wellness. The key purpose is to guide us in the management of the constitution and nature of our bodies so they they can be an “instrument of [our] mind”, existing in a state whereby they will not be obstacles to our ability to receive revelation.
President Packer clearly states “the Word of Wisdom shows you the requirements. You cannot just toy with it”. Are we willing to follow the Word of Wisdom as revealed to us? Or will we continue to follow the diet of the average American citizen? Remember, the Word of Wisdom (yes, the entire thing) was given to warn and forewarn us “In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days.”
Conclusion
Why should we think that these evils are limited only to dangerous drugs and not to the very foods that we consume regularly? Do we not see the rampant cancers, obesity and disease even among members of the church who abstain from illegal drugs, alcohol and tobacco?
If we do not change, we will continue to see more of the same. In a world where science is as fickle as the weather when determining what we should or should not eat, the Word of Wisdom is a rock of safety and consistency. If we have found ourselves in a state where we are not healthy physically or spiritually or worry about our future health, perhaps the best counsel is summed up in the three words offered by the Old Testament prophet Haggai: “Consider your ways” (Haggai 1:5)
——-
Updates:
* Added section “Animal protein as an addictive and carcinogenic substance” – October 11, 2011
* Added section “Statements from general authorities of the church concerning eating meats” - October 11, 2011
* Added several quotes to the “Statements from general authorities…” section (Special thanks to Brian from LatterDayConservative.com) – October 11, 2011
About the Author
I grew up in South Texas, served a mission for the Church in the Idaho Boise Mission, have a degree in Management and background in Graphic Design. I thoroughly enjoy the study of any subject I can get my hands on. I particularly enjoy topics relating to religion, symbolism and government.
by Steven Reed
Friday, January 14, 2011
THE OVERFLOWING SCOURGE - WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW HOW TO DEFEAT IT?
I have been grinding away on this one for quite some time now and feel some level of confidence in presenting some information on what it is and how it is to be defeated.
This scourge will be the modern day equivalent of what the Egyptians endured when God's chosen people were oppressed (I am confident enough in what I have gathered to say that this scourge will largely affect males and those who have put the Word of Wisdom at naught - you will have to dig into the blog to figure the reasoning out). God's chosen people will once again be oppressed to the point that "the more righteous among them cries day and night until deliverance comes...". At some juncture in that series of events, there will be a scourge released that will sweep the ungodly and those who hate the truth from off the face of the land in preparation for the return of the Ten Tribes and for the remnant of Joseph to complete their works of destruction among the remaining wicked gentiles.
Here is an interesting quote that talks about the desolating scourge:
Millennial Star:
This generation shall be visited by an overflowing scourge. Of the precise nature of it we are not informed. It shall pass over the nations night and day. The affect of this visitation will be so direful and calamitous that the reports of its terrible ravages will fill all people with vexation. The operations of this fear-inspiring and destructive agent will continue until the appearance of the Lord in his glory.
Some of the judgment are definite as to locality. As an instance may be cited the approaching disruption of the Unites States of America. One of the horrors announced by the prophet upon that nation is now a matter of history the war of the Rebellion. Another and more appalling condition awaits that ill-fated people. It shall fall upon them like the visitation of a whirlwind, sweeping the country like a mighty flood. The populace will be divided into innumerable factions, and blood, carnage and woe will be rampant among them, filling the hearts of the more peacefully disposed with fear and dismay. Many will laugh at such a prediction, but, unless the people repent, it will come as surely as night follows day. Weakened and powerless from internal broils and disturbances, the nation will become a prey to the remnants left of the aboriginal inhabitants, who will be filled with vengeful rage at the wrongs that have been perpetrated upon them and furiously spread destruction in every direction. 13 Sept., 1880, p. 584-587.
So what is to be done about this? Who will remain after it is passed?? According to Sarah Menet, it will be a man-made scourge delivered at key cities in a terroristic manner - one of them will be SLC. If I am reading the John Taylor vision correctly, it will (be biologically engineered to) affect mostly men, thus effecting (in my opinion) the Isaiah prophecy about seven women taking hold of one man.... (click on colored text to read in context). There is another quote here from Wilford Woodruff that seems to back this viewpoint up: Vision of WW
The cure may well have been spelled out by Brigham Young, as follows:
This scourge will be the modern day equivalent of what the Egyptians endured when God's chosen people were oppressed (I am confident enough in what I have gathered to say that this scourge will largely affect males and those who have put the Word of Wisdom at naught - you will have to dig into the blog to figure the reasoning out). God's chosen people will once again be oppressed to the point that "the more righteous among them cries day and night until deliverance comes...". At some juncture in that series of events, there will be a scourge released that will sweep the ungodly and those who hate the truth from off the face of the land in preparation for the return of the Ten Tribes and for the remnant of Joseph to complete their works of destruction among the remaining wicked gentiles.
Here is an interesting quote that talks about the desolating scourge:
Millennial Star:
This generation shall be visited by an overflowing scourge. Of the precise nature of it we are not informed. It shall pass over the nations night and day. The affect of this visitation will be so direful and calamitous that the reports of its terrible ravages will fill all people with vexation. The operations of this fear-inspiring and destructive agent will continue until the appearance of the Lord in his glory.
Some of the judgment are definite as to locality. As an instance may be cited the approaching disruption of the Unites States of America. One of the horrors announced by the prophet upon that nation is now a matter of history the war of the Rebellion. Another and more appalling condition awaits that ill-fated people. It shall fall upon them like the visitation of a whirlwind, sweeping the country like a mighty flood. The populace will be divided into innumerable factions, and blood, carnage and woe will be rampant among them, filling the hearts of the more peacefully disposed with fear and dismay. Many will laugh at such a prediction, but, unless the people repent, it will come as surely as night follows day. Weakened and powerless from internal broils and disturbances, the nation will become a prey to the remnants left of the aboriginal inhabitants, who will be filled with vengeful rage at the wrongs that have been perpetrated upon them and furiously spread destruction in every direction. 13 Sept., 1880, p. 584-587.
So what is to be done about this? Who will remain after it is passed?? According to Sarah Menet, it will be a man-made scourge delivered at key cities in a terroristic manner - one of them will be SLC. If I am reading the John Taylor vision correctly, it will (be biologically engineered to) affect mostly men, thus effecting (in my opinion) the Isaiah prophecy about seven women taking hold of one man.... (click on colored text to read in context). There is another quote here from Wilford Woodruff that seems to back this viewpoint up: Vision of WW
The cure may well have been spelled out by Brigham Young, as follows:
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium);
(Compositae)
Dr. Christopher said that Yarrow is one of the greatest diaphoretic
herbs. It will raise the heat of the body, equalize the circulation
and produce perspiration, when taken hot. Dr. Christopher reminded
us that the old herbalists stated that " the home without Yarrow will
have death therein when the plagues come " .Brigham Young, the Mormon Prophet, said that in the last days,
people will be blessed who know how to use Yarrow.
Dr. Christopher recalled that during the great influenza epidemic of
1918, about twenty million people died the world over, two million
being in the United States.
He remembered that as a boy people were not allowed to go out in
public during the
epidemic without wearing surgical masks. If you were found without
the mask, you could be arrested.
" We have been warned that during the plagues yet to come we will
have far worse influenza epidemics than in the past. People will die
in such large numbers that these epidemics will fulfill prophecies
that black crepe would be on nearly ever door. You can have one of
the few homes wherein " `death does not visit' if you will see that
your family rebuilds their bodies by proper eating, staying on the
mucusless
diet, and having Yarrow or some other good diaphoretic herbs on had
at all times "
(Herbalist: 1:6:196).
Dr. Christopher taught the standard herbalist's view of fever, that
it is a signal of malfunction happening in the body, so one must
turn to the cause to get rid of it.
If you suppress the fever with aspirin or some other
drug, the heart has to work that much harder to pump not only the
original toxicity from the body, but also the corpses of the germs.
This can damage the heart, the kidneys, the nervous system, the
circulatory system--all of the body--and eventually result in
rheumatoid arthritis, crippling arthritis, muscular dystrophy,
multiple sclerosis, and other similar ailments (Ibid.).
When there are toxic materials in the body, germs enter. These live
on the dead materials. The body builds a fever for incubation and
multiplication of the germs, because the more germs that there are,
the faster
toxins are removed from the body. The germs must have moist heat to
reproduce quickly.
Without a great deal of added moisture, the body dehydrates itself
trying to furnish the moisture needed. This can
result in a dry fever, which can kill.
With a moist fever, however,the fever can go higher and higher,
causing more and more germs to consume the toxins in the body. When
the body is clean, the germs leave because there are no more toxins
left to live on; they will not consume healthy cell structure and
cannot hurt the healthy human body.
During the fever, liquids must be given to the patient, such
as juices, herb teas, and distilled water.
Yarrow tea, among the diaphoretics, is especially useful because it
raises the temperature naturally, opens the pores for waste to
escape, and promotes perspiration. As long as moisture is going into
the body and
perspiration is occurring, there is little damage that can be done
by fevers.
This sweating, or diaphoresis, is essential to healing in such a
situation--and in many others--because if the pores of the skin are
closed, the bloodstream soon becomes impure, poisoning the whole
system.
Dr. Christopher taught that no matter where the trouble may
be in the body, provided the general circulation is involved, you
can dramatically help the situation by diaphoresis.
This is why Yarrow is so valuable. He cited that inflammation of the
lungs,
pleurisy, peritonitis, inflammation in the stomach, spleen, bowels,
kidneys, bladder, uterus or brain--everywhere in the body--can be
healed by diaphoretic treatment.
One of the most dramatic treatments Dr. Christopher recommended is
his Cold Sheet Treatment. Although it is detailed elsewhere, the
reader might benefit from a brief rehearsal of the procedure here.
lie said that when the epidemics come, you will be able to save many
lives that would otherwise be lost without this remarkable aid.
It can be used safely in any inflammatory disease, on anyone, from
newly-born infants to the very aged.
Dr. Loretta Foote, formerly Dr. Christopher's staff obstetrician,
never lost a full-term baby in all
her years of practice, even when they were born with respiratory
congestion, or even pneumonia.
She used the cold sheet treatment on cases when the babies were only
minutes or hours old.
This treatment is commenced by giving the patient an enema, which
Dr. Christopher said should only be done in an emergency, such as a
high fever.
Cold tea, such as catnip, mint, Yarrow, red raspberry,etc., or cold
water may be used. A hot enema relaxes the lower bowel
and anus area, causing them to expand and quickly void, but the cold
will contract the area and retain the liquid until it soaks further
into the encrusted and hardened fecal matter to ensure a large
evacuation.
After this enema, a small enema called an injection is given. You
make the liquid for this by placing in a blender container one to
two cups apple cider vinegar and water in equal amounts.
Turn the blender on and add several peeled cloves of garlic. Do not
make this too thick to go through the neck of the enema syringe. If
no blender is available, chop or grate the garlic finely and mix
with cool or cold water and apple cider vinegar mixture. Have the
patient lie with his buttocks elevated with pillows or padding and
inject the garlic tea into the rectum, having the patient hold it in
as long as possible (ten to fifteen minutes) before voiding it.
Babies can be
given the enema and diapered, allowed to toddle or crawl if they
wish, or to be held. They usually retain this injection for the
required length of time and, interestingly, the garlic aroma appears
on their breath within just a few minutes.
Then place the patient in a hot tub, as hot as possible without
scalding the skin.
To this hot tub add one ounce of ginger, one ounce of cayenne, and
one ounce of dry mustard, all in powdered form. Be sure to coat the
mucous membranes of the genitalia with vaseline or some other low-
vibration ointment so that the herbs will not cause stinging and
pain. Stir the bath well and have the patient sit and sweat.
These herbs open the pores of the body to allow oxygen in liquid
form to enter and the poisons and toxic materials to be dispersed.
While the patient is in the tub, give him one or
more cups of hot Yarrow tea, which will cause him to sweat even
more.
If your patient is a child, you can give camomile tea, which
has a more acceptable taste to children.
Even a baby bottle of the tea can be given. Although in infections
it is preferable not to
give the tea sweetened, for children it may be necessary to lightly
sweeten the tea, perhaps with sweet herb (Stevia).
The person may eventually tell you that he is tired; you can tell
when children get tired as they seem limp. Have him stand up and
wrap around him a large, wet sheet taken out of cold water or ice
water.
Pin it down the side from neck to feet. Squeeze out some of
the water before putting on the sheet so it will not trail water as
the person is walked or carried to bed. Have the bed prepared with a
rubber sheet or plastic sheet over the mattress. Cover this with a
dry cotton sheet and lay the patient on the sheet, covered with
another cotton sheet, and the then natural-fiber blankets, well-
tucked in.
Do not use synthetics during any part of this treatment,
as they will not allow the toxins to escape.
When the patient is tucked into bed, uncover his feet and oil them
thoroughly with olive oil.
While you do this, you can give a short acupressure treatment
all over the foot to help speed the healing. Then apply garlic
paste, which has been previously prepared by mincing or mashing
several cloves of garlic and mixing them with olive oil to make an
ointment.
This should be applied a half to three-fourths inch thick
all over the soles of the feet and bound lightly with gauze or two-
inch strips of old cotton sheets. Pull over this a large white
cotton or wool sock, pin the wet sheet over the bottom and let him
go to sleep.
He will sleep well from the effects of the Yarrow tea.
The next morning he will want to get up and be active, because he
feels so well from the cleansing.
Take him out of bed and sponge him down with a half-and-half
combination of warm apple cider vinegar and distilled water to
remove the perspiration on the body. Freshen the bed, put clean
pajamas on the person, and have him rest.
If he is hungry, do not give heavy foods, but only herb teas, water,
or fruit or vegetable juices, having him swish them around in the
mouth to mix well with the saliva.
The large sheet used in the treatment will likely be stained with
various colors, depending on what the patient had taken
into his system: black from coal tar (aspirin and other medicines
made from tar),
yellow from inorganic sulphur (sulfa drugs, cooked eggs, preserved
fruits, etc.,) green from arsenic in medicine and
sprayed foods, red from iodine, purple from potassium permanganate,
brown from coffee, chocolate, tobacco, and so on.
These toxins accumulated in the body and slowed down healing for
years. Although it is too bad to have them in the sheet, they are
better there than in the person's body!
After the body is cleansed, you can be sure to maintain health by
proper diet, air, water, clothing, exercise and balanced activity.
MILFOIL
Yarrow is one of the ancient herbs. It originated in Europe, but was
introduced in the United States and now it is fully naturalized. It
grows everywhere freely except in the Southwest, and is particularly
common in the Eastern portion the States.
In Europe, it has long been valued as an important medicinal herb.
Dioscorides said that it will help recent inflamed ulcers, being
smeared on green. It was also given for epilepsy, with water and
salt.
Yarrow was formerly much esteemed as a wound herb, and its old names
of Soldier's Wound Wort and Knight's Milfoil testify to this. It was
also called Herba Militaris, all of which suggest that it was used
as a ready-to-hand field bandage for battle wounds, " although its
value for stanching flows of blood is doubtful, " claims one
herbalist (Coon:46). Gerard
says that it is the same plant with which Achilles stanched bleeding
of his solider, hence the name of the genus, Achillea.
Others saythat it was discovered by a certain Achilles, Chiron's
disciple. It specific name, millefolium, is derived from the many
segments of its
foliage, hence also its popular name, Milfoil or Thousand Weed.
The name Old Man's Pepper refers to the astringent quality of the
herb and the fact that it has been employed as a snuff. In the
seventeenth century, it was also used as an ingredient in salad,
although that doesn't correspond to our modern tastes today: the
taste of the herb is much too biting and astringent to us.
Linnaeus recommended the bruised herb, fresh as an excellent
vulnerary and styptic.
It is employed in Norway for the cure of rheumatism, and the fresh
leaves chewed are said to cure toothache.
In England, the herb has been made into an ointment for wounds, and
a tea is taken for melancholy. In Russia, it is used for bleeding,
stomach problems, coughs and colds, liver problems, dysentery and
nervousness.
The American Indians were extremely aware of this herb, and many
tribes had specific uses for it. This brings to question, of course,
the claim that our species are all naturalized from Europe.
Some say
that the western species are different from the European, and other
disagree, saying that they are the same species. Since they are
alike in medicinal values, it doesn't really matter, but we prefer
to think that the plant was distributed everywhere by the Lord for
the use of man wherever they are.
One very early report says that Yarrow was used in cuts by the
Illinois and Miami tribes. The Paiutes made a tea of Yarrow to be
taken internally for weak and disordered stomachs; they also used
the herb for headaches, crushing the green leaves and applying
externally.
The decoction was also used internally for headaches,
and as a blood tonic (especially after childbirth), as a cold
remedy, a kidney aid, a venereal aid, and externally as a poultice
on swellings and sores, eyewash, a wash for fevers, a toothache
remedy and a treatment for collar sores on horses. The Ute name for
this plant signifies " wound medicine, " and they applied it
externally on bruises, and used it as a tea in sicknesses of various
kinds.
It grows freely in the mountains of their territory. The
Winnebagos used an infusion of Yarrow to bathe swellings and treat
earache; they also sometimes put a wad of the crushed leaves into
the ear for earache. The Chickasaws used it as a remedy for cramp in
the neck. The Meskwakis boiled it for application externally to any
ailing part, and used the leaves and flowers for fevers and flu.
They also used the leaves as a poultice for rash in children, and
the fresh tops to rub on eczema sores. The Pillager Ojibwas used the
florets for ceremonial smoking and as a fumigant to break fever. The
flowers were placed on coals and the fumes were inhaled to break the
fever.
The Potawatomis used them as a fumigant to ward off evil
spirits and to revive a comatose patient. The Flambeau used an
external application for poisonous spider bites. The Montagnais used
it to break fevers as did the Fox tribe, who also used it as an
antirheumatic.
The Aleuts used it for stomach and throat pain and as
a dermatological aid, especially for nose bleed. The Kwakiutls
chewed or soaked the plant and heated it for a poultice to be used
on swellings.
The Shoshone tribe used the freshly-mashed leaves on swellings and
sores; they used the freshly-mashed roots on painful
wounds. The decoction was used by the Shoshones against diarrhea and
rheumatism, and as a wash for itching, relief of indigestion, colic,
and toothache.
The Zunis used a burn dressing poultice of Yarrow
before fire eating or fire walking, and used the infusion on burns.
The Chippewas used a decoction of the leaves, steamed and inhaled
for headache, as a stimulant for horses; the decoction was used for
skin eruptions.
The Gitksans used a decoction of the root as a gargle for sore
throat. The Menominees used the dried and powdered
leaves for a poultice in swellings and sores, and a poultice of the
fresh leaves for rash in children.
The Mohegan tribe used the decoction as a liver and kidney aid and
as an appetite stimulant.
These varied but related uses suggest that Yarrow grew freely
throughout America where the tribes lived (early informants insisted
that it is a native herb), and that empirical use among the tribes
establishes well the efficacy of Yarrow.
The herb was official in the United States Pharmacopeia from 1863-
82, used as a tonic, stimulant and emmenagogue. Interestingly, it
was formerly brought to weddings to ensure seven years love.
Other names for the plant include thousand-leaved, thousand seal,
dog daisy, knight's milfoil, ladies' mantle, and noble yarrow.
FEVER HERB
Yarrow was one of Dr. Christopher's favorite herbs; he listed it
among his Ten Honorable Herbs under the category of diaphoretic. It
is widely recommended by many herbalists for feverish diseases.
" It is often used by peasants as a substitute for quinine, and it
quite as effective and far safer than that drug " (Levy:Common:160).
It is
sometimes called " Englishman's quinine " , and has been thought to be
especially effective in cases of chills and fever. There are various
preparations of Yarrow which will effect this breaking up of fever.
Dr. Christopher said that drinking the hot infusion, alone or in
combination with other herbs, such as elder flowers and peppermint.
If you wrap the patient's feet in flannel that has been wrung out in
apple cider vinegar, keeping this warm with a hot water bottle, you
can break up a cold overnight or within 24 hours. You should be sure
to keep the bowels open, either using a garlic enema or giving a
dose of senna.
Once the fever is broken, keeping the bowels open ensures that the
patient heals quickly so that toxic accumulations do not
keep " feeding " the problem. Another combination that is
recommended for breaking fevers mixes a standard infusion of Yarrow
with a teaspoon of honey and three drops of Tabasco sauce. The
patient should be heavily covered. This will open the pores and
cause profuse sweating, thus eliminating toxins and relieving the
kidneys of the job of eliminating.
You can also use a dash ofcayenne or ginger to accent the action of
the Yarrow. Dr.
Christopher related that his daughter was away at summer camp and
caught a severe cold. When he went to visit her for the weekend, he
found her in bed with a high temperature, headache, and the general
symptoms of influenza, the body aching and in a most restless
condition. He saw a stand of Yarrow growing near the cabin and went
to gather a handful. He placed a bunch of the whole plant in a jug
and poured over it about one-and-a-half pints of boiling water,
covered it for about five minutes, and then poured off a cupful of
the warm tea. He gave it to his daughter, who insisted that she
would vomit if he made her drink the whole cup. He told her that if
the stomach rejected it, the result would be a cleaner stomach for
the next dose. She drank the cupful, and he poured off a second
cupful of the warm tea to give to her. She got it all down, and in a
few minutes was perspiring freely.
In half an hour she said she felt
better and in the morning she was completely recovered (SNH:2 17).
We have given the tea in influenza when the patient vomited, but
afterwards taking more tea got the same healing diaphoretic effect.
Especially since flu can last up to a week--sometimes longer--it is
amazing to have an herb that can break it up so quickly.
If you give the tea to children during the early stages of eruptive
diseases, such as measles, chicken pox, smallpox, etc., the tea will
help the disease to break out more quickly and thus shorten the
time.
Dr. Christopher recommended a mixture of Yarrow, pleurisy root
and lady's slipper (or skullcap) for the measles. Anytime there is a
fever, no matter what the disease, Yarrow can help break it and
bring the disease to a speedier ending.
For chest colds, it is sometimes recommended mixing 1 ounce of
Yarrow, ½ ounce elder flowers, ½ ounce boneset, and 1/4 ounce
licorice. These are made into a decoction and taken by the cupful
every three or four hours, going on a juice fast for a day. For head
colds, equal parts of Yarrow, sage, boneset, and echinacea are made
into infusion and taken before meals.
For bronchitis, equal parts of
Yarrow, mullein and elecampane are made into an infusion, a cupful
taken every four hours. For catarrh, which is a mucus condition in
the system, Yarrow, angelica and eyebright herb are mixed in equal
portions with a pinch of cinnamon. This is made into an infusion,
one cupful taken three times daily after each meal. In addition, if
mucus-causing foods are removed from the diet, the catarrh is often
cured of itself (Luc:Herbal:72-3).
Aside from its use as a febrifuge, Yarrow is known for many other
important applications. It is wonderful for eliminating lung
congestion, and even for stopping hemorrhage or bleeding from the
lungs (Málstrom: 107). It is sometimes mixed with comfrey for
internal hemorrhage. It is good for various forms of internal
bleeding, such as nosebleed, coughing or spitting up blood, rectal
hemorrhoidal bleeding, bloody urine, and excessive menstruation
(Lust:272).
It is very often recommended for external applications, as it is
reputed to act as a styptic, stopping the flow of blood from a
wound. " It can be applied directly to wounds to stop bleeding and is
used in making a bolus or salve for bleeding piles " (Tie: 121). For
piles and hemorrhoids, use an enema of the tea after the bowels have
been cleansed with a plain water enema. Also inject two
tablespoonfuls several times a day, and after each stool. When there
is a bad condition of piles and hemorrhoids, take a cleansing and
then a Yarrow enema each day. When there is much pain have the water
112 to 155 degrees F. (Kloss:333). Ulcers and soft tumors are said
to respond to an application of the ointment.
" Animal studies have
shown that extracts of Yarrow can reduce inflammation and that they
have a calming effect. Thus, the use of the juice of this plant for
the treatment of ulcers and hemorrhoids has a rational basis.
Extracts of Yarrow are also known to have antibiotic effects when
evaluated in test tubes. Thus, at least for external application,
one would expect that a person suffering from boils or other
microbial infections of a minor nature would receive beneficial
results by the external application of Yarrow preparations
(Weiner:206). Yarrow leaves, chewed, are said to sometimes relieve
the pain of a toothache.
For earache, apply some of the strong infusion quite hot to the
ears, and insert a few drops of the cooler brew. In addition, the
crushed leaves, well-wanned, can be placed in each ear (Levy:
Common: 160). This might be a good remedy to know if you need to
treat an earache and are away from herbal supplies.
Yarrow has long been recommended for women's troubles. It relieves
cramps and helps control excessive menstrual bleeding when taken as
a warm infusion (Tie:121). It is good for controlling leucorrhea, or
the whites, by taking internally and by using as a douche, the cool
infusion being used. It lessens the discharge in women generally. It
is also good for bringing on suppressed menstruation. You can used
the warm Yarrow tea as a sitz bath as well.
Yarrow has been long-recommended for dyspepsia and all digestive
problems. " The use of decoctions or infusions of Yarrow flowers as a
tonic has been studied experimentally in humans, and it has been
confirmed that gastric juices are stimulated by the oral ingestion
of extracts of this plant. This would lead to a tonic effect with
improved digestion of foods. The effect is due to the presence of
bitter principles (azulenes, sesquiterpenes) in the flowers "
(Weiner:206).
In Russia it is recognized for stomach troubles and as
an appetizer. It is much used by the Swiss as a bitter tea for use
as a stomach cordial or appetite tonic (Luc:Magic:49). It is also
thought of as a specific cure for nausea. It is good for
strengthening the liver and gall bladder, being especially noted for
stimulating the flow of the bile (Lust:272).
This is good to know,
because many holistic practitioners recommend using a coffee enema
for tripping the gall bladder reflex. Putting the poison caffeine
into the system through an enema is just as dangerous as taking it
internally in coffee; Yarrow would seem a much preferable
alternative.
Yarrow has also been recommended in pancreas problems,
including Bright's disease and diabetes. It is sometimes given
internally for colic and gas pains. It is especially good for
diarrhea and dysentery, used internally and given as an injection;
infants particularly respond to this treatment. Urinary irritations
often respond to the internal use of Yarrow tea.
The tea can be applied to chapped hands or other skin irritations,
and it can be rubbed on sore nipples if needed.
In the Doctrine of Signatures, the finely-segmented leaves of this
plant and its profuse growth suggested to ancient users to claim
that each leaf is equal to a thousand uses.
The root stock, which is creeping, indicates its thorough blood-
cleansing properties.
It contains much of the blood fortifying chemicals such as iron,
calcium, potassium, sulfur, and sodium. The silky hairs on the whole
plant indicate external irritations, as we have discussed above. The
ointment of the herb has long been prepared in England with other
herbs for external applications, and in Scotland it is still highly
valued as a skin ointment (Harris: Complete: 196).
OTHER USES
For a time the Swedes used Yarrow in lieu of hops in the manufacture
of beer and claimed the beer thus brewed to be a greater intoxicant.
Combined with camomile, the herb is made into a strong infusion and
cooled, good for a hair-rinse, or to be rubbed into the scalp to
discourage baldness or failing hair.
The dried flowers are famous for their use in dried-flower
arrangements. As mentioned before, the stripped stalks are used in
divination.
In the garden, Yarrow increases the aromatic quality of all herbs.
In a small proportion, as in a border, it helps most vegetables. It
will grow in a narrow bed as it does not mind being trampled. The
hay or tea are said to be good for sheep.
The plant helps the
quality more than the size of neighboring plants, although in one
experiment it had an unusual effect upon perennial rye grass. It
strikingly cuts down the protein content in the grass, but
considerably increases the fiber content therein. But the two herbs
mixed together for pasture feed provide 40% more protein than the
grass alone, thus recommending the mixture for a high nutritional
feed for cows. Yarrow is also good to enrich the compost pile
(Phil:98-9). It is sometimes used to flavor homemade liquors.
CULTIVATION, COLLECTION, PREPARATION
You can start Yarrow from seed or by dividing the root clumps of
established plants. The decorative varieties are usually available
from nurseries, and the white medicinal kind can often be found in
mountain regions, dug from the ground and transplanted into the herb
garden. Yarrow seed will germinate in the light. Sow it on top of
fine soil and keep it moist until it germinates. Start it indoors in
March so it will be ready for harvesting in June or July. Although
fertilization is of minor importance because of Yarrow's hardiness,
annual applications of bonemeal will promote its growth. The plant
will produce a more pleasing aroma in light, sandy soils than in
heavy, clay ones (Hyl:625).
Cut the flowering plants and chop into pieces, drying rapidly at
temperatures from 90 to 100 degrees F. Slower drying may cause
darkening of the leaves.
The white medicinal variety is said to excrete a toxin to the soil
that eventually will defeat even its own growth. If you need to have
the white medicinal variety, you might grow it for a season and then
hunt it wild (Hyl:625).
You can prepare an ointment of Yarrow by placing the chopped flower
heads and leaves in olive oil, keeping in a warm oven or sunlight
for several days. Strain and press well, heat gently, and then add
enough beeswax to harden when cool.
Yarrow stores quite well in a cool, dry, air-tight situation.
DESCRIPTION
This common roadside herb grows to 6 to 20 inches high, from a
slender, creeping, perennial root, which, beside a multitude of
filiform rootlets, gives off several long, reddish stolons. The stem
is simple or nearly so, erect, slightly grooved and roughly hairy.
The leaves are alternate; those from the near the root wide-
petioled, two to six inches long; those of the stem proper shorter,
sessile or nearly so, and all in their general outline more or less
lanceolate oblong, twice pinnately-parted, the divisions linear,
crowded and three-to-five cleft. The peduncles number three or more;
the pedicels are many, forming small, crowded, flat-topped corymbs
at the summit of the plant. The flower heads are many-flowered and
radiate. The involucel consists of two to three imbricated rows of
ovoid-oblong scales, with a prominent midrib and brownish, scarious
edges. The rays are four or five, pistillage, with a short, obovate,
reflexed limb. The corolla is tubular, the summit slightly inflated,
five lobed, the lobes revolute, acute. The stamens are five,
inserted upon the tube, and rising slightly above the face of the
corolla. The anthers are adnate, without tails at the base. The
style is long, upright, slender, rising above the anthers. The
stigma is two-cleft, the divisions recurved and fringed at their
tips. The receptacle is small, usually flat and chaffy
(Millspaugh:335).
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
Oil of achillea has a taste similar to the herb itself. Achilleic
acid is also attributed its medicinal action. Both the flowers and
leaves contain an aromatic volatile oil which is blue in color owing
to the presence of chamazulene.
DR. CHRISTOPHER'S COMBINATIONS CONTAINING YARROW
The Desert Herb Combination contains Yarrow.
RELATED PLANTS.
A. lanulosa is considered to be the western species of Yarrow,
although it is not easy to discern from European Yarrow.
A. ptarmica, Sneezewort, was early used in medicine. It helps with
catarrh, epilepsy, and uterine problems.
A. tomentosa, the wooly yellow Yarrow, is very rare, and is thought
to be imported from Europe.
A. ageratum has tufted, oblong, serrate and clammy leaves and very
short ray floret; it is used similarly to Yarrow.
A. nobilis has a stronger taste than common Yarrow.
A. moschata is largely used in Switzerland; it has a strongly
aromatic and bitter taste and is used as a bitter.
A. atrata and A. nana are used like the other species.
http://www.healmarketplace.com/herbs...rbs/yarrow.htm
_________________
JoAnn Guest
mrsjoguest@...
DietaryTipsForHBP
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Sunday, November 8, 2009
JOHN TAYLOR VISION FROM WILFORD WOODRUFF'S JOURNAL
SOME BAD JUJU! IT SEEMS COMPLETELY CONSISTENT WITH EVERYTHING ELSE I HAVE SEEN - VERY BAD BIO WARFARE WITH THE RIGHTEOUS SAINTS ( WHO HAVE KEPT THE WORD OF WISDOM) FIGURING OUT HOW TO OVERCOME IT:
John Taylor’s Last Days Vision
This is a vision John Taylor saw of events that are still to come. From the journal of Wilford Woodruff (Dec 16, 1877).
NOTE: There are some that dispute whether or not it was John Taylor that had this vision. The vision does, in fact, come from the journal of Wilford Woodruff. It is verified that it was not Wilford Woodruff that had the vision. Many believe it to be John Taylor’s vision.
I went to bed as usual at about 7:30PM. I had been reading a revelation in the French language. My mind was calm, more so than usual if possible, so I composed myself for sleep, but could not. I felt a strange feeling come over me and apparently became partially unconscious. Still I was not asleep, nor exactly awake, with dreary feeling. The first thing that I recognized was that I was in the tabernacle of Ogden, Utah. I was sitting in the back part of the building for fear they would call on me to preach, which however they did, for after singing the second time they called me to the stand.
I arose to speak and said that I didn’t know that I had anything especially to say, except to bear my testimony of the Latter-day work, when all at once it seemed as if I was lifted out of myself and I said, “Yes, I have something to say and that is this: Some of my brethren have been asking, “What is becoming of us? What is the wind blowing?” I will answer you right here what is coming very shortly.”
I was then in a dream, immediately in the city of Salt Lake, and wandering around in the streets and in all parts of the city, and on the doors of the houses I found badges of mourning and I could not find a house but was in mourning. I passed my own house and found the same sign there, and I asked the question, “Is that me that is dead?” Someone gave me the answer, “No, you will get through it all.”
It seemed strange to me that I saw no person in the streets in all my wandering around the country. I seemed to be in their houses with the sick, but saw no funeral procession, nor anything of the kind, but the city looking still and as though the people were praying. And it seemed that they had controlled the disease, but what the disease was I did not learn; it was not made known to me. I then looked over the country, north, east, south, and west, and the same mourning was in every land and in every place.
The next thing I knew I was just this side of Omaha. It seemed though I was above the earth, and looking down upon it. As I passed along upon my way east I saw the road full of people, mostly women, with just what they could carry in bundles on their backs, traveling to the mountains on foot (THIS IS THE FREAKY PART!). I wondered how they would get through with such a small pack on their backs. It was remarkable to us[?] that there were so few men among them. It didn’t seem to me as though the cars were running, the rails looked rusty and the roads abandoned; and I have no conception of how I traveled as I looked down upon the people.
I continued east by the way of Omaha and Council Bluffs, which were full of disease. There were women everywhere. The state of Illinois and Missouri were in a tumult, men killing one another, women joining the fighting, family against family in the most horrid manner.
I imagined next that I was in Washington and I found desolation there. The White House was empty and the Halls of Congress the same, and everything in ruins. The people seemed to have left the city and left it to take care of itself.
I was in Baltimore. In the square where the Monument of 1812 stands in front of the Charles Hotel. I saw dead piled up so as to fill the street square. I saw mothers cutting the throats of their own children for their blood. I saw them suck it from their throats to quench their own thirst and then lie down and die. The water of Chesapeake Bay was stagnant, and the stench arising from it on account of their throwing their bodies into it so terrible, that the very smell carried death with it. I saw no man except they were dead or dying in the streets and very few women. Those I saw were crazy and in an ugly condition. Everywhere I went I beheld the same sights all over the city; it was terrible beyond description to look upon.
I thought this must be the end; but no, I was seemingly in an instant in the city of Philadelphia. There everything was still. No living soul was there to greet me. It seemed the whole city was without any inhabitants. In the south of Chestnut Street and in fact everywhere I went, the putrefaction of the dead caused such a stench that it was impossible for any living thing to breathe, nor did I see any living thing in the city.
Next I found myself in Broadway, in the city of New York, and there it seemed the people had done the best they could to overcome the disease, but in wandering down Broadway I saw the bodies of beautiful women lying, some dead and others in a dying condition, on the sidewalks. I saw men come out of cellars and ravish the persons of some that were yet alive and then kill them and rob their bodies of all the valuables they had upon them. Then before they could get back to the cellar they would roll over a time or two and die in agony. In some of the back streets I saw them kill some of their own offspring and eat their raw flesh, and in a few minutes die themselves. Everywhere I went I saw the same scene of horror and destruction and death and rapine.
No carriages, buggies, or cars were running; but death and destruction were everywhere. Then I saw fire start and just at that moment a mighty East wind sprang up and carried the flames over the city and it burned until there was not a single building left standing there, even down to the waters edge. Wharves and shipping all seemed to burn and follow in common destruction where the “great city” was a short time ago. The stench from the bodies that were burning was so great that it was carried a long distance cross the Hudson Bay and carried death and destruction wherever it penetrated. I cannot paint in words the horror that seemed to compass me about; it was beyond description of man.
I supposed this was the end; but it was not. I was given to understand the same horror was being enacted all over the country, east, west, north, and south. Few were left alive, still there were some.
Immediately after I seemed to be standing on the left bank of the Missouri River, opposite e the City of Independence, but there was no city. I saw the whole state of Missouri and Illinois and all of Iowa, a complete desert with no living being there. A short distance from the river however, I saw twelve men dressed in temple robes, standing in a square or nearly so (and I understood it represented the Twelve Gates of the New Jerusalem.) Their hands were uplifted in consecration of the ground and laying the corner stone of the temple. I saw myraids of angels hovering over them, and saw also an immense pillar of clouds over them and heard the angels singing the most heavenly music. The words were “Now is established the Kingdom of God and his Christ, which shall never more be thrown down.”
I saw people coming from the river and from the desert places a long way off to help build the temple and it seemed that hosts of angels all helped to get material to build with and I saw some of them who wore temple clothes come and build the temple and the city, and all the time I saw the great pillar of clouds hovering over the place.
Instantly, however, I found myself again in the tabernacle at Ogden. And yet, I could still see the building go on and I got quite animated in calling on the people in the tabernacle to listen to the beautiful music, for the angels were singing the same music I had heard before. “Now is established the Kingdom of God and his Christ, which shall never more be thrown down.”
At this I seemed to stagger back from the pulpit and Brother Francis D. Richards and some others caught my arm and prevented me from falling. Then I finished so abruptly. Still even then I had not fainted, but was simply exhausted.
They I rolled over in bed and awoke just as the city clock was striking twelve.
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