Brigham Young’s Teaching on Health

As I have mentioned I have spent some time reading and studying The Discourses of Brigham Young compiled by John A. Widtsoe. I have been asked several times about my stance on health and eating. What does eating looking like Zion's way versus Babylon's way? I have a long way to go in this area. I have some opinions, but they are that, simply opinions. I believe that there is more to the Word of Wisdom than eat this or don't eat that.  I think an overall view should be looked at.  How do we view food?  What are our eating patterns? 

Since some of you do not have this book I will share various quotes from President Young on the Word of Wisdom. These are powerful quotes that have deep meanings and application in a profoud way.  Perhaps it will spark some discussion and/or lead you to your own ponderings to apply in your own life. I have omitted the extensive quotes about tobacco, tea and coffee, because I hope this is not a problem and thereby focusing on his other thoughts. The quotes are taken from chapter 16 of this book.

"Excessive eating, drinking, or exercise all tend to the grave."

"Rule your own passions, and exercise faith until you can govern and control your appetites…Permit your bodies to have natural forms; also take pains to have the bodies of your daughters grow naturally, and teach them what they are made for, and that they through faith, must overcome every besetting sin and every unholy passion and appetite."

"The strength, power, beauty and glory that once adorned that form and constitution of man have vanished away before the blighting influences of inordinate appetite and love of this world. The health and power and beauty that once adorned the noble form of man must again be restored to our race; and God designs that we shall engage in this great work of restoration."

"Then let us seek to extend the present life to the uttermost, by observing every law of health, and by properly balancing labor, study, rest, and recreation, and thus prepare for a better life. Let us teach these principles to our children, that, in the morning of their days, they may be taught to lay the foundation of health and strength and constitution and power of life in their bodies."

"By and by, according to the Scriptures, the days of a man shall be like the days of a tree. But in those days people will not eat and drink as they do now; if they do their days will not be like a tree unless it be a very short-lived tree."

"We are trying to become natural in our habits, and are striving to fulfill the end and design of our creation."

"The people have laid the foundation of short life through their diet, their rest, their labor, and their doing this, that, and the other in a wrong manner with improper motives, and at improper times."

"…good cold water…this is the beverage we should drink. It should be our drink at all times."

"As we got richer and built warm houses, and have lived more richly, indulging in sweet cake, plum pudding, roast beef and so on, we have had more or less disease among us."

"If the people were willing to receive the true knowledge from heaven in regard to their diet they would cease eating swine's flesh. I know this as well as Moses knew it, and without putting it in a code of commandments. The beef fed upon our mountain grasses is as healthy food as we need at present….Fish is as healthy a food as we can eat, if we except vegetables and fruit, and with them will become a very wholesome diet."

"The Americans, as a nation, are killing themselves with their vices and high living. As much as a man ought to eat in half an hour they swallow in three minutes, gulping down their food like the canine quadruped under the table…If you want a reform, carry out the advice I have just given you."

"When men live to the age of a tree, their food will be fruit….If every woman in this Church will now cease drinking tea, (etc.) and live upon vegetables, etc., not many generations will pass away before the days of man will again return. But it will take generations to eradicate entirely the influences of deleterious substances."

"{We should have} well ventilated dwelling-houses, especially the rooms occupied for sleeping."

"Study to preserve your bodies in life and health, and you will be able to control your minds."

"My mind becomes tired, and perhaps some of yours do. If so, go and exercise your bodies."

"Doctors make experiments, and if they find a medicine that will have the desired effect on one person, they find a medicine that will have the desired effect on one person, they set it down that it is good for everybody, but it is not so, for upon the second person that medicine is administered to seemingly with the same disease, it might produce death…I say that unless a man or woman who administers medicine to assist the human system to overcome disease, understands, and has that intuitive knowledge, by the Spirit, that such an article is good to that individual at that very time, they had better let him alone. Let the sick do without eating, take a little of something to cleanse the stomach, bowels and blood, and wait patiently, and let nature have time to gain the advantage over the disease."

"Sisters, you will take notice, … to adopt this rule-stop your child from eating meat, and especially fat meat;…let them eat a little more porridge; let them eat sparingly."

"Children should have milk, bread, water, and potatoes, and everything that would lay the foundation for disease should be strenuously kept from their stomachs, that no appetites may be formed for pernicious substance."