The Lord promised us, that if we follow this Word of wisdom that we will, "...receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones; And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures; And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint" (D&C 89:18-20). What this tells us, is if we follow God's commandments (like how Daniel followed the health code when he was subject to King Nebechadnezzar) we we be blessed. What particularly is written in this Word of Wisdom? Why does it matter?
Specifically, we have been warned not to partake of: alcoholic drinks, tobacco products, tea (non-herbal), and coffee. First off, most of these items are very addictive in nature. I can't express how many people I know that suffer headaches or other withdrawal symptoms if they don't take their morning cup of coffee. It is not good to be addicted to any substance. Being addicted to something takes away our agency (agency is the ability to choose for ourselves, like free will). When a person partakes of alcohol, their judgment gets clouded, and they may do things that they would not have originally done if they were sober, thus their agency has been impaired. Also, the items listed are not very healthy, and have some damaging affects to the body. The easier ones to see are alcohol on the liver, and tobacco on the lungs and mouth. Other things that also fall into this category are the taking of illegal drugs and abusing prescription drugs. Both of these can be very addictive, and have bad effects on neurotransmitter release and the post synaptic terminal.
On the plus side, things that are good for the body are: vegetables, fruits, grains, and meat. Again, all of these things should be used sparingly. The Lord is trying to teach us moderation, and not to be consumed with anything. It would be just as bad to be a glutton over food as it would be to smoke cigarettes. Both are harmful to the body. Now, I realize that nobody is perfect, but this is what we are striving for. To live the Word of Wisdom, to not partake of what the Lord has asked us not to do, and to eat other things in moderation.
I know that I have been blessed in this regard. Before joining the Church, I used to drink on occasion. I never really got into the hang of it, but I slightly enjoyed having my inhibitions loosened. However, when I would look back at what I had done while I was drinking, I was not proud of the actions I had taken. I did not like that drinking had changed my mindset, and had let my moral compass slide on standards that I had held sacred. While I was drinking, I could not choose for myself what I wanted to do. My mind was clouded, and I was easily swayed. Without alcohol, I can fully weigh both the positives and negatives of a decision, and make a prayerful choice. I have been healthier since I decided to follow the Lord's standard, and I have been blessed.
Please don't get me wrong, many of my friends and family members partake of some of these substances, and I am not judging you. I believe that people need to make this decision for themselves, and to pray about it. I will never stop loving or caring for a person if they decide to partake of the substances that I abstain from. (It reminds me of something that Paul wrote about in one of his letters, dealing with, "if someone needs to abstain from meat, that is fine, but you don't need to, if you don't believe it is necessary). It is something that someone who I hold in authority has asked members of the Church to follow, and since I am in that Church, I will continue to follow it. I believe that it can benefit the lives of others.
Best shirt ever, and definitely true of me :)
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