LDS Health Today

[jamessi]

In 2006 Brigham Young University reported that members of the church are now the most obese of all religious populations, a statistic that is directly linked to shorter lifespans and increased incidences of disease. During the past two years, my wife and I have taught more than 3000 people how to arrest and reverse diet-induced diseases and we are the authors of the book, Original Fast Foods. We are willing to respond to questions on this important topic, if it is a topic that is desirable to the administrators of this site. For a sample of a recent article we wrote view the following 2-page article entitled LDS Health Today. After spending only a few minutes on this forum, we are in love with it already and appreciate the quality of resources that can be found here. Let us know if you approve of the information and quality we can bring to this increasingly important topic.

Jim and Colleen Simmons

LDS Health Today

[Moksha]

Yikes, what a problem. I wonder if this is related to all the additives we put in our Jell-O salads?

[skalenfehl]

I like to stay pretty active with a regular regimen of weightlifting, high intensity interval training (HIIT), plyometrics/cardio, yoga, stretching and other forms of exercise to stay in peak condition. Nutrition is even more important. I consume approx 3,000 calories a day, from various protein sources, lots of veggies, fruits, dairy, my omega-3's, and just enough high quality carbs (no bleached flour products).

Thanks for the article and welcome to the forums!

[kona0197]

I wish my budget allowed me to eat the way I should...

[Elgama]

I have actually seen your website before - as a family we eat very healthily, we are currently mostly vegetarian and eat mostly fruit and veg, my husband is currently cycling 8 miles a day and he is still obese and I am overweight- we also eat our food off Japanese sized plates, and use small glasses for juice so we consume about a 1/4 of the average American. What you are doing is great, the word of wisdom is important, but I have said many times on the site obesity is not against the word of wisdom eating badly and too much is.

-Charley

[MorningStar]

Maybe we took that scripture about delighting in fatness too seriously?

[Elgama]

Maybe we took that scripture about delighting in fatness too seriously?

:lol:

[jamessi]

I have actually seen your website before - as a family we eat very healthily, we are currently mostly vegetarian and eat mostly fruit and veg, my husband is currently cycling 8 miles a day and he is still obese and I am overweight- we also eat our food off Japanese sized plates, and use small glasses for juice so we consume about a 1/4 of the average American. What you are doing is great, the word of wisdom is important, but I have said many times on the site obesity is not against the word of wisdom eating badly and too much is.

-Charley

Obesity is linked to much short life spans and to hundreds of degenerative conditions. The Brethren are very concered with these statistics because they are indicators which predict undesirable outcomes which are already occuring, as rates of diabetes, heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, arthritis, auto-immune disorders, and such are begining to soar among the membership of the church.

Brigham Young taught that the Lord has given us the law and the knowledge to become the healthiest people on earth and did so because ours is the greatest of all work to be done, preparing the earth for His 2nd coming; God wants us to be strong and healthy to be able to do this great work. He also warned that the many diseases the saints were suffering from were not trials sent by the Lord to refine us, but are self-imposed trials that come as a result of neglect and disobedience to the Lord's law. He spoke of the day when members would become fat; what he said about it wasn't pretty, complimentary, or praiseworthy. He warned against it.

For many reasons our message is about how to achieve one's vitality potential and ideal body weight and about providing the support so those who are willing can learn. Most importantly, it is a pathway that produces consistent and predictable results that anyone can achieve, without having to implement extreme measures, such as living in the gym, or developing strange eating disorders.

Thanks for your thoughts and I wish you all our best.

[Heavenguard]

He also warned that the many diseases the saints were suffering from were not trials sent by the Lord to refine us, but are self-imposed trials that come as a result of neglect and disobedience to the Lord's law. He spoke of the day when members would become fat; what he said about it wasn't pretty, complimentary, or praiseworthy. He warned against it.

I agree that obesity is a real problem, especially in the western world. And yes, much of it is a direct result of not just eating habits, but general lifestyle as well.

I would also like to point out, however, Job's plight. All his punishments and trials - including his own health - were not self-imposed, but allowed by God to prove to Satan his faithfulness. (For which he was then rewarded to twice everything he had before.) Yes, many people do harm to their own bodies, but there are people whose bodies don't function the way they ought trough no fault of their own.

[jamessi]

I agree that obesity is a real problem, especially in the western world. And yes, much of it is a direct result of not just eating habits, but general lifestyle as well.

I would also like to point out, however, Job's plight. All his punishments and trials - including his own health - were not self-imposed, but allowed by God to prove to Satan his faithfulness. (For which he was then rewarded to twice everything he had before.) Yes, many people do harm to their own bodies, but there are people whose bodies don't function the way they ought trough no fault of their own.

Good point! I don't think Brigham Young was criticizing anyone, but was speaking the truth that existed among most of the saints who suffered unduly from illnesses at the time.

According to the American Cancer Institute, up to 98% of incidences of cancer are caused by environmental factors. I think it would be safe to say that less than 10% of people who suffer today qualify as Job did and that Brigham Young's sweeping statement is probably more accurate.

If you read the article LDS Health Today, you will note food trends have shifted gradually over several decades to create today's extremely poor eating habits. We taught over 3000 people in kitchen settings during the past couple of years. Most have no idea they consume about 30% of their calories from oil, yet that is the national average. Most have no idea they consme 42% of their calories from animal-based foods, yet that is the average. I would venture to say that well over 90% of those who suffer from diet-induced diseases today do not understand why, other than in vague general terms.

How many know that consuming more animal protein that the body can use for growth, repair, and maintenance leads to several known diseases? How many know that nearly everyone can consume up to 10% animal-based calories without causing such problems, but that between 10 and 20 percent the problems begin to grow exponentially in our population. At 42%, today's national average, there is hardly a person who will escape the effects of such choices. In fact 80% of today's U.S. population suffers from one form of degenerative disease or another. These are not the Jobs of the world, but are those who have been swept along by the current of significant food trends that have caught most of us unawares.

Most of those who suffer attribute their issues to factors such as genetics, but when you see 100% success rates among those who follow certain recommendations, it doesn't take long to figure out that for the person ready to make the change in their lives, the truth will work for them, everytime. When China's incidence of cancer is 1/17 the U.S. rate, or their incidences of osteoporosis are just 1/50 the U.S. rate of osteoporosis, it is time we wake up to the possibilities rather than attribute our problems to a Job-like condition.

By shifting eating patterns from the low end of the nutrient-density chart to the high end (see chart in article), we see person after person lose excess weight and overcome true health burdens permanently. The science and common sense behind this recommendation is so simple I'm surprised the USDA doesn't shout it from the house tops. For nearly 30 years now, a doctor from the Cleveland clinic has been able to arrest and reverse heart disease in each and every patient willing to follow his dietary recommendations. Eighty-eight percent of his patients, while waiting in line for donor hearts, followed his recommendations. One hundred percent of those who chose to do so arrested and reversed their conditions, without the heart transplant. We now see similar success rates with numerous conditions. The body is ready to respond when we are, but not before.

In our book we share the work of a number of doctors who have made the same recommendations we make in order to achieve the arrest and reversal of heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, osteoporsis, multiple sclerosis, several auto-immune disorders and so forth. Because of the controversy involved, they don't talk about the arrest and reversal of various terminal illnesses, but these often occur as well. Once you understand how the 12 systems of the body work and how vitality is achieved, it is no mystery why the body can self-regulate and self-correct when nourished most intelligently.

The great thing about truth is that it isn't critical of anyone or anyone's efforts in any aspect of their lives. Truth is just there to liberate us, the moment we bend to it rather than expect it to bend to us. In 1988 President Benson declared, "As far as we've come in both understanding and overcoming the don'ts of the WoW we still have to go in understanding and overcoming the Do's.

The promises are there and they are the Lord's promises. They are true for anyone who is willing to try Him upon His word.

[pushka]

I've read your PDF, it was interesting. I'm gonna take a look at your website and Daniel's Challenge to see if it is adaptable to a vegetarian diet which includes eating Quorn meat substitute products..

I gained lots of weight prior to having heart surgery back in the 90's and only lost that weight after attending sessions at the gym for 2 1/2 years as well as adopting a better diet...I have now gradually regained the weight plus much more in the last 10 years, and have extra health problems as a result: Type 2 Diabetes, Hi BP and Cholestrol and increased pain from Arthritis...I'm currently seeking to start another regime at the gym, as soon as I'm able to have an induction for the Fitness For Life programme which the NHS offers for patients suffering from a variety of conditions, it is a reduced price exercise plan where nutrition and health is discussed at some of the groups, I had hoped to start the programme in January but the waiting list for our local scheme doesn't allow me to have my induction till April!! Unfortunately I did stop attending the gym once I'd previously lost my excess weight, I wish now that I'd never stopped

I found your PDF very easy to read/follow, and look forward to hearing more from you on the site..thanks :)

[Fiannan]

In 2006 Brigham Young University reported that members of the church are now the most obese of all religious populations, a statistic that is directly linked to shorter lifespans and increased incidences of disease. During the past two years, my wife and I have taught more than 3000 people how to arrest and reverse diet-induced diseases and we are the authors of the book, Original Fast Foods. We are willing to respond to questions on this important topic, if it is a topic that is desirable to the administrators of this site. For a sample of a recent article we wrote view the following 2-page article entitled LDS Health Today. After spending only a few minutes on this forum, we are in love with it already and appreciate the quality of resources that can be found here. Let us know if you approve of the information and quality we can bring to this increasingly important topic.

Jim and Colleen Simmons

LDS Health Today

I have noticed that LDS people have low breast cancer rates (bonus for having children) but high prostate cancer rates (that can be related to obesity and not having enough sex). Just found that interesting.

[bcguy]

Why are the youth in the church stressed to goto basket ball events, got pioneer day and walk 20 miles?, got hikes! Its not them thats obese its us! us 30,40,50 year olds. Why are we not invited to these? or better yet participate?

My two cents

[Fiannan]

Why are the youth in the church stressed to goto basket ball events, got pioneer day and walk 20 miles?, got hikes! Its not them thats obese its us! us 30,40,50 year olds. Why are we not invited to these? or better yet participate?

My two cents

Now that's a great question.

[RachelleDrew]

This is a really unexpected thing to hear. I've attended lots of different churches in my lifetime, and the LDS wards that i've recently become involved with are always the biggest sticklers about healthy living as a whole.

My ward has a couple of exercise clubs and weight watchers meetings are held there too. We have intramural sports teams in the summer, and during outings and potlucks the organizers try to have dietary guidelines to help keep everybody healthy. All of our members seem to be in pretty good shape to me.

But still, these are concerns that are becoming a really big problem in the states as a whole.