Archive for Stories – Page 21

“By following the Word of Wisdom I am healthier and happier”

By Jane Birch · Comments (3)
Saturday, June 21st, 2014

Bradshaw Hirschi

I don’t eat any meat or dairy. I feel really good about eating this way. I don’t think anything is hard about it. When my friends ask me why I don’t eat meat, I ask them why they eat meat if they like animals. My family eats this way because we don’t like eating things that were alive, and to be healthy. I like being vegan because my food doesn’t smell bad.

I like to play sports, and if I eat this way it will help me be stronger. I don’t get sick very much, and if I do get sick it doesn’t last very long. I know when I go on my mission I might have to eat some meat and dairy, but Heavenly Father will help me because I try not to.

Bradshaw Hirschi is 9 and lives in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho with his parents, three brothers, and one sister. He likes soccer and is crazy about baseball. He enjoys school most of the time, especially PE.

 

 

 

 

Shayne Hirschi

I have not ever had meat in my whole life. I like to be vegan because I don’t need to worry about having cancer, heart attacks, stroke, etc. I have never been tempted to eat any thing like meat, cheese, eggs, or anything like that. I have never had any problems with my friends. They all think its cool to be vegan.

A few weeks ago I went to an overnight camp for all the sixth graders. It was three days long so I would be eating the foods that the cooks made. We knew I would need to bring my own food so we got the menu for the three days. Most of the meals I could not have. Like breakfast burritos and nachos. So the night I was going to camp me and my mom went shopping for my food. At camp I could tell the kids in my group were wondering why I was eating differently, so I told them that I was vegan and had to eat different foods. My teachers always made sure I had the right foods. I am glad I went to camp. We had a lot of fun.

By following the Word of Wisdom I am healthier, happier, and more active than others.

We don’t have foods like oreos, doughnuts, cookies, chips, etc. I love all those things but we make our own cookies and cakes, and I think they are delicious. Even better than the ones people buy from stores. We even make cookie dough out of chickpeas! My parents love me so much so they keep my body healthy and active by not feeding me meat and dairy and by following the Word of Wisdom.

Shayne Hirschi is 11 and lives in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. She loves gymnastics, swimming, and jumping on the trampoline.

 

Comments (3)
Categories : Under 20
Tags : , , ,

“For the first time in my life, I felt complete mental clarity”

By Jane Birch
Saturday, June 14th, 2014

Bailey FamilyBy: Allison Bailey

I don’t remember when my issues with hormones started, because I can’t remember my life without them. I started my first period when I was fifteen, and my periods got more painful as the years went on. By the time I was 21 and a newlywed, my symptoms during my periods were so painful I was on the verge of a trip to the emergency room.

Then I was diagnosed with endometriosis. I was put on a terrible medication called Lupron for six months and continued to have painful symptoms. I had a laparoscopy surgery where my doctor found the endometriosis tissue and burned it. I was lucky and was able to get pregnant.

The pain got a little better during each of my three pregnancies, but after about 9 months, it slowly returned again. One of the most significant symptoms during my ovulations and periods was my mood, or PMS. When I was 31, my youngest turned 3, and I was just worn out. I was sick and tired of feeling like a horrible mother two weeks out of every month. I met with my OBGYN, and we decided a hysterectomy would be best.

After my hysterectomy I had two fantastic years. Then I began to feel like I was postpartum again. I began to have thoughts of suicide. I was overwhelmed and incredibly frustrated that even after such a final surgery, I still had problems. I began to talk to my doctor about hormones. And while we monitored my hormones, she put me on an anti-depressant.

Read More→

Categories : Married-2 WFPB
Tags : , , ,

“Do I believe the Lord means what he says?”

By Jane Birch · Comments (34)
Saturday, June 7th, 2014

Sam SwensonBy: Sam Swenson

In 1997 I was starting out as a new missionary in the Taiwan, Taichung mission. I had just moved into my second area and was assigned as a junior companion to Elder Olmstead, a muscular football player from Oregon. Elder Olmstead was on his last assignment before heading home so he was getting up early each morning to run on a track at a nearby school to get back into shape before heading back to football. It was while I was running on the track early one morning that I first noticed it: a slight aching sensation on the right side of my lower back that radiated into my right hip. It felt a little like a charley horse so I didn’t think much of it and figured I must not have stretched enough before running. But stretching had nothing to do with it.

The pain continued throughout the remainder of my mission. In fact, as time went by, the pain intensified and spread. My ribs began aching too. After a while, breathing became painful and sneezing caused so much pain that my vision would temporarily go black and I would see stars for a few moments.

After returning from my mission, my mom noticed me limping up the stairs and saw me wincing whenever I breathed deeply or sneezed. She told me I moved like a 90-year-old man. She made me see doctors and after a few frustrating visits to a number of doctors without getting any answers, I made my way to a rheumatologist office where I first learned the term “Ankylosing Spondylitis” or “AS.” AS is a disease of the immune system that causes severe inflammation throughout the spinal column and the adjoining tendons. If untreated, it leads to the fusing of bones in the spine, eye and skin problems, difficulty breathing, and possibly heart problems.

Read More→

Comments (34)
Categories : Married-2 WFPB
Tags : , , , , , , ,

“I am convinced this is the way to eat”

By Jane Birch · Comments (3)
Saturday, May 31st, 2014

Laura AllenBy: Laura Allen

I grew up with a Mom who was mostly vegan for most of my growing up. Eating meat grossed me out (unless it was a very blackened barbequed hamburger—the good smell overcame the grossness), so I rarely ate meat. In fact, one of my earliest memories is picking out all the meat from my soup. I did eat lots of cheese, yogurt, eggs, etc. but did not “drink” milk—I only used it on cereal.

Almost twelve years ago, when I was pregnant with my third child, I had really bad migraines. I went to a doctor, who suggested that dairy (cheese in particular) might be partially to blame. At about this same time, my husband discovered he was lactose intolerant. We decided to cut milk and cheese out of our diet. At first I wondered what we would eat, but we found that soy milk was an easy substitute, and I found other things to eat besides grilled cheese sandwiches. My migraines did become much better, so it seemed worth it to continue.

We carried along with the rest of our mostly healthy diet (lots of fruits, some vegetables, and mostly whole grains, although we were still eating some processed foods) for about the next five years.

About six years later, after the birth of my fifth child, I became really interested in eating better (to be healthier and to lose the baby weight). My mom had discovered Dr. Fuhrman and Dr. McDougall, and had mentioned them to me. I researched their websites and books and started doing McDougall’s diet. I saw immediate results and continued eating a plant-based diet. I also added in Dr. Fuhrman’s huge salads to my evening meals. I became much stricter about the processed foods I ate and started sticking to low fat, whole foods.

Read More→

Comments (3)
Categories : Married-2 WFPB
Tags : , , , ,

“Eating this way helps you come into the light”

By Jane Birch · Comments (7)
Saturday, May 24th, 2014

Lauri MackeyBy: Lauri Mackey

My journey to whole foods, plant-based nutrition began after I was married. I love to cook. I love to bake. I wanted to wow my husband, Eddy, with scrumptious dishes at every meal. Most of the foods were from the rich American diet that we all enjoy. I can bake cinnamon rolls that will make you remember childhood memories, chicken-fried steak with thick gravy that will clog arteries instantly, and funeral potatoes that will win awards at church events.

The problem was, that after a couple of years, we had both gained a considerable amount of weight. I gained about 15 pounds, and my husband gained over 20. I had never been a big fan of “dieting.” I have a great metabolism, and weight was never a problem, but when I couldn’t button my pants without effort, it was time to consider something, anything! I found an app on my phone called LoseIt! that I decided to try out, and my husband, bless his heart, jumped on board because he knew that doing it with someone would be much easier. The deal was that you counted calories. ALL of your calories. I could count calories like nobody’s business, and it worked. We both started to lose weight. Good news, right? Wrong.

Read More→

Comments (7)
Categories : Married-2 WFPB
Tags : , , , , , ,

“I just wanted to feel normal” (Long Version)

By Jane Birch · Comments (12)
Saturday, May 17th, 2014

Kevin TunstallNote from Jane: I also published a much shorter version of the following story. I’ve always wanted to share the original, long version, so I’m happy to do so here. The entire story is well worth reading, but if your time is limited, you may want to read the abbreviated version instead. Either way, this is a remarkable story!

By: Kevin Tunstall

My journey to a plant-based diet began soon after my diagnosis of prostate cancer. However, to begin fully, I should probably start earlier than the diagnosis as a series of events that some could call miracles led me to review my understanding of the Word of Wisdom and renew my understanding of the gospel, a journey that is still evolving.

My grandmother passed away from cancer after being terrified of dying of the big ‘C’ from a young age—she was in her eighties when it caught up with her. My mother passed away from lung cancer on my birthday in 2002, then a few years later my wife’s only sister developed breast cancer, which was aggressive and had started to move through the lymph nodes. She ended up having a mastectomy and her ovaries removed due to her age. This was followed by chemotherapy and radiation treatment.

I had been called as bishop of a very busy ward here in New Zealand just four months earlier and ironically one of my first challenges was dealing with a single sister in the ward with two teenage children who had breast cancer but refused to get treatment or let me tell anyone.

Read More→

Comments (12)
Categories : Married-2 WFPB
Tags : , , , , , , , , , , ,

“I definitely see the Word of Wisdom differently now”

By Jane Birch · Comments (17)
Saturday, May 10th, 2014

Elna ClarkBy: Elna Clark

Twenty-five years ago I had colon cancer and had to have part of my colon removed. There were complications following my surgery, and digestion became more and more difficult. The doctors could do very little to help, and I did nothing to change my diet at that time.

About five years ago I started getting some arthritis-like symptoms. Rheumatologists were not certain what to call what I had, but at its worst I couldn’t get out of bed or even hold my hand up to my ear to hold the phone. For a few years I was on Prednisone, but that obviously was not a good permanent solution.

My sister, Orva Johnson, suggested I give up ALL animal foods. I had already eliminated all dairy (except for butter) from my diet several years earlier because I found it wreaked havoc on my digestive system. Also, I ate VERY little meat, maybe a half cup per week. Butter was my weakness. In a way I thought I was so close to being vegan already, how much difference could the extra small changes make? But I knew I needed to get off Prednisone, and the pain of the arthritis was debilitating.

Read More→

Comments (17)
Categories : Married-2 WFPB
Tags : , , , ,

“So That’s What A Drumstick Is!”

By Jane Birch · Comments (8)
Saturday, May 3rd, 2014

Byron EltonBy: Byron H. Elton

I was born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada in 1954. Back then, we went to church twice on Sundays and on occasion between the meetings we would stop off at the local “Kentucky Fried Chicken” and grab a bucket so that Mum wouldn’t have to cook. If we were particularly hungry, or we had guests, we would get a “barrel.” When the cardboard box with “finger lickin’ good” chicken was delivered, I would volunteer to hold it until we got home. I remember it was wonderfully warm in my lap, and the aroma of the Colonel’s magical blend of “11 herbs and spices” filled our Buick and my nostrils with a wonderful aroma and the promise of a chicken chow down.

I suppose they have changed the recipe since, but in those days, the bucket would be soaked in grease, inside and out. No amount of washings could erase the smell from my church pants, and I was a walking advertisement for the Colonel from Kentucky. We typically dispensed with more formal dining protocol and sat in front of the TV watching “Jungle Jim” and “77 Bengal Lancers” while feasting on chicken parts. There were wings, breasts, and the coveted drumsticks. The latter were the favoured selection for the youngest as they were the easiest to hold.

One Sunday afternoon, we were watching some cartoons while eating. One featured a group of chickens being hunted by a ravenous fox. They proved particularly elusive, and Mr. Fox never did catch one, but every time he looked at them, he imagined them as various parts to be eaten. Each body part would become enlarged and labeled and great drops of saliva fell from his mouth. I was just finishing my drumstick when he started fantasizing about the chicken’s legs. In an instant, I made the connection. I looked down at the drumstick in my hand and suddenly saw the bone, tendons, ligaments and skin. For the very first time I thought, “So that’s what a drumstick is!” I never looked at a chicken or any other animal that we ate the same way.

Read More→

Comments (8)
Categories : Married-2 WFPB
Tags : , , , , , ,

“Heavenly Father really does care about our bodies”

By Jane Birch · Comments (9)
Saturday, April 26th, 2014

Eliza HirschiBy: Eliza Hirschi

I grew up in a family that always tried to eat healthy, without refined sugars and processed foods. My mom was vegetarian and mostly vegan, so we did not have a lot of meat at our house. My dad and siblings and I still had dairy products, but not as much as a lot of families. I remember hearing in school how we needed milk to be healthy and asking my mom about it. She replied that she wasn’t sure, but she felt like it was not necessary.

When I went to BYU, I took a nutrition course. I remember feeling like they were off base because I believed my mom was right and that animal products were not necessary or healthy, but I didn’t give it much thought. I still considered myself to be a healthy eater, but I did occasionally have meat, and I had dairy all of the time by this point.

When our oldest daughter was about six months old, my dad was experiencing health problems and decided to go completely vegan to see if his problems would go away. I got the book Food for Life by Neal Barnard and was so excited when I read it because it made so much sense to me! My husband and I (his idea) decided to support my dad in his decision and try it out ourselves. We have never looked back!

Read More→

Comments (9)
Categories : Married-2 WFPB
Tags : , , , ,

“When I changed my diet, an amazing thing happened”

By Jane Birch · Comments (7)
Saturday, April 19th, 2014

Lynn HenrichsenBy: Lynn Henrichsen

As a teenage boy I could eat anything and never put on a pound. However, as an adult, I found myself putting on weight until I weighed over 50 pounds more than I did in high school. My job as a BYU faculty member involved mostly sitting at a desk or standing in front of a class. That led to physical problems. At age 40, running and even walking produced pain in my knees that reduced my activity level even further. Nevertheless, I accepted this reduction and the accompanying gain in weight as part of the normal aging process. I didn’t worry much about it. I exercised moderately and consumed a diet relatively high in refined flour, sugar, dairy products, and meat, which I had been taught were “good food.”

When I was in my forties and fifties, a high school or college classmate or family member my age, who had been a healthy or even athletic youth, would occasionally appear in the obituaries—usually a victim of a heart attack, stroke, or cancer. Also, among those who were still alive, I noticed a significant number growing (in their own words) “slower, fatter, and stupider” and accepting these undesirable changes as inevitable.

Read More→

Comments (7)
Categories : Married-2 WFPB
Tags : , , , , , , , , ,
« Previous Page
Next Page »

Discovering the Word of Wisdom
Provo, Utah 84604

© DiscoveringtheWordofWisdom.com

Contact Jane Birch
Book: Discovering the Word of Wisdom
Privacy Policy and Disclaimer