“Knowledge is more powerful than pride”

By: Analilí Burrows (Version en español)

My search for wellness and health began long ago without much success. Conflicting information and the “false traditions” of my people darkened my understanding.

I became a mother at 28, seventeen years ago today. Birthing my first son was a grueling experience I don’t wish upon anyone. At our 20-week ultrasound, we were warned this baby’s condition was incompatible with life due to anencephaly, which means the scull is missing and the baby’s brain is floating around the amniotic fluid in a thin skin sack. He died in utero five days before my labor began.

A few months later I missed my period again. A home pregnancy test found out we were expecting, but I miscarried the very next day at 7 weeks. In 2006 with a two-year old miracle daughter, I was getting ready to pack my hospital bag at 8 months pregnant when my placenta abrupted inadvertently, and we lost our precious daughter. I almost died in the process too.

This close call with my own life and having to bury a second baby of mine gave me a new determination to find out what was wrong with me. I enrolled in medical school and was accepted, but with a 2-year old baby and a husband traveling most of the time, I had to pass this goal for a later day.

Little did I know I was learning line upon line, precept upon precept what I have come to know now.

We moved from Guatemala City to the United States in April 2008, and in July I gave birth to a healthy little boy. Growing up in Guatemala, I never learned how to cook or help in the kitchen. There was always a maid and my grandma and mom in a small kitchen. We were only asked to set the table. It wasn’t until we moved to Texas in 2008 that I learned how to make rice, pasta, beans, potatoes, soups and salads. I enjoyed cooking and thought I had a gift for it. Most meals were heavy in animal products. My favorite daily breakfast was three eggs cooked different ways. I had a Costco membership to get rotisserie chicken, sour cream, unsalted butter, whole fat milk, yogurt, beef hot dogs, orange chicken, taquitos, blocks of cheese, sugary granola bars, etc. My husband insisted that we should eat more vegetables, and every morning made a smoothie with the veggies that were neglected and starting to go bad together with some fruit.

With all this animal food and eating big portions, my weight did not fluctuate much, but I was obviously not healthy. I was often out of breath and had some chest pain. Constipation was my middle name. I had a hemorrhoidal crises with each pregnancy. (No one ever told me to eat more natural fiber and avoid animal products!!!) I thought my joint and back pain were all part of getting older and working on a computer half the day. I never thought I was being attacked by my own immune system with crippling arthritis.

Looking back further, I was born by C-section. At age one I contracted rotavirus, the same virus that killed at least one infant in our neighborhood. Every year growing up I tested positive for amoebas, had strep throat, infected skin rashes… and was treated with antibiotics every time. Twice I had typhoid fever and was hospitalized three days on one occasion. My gut flora was so depleted, I’m beginning to wonder how I even got to adulthood. I ate a lot, but was still malnourished.

In 2011 I started spending lots of money in supplements with the hopes of having more children. The following year, at 38 I had our third/fifth child. She had to be induced at 8 months and was only 4.4 lbs because I had dangerously high blood pressure, and she had stopped growing. At 41 I had our last daughter.

A year ago (July 2017) I stopped working, so the first thing to go from my budget were the supplements. I did not want to get sick, but I didn’t know what to do next. When I turned 44 last October I thought to myself, I have 60 more years to live, since my great grandmother was 104 and in good health when she passed. We celebrated at the bowling alley and ordered a huge, cheese-oozing pizza. I made a Tres Leches cake (my specialty) and ate it all gone in two days. I was counting on my good genes, but now know there is more to it. Dr. John McDougall says it well, “Your genes load the gun; your diet pulls the trigger.”

I started looking for interviews, TED talks, documentaries, more books to educate myself about nutrition. I’ve never been more thankful for YouTube in my life. I found out that most Seven Day Adventists were vegetarian and in good health when elderly… I had sworn up and down never to become a vegetarian… but knowledge is more powerful than pride. I read D&C 89 really slowly and went back to D&C 49. I shared my findings with my Guatemalan family and told them that I was saddened that some of our LDS friends who never drank or smoked, have died, survived, or are currently fighting several types of cancer at a very young age, have had heart attacks and are now invalid, are suffering from diabetes, fatty liver, etc. I got no support. I got D&C 49:18 which in Spanish translates “whosoever commandeth to abstain from meat…” I explained I was choosing to abstain and that “it is pleasing to God” when we don’t kill his creatures if there is no need (D&C 49:21). There is no famine! One of my brothers did admit that Daniel in the Old Testament refused the king’s meat portion and looked better and was healthier and wiser compared to all the other king’s servants.

I watched the documentaries Forks Over Knives and What the Health and decided to research the plant-based doctors featured in the films. Their messages made so much sense I switched to a plant-based diet before our visit to Guatemala in December (huge mistake). My extended family was passionately against it. My mom admitted shock and feeling tied up not knowing what to cook! I mentioned my findings to my aunt and uncle, both suffering with poor health, but they each said they would rather die than change their diet… it breaks my heart!

Thankfully, my husband’s family was very supportive. They’re mostly LDS and have had off-and-on some vegans, vegetarians, pescatarians, no gluten, no sugar, etc., in their midst and agree that we all choose what we think is best for our health.

These are the clear benefits I’ve seen: After only three days of eating oatmeal instead of eggs for breakfast, I realized my wrists did not hurt. I could actually open a bottle, throw the ball to our dog, wake up in the morning with no shoulder, elbow, hip, and knee pain (I didn’t need to change my mattress after all!); my back pain was mostly gone… constipation, gone; hemorrhoids, gone. A few weeks went by and I wasn’t so out of breath. I stopped having chest pain. No more PMS symptoms!! I used to have some migraines after eating sugar or chocolate; I don’t get them anymore (I don’t crave sugar or chocolate as I used to).

My husband wished for this change a long time ago, although he still eats meat, dairy, and eggs if served to him. My children don’t like that animals suffer when we eat their products; nevertheless if served them, they will still eat animal products.

We now live in a cattle-farming community. I have not openly shared my WFPB diet. I know the Lord invites us all and patiently waits for us. He will speak to each individual when they ask, seek, and knock. He will not force change on anyone. I was asked to teach how to make corn tortillas at church. I topped the tortillas with my tomato sauce lentils and everyone enjoyed them. I have substituted many of my meat plates with mushrooms. They are still delicious. I am happy with my health journey. I hope I am pleasing the Lord by growing a garden and eating mostly whole foods, taking a brisk walk, thinking good thoughts, and serving my fellow men.

Analilí Burrows (44 years old) was born in Guatemala City and lives in Leamington, Utah. She met her husband in Guatemala after her service as a full-time missionary in the Utah Salt Lake City Temple Square Mission. The have four living children. Most of Analili’s time is spent homeschooling her children, but when she has time she enjoys aerobic exercises: biking, swimming, dancing, Zumba, and most recently aqua Zumba. She has also discovered online yoga for beginners. She is literally obsessed with online lectures by WFPB doctors and listens to them while doing chores or cooking.