“I have discovered the Fountain of Youth”

By: Jamie Douglass

My whole life, since I was 16, I have yo-yo dieted. I had a boyfriend tell me that I could lose a hundred pounds and I would still be fat. Even though I knew he was exaggerating on the amount, his message was very clear to me, you will never be skinny enough. So, I turned to the world in telling me how I should eat to look good and feel good. I have tried every diet out there, and I could never stick with any of them.

This last summer, I ordered a new diet supplement. I felt so crummy and was desperate to try anything. I had been dealing with years of chronic fatigue, chronic sinus infections, and chronic headaches. My new supplement came in the mail on a Thursday but on Friday I was starting a fast over a personal struggle and decided to wait to start the new supplement.

During my fast, I became surprised when I got an overwhelming feeling that I should not start the new diet supplement. Confused as to why I was getting these feelings when I wasn’t even thinking about that, the words entered my mind, “Jamie, the Lord has provided a Law of Health.” It was if a light bulb when on in my head, and I remember thinking, “Duh, the Word of Wisdom.” I went to D&C 89 and immediately gained greater insight into the diet portion of the Word of Wisdom and specifically the instruction on the use of meat. I was blown away that this portion of the Word of Wisdom has never really been discussed or talked about.

I grew up on a dairy farm and meat was a staple in our home. I love my parents, they are wonderful examples to me and I wouldn’t trade anything for my upbringing. There are so many benefits to growing up on a farm. Learning hard work was one of them. Anyway, two days later I was at a good friend’s home and as I was walking out the door she said, “I feel you need to read this book” and gave me the book Discovering the Word of Wisdom. I got halfway through the book and didn’t even finish it. I knew it was true and immediately transitioned over to a plant based diet. I have since been on a journey of diving deep into the doctrines and teachings of this part of the Word of Wisdom. I am a nurse and so I have also been studying the science side of a whole food, plant-based diet, as well as the benefits.

Six months later here are the results: chronic fatigue, headaches, and sinus infections are gone. My digestive system is working wonderfully. Reflux is gone. Year around allergies have disappeared as well as recurring cold sore outbreaks. I also have so much more energy, and I feel rested on 6 hours of sleep. I can’t even remember the last winter where I have felt this good. Most winters I have had difficulty getting out of bed, and I never felt rested even having had 8+ hours of sleep. I’ve also had a 15 lb weight loss and have kept it off.

I honestly feel as if I have discovered the Fountain of Youth. I feel as if I have taken 10 years off my life. My view on animal life has changed, and I feel so much closer to Heavenly Father. Because I have worked in the medical field for nearly 20 years and have seen the quality of life the elderly have, I never wanted to live into old age. I have always hoped God would take me home before the age of 70. Now I want to live to be 120. A couple of months ago I started praying for this. I literally threw out that number and asked if I could live to be this age because I want to live into the Millennium and believe this new way of eating is a preparatory law that will help us live though what is coming and make it there. A few weeks after I started adding this to my prayers I was studying 2 Nephi and a scripture really stood out to me, and I felt I should cross reference it. It took me to Moses chapter 8, and when I read the following, I knew God was acknowledging and answering my prayers. It reads:

My spirit shall not always strive with man, for he shall know that all flesh shall die; yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. (Moses 8:17)

For the last four and a half years I have sat almost weekly listening to the blessings promised in the initiatory setting. I would wonder why I wasn’t feeling or experiencing these blessings in regards to my health. One day after discovering the diet portion of the Word of Wisdom I realized it was because I hadn’t been fully keeping this law, and this was the reason I wasn’t feeling those promised blessings. I don’t know if anyone else has noticed but the promises in regards to our health given in Section 89 of the Doctrine and Covenants are very similar to the blessings promised in the initiatory session. I love the insights and knowledge that also come and continues to come through having better lived this law.

Jamie Douglass (39 years old) grew up in Cache Valley and has lived here her whole life. She has a wonderful husband and four children. Jamie works part-time as a nurse and loves to use her spare time in family history and temple work.