“I feel like I found the fountain of youth!”

By: Sandy Larson

In 2012, my mom died suddenly from a major heart attack after decades of heart disease, diabetes, and being overweight. She was 69 years old, and my five kids were young. They didn’t get enough time with their sweet grandma. Her health had not been good for many, many years. She would get out of breath climbing a flight of stairs and have to stop and rest. It was rare to ever see my mom eat fruits or vegetables. She ate a lot of fast food, drank a lot of soda, and took a ton of medications and pills. It was hard to watch her health get worse over time, and heart-breaking to lose her when she passed away.

A few years ago, in the spring of 2017, I wasn’t sleeping well and felt exhausted during the day. I had gained weight and had a closet full of clothes that didn’t fit. The idea of buying all new clothes in bigger sizes was very depressing for me. Logically, I knew I should eat less and exercise more, but it was extremely hard to avoid or limit my favorite foods, and I didn’t have the energy or desire to exercise. I found myself getting out of breath climbing stairs too, just like my mom, which was scary.

I felt like I needed to get in shape and start eating better, but it was really hard to do. We were eating lots of meat with every meal, plus lots of cheese, butter, eggs, ice cream, and desserts every day. Cutting down on portions or trying to count calories didn’t seem to work, and I felt like a failure. While we cooked most of our meals at home and we did eat fruits and veggies, we loved to get pizza or fast food several times a week and go to restaurants and ice cream shops to celebrate birthdays and any kind of special occasion.

I wanted to lose weight and have more energy, but I wasn’t sure where to begin. Everyone I knew was on a different diet, and I felt confused about what was healthy and what was not. There were just too many conflicting opinions. It reminded me of Joseph Smith’s words, as he was searching for the truth about religion. He said, “In the midst of this war of words and tumult of opinions, I often said to myself: What is to be done? Who of all these parties are right; or, are they all wrong together? If any one of them be right, which is it, and how shall I know it?” (Joseph Smith History 1:10.) I started praying for guidance and understanding. I needed to know how to get healthy and help my husband and kids be healthy.

My husband hunts and fishes and had just filled a third freezer with deer and elk. One day, I was looking at all of the meat and wondering how we would ever use it all. I was suddenly struck with an overwhelming feeling, and one word came to my mind in a powerful way: SPARINGLY. It was clear and unmistakable. I immediately understood that we were eating meat excessively, not sparingly. I knew that the word “sparingly” was found in the Word of Wisdom (Doctrine and Covenants 89), but I didn’t really know what sparingly meant. Was it once a month? Once a week? Even once a day would have been a big change for us.

I went straight to the scriptures and started reading the Word of Wisdom, a revelation on health given to Joseph Smith in 1833. I had always thought that I had kept the Word of Wisdom perfectly! I had never smoked, used drugs, or drank alcohol, coffee, or tea. But I realized that I had never given any thought to the rest of the verses in that section that tell us what to eat to be healthy. The promises in the last verses of the Word of Wisdom gave me hope and were exactly what I was searching for:

And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall 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.
And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them (D&C 89:18-21).

Then I remembered my patriarchal blessing. It says “Keep the Word of Wisdom strictly. Never take anything into your body that would be detrimental to it.” As I read those words, I felt very strongly that the Lord was guiding me to the answers I was seeking. The Spirit was whispering to me that most of what I was eating was detrimental to my body!

I searched online to see if there was such a thing as a “Word of Wisdom Diet,”and I found Jane Birch’s website discoveringthewordofwisdom.com. I was blown away by all of the amazing information and inspiring success stories that she had compiled. It was fascinating to me. It was like opening a door to a world I never knew existed!

For weeks, I read everything I could get my hands on about a Whole Food, Plant-Based diet (WFPB). I watched documentaries, like Forks Over Knivesand read all I could from the doctors and nutrition experts in the movie: McDougall, Campbell, Esselstyn, Greger, Barnard and others. I was amazed, and wished that my mom had known how to eliminate her diabetes and her heart problems by eating a healthy, plant-based diet.

I decided to commit to one full month, 100%, no cheating, to see what it would feel like. No meat, dairy, eggs, or junk food. I knew that it would not be easy to give up some of my favorite foods – ice cream, chocolate, cheese, chips, candy, and desserts. But I knew that it would be worth it!

What I didn’t know was that my oldest daughter, who was thirteen, had been studying the Word of Wisdom separately, on her own, at the same time, and had decided to start eating only healthy foods too. She wanted to try out for a competitive soccer team and was serious about getting in shape. She was avoiding treats and junk food, and was no longer interested in heavy meals or fattening foods. We both had been led to the same answers and the same guidance to change the way we were eating! It was a powerful witness to me that this was what we needed to do.

My husband has always been a big meat-eater. He was skeptical about changing, but he surprised me by joining me and cutting out meat for two weeks when I began. He could see the benefits (no more heartburn, better digestion, losing weight), but he mourned the loss of his favorite foods. He called it “The Deprivation Diet,” and thought sacrificing your favorite foods took the joy out of life. He could understand eating less meat, but he didn’t think we needed to follow a plant-based diet strictly.

It was definitely challenging to completely change everything about what we were eating, but for me, the results were amazing! In the first few days, I was sleeping better (no nighttime stomachaches after heavy meals and desserts), my digestion improved (no more constipation or heartburn), my constant congestion and sinus trouble cleared up, and I felt more energetic and alert during the day. My skin cleared up too. No more pimples! And my severe allergies to grass and pollen also disappeared, after ten years of daily prescription allergy medicine! I felt great and started to enjoy getting outside again and running around with my kids. Before, my muscles and my mind and my digestion felt slow and sluggish, but eating the healthiest foods made me feel so much more alive. By the end of the month, I had lost twelve pounds and decided to continue on for another month. I lost another 8 pounds, without effort, eating as much as I wanted of the healthiest foods. I loved that I could eat until I was full and never had to count calories.

I lost a total of 25 pounds during the first few months, and slimmed down to my size in college. It was fantastic, and I had NO desire to go back to my old ways. As time went on, my painful menstrual cramps disappeared completely and have never come back. My cholesterol and blood pressure dropped to the ideal levels. Even the painful laryngitis I used to get every winter (severe pain and burning in my throat that would last for weeks) stopped. I wish I had known about all these benefits decades ago. I feel like I found the fountain of youth! It has been almost four years now, and I am still committed to avoiding all animal products, oil and junk food. I have no health problems, take no medications, and maintain my ideal weight easily. It has been miraculous for me!

Most of our kids really struggled with the changes to a healthier diet. There was a lot of complaining and frustration. They were not happy about eliminating the foods that we had always enjoyed and eating all new things. The first few months were the hardest, but over time, they have gotten used to the changes. As a mother, I feel good knowing I’m doing all I can to teach my kids how to be healthy, and to provide the best foods for them every day. My husband and kids eat very healthy at home, though they might choose differently elsewhere. They at least know and understand why we eat the way we do. Like all of the other addictive substances in the Word of Wisdom, we teach our kids to stay away from unhealthy things, and then they have to make decisions for themselves (and accept the consequences that go with them).

We are all so much healthier and almost never get sick. My kids are slim, active, athletic, and have clear skin with no pimples. My husband’s health is excellent since we eliminated so many unhealthy things, and he was given the best possible rating by his life insurance company. It is sad to see many people around us who are our age struggling with all kinds of health problems and being diagnosed with major illnesses. Good health is such a blessing!

When people hear that I don’t eat meat, some people will insist that we need to eat meat and that God gave us animals so that we can eat them. But the Lord has said, “It is pleasing unto me that they should not be used, only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine” (Doctrine and Covenants 89:13). We are to eat meat sparingly, meaning to spare the lives of animals, and only kill them for food when there is no other food to eat. In Doctrine and Covenants 49:21, it says, “Wo be unto man that sheddeth blood or wasteth flesh and hath no need.” Meat is not forbidden, but we should only eat meat when there is a true need for it. I feel good knowing that I am not contributing to the cruelty and confinement of animals bred for food in the livestock industry, or causing animals to die unnecessarily. If there is a famine and nothing can be grown, then having meat to eat would be a great blessing to preserve our lives until food can be grown again. Storing a year’s supply of grains and beans and other long term food storage though, means that, until that runs out, there will be plenty to eat without needing to kill any animals.

For me, some of the hardest parts about changing my diet were letting go of everything I thought I knew about nutrition (like protein, calcium, fat, oil, etc.), relearning how to cook meals and healthy desserts, the negative comments and criticism from most of the people around me, being questioned constantly about my decision, and kids (or a husband) who didn’t understand the importance of this decision and would resist healthy choices. For so long, I felt like I was trying my best to do what was right, but I was constantly met with opposition, which was very hard. I was determined to stick with it though! Eating differently than everyone you know is tough. Saying no to all of the tempting foods that surround us on a daily basis is definitely not easy. But breaking free from my food addictions has been very liberating! We have to choose the best foods if we want the best health.

I’m so thankful that God has given us the knowledge we need in order to take care of the bodies He has blessed us with. We do not need to be confused about diet or nutrition. I know that He loves us and wants us to live long, healthy, productive lives, free from sickness and addictions. Finding the truth has been life-changing for me. I am so grateful for the Word of Wisdom and the answers and inspiration from above that have blessed my life. Good health is a priceless treasure!

Sandy Larson of Bluffdale, Utah is 42 and grew up in Phoenix, Arizona. She attended BYU in Provo, Utah, where she met her husband, Aaron, from South Dakota. They have five children, ages 10-19. Sandy has always loved learning about science, nature, biology, and health. She loves traveling, exploring nature and National Parks, swimming, rollerblading, reading, and learning languages. As a native of Arizona, warm weather and sunshine are some of her favorite things! She keeps busy as a full-time mom, supporting her kids in their musical, athletic, and academic pursuits. She looks forward to a long life full of adventures with her family and hopes to make it to 100!