Discovering the Word of Wisdom: We are Not Very Different from the Early Saints!

It sometimes surprises us that it took over 80 years…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Why the Preoccupation with the Prohibitions?

With 21 verses of dietary counsel in the Word of…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Latter-day Saint Leaders on the Word of Wisdom

The familiar prohibitions of alcohol, tobacco, coffee, and tea have…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Why Aren’t We Told How to Eat?

If the dietary principles in the Word of Wisdom are…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: What About Dairy and Eggs?

Dairy and eggs are not specifically mentioned in the Word…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Wheat for Man

Our day is the only time in history when so…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: The Danger of Displacing Grain

Last time in Discovering the Word of Wisdom, I introduced…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: All Grain Is Good

I have discussed two of the three main dietary pillars…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Healthy Fats & Vegetable Oils

In this week’s article, I will discuss healthy fats and…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Food Addiction

In this week’s article, I will be exploring the relationship…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Wholesome Herbs and Every Fruit

In the last two articles, I’ve been examining the “flesh…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Where Do You Get Your Protein?

Most of us already believe that if the entire world…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: The Flesh of Beasts, Part II

In Part I of “The Flesh of Beasts,” I examined…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: The Flesh of Beasts, Part I

I never imagined that some of the “great and important…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Discovering Joy!

In a church chock full of commandments, the occasional “freebie”—something…

A Way to Prevent and Reverse Type 2 Diabetes

Being diagnosed with diabetes can feel like a life-long sentence…

How to Prevent and Cure Acne

Acne is a common scourge, particularly among teenagers and young…

How to Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease

Most of our physical ills are caused by things we…

The Word of Wisdom Vs. The Wisdom of the World

It is impossible for any of us to interpret the…

Why Whole Food, Plant-based is a Superb Word of Wisdom Diet

While I do not believe the Word of Wisdom boils…

Why Whole Food, Plant-based Is Not the Word of Wisdom

Given the broad-based principles of the Word of Wisdom, faithful…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Visualizing the Word of Wisdom

Many people believe the Word of Wisdom is very clear…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Going Beyond the Doctrines and Principles

Unraveling the confusion that is often generated by what some…

If You Really Want to Be Both THIN and HEALTHY

Most of us know by now that we can lose…

Is This the Year to Radically Improve Your Diet?

As a lifelong member of the Church, I learned about…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: A Key to Success in the New Year

If every day can be a fresh start, the new…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Celebrating Christ Through Food

Christmas season is a time for celebration. We celebrate in…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Join the 10-Day January Jumpstart

The New Year is around the corner. I love this…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: God Ordained Grain as the Staff of Life

Understanding the foods ordained by God in verses 10–11 of…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Are Fish Ordained by God?

The Lord mentions an appropriate use for beasts and fowls…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Animal Flesh is Ordained by God

While it is rare to hear someone suggest that humans…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: The Wholesome Herbs Ordained by God

It is important to remember that the Word of Wisdom…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Three Foods Ordained by God

In verses 10–17 of Section 89, the Lord describes the…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Why God Doesn’t Over-Explain

Have you ever wondered why the Lord doesn't make His…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Section 89 as Parable

The Lord often uses poetic words, with layered meanings, to…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: The Spirit of the Law

"The commandments found in the scriptures, both the positive counsel…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: The Letter of the Law

How often do we find ourselves treating the commandments of…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: The Principle Behind Alcohol, Tobacco, Coffee, and Tea

What is the eternal, unchanging principle that flows out of…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Rethinking Alcohol, Tobacco, Coffee, and Tea

Is the counsel to abstain from all alcohol, tobacco, coffee,…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: The Doctrine of the Word of Wisdom

Before exploring the principles found in the Word of Wisdom,…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Distinguishing Between Doctrines, Principles, and Applications

Throughout our history, we Mormons have debated what is and…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Plant-based Mormon’s Story in the Ensign

In the recently released August Ensign you'll find a wonderful…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: The End of Yo-Yo Dieting

We have all been born into a world that makes…

How to Handle Our God-Given Hunger

Did God make a mistake when He made our bodies?…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Food Storage Made Easy

A WFPB approach makes food storage easy because you no…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Is a Whole Foods Plant Based Diet Extreme?

One of the main criticisms made of a whole food,…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Out of Small and Simple Things

In our search for health and well-being, many of us,…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Who Can Eat This Way?

Is this diet too radical? Who could eat this way?…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Whole Food, Plant-based Made Easy

One of the biggest challenges of switching to a whole…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: More International Saints

Last week in "Featuring International Saints," I shared stories of…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Featuring International Saints

If you live in Europe (or are planning to visit),…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: What About Olive Oil?

Even if most processed oils are not good for our…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: 5 Reasons to Ditch the Oils

People readily understand that sugar is not a whole food…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Never Too Old!

How many 80+ year old men do you know who…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Meat or Wheat?

As beneficial as fruits and vegetables are for supplying a…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Will the Destroying Angel Pass Us By?

This is the tenth and final article in a series…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Don’t Give Up On Carbs!

The central reason to not give up on carbohydrates is…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Gut Reactions to Low-Carb Diets

It is true that there are plenty of examples of…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Meat and the Microbiome

With the power of the microbiome to change our biological…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Decisions, Not DNA, Determine Destiny

This week, I'm exploring the fact that our genes do…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Food Cravings, Obesity, Mood, and Our Gut

We've come to believe that the intense cravings we have…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: 5 Ways to Care for Your Microbiome

The science of the human microbiome is in its infancy.…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Let’s Save Our Microbial Heritage!

Considering that our microbes are a key link in everything…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: The Good and Bad News about Our Microbiome

Just as this planet is full of microorganisms, so are…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: The Mighty Microbes in Your Body

Today I address a topic that has absolutely captivated my…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Mormon Mom Goes From Despair to Joy

I'd like to share the story of one Meridian reader.…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Don’t Look Back

One of the shortest scriptures is found in Luke 17:32,…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Maximum Weight Loss Principles

If you are already eating whole food, plant-based, but you…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Strategies for Going Cold Turkey

Even if you are prepared, it takes time to master…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: The Best Gifts

This week we celebrate Christmas. As we rejoice in the…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Why Go Cold Turkey?

A whole food, plant-based diet is powerful! You feel better…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Baby Steps to WFPB Diet

I know we are grateful for our bodies, but let's…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Why Start Now?

It is not too early to think about important goals…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Eat With Thanksgiving

Do you ever think about the fact that giving thanks…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Shake Off the Chains

Have you ever felt burdened by the work the Lord…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Ask for a Recommend

None of us would dump trash on the floors of…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Meat Causes Cancer

As you probably heard on the news, last week the…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Healthy on a Budget

One comment I've heard in reaction to the "Discovering the…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Lost Over 200 Pounds

Sheri Farley’s early flirtation with eating vegetarian didn’t last long.…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Another Transformation

After years of struggling with her weight, Janet Carter hit…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Before and After Photos

Here are three stories of individuals whose lives were transformed…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Preparing for the Last Days

The Word of Wisdom is particularly important in our time.

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Two More Videos

Two weeks ago, I introduced "Discovering the Word of Wisdom:…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Two Extra Videos

Enjoy the video stories of faithful Latter-day Saints who enjoy…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Watch the New Video!

Today I'm happy to announce "Discovering the Word of Wisdom:…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: My Vegan Agenda?

Today I respond to a reader’s comment posted in response…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: The Positive Points of Paleo

Though the last few articles in this series have been…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Paleo Diet and Meat

Where Paleo experts contend that our evolutionary past tells us…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Paleo Diet and Grains

Among the various food types Paleo experts condemn, they express…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: The Problem with Paleo

Despite having God’s dietary plan in the middle of our…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom Pioneers: Lessons Learned

In this last article of the 'Word of Wisdom Pioneers'…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom Pioneers: You Don’t Have to Push a Handcart

Is it possible to be a Word of Wisdom pioneer…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom Pioneers: Eating as a Sanctifying Experience

Today I feature a Word of Wisdom pioneer who wrote…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom Pioneers: A WFPB Medical Doctor

There has always been a dialectical relationship between science and…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom Pioneers: Whole Food, Plant-based Champion

Let's contrast earlier interpretations of the Word of Wisdom with…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom Pioneers: Our Evolving Understanding

Today, I pause to consider the dialectical relationship between science…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom Pioneers: A 1951 Murder Mystery

Dr. Belnap’s article, “Self-Punishment,” is a self-proclaimed “murder mystery.” He…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom Pioneers: Preventing Heart Disease

Just like today, the medical community and general population were…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom Pioneers: A Heart Attack Proof Diet

Most of us are aware that a healthy diet can…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom Pioneers: Just What is the Word of Wisdom?

Dr. John R. Christopher is distinguished by being one of…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom Pioneers: The Most Vegetarian General Conference

Elder Joseph F. Merrill once delivered what is clearly the…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom Pioneers: Early Counsel on Meat

It may be convenient for many Saints to assume that…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom Pioneers: Heber J. Grant

An experience Heber had as a youth turned him into…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom Pioneers: 19th Century Sister Saints

What the 19th Century sister Saints had to say about…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom Pioneers: More 19th Century Saints

This week, I continue sharing exhortations from 19th century Word…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom Pioneers: 19th Century Saints

When Joseph Smith first revealed the Word of Wisdom to…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom Pioneers: Hyrum Smith

What many people do not know about Hyrum Smith was…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom Pioneers: The Widtsoes on Meat

The Widtsoes are often quoted by LDS Church leaders and…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom Pioneers: Elder John A. Widtsoe and Leah Widtsoe

Of course, I am not the first Latter-day Saint to…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Overcoming Procrastination

I suspect that many readers are convinced that the Word…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Is it Worth Sacrificing Foods We Love?

We all love food. Most of us do not want…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: The Social Pressures of Eating a Different Diet

When we eat the Word of Wisdom way, we are…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Are Plant-based Diets Nutritionally Deficient?

We are constantly bombarded by media messages telling us we…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Healthy Eating Made Easy…er!

Most of us know we should be eating a healthy…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Can Wholesome Foods Taste Good?

One of the first challenges of a Word of Wisdom…

The Word of Wisdom Way to Weight Loss: Rely Wholly on the Lord

There are hundreds if not thousands of diets for weight…

The Word of Wisdom Way to Weight Loss: Overcoming Food Addiction

All calorie dense foods are potentially addictive. Sugar is the…

The Word of Wisdom Way to Weight Loss: Calorie Density

Increasingly, weight loss experts are telling us that the key…

The Word of Wisdom Way to Weight Loss: The End of Dieting

God's plan for our health is not about quick fixes.

The Word of Wisdom Way to Weight Loss: My Yoke is Easy

Despite the fact that fad diets do not work for…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Gifts From and For Our God

In this season of gifts, I’m thinking of one of…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: What about Moderation in All Things?

It makes sense to be moderate when all the choices…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Getting to the Meat of D&C 89, Part II

This week I’ll explore an explanation for verse 13 that…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Getting to the Meat of D&C 89, Part I

Here we explore the reasons behind the seasonal instructions given…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Questioning the Comma, Part II

“Sometimes archaic words or changes in word meaning cause misunderstanding…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Questioning the Comma, Part I

Somehow the addition of a comma to Doctrine and Covenants…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: “Whoso forbiddeth to abstain from meats”

I’d like to tackle one of my most frequently asked…

Ebola and the Destroying Angel

While I don’t think there is any cause for panic,…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Is There One Ideal Diet?

While the Word of Wisdom is not overly prescriptive, it…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: What about Alternative Health Products?

If anything we owned was not working, would we ignore…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: What about the Experts Who Disagree?

There are so many diets and so many experts who…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: The Evils and Designs of Conspiring Men

If it is so clear what we should and should…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: We are Not Very Different from the Early Saints!

I find the history of the Word of Wisdom interesting…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Why the Preoccupation with the Prohibitions?

Learning to obey the prohibitions in the Word of Wisdom…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: LDS Leaders on the Word of Wisdom

Of course, Church leaders have spoken on many aspects of…

Word of Wisdom: Why Aren’t We Told How to Eat?

If the dietary principles (the Dos') in the Word of…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: What About Dairy and Eggs?

Dairy and eggs are not specifically mentioned in the Word…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Wheat for Man

Our day is the only time in history when so…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: The Danger of Displacing Grain

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: All Grain Is Good

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Healthy Fats & Vegetable Oils

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Food Addiction

In this week's article, I will be exploring the relationship…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Wholesome Herbs and Every Fruit

"And again, verily I say unto you, all wholesome herbs…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Where Do You Get Your Protein?

In this article, I will examine the question of protein…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: The Flesh of Beasts, Part II

In these verses the Lord does not command us to…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: The Flesh of Beasts, Part I

I now believe some of "great and important things" to…

Discovering the Word of Wisdom: Discovering Joy!

My understanding of the Word of Wisdom has been transformed.…