This phrase in the D&C has intrigued me the past few years "And again, verily I say unto you, all wholesome herbs God hath ordained for the constitution, nature, and use of man— Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof," (D&C 89:10-11).
We have had a lot of upheaval in our family's health - both extended and close. My wife's family is suffering with celiac disease in general and fibromyalgia in one member. I went through a summer of eating the same thing constantly or suffering for it. My brother dealt with eosinophilic esophagitis (which meant he didn't eat at all for a time). My sister has diabetes as well as my grandparents and my son suffers from Asperger's.
What this all has in common is food. We may not recognize it, but our society (in America) no longer eats the foods we once did. We've genetically manipulated and modified crops like corn and tomatoes to suit our whims and bleached all the nutrients out of flour to make it white and fluffy (that's why we have to have "enriched white flour"). Does it worry anyone else that despite the natural and organic food campaigns we are not getting any better? Despite reducing meal sizes at fast food restaurants and showing people the damaging affects of excessive caloric and sugar intakes almost a third of America is very overweight?
I remember a commandment given not too long ago which said, "We encourage you to grow all the food that you feasibly can on your own property. Berry bushes, grapevines, fruit trees—plant them if your climate is right for their growth. Grow vegetables and eat them from your own yard" (Spencer W. Kimball, in Conference Report, Apr. 1976, 171; or Ensign, May 1976, 124). Again, what does it mean? He was talking about family preparedness then, right?
The world is changing and not often for the better. We try to believe that mankind is heading in better directions, but what if we are wrong? The scriptures talk of how horrible things will become in the last days - prophets still forewarn us of the coming events. I think we forget the first part of the section called the Word of Wisdom:
"A Word of Wisdom, for the benefit of the council of high priests, assembled in Kirtland, and the church, and also the saints in Zion—
To be sent greeting; not by commandment or constraint, but by revelation and the word of wisdom, showing forth the order and will of God in the temporal salvation of all saints in the last days— Given for a principle with promise, adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all saints, who are or can be called saints. Behold, verily, thus saith the Lord unto you: In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days, I have warned you, and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation," (D&C 89:1-4).
Look at those last two verses. It says it is "adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all saints" and that it is "in consequence of evils and designs...in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days." Often we attach it to the next verse (five) which talks of drugs. Truly, those are a perfect example of conspiring men (like the tobacco companies). However, backtrack. These four verses are not an introduction to verse five alone! Read the end of verse four - it is for the entire section!
What has happened to our food? It is laced with sugar (not at all necessary and definitely linked to multiple health concerns) and "enriched bleached flour" which is a monstrosity of human engineering. Why would you destroy the natural nutrients in a grain only to replace them with lesser outside sources?
What about the tomato which has become so hybridized and genetically modified that even its nutrient content is significantly altered from decades ago? Or corn which has been cross-bread and manipulated to produce ethanol and corn syrup? Anyone notice how most popular breakfast cereals are now made with corn?
When we muck about with nature we end up with Africanized Honey Bees and killer viruses. Think of the crazy explosion of health problems that not only were never heard of, but more than likely never existed until the last century (which strangely coincide with the changes of diet of an industrialized nation).
Suddenly the remark to grow our own gardens and eat in the season thereof makes a lot of sense. Fruits and vegetables are meant to be eaten as God made them. Things are not meant to be genetically altered to last longer or be grown in test-tubes, instead of soil, for year-round harvesting. We are not only messing with nature, but we are messing with our own health. Every time we alter foods to enhance one property or another we sacrifice something in return.
At some point we have to return to the things God gave us or we will destroy ourselves with our creations. As smart as we think we are, we aren't smart enough to play God. He set up the world and all the nutrients and benefits of the plants and animals in it. Our modifications will only bring about more suffering down the line. Once I have a yard, I am planting a garden.
