416
Testimony Studies on Diet and Foods
to burden nature in the disposal of it. Her system is clogged with a
[177]
mass of matter, which hinders her in her work, clogs the machinery,
and weakens the life-forces.
Taking more food into the system than it can convert into good
blood, causes a depraved quality of blood and taxes the vitality to a
much greater degree than labor or physical exercise. This overeating
causes a dull stupor. The brain nerves are called upon to aid the
digestive organs, and are thus constantly overtaxed, weakened, and
benumbed. This leaves a sense of dullness in the head, and makes
your wife liable to a shock of paralysis any day.
Testimonies for the Church 2:432-434
Sister R. is in poor health. She indulges her appetite, and places
too heavy a tax upon her stomach. She burdens it by overeating, and
by placing in it a quality of food not best calculated to nourish her
system. Her food is taken in immoderate quantities, and she takes but
little exercise; thus the system is severely taxed. According to the light
which the Lord has given us, simple food is the best to insure health
and strength. Exercise is necessary to her health.... If you had denied
your taste for reading and seeking to please yourself, had devoted more
time to prudent physical exercise, and had eaten carefully of proper,
healthful food, you would have avoided much suffering.
Testimonies for the Church 3:74
Had your physical health been unimpaired, you would have made
an eminently useful woman. You have long been diseased, and this has
affected your imagination so that your thoughts have been concentrated
upon yourself, and the imagination has affected the body. Your habits
have not been good in many respects. Your food has not been of the
right quantity or quality. You have eaten too largely, and of a poor
quality of food, which could not be converted into good blood. You
have educated the stomach to this kind of diet. This, your judgment
has taught you, was the best, because you realized the least disturbance
from it. But this was not a correct experience. Your stomach was not
receiving that vigor that it should from your food. Taken in a liquid
state, your food would not give healthful vigor or tone to the system.
But when you change this habit, and eat more solids and less liquids,