Physical health should not be a spectrum of extremes, but how can I be healthy when extremes feel like the only options?
I consider myself an athlete. I’ve played nearly every sport under the sun and find immense joy in being physically active. But when I graduated high school and began living on my own, physical health changed from something that came naturally with my lifestyle to being a source of stress and confusion. As I became less active in my daily life, my perspective on my physical health began to shift. I became more concerned about what and how much I should be eating. I became self-conscious about how my body might change as my habits changed. I even started questioning my identity as an athlete. The drastic extremes of physical health presented by the media only added to my growing confusion. I was lost!
A few years have passed since this disorienting shift in perspective, and I am happy to report that physical health is not about the extremes. In fact, it is about the complete opposite: moderation. Sister Barbara B. Smith shares some principles to help anyone maintain physical health in her 1978 general conference address “Good Health—A Key to Joyous Living.”
Photo by Quang Anh Ha Nguyen
Sister Smith shares that the Lord has provided guidance for us on physical health through the Word of Wisdom. She discusses how adequate exercise, rest, and food help us maintain a proper weight for our body. Even our personal hygiene and home sanitation impact our health. Outside resources, including doctors and health insurance, provide opportunities for us to work proactively in preventing or preparing for major health issues. And skills such as first aid bring confidence in dealing with the wounds or sicknesses that are sometimes unavoidable. Sister Smith says, “Physical ills are a reality of life, but in spite of them the scriptures declare, ‘Men are, that they might have joy’ (2 Nephi 2:25).”
I had to realize that my health habits can fluctuate as my life circumstances change. I don’t have to go to the gym if I don’t enjoy it; I can sign up for a soccer league instead. I can eat chocolate cake if I want to, but I’ve also learned my preferred way to cook different vegetables as well. I don’t have to stress about wearing a larger pants size; I can find styles that suit my body type and make me feel good. I might leave dirty dishes in the sink overnight, but I can find a time each week to tidy up a small area in my apartment.
Our physical health is not a competition. It is not a test with one right answer. It is not about being “perfect.” There are a lot of variables, but we can find how we individually enjoy the process of being healthy. As we do so, our joy will grow.
Learn more about the health principles Sister Barbara B. Smith shares in her full address “Good Health—A Key to Joyous Living.”
Source: General Conference
—Ashlyn Tilby, Latter-day Saint Insights
FEATURE IMAGE BY KSENIA CHERNAYA
Find more insights
Check out Amelia Anderson’s Latter-day Saint Insights article “Finding Balance” to learn more about how we can find balance in our lives.
For another testimony about the Word of Wisdom, read President Thomas S. Monson’s address “Principles and Promises.”