Health from Home

Our journey toward personal health and wellness can also be a journey toward spiritual health and happiness.

The past few years have seen a rise in the popularity of health and wellness. Many people have been eating better, exercising more, and taking care of their mental health. The past few months, however, have brought all of that crashing down. Quarantines and lockdowns have suddenly put up roadblocks all along our way to healthy living. Gyms are closed. Grocery stores offer only the essentials. Stress and anxiety are on the rise. It seems that health and wellness have been put on hold until life returns to “normal.”

In his BYU Devotional speech “The Human Body: A Gift and a Responsibility,” Larry Tucker reminds us how important personal physical and mental health is. He says that “the human body is a magnificent gift and a significant responsibility. It is our Master’s finest creation.” Taking care of our bodies is our responsibility, and doing so shows respect to our Heavenly Father. Having a healthy mind and body raises not only the quality of our lives but also the quality of our spiritual relationships with God. 

We shouldn’t wait for “normal life” to reassert itself—we should find the happiness that comes from healthy living today. Like Tucker says, “with the right attitude and the Lord at our side, we can learn to live a healthy lifestyle, which will enable us to more fully participate in life and enjoy its blessings.” 

Despite our hardships, we can learn to find the blessings this life has to offer. Step by step, we can take control of our lives. Our beginnings may be different, but our goals are the same: a healthy life and a healthy relationship with our Heavenly Father. Each small stride in physical, mental, and spiritual health is a small step closer to the blessings and happiness that God has intended for us. So let’s get up and take our first steps to healthy living.

Read more about the spiritual benefits of health and wellness in “The Human Body: A Gift and a Responsibility” by Dr. Larry Tucker.

Source: BYU Speeches

—Lorin Hurley, Latter-day Saint Insights

FEATURE IMAGE BY JUAN JOSE VALENCIA ANTIA

Find more insights 

Discover more about living a healthy lifestyle in the Latter-day Saint Insights article “Trusting the Lord’s Health Code” by Leah Davis.

For insights on finding hope during the struggle with mental health, see the Latter-day Saint Insights article “Sadness is not Suffered Alone” by Madeline Hill.

For help with addiction of any kind, please visit the Addiction Recovery Program website of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.