This week’s Come, Follow Me highlights familiar scriptures for members of the Church. Doctrine and Covenants 89, known as the Word of Wisdom, is only 21 verses long—but there’s a lot to unpack.
Sometimes it can be hard to know how to better keep the Word of Wisdom. So if you’re looking for new insights as you study the scriptures about ways to improve your health, one of the classes at this year’s BYU Education Week might be just the thing to supplement your reading.
Dr. Matthew B. Morgan, an associate professor of radiology and imaging sciences at the University of Utah’s School of Medicine, spoke at BYU Education Week all about health and even cited verses from the Word of Wisdom in his address. His message, covered by Church News, has some handy tips about how to live a healthy life.
In his presentation, Dr. Morgan spoke about three keys to living healthily: sleep, diet, and exercise. He explained that sleep, rather than being one of the columns that supports health, is the foundation that diet and exercise rest on. A lack of the typical seven to nine hours of sleep at night, he continued, can be dangerous with negative side effects.
“You have 10 times the risk of premature death, four to five times the risk for cardiac arrest, and two times the risk for heart attack or stroke. It’s like you’re revving your engine to the red line and you’re not giving it the recovery. You’re running that engine too hard,” he said.
In regard to exercise, Dr. Morgan quoted 2 Nephi 2:11, which states that there must be opposition in all things. This is also true in the physical sense, as pressure strengthens bones and muscles require use so that they don’t atrophy.
Explaining some of the problems with processed foods, Dr. Morgan said they can lead to people eating too many calories and can increase the risk of diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and other diseases.
Read more about Dr. Morgan’s address and find strategies and solutions to improve your health at Church News.
