Looking Ahead
Where Now?
In the beginning, my plan was to write a book on the LDS Word of Wisdom. Books have been written before. John and Leah Widtsoe, unusually well qualified, wrote an excellent book The Word of Wisdom, A Modern Interpretation, but that was 75 years ago and much has changed.
A daughter suggested I begin by writing a blog. A blog, she explained, could be a conversation, a way to share information and learn what people want to know. So the first post, back on November 19, 2010, was titled, A New Conversation. The response was good; thanks to a plug on the popular design blog Black Eiffel—over 1000 people visited the blog and 31 made comments to that first post.
We’re starting our 3rd year now. The blog has become our mission—a nonprofit service project free of advertisement or gimmicks. It seems to be working; the number of readers has steadily grown.
Thanks to your support, this blog is the world’s leading exponent for fully living the Word of Wisdom. When I say that the BW laughs, but that’s my claim.
Three Things
There have been two consistent reader requests: The first is a list of the 52 Healthy Changes. This month we’ll add this list to the sidebar, with links to each Healthy Change.
A second common request is for recipes. We started posting recipes last year and we will add a recipe list to the sidebar for easier access. Because it’s so much work to develop a recipe, we’ll also post recipes suggested by readers but only after we’ve tried the recipe in our home. So please share your favorite healthy recipe, either in a comment, or by email to skip (at) word of wisdom living (dot) com.
Finally, our growth mainly comes from readers sharing the WOWL URL with their friends. So to start 2013, would you please spread the word to five more of your friends? Or even to all of your friends and contacts? Thanks.
Your Suggestions
So what should we do in 2013? Please share your thoughts on what is needed to advance the agenda for WOWL.
Friday, January 4, 2013 at 12:33PM | by Skip Hellewell | 9 Comments | 1 Reference | Share Article | Email Article
Reader Comments (9)
I was so excited to find your blog! Finally someone who seems to have the same ideals and ideas as I was looking for. I've started a similar blog, but it's nothing to the research and information that you have. I've told my readers (if I should ever get any) that I will be forwarding and suggesting they go to your blog and get further info, should I ever talk about the same subject...lol
Anyway - your blog looks great and hope it continues to do well. Thanks!!
Congratulations on your current success and to your future successes! I have been with you from about Jan of 2011 and have learned so very much from you. I have passed along the word about your website and will be happy to continue to do so. I look forward to the day you are published and I can hold your book in my hand. To further the WOWL cause what about more on Facebook and what about getting into Pinterest? Your topics and recipes could possibly amass hundreds of thousands of pins...all leading right back to this sight. Just a thought! I look forward to what we will learn from you in the new year.
I have loved—and learned from—your blog the last couple years. So wise, and practical, and realistic. Lately I heard Dr. Fuhrman talk about being a "nutritarian". I may have the spelling wrong, but not a vegetarian, or a vegan, or paleo...but someone who is trying to eat foods with the most nutritional value. I liked that, as there are so many schools of thought and much debate on the topic. I appreciate your posts on The China Study. Because it has received so much press, it can be so confusing to filter that through the Word of Wisdom. I especially liked your calculations of what 5% animal products looks like in a diet. It was great 'food for thought', pardon the pun! I feel like it's a great place to be, away from the typical American diet, but maybe not veganism. I know that is controversial, and can depend on your current healthy challenges and risks. I really like your statement to “Eat food as close as practical to the form in which it was first created.” I see so many vegan diets/recipes that also include processed foods...just processed without animal products. Whenever I'm in a discussion about heathy eating, I refer people to your blog. I'm midway through the book called "Poisoned" by Jeff Benedict about the E coli and food poisoning. Have you read it? More compelling reasons to be more aware of your family's health habits. Thank you for your time and effort and research!! Suggestions for the future? More of the same!! Taking the latest studies and books and breaking them down to a reasonable level of understanding. And the 'quick answer' is a great addition for easy digestion...then later a feast on the entire post. Thank you again!
Interesting coincidence that a post from "Dee" would appear just a minute before mine. Dee is a nickname, but will use my real name to clarify the first person was different. Interesting!
Much thanks Skip. I have been following the blog since the Spring of 2011. Your insights are extremely valuable. I regularly recommend your blog to the young men and young women I work with as part of a Duty to God project (Deacons focus on physical fitness and health) or a Personal Progress Value Project (esp. Divine Nature, Individual Worth and Knowledge). I personally resolved early on that I would read every post. It has been a great blessing for me and my family. Mission well served!
I love your blog! Thank you for all the time and effort you put into it for us readers. Now, if only you could also develop a dose of self control that I could download helping me to implement all of your great recommendations. : )
What about publishing an e-book or a book on Blurb? That would keep your costs low and still meet the goal of publishing.
The following link is an e-book that I saw that prompted my comment--it happens to have excellent food styling.
http://store.blurb.com/ebooks/354454-edible-color
Love your blog. It makes me want to eat healthier and help my family to as well.
I just found you today from a recommendation from one of my readers of my blog. I did a post about my New Year's Resolution of improving my health and she recommended your site. My blog is called Raising Lemons and I am doing a health post once a week in 2013 to go along with my New Year's Resolutions. I will make sure to put a link to your blog in one or several of my posts and I could even add your site to my side bar. Hopefully, the traffic from my blog would increase traffic to your blog. I am excited to get going with your blog and do a lot of catch up reading. Thank you in advance!
www.raisinglemons.com
I'm excited for the recipes! I have hit a rut in my meal planning for healthy and tasty meals and am really looking forward to seeing what is presented. I'm glad the blog is growing with this new year.