The Last Post
I guess I’ve made my main point in (nearly) three years of Word of Wisdom Living posts. Exactly what point you wonder?
For those committed to living healthier longer, here’s the simplest summary I can make: Eat food as close as practical to the form in which it was created. In God we trust. Warning: Healthy eating requires home cooking. Or like it says on the toy packages: Some assembly required.
In the beginning, our humble goal was to save the world by reforming Food Inc—those heartless purveyors of the Modern American Diet (MAD). We sought to restore the olden ways of traditional cooking—the food your great-grandmother prepared but with the modern improvements—for longer lives and better deaths.
These modern improvements were pretty big: refrigeration, freedom from famine, laborsaving kitchen tools, and so on. Our time proffers the potential for the best health in human history. Yet we’re haunted by overweight, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and the worst indignity, dementia. We're digging our own graves with our forks. The modern American diet had gone terribly wrong and WOWL sought the cure through better eating. Prevention always trumps cure.
52 Healthy Changes
It was an audacious goal: To reform the American food culture. But we weren’t alone. The new vision of how to stay alive through better eating is gaining traction in many quarters. Such a major change is best done in manageable steps, so we created the 52 Healthy Changes.
Readers have asked frequently that I print the list of 52 Healthy Changes but I have politely ignored those requests. Partly because the list keeps changing as we move along in the food reformation. But there’s another reason.
Back in 1970—has it really been 44 years?—I attended a small meeting where Stephen R, Covey spoke. I forget the subject of his talk but at the end he casually mentioned that he was making a list of the habits of successful people. As everyone knows, this list resulted in his perennial best seller 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and a business empire.
Intrigued, we pleaded with him to share the list. He declined, saying that just hearing the list wouldn’t change anything. But we persisted and he shared his list—an early version of the seven habits.
Well, he was right. Just having the list didn’t change us very much. Change isn’t that easy—reforming the way one works is hard. So I persisted in presenting the 52 Healthy Changes one by one, with a brief background to explain the importance. I hope it has helped you in your quest for healthful living.
Leaving for Midway
It’s early in the morning; the night is still dark. The Beautiful Wife is bustling about packing the many things required for a trip. In a few minutes we’ll leave for lovely Midway, Utah and the annual Swiss Days celebration. She’s half-Swiss you know.
It’s a long drive to Midway. I sink into deep thought on these trips, pondering the miles away. I love that part of the trip. Today I’ll think about all the things we’ve discussed in Word of Wisdom Living these three years. And we’ll think about what to do next.
To repeat, my 100,000 word guide—my estimate of the word sum of all the weekly posts—to good health through good eating simply adds up to something your great-grandmother might have told you in just twelve words: Eat food as close as practical to how it was first created.
I have to do some painting in Midway, but I'll also think about that book. (If you’re in Midway, stop and say hello. We’ll be at the family home, the one with the statue of a man offering you an apple.)
Wednesday, August 27, 2014 at 5:32AM | by Skip Hellewell | 54 Comments | 29 References | Share Article | Email Article
Reader Comments (54)
Thanks Skip for your wisdom. A new book...how about one on your best tips from the blog? You have given a great service to all. Thanks!! Don
You've changed my life!!! I can't thank you enough! I've got Katie's Granola baking in the oven right now! Wishing you all the best in life!
I have loved reading this blog and will carry its ideas for many years. Thank you.
I can't believe I missed the whole party! I just found your blog today- after years of feeling so confused in this "world of nutrition". I have read so many books but always come away wondering how it all works with the Word of Wisdom (most recently The Calorie Myth). The more I have learned the more confused I feel. How can this be such a conflicting topic- especially when we have scriptures to help!? I DEFINITELY think you need to write a book, and fast (no pressure!). As a newbie to this site, I want to get all the 52 changes in some sort of order, but can't seem to find an organized way to do that- any tips? ps- We also were at Swiss Days this weekend- my kids got a kick that even the church buildings look Swiss- so that's where we took our picture :)
Thank you for all the time you've put into your research and writing this blog. We've made some changes in our family over the past few years thanks to your suggestions, but still have a long way to go. Thanks helping to kick start our efforts.
Thank you for your time and thoughts--your blog has helped me feel less alone as a Latter-day Saint trying to really live the word of wisdom (no just the "shalt not" parts). I appreciated your clarity and candor, as well as your own experiences. I will miss updates on your blog!
I have really loved this blog. Thank you for your time and efforts on making a simple concept enjoyable and educational to read! Blessings to you and your family.
I am saddened that this was your last post. While I have read your blog sporadically, as a former dietitian and food science major, it gave me great comfort that there was sound nutritional advice on the internet...a place where I frequently would send people when they asked for practical nutrition counsel. I am grateful that we will still have access to the vast amount of information you posted. Please let us know if and when to expect your book. I wish you the best in your endeavors. And, if you are interested, I would love to have you come and teach a small group of mine about nutrition. I am close to where you live.
-Margaret
Thank you so much for sharing all your words of wisdom! I've truly enjoyed reading your blog and referring many friends to your site. I've worked so hard as a wife and mother to feed my family just as you say, "Eat food as close as practical to how it was first created." I love this new world of food that I've come to know and bring to my family these past 10yrs. It's been quite the journey as I've had to work through my diet and food sensitivities. I've learned so much and have gained so much appreciation for our incredible bodies. Your website has been such a positive wave of knowledge for me! I also, wanted to let you know that a long while back you encouraged your readers to start a group of some sort to share and exchange recipes and knowledge about food. It hit me hard and I really wanted to do it! So, after some time I did. At the start of last year from January to June once a month I taught a food class for our Relief Society Activity! It was awesome and to this day ladies, sister's, friends tell me how grateful they were for those classes, advice, and encouragement to make important lifestyle changes with their spirit, body, and mind. Choosing to eat and prepare healthy wholefoods make them feel better in every way. So thank you thank you! I look forward to your book!
I just started your 52 challenges with a group of friends and acquaintances on Facebook! And then find that you are just wrapping it up!! I am in love with your blog- it contains so much of what I have been looking for! Thank you a million times over for sharing your time and knowledge so freely. It has changed my life already and I am really looking forward to moving towards a healthier lifestyle. Thank you thank you!
One quick question: I have searched in the recipe index because you make mention of 52 recipes to go with the challenges, but it doesn't seem like 52 are there? And it says, for instance, that there are 4 breakfast recipes, but when I scroll down I can only find 2. Is there a link or a way that the recipes are categorized that I am not seeing?
PS we tried the breakfast compote this morning and everyone (hubs and 3 young kids and myself) LOVED it! I'm hungry for as many of your recipes as I can get. Or can you recommend your favorite recipe books that cook the way you do? Thank you again for everything!!
Dad,
This makes me sad. This blog has been such a steady consistent voice of reason that I guess I just thought you'd keep it going forever! I just sat and read through all the comments from people thanking you for all the hard work you have done. I'm so glad you did this. xo
To all those who were so kind to comment: Your kind and gracious words have made all the work worthwhile. I will keep this site up and commit to doing an eBook, hope to be done in 90 days.
To Brooke R. (our creative daughter): Thanks for the kind words. You'll recall that in the beginning this blog was your idea, and you created the artwork also. Love, Dad
To Trina K: Sorry Trina, the 52 recipes are still a work in progress. Wish I could recommend a recipe book but haven't found one yet that fully supports the 52 Healthy Changes.
To Margaret: Would be happy to come and discuss the W of W with your group. My email is Skip@LovingLaguna.com
Thank you for all your work, you are inspirational in the true sense of the word - I look forward to your ebook.
I am actually holding back tears as I write this! I too have referred many friends to your site and I truly have felt the spirit when I read your words. Thank you, thank you for your countless hours in research and writing. Can't wait for the book!
Three cheers for Skip! Our modern Emerson ("our first wealth is health") and Lincoln ("if we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves") - you embody word of wisdom living.
So sad to see this great blog come to an end! Your words have provided reason amidst so much confusing and biased health and diet information. On my journey to learn more about health and nutrition, I have found so much of the information to be very rigid and extreme and reading your blog has always brought me back to a place of balance, and that is a good place to be. Thank you so much for your thoughtful, well-researched posts. It has been a pleasure.
Hi I'm your daughter-in-law Carrie's friend. I'm preparing to teach a lesson on Sunday that touches on the word of wisdom & I remembered she told me about this bog. Thank you for all the research & good tips. I'm hoping to use some of your good points in my lesson Sunday. Thanks again~
Hi I'm your daughter-in-law Carrie's friend. I'm preparing to teach a lesson on Sunday that touches on the word of wisdom & I remembered she told me about this bog. Thank you for all the research & good tips. I'm hoping to use some of your good points in my lesson Sunday. Thanks again~
Hi I'm your daughter-in-law Carrie's friend. I'm preparing to teach a lesson on Sunday that touches on the word of wisdom & I remembered she told me about this bog. Thank you for all the research & good tips. I'm hoping to use some of your good points in my lesson Sunday. Thanks again~
Hi I'm your daughter-in-law Carrie's friend. I'm preparing to teach a lesson on Sunday that touches on the word of wisdom & I remembered she told me about this bog. Thank you for all the research & good tips. I'm hoping to use some of your good points in my lesson Sunday. Thanks again~