Cancer, Nutrition, and the Word of Wisdom

Here is a snip-it of an interesting article in the July Ensign (for those who may not know the Ensign is an official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). The full article discusses tobacco, "hot drinks and caffeine", alcohol, dietary recommendations, nutrition and cancer prevention, cancer incidence and longevity, and standards for temporal health. I have a link to the full article below if you want to read the whole article.

Cancer, Nutrition, and the Word of Wisdom

By William T. Stephenson, MD

Dr. Stephenson is a physician at Kansas City Cancer Center, Kansas City, Missouri. He also has a degree in nutrition from Brigham Young University and currently serves as a bishop.

Knowing our health and our spirituality are interrelated, I would like to offer a few medical insights into what the scientific world is learning about cancer.

Doctrine and Covenants 89, known commonly as the Word of Wisdom, is a remarkable revelation given to the Prophet Joseph Smith almost 175 years ago—long before there was any scientific proof to influence him on issues of health.

Though at first reading, Doctrine and Covenants 89 may seem to be simply a list of dos and don’ts about such nonspiritual topics as tobacco, alcohol, and diet, it is much more. The Lord says, “all things unto me are spiritual, and not at any time have I given unto you a law which was temporal” (D&C 29:34)....

On Hot Drinks and Caffeine
“And again, hot drinks are not for the body or belly” (D&C 89:9).

The consumption of coffee or tea, whether hot or cold, is recognized by the Church as a violation of the Word of Wisdom. Coffee and tea contain substances such as caffeine, which has been linked to disease. While the Word of Wisdom does not specifically mention caffeine, it is commonly understood in the medical community that higher doses of caffeine are associated with infertility, Meniere’s disease (a disease affecting balance), insomnia, sudden infant death syndrome (with maternal consumption in utero), and fibrocystic disease of the breasts. In addition, gastric acid disease (ulcers of the stomach and duodenum) may also be linked to consumption of both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee, lending credence to the Word of Wisdom’s advice to avoid “hot drinks.” From the perspective of medical science, most investigators who have examined the effects of caffeine suggest that caffeinated beverages should not be consumed in large quantities.

Here is the full article: http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=86c33645a2cba110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&hideNav=1