My Letter to My Local LDS Church Leaders about Health (Updated and Revised 6/30/14 to be easier to follow)

Delivered to Stake and Local Leaders (men and women).  This was long overdue.

March 16, 2014

Dear Ward and Stake Leaders,

            We are grateful each week for good Ward and Stake leaders who are entrusted with the care of our children and young women.  We understand that there is great sacrifice that goes into your callings.  We know you love our children and young women, and our children and young women love you.  Thank you.  Because we all love our children, parents and leaders, we would like to enlist your help in feeding our children nutritious foods and snacks.

            We would like to refer you to the recent attached February 2014 Ensign, "Nourishing our Bodies and Spirits" by Beverly Hyatte Neville Heath Educator and Dietitian.  The article makes references to fruits and vegetables being the best desserts and snacks.  It also points out the cultural habits within our own religious community that lead to many preventable illnesses in adults and children alike.   It asks that leaders and parents set good examples for kids to have healthy lives and gives alternatives for Primary and Young Woman 'treats'.  It also acknowledges that our bodies and spirits are connected, and our spiritual health is connected to our physical health. This Ensign article also offers guidance about making wise food choices:

             "Making healthy food choices might be described as casting our nets on the right side of the ship. If we 'fish' for healthy foods listed in the Word of Wisdom-fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, and  meats sparingly (see D&C 89:10-17)-we are selecting from those things the Lord 'made to be used with judgment' (D&C 59:20).  On the other hand, looking for nourishment in unhealthy snacks,  candy, and sugary beverages is like fishing on the wrong side of the ship. (Ensign, Feb. 2014)"

            Will you please consider making nutritional choices the rule instead of the exception?  Will you please feed nutritional foods to our children?   Will you please help us drastically curtail the amount of non-nutritious foods our children consume by your positive examples and what you give them in classes and at church events?  When children and teenagers are given the choice between an apple and a candy bar we, as moms, know that most normal kids will choose the candy bar.  But we, as adults, understand more fully the consequences of an apple vs. a candy bar (see Ensign article: obesity, diabetes, etc). We also know that most times kids just need kind words of praise, skillful teachers who have age appropriate, child specific developmental expectations, and positive attention instead of any material reward for desired behavior to be encouraged.   We accept that you have very good intentions, and simply ask that how those good intentions are manifested be reevaluated for the ultimate good and nurture of our children and young women.

            We, as parents, honestly get a little overwhelmed with how often others feel our children need "just a little treat".  Between school, church and other well-meaning adults in our children's lives that seems to add up to lots of treats and lots of occasions and, sadly, at the end of a modern, normal day the kind of overindulgence that this Ensign article asks us to avoid.  We feel it is exciting to be a Church that sets a higher health standard enough to publish it in our official, Church headquarters approved, signed off by the Quorum of the Twelve monthly publication!

            Many children in the Ward and Stake also have diagnosed food and environmental allergies.  The Douglas family is one example.  Often these children are left out when non-nutritional food is the rule not the exception.  Please consider the feelings of these children as well.  As adults we can rationalize the being left out feeling,  children have a harder time with it.  Please see the Sept. 2011 Friend magazine article, "Accepting Allergies".  This Friend article asks us to have the courage to speak up for our own health.  Please also see the attached article about the 13-year-old girl who died from a peanut butter allergy at a summer camp.  This article speaks about how vigilant the family and girl was, 3 epi-pens were given to her, her father was a doctor, but the treats were placed on a tray at camp and even though she spat the treats out immediately, this situation still resulted in a young death.  This article asks that, "Caution and care for those inflicted [with peanut butter allergies] should always be supported and taken."  The Giorgio Family's statement was, "While our hearts are breaking over the tragic loss of our beautiful daughter Natalie, it is our hope that others can learn from this and realize that nut and food allergies are life threatening."

            We are grateful for the encouragement of our Church that warns us, guides us and helps us navigate many aspects of our lives.  We are grateful for a Church that blesses us spiritually and physically.  We are grateful to be a part of a conscientious community of thoughtful leaders.  Please help us to advocate for your children and young women for this worthy and righteous cause.  Thank you for your time and serious consideration of this matter.  Please let us know how we can help!

Sincerely,

 Some fun ideas we thought  up (again, please consider that often kids just need positive adult interaction rather than material rewards).  Do you have any of your own?  What are they?  You could really go wild with your own creativity!

Fruit flower bouquets

Fruits of any kind are always beautiful and delicious (little Mandarin oranges, bananas, apples, etc)

Bless your heart yogurt bar: many kinds of yogurt (non sugar kinds) with sunflower seeds, fruit, raisins, non sweetened coconut, granola, etc.

Little packages of raisins

Fruit and vegetable smoothie bar

Salad and baked potato bar

Fruit only fruit leathers

*PLEASE SEE MY COMMENTS BELOW FOR LINKS TO THE CITED ARTICLES! THEY ARE WORDED VERY BOLDLY AND DIRECTLY DRAWING ATTENTION TO OUR CULTURAL HABITS THAT CAN BE CHANGED. I apologize for the first posting being so crude. I have since edited and cleaned it up to more easily understood.  I hastily posted it previously because this letter was so highly requested. I published it directly from my Word document that a friend passed along to the Bishop, Stake Pres., My High Council Representative, the Stake YW's Leader, the Primary Presidencies Stake and Ward Level, and the RS Presidencies at the Stake and Ward Level.  Sorry if the first edition was confusing, whereas, I had stapled all the reference articles to the letter for my own use.  Please, pass it along as suits your needs. I enlisted other mom's, grandma's and husband's signatures. It was well received, and the response was positive and encouraging.