Sister R’s family have been injured by the ideas she has entertained of health reform. Brother John has been a hard worker, and the food taken into his stomach has not nourished him; it has not supplied the wants of his system and has not made the best quality of blood. The weakness from which he is now suffering is caused by a poverty of the blood more than by any real disease. (RY 128.1) MC VC

Why will not men and women to whom God has given reasoning powers exercise their reason? When they see their strength is failing, why do they not investigate their habits and their diet, and change to a different diet to see its effect? The sufferings that have been brought about by a so-called health reform have militated greatly against true reforms. These narrow ideas and this overstraining in the diet question have done great injury to physical, mental, and moral strength. (RY 128.2) MC VC

Our missions should be conducted in a merciful way. It never pays to cheat the stomach of healthful, wholesome food; for it is robbing the blood of nourishment, and in consequence the whole system is deranged, the whole mind diseased, and God has lame, inefficient service in place of healthy, sound labor.... There are sufferers on every hand because people do not think that the body needs special favors.—Letter 12, 1887. (RY 128.3) MC VC