Growing Up, Growing Wiser: My Journey to Health

When I was younger, the health factors of food was not a thought. Reading the back of a package? Yeah, right. Eventually, things started to change, I did start reading, but only the front of the package. That’s where the catchy marketing lives, designed to grab your attention and convince you you’re eating “healthy.” Gluten-free chips, plant-based snacks, low-fat treats.

“Trans fat free” didn’t mean healthy, it only referred to one specific type of fat, not the overall nutritional quality of the food. Chips could still be high in refined carbohydrates, sodium, and oxidized oils; ingredients that don’t magically disappear just because a label sounds reassuring. Anything labeled natural felt like a free pass, even when the ingredients told a very different story.

I love everything from the sweet to the savory and I’d rarely think twice about the effects of what I was eating. It felt like I could indulge freely, without consequence, and for a long time, that seemed true.

In the background, though, my mother’s voice was always there, gently guiding me. She carried a well of knowledge about health, nutrition, herbs, and natural remedies. She would offer advice, share small reminders, or suggest better choices. At the time, it felt like background noise another echoing voice from my mom that I wasn’t quite ready to hear.

As time passed, my body began to change, and with it, my awareness. Subtle signs appeared gentle at first, then firmer reminding me that the way I was eating wasn’t sustainable. Suddenly, the words my mother had repeated for years started to land differently. What once felt unnecessary or overly cautious now felt wise. Caring for my health wasn’t about restriction it was about respect.

Even now, I’m still a big foodie. Playdates turn into mom-time over a little “treat,” brunch dates, and shared meals remain moments of indulgence and I enjoy them. I’m not one to turn down a good meal; anyone who knows me knows I’m going to eat! The difference now is intention. I enjoy food without falling completely off track. I don’t let a “cheat meal” turn into a lifestyle. I enjoy what I love, and then the next meal is better. Balance replaces guilt, and awareness replaces extremes.

This is a mindset worth reaching before our bodies force us into change before health becomes about strict rules because our bodies can no longer handle imbalance. Learning balance early allows food to remain joyful, nourishing, and sustainable.

Looking back, it’s clear how much my mother shaped my approach to health, even when I didn’t realize it. Her guidance wasn’t just about food it was about listening, being mindful, and choosing long-term wellness over short-term comfort. With maturity comes clarity, and with clarity comes gratitude for the voices we once tuned out.

As Allah reminds us in the Qurʾān: “Eat and drink, but be not excessive. Indeed, He likes not those who commit excess.” (Surah Al-Aʿrāf 7:31). And the Prophet ﷺ said: “Your body has a right over you.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 6325, Sahih Muslim 2564). Taking care of our bodies, choosing nourishment over excess, and honoring the wisdom shared by those who care for us is part of living in balance physically, and mentally.

This reminder is not new. It is rooted deeply in our tradition, as reflected in the following narration, translated by my husband:

Safeguard the Rights of Allāh in Youth and Allāh will Preserve you in Old Age

Ibn Rajab said: One of the scholars of old lived to be more than a hundred years old, still enjoying strength and sharpness of intellect. One day he leapt extremely high in the air. He was criticized for doing so, and he said:

‘“These limbs, we safeguarded them from sins in our youth, thus, Allāh has safeguarded them for us in old age.”

In contrast, one of the Salaf saw an elderly man begging of the people, and he said:

‘“This person squandered (the rights of) Allah in his youth, therefore Allāh has made him to be lost in his old age.”

Source: Jami’ Al-‘Ulum wal-Hikam, p. 202

Trans. by: Raha Batts

Health is a journey, and it’s never too late to start listening. The habits we build today shape the years ahead. And sometimes, wisdom doesn’t arrive as something new it returns as a familiar voice we finally understand.

And for my mom whose wisdom echoed long before it was understood. May Allah preserve her, bless her with health, and reward her for every seed of wisdom she planted. May Allah protect my mother, grant her lasting health and a long, righteous life, and make all that she has taught me a light in my life.