Binding up Wounds and Toxins
Hello my friend,
Today I want to talk a little bit about our emotions and how they are tied to… of all things… our livers—one of the primary detox organs in our body! Read to the end for a detoxifying and hormone-balancing recipe I am sharing ahead of the fall detox we are kicking off on October 6th!
What we experience emotionally and spiritually can affect our body and drive illness. For some of you this may be a new thought. But we have all heard that “stress kills.” And I think most of us would accept that as true. What is stress, but how our body responds to the stimuli around us. I had military friends who lived through Hurricane Katrina in 2005. (I did not meet them until 2006 when they moved into my neighborhood in Washington DC.) Trying to keep their house and family safe and then helping others was so stressful on the father that he had a heart attack at 33 years old. I think most of us can think of someone we know who suffered a heart attack or a stroke after going through a very emotional and trying event or receiving bad news. So we know that the body can react in a physical way to something that hit it emotionally.
In the Bible we see Jesus forgiving sins before He heals someone. Does he do this just to show He is God and can forgive sins, or is He also indicating that our sins might be making us sick? I will let you ponder that one.
As women, even if we are not currently ill or sad, we hate to see anyone sick and suffering because our hearts were made to be compassionate and nurturing. So it’s no surprise that they often “break” for the pain we see in our families and all around us! God wants to bind up our wounds! If we go to Him, He will provide comfort and compassion, healing and health— both emotionally and physically. These two things go together!
Today I’m going to NURTURE you with an “I Declare”
from
Walking With Purpose (a women’s Bible study). “I Declares” are statements that use scripture verses— the word of God himself— to counter the lies running in our heads. This is done by taking the verse and making it a personal declaration.
I was drawn to this particular one when I was leading a WWP Bible study for high school girls:
“I declare that you heal the broken-hearted and bind up my wounds.” (Psalm 147:3)
I wrote this out on little bookmarks as part of a year end gift for the girls.
(If it looks messy that’s because it’s hard to do calligraphy on watercolor paper. Don’t laugh unless you’ve tried it!)
This lovely verse is on the WWP website. If you want to see more “I Declares” and beautifully written bible verses, click on the the Isaiah screenshot here. You can download and print them for free!
Maybe you can memorize one to say this week as you are going to sleep or before you get out of bed in the morning.
So how does all this fit into our liver discussion? I’m glad you asked! Our liver has the huge job of filtering our blood and keeping it clean. But what happens when it gets overwhelmed and cannot get rid of all the toxins we are putting in it… toxins from air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, the clothes we wear, the beauty products we use, and even the mattress we sleep on? Toxins that get stuck in our liver can cause issues downstream, like achy joints, mood and sleep issues, inability to lose weight and more.
You may have heard of St. Hildegard, a 12th century German mystic whose visions led her to write books on healing not just the body, but the mind and the spirit also as a comprehensive unit. She was truly a holistic physician— integrating natural, herbal remedies with spiritual knowledge….(Strehlow et al., 1988, p. x) and also was declared a doctor of the church in 2012. She claims that a sick liver can “make a person angry… and also become “confused and fall into a state of unmotivated sadness (Strehlow et al., 1988, p. 68).
When we try to detox our bodies, what we are doing is getting rid of the toxins that are making us sick and moody. Our liver is also responsible for balancing and metabolizing our hormones. The last week in a woman’s cycle her estrogen and progesterone levels plummet. Her hormones start this decline about 1 week after ovulation if the egg is not fertilized. A few years ago there was an internet craze encouraging women eating raw carrots to ease their PMS symptoms. And yes, there is actually something to this! Have you tried it?
Biologist Ray Peat has documented that carrots, as a source of indigestible fiber have a unique ability to act like a natural antibiotic, binding to excess estrogens and endotoxins and escorting them out of our body!
“One vegetable has a special place in a diet to balance the hormones, and that is the raw carrot. It is so nearly indigestible that, when it is well chewed or grated, it helps to stimulate the intestine and reduce the reabsorption of estrogen and the absorption of bacterial toxins. In these effects on the bowel, which improve hormonal balance, a carrot salad resembles antibiotic therapy, except that the carrot salad can be used every day for years without harmful side-effects. Many people find that daily use of the raw carrot eliminates their PMS, headaches, or allergies.” (Peat, 2012)
And if you are looking to lose weight, “An extra benefit of carrot fiber, besides the bulk and moisture-holding properties, is that it captures and holds fat molecules, removing them from the body and making weight loss easier.”(Peat, 2012)
Eating shredded raw carrots with a little fat (olive oil or coconut oil), an acid (vinegar or lemon juice) and salt and pepper is great! And most of us probably have carrots in our fridge and can do this right now. But what if you added beets?
Beets, full of vitamin B, C, Iron, Calcium, Manganese, Potassium, are so good for joint pain, depression, anxiety, digestive issues, and cardiovascular issues! They are also credited with improving brain function, mood, and normalizing blood sugar levels and lipid levels. And if you are menopausal, the phytoestrogens in beets have been known to help with hot flashes and other symptoms of estrogen deficiency, like vaginal dryness. (Please note if you have FODMAP issues or are prone to kidney stones be careful with beets.)
So I am going to NOURISH you today with a Carrot Beet Salad recipe. Try it even if you don’t like beets— they marinate in the oil and lemon juice and vinegar and it tastes really good!
Click the image for the recipe!
If what I have talked about today is resonating with you on a deeper level, and you feel like you could benefit from more than just a carrot beet salad, or if you happen to be looking for a gentle, quick and effective detox, please consider my Fall 5-day detox, running October 6-10.
What happens on this detox is you stop putting food into your body that is full of toxins and potentially inflammatory. Then you support your liver with detoxing food, teas and vitamins to help mobilize what might be stuck there. The amount of change you can see in 5 days is simply amazing! What is nice about this detox is that you get to do it with the Nurture and Nourish community so you have lots of support everyday!
You can learn more about it on my website: nurturewithelizabeth.com
If you are angry, sad or unmotivated… maybe even a little depressed try one of the “I declares” this week and make some carrot beet salad. If you want to feel even better, I look forward to Nurturing and Nourishing you in the Fall 5-day detox!
Blessings,
Elizabeth
Healthline Media. (n.d.). Liver pain: Symptoms, causes, treatments & more. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/liver-pain#causes
How does detoxification work? understanding all phases. Dr. Green Life. (2025, September 24). https://drgreenlifeorganics.com/blogs/health/how-does-detoxification-work-understanding-phase-i-phase-ii-and-phase-iii-detoxification
If you’re feeling fatigued and losing weight unexpectedly, ask your practitioner for these 6 lab tests. Rupa Health. (2025a, January 13). https://www.rupahealth.com/post/a-functional-medicine-non-alcoholic-fatty-liver-disease-nafld-protocol-testing-nutrition-and-supplements
The midlife health benefits of beetroot. Naturopathic treatment for the symptoms of menopause. (n.d.). https://www.menopausenaturalsolutions.com/blog/beetroot
Ray Peat, Phd on the benefits of the raw carrot. Ray Peat, PhD on the Benefits of the Raw Carrot – Functional Performance Systems (FPS). (n.d.). https://www.functionalps.com/blog/2012/09/28/ray-peat-phd-on-the-benefits-of-the-raw-carrot
Strehlow, W., Frawley, D., Hertzka, G., & Strehlow, K. (1988). Hildegard of Bingen’s Medicine. Bear & Company.
Medical Disclaimer: This information is being provided to you for educational and informational purposes only. It is being provided to educate you about how to take care of your body and as a self-help tool for your own use so that you can reach your own health goals. It is not intended to treat or cure any specific illness and is not to replace the guidance provided by your own medical practitioner. This information is to be used at your own risk based on your own judgment. If you suspect you have a medical problem, we urge you to take appropriate action by seeking medical attention.
