Trauma

Flooded Rooms and Faithful Hearts: A Night in Ohio

Liz James · July 22, 2025 ·

I was ready to buy a consonant Monday

after my day on the road.

Iowa

Illinois

Indiana

Ohio

Beautiful territory! Lots of rolling hills,

cornfields, and as the sun was starting to set, sooooo many deer!

Zoom in on the church sign. I had to go back and take a pic of the name of the church

. In all fairness, that was the name of the town I was driving thru, but still so funny

I was pretty beat when I pulled into my hotel for the night in Ohio. The poor clerk at the check in desk was the only employee on duty. She checked me in, and I went to my room and started getting ready for bed….. really looking forward to hitting the pillow….. pulled all my nighttime stuff out of the suitcase, and then changed into my pj’s in the bathroom. I came out of the bathroom barefoot and step onto the carpet in the bedroom part, only to find it soaking wet.

. So, had to put my clothes back on, repack my suitcase and go back to the front desk to ask for a non-flooded room

. Bless the clerk’s heart. The hotel was full, and the only empty room was one that hadn’t yet been cleaned from a late checkout guest. So, she went down to clean the room ( now it’s about 10:30pm). She is checking people in and then running back to clean and prep the room I am getting moved into. This goes on for about 30 minutes, and so I go down to the room and see if she needs help…. she is doing a very thorough job… I can just see she is stretched thin.

We start talking while I help her put sheets and pillowcases on my bed. I could tell she didn’t feel great (thinking she had a cold), which got us talking. This sweet gal tells me she has been diagnosed with MS for about 10 years, and we start talking about the medical side of it all, and how she found out she had MS to begin with. She tells me this story about visiting her mom in prison, being raised by her grandparents, the diagnosis of MS after she had massive nerves misfiring causing her to stumble repeatedly, and how her neighbors had called CPS because they assumed she was drunk.

My heart just melted as she was telling me her story while we worked on my hotel room together. It wasn’t a story to garner pity… we were just talking like friends, and dang I admire her grit and work ethic.

I did leave her a little Jesus (and a tip) before I left this morning. She told me she knows Jesus (that made me happy!).

If you have an extra moment in your prayer time, please give a quick word over Sami from Ohio.

~ liz

Does Trauma Really Hurt My Body -part 2

Liz James · March 1, 2022 ·

The Enigmatic Endocrine System Part II: Supportive care for the Pineal, Hypothalamus, and Pituitary Glands

If I am able to drive home one thing in all that I share, it’s this: The body, mind, and spirit are interconnected, and if one is damaged, the other will suffer. Likewise, if nurturing, support, and healing do not occur within all three: mind, body, and spirit, healing will be impaired. Some of the deepest wounds to the physical body will never be seen by the human eye because of the trauma to the mind and spirit. Trauma dealt to the mind is not the same as trauma to the

brain, though both may be affected. Does that make sense?

There are many physical ways to support healthy pineal, hypothalamus, and pituitary gland function, but the most important of all is to become proficient in the skills required to overcome traumatic stress.

For a gland so tiny, there are books and even a journal (The Journal of Pineal Research) devoted to the study of the small ( but mighty) pineal gland. Traumatic stress appears to affect the pineal gland in profound ways that man and his science may never fully comprehend.

Here is what we do know:

Traumatic stress disrupts the pineal gland which in turn also disrupts melatonin.

Rene Descartes (French philosopher, mathematician, and scientist of the 16th century) described the pineal gland as “the seat of the soul”. He postulated that what we experience on “the outside of us” becomes an integral part of the mind (not to be confused with the physical brain). He was pretty much over the target

Many current day studies suggest that repeated stress or traumatic stress experiences may disturb mind integrity, memory, and experience.

Melatonin (in addition to regulating our circadian rhythm) has a role in the synchronization of memory. When the pineal gland is damaged by traumatic stress over time, memory formation and consolidation, cognition, and emotional processes may be altered.

Thankfully, love, community, and social connectedness have the power to influence, improve, and overcome the effects of traumatic stress.

Do not underestimate the power of a close knit community of friends

….. This is your first and most important “how to” take care of your endocrine system…. Find your tribe and love them ….. And (importantly) also let them love you

The Holy Spirit dwells within all who call to Him. The Holy Spirit is also our comforter and healer and guide. Don’t underestimate, undervalue, or decline this gift from God.

Real Solutions:

Physically, there are a myriad of ways to support the brain’s glandular system:

Chiropractic care. Yes, even a little time on the table with a fantastic chiropractor can improve the functional quality of the pineal, hypothalamus, and pituitary glands.

Eating a clean organic diet. The body can only thrive if it is given toxin free nutrition.

Control sugar intake. Processed sugar causes inflammation which affects pituitary function.

Be active! High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is especially helpful…. One of the most helpful body movements is squats. Who knew!?! Boost your entire endocrine system’s function with regular sets of squats!

Incorporate small amounts of iodine (not the kind found in commercial table salt) into your diet. Kelp is a fantastic natural iodine source (it’s a key ingredient in Young Living’s Multigreens!) Sadly, fluoride is found in many city water supplies, toothpaste, and mouthwash brands. Fluoride calcifies both the pineal and pituitary glands which, as you’ve learned, goes on to affect the integrity of the rest of the endocrine system. The Young Living Thieves Toothpaste ( available as Dentarome Plus, Aromabright, or the kiddos Kidscents Citrus flavor) and Thieves Mouthwash are fantastic alternatives to the fluoridated varieties, are immune system supportive and provide ingredients for stellar oral hygiene.

Fresh organic beet juice. Beets contain boron and B vitamins… necessary nutrients for a healthy endocrine system. Beet juice also helps counter the effects of fluoride and heavy metals.

Manganese (found in nuts, leafy greens, whole grains, and legumes) , Vitamins D, E, and A are all necessary for healthy glandular function. YL’s Master Formula contains kelp, boron, manganese, B vitamins, Vitamins D, E, and A among a whole host of additional micronutrients. If you are looking for a “one stop shop” this may be your “go to” supplement.

Good sleep hygiene. There are dozens of natural ways to improve sleep quality. Healing occurs best in a well rested body. Are you making full use of all the tools you may already have in your home? Essential oils well known to enhance sleep include Lavender, Cedarwood, Frankincense, Roman Chamomile, Orange, as well as blends RutaVala, Tranquil, Peace and Calming, and Stress Away all tend to support a good night’s sleep. Immupro and Sleep Essence are two sleep supportive supplements that may also be called in for duty if needed.

Sage (the plant and the essential oil) has some very interesting properties that appear to support the endocrine system. If you choose to dive down this rabbit hole in your research, use the key words “salvia officinalis”, and “endocrine” or “pituitary”. Salvia comes from the Latin word (salvarem) which means “to save”. It may be this plant that best signifies the “mind, body, spirit” healing aspect simply by its activity within the endocrine system.

One in eight women will develop a thyroid problem at some point in their lifetime. (It’s not quite that high in men). While many thyroid disorders have root cause found in the thyroid itself, as Yoda said…. “Slow your roll [downhill], you must.” The thyroid is a precision organ, and will not be able to adequately perform if the endocrine glands of the brain (and elsewhere) do not work well. Their work is worthy of our TLC, and giving it the nourishment and attention it needs to perform optimally. Each one of us is a finely tuned, amazingly made unique creation, and each body part is a part of a bigger design working in tandem.

xoxo~ liz

https://goodmedicine.info/my-book/ (it’s here! We’re keeping it at presale price for just a few more days)

#sharingiscaring

#ahealthyendocrinesystemisgoodmedicine

#becomingyourownhealthdetective

#goodmedicine

#ThanksYL

Help with Grief

Liz James · February 25, 2022 ·

At the “just getting started” age of 55, I’ve got more than a handful of friends who have become widows at a pretty young age. I honestly cannot even pretend to imagine their grief while still navigating life, often with kiddos still at home. This is a beautiful article about grief written by a strong woman who lost her beloved after 20 years of marriage. (taken from Plain Values magazine).

I believe the right kind of grief is a sign of a life well lived. Loving well means grieving is inevitable. How grief is handled is where the outcome lies. Grief tends to settle in the lungs if emotions are not released. It’s one of the reasons so many elderly couples die so closely together (timespan wise).

https://plainvalues.substack.com/p/lessons-learned…

The Enigmatic Endocrine System Part I

Liz James · February 22, 2022 ·

The Enigmatic Endocrine System Part I: Organs of Importance

When I write, I nearly always have classical or instrumental music

playing in the background. Today, I’m listening to a playlist of some of the greatest symphonies of all time. It takes an orchestra

of about one hundred musicians and a variety of instruments to create a symphony. If the conductor, a musician, or an instrument doesn’t perform optimally, the symphony will suffer in quality. As more musicians and instruments err, the symphony becomes noticeably wonky, and the “off-ness” most certainly affects the overall listening experience.

The endocrine system is very much like an orchestra. Many hands make light and beautiful work! Each of the twelve major glands/organs within the endocrine system relies on the others to do its work properly and efficiently in the body, and unless you’ve acquired an endocrine disorder, I would wager that you probably rarely think about this small but mighty

system in the body.

Originally, I was only going to cover the thyroid in this series, but as I was writing about the effects of chronically low body temperature, I realized I would be doing you a disservice if I merely mentioned the other endocrine organs in passing. This happens all too often in western medicine, and incomplete information often results in applying a bandaid on the wrong area. We’ve got to look at the entire system if you are going to be a top notch health detective

. With that…. Let’s proceed!

Pineal Gland Facts:

At the “top” of the endocrine system lies a small pinecone shaped, rice sized organ that is deep within the brain. The pineal gland is one of the least understood and most powerful parts of the human body. Its known primary role is to control body rhythm (day and night, the body’s seasonal activity, and even the aging process!) by way of production of melatonin. Melatonin itself has a profound influence in the body. We tend to think of it as our body’s elixir for sleep

, but lack thereof also affects immune function, blood pressure, cortisol levels, eye health, seasonal mood disorders, and may even contribute to relief from acid reflux. The pineal gland also exerts its influence on another endocrine gland, the hypothalamus. Not everyone needs to supplement melatonin, but if you feel that you do, consider Young Living’s Immupro. It’s a chewable tablet taken right before bedtime. In addition to melatonin, it contains several other natural ingredients known to support the immune system and help facilitate a good night’s sleep.

Over time, the pineal gland gets dealt some pretty harsh blows as the body manages viral, bacterial, and parasitic infections, a toxin burden, and exposure to heavy metals and fluoride. These all contribute to calcification of the pineal gland over time. As you may imagine, a malfunctioning pineal gland causes a cascade effect throughout the body.

Hypothalamus Facts:

The hypothalamus’ main role is to keep the body in homeostasis (self regulated balance) as much as possible. It also acts as a purveyor of information between the endocrine and nervous systems. Body temperature, thirst, appetite, weight, emotions, sleep cycles, libido, blood pressure, production of digestive juices, balancing of body fluids….. The hypothalamus is a magnificent multitasking micromanager when it is functioning well, but if the pineal gland doesn’t signal the hypothalamus properly, its performance will be inhibited. Head injuries, genetic or congenital conditions, and certain autoimmune disorders may also hinder the endocrine symphony in a variety of ways.

The hypothalamus-pituitary connection can be thought of as a major “command center” of the endocrine system. The thyroid does not stand alone. It relies on information coming from these two “high command” organs.

The Pituitary Gland Facts:

The pituitary gland is a fascinating team player within the endocrine system. Though it is tucked deeply within the brain, it is a delicate little bean. It may be damaged or adversely affected by:

Lack of blood supply

Medications (including opiates, SSRI’s, haloperidol, risperidone,and certain antibody therapies)

Concussions. Even seemingly mild concussions may cause a “dimmer switch” like effect on the endocrine system. This effect may occur instantaneously, or can begin to show up months to years after the original injury.

Endocrine disrupting chemicals

Endocrine disruptors are well known for causing pituitary dysfunction… they disrupt the entire endocrine system by mimicking, blocking, interfering with hormone production, or modifying the body’s sensitivity to hormones. The term “hormone” comes from the greek word “hormon” which means “to stir up”. Endocrine disruptors wreak havoc on the body’s ability “to stir up” and long term disruption often leads to diabetes, thyroid, and/or sex hormone dysfunction. The cascade doesn’t stop there. It will ultimately affect every system in the body. Thankfully, we have control of the environment within our homes and what we bring in to it.

First we have to identify the criminals, right? Once we do that, we change the locks on the door and don’t let them knowingly in again.

Common endocrine disruptors include:

BPA: a plasticizer found in inner linings of canned foods and in many plastic bottles and containers.

Atrazine and organophosphates are herbicides and pesticides commonly used throughout the agricultural industry. Buy organic to limit exposure. Consider starting a garden for full control over what you put into your body!

Perchlorate: another contaminate in food, milk, and water. Buy organic and filter your water to avoid this one.

Lead, arsenic, Mercury. Yes, sadly, these are all still out there. If you do a little digging, thimerosal is a mercury based preservative found in certain vaccines and medicines.

Perfluorinated chemicals: these bad boys are used to make nonstick cookware. Toss’em!

Phthalates are another common plasticizer. These can be found in plastics. Sadly, they are also found in standard US cosmetics and skin care. Thank goodness we have Young Living’s Savvy Minerals cosmetics and extensive skin care lines, (Bloom, ART, and Balance) suitable for every skin type.

Glycol Ethers are chemicals used as solvents and stabilizers found in personal care products, perfumes, cosmetics, household cleaners, and industrial products. Go ahead and pat yourself on the back if you’ve already kicked all these things to the curb, and have your castle (home) and temple(your body) cared for and supported by Thieves Household Cleaner (all things Thieves!) and all of the other wonderful healthy options Young Living has created for us.

Emotional unresolved trauma is another endocrine disruptor. Surprised? Studies are uncovering just how much damage may be done by not working through and releasing emotions. The body doesn’t lie, and we store so much at a cellular level. I encourage you to do the heart work and seek help if needed.

Next week, I’ll cover more extensive opportunities to naturally support the functioning of the pineal, hypothalamus, and pituitary. Recognizing the clues dropped by these three tiny organs is as important as deciphering and understanding thyroid clues!

xoxo~ liz

(PS: It’s here!!

If you’d like to order Volume I of Becoming Your Own Health Detective, the link is in the menu!

Thank you for supporting my heart’s work!

#sharingiscaring

#ahealthyendocrinesystemisgoodmedicine

#becomingyourownhealthdetective

#goodmedicine

#endocrinedisruptorsarelifedisruptors

February Young Living Gifts

Liz James · February 1, 2022 ·

Love is in the air! And just like that, here we are in February! You are going to want to tune in today because Young Living is dropping some serious goodness on us (not just in this post!).

It’s been a hot minute since we’ve have coupons to share with a friend, and they’re back! Do you recall what set your tilted health world upright and spinning in the right direction again? Was it DiGize, Thieves for the win! …. or perhaps a supplement like Sulfurzyme, or Thyromin. While you were sighing with relief, didn’t you also want to shout from the roof tops? I frankly couldn’t keep my mouth shut. Everyone needed to know about the miraculous ways of Young Living plant juice. #Godgaveuswhatweneedinthegarden If someone hadn’t shared with me, I may have found these tools eventually…… but maybe I wouldn’t have? Then what? ….. I don’t even want to think about it.

Pay it forward friends. #betheoneforsomeone ….. and now we can not only share information, we can give them a financial foot in the door with a 10% coupon. (You can earn up to 2 coupons this month!….. the code will come to you by email within a week of placing your order…. so watch for it in your email box!)That’s a gift that keeps on giving! Because it’s February….. (and you don’t want to miss Lucy Li Bido’s class that starts today!….. you’re going to want the tools to make her potions ) One Heart (essential oil blend for Subscribe to Save … subscription orders). Diffuse or wear this perfume worthy blend created especially for the Young Living Foundation.

Ylang Ylang…. oh my! Put the Ecuador YL farm on your bucket list because fields of Ylang Ylang trees are magical. The aroma makes it so! Ylang Ylang can be found in both Joy and Sensation… according to science (and Lucy) it supports libido and a healthy blood pressure in women and men. Here’s one of her diffuser recipes for the bedroom:3 drops Sandalwood3 drops Lavender2 drops Ylang Ylang

That cute little pink glass dropper will be perfect for making face serum or a host of other recipes!

Lavender Calming Bath Bombs…. if you are a bath gal (or guy!), you’ve probably already fallen in love with these!

Geranium is another floral oil whose actions and abilities are very much in the category of “pretty is as pretty does”. It has been used for eons in skin care (ahem…. winter skin!), skin healing, and also in balancing emotions. Do a little digging on geranium and the liver . My favorite thing about geranium is that it is FANTASTIC for bleeding wounds. We’ve had some gusher wounds out here on the farm, and have found that one of our first aid kit must haves is a ready made blend of Geranium, Frankincense, Lavender, and Helichrysum. #tools! Each can be used individually for the job, but that combo is the bomb!

Elemi comes from the same plant family as Frankincense and Myrrh…. sometimes you might hear it be referred to as “the poor man’s Frank”. (That’s a hint ) It has been used for centuries in ointments and salves for skin, including dressing battle wounds of soldiers. If you see a recipe for Frank but don’t have it on hand, Elemi does a stellar job as your backup plan! Have a great Feb 1st friends! It’s going to be an amazing month! (Holler if you’d like a 10% coupon to get started….. I’ll have a few to give away this month!)