A Biblical Lens on Holistic Healing and Wellness
A Woman’s Guide to Discernment & Wellness
If you’re a believer navigating the world of holistic wellness, birth choices, or healing practices—and wondering how to sift through all the information and find resources that align with Christian values—this post is for you. Here’s what you’ll find:
LNC’s faith-based perspective in the world of alternative medicine—the term holistic health can encompass all kinds of spiritual beliefs and practices. I share how I personally navigate staying biblically grounded in grey areas.
Birth as an example of how cultural values deeply shape our decision-making process on an emotional and subconscious level.
The wise woman tradition explained—a framework that blends a practical and traditional healing approach with biblical wisdom without compromising—from rest and nourishment to supplements and interventions.
Insight on how to navigate tricky situations and conversations with family and friends who don’t share the same viewpoint with grace and conviction.
Alright, buckle up buttercup!
Brief overview of alternative medicine
A few of the many different views and approaches of alternative medicine:
Functional medicine addresses the root cause of a disease, vs just managing symptoms
Naturopathy emphasizes the body’s inherent ability to self-heal, seeks to identify root cause
Ayurveda ("the science of life”) is an ancient Indian approach to medicine that emphasizes equal attention be given to the body, mind, and spirit and seeks to restore harmony/balance
Traditional Chinese Medicine uses practices like acupuncture, herbal medicine, and massage (also focused on balancing energies)
If you haven’t asked yourself yet, I challenge you to consider:
As a believer, how do I navigate the belief systems behind the medicine systems?
Is there a Christian approach to health?
First, what does it mean to be human? You might be thinking, woah Liv, way to take it there. But this is important because many people view health as either spiritual or physical. Alternative medicine acknowledges that we aren’t just bodies, and we’re not just bodies with a spirit.
I believe transparency is the best policy across the board: I am a lover, disciple, and ambassador of Jesus Christ. My convictions shape how I live and how I coach and support women.
I believe we are made in God’s image—“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27). And He is Spirit—“God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24).
Therefore, I believe every human life has inherent dignity and value and is designed to reflect God’s character—“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well” (Ps. 139:13-14).
I believe our body and spirit can’t be separated until death. God made the body and breathed life from his own breath into it, creating a living soul (Gen. 2:7). “For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead” (James 2:26).
I believe we were made by God and for Him (Col. 1:16). “The true God is the Creator of all things. He is the owner and Lord of the heavenly realm and the earthly realm, and he doesn’t live in man-made temples. He supplies life and breath and all things to every living being” (Acts 17:24-25a).
I believe everything we do has spiritual implications—there is no such thing as secular—whether we acknowledge it or not. This includes stewarding our health, it’s a lifestyle and heart posture. “Whatever a person sows, he will also reap” (Gal. 6:7).
I believe everything we do must come from conviction—“So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31).
I believe you can heal holistically without compromising you values, but it takes careful and conscious effort. “So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God” (Ro. 14:12). It’s important to know what you believe.
Applying biblical wisdom to health
Whenever I learn something new about the body, an herb, or witness a birth, I’m just in awe of the way the Lord made us and always think—Lord, in your divine wisdom and power you really do give us everything we need for life and godliness! (2 Peter 1:3)
In the world of holistic health, especially in birth work, people are often very attuned to the spiritual. The spiritual source of wisdom of medicine practices that engage “energies” is not Jesus. There’s a lot of Eastern religion, mysticism, and New Age Spirituality. I don’t want to open myself up to anything that is not of God but I believe he gave us food, herbs, and the ability to study the body and learn how to support it.
I want to acknowledge that some believers may be really uncomfortable with alternative medicine. It’s definitely possible to get caught up in a spirit of religion in any area of health. It’s really common to hear people describe Christianity as religion. I am not religious. Nor am I “super spiritual.” Everyone believes in something and worships something. A spirit of religion is judgmental and full of hypocrisy, legalism, and a lack of heart transformation.
To worship God in spirit and in truth as believers are instructed means coming before God with a sincere heart and a clear understanding of who He is. It’s not about performing/participating in rituals or going to a church building on Sunday. It’s about a deep, authentic devotion that flows from knowing him through his Word and special revelation he gives to each of his children.
Western medicine seems to offer an approach that doesn’t require us to conform to a certain belief system. But I challenge you to consider what beliefs and values Western medicine is founded on. There’s never neutral ground.
Birth as an example of culture’s influence on our decisions
On my long cross-country flight from NC to Ca last week, I reread “Birth as an American Rite of Passage” by Robbie Davis-Floyd. Her research is a prime relevant example for our discussion here. Robbie Davis-Floyd is a medical and cultural anthropologist—in English: she studies human societies and cultures and how they develop.
I’m pretty comfortable with mystery. I’m a research nerd and I love to learn new things. I’m naturally really curious and when I study something I want to know it like the back of my hand. But when it comes to the heady stuff, the super deep critical thinking, hypothesizing, theorizing, I’m kinda like if it isn’t relevant to my daily life…I’m not gonna lose sleep over it. But when I read this book as part of my doula training, I started to realize, woah, what we believe, how we think, how we socialize, our behavior, our values—these are all in motion in our lives from conception. Humans are so complex!
What is a rite of passage?
Cultures across the world engage in rites of passage. Rites of passage are rituals or ceremonies that mark an individual's transition from one social status or stage of life to another. These are used to transmit cultural beliefs and values. I get confused too—
Culture refers to the beliefs, values, customs, behaviors, language, art, and traditions that are shared by a group of people and passed down from generation to generation. It shapes how people think, act, and interpret the world around them. Culture is learned—not inherited—and it influences everything from how people communicate to how they view health, birth, family, and spirituality.
Examples of culture:
Celebrating certain holidays
Attitudes toward birth (e.g., hospital vs. home birth)
What’s considered polite or rude
Views on healing and medicine
Society is a group of people who live together in an organized community and share laws, institutions, and infrastructure. It refers more to the structure—the systems, roles, and relationships—that make up a population. Society provides the setting in which culture is expressed.
Examples of society:
Governments or legal systems
Economic structures (like capitalism and free market)
Institutions like schools and hospitals
Social roles (parents, teachers, doctors)
Why we believe what we believe
Rites of passage—in this example, a woman becoming a mother—are highly effective at transmitting a group’s belief system because ritual is used to transmit beliefs at an unconscious level.
Ritual is symbolic in nature (it’s the first characteristic). Davis-Floyd explains that symbolism is so effective because the right hemisphere of the brain receives the message and interprets it as a whole, not in parts. “In other words, instead of being intellectually analyzed, a symbol’s message will be felt in its totality through the body and the emotions” (p. 10).
The right hemisphere is responsible for many creative, intuitive, and holistic functions. It helps us process the world in images, emotions, and patterns, rather than in words and logic. It also plays a significant role in processing emotions, which is why activities like storytelling, visual art, and music can be deeply healing—they engage the right brain.
The experiences our brain and body store as core memories are highly charged with emotion. The limbic system registers the significance of an event. The limbic system is a group of structures deep in the brain that plays a key role in emotions, memory, motivation, and behavior. It acts as a bridge between your body and brain, helping you process how you feel and respond to the world around you. Senses and feeling are deeply connected here. (Check out my post on healing and the brain for more info and a free practical tool you already have!)
You have a choice
Davis-Floyd says, “Order is the dominant mode in ritual. Its exaggerated precision and careful adherence to form and pattern set ritual apart from other modes of social interaction, enabling ritual to establish an atmosphere that feels both inevitable and inviolate” (p. 13). Repetition contributes to making the form or pattern feel inevitable and unquestionable, rather than a cultural construct. Her example was we’d never consider interrupting a church service to argue with the minister (p. 13). Seriously, I would rather melt into the floor than do that.
I’m working preschool camps this summer with my mom and I sometimes I wonder, what’s keeping these kids from total anarchy? And why do we always do things the same way in church service? Order is how we organize and create a sense of security. It makes life feel predictable and safe. We don’t often question why things are the way they are, but when it comes to health (and in Davis-Floyd’s example, birth), what subconscious beliefs and values do we hold?
In chapter four of her book, Davis-Floyd examines belief systems around birth. She frames this entire system as a "technocratic model of birth," where the body is treated like a machine, the doctor is the technician, and birth is something to be managed and controlled rather than supported and experienced.
Routine hospital birth practices (like inductions, fetal monitoring, Pitocin, episiotomies, and cesareans) often follow a predictable sequence, much like a ritual. These rituals aren't necessarily based on evidence or individual need—but instead reinforce cultural beliefs about safety, efficiency, and the authority of medical professionals. The process often disempowers women, subtly (or sometimes overtly) encouraging them to place trust in institutions and machines rather than their own bodies.
In my next post I’ll dive into traditional midwifery and the rise of obstetrics. I’m super passionate about early education when it comes to childbirth and my goal is to provide women with education so they understand what their options are. But the focus today is examining our core beliefs and how they influence the decision-making process when it comes to caring for our health.
I want to introduce to a model called Wise Woman Tradition.
Applying Biblical Wisdom to Wise Woman Tradition
In my doula training, I came across a model called the Wise Woman Tradition, based on Susan Weed’s studies of ancient traditional healing. I don’t at all align with her spiritual beliefs but I’ve found her guide for decision-making offers a valuable framework believers can use too.
Historically women provided much of the care for their families and communities, especially midwives. Unlike the Western model that treats the body like a machine and often jumps straight to “fixing” or medicating, this approach invites us to start with awareness and gentle support. It reserves invasive measures for when they are truly needed. Here’s an overview:
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This step is often overlooked—but it’s foundational. Step 0 is about stillness, trusting the Lord, and letting the body’s wisdom speak without interference. It’s not laziness; it’s intentional stillness. Healing begins when we pause and listen.
“Be still, and know that I am God.” (Ps. 46:10)
Examples:
Sleep and rest
Silence retreats or prayer walks
Unplugging from technology
Sabbathing, fasting (with guidance)
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This step is about seeking information with discernment. Instead of Googling everything and spiraling into fear, observe, listen, ask good questions, and tune into what your body is telling you.
Examples:
Journaling, prayer — I find it really helpful to write my prayers to stay focused. It’s really faith-building to look back on prayers the Lord has answered
Books, articles, trusted sources
Talking with providers, mentors, or counselors (in my post on supporting your thyroid naturally I talk about how counseling was key to unlocking a lot of emotional healing that needed to happen in tandem with the changes I was making for my physical wellbeing)
Asking other women about their experiences — it’s important to also ask for help and support
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Susan Weed calls this step “Engage the Energy.” I call it “Engage” because we want to escape what’s happening when we’re uncomfortable or in pain but most the time what we need to do is address what’s going on.
There are all kinds of energy healers out there and in my experience, the term “energy” is describing our spiritual and emotional state. “Vibe” is another word and I believe that’s the spiritual atmosphere of a particular place. (Desiring God has a good article on "sending good vibes.”)
It can get super woo-woo real quick in the holistic health world. It’s our responsibility as believers to pay careful attention to our inner life and take every thought captive (2 Cor. 5:10). The Bible calls the heart the “wellspring of life” (Prov. 4:23).
This step focuses on the spiritual emotional layers of healing—often overlooked in conventional care. Our emotions, spiritual life, and the state of our nervous system influence our physical health. It’s all interconnected.
It will take intentionality to examine why you’re feeling what you’re feeling—not just physical health symptoms, but what’s going on in your heart.
Examples:
Prayer and intercession—invite people to pray alongside you
Visualization or breathwork—focus on Scriptural truths
Diffusing essential oils—when we breathe in scent molecules, they travel through the olfactory nerves to the brain—specifically the amygdala, the area responsible for processing emotions and memories. Try Stress Away or lavender.)
Allow yourself to feel (grief, fear, joy, confusion, etc)
Oxytocin-boosting activities—gratitude journaling, hugs, laughter, serving others, time with loved ones
Praise and worship—turn up that music, make a playlist! "Let the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands." (Ps. 149:6)
I encourage you to look up scripture on intercessory prayer and worship.
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Whether through food, herbs, movement, or relationships—often a combo—this step is about long-term wellness, lifestyle practices, physical resilience, and restoration.
Examples:
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Sometimes we need to nudge the body or bring ease in the short term. Be mindful this step carries more risk. The frequency, dosage, and duration of what we use matters. This is the time for caution and discernment.
Examples:
Hydrotherapy (cold plunge, warm baths)
Acupuncture or massage
Herbal tinctures (for sleep, pain, digestion, etc)
Stretching and breathwork — there’s not really a side-effect to breathing or stretching, unless you push your body past it’s capabilities. Ease into a practice of stretching—I love doing it in the mornings and before bed. Try incorporating conscious breathing techniques throughout your day to help calm your nervous system
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Supplements can be helpful tools—but they’re not neutral, and they’re not always gentle. Many supplements are synthetic, which can disrupt rather than support. Use them wisely and temporarily if possible.
In my post on supporting the thyroid I discuss the importance of figuring out what your body’s deficiencies are by getting bloodwork done so you can target needs instead of shooting in the dark.
There are other options to test vitamin and mineral deficiencies if you don’t want to do bloodwork.
—hair tissue mineral analysis
—muscle testing
—at-home tests
Examples:
Synthetic or concentrated vitamins or minerals
“Superfoods” like spirulina, ashwagandha, maca, bee pollen
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This is where we start replacing or suppressing body functions with pharmaceuticals.
I want to emphasize that sometimes this is necessary. But it’s never without side effects or trade-offs. Listen closely to what your body says (pay attention to anything out of the norm for you) before and after using any drug.
If you’ve been recommended or prescribed a medication you have questions or concerns about, I always recommend continuing to ask questions and seeking information. Ask for the ingredient list and the list of side-effects. You can ask for second and third opinions—you may not be the expert but you’re in the driver’s seat, your health is your responsibility.
Examples:
Antibiotics — be mindful that antibiotics kill both good and bad bacteria. There are more bacteria cells in our body than DNA! So it’s important to replenish and feed the good bacteria after a round of antibiotics. It’s never too late. Earthley has a great—and free!—gut-health support guide, and you can click for 15% off of their gut-health bundle or any other Earthley products that fit your needs
Hormonal contraceptives or hormone replacement therapies (keep an eye out for a post on this soon, you can subscribe to Letters from Liv if you haven’t already!)
Prescription medications
High-potency homeopathic formulas (even natural alternatives are extremely powerful!)
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Reserved for serious or emergency situations, this step overrides the body with invasive or forceful interventions. While sometimes lifesaving, note that this step often comes with trauma–emotional or physical—and long-term consequences. Be mindful that your body will need special care to recover.
Examples:
Surgery
Invasive testing or diagnostics
Psychiatric medications
Chemotherapy or radiation
Faith and discernment in practice
I never want to dismiss something just because I don’t understand it. That said, I test everything against Scripture. Sometimes the Bible doesn’t speak directly to an issue—but the Holy Spirit our guide:
“I will send you the Helper from the Father. The Helper is the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father. When he comes, he will tell about me. And you will tell people about me too, because you have been with me from the beginning.” (John 15:26-27)
Prayer is foundational to how I coach and make decisions in my own life. True grey areas often our deepen dependence on the Lord—we come to Him not just with certainty, but with our questions, discomfort, and longing for clarity. I find this is where I’ve grown the most in my relationship with Him, in the times I’m inescapably aware of my dependency on Him.
Knowing what you believe and communicating in love
If you’ve had an experience or have done a lot of your own research and found a form of alternative medicine that’s worked for you and aligns with what you believe, I encourage you to consider how to share this gently, with grace and from a place of love. The person you want to share it with may not be ready to receive the information or have reservations about it.
In Ephesians 4 Paul talks about unity and maturity in the body of Christ. He instructs believers how we ought to speak to the truth in love, then “we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” (v. 15-16, I encourage you to read the whole chapter!)
I’m the “hippie” of my family and my commitment to holistic health in the past has come off as judgmental or critical if I made a big deal about something like chemical cleaner or non-organic meat. I’ve made a lot of mistakes but I’ve also matured a lot (thanks, Lord). There are things I can compromise on for the sake of participating in family meals or serving someone by cleaning with their household products.
The goal of communication in our relationships should always be connection and seeking to understand the other person. Unless family asks me specifically for input in the area of nutrition and health or home birth, I don’t freely offer. And that’s actually invited a lot more conversation than me blasting my views (surprise).
My sister is a labor and delivery nurse and I just took this year off from being on call as a home birth assistant. We have vastly different experiences and education backgrounds. We had to learn how to be comfortable with our differences and are now able to share our experiences and support and process with each other because birth work is amazing but it’s also really hard! I’ve learned a lot from my sister—she’s an incredibly wise, compassionate, and committed nurse. I wish I could shadow her for a day, but you can look forward to a mini-interview with her soon(: (follow LNC on social media so you don’t miss it)!
I don’t want to discourage you from sharing what you’ve learned—the opposite actually! This is encouragement to:
meet people where they’re at
share in a way that is gracious and loving
make sure your motive is to connect and build up the other person (vs discourage them about all they’re “doing wrong”)
To summarize in the words of Paul: “Remember to stay alert and hold firmly to all that you believe. Be mighty and full of courage. Let love and kindness be the motivation behind all that you do.” (1 Cor. 16:13-14).
Questions to ask yourself to help you understand what you believe
What beliefs do I currently hold about health, healing, and birth? Where did those beliefs come from?
How much of my understanding about healthcare has been shaped by culture or convenience, rather than truth or intentional research?
Am I making decisions about my health (or my family’s) from a place of fear or trust? Who or what am I trusting?
Have I invited God into the conversations and choices I’m making around health, healing, or birth?
Do I feel empowered and informed when I engage with healthcare professionals—or uncertain and passive? Why?
Are there areas where I’ve accepted cultural norms without realizing they contradict my faith or values?
What role do Scripture, prayer, and discernment play in how I seek out information or support?
What’s one step I could take to participate more fully in the way God designed my body to heal and thrive?
Gentle Reminder
There are so many wellness trends and products out there. Beef tallow is having a moment. It can be really attractive when you see it on social media and it’s easy to drop a lotta cash real quick without much thought. Taking the time to walk through the Wise Woman Tradition and ask yourself what you need vs what looks pretty and offers the promise of overnight transformation can help you build a lifestyle of wellness that is personal, attainable, and sustainable.
I’d love to hear your feedback, please reach out with thoughts and questions any time — liv@livnourishedco.com
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If you want to take a deeper dive into what it means to belong to God and explore a topic that is relevant to every woman at every age and in every stage, I highly encourage you read Paul David Tripp’s book, “Sex in a Broken World: How Christ Redeems What Sin Distorts.” It’s relevant to this conversation about health because our life is not about us, it’s about the Lord.
Every aspect of our personhood is designed to reflect, honor, and glorify the One who made us. There’s no detail about your life that is too small or escapes God’s eye. He loves you and he wants you to experience everything Jesus died to offer you—life abundant. This is true freedom.
Tripp says,
“It’s vital to know that you were born into a universe that by its very nature is a celebration of him. It’s only when he is in his proper place in your heart, that is, at the center, that everything else in your life will be in its appropriate place and balance. What this means practically is that everything exists for his pleasure and glory. Not for yours. So you and I must approach everything in a way that gives God the glory that belongs to him. If you forget him and his glory, you’ll use things for no higher purpose than your own glory, and in doings so you’ll misuse them in some way. Again, the recognition of God’s centrality in all things, and the existence of all things for his glory is not so much about being superspiritual. It’s about recapturing the full meaning of your humanity. This is the way all human beings were made to live.” (p. 43)
You are deeply loved, seen, and fully accepted. ❤️
