101. Can Forgiveness Help Your Body Heal? What Releasing Old Hurts Does to Recovery

What if an old hurt can continue triggering a physical stress response long after the actual danger has passed?In this episode of Renegade Remission, we explore what happens when anger, resentment, and painful memories are repeatedly relived in the body—and whether forgiveness can help create a different internal environment for healing.You’ll hear the extraordinary story of Evy McDonald, who was diagnosed with ALS at 29 and given approximately one year to live. As her condition worsened, Evy began examining years of anger, resentment, self-criticism, and unresolved hurt. She committed herself to what she called “total forgiveness,” alongside changes in nutrition, faith, service, and the way she approached the life she still had. Her decline eventually stopped, her strength returned, and according to her account, her ALS symptoms never came back.We also look at research examining what happens physiologically when people mentally revisit an injury with anger versus forgiveness, including measurable differences in heart rate, blood pressure, muscle tension, autonomic activity, emotional distress, and even some markers of immune function.In this episode, you’ll discover:What forgiveness actually means—and why it does not require forgetting, excusing harm, reconciling, or abandoning boundariesHow repeatedly reliving anger and resentment can reactivate the body’s stress responseWhat studies involving serious illness have found when forgiveness is intentionally practicedWhy forgiveness may support sleep, emotional well-being, cardiovascular regulation, and a calmer internal stateA simple process for beginning to release resentment, even when part of you is not ready to forgive yetListen now to understand why forgiveness is not about letting another person off the hook, but about freeing your own body from continuously reliving the injury.Join my free email community for practical healing tools, research, survivor stories, and encouragement between episodes: https://TheRenegadeNutritionist.comDisclaimerThis podcast is for educational purposes only and does not offer medical advice. Consult your licensed healthcare provider before making any changes to your treatment or health regimen. Reliance on any information provided is solely at your own risk.This podcast explores stories and science around ALS, dementia, MS, cancer, mind body recovery, healing, functional medicine, heart disease, regression, remission, integrative medicine, autoimmune conditions, chronic illness, terminal disease, terminal illness, holistic health, quality of life, alternative medicine, natural healing, lifestyle medicine, and remission from cancer, offering hope and insights for those seeking resilience and renewal.