A raw carrot salad to support digestive, hormone and thyroid health
“Endotoxin formed in the bowel can block respiration and cause hormone imbalances contributing to instability of the nerves, so it is helpful to optimize bowel flora, for example with a carrot salad; a dressing of vinegar, coconut oil and olive oil, carried into the intestine by the carrot fiber, suppresses bacterial growth while stimulating healing of the wall of the intestine. The carrot salad improves the ratio of progesterone to estrogen and cortisol, and so is as appropriate for epilepsy as for premenstrual syndrome, insomnia, or arthritis.”
Ray Peat
Why have a daily raw carrot salad (with coconut oil and vinegar dressing) –
- Carrot fibres lower endotoxin (intestinal bacteria)
- Supports bowel regularity
- Lower cortisol
- Improves progesterone/oestrogen balance
- Raw carrots contain natural antibiotics
- May help migraines
- Improves digestion and bowel health
- Aids weight loss through metabolic support
- Supports liver health
- Lower prolactin
- Helps prevent reabsorption of oestrogen in the bowel
- Coconut oil and vinegar are mild germicidals supporting gut cleansing
By lowering intestinal bacteria with raw carrots you can help prevent an overload of toxins in the liver.
Healthy liver function is important as it detoxifies estrogen and converts the storage thyroid hormone T4 to the active thyroid hormone T3.
Fibres in the raw carrots bind to toxins and excess oestrogen and carry them out from the body through the digestive system.
“When endotoxin enters the bloodstream during any stress, a host of problems can result because of endotoxin’s systemic toxicity. Raw carrot (along with a good daily bowel movement, saturated fats in place of unsaturated, sufficient non-inflammatory protein, fresh fruits and other digestible foods) can help reduce your endotoxin burden.”
“Because some estrogen is secreted In the bile, adequate fiber in the diet (oats, potato. or raw carrots, for example) and regular bowel function help to prevent the build-up of estrogen, which inhibits the thyroid. (Estrogen which has been excreted in the bile can be reabsorbed from the intestIne if there is slow transit time and too little fiber.) A deficiency of B vitamins or protein is also known to prevent the liver from excreting estrogen. One of the ways in which starvatIon inhibits thyroid function is by damaging the liver function. Vegetarians are sometimes dangerously deficient in protein, and in that state the body is very resistant to thyroid hormone. Elevated serum calcium is probably one of the factors in creating a slate of thyroid-resistance during stress.”
“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. The use of oil and vinegar as dressing intensifies the bowel-cleansing effect of the salad. Coconut oil is more germicidal and thyroid promoting than olive oil, but a mixture of coconut and olive oil improves the flavor. Lime juice. salt, cheese and meats can be used to vary the flavor.”
Ray Peat
Recipe
- 1 medium raw carrot grated or thinly sliced with vegetable peeler
- 1 – 2 teaspoons of coconut oil
- Half to 1 teaspoon of raw cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
- Pinch of sea salt
Method
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Best eaten on its own or as a snack.
See Danny Roddy’s video here on how to make it –
