I’ve learned the hard way, that healing is a process and there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to health.
October 4, 2008, our family vacated our home and everything in it. Toxic mold can do this – often ripping families apart in the process.
Fortunately, our marriage survived. Our kids did too. It has not been easy, however. Often I have found myself in despair.
Despite the emotional ebb and flow, our family has made it this far.
The lessons have been tough. They have come with a price. But the rewards are great despite the harsh reality that life will never be the same.
Our Unique Healing Journey
Here are two of the many lessons I have learned during these difficult years.
1. There is no formula when it comes to health.
I was under the illusion that one treatment protocol would do the trick for all eleven of us. This included supplements, alternative treatments, conventional mold treatments as well as a dietary intervention. When we started the GAPS Diet in August 2010, I awakened to the reality that each person’s body chemistry is unique. Sauerkraut may work for one but not another. Some can have raw vegetables, others do better with juices.
I find this experience echoed in the writings of Dr. J.H. Tilden (1851-1940), a physician who believed that the body grew ill because of toxic accumulations in the gut. The cure, according to Tilden, happened when the patient listened to the needs of his body and adjusted his lifestyle accordingly.
“To be able to say how much an individual must eat, the physician must know how much appetite and how much digestive power the patient has. This knowledge is impossible. Every individual’s special sense will always be his private possession. . . In the matter of food and eating, the conventional belief and practice are that an individual weighing a given amount must consume a given amount of food. This theory may work all right with an engine, but not with a human being.”
J.H. Tilden, M.D., Food: Its Influence as a Factor in Disease and Health, 1914
2. Healing takes time.
After leaving our home, I had my sights set on a two-year recovery. At the three year mark, I was shocked with our remaining issues. At four years, I began to relinquish my sense of control. Today, five years later, I feel free of the timetable. I have surrendered to the process of recovery. If our progress in these last five years is any indication of what the next five years holds, then I am extremely optimistic and encouraged. Our health has improved dramatically. In the words of Dr. Tilden,
“Those who are looking for quick cures are doomed to disappointment; for usual quick remedies are nothing more than palliation.”
J.H. Tilden, M.D., Impaired Health: Its Cause and Cure, 1921
When I started this blog in December of 2008 I titled it “Our Mold Journey.” In 2011, I broadened it to “Our Health Journey, ” acknowledging the fact that mold is one of many factors when it comes to health. This year I’m expanding beyond our family’s story to everyone’s story. Life is a process. Some things, including emotional and physical recovery, take time.
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We had a mold problem in our home a few years ago. We tore out walls and replaced everything but did not use any precautions. As a result I have suffered with horrible headaches for several years now. I shake a lot in my right hand and some emotional problems. I finally went to a chiropractor who diagnosed my problem from exposure to mold. For the first time after visiting many doctors what he said made sense. I have known for some time that I could not have sugar, if I do I have a horrible headache but the problem was getting worse and the list was growing of things I could not eat. We try ro be organic and eat healthy. He put me on a supplement called Morinda supreme. I have taken it for three weeks now and watched my diet closer. After eating out two days ago and only eating vegetables I had a severe headache last night. I always take 24hours to react to anything. I think I may have got sugar in something they had but don’t know for sure. Everything you wrote made sense. We cannot leave our home and we are taking every precaution to see that we are mold free. We keep a dehumidifier going and two clean air machines. My question is, how long does it take to rid this in your body?
Everyone is unique. Mold avoidance is key as you know, and diet is a huge part of recovery. Trust your instincts as you navigate this road.