When people hear about others who are recovering their health- they always ask "What did you do?" Or what was it that heled most?"
While I am very happy to share everything I am doing for myself, I want to place importance on the idea that the circumstances, genetics, and illnesses that brought us to where we are now are different for everyone.
In addition, we are all living with differing levels of financial, social, and cultural abilities to access differing types of treatments.
We also respond differently to treatment modalities.
There will not be "one thing" that gets you well.
Many people that have recovered will say that "this _________(thing)" was the thing that did it, when in reality they tried 20-40 other things beforehand over a long period of time. In my opinion, everything you do has an effect on yourself and cumulatively they will add up, until one final thing (or things) seem to "fix" you the most.
I don't think it was the one thing, I think it was the journey and continuous work you put in. People lose sight of the little victories when they are compulsively focused on the larger picture, but in dealing with chronic illness we need to embrace the little wins as much as the big ones.
Also note: healing comes in stages and phases and comes with some set backs. This is normal.
We need to be mindful of all of the above. Then we can choose what we want to try carefully and sequentially, log and reflect on the efficacy of what we try, and then continue to move ahead with healing.
I will not share amounts/dosages of what I use, the companies for supplements that I use, or specific brands because I feel I would be doing a disservice by sharing that information online for someone to try and self-treat when I really feel like people should be working with a trusted practitioner. (Exception being the sauna bag I bought, because I don't feel there is any harm in recommending that to anyone, and I am not an affiliate.)
Onward to my personal list, by no means is it a completed list- I'm sure I will still be trying new things for a couple more years at least.
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Dietary Changes:
Low Histamine/Gluten Free/Low Mold/Dairy Free/Low-No Sugar
(Only Stevia or occasional small amounts of Monk Fruit)
Carbs rotating and only one meal daily, usually lunch
Also re-introduced organic fresh frozen meats for two meals a day after being a vegetarian for 9 years prior. I've noticed benefits and although I hate eating animals, I can tell my body benefits from it.
No leftovers. Those equal high histamine and that gives me huge problems.
Protocols I have followed or still rotate through:
Wahl's Protocol
Paleo
Keto
AIP Paleo
Antibiotics in the beginning of treatment
A few months of:
Fluconazole
Nystatin
Metronidazole
IV Ozone w UV light
I felt big gains right after doing some of these treatments. It was a shame I had to stop due to funding, but I loved ozone days. I literally left the office one day after a long treatment and hopped a fence spontaneously. I haven't done that since I was a kid.
IV high dose and also oral VIT C
One I couldn't exactly fell or tell if it was working, but with all the shit I know is happening inside my body, I knew that it was needed and was doing some good for me. Research touts TONS of good information about what Vit C can do for you, so it was a no brainer that it helped. I did "blow" my first vein on this IV and it burned a lot, but my dr. was able to reinsert and I moved on fine with the IV.
I take oral Vit C at home with no issues.
IV and also Oral Glutathione
This was a very painful IV for me to get, as it would cause a lot of pain for me in my heart area while I received it. I powered through though because really a lot about this journey is really painful, so I wasn't going to back out of trying a treatment that could help me get out of it. My dr. slowed the drip on the IV for me and my body tolerated better. I have read before about some people not tolerating glutathione well due to genetic issues, maybe that is me, but it wasn't bad enough that I felt the need to avoid it. If people cannot tolerate glutathione, NAC is a precursor and is tolerated very well by most.
I take oral Glut. at home with no issues.
IV and also oral PC
Felt immediate shift in my brain every time I got these IVs. Literally could feel them entering my head- it was wild. They were massively beneficial for me in regards to brain fog and processing abilities.
I take oral PC at home with no issues.
IV ALA
Needed big time to help protect my liver. from processing all the toxins I've got. Couldn't tell if it was doing much, but my liver never hurt, and my blood work surrounding my liver got better so I imagine it helped.
Hyperbaric Oxygen
I did an hour of this on days I also had ozone treatments and IVs, and I think that they work incredibly well in tandem as treatments.
I loved the peace and relaxtion inside of the chamber and the feeling like I could finally take full rich breaths.
Great Podcats Epi on Hyperbarics here:
(my dr.'s chamber)
(very relaxed inside, I often napped during)
Methylene Blue diluted nasal spray
For the first time in my ENTIRE LIFE I can nose-breathe. I used to think that people who could nasal breathe must have had to work very hard at it or train at it- like it was a skill you could work up to. I didn't know that my insanely congested nose and mouth breathing habits all had root causes that could be turned around. I am a big fan of MB.
Grapefruit seed extract/xylitol nasal sprays
Other things I sub into my nasal routine as needed.
Netti Pot nasal rinses
The easiest thing to handle if you have big issues with sinus issues and also herxing. This is what I started with before I could tolerate nasal sprays.
TA Peptides via shots
When I take these I can literally feel my body's internal state shift. When I run out of them and/or cannot afford them and have to ration, I get sick with viruses or bacteria very easily. So my immune system needs these TAs to help regulate it's operations. Whenever I reintroduce them, my body feels more well and fights off illness better.
Binders
I rotate 1-3x daily between
-Welchol
-Charcoal
-CSM
-Zeobind
-Bentonite Clay
I tried Saccharomyces Boulardii but have come to find that people with high yeast loads in their body are very reactive to it- and I am one of those people, so it isn't for me.
(If my MCAS is chill, I can do binders 3x a day. If it is flaring, I can only bind 1x a day.
Binding and healing isn't a race, just listen to your body.)
(my first time slugging the gunk down, feb 2021)
Supplements
I take what feels like an absurd amount of these and would like to eventually wean off, but for now they are needed and I notice a big difference when I am off of them due to funds.
When do I take/ what do I take
With meals/ Betaine HCL w pepsin, zinc, enzymes, and animal pancreas
3x daily/ L-Carnitine
2x daily/ ALA
2x daily/ different B vit combos
2x daily/ TUDCA w milk thistle
1x daily/ LVR, LYMPH, & KDNY detox homeopathic remedies for drainage pathways
1x daily/ Oral Glutathione
2-3x daily/ Chlorella
As needed/ Magnesium, Claritin, Pepcid AC, Vit C, Ashwaganda, Benadryl, Borax suppositories
Saunas/ Sauna Bag
I used to sauna at my dr.'s office but wanted to do it more regularly. And although her sauna is awesome, I needed to find one I could afford and use at home so I settled on a Higher Dose mat. I love it and yes, it does make me sweat. I feel relaxed, energized, sweaty, and peaceful after a sauna bag session. I love to do them before an Epsom salt bath right before bed.
(being exhausted at the end of the day and retreating into my sauna bag is always a treat for my achy muscles and helps me sweat big time)
Lymph Brushing/Lymph Massage/Gua Sha/Rebounding on mini trampoline
Super helpful for me, I've got lymph issues up the wazoo. I do these myself at home. There are a lot of these beneficial guides on how to do these things online, or places near you that offer these services. Do your research and make sure they are certified in what they are offering if you go somewhere for this.
Red Light Therapy
Another great thing my dr. offers in house, but I wanted to be able to do it at home. So I researched for a long time and found a simple DIY way to do red light at home. It isn't the same caliber of effect as I get as when I use my dr.'s crazy huge powerful machine, but I don't herx. using mine and I still get health benefits from it- (I feel re-energized when I use it, and my deep tissue pain lessens) If you are going to look into the DIY route, be mindful of: electric output voltages and what is safely compatible with your home, keeping lights somewhere in your home that is away from anything flammable, and also research about what frequency of light offers the health benefits you want and get bulbs that produce those wavelengths.
(using one of my three at home red light bulbs, working up to tolerating more red light)
Vibration Plate
Once again, this is something I started at my dr.'s office. I have a lot of lymph issues and this plate is great for helping move lymph. It does occasionally flare my MCAS, but has gotten better over time. I researched online and bought a machine for home so my whole family can use it.
(my dr.'s machine, an absolute beast of a machine)
Ionic Footbath
This is an item that I am still on the fence about in terms of effectiveness and the controversy surrounding if they really work, but I do understand the intended science of ion transfer behind it, and it is one of the cheaper items you can get for home healing so I jumped in and got one. I enjoy using it, and so do my children. We all have differing results when we use it and the water never really looks the same from use to use so I am more erring on the side that I really do feel it must being doing something. If it were just a rust response from the metal, I imagine it would look the same or close to the same with each person's usage over time. So while my personal jury is kind of unsure about this one, I'm leaning toward it helping- so why not use it?
(after one session)
(after another session)
(after a third session)
Epsom Salt and Baking Soda Baths
Ahhhh the first form of detox therapy I could tolerate, I love these baths deeply. Did you know that if you are crazy toxic and your pathways are closed, these baths can herx you?
I found that one out at the beginning of my journey. I had to do a lot of building up tolerance to these at first, and used to have to slather my body head to toe in coconut oil after baths for about 8 months because my body was so fucked from mold and candida.
I still take these baths most nights of the week, and I am a year and a half into treatment.
Great for getting a sweat going if you cannot tolerate a sauna. Drink ginger tea before your bath to help ensure you open your pores and sweat.
Grounding
Free and easy way to transfer ions between yourself and the earth. Lowers inflammation. I loved being barefoot my whole life, and now it makes sense to me why.
Probiotics
I use what my dr. rec.s for me to help lower histamine production and boost the good bacteria in my gut,
Early Morning Sun Exposure/Late Afternoon Sun Exposure
Best time of day to recharge your mitochondria and also get vit D via the sun without worrying about damage from the sun.
(enjoying the sun and forest in my tree hammock, this was how I ended most days in the summer last year, when my husband did bedtime with the kids)
Gentian Violet for Oral Thrush
If my candida comes back flaring, I can always turn to this to help get my tongue back under control.
Oil Pulling for Oral health
I do this following my normal brushing/flossing routine daily.
Dentalcidin for Oral Health
I use this occasionally to help clean things up bacteria-wise in my mouth.
Movement
The importance of movement while healing cannot be stressed enough. You have to find an hour a day to move. Movement helps circulate and pump lymph through your body, it helps move oxygen and nutrients throughout your body. You need all of this is you are to recover. Try some of these.
Walk
Jog
Weight lift
Yoga
Tai chi
Qi Gong
Hiking
Biking
Swimming
Sports
Gardening (yes this counts)
Anything that actively moves your body is good to do!
Forest Bathing/Shinrin Yoku
My kids favorite way to help themselves heal. Forest bathing and hiking is a family favorite and we are often in the woods (or any nature) together. We usually go most of the year around, but there are 3 months of the year that make big travels into the forest with small children difficult, but we go in the backyard instead. One of our top 2 family rules is that "we go outside every day." That is how important nature should be.
People forget that we are nature and we need to reconnect and reunite with it physically and spiritually. That aside, there have been many studies that show how being nature actually helps our immune systems. Here's a short intro video on Shinrin Yoku.
Rotating Anti-Fungals/Anti-Virals/Anti-Inflammatories/Immune Support
This is one of the most consistently helpful parts of my healing at this point.
I rotate through these on an every few days basis so that nothing in my body can build up a tolerance for these. I am always looking to discuss more types and add more with my dr, because honestly, every time I try a new anti-fungal or anti-viral I notice benefits or new things leaving my body via the toilet. (Sorry, but toilet talks are not a thing that make me shy anymore after I've been through all of this. And honesty you learn a lot about your health by studying your liquid and solid waste.)
Spirulina
Pau D'Arco
Black Walnut
Grapefruit Seed Extract
Monolaurin
SF722
Caprylic Acid
Oil of Oregano
Olive Leaf
Echinacea
Cat's Claw
Turmeric
Moringa
Neem
Garlic
Sage
Nettle
(Talk to your doctor because some of these things can activate autoimmune issues to worsen, and some of these can help your autoimmunity remit. Going willy-nilly on herbs won't help you. You need to choose wisely and focus on the ones that align with your health and conditions.)
Mold Avoidance
I do not mean this in the "I'm leaving out west to a dry area in an RV to heal" kind of way, I mean that I practice mold avoidance by "staying away from things that trigger me in my environment" kind of way.
My family doesn't have the means nor is it practical for us all to up and run from the mold issues we are facing together. We have a lot of other considerations in play and could not leave our home. So we dug deep and busted ass to make our home work as an environment for healing.
Now that that is mostly squared away we have all been able to recover pretty well so far, but I do get mold hits at other places or other people's houses. Once I learn about how my body acts to different spaces that I am in, I can quickly gather if a space is going to work for us or not- and if it seems bad, we avoid it.
I also have learned not to freak out when I get a mold hit, because I know I have dealt with worse and I have knowledge and tools now to bring me back sooner. Mold will be in our worlds around us, we need to understand that and listen to our bodies, and trust that we can be well again. We can avoid mold, but we can also mesh with it and learn how to function in a world with mold in it by using the tools and resources we have.
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So far this is a pretty comprehensive list, but I know it isn't everything.
I have to run to grab my children from school, but I will give this a look over later and add more if I am missing anything!
What works for me may or may not work for you.
I'm just here to share my experiences.
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