Say you just don’t feel right. Maybe you’ve been to the doctor and they’ve run tests, and they just tell you that it’s all just part of getting older or it’s all in your head. Maybe you’re eating super clean, exercising, and doing all the self care things you can think of, but a nagging health issue is still unresolved. Often times, unless we truly figure out what the root cause of our symptoms are, we won’t fully heal.
I have struggled with some health issues for a few years now. Things weren’t necessarily getting worse, but they weren’t resolving either. No matter what I tried. I shared in a previous newsletter a couple of years ago that we found out our well water was contaminated. We thought that was the cause, but things haven’t cleared up two years later. So this March, I started working with a functional medicine doctor. She requested all sorts of lab work and as it turns out, mold was the silent attacker.
A urine mycotoxin test showed that I had very high levels of Ochratoxin A, which is the toxin that a certain type of mold pumps out. Different types of molds produce different types of mycotoxins. Mold is tricky. It doesn’t always smell and the problem isn’t always visible. We didn’t suspect that we had a mold issue until I got my mycotoxin results back. We then did a home inspection with air and swab testing. Turns out we had a massive mold issue and didn’t even know it! The types of molds/mycotoxins that showed up on the inspection report lined up with my lab results, so we knew it was a current issue and not all from previous exposure. A pipe leak in 2020 (which we thought had been dried and cleaned well enough at the time) was one of the issues, but there were clearly other incidents before we bought the house that were discovered.
Working with a qualified professional for issues like this is crucial! You need a trustworthy person who knows how to deal with mold. Not remediating properly can lead to bigger issues down the road. Care must be taken to not spread spores to unaffected areas of the house and you often times need to remove more that you think. You can clean or kill the surface mold, but like cancer, it can have roots and spread farther if you don’t remove it properly. If you suspect you have a mold problem, here is a resource for finding reputable professionals to work with in your area – https://iseai.org/iep-list/.
Underlying, systemic issues (like heavy metal or mold toxicity, Lyme disease & co-infections) put a massive stress on our immune systems and nervous systems. Often times we get stuck in fight or flight mode, which makes any attempt at therapeutic efforts challenging because our body is already in alarm mode. Any additional stress to that system causes it to fight back or shut down. Things that should be helpful may be ineffective, or backfire and make you feel worse.
Be sure to be open and honest with your health care team about what’s working and what’s not. Many of us bodyworkers are skilled at picking up on the subtle signals that your body is letting us know it’s overwhelmed during a session, but every client’s body is different. If you are dealing with a health issue like this, there are certain types of bodywork that may be more beneficial than others as you heal. Your manual therapist may recommend taking a break from deep tissue work and trying something like lymphatic drainage massage to help you detox.
We are bombarded by toxins on a daily basis. Some of it is avoidable, some of it is not. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by it all, but there is hope! Bottom line: if you just don’t feel right, trust your intuition, ask for help & referrals. Sometimes you have to advocate for yourself in the health care industry, get a second or third opinion. My goal as a bodyworker is to help you learn to listen and be aware of what your body is telling you, and empower you to be an active participant in your wellness journey.
Dynamic Approach Bodywork 