Getting better from mould illness is a journey, and not one that always goes in a straight line. But we want to emphasize that it is possible, and there is hope for you if you are struggling with this condition. Thousands of people around the world with mould illness have successfully restored their health by following certain principles. Different doctors and mould illness specialists have slightly different suggestions and protocols, but many of the key components are agreed on.

We have summed this process into the Build your D.R.E.A.M Health Model. While building is a lot more linear
than the healing process- there are also a lot of similarities. Firstly, you need a good foundation to build on. These are the elements of health that  we all know about. Stress, Nutrition, Hydration & Movement. These foundation blocks can be worked on at any time and are crucial to the recovery process.

Getting better is a step by step process, one brick at a time. As I'm writing this I'm building a small house for our family and it can be overwhelming at times. There is weather to deal with, delays, supply shortages, mistakes I make (DIY builder!) etc. But I have a plan, I keep doing what I can everyday and over time we are seeing progress. Dealing with health conditions is similar, although often less linear than building. Dr Crista uses the following image to describe the journey for her patients:

THE FOUNDATION

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  • DEAL WITH STRESS

    Living in today's fast paced world, we all know what stress is. Unfortunately mould illness plays havoc with our stress system (HPA axis) which means that we can get stressed out easier or have less tolerance of stress. Learn strategies to reduce stress, manage stress when it's unavoidable and build resilience.

  • REST

    Sleep is gold for healing and recovery from mould illness. We all feel the benefits of a good night's sleep, and now there are thousands of studies exploring the benefits. Mould is notorius for messing up sleep so you may need to take some extra steps to catch your z's. Learn how to optimize your sleep to improve your health.

  • EAT

    Nutrition gives us the building blocks to support our bodies processes, as well as heal. The basics of nutrition are fairly simple- we all know what we shouldn’t be eating. It's when we get to what exactly we should eat it can get confusing, and there
    are lots of different approaches out there that can work.

    .

  • AIR

    This refers to what we are breathing, and also how we are breathing.

    Getting outside for fresh air is a key part of recovery, as well as using air filters inside to improve the air quality.

    Breathing exercises can help with stress reduction, energy and improving pain and movement.

  • MOVE

    Movement has huge benefits for healing. It helps improve blood flow, metabolism, and
    detoxification by moving lymph through the body,  Movement doesn't have to be hard or strenuous. If you are someone who finds exercise hard, just start where you're at.

    Movement can be things like walking, gardening, bouncing on the tramp with your kids (or
    yourself), biking, dancing or even cleaning!

1 5
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The first step after the foundations is Avoidance. This is globally recognized as the most important step in healing from mould illness- but it also one of the most difficult. Depending on the individual situation, some people can still make progress with their health, but it is extremely difficult to fully recover if still being exposed to significant levels of mould and the other components of a water-damaged building.

For more information check out our blogs on avoiding mould, and what you can do while still in mould.

 

Blog: 12 things you can do if you are living in mouldBlog: The ins and outs of mould avoidance

The next levels (2-4) will ideally be implemented once you are out of mould, but some steps can be carefully taken if you can’t avoid mould for whatever reason. For example, certain nutrients like Quercetin and DHA can be protective against mycotoxin exposure and gentle detox approaches can also be effective. We recommend working with a health practitioner well versed in mould illness to help you guide you through this process.

 A big question that comes up is "How long will it take?". It really depends on your situation. How long you have been exposed, how unwell you are, genetics, detoxificaiton capacity etc. We have seen people recover within months after moving out of mould, and for others it can take over year. It is a process that requires patience and an expectation that their will be ups and downs. This is where working with a professional who can help guide you through this journey is very beneficial.

For more info on these steps, you can chat with us on a free 15 minute call. Our model is based on Dr Jill Cristas “Peel the orange” model which her book has a lot of information on including supplements and dosages.

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Need help?

While this information is made to be as clear and helpful as possible, it can be very overwhelming to work through. Ideally we recommmend working with a mould-trained doctor to guide you through this process. However, we are not aware of many doctors or practitioners in NZ who are specifically trained in treating mould illness. We hope to add to this list of practitioners who can help as we learn of more.

Dr Jill Cristas book Break the Mould is a great resource. It covers these steps in more detail, and also gives recommendations for dosages.

You can also book a support call with us here. We can share all our experience and information wtih you, and we are trained in functional medicine principles as a FDN-P. We can help guide you at whatever stage you are in your healing journey.

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