From Mold Illness to Mindfully Healed, Part II: Clean-Up

Though misunderstood by many—even in the medical field—there is a difference between mold toxicity and a mold allergy. A mold allergy is what my husband experienced when we pulled off the door frames and found ourselves face-to-face with Stachybotrys, i.e., black mold. An allergy elicits an immune response that usually manifests with symptoms in the sinuses and lungs. This response is typically an acute one (at least on the surface) that subsides when a person removes himself from the proximity of mold.

What do we actually give up for our health?

Like many you I felt that I had given up so much in my life in an effort to heal.

I gave up gluten, dairy and a laundry list of other foods in an effort to heal my gut.
I made this mean that I had given up on enjoying restaurant meals and social events with friends.

I gave up my high paced career when my energy was no longer available to sustain this lifestyle.
I made this mean that I wasn't really the accomplished woman with whom I had so strongly identified for decades.

Do you hide your anger?

Many kids have trouble getting a handle on their anger. My parents will certainly tell you I did! For some, these emotionally charged outbursts continue into adulthood. It took me a very long time to figure out that my short fuse made me feel powerful and was really a disguise for a whole host of more vulnerable emotions like sadness, embarrassment and shame that I wasn't willing to face.

Avocado to Zen