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Recovering From Inflammation

A Contractor's Journey Through Mold Illness and Joint Pain to Complete Recovery

About This Book

Bram

This is Bram's story—a 45-year-old general contractor who went from barely able to climb a ladder to feeling better than he did at 35. It's also a practical guide to the protocols that made his recovery possible.

What you'll find here isn't quick fixes or miracle cures. It's a systematic, evidence-based approach to addressing chronic inflammation1 through:

  • Environmental remediation — Identifying and eliminating toxic mold exposure
  • Anti-inflammatory nutrition — Food as medicine, not deprivation
  • Movement protocols — Exercises that rebuild function without requiring gym time
  • Natural therapeutics — Medicinal mushrooms and cannabis as legitimate medicine
  • Sustainable practices — Protocols that fit into a working life

Start Here: Bram's Journey

Recommended Starting Point

We recommend beginning with Bram's story. The narrative weaves together the why behind each protocol, making the practical sections more meaningful and easier to implement.

Bram's journey unfolds in four parts:

Part I: The Unraveling — How a strong, capable contractor slowly lost the ability to do his job, and why he almost didn't notice until it was nearly too late.

Part II: The Investigation — The ladder incident that forced action, finding a doctor who listened, and discovering the hidden mold that was poisoning him.

Part III: The Recovery Protocols — Diet, supplements, cannabis, mushrooms, and movement—the multi-pronged approach that turned things around.

Part IV: The Transformation — Nine months to one year later: objective measures, unexpected benefits, and building a life around sustainable health.

Begin Bram's Journey →

Quick Access

Exercise Programs

Three complementary programs designed for different contexts:

  • Daily 8 Foundation

    Morning and evening stretches that address the root causes of chronic pain. 15-20 minutes, done at home.

    View exercises

  • Invisible 8 Job Site

    Exercises that look like normal behavior. Do them while working, waiting, or talking—no one will know.

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  • Office Worker Adaptations

    The Invisible 8 modified for desk work. Combat sitting disease2 without leaving your workspace.

    View exercises

Recovery Protocols

  • Anti-Inflammatory Diet

    What to eat, what to avoid, and why it matters. Practical meal prep for busy people.

    Read more

  • Supplements

    Evidence-based supplementation: what works, what's hype, and how to prioritize on a budget.

    Read more

  • Cannabis as Medicine

    From skeptic to advocate: responsible medical use for inflammation and pain.

    Read more

  • Medicinal Mushrooms

    Reishi, lion's mane, cordyceps, and more. The science and practical application.

    Read more

Practical Resources

Who This Is For

This book is written for:

  • Contractors, tradespeople, and physical workers whose bodies are breaking down from their work
  • Office workers trapped in sedentary jobs feeling the effects of sitting disease
  • Anyone with chronic inflammation looking for a comprehensive, evidence-based approach
  • People dismissed by conventional medicine who've been told to "just lose weight" or "it's just aging"
  • Skeptics of natural medicine willing to look at the evidence with fresh eyes

You don't need to be a contractor to benefit. Bram's story is specific, but the protocols are universal.

A Few Notes on This Resource

Impetus

I accidentally wrote this "book". I had pinched a disc in my lower back, and after a particularly rough night, was worried enough to go to the ER to make sure I wasn't imminently imploding. They sent me home with the most boring of prognoses: rest, painkillers, if it doesn't get better in a week, go see an ortho—better make an appointment quick, they book 12 weeks out.

I had been bouncing other ideas and questions off of Claude.ai, so I thought I'd ask it about the specific issues I was experiencing. I didn't want it building a medical history of me, so I told it I was writing a story about a guy with some back pain. If you've used Claude before, you know it loves to write, and proceeded to eagerly construct an entire story arc around this character's back pain. We wove many other healthy ideas together in an iterative effort, and the result (after weeks of back and forth) is what you see here.

License

This book is released under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0. Share it freely. Adapt it for your needs. Help others heal.

Important

This is an educational resource, not medical advice. Please read the complete disclaimers before implementing any protocols. Work with qualified healthcare providers, especially for serious conditions.

Ready to begin?

Start Bram's Journey → Jump to Exercises →

  1. Chronic inflammation is a prolonged inflammatory response that can last months or years, damaging healthy tissue. Unlike acute inflammation (which heals injuries), chronic inflammation is associated with conditions like arthritis, heart disease, and autoimmune disorders. See: "Understanding acute and chronic inflammation." Harvard Medical School. ↩

  2. "Sitting disease" refers to the metabolic and musculoskeletal consequences of prolonged sedentary behavior. Research links excessive sitting to increased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and musculoskeletal disorders. See: Mayo Clinic - Sitting risks ↩