Whether it be substances, food, behaviours, or any patterns that are holding you back from your dream life, this addiction recovery protocol is sure to guide you along your path. I wrote this guide to offer a science-based, holistic helping hand to anyone who might need it.

The primary factors driving all substance, food, addiction and other compulsions are trauma, nutritional deficiencies, inflammation, and isolation.

I bow to you for investing in your healing and personal growth. Your cells are constantly being renewed, and you always have another chance to recreate yourself. This is your opportunity to create your ultimate dream life and consider the following to get curious and help reframe your relationship to any patterns that are not serving you. Getting to unpack, unlearn and explore is the way home to becoming whole again while reclaiming the suppressed parts of yourself over your lifetime and cultivating sustained inner peace and your full expression in this life. Let this be a portal to deep connection and transformation.

None of this is medical advice; take only what works for you. Pass it on to anyone else who might benefit from it.

Address trauma

Metabolizing and processing trauma is a highly personal exploration. There is no linear path to harmonizing the unseen and releasing the power of any wounds controlling your life, but there are many great resources out there that can help you clear any blocks out of your emotional body and nervous system and heal any unresolved trauma that inhibits your full expression. Some modalities that may be helpful in your journey include:

• NeuroTraining 

• Somatic experiencing

• EMDR

• CBT

• Dance/ecstatic dance

• Meditation

• Earth connection and sitting with nature’s free teachings by barefoot grounding, soaking up the light of the sun and moon, or swimming in natural unchlorinated bodies of water

• Bodywork/energy work

• Sound therapies/chanting 

• 12 step groups

• Psychedelics

• Hakomi somatic psychotherapy

• Temazcal/sweat lodge ceremonies

• Sauna (Finnish is my preferred style, infrared can be nice too with the red light therapy)

• Plant medicine shamanic ceremonies

• Byron Katie’s ‘The Work’

• Inner child healing, shadow work, and/or support from mentors, men’s/women’s circles, shamans, and teachers 

• Omnivorous nutritional repletion

• Seeking out relationships where you feel safe and witnessed: with practitioners, psychotherapists, friends, nudist friends, support groups, or co-regulating (somatic work) with someone who currently has a stable nervous system. We’re harmed in relationship, but we’re also healed in relationship. Seek out someone to hold that space for you.

Our bodies store memories, and we carry lifetimes of trauma, patterns and intergenerational programming. Some say that even being born in a modern hospital programs us not to trust life, not to trust ourselves. Subtle internalized beliefs from the culture at large can cut us off from our free flow of life force energy. When you feel the time is right, explore what feels right for you. It all really comes down to your willpower and discipline, and the extent that you have suffered. If you want to suffer, keep your beliefs. If you want to be free, you must do what you need to do to change your mind.

For me, taking on the label or diagnosis of a wound is not as helpful as just seeing how the wounds show up in the present. The past can be overwhelming, but just seeing how the wounds show up in the present, one corrective situation at a time, can expand your nervous system’s capacity without having to identify with any sort of label or diagnosis, which can be very liberating.

Getting into a “rest and repair” parasympathetic state and finding your mind and body in a safe environment, you may find that trauma may begin to arise. You need to trust your body and that Mother Nature’s intelligence won’t ever provide more than you can handle.

Address nutritional deficiencies

Nutrition is a rabbit hole that goes deep, and it is essentially impossible for anyone else but you to determine what you need. Micronutrient demand differs depending on your acute and chronic stressors, light/nnEMF environment, state of metabolism, drug/medication usage, and genetics. I believe that cooking for yourself is more important than the type of diets that you follow. The more nutritional repletion from bioavailable nutrient dense foods that you have, the more satisfied you will be in life, and the better chances of recovery. 

All true addiction recovery efforts must include multiform magnesium supplementation and/or magnesium-rich foods. Magnesium chloride (MgCl2) is the most bioavailable type for humans and is neurotrophic, anxiolytic, anti-inflammatory, essential to GABA enzymes, balances excess Ca2+ and electrolytes in cells, and blocks NMDA glutamate receptors and makes them less sensitive, essential to endogenous GABA production and binding to receptors. Aim for 5-10mg/lb elemental Mg for oral intake, but if you’re unable to tolerate such high doses, take what you can and focus more on topical Magnesium chloride application (spray or apply onto skin, I usually do front and back of neck, and upper body). Simple topical exposure to sea water can also provide the original source of natural healing minerals.

Ancient Minerals and Nordic Health are good brands that I like, follow dosage guidelines and check for interactions. I occasionally take it for general maintenance, usually sprayed topically onto the skin and absorbed before sunlight exposure, or adding a small amount (I like ¼-½ tsp) of 100% magnesium flakes to smoothies. It also makes a great non-toxic hair conditioner when combed through.

Correcting GABA/glutamate imbalance (for example, with blue lotus), malnutrition, circadian dysregulation, and inflammation makes the recovery process much more simple without breaking down, lashing out, or relapsing.

You are what you eat! Regenerate your cells and gut microbiome by nourishing yourself. Our gut lining is replaced every 3 days. Weston A. Price principles, paleo or low carb can be helpful during the recovery period. Go organic when you can. At the same time, avoid all of the following, and implement zero tolerance of:

• industrialized vegetable and seed oils (medicinal cold pressed black seed oil does not fall under this)

• alcohol

• conventional corn, soy, grains, wheat and dairy (any ultra-processed foods)

• sucrose and artificial sweeteners

• unactivated beans/legumes (high in lectins)

• caffeine and coffee

• smoke (tobacco/cannabis)

This will all help restore dopamine function through multiple pathways while mitigating cravings.

Learn to cook or find someone who will cook for you, and free yourself from addiction to any processed hyper-palatable foods that hijack your taste buds and contribute to illness. Source high quality from small farms if you can. Hunt, fish and forage, and grow local foods the way nature intended. Eat local when possible, and listen to YOUR body, wants and needs. Locally grown foods contain the UV light information that informs our cells about the natural environment we are currently in.

Incorporate pasture raised, grass fed and finished or wild ruminant meats, pasture raised eggs, good dairy and seafood, including spring water bone broth, whole cod liver, organ meats and muscle meats, and gelatinous/collagen rich cuts like lamb shanks and osso buco. You want to eat as much of the animal as possible since it will create and repair you, taking cues from the primal hunter-gatherers. Season with delicious organic herbs and natural sea salt. Avoid unfiltered tap water and prioritize wild living spring water in drinking and cooking. Goat or sheep dairy, especially fermented kefir, can be more helpful than cow’s dairy. Go to the farmer’s market and load up on fresh fruits and vegetables. Become one with the earth.

Vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans and legumes are most bioavailable when properly prepared. Fermented foods like sourdough and lacto-fermented foods like sauerkraut make optimal use of nutrients to be used by the body. Plant foods have their own protective mechanisms to ensure their survival on this planet. Soak, sprout, cook and ferment your plant foods to reduce anti-nutrients and improve digestion. Ensure soluble fiber and fermented food/drink intake daily. 

Nourishing, biologically appropriate cooking fats include grass fed and finished animal tallow, lard from nitrate-free bacon, suet, Ayurvedic ghee, coconut oil, grass fed butter, and authentic olive oil. Animal fats also make great moisturizers for the skin.

Herbal remedies: Start small by seasoning your favourite recipes with anti-inflammatory herbs and spices, and even tonic herbs, adaptogens and nootropics like medicinal mushrooms and wild pine pollen. Forage wild roots, stems, berries, mushrooms and leaves if you like. Lion’s mane can support mental health by modulating the levels of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine. It is consumed as a food source in many cultures, and powder supplements are also available. It can protect against peripheral nerve damage while supporting the formation of new neural connections in the brain, essential for learning and memory! Interestingly, it also looks like a brain when you look at the cross section.

If you can get into cyclical and seasonal ketosis (especially during winters when carbs were traditionally scarce), consider it, since it can help with brain function. Water fasting or intermittent fasting, if suitable for you, can help you shift and reorient your experience. Ask a good practitioner if needed. 

Coffee has its health benefits, but also constricts the blood vessels in the brain (with spiritual implications). Matcha can be a less strong substitution. Both coffee and matcha (l-theanine) can be great nootropics for dopamine support. Coffee masks nutritional deficiencies, and withdrawal headaches can be relieved by supplementing with small dose rhodiola and/or simple nutritional repletion with seafood/shellfish for the DHA and taurine to offset this (I usually just power through and sleep it off, haha). 

Omega-3 fatty acids (DHA/EPA) from seafood and B vitamins (entire complex) from meats, organs, eggs, dairy/kefir, seafood/bivalves, and lacto-fermented vegetables are your brain's building blocks for neurotransmitter production, neurogenesis, and brain function altogether. They will help to preserve plasticity while using stimulants like coffee.

The combination of wild seafood/shellfish/crustaceans, pasture-raised eggs, and raw/grass fed goat dairy/kefir include DHA/EPA, choline, and uridine in bioavailable forms.

It is possible to collect pure, structured (anti-cancer) wild spring water for free near you through the map on findaspring.org.

Address inflammation

Addressing inflammation begins with addressing mitochondrial and redox status, which will establish your baseline foundation that will help the recovery process be much smoother. This goes for every ailment... cancer cells are cells that have lost their voltage. 

The body needs to be coupled with the outside light and seasonal environment by the simple act of stepping outside on a regular basis. Get barefoot and grounded on natural terrain (earthing) for at least a few minutes every morning, naked eyes without sunglasses or sunscreen, and minimal clothing if possible. Let your body absorb the ancient intelligence of the light and the frequency of the earth. Get outside at midday to personal tolerance, wearing minimal clothing (as little as legally possible) so the sun makes direct contact with your skin like charging a battery. Just don’t get a sunburn. Absorb the sunrise and sunset as often as you can - this will help with your metabolism and pretty much everything across the board. Be physically active during the day, and sleep well in total darkness, like in camping. We humans need total darkness at night. Beta-carbolines increase melatonin production by 2-5x. Remember to use your blue light glasses past sundown to protect your circadian rhythm.

Did you know? The frequency of the magnetic field that kills cancer experimentally is approximately that produced by the earth (PMID: 28389657).

The less inflammation you have inside, the less easily you will sunburn on the outside. The clean diet and nourishment tips above tie into this. Chaga, tomatoes and astaxanthin-rich foods can help protect the skin. Lots of organic fruits and vegetables if you can tolerate them. Eliminate toxic personal care products, soaps and detergents, and use eco-friendly, natural alternatives. 

Filter your shower and drinking water. Prioritize your own happiness and joy above all else, always. Any conflicts, problems or flaws you see in other people actually disappear if you just take care of yourself. 

Hang out in nature away from technology, isolated blue light and nnEMFs :) Earthing and swimming reduces inflammation beautifully. Cold exposure can help too. Reacquaint yourself with the natural elements. 

Include anti-inflammatory, high vibrational foods and herbs in your diet, like organic/wild/non-irradiated herbs and spices like turmeric, or adaptogen supplements like wild pine pollen or chaga if they work for you.

Hiking in nature is great, but are you lifting heavy objects or building things from time to time (endurance or resistance exercise)? Increased bone density and muscle tone while following your passions will encourage longevity and aging well—not to mention an enhanced feeling of well-being.

Address isolation 

I don’t know the answers to this myself, but I think it has something to do with emotional connection, serving others, being witnessed, processing your emotions and letting them go, healthy intimacy, connection to the universe/the divine, and nude sunbathing in nature. What kind of life would you like to build? Are you looking for someone on your team that shares your values, aligned with the life you want?

Chronic stress and social isolation upregulates DeltaFosB, glutamate, and dynorphin expression directly, which drives compulsions and cravings. Aside from seeking therapy if you cannot delve into and process any trauma on your own, managing stress and factors like sunlight during daytime, darkness during nighttime, GABA support, adrenal support, and spending time with friends and family will help reset this. 

We’re designed to connect and be in community. Seek out corrective experiences, especially in nature. 

Dopamine

Dopamine is created in UVA light (morning sunlight), but only if your eyes are naked without sunglasses. Even a few minutes can significantly impact mood and hormonal balance. Obviously don’t look directly at the sun, but just the bright parts of the sky, even on cloudy days. Raising your dopamine, thinking for yourself, and staying in your power will help you become decentralized and high agency. Take some time to enjoy breakfast or any meal outdoors while barefoot on the earth. Consuming SN-2 DHA from wild real seafood will help your skin and eye photoreceptors with sunlight absorption, especially if your job involves lots of screen time. The sun has taught me that I am unconditionally loved. 

Modern society does not make addictions and compulsions easy, which is why I’m such a huge advocate for hanging out in nature and a primitive lifestyle. Deeply ingrained neural pathways may make change feel daunting, but unwinding and overcoming these patterns is possible with persistence and self-awareness. 

Questions to explore:

• What gives you life?

• Does the addiction leave you energized, transformed, ecstatic and like it changed your life? Or is it about escaping and going unconscious? 

• Does it give you energy or take it away?

• What ways can you enjoy living intentionally (like sustainable, self-sufficient, decentralized living, and maybe sharing these goals with someone)?

• What opportunities or synchronicities has the universe put on your path, and how do you intend to make use of them?

• Do you like who you’re being? Is that how you want to feel? What would you like to be different? How would you prefer to feel?  

• Are the impulses masking other issues like depression, anxiety, or unresolved emotions? Can you explore sitting with the discomfort rather than numbing it out?

• Where can you righteously serve others? 

• Would you like my help in becoming the version of you who has more access to your desired internal states? 

Don’t get good at being in a bad situation. Pay attention to the itch to get free. You must decide for yourself after taking a serious and critical inventory of yourself and your life. 

Some herbal supplements can be powerful for brain health and shifting addictive patterns. Start low and slow, if suitable for you. An immediate effect may not be noticed, but they will be working their magic in the background. 

Blue lotus (Nymphaea caerulea) is commonly used for relaxation, opening the third eye, and lucid dreaming. It is anti-addictive and non-toxic. Blue lotus possesses potent antihistaminic, anti-inflammatory, and anxiolytic properties, and restores GABA/glutamate imbalance. It relieves glutamate from NMDA receptors and increases GABA activity, which is what relieves seizures as well as drug addiction. It is also a great learning tool that can enhance recall with clarity of comprehension and creativity. https://wildbloombotanicals.com/products/bluelotusbundle
Rose (Rosa centifolia, Rosa canina) is an adaptogen can help open the heart chakra and balance the mind, body and spirit, cooling inflammation, and mirroring your partnership/s. It can bring openness and balance to emotions. https://wildbloombotanicals.com/products/rose-powder 

Other heart/shen opening herbs/foods include mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris), damiana (Turnera diffusa), skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora), cacao (Theobroma cacao), reishi mushroom (Ganoderma lingzhi), and raspberry leaf (Rubus idaeus). 

For nervous system support, oat straw/grass (Avena sativa) or barley grass (Hordeum vulgare) can be helpful as they both contain GABA and supporting micronutrients that help nourish and strengthen the nervous system. They are anti-inflammatory, anxiolytic and neurotrophic, and can be consumed quite liberally, often in a tea. 

These herbs can help transform life mentally, emotionally, spiritually, physically and energetically, as they have done for me. They are non-addictive, and can be taken in tea, powder, or tincture form. For tonic herbs in particular, it is recommended to cycle them on and off like supplements (ie. every few weeks). Check for interactions with medications and speak to a practitioner if needed. 

An invitation to self-exploration and radical self-responsibility

Consider the radical notion that there is nothing wrong with you in the first place.

The idea that you can never be “broken” is radical because it means you can’t be sold a quick fix solution from many of the modern systems. We are born already whole. The process of returning back to ourselves and our natural state (homeostasis) is more of an unlearning than anything. It is true that on the physical level we can have broken bones from an accident that heal, but the body is an intelligent, self-regulating being that is always working in your best interest. 

Our psyche/body will never choose harm as its priority, and we are always choosing the best possible outcome based on our beliefs and circumstances. Getting curious about our behaviours, rather than shaming or suppressing ourselves (like going cold turkey from cigarettes only to experience relapses, for example), can allow us to explore in a way that brings us back into the body and why the body and mind may be choosing this behaviour intelligently. Your mind-body’s main goal will always be survival, so it actually makes a lot of sense why we choose these ‘harmful’ behaviours as a way to survive, escape or soothe. 

It is never just the thing itself, rather it is our relationship to the thing. As humans, we often love to have a dichotomous perception of habits, categorizing things into “good” or “bad”, and this can hinder our understanding of why we engage in certain activities and behaviours. Things like meditating, exercising, and eating well are generally seen as “healthy”, “positive” habits, but even these can be turned into coping mechanisms and a battleground for our emotional struggles. The external inputs are used as a tool to self-regulate in order to feel some control over a dysregulated inner world, to avoid feeling discomfort, pain, fear and inner conflict. 

It’s enlightening to recognize many of our behaviours, choices and even hobbies for what they truly are - responses to unaddressed pain and survival coping mechanisms borne from inner turmoil. These coping mechanisms aren’t bad - they serve the purpose of making us feel okay when we’re not. 

Our addictions can be seen as a window into our unmet needs and untended wounds, and can direct us back to all the parts of us that are living in the shadows, an invitation to give them attention, understand them, and make use of them. This is not a call to self-judgement, but rather an invitation to self awareness and radical self-responsibility, leveraging the awareness of our body’s intelligent behaviours to actually overcome some of our perceived problems and find healthier ways to deal with our struggles. 

Like renowned physician and author Gabor Maté says: it is time we move beyond asking “why the addiction”, and instead explore, “why the pain”. 

Forgive yourself for everything you did in survival mode.