Metaphysics of Toxic Biofilms

By: Dr. Chelsea Dakers ND

Toxic shame is an insidious energy that leads us away from our highest good. It interacts with self-sabotage in a self perpetuating cycle that enforces, over and over, choices/behaviours/ideas/physiology that drives us towards suffering. 

This cycle is a very common barrier that people come up against preventing them from finding lasting healing.

For more context, friends and colleagues Irene and Seth Lyon have done a great job of bringing toxic shame and self-sabotage to mainstream consciousness… take a read if you are feeling curious or need a refresh in these terms.

I’m going to take a deep dive into toxic shame and self-sabotage and put them into a naturopathic context. I’ll end with some actionable concepts. 

Toxic biofilms are an ecosystem of pathogenic micro-organisms that forms a thick layer along mucosal membranes. Mucosal membranes are naturally moist, so they like to set-up here. Nutrients are hijacked from pathways of absorption, leaving healthy tissues malnourished. Toxic biofilms also sequester toxic metals to fortify their fortresses. This unfriendly gunk smeared across our delightful insides are tricky to get rid of. And we can have them anywhere there is a mucus membrane. 

It is my observation, both in my personal health experiences and in clinical practice that toxic shame can be shared or transferred- consciously and unconsciously. It can also be weaponized and thrust into someone. 

The essence of the toxic shame & self-sabotage cycle is that one knows what they need yet there is an inability to tolerate receiving it because of profound feelings of unworthiness & disgust.

In the shamanic arena, this is the realm of sorcery, curses and black magic.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) they have fabulous concepts like damp, damp-heat and phlegm. All of these terms relate to toxic shame and self-sabotage. 

These damp, thick parasitic ecosystems (biofilms/damp-heat/phlegm) deprive healthy tissues of true moisture. Dampness is not moistening, but there is a fundamental confusion at a cellular level that it might be. Is this moistening, the cells call out!?

Recall that these surfaces are designed to be moist. However, their entire purpose of being a place of absorption, release, exchange… is fundamentally disrupted. The biofilm has impaired the true function of this surface. It is now covered in a thick muck that takes all the nutrients and gives only toxic by-products. One can imagine how utterly disorienting this is for the layers of cells that interface with this biofilm. 

Overtime, these cells on the front lines of utter dysfunction loose orientation. Inflammation is rampant, but is not able to fully resolve, because the instigator is ever present. 

Nosodes come into play here. These are homeopathic (ultra diluted) medicines made from diseased tissue. A controversial area of therapeutics to be sure, but now is not the time to go into debate here. I’ll be exceptionally brief: nosodes are a critical therapeutic for some people and they are a gift from Creator. They can change the trajectory of someone’s life when used properly. 

This layer of disoriented, inflamed, traumatized tissue can morph into a state of dysharmony where the cells themselves may start to exhibit changes resembling traits of the pathogenic biofilms.

A nosode state is one where the individual feels “i am disease”… it’s a particularly unpleasant place to be. If you are disease then you’ll act like it. You’ll have thoughts, behaviours, habits that continually reinforce this reality. This is self-sabotage, and it points people directly to misery of all kinds.

So what do we do about this unfortunate yet very common sticky scenario?

I’ve made the graphics in this article to help illustrate the recovery process, as i have come to know it.

Some of this is good ‘ol naturopathic medicine… we want to clear the pathogens and once we are done with that (which can be quite the feat) we want to nourish the underlying tissue. 

But want do we do with that layer of tissue that was in a state of utter disorientation and dysfunction? This is therapeutic step that is critical and so often missed when using a purely biomedical perspective. 

It is my belief that the biofilm not only had a very physical presence, which we have talked about above. However, it also conveyed a mental, emotional and spiritual experience as well. This must be addressed. Because those ethereal components had a very real impact on the person. 

The zone of disorientation must be addressed. We need foundational nervous system skills to re-pattern away from self-sabotage. And very likely, we need to recover an aspect of the self/soul that split off to survive the insanity it was exposed to. 

If these aspects of the healing journey are not addressed, the likelihood of relapse goes up exponentially. The instigating energetics must be cleared entirely. This is why i love homeopathy, shamanic healing and nervous system work. 

Now, how does pleasure fit into all of this…?

I have a special focus on womb-centered healing. Most people who have (or had) a uterus and experience toxic shame and self-sabotage have to re-claim pleasure. Choosing to create and experience pleasure interrupts the insidious cycle I introduced us to at the very beginning. Additionally, it is literally the last thing a person wants to do when they are perpetually cycling through these states… So an abundance of courage and grit is needed to penetrate that cycle with something as epic as self-love. These are warriors of the heart.

As i briefly mentioned, toxic shame can be weaponized and thrust into people. 

I have worked with too many women who have a history of sexual trauma and also chronic toxic biofilms in their reproductive, urinary or digestive mucosa. What happened there?  I suspect someone who had toxic shame themselves, so much so that it was seeping out of them, and so utterly out of touch with reality because of their own suffering, decided, either consciously or subconsciously that they were going to pack their shame up and drive into another being because they were incapable of managing it themselves.

 
And this is why the womb is so epic. Because it will keep it there. Because it contains the void, the Great Mystery, it is a place of Creation. It can hold the potential for all life, and yet also be a repository for great suffering.

In summary, toxic shame and self-sabotage are very common experiences that need a multi-layered approach to address their physical manifestations like toxic biofilms, and also the mental, emotional and spiritual aspects. Naturopathic medicine, including clearing pathogens, and nourishing tissues are key. Pleasure practices are an essential aspect for people healing toxic biofilms, toxic shame and self-sabotage, especially for those with a history of sexual trauma. In addition, special care and techniques are needed to re-orient to our highest good and reclaim wholeness.

Learn more from Dr. Chelsea ND by following her on Instagram.

The disclaimer… The amazing thing about humans is that we all have incomparably unique health profiles and needs. The health-related information contained in this article is intended to be general in nature and should not be used prescriptively or as a substitute for a visit with a naturopathic doctor/health care provider. This info is intended to offer general information to individuals. If you have questions about how these strategies could be used in adjunct to your current health regime, book an appointment with us or consult a licensed naturopathic doctor for individualized care.