8. Important Disclaimers
A short, plain-language note about the practices in this book.
None of this is medical advice. Everything here is one person's experience and reading, collected over years. It's not a replacement for diagnosis, treatment, or judgment from a qualified professional who knows your specific situation. If you have a medical condition, you take medication, you're pregnant, you have a history of mental illness, or you're recovering from an injury or surgery, talk to a doctor before adding anything from this book that involves the body or the mind in a serious way. The most cautious version of the advice in any chapter is: bring it to your doctor first, then come back here.
A few specific practices in this book deserve their own warnings.
Fasting. Do not fast if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, underweight, or have a history of disordered eating. If you take diabetes medication (especially insulin), changing meal timing without your doctor's supervision can be dangerous. If you have thyroid conditions, adrenal issues, or any chronic medical condition, talk to your physician first. The 12 to 16 hour overnight fast is well tolerated by most healthy adults; longer fasts are a different category and need more care.
Cold exposure. Cold showers, cold plunges, and winter swimming are not for everyone. Stop before you try them if you have heart conditions, Raynaud's, cold urticaria, uncontrolled high blood pressure, or any history of cardiac issues. Get medical clearance first. Cold-water immersion in particular has caused deaths in people whose hearts couldn't handle the shock. Don't do it alone if you're new to it.
Breathwork. Hyperventilation-based breathwork (Wim Hof Method, Holotropic, Rebirthing) is powerful and can be physically and psychologically intense. Do not practice it if you have a cardiovascular condition, uncontrolled high blood pressure, epilepsy, a history of stroke or aneurysm, retinal detachment, or psychiatric conditions like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or active psychosis. Do not do breath holds underwater or while driving. The mild, slow practices (coherent breathing, box breathing, nasal breathing) are safe for almost everyone; the intense practices are not.
Psychedelics. Most psychedelics are illegal in most jurisdictions; their legal status is your responsibility to check. Beyond the law: do not combine them with SSRIs (risk of serotonin syndrome with MDMA in particular; SSRIs also blunt the effects of classical psychedelics), with lithium (high risk of seizures), with MAOIs except under expert guidance, or with stimulants. People with a personal or family history of psychosis, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia should be especially cautious - classic psychedelics can trigger these conditions in vulnerable individuals. Pregnancy is an absolute contraindication. If you have a heart condition, get cardiac clearance first. None of this is a how-to; if you decide to engage, do so legally and with a trained guide.
Parasite protocols. The anti-parasitic medications discussed in this book (albendazole, mebendazole, ivermectin) are real prescription drugs with real side effects, including liver enzyme changes and rare bone-marrow effects. They interact with other medications. They are intended to be prescribed for diagnosed infections, not taken preventatively based on social media protocols. If you suspect a parasitic infection, get tested and treated through a doctor or pharmacist. Do not buy these drugs online without supervision.
Addiction recovery. Withdrawal from alcohol, benzodiazepines, and some opioids can be medically dangerous - in some cases life-threatening. If you are dependent on these substances, do not detox alone. Talk to a doctor or call a local addiction service. The recovery practices in this book are intended to complement, not replace, medical detox and clinical support where those are needed.
Mental health crises. If you're in acute distress, suicidal, or in danger of harming yourself or others, please put the book down and reach out to emergency services or a crisis line in your country. The practices here are not a substitute for crisis care.
Most of this book is gentle but some parts are not. The bias of the writing is toward what helps and away from over-hedging; the bias of this page is the opposite. Read both, and use your judgment.