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Get ThyroLove - the first all in one bottle multi-nutrient comprehensive formula designed specifically for those with Thyroid Autoimmunity at ThyroLove.com - use code “Podcast” to get 10% off and free shippingIn our last episode, we introduced you to Allison. She was dealing with: Allison was dealing with brain fog, fatigue, and joint pain.She felt much older than her chronological years.Labs showed that her B vitamins, iron, and thyroid were all fine but her symptoms persisted.We spoke with Jason Earle who is the founder and CEO of 1-800-Got-Mold and has appeared as an expert on The Dr. Oz Show, Good Morning America, and Extreme Home Makeover. In that episode, he gave us so much great information about mold and debunked a whole bunch of myths around mold, how to test for it, and how to get rid of it. If you haven’t listened to that episode, I highly recommend that you go back and give it a listen. In this episode, we dive into how to regain your health once you’ve cleared the mold out of your house and have reduced exposure. Exposure to Mold Through DietMany of the symptoms related to mold exposure revolve around inflammation. Despite having dealt with the environmental exposure to mycotoxins and mold in your home, you may still be exposed to them in your diet. Grains, sugar, processed foods, and peanut butter. Removing these from your diet is the next step in detoxing from mold exposure. Doing a no sugar, no grains diet will also help reduce the inflammation that mold exposure will have contributed to. Purging Mycotoxins from Your BodyThere are several ways to rid the body of mycotoxins after extended exposure. One is to purge them through sweat (exercise and saunas are great for this). Another is to take glutathione which will stimulate the release of mycotoxins in the body. Urine tests can confirm that mycotoxins are being released. Mycotoxins can be detected in blood and urine. You want to see the mycotoxins in the urine because that proves they are being released. Jason cautions against believing in any absolute - any singular way to treat mycotoxin exposure. He personally had a bad experience with Cholestyramine despite others having reported being successful in removing toxins (along with removing cholesterol and other fats from the body). You have to find the approach that will work for you but Jason says that lifestyle changes may be the hardest but, in his experience, they are the most effective. Treat Your Liver WellOne of the parts of the body impacted by exposure to microbial VOCs is the liver. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is on the rise with an estimated 30% of Americans affected by it. The American Liver Foundation reports that about 100 million Americans have Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and that NAFLD is the most common form of liver disease in children (having doubled in the past 20 years). Jason believes this is due to increased exposure to VOC (not just microbial but also chemical VOCs caused by off gassing from plastics, petroleum-based products and other man made products). To protect the liver’s health, decrease or eliminate alcohol and sugar. Use air purifiers. Get outside and work up a sweat. Don’t Ignore Musty SmellsJason reminds us that a musty smell indicates the presence of microbial VOCs. And, as was discussed in the last episode, it’s not just mycotoxins we need to be concerned about. If there is a musty smell, then there are microbial VOCs present. Breathing these in along with chemical VOCs (which may not be detectable by odor alone) can cause health issues. It can cause inflammation, impeded breathing (especially for asthmatics), brain fog, and other health concerns. Top Tips for Reducing Mold and Mold Related IssuesTo keep things simple, Jason recommends these lifestyle choices:Ventilate spaces wellUse an air purifierKeep spaces clean (don’t let mold accumulate - wet areas can go moldy in 72 hours)Eat clean (avoid mold harboring foods like sugar, grains, peanut butter, and processed foods)Exercise (sweating helps eliminate toxins from the body)Don’t count on a pill (or magic bullet) to do the entire jobDon’t ignore or dismiss musty smells Check Your HistoryJason became interested in the impact of mold on human health from his own experience. He grew up in a moldy farm house and was exposed to a lot of other types of toxins. As a result, he had asthma and many other health issues. It wasn’t until he learned about mold, and was able to detox his system that he discovered what it felt like to be healthy. Mold may have been a part of your history too, think back to the buildings and spaces where you spent your time. This is the exposure to other environmental toxins you may have been (or continue to be) exposed to. These could have caused chronic inflammation and could be the root cause of your health issues. Are you Exposed to Mold?The first step to eliminating mold exposure is to check the environments you spend most of your time in. Jason’s company has a mold testing kit that you can find using this link. You’ll also find free resources there including an ebook that will help you feel even more informed and in control of your situation. It’s important to check your information sources because there is a lot of misinformation out there in this vast and somewhat unregulated field. Mystery Solved In Allison’s case, we first worked with a certified mold inspector to find what was really going on and then she hired a mold remediator (who was not associated with the inspector) to have things properly cleaned and remediated. She got air purifiers to improve her indoor air quality.From a nutrition perspective, we ran some tests and found that her mitochondria were not functioning well (super common with mold exposure cases - especially those with sensitivities).We decided on a bottom-to-top approach. We first supported her bowels to ensure she is eliminating regularly. We then supported drainage of the liver with bile acids with Advanced TUDCA by CellCore. Along with this, we used their Biotoxin Binder which is a water soluble binder and does not include any charcoal. After this we supported her liver, kidney and lymphatic system with KL Support and LymphActiv and worked on the mitochondria with molecular hydrogen and Mitochondrial NRG from Designs for Health. Happy EndingThe results for Allison were fantastic. As we were finishing up the protocol, she reported that her joint pain was completely gone (she’d already forgotten how bad it had been only weeks before). Now that her home environment has been cleared and her body is back in balance, she’s thrilled to be feeling better aga...