There is a lot of technical information out there about the inspection and remediation of homes that have been damaged by water intrusion and mold.  Most of it, however, comes from a position of an already established high knowledge base.  Essentially, it’s a bunch of smart people trying to sound smarter than the others.  While it all sounds impressive, those who are just dipping in to these topics can become instantly overwhelmed. In this episode, I try to break down the acronyms and pull away the curtain a bit so that the newbies, the neophytes, will stick around to listen and get some real-life recommendations on where to start your journey.  

Should you pay for the full ERMI panel or is the HERTSMI good enough?  How about air testing instead of dust testing?  My friend Bill Weber with AVELAR comes back on the show today to discuss these topics and many more.  If you are a seasoned veteran in this space, this will good refreshed.  But if you’re a newbie, this show is for YOU!

https://avelar.net/articles_publications/team/bill-weber/ 

https://iseai.org 

I have several clients around the country that just cannot take the first step in building a new home. Sure, budget is always a big factor, and so is timing. But for many, the hesitation comes down to the fear of possibly making the wrong decision.  Its absolutely terrifying.  I get it, believe me. See, I'm one of the lucky ones that doesn't have many sensitivities to chemicals, mold, etc.  But my clients sure do. And since they have been living this nightmare for many years, they are expecting to react to new environments, new materials and other "unknown" aromas.  But as I've learned, in many situations, you dont need a change of venue to heal. There are other ways. 

Several years ago, I did a podcast about chemical sensitivity being partially a psychosomatic issue.  And right on queue,  I started receiving nasty emails and threatening phone calls.  I struck a nerve, no pun intended.  But if you actually listened to the entire episode, you heard that I believed very strongly that these sensitivities were real and cause real reactions.  Our brains, however, are always trying to protect us, so if it senses a potential threat, it will put you into fight or flight, causing the exact same physical reactions as if it truly WAS a threat and not just an unknown smell or chemical release thats completely harmless.

In hindsight, maybe it was a bit premature in my learning process to publish that episode. I mean, I was literally just blurting out stream of consciousness with only my own thoughts and my own experiences.  In this episode, I have some professional backup to my thoughts and ideas.  

Dr Cathleen King started an online community called Primal Trust, specifically to help those with CIRS, MCAS, MCS and all other health issues.  Her community and courses consist of brain retraining, holistic nervous system regulation, somatic practices, vagus nerve healing, and true self-discovery.  

I was blown away by this interview; it literally brought me to tears.  While we were talking, images of past and present clients of mine kept racing through my mind. It was overwhelming.  So many wonderful people Ive met over the last 30 years and so many who could have been helped by Cathleen's program.  Even while living in the space that has caused propblems.  

Please listen, like and share this episode.

Then, PLEASE follow this link to receive:

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Your FREE online starter course >>>>>>>>>>>

HOW HEALING HAPPENS

Cathleen has been so generous to make this free to all of us through this link.  Please take advantage of this wonderful opportunity. 

Im sure for many of you, the following scenario isnt just made up...its reality.  You or someone in your family suffers from CIRS, MCAS, MCS.  Years of trauma from exposure to mold, bacteria and toxic chemicals is a weight on the body and the brain.  So much so, that it makes doing some of the simplest tasks virtually impossible.  Now imagine you're trying to find a home to move into. Something safe thats in your area and in your price range. This is the reality for many of my clients.

Dr. Cowger is a board certified adult psychiatrist who works at the Amen Clinic near Seattle, Washington. She competed her undergraduate degree at Portland State University, then attended medical school at Western University of Health Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific-Northwest, and then completed her general Psychiatry residency through the University of Hawaii. She feels passionate about viewing mental wellness through a holistic lens and identifying organic factors that contribute to psychiatric symptoms, and is working on completing a fellowship in functional Psychiatry from Psychiatry Redefined.

On the show today, Dr Cowger and I discuss the challenges we all face with our health struggles and how we get beck on the right path of healing.  This is a 'must listen'

https://www.amenclinics.com 

To launch the new season of Non Toxic Environments, I inveted my good friend Eric Goranson to give us his expert opinions on how the home building industry is adopting healthy home options.  Eric is the Host of "Around the House with Eric” nationally syndicated Home Improvment, Construction, Design, and Heathy Home radio show and podcast. Eric also has over 30 years in the kitchen and bath industry, so we spend some time talking about cabinetry and how manufacturers have been trying to clean up their own industry. 

https://www.aroundthehouseonline.com/

I'll let the engineers and the environmentalists argue the fine points of how we are supposed to eliminate fossil fuels and go electric, yet not rely on those same fossil fuels to create that electricity.  Solar, wind and hydroelectric power have its place and is increasing in output, but it could be decades before we figure this all out.  In the meantime, the health issues related to the EMF fields caused by electricity will never go away, no matter the source of the power.  Couple that with the radiation from cell and wi-fi and its becoming increasingly clear that more research needs to be done quickly before its too late.  

I know enough to be dangerous when it comes to these important issues.  I can help folks who are building from scratch to minimize exposure, but I am NOT who you bring in to hunt out the problems in your existing home. For that, I bring in my friend Mieke Jacobs.  Mieke is a building biologist in the Chicago area that has taken a keen interest in EMF mitigation and made it the focus of her career.  We had a great conversation about this and Im sure you will feel energized...in a good way...to make some changes in your home. 

https://miekejacobs.com 

Its a common occurance througout the land.  Something has gone wrong in our homes and now we're dealing with the health effects.  Sure, everyone can see that water spot on the ceiling. But what about the entirety of the attic itself? Is the crawlspace damp? What about the inside of our ductwork?  We have to figure this out before things really get out of hand.  

We need a detective.  

We need.... Sherlock Homes.  

Let me introduce you to Bill Weber, he's a Forensic Building Consultant based in Walnut Creek California.  I like to refer to Bill as Sherlock Homes, as he literally has the ability to sleuth out the problems in your home that are making you sick.  Bill is involved in all types and sizes of construction and building related environmental issues. As an expert in his field, he specializes and testifies in Trade Standard Deviation, Construction Defect, Mold, and Moisture related building failures. His daily tasks include site visits, consultation, conference video, phone calls and writing reports. 

While he most commonly works in the areas around him, he certainly can assist remotely on your project wherever you are. 

Contact: 510-557-5992 or [email protected] Website: www.RAvelar.com

I’m well aware of my skepticism; it’s one of my many flaws.  One does not enter into their profession already skeptical. It’s something that builds over time as sort of a defense mechanism.  In my particular case, my immediate jump to calling out BS is due to years of protecting my clients from the sea of so-called green and eco friendly building materials that only caused them more personal harm.  So when I hear about a hospital-grade disinfectant made from the same herb I use in my kitchen, I was quick to state my belief. I was wrong.  On today’s show, I’ll talk with Kelly Macmillan, National Sales Director for Benefect and she really takes me to school about their amazing invention. Timing is perfect because right now, millions of folks living in South East US are dealing with their own nightmares because of the hurricanes.  Water damage cleanup and mold remediation are front and center here. 

More about Benefect here

A few months ago, I started an ad hoc committee for the Change the Air Foundation, to put together the framework on how to design and build homes that are safe for those who suffer from mold and chemical sensitivities.  This committee is made up of myself, Brian Tinker from Tinker Homes and Amanda Klecker from Healthy House on the Block.  The three of us bring decades of experience, both personal and professional, in the world of building related health issues, and offer our unique perspectives.  Today, we peel back the curtain and invite you all to listen to one of our regular meetings so you can hear for yourself the discussions we have about doing our part to fix our broken building industry.  

Just imagine, you and your family are trying to buy or build a new home and someone in your family has CIRS or MCAS or something related.  The home building process is stressful enough for anyone, but the added worry about how the new materials may adversely affect your family is sometimes overwhelming.  Most of my client interactions deal with building materials and systems, but inevitably, the discussion takes off about how stressful the situation is. 

To be clear, there is no such thing as the perfect healthy home.  We need to recognize this and to set proper expectations about what can be achieved within our budget and timeframe.  But while I almost feel like a therapist of sorts, I also know where my knowledge expertise is limited.  So, I decided to call in the experts.  

Renee Belz & Lauren Sambataro are sisters that grew up in a family that really prioritized health and wellness.  Among their many achievements in life (you can read more about it here) Renee is a Certified Nutritional Consultant and Holistic Lifestyle Coach and Lauren is a Corrective Exercise specialist and Functional Health Coach.  Together, they are known as the Biohacker Babes and have a wonderful podcast and social following.  In this episode, Im going let them do most of the talking because they have so much important information to share about stress relief and sleep management that will ultimately improve how you and your family can power through your projects and live your healthiest life. 

https://thebiohackerbabes.com 

Every single day, I get calls and emails asking if I have a recommendation for a home builder in their area that can build healthy.  Unfortunately, I dont have such a list to refer to.  I certainly have many builders around the country that Ive worked with and do trust, but the building industry as a whole is not keeping up with the demands consumers have.  So my typical recommendation is to identify a few high quality custom home builders in their area and start to interview them.  Any good builder can do a healthy home, if they take the time to find a good healthy home consultant, ask the right questions, and ALWAYS have the home owners best intentions in mind for every decision they make.  Its not rocket science...its common sense.  

As one such healthy home consultant, I can tell you that consumer demand for healthy homes is exploding and finding another in my space that I feel 100% confident in refering folks to has been amazing.  Christine Cimabue is a licenced general contractor, holistic construction consultant and the creator of the massively popular Holistic Homes podcast and social accounts.   She was so kind to have me on an Instagram Live event a while back and I knew then she would be a hit with my listeners.  On today's show, Christine and I talk about the building process, how to enlist the right team and even spend some time discussing the legal ramifications of not embracing healthy building practices.