February 8, 2024

Are you grappling with brain fog, eczema, anxiety, depression, or insomnia, but the cause of your ailments defies doctors' explanations? 

Sounds like you could have a toxic mold problem on your hands. 

Embark on a captivating exploration of indoor environmental health with today's guest, Brian Karr, who has empowered over 3,000 hypersensitive individuals to cultivate healthier living environments.

A Certified Microbial Investigator (CMI) by the American Council for Accredited Certifications, Brian is an expert at identifying mold indicators and developing strategic remedial strategies for mold growth and biotoxin production throughout homes and buildings. He is also the co-founder of We Inspect, a national indoor environmental assessment company with a laser focus on mold and biotoxin detection and management. Additionally, Brian created the Mold Masterclass, an innovative digital training program designed to teach students how to identify and eradicate mold and mycotoxins from their homes.

Notably, Brian was also a distinguished speaker at the 2020 Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA) Annual Meeting, where he conveyed a specialized approach to mold and biotoxin remediation for hypersensitive individuals. His contributions also extend to educational articles published by the Indoor Air Quality Association.

Recently, I had the privilege of joining him on an episode of his podcast #moldfinders: RADIO (which he was gracious enough to let me share with you today) to discuss concerns related to chronic inflammation, mitochondrial disruption, and how biohacking can offer solutions for core body issues.

In today's episode, join me and Brian in unraveling the complexities of indoor environmental health, exploring how mold and biotoxins might be affecting your well-being. From detection to remediation, this conversation is a journey into creating healthier living spaces and, ultimately, a healthier you.

During this discussion, you'll discover:  

-Brian Karr…03:49

• An expert on mold
• Ben was recently on Brian’s podcast #moldfinders: RADIO
• We Inspect
• Brian allowed Ben to share the episode with his audience

-The impact of mold…05:35

• People impacted by mold and mold toxins have inflammatory conditions
• Associated mitochondrial dysfunctions:
  • Brain — brain fog, dementia, cognitive decline
  • Gut — leaky gut, parasites
  • Skin — eczema
  • Nervous system — anxiety, depression, insomnia

-Key biohacking principles for general chronic inflammation…09:04

• In Ben’s experience, people tend to have a cluster of issues
• Genetic methylation deficit
• Detoxification of accumulated metals and toxins
• Chronic inflammatory response or cell danger response — downregulating the nervous system
• DNA analysis
• Thorne multivitamins
• Designs for Health
• Reducing synthetic sources of folic acid
• Generally a good idea to avoid folic acid, especially if you're a poor methylator
• Poor methylator, you will usually see the accumulation of metals and toxins in your body
• You need to consider detoxification support
• Many detoxification strategies tend to be at least initially a little bit too harsh or stressful
• Begin with some very simple concepts:
  • Walking, light swimming, stretching, yoga
  • Tai Chi shaking, rebounding on a mini trampoline, or lymphatic massage
• Podcast with Dr. John Douillard:
  • “Eat Wheat: A Scientific and Clinically-Proven Approach to Safely Bringing Wheat and Dairy Back Into Your Diet”
• Colorado Ayurvedic Cleanse
• Cold and heat therapy, or different types of cleanses and detoxification protocols
• Coffee enemas

-Binding and releasing…17:05

• Binding agents can be useful — Chlorella or activated charcoal
• Quicksilver detox (use code GREENFIELD15 to save 15%)
• Podcast with Dr. Dan Pompa:
  • “Beyond Fasting: How To Biohack Your Fast To Accelerate Fat Loss, Stave Off Carbohydrate Cravings & Enhance Cellular Autophagy.”
• Binding cannot go without releasing practices
• Without releasing, you are just redistributing toxins throughout the body — they end up in neural tissue
• Releasing through stool, sweat, and breath
• Sauna a few times a week
• Enema weekly

-Fight or flight syndrome…18:09

• Downregulate the nervous system
• Engage in stress-regulating and meditative practice
• Vagal nerve-stimulating agents
• Vielight — red light stimulation
• Truvaga
• Pulsetto
• Neurofeedback-based devices that accelerate the process of nervous system repair and recovery
  • BrainTap
  • Sense.ai
  • neuroVIZR (use code BEN10 to save 10%)

-Being in a constant sympathetic state…25:00

• Prevents the body from healing
• Long-term chronic activation of the sympathetic nervous system is exhausting
• Heart rate variability to see how your efforts to downregulate the sympathetic nervous system are coming to fruition
• Cold water benefits for vagal nerve
• PEMF mats
• Pulsed electromagnetic frequencies:
  • Cause a little bit more permeability in the cell membrane
  • Allow for flushing of toxins or an increase in the intake of metabolites
  • Decrease inflammation
  • Shift the brain into a certain brainwave pattern with a lower hertz frequency 
• WHOOP
• Podcast with Dr. William Pawluk:
  • “The Myth About ‘Grounding,' Acupuncture Without Needles, 400% Increase In Stem Cell Production & Much More.”
• PEMF — FlexPulse and BioBalance

-Sensitivity to EMF — grounding or earthing…29:53

• Audit your home and your working environment for magnetic frequencies, radio frequencies, dirty electricity
• Ben’s home is maximally protected
• Podcast with Brian Hoyer:
  • “Hunting Down EMF In Your Office, Bedroom, Gym & Beyond: Is Your Home’s ‘Dirty Electricity' Wrecking Your Sleep, Your Recovery, Your Health & More? The Official Ben Greenfield & Brian Hoyer Low-EMF Home How-To.”
• Shielded Healing
• Dirty electricity filters
• Flicker-free lighting
• A lot of people become sensitive to EMF
• Grounding and earthing mats
• If you are chronically in an inflamed state, mitochondrial uncoupling is a smart idea
• Mitochondrial uncoupling strategies:
  • Bitter melon extract before a meal
  • Use of polyphenols such as red powders or the dark blues and purples of the plant kingdom — red wine, blueberries, pomegranates, etc.
  • Grains of Paradise instead of pepper
  • Ketones
  • Cold plunge (use code BENFORGE for a discount)

-The use of peptides…38:37

• A staple of Russian functional medicine and longevity for over 30 years
• Dr. Vladimir Khavinson
• The FDA has recently cracked down on many peptides
• There are a few peptides that are enormously helpful for their anti-inflammatory effect
• Limitless Life Nootropics
  • BPC-157 — gastric peptide and an anti-inflammatory agent for joints
  • TB-500 — thymus gland and inflammation of tendons and ligaments
  • MOTS-c — mitochondrial support
  • Epitalon — mitochondrial support
• Peptide Sciences
• CanLab
• BioReset Medical 
• Koniver Wellness 
• Peptide article:
  • “What Are Peptides? Find Out the Best Peptide Stacks”
• 10-day protocol peptide bioregulators can be rejuvenating for the entire organ system

-Ben’s recommendations…42:42

• Encouraging people to do the research
• NutrEval
• Metabolomix+
• Make sure that you are testing intelligently both your body and your environment
• Surviving Mold