Episode Summary 
Today, I am joined by Melanie Shafranek, a Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, as she shares her detailed experience from mold exposure and the unique routes she took in gaining her life back.
Key Takeaways 
Mold remediation can feel like it’s out of your  budget for the average household income. But you can start with simple tasks such as getting your HVAC system serviced twice a year and buying a moisture meter to test different areas before you sign the lease. Melanie’s story and recommendations inspire hope for how often we are exposed to mold spores and mycotoxins.


The Parallel of Hashimoto’s and Mold Symptoms 
Symptoms of mold spores and mycotoxins rank very similarly to those of Hashimoto’s. Melanie’s symptoms began with digestive issues with hummus and carrots and then constipation for days. She could not gain muscle mass even with daily weight lifting and proper protein intake. Later, functional doctors were able to steer her in the right direction and nail down her mold exposure and autoimmune disease.


Testing For Mold and Mold Remediation
Melanie already did the homework for us. On top of servicing your HVAC regularly, she lists different companies that help in taking control of your environment. Immunomedics has petri dishes for purchase to place around your home to test for mold spores in the air. Biocide enables you to purchase a DIY remediation kit that is very effective in eliminating mold in your home.


In This Episode 
Melanie’s Hashimoto’s journey [1:50]
Symptoms of mold exposure [5:50]
Detoxifying from mold exposure [8:13]
Fight or flight mode and breaking away from it [12:42]
Fighting mold with air filters [16:31]
Testing your home for mold [ 24:00]
How often you should have your HVAC serviced[26:30]
Mold remediation without the price tag, a DIY solution [27:54]
Losing muscle mass despite exercising daily [32:51]
Questions to ask about mold before signing a lease [36:10]


Quotes
“It’s very possible to escape and move forward. Just look for the warning signs.” [0:04]


“But ultimately any rental you're moving into, I would just recommend to fog the space if you can, because why not? If you're worried or nervous about it, just maintain that air in your home before you move in.” [39:24]


“it is possible to get through it and find your way onto the other side of things.” [43:22]


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Listen to the episode on https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thyroid-strong/id1425627401 (Apple Podcasts), https://open.spotify.com/show/1EkTBDKRscaAoZ0Ixwa8nY (Spotify), https://www.stitcher.com/show/muscle-medicine-debunking-myths-around-nutrition-exercise (Stitcher), or on your favorite podcast platform. 


Topics Covered:
Symptoms of being exposed to mold and the long-term effects
Detoxifying from mold and how long it takes
Rewiring your neuro pathways to break away from the flight or fight mode
Helping your body deal with mycotoxins
Mold remediation on a budget
What renters need to know about mold and questions to ask before signing a lease 



Guest Info: 
Connect with Melanie Shafranek on https://www.instagram.com/everybodybymel/ (Instagram), https://www.tiktok.com/@everybodybymel?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc (TikTok), and her http://www.everybodybymel.com...