Bernadette_Abraham
Forum Replies Created
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@Annie – it’s hard to find organic dried cranberries in bulk without added sweeteners and oils because they add the oil to prevent it from sticking. However I did a little search and came up with “Honestly Cranberry” which sells a 16oz bag of dried cranberries: https://honestlycranberry.com/shop/ols/categories/unsweetened-dried-cranberries?utm_source=chatgpt.com
And for bulk organic nuts and other dried fruits other than cranberries in California, checkout Jaffe Bros:
Organic nuts: https://organicfruitsandnuts.com/orshnu.html
Organic dried fruits: https://organicfruitsandnuts.com/driedfruit1.html
But note that not all of their dried fruits are unsweetened and without added oil.
honestlycranberry.com
No added sugar, juices, or oils - Unsulfured and 100% natural
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@Annie – I would actually NOT do that because the mist of water will be creating humidity which is exactly what we want to avoid for mold growth.
Instead, using a cotton ball with 10-20 drops of essential oils with antifungal properties in a sealed off space can help reduce mold growth & mycotoxin production in that problematic space.
And for hard to reach spaces, baking soda infused with essential oils blown into those areas or dust it like a turkey baster is a better approach.
Essential oils with antifungal properties include cedar, rosemary, ajwain, holy basil, cumin, tea tree, thyme, cloves, frankincense, eucalyptus, pine, and citrus (lemon, orange, grapefruit).
And the nasal passages are mostly affected, so I usually recommend clients to focus on those cavities with sinus probiotics instead of the ears.
All of these recommendations are discussed in Dr. Jill’s course “9 things to do while still living in mold” which you said your mom went through already so that should be sufficient.
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Hi @Annie – the ingredients seem decent, and I like that there’s transparency regarding the source of the flavors vs. lumping it as “natural flavor” which is mysterious and often synonymous with MSG.
My only concern, however, is giving this to children, knowing that cassava byproducts (e.g., cassava starch, cassava flour, etc.) are often very high in lead. This issue does not apply to cassava when consumed as a whole food, but specifically to its processed byproducts.
Electrolytes have become very trendy but one must keep in mind that they can be very high in sodium, so they should be used during times of heavy sweating, high stress periods, or during loss of fluids (e.g. diarrhea, vomiting, etc) to replenish lost electrolytes.
If you’re interested in a whole food electrolyte beverage, we have a recipe here that you might be interested in.
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@Annie – there are many brands that provide supplemental glutathione only, and that’s where Fullscript’s catalog can be really helpful to sort through the different brands and compare ingredients as well with their filter features.
I often recommended Seeking Health’s Liposomal Glutathione (original mint) to clients, but there are many other brands too.
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@Kkol I buy the Vivani dark chocolate brand at Organic Foods & Cafe
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@Annie – so both of the plant based options I shared above are complete proteins by having all 9 of the essential amino acids. And both options test for heavy metals.
Nuzest is purely pea based, and the Ora Organics protein is a blend of pea, rice, hemp, chia and pumpkin seed plus enzymes and superfood nutrients.
Since Ora Organic is a blend, the addition of rice protein for example balances the lower methionine content in pea protein, making the blend more robust in EAAs.
However, if you compare the two gram per gram, Nuzest will have slightly more protein per serving since it’s not diluted with other nutrients like Ora Organics.
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@naslam1603 – Yes, I recall your concern regarding pork-derived products. Unfortunately, this is currently the only available form, and it has proven to be quite effective. I have had Muslim clients who chose to use it when it was medically necessary, but of course, it remains a deeply personal decision which I respect.
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Hi @Nadine – are you experiencing any symptoms? The OAT does show presence of yeast, and the Mycotox does show elevated Ochratoxin, a mycotoxin, as well as MPA which is a gas that often indicates recent exposure to mold.
How soon after the remediation did you retest? Did they check the whole house or only your daughter’s bedroom? And have any detox efforts been introduced to help reduce overall toxins from the body?
Also keep in mind that the Mycotox test measures the level of mycotoxins excreted in urine, so as the body starts to detoxify better, it’s not uncommon to see higher levels on a re-test. That’s why looking at the person’s symptom profile in parallel is important.
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@Annie – ah yes, it’s mixed with other antioxidants in the “other ingredients”. But it’s normal to have phospholipids like choline to help with absorption.
In that case, checkout Readisorb’s Liposomal Glutathione (cleaner & much higher dose per serving) and Design for Health’s Liposomal Glutathione as other options without phosphatidyl choline in the main ingredients.
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@Annie – that’s amazing to hear! If you don’t mind sharing the cost and if it’s possible to do familial fecal transplant through self-pay, I’d love to know so I can pass on the info to others who may need it in the future.
And I’m so happy to hear that your brother has improved as well! Don’t underestimate the toxic effects of mold – even after someone has left the moldy environment as it can colonize in the body. I believe we discussed saunas/sweating in a different thread, correct? Sweating is a great way to detox mold & mycotoxins. I really like the Therasage Portable Sauna, as it keeps the head out of the direct heat. I have an affiliate discount code: BERN for 10% off.
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@naslam1603 – I replied in a different thread. I’ll recopy my reply about supporting better bile flow here:
Please watch this video from the gut health masterclass to understand how to better support liver health and bile flow for various situations.
Bile flow can also be supported by consuming bitter foods. Please see this handout for a list of foods and/or bile support supplements.
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@naslam1603 – yes you can test vitamin C status in blood with a fasting plasma ascorbate test. It’s very important that it be fasting and that vitamin C supplementation be avoided a day before testing because vitamin C will transiently rise to high levels after acute intake even in deficiency.
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@naslam1603 – I encourage you to read this article which looks at the possible mechanisms behind MCAS (commonly seen in long-haulers), PASC, POTS, and the possible role of antihistamines in treatment.
DAO enzymes can be helpful in reducing overall symptoms since these help break down histamine, as opposed to simply blocking histamine receptors with anti-histamines.
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Hi @naslam1603 – please watch this video from the gut health masterclass to understand how to better support liver health and bile flow for various situations.
Bile flow can also be supported by consuming bitter foods. Please see this handout for a list of foods and/or bile support supplements.
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@Annie – yes I knew she was coming out with her own test, but if I recall it’s to look at bifido strains specifically. She discovered during Covid that those with low levels of Bifidobacteria had the worst outcomes and vice versa. She has a cute slogan/hashtag called #savethebif 🙂
Do keep us posted if you hear back from her regarding your brother possibly joining one of her trials (if it’s even possible). You can mention that you came through me/B Better if that helps.
As for ordering a comprehensive stool test, I explain what they offer and their utility in this video and this video from the Gut Health Masterclass course. It can provide a general overview of microbiome health, but not what you’re expecting it to do. For example, if there’s overall low levels of bacteroidetes and firmicutes, then adding in a variety of fermented foods, high dose multi-strain probiotics, and consuming prebiotic-rich foods would be helpful. Even if there’s a particular commensal strain that is low or not detected, supplementing with that specific strain is not really how the microbiome works. If you watch Dr. Sabine Hazen’s session, you’ll understand this concept better. If someone is low in bifidobacteria, it’s not as simple as consuming more bifidobacteria strains from a probiotic.
How is your brother doing? Has he fully removed gluten from his diet? Are you noticing any improvements? How about his environment – has your mom implemented any of the recommendations from Dr. Jill’s course while still living in mold?
