Non Toxic Environments Home Health & Wellness

In keeping with the theme of this season of the show...talking about specific health issues related to our built environment, related to the foods we eat, the materials we cover ourselves with, we are going to talk about a topic that I have never really discussed before in the show ADHD in children. I'm really excited to share this episode with you because it's truly amazing to me how so many of the reasons why you can attribute ADHD in children and why they develop it. You could take away the term ADHD and throw in the term PANS/PANDAS or some other health issue related to mold exposure, chemical exposure, or EMF exposure. It's all similar. It's all in the same platform. And it's a fantastic discussion because I bring in Dana Kay with the ADHD Thrive Institute. Dana authored the book, Thriving with ADHD, and she talks a lot about her own child going through it. She's a board certified nutritionist. She's a coach for those who have children with ADHD. And she works one-on-one. She does her own podcast, writes a blog...it's really a great discussion. Talking with her before the show, we kind of joked like, is this a topic for a healthy home show? Is ADHD anywhere related to a healthy home? And undoubtedly 100% it is, and you'll find that out rather quickly. We spend a great deal of time discussing the pros and cons of the traditional medication route vs natural options and how the two can even work well together. Please share with your family and friends, and especially if you yourself have a child with ADHD. If you have family members or friends that have children with ADHD, please share this episode. It was eye-opening and I'm really excited and honored to have her on the show and to talk about this with us. https://adhdthriveinstitute.com

If you have listened to this show for a while, you know that I focus on the built environment from a materials and systems approach. The nuts and bolts, the wood and glue that our homes are made of, thats my expertise. But what happens after the home built? How do we live a healthier life beyond the building process? The clothing we wear, the food we eat, the pots and pans we cook with…these topics require a more expert approach. So today I asked my friend Lara Adler to join us to talk about this and tell us where we need to concentrate our efforts and maybe when we need to step back a bit and reduce our anxiety. Lara Adler is an environmental toxins expert who has become a trusted resource to thousands of health care practitioners all over the world, educating them about the links between the toxins in our everyday lives and the chronic health conditions their clients face. She also is extremely active on social media where she shares her knowledge with anyone who is concerned about potential health hazards in the home. https://www.laraadler.com/about/

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.

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/

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 BWeber@RAvelar.com Website: www.RAvelar.com

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.

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.

The first rule in real estate is that you should NEVER waive your right to an inspection before closing the deal. The second rule is, make sure your inspector understands building biology, as well as the typical home systems and materials. Your inspector needs to understand moisture, mold, chemical emissions and electro magnetic fields, in addition to structural concerns, windows, HVAC, etc. Amanda Klecker joins us today to discuss what's all entailed in doing a substantial and truly informative home inspection and how we can avoid costly and unhealthy mistakes. Amanda is a Certified Building Biology Practitioner through the International Institute for Building Biology where she has learned the holistic approach to keeping a home healthy, free of moisture intrusion and free of toxins. Amanda has trained with the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors and received their national certification. Amanda is also trained with the Water Quality Standards Academy, learning the important components of healthy drinking water. Amanda's website Healthy House on the Block