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Do Valencia Peanuts Have Less Mold (For the Peanut Lovers)

Why do we care about Valencia peanuts?  If you searched “Do Valencia peanuts have less mold” than you already have an inkling about how just how moldy peanuts notoriously are.  They not only contain mold, but the poisonous mycotoxin you are eating with the mold is called aflatoxin.  Alfatoxin comes from aspergillus mold and according to cancer.org is group 1 carcinogen.  That means aflatoxin is a known human carcinogen.  So this is where Valencia peanuts enter the picture.  Do Valencia peanuts have less mold, and is there a such thing as mold free peanut butter?

Valencia peanuts are mostly grown in New Mexico and because the climate is dry and they are grown in bushes above ground, they are less susceptible to aflatoxin.  However, mold can grow on any peanut that is not stored properly or when exposed to moisture.

Read on and I’ll share some interesting facts about peanuts as well as what brand of Valencia peanut butter is best and why Valencia peanuts have less mold.

Alfatoxins Explained

As mentioned above, aflatoxin is the mycotoxin (mold poison) of the mold Aspergillus.  Unfortunately, they can be found in our food supply and especially in corn, wheat, and peanuts.  The mold mostly forms due to wet and warm growing conditions and/or bad storing practices.

Many types of mold can grow on our food supply but Aspergillus really came to our attention due to its carcinogenic, toxic nature.  Aspergillus also become front and center in the 60s when over 100,000 turkeys mysteriously died.  The cause turned out to be Brazilian groundnut meal affected by Aspergillus flavus.

Are Valencia Peanuts Aflatoxin Free?

As I stated above, Valencia peanuts are generally known to have lower levels of aflatoxin compared to other peanuts. However, it is not guaranteed that Valencia peanuts are completely aflatoxin-free, as the presence of aflatoxin can depend on various factors such as climate, storage conditions, and processing methods.

Aflatoxins are harmful to human health.  They not only cause cancer but can also cause systemic fungal infections.  Aspergillus, the mold responsible for aflatoxins, is also sometimes found in people who have chronic sinus infections.  Check out my article titled Sinus Infections from Mold (From Someone Who Had 4 Sinus Surgeries).

 

How Mold Almost Destroyed My Life

If you are trying to eat an antifungal or candida diet such as the Kaufmann diet, check out my article What Can I Eat?  If you are also curious as to what health issues mold can cause.  I explain my decades long journey to get well after being exposed to toxic mold in my television interview below on Know The Cause with Doug Kaufmann.

Subscribe to my YOUTUBE channel so you never miss the videos that aren’t on my website!

Does Organic Peanut Butter Have Mold?

Organic peanut butter, like any food, has the potential to contain mold if it has not been stored properly or has been exposed to moisture. However, reputable manufacturers of organic peanut butter take precautions to prevent mold growth, such as using high-quality peanuts, storing them in dry conditions.  Make sure you buy a certified organic brand with Valencia being the best choice.

Once you get your peanuts home, store them in a cool, dry place and to consume them before the expiration date. If you notice any signs of mold on your peanuts, such as green or blue patches or a musty smell, discard them.

What Nuts Have the Least Mold?

In general, almonds and hazelnuts have been found to have lower levels of aflatoxins compared to peanuts, pistachios, and walnuts. However, it is important to note that even within a particular type of nut, there can be variations in aflatoxin levels.

Which Peanut Butter is Best?

I don’t eat peanut butter too often but when I do, it’s always either Trader Joe’s Organic Crunchy Salted Valencia Brand or Pacific Beach organic Valencia Peanut butter.

Peanuts Often Contain Mold and Cause Allergies

Remember that people who have life-threatening allergies to peanuts should not eat any type of peanut or peanut butter.  Some are of the thought that it’s the mold poisons itself that cause the allergic reaction more-so than the immune reaction to the food.  Because all nuts (and legumes such as peanuts) could possibly contain mycotoxins, it’s safer to not eat any at all when you have serious allergies.


Check out my second edition book Eat Pray Get Well – A Journey from Chronic Illness & Brokenness to Wholeness & Healing.  It can be purchased on my website, Amazon, and some retail stores.  Update: Eat Pray Get Well is now also available on Kindle.

This post contains affiliate links.  I do not recommend any product I do not use myself.

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Why Carol Alt Rarely Gets Sick Anymore (My Interview with Carol)

Carol Alt rarely gets sick anymore since switching to a raw diet.  My interview with Super model Carol Alt was so much more than what I expected.  When I asked Carol if she would like to contribute to the second edition of my Eat Pray Get Well book , I didn’t know what to expect as I had never met her before.  I knew about Carol Alt as a supermodel of course but what really drew me in was an article I read about her over ten years ago.  This was back when I was chowing down on antacids like they were cocktail peanuts because I couldn’t keep acid from washing up and burning my esophagus.  I also woke up with incredible sinus headaches so before getting out of bed I reached for decongestant spray and headache medicine. Allergy medications also usually worked their way into my day because I was allergic to almost everything I ate.  This is when I really started paying attention to Carol.  She participated in many of my same “self medicating” habits as I did just so she could get through her day.

supermodel carol alt

Below is an except of our interview.  We talk about Carol’s health challenges and how she turned to her faith for answers.  Then ultimately choosing a raw diet in order to heal.  Talking to Carol felt much like talking to an old friend.  I’m not sure if it had to do with us both being New Yorkers or maybe because we battled many of the same health issues, but I found her to be incredibly humble and real.  Carol Alt also is a cancer survivor and used nutrition as one of her most powerful tools.

About Carol Alt

I know you will find Carol just as impressive as I did.  She is and always has been about so much more than her looks.  Carol was discovered in college where she received an ROTC scholarship.  Her dream was to the be the first female JAG officer.   Besides holding supermodel status, Carol is also a best selling-author (my favorite book being Raw 50.)  She is an actress, raw food enthusiast, and former TV host of, A Healthy You & Carol Alt on Fox News.  Lets not forget Carol has even raced cars.

Q&A With Super model Carol Alt

Erin: Carol your life is so interesting, and people think of you only as a supermodel, they are in for a big surprise.  Let’s start from the beginning. I started paying attention to your lifestyle when I read that during your modeling career you lived on over-the-counter medication such as cold remedies, sinus medication, and acids (eight at a time) congestion sprays. This sounded a lot like my life, so naturally I was intrigued and wanted to learn more about how you were able to heal your body and judge these medication’s. By the way, I was on a heavy duty prescriptions anti-acid as well as over-the-counter ones (which I popped all day long) for about 14 years. I even took sinus medicine during my entire pregnancy. I had no idea the damage I was doing to my body.

Carol:  First of all Erin, I just wanted to let you know that I admire what you’re doing and using your own life one story to educate people and try to keep them from making the mistakes that you and I made. I did the same thing in my introduction to my book, Eating in the Raw.  I have to say I did some of the same things you did, although I didn’t have symptoms as bad as you had it. Acid stomach for sure, and I popped ant acids every night before bed (eight every night) but I didn’t have acid reflux. Cold remedies helped me to fall asleep and then coffee to wake up – way too much coffee – it was my way of staying thin, drinking coffee! Every time I finished a movie I would come down with a cold and had constant headaches.  I ate plenty of food, but just not the right food.  Spaghetti every night for dinner, for example, which is not the most nourishing choice, but I had no idea that the food I was eating was causing the symptoms I was having! Back in the day, nobody really talked about this.

Erin: you took these over-the-counter medication’s in an effort to treat your constant sinus infections, allergies, acid stomach and overall decline in health? Can you tell me a little about that?

Carol: Yes, and don’t forget the decongestant sprays. I had one in every pocket of every outfit I wore on set.  You know, if you were shooting a movie on location in morocco, at the end of the day they take your outfit from you and it goes back to wardrobe. Now, you’re back in your hotel room and you’re trying to sleep but you can’t because you were stuffed up and your spray is in your last scenes wardrobe across town! So I would always purchase a carton of decongestant spray, that if I lost one, I always had another.

Erin: and you can’t sleep when your nose is stuffed. I lived on decongestants. I had four sinus surgeries, but I wasn’t as smart as you I didn’t change things right away.

Carol Alt’s Endless Sinus Issues

Carol: Listen, I went to the doctor about my sinus problem, and when he wanted to take a look at my sinuses, he put a Q-tip up my nose and suddenly my whole head opened up and I thought, “WOW”.  Whatever THAT is, that is what I want.” He said, “Oh no, what you need is sea salt and water, this is nasal spray.”  He gave me the name, it was the same nasal spray I was already using. Well I never went back. I felt as though if he’s using the same thing I was to open up my head and then telling me to mix sea salt and water, then what good is that?  I didn’t go back; my history has shown that was the right choice.

After suffering for a while longer and then I heard about Dr. Timothy Brantley and I listened to him because when he started speaking, the universe opened up. It’s the moment you connect to the fact that you are getting knowledge, a knowledge you didn’t have before, that absolutely strikes your soul; it’s when you know and feel that something is so honestly true, it transforms you. You connect to the universe and how do you turn your back on that?

Erin: Yes! It’s knowing that this is the correct path.

Carol: Right. You know, it’s like the first time I walked into the modeling agency, they said to me, “Don’t move!” In that moment, for good or for bad, life was going to change. I didn’t know how much, but at least I knew I was going to get a great summer job!

When I talked to Dr. Brantley, I just knew that everything I thought I knew was changing. He didn’t say to me, “What ails you?” or “How can I help you?” like most all doctors do. He just said, “Let me ask you, “‘what do you eat?’”

I told him what I ate (then when he stopped laughing) he said, “I’m surprised you don’t have this, this, this and this.” HE told ME what was ailing me, and he was right-on; and of course, that was: my sinus infections, my inability to sleep, my acid stomach, headaches, colds and a rash on my leg, (which I don’t really talk about) but it was all reversed by changing my diet. I also found out that I had an over abundance of candida albicans and I learned that it was creating a lot of my symptoms and nobody had told me that before. When I made those changes to my diet, the symptoms disappeared.

Erin: Many doctors will say it’s not possible to have a systemic fungal infection, that a person would have to have a compromised immune system to have a systemic fungal infection, like a toxic mold can cause a person to be immunocompromised, for example. Fungus can attack any part of the body, organs, tissue, joints. Carol, did you also suffer from allergies?

Carol: All I know is that when I changed my diet the rash went away. So did most all my other problems. And, yes, I had allergies since I was a kid, and nobody ever told me “You eat an awful lot of sugar and gluten.” I also never realized I could control my allergies with diet. And not just allergies, I could control a lot of my discomfort. As a kid I lived on cereal – no wonder I had sinus infections.

When I gave up the gluten, I gave up sinus infections too! Cereal was my favorite at-home breakfast and then I would go to school and eat a white flour bagel; then I would have a sandwich or institutional pizza for lunch! It was a constant sugar-fest. And, truth be told, I was constantly hungry. Looking back, I realize that all I ate was sugar. Now I wonder how my body survived!

Erin: Carol, you looked like the picture of health on the outside but on the inside you were falling apart and you talk about a specific photo shoot that was so depressing for you.

Carol: First of all, let me say something about looking like ‘the picture of health’. At 20 and 30 and maybe even some of my 40’s it was very easy for me to look good! Hit 50 and 60 and try to do that. Youth is a wonderful thing!  The only way I knew how to do that as I got older was to radically change my diet and feed my body what it needs to nutrition itself and manage disease, and discomfort and, most important for me at that time, slow down aging.

Erin: Yes, we cannot get away with the same bad habits as we get older, it catches up!

Carol Questions What Is Happening To Her Health And Career

Carol: I just thought that I could keep on marching right through all of these issues and continue to take over-the-counter products to help mask or manage these problems. But by the time I got to the Amazon rainforest in Venezuela, (The project was even titled, Carol Alt and Friends in the Rainforest) by the time I got there, I was literally not in shape to shoot. But there were only two of us; myself and another younger model.

I was hiding behind rocks and trees to film because I felt so uncomfortable and out of shape. At one point I was just looking at this other girl jumping around and laughing and so carefree – and she looked so comfortable and so healthy and so energetic and that really had added to her beauty. She wasn’t physically beautiful to me, but she attracted the entire set; everyone just gravitated towards her.  So I’m looking at her and thinking, “What happened from that point to this point in my life? I used to be like that, energetic and at ease in my own skin, but now I’m like this. What happened? How did it happen “all of a sudden’”? I mean she was only 10 years younger than I was. But it felt like a huge gap.

It was interesting, and a perplexing problem because I was thinking, if I was like her at 22, and this is what I’m like now, at 34 – where will I be at 44 or 54? It seems that it is blown up 10X for women. So I was thinking: “What will I be like? Because I’m on a very bad path here. I don’t see it getting any better or changing if I’m continuing to do the same things; and if I continue down this path, it’ll only get worse.” I could literally feel it in my bones!

Dr. Brantley, author of The Cure: Heal Your Body, Save Your Life (#1 on the New York Times Best Sellers list for quite a while), once told me that we are the accumulation of everything we do to our body.  So nothing actually happens ‘all of a sudden’. We are the accumulation. By the way, my mother changed her eating habits after seeing the results I got; she was 68 at the time. So you’re never too old!

carol alt in overcoat and black boots

Carol Turns To Her Faith For Answers

Erin: So this photo shoot was before you had any information on how to dig yourself out of sickness, correct?

Carol: Right. After Venezuela I went back to LA and I was confused; and truthfully, Erin, I sound so corny and hokey but I started praying on it. I started praying and saying to God, “Please, you can’t leave me like this. You brought me to a certain celebrity (I wasn’t the biggest celebrity, but I was a famous model, and I was doing movies), but You have not allowed me to do anything with that celebrity. So, let’s make a deal here: You save my life and I promise that I will do whatever it is You need me to do. I will use whatever celebrity You gave me to further Your message. Whatever that message is.” I know that He answered that simple prayer because my life completely changed in the next hour.

I received a phone call from a friend of mine who was 14 years old when I last saw him. He was now 32 and he was dating a girl who was diagnosed with cancer (at 22 years old!). He said that the doctors wanted to do radical lymphadenectomy and a radical hysterectomy on her. Again: She was 22 years old!

He said, “I just thought there had to be a better way. So I spoke with this doctor whom I had met through business associates and I asked him to work on my girlfriend.” He told me that working with this holistic doctor was so mind-blowing and the result was incredible, beyond what he could have imagined. Then he said to me, “You need to talk to him – he is so amazing. He will talk to you about food and health and you’ll never be able to look at food the same way again. You will never be able to watch your loved ones eat and not try to change them.” But at first I couldn’t hear him. My thoughts went to how shocking it was that he found me! I hadn’t seen him since he was 14 years old!

And now he found me at a private home in Palm Springs where I had an unlisted number! I couldn’t believe he found me there, it wasn’t like we had cell phones. This was 1995 or 1996. This was a miracle. And even though it was a miracle, and I knew it was a miracle that he found me, truthfully, when I hung up the phone I was not inclined to call this doctor. Crazy right?

But then I had this gut feeling, a voice – if you will. The voice called me out – It told me that I was crazy. That I’m sitting here praying for a change and for help and something comes along and I’m not willing to try it. So I thought, “Yeah, that is crazy. If this doctor did that for that 22-year-old, what could he do for me with my little issues? What will it hurt? Let’s give this a try.”

Erin: Well, this is how God works.

Carol: Right and I knew it! I thought to myself “Self! you have tried everything else! So what, if I call another doctor. If he does nothing, he does nothing. But if he does something then I’m ahead of the game.” So I broke down and called him. It’s the best call I made in my life.

From that point onward I made a decision based on what I heard from that doctor, to change my life and I started reaping the benefits almost immediately. Of course, this was Dr. Timothy Brantley. Look how God works! They were incredible benefits; and so many of them I can’t even list them all. But I do remember walking down the street and people walking towards me were smiling at me as I walked by. I was thinking, “Do I have egg on my face? What are these people laughing at when they look at me?” Then I realized I was walking down the street with a smile on my face. That’s what they were reacting to.

When you feel good, you project happiness, and that happiness is contagious; that’s the best part. I think that is what I had reacted to with the other model on the set. She was just happy! I had friends who thought maybe I had a facelift or that I had been on vacation because my face looked so good, my skin was supple and my eyes were clear, my hair was thicker. This was a 180° turn around.

These changes, in turn, were also what my mother had reacted to. This is what prompted her to want those same results.  The best part is that almost immediately I was off all those medications that I had leaned on. I had no more heartburn, no more sinus infections. The rash went away, and I slept like a baby and jumped up in the morning ready to face the day. I can’t remember having a headache again and can’t remember the last time I had a cold- I think it’s been 22 years.  I was just so happy and it showed!

Happiness Is Attractive: Carol Rarely Gets Sick Anymore

Erin: And happiness is so attractive! You can be the most beautiful woman in the world but if you’re depressed or sick or your thoughts are bitter…

Carol: …or angry or frustrated! Even if you are just thinking it, people can feel it.

Erin: Yes, exactly. Carol, how important do you think your spiritual side is in getting healthy? It sounds like you are also a believer that God guides us.

Carol: I think spirituality is very important. You know what the issue is? We all have free will. So God can put all the signs in front of us that He wants to, but only we can choose our path. At some point there is a fork in the road and a decision needs to be made: Stay on that road and all the things that are happening to my body will only get worse, or research and search for a change and thereby change my path and change my life. (Remember the definition of insanity: Doing the same thing over and over and expecting to get a different result.)

I always tell all my friends, “People choose their own problems.” What I mean by that is that we all know what the right things to do are. We either choose to do them or we don’t. If you choose to sit in front of the TV watching a football game eating chicken wings – that’s okay for a once-a-month cheat. But people cheat all the time; you could almost say that eating healthy was their actual cheat because most of the time they eat poorly and yet they expect they are going to be healthy.

I just want people to be educated. I want them to understand what happens in their body when they eat something; that their choices have everything to do with the quality of their life and their health; that their choices directly lead to their results. Nothing happens in a vacuum.  It’s also crazy to note that most of the time people even forget what they eat because they don’t think about it. If you write down everything you eat, everything that you put in your mouth for an entire week, you’d be shocked! They walk by a bowl of something and pop it in their mouth and don’t even think about it. I have begun to realize that when God puts me in front of somebody it’s because they need it. They need the information I have, and need to be educated in a different way; they need a kickstart.

The Pledge Carol Made To Herself

I have made a pledge to myself never to bring up food, diet or lifestyle unless somebody else does. That’s just my own personal rule. But if somebody says something that brings up that conversation – I go for it full force because I know God put me there, in front of that person, because they need to hear and they need to choose.

I believe He never leaves you. He will never leave you without a way out; He will always give you the information, He will always show you the way. We just have to look for the signs- we just have to be open to them. However, many of us choose not to look and not to listen, and that’s our right. You have the right to choose your own way. Yet you have to realize that because we have free will, we choose not just our own way, but in choosing, you also choose your own results. We are responsible for ourselves.

Today Carol Alt can be found on Only Fans and on Instagram sharing many of her raw recipes.

3 Appliances That Make It Easy To Eat More Fruits And Vegetables

Carol suggests these 3 appliances if you want to give a raw diet a try or if you just want to get in more fruits and vegetables.  I completely agree and I would not be able to consume this much vegetables without the help of these great tools below!

  1. Blender – They are pricey, but let me tell you, it is worth every penny!  A Vitamix allows you to blend whole fruits and vegetables with the skin into a liquid which retains the fiber.  The powerful blade allows you to make smooth nut butters, as well as hot soups.  In this video my teenage son shows us how to make hot broccoli cheese soup in minutes.
  2. Juicer – I use the Nama juicer.  A juicer will strip the fruits and vegetables of their fiber making it easily digestible.
  3. Dehydrator – The sky is the limit of what you can make in a dehydrator.  There is anything from dried fruit, fruit roll ups, and Carol Alts favorite, cauliflower popcorn (which I made and loved it.)  It really does taste like popcorn.

Full interview can be found in my 2nd edition of Eat Pray Get Well – A Journey from Chronic Illness & Brokenness to Wholeness & Healing

Related Posts

Disclaimer – there are affiliate links in this post.  I do not recommend any product or book I do not use or suggest personally.

How Joe Cross Overcame His Autoimmune Disease | Exclusive Video Interview

I’m so happy to share my video interview with “Joe the juicer” Cross.  If you haven’t seen his movie Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead it really is a must see.  It’s a fascinating peak into how powerful the right foods (especially greens) can impact disease.  After nine years on steroids for his autoimmune disease he was able to not only slowly ween off his medications but put his autoimmune disease (urticaria) into remission.  Today Joe Cross is the picture of health. Years ago, Joe inspired me to put my own autoimmune disease (Hashimoto’s) into remission.  This was after doctors told me that it couldn’t be done, but I am living proof it is possible.

How Much Weight Did Joe Cross Loose (And What Is The Joe Cross Diet?)

Joe lost 80 pounds in 60 days while filming.  After you watch this video you will see why I chose Joe Cross as one of the interviews in the second edition of my Eat Pray Get Well book.  We talk about his weight loss, his diet, and so much more.  Today Joe Cross has a very different view of what food he consumes.  Here is a quote from Joe that I love regarding food.  “If I eat a lot of food made from men in white coats, I will be visiting a lot of men in white coats.”

 

UPDATE – If you find you are interested in beginning to juice, Joe loves the Nama cold press Juicer which I use and stand by myself.  I have also found the Nama cold press juicer to be much easier to clean than my previous Jack Lalanne juicer.

nama juicer

Recent Video:  How I get my teenage son to eat more vegetables!

You can visit Joe the juicer at RebootwithJoe.com.

Disclosure – Where possible I have included discount codes. This posts contains affiliate links of brands we personally use.  Thank you for your support.  It enables me to provide content free of charge.

Second Edition of Eat Pray Get Well Just Hit Shelves!

I am so excited to announce that the SECOND EDITION of Eat Pray Get Well is now available!  It has been over a year and a half in the making and  I can’t wait to share the exciting people I interview in my book.  I list them all below and they have inspired me to fight for my health as I know they will inspire you too!  I have also learned a lot more about detoxing, what tests to ask your doctor for, my doctors simple protocol for putting Hashimoto’s into remission (where mine stays) and more!   Right as this book went to print I found out I was bit by a tic and have Lyme disease (mostly asymptomatic).  It is a new infection I have to believe will also be in my rearview mirror.  I will be posting more about how I am treating it and share everything I learn with you, as I myself am learning as I go.

You can find my second edition book on both on my website shop  (where I am having a SALE until August 13th for 19.99 -reg 24.99) or on Amazon (sale excluded on Amazon).

You guys are really responsible for this second edition.  You have been so loving and supportive so a big thanks to all of you and I will continually pass on everything I learn to all of you!

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS WITH:

Doug Kaufmann – Television host of Know the Cause – Doug returned home from Vietnam a very sick 21 year old man and he was determined to regain his health and in the process it changed the trajectory of his life.
Dr. Stephen Sinatra – renowned cardiologist and certified bioenergetic psychotherapist. We discuss the fascinating connection between our emotions and heart health, heart health myths, as well as the healing powers of grounding and so much more
Supermodel Carol Alt– Supermodel, TV host, author, who went from sick to raw foodist
Joe Cross – Filmmaker and star of award-winning documentary Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead
Tommy Rosa – Co-author of Health Revelations from Heaven and Earth. Tommy shares his near-death experience and the revelations God gave him about how to protect your health here on earth
Dr. Tracie Leonhardt – The way I found Dr. Tracie is because she comes highly recommended by Suzanne Somers.  She shares her expertise on hormones, thyroid, autoimmune disease, and more
Forward written by Doug Kaufmann – TV Host of Know the Cause
My new second edition also includes 50 recipes (10 new) free of gluten, processed sugars, yeast, corn, and peanuts.  To purchase on Eat Pray Get Well website  or Amazon.

NEW INTERVIEW on Televisions Know The Cause

In this new interview on “Know The Cause” we will touch on a subject all who have been chronically ill can relate to.  You all personally know how important it is to have emotional support and how detrimental it can be without it.  In this interview we touch on the emotional part of the journey, as well as why sinus surgeries and antibiotics just don’t seem to work as a cure.  We also talk reflux, and more. Coincidentally, I touch on the story of my childhood that I wrote about in my last post.  The more you know the faster you can heal!  Coming up…my son and I take a trip to the beach and make our favorite sugar free chocolate chunk cookies, we will share that recipe with you.

My interview starts at the 8:35 mark.

NEW: Facebook Live Video with Doug Kaufmann – Host of Know The Cause

Hi everyone, just in case you missed it, here is the Facebook Live Doug and I did on Friday.  Doug has some great theories on the cornonavirus which can give us ideas to further protect ourselves.  We also answer people’s questions about so many health topics.  Enjoy!

PBS Interview (overcoming sinusitis, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia)

Dr. Dennis and I speak to PBS American Health Journal and discuss the role of mold in chronic sinusitis.  Many of us don’t just suffer from a sinus affliction alone and there is a reason for that.  I hope this helps so many of you. I love hearing from a lot of you who’s journey has mirrored mine. Keep it coming and pass on to anyone it may help!

I wrote an article called How to Recover from Toxic Mold Exposure (How Long Does it Take) and below is an excerpt from that post.

Steps to Aid in Recovery

  1. Remove yourself from the toxic environment.  The most important first step and probably the hardest. It will be almost impossible to improve if you continue to expose yourself to the toxic chemicals.
  2. Detox.  This specific detox plan posted by Mold Free Living was written by Dr. Donald Dennis, an ENT who specializes in mold related illness.  Speak to your doctor before starting any detox plan.
  3. Juice greens!  Greens are extremely anti-fungal and so is ginger, lime, and carrots to name a few.  Juicing is an easy way to get larger quantities in you fast!  There are two ways to get all of these amazing nutrients into your body.  I have both a Vitamix and a juicer.  I will do a post on the difference between the two.  A quick simplified explanation is that a juicer will remove the fiber where a blender such as a Vitamix retains the fiber.  Both are good and serve different purposes which I will explain in a future post, but the important thing is to start getting these powerful anti-fungal nutrients into your body.
  4.  Visit a functional doctor.  I wrote an article about what tests you can ask your doctor to run, click here if you would like to read it.

Additional Steps..

  1. Invest in a quality air filter to remove mold spores in the air.
  2.  Use quality anti-fungal products. There is a wonderful company called Microbalance which specializes in anti-fungal products for your home, clothes, and nose.  I personally spray my home with the EC3 Mold Solution concentrate about once per month.  They also have supplements specifically created to support the damage that can be done to the pituitary gland caused by mold.
  3. Stop eating sugar and foods high in carbohydrates It contributes to fungal overgrowth.  See my recipe section for alternatives to your favorite foods.
  4. Rinse your sinuses.  If your issue is in your sinuses, rinsing them with an anti-fungal solution such as CitriDrops can be helpful.  Rinsing the nose can help clear out pathogenic bacteria, viruses, and fungus.  I still irrigate my sinuses most days.

More Articles I Wrote On the Sinuses:

Strawberry Oatmeal Bars and Healing Sinusitis

Baby Shampoo and Sinus Infections

Medical Disclaimer – I AM NOT A DOCTOR.  My blog does not provide official medical advice. I can not recommend any supplement or treatment plan. Information provided on this site is for educational purposes only, and does not substitute for professional medical advice.

Check with your doctor before starting any new diet or supplement. There are affiliate links in which I get a percentage on sales.  Opinions are all my own.  I do not recommend any supplement or brand I didn’t personally love and benefit from.  Consult a medical professional or healthcare provider if you are seeking medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment.  If a reader uses any of the information on this blog, or any other, they are doing so at their own risk.

 

 

Erin on RadioMD Discussing Chronic Illness

Listen in as I discuss overcoming chronic illness through proper nutrition and getting to the root cause of your disease. If you have any chronic medical problems that haven’t responded to traditional medicine get excited because a change in diet is very often times the answer. It seems so simple yet it can be one of the most challenging and rewarding changes we can make in our lives. As you know I struggled for 20 plus years with multiple health issues and all the while I never linked my poor diet to my poor health. I spent years on the endless hamster wheel of surgeries followed by more antibiotics (over 100 courses in 25 years) and could never figure out why I was getting increasingly worse.  If this sounds like you listen to my interview on today’s RadioMD with Melanie Cole.  Pass on to any loved ones who are still looking for the “cause” of their illness.

Listen here.

Chronic Illness erinfoodphotog

Chronic Sinusitis? Read about my trip to meet with Dr. Dennis!

Update –   My book Eat Pray Get Well (Forward written by Doug Kaufmann – Host of televisions Know The Cause) is  now on shelves  and can help you heal your mind and emotions as well as your body. Eat Pray Get Well ~ A Journey from Chronic Illness, Brokenness & Junk Food Junkie to Wholeness & Wellness.  Now available on www.eatpraygetwell.com, Amazon, and some book stores near you. 

I have cotton packed in my nose but I am smiling ear to ear in this picture because for the first time in over 25 years I know I am on the road to recovery!

Chronic Sinusitis

If you missed last week’s post, I wrote about my upcoming trip to Atlanta to see Dr. Dennis, an Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist.  He would be my final opinion before giving into sinus surgery number five. I know many of you sinus suffers have also had multiple sinus surgeries to no avail so you have been anxiously awaiting this post. So where do we go from here? I can’t wait to fill you in! But first I need to give you a quick back story. I debated whether to include this next piece of information but not to include it just felt wrong, because as I thought about the title of my site, Eat, Pray, Get well, I asked myself why did I bother to include the word “pray” if I didn’t intend on sharing my thoughts and experiences about where prayer fits in when you are battling a chronic illness.  When I saw Dr. Dennis on Doug Kaufmann’e show Know The Cause, I immediately recognized him as the doctor who performed my adenoidectomy and tonsillectomy back in 1999.  What I neglected to mention was right after that segment I excitedly ran through the house to find my husband. I told him I needed to find an old prayer journal because there was something very important in there I needed to show him. After a little digging I found it. My entry from 10/22/1999 said this, “He is going to be the one to help you (Dr. Dennis), he will be the one to change your life”.  Those are the words that came over me on that day in 1999 when I was praying about my health, but those words made no sense to me as Dr. Dennis had already performed my surgery and I was preparing to move out of state. How can he help me? Throughout the years as I struggled with my health and dealt with multiple surgeries that journal entry crossed my mind a time or two but I quickly dismissed it because I simply could not make sense of it.   When I saw Dr. Dennis on KTC explaining his treatment protocol for fungal sinusitis I knew in my heart I was being led to go see him.  I boarded a plane, journal in hand, and 16 years later I was sitting in his chair and he was indeed ….helping me.  UPDATE – I ended up being a reoccurring guest on Doug’s show “Know The Cause”- to watch one of my interviews where I talk about my sinus and other health issues, click here

 I nervously shared my journal entry with him along with my past sinus issues.  It was met with a gentle spirit and words confirming that I was exactly where I was supposed to be, under his care.  After scoping my sinuses he said on a scale of one to ten the fungal/bacterial condition of my sinuses  was a ten.  My sinuses were filled aspergillus as well as staphylococcus and pseudomonas.  He spent hours injecting amphotericin B and performing debridement of the sinus cavities. He was able to rid my sinuses of the fungus and infection outside of surgery. I believe God was with us that day as Dr. Dennis even had to fashion his own tool at one point to be able to gain access into one of my sinuses.  He and his beautiful nurse Jeanette even said a prayer or two as they were working on me.  Now that my sinuses are cleared my treatment will be more effective.  I will begin taking Vancomycin and Fortaz for the bacterial infection and Amphotericin B through a nebulizer for the fungal infection as well as Lamisil orally, which is also an anti-fungal, and oxygen for two hours per day.  In addition I will also follow Dr. Dennis’ treatment protocol which I have created links to at the bottom of this post. My treatment also includes Dr. Dennis’ Sinus Defense, citri drops (both orally and irrigation), Bentonite, vitamin b1, thymus, ultra clear plus, NAC (N-acetyl-L-Cysteine) and a calcium/magnesium/zinc complex. The majority of people with chronic sinusitis have a T cell deficiency making them 9,000 times more allergic to mold so it’s important you follow every recommendation to clear your sinuses and your environment of mold.  Eliminating sugar from your diet is also a must.  Natural antifungals like oil of oregano, colostrum (this one was huge in my healing as it helps heal leaky gut which in turn had a drastic effect on my sinuses). 

This is probably the most important post I will ever write.  It was an unforgettable day and as I waited in the airport for my return flight home I had hours to  ponder over some deeper questions.

What did I learn from my experience with Dr. Dennis?  That fungus is powerful and can do us great harm, but that the power of prayer is even more powerful. God had this meeting with Dr. Dennis lined up for me long before I had any understanding of what that journal entry meant.  I also thought about the power of human compassion.  In the 25 years I sought help from many different doctors only a few ever stopped and truly gave me their time.  Dr. Dennis spent over two hours with me and he made it clear he wasn’t letting me leave until he knew he truly made a difference. I would imagine he even lost money that day as he had patients he didn’t get a chance to see.   I asked myself the tough questions, if someone were needing my time and my knowledge would I display that same example of mercy and selflessness? I think before meeting Dr. Dennis I would have been ashamed by my answer but now I know the answer is yes.  I feel like I am a better person for spending time with him and on the way home I found myself being kind to everyone I saw.  Whether it be in the airport or out in the streets.  We all need each other but we rarely take the time to extend ourselves and help.  I don’t know about you but I want to be a Dr. Dennis in someones life.  I want my life to matter and I want to make a difference. What would our world be like if not for selfless people like him?  I also learned that God is always working in our lives and we need to pay attention because it’s so incredible we don’t want to miss it!

Click here for Dr. Dennis’ Sinusitis wellness website – if you have chronic issues read and re-read this website in it’s entirety.  Your body CAN heal when given the right tools!  

 

Disclosure, This post is not sponsored however it does contain affiliate links in which I get a small percentage from sales.  My opinions however are my own and do not get paid to write about any food or supplements.  In addition, I would never back any product or supplement that didn’t personally help me in my recovery. 

Treating Sinus Infections And Biofilms With Baby Shampoo (2023 Updated)

If you landed on this page I am also guessing you may also be desperate to rid yourself of a stubborn sinus infection.  I have been in that desperate state and there is almost nothing you could name that I have not tried to rid myself of a sinus infection that lasted over 25 years!

sinus infection causing bacteria

How Can Baby Shampoo Help With A Sinus Infection?

Do you have a chronic sinus infection and every antibiotic you have tried hasn’t worked? Or maybe it did work for a short time only to return weeks after you finished your antibiotics?  Maybe you had even put your hopes in a sinus surgery, or two, or four, and you still can’t get rid of your infection (I am raising my hand here.)  I myself had four sinus surgeries and was still sick!  You can read my health story here.

Bacteria are very sneaky and they will do whatever they can to stay alive. Did you know they create something called bio films? Bio films are a protective film around the bacteria which makes it more difficult for them to be killed by the antibiotic.  Now the bacteria are safe inside their little protective shield. Because of this increased tolerance to antibiotics, bacterial biofilms end up becoming chronic infections. This is where the baby shampoo comes in. Studies from the University of Pennsylvania found irrigating with 1% baby shampoo in saline rinses helps dissolve the biofilms.

My Television Interview Regarding Chronic Sinusitis and Biofilms


Does Baby Shampoo Work on Preformed Biofilms?

Unfortunately, if you have the stubborn bacteria called Pseudomonas or staphylococcus(these are two I struggled with, as well as fungus)  life is a different story. Both staphylococcus and Pseudomonas are notorious for forming biofilms, and in the study the shampoo had no effect on PREFORMED biofilms. However, baby shampoo was very effective in regards to inhibition of Pseudomonas biofilm formation. In the past when I go sick this bacteria was lying in wait because it colonized in my sinuses. They are ready for any opportunity to rear its ugly head.  This is why it’s even more important that I am vigilant in the way I eat and proactively keep my body healthy.

Pseudomonas is also the common bacteria amongst people with cystic fibrosis, and found in most people with chronic sinus infections. For people with pseudomonas, the combination of lactoferrin and xylitol has proven to break through biofilms according to the NCBIXylitol is a safe sugar alcohol that has anti-fungal properties as well as helps our bodies defend against bacterial pathogens. Xlear sinus nasal spray is now on the market as well as Nutribiotic nasal spray and I have personally used it on and off for years.  Sovereign Silver and Argentyn 23 silver is still my go to when I feel an infection coming on.

How Does Mold and Fungus Factor In to Sinus Infections?

I am not suggesting everyone with a sinus infection run out and purchase baby shampoo, but knowledge is key.  If I had been armed with this information, I would have given this method a try when I first learned my culture proved “pseudomonas.”  I would have tried it in the hopes that the biofilms hadn’t yet had a chance to form.  A necessary step is to get a culture and find out what bacteria you are dealing with so you can know your plan of attack.

My Ear, Nose And Throat doctor specializes in fungal sinusitis and has a line of products to clear your nose of fungus as well as products to treat your home and body.  Without cleaning up your environment and your fungal load in your sinuses, long term wellness is difficult.

Don’t make the same mistake I made which was letting doctors “guess” at what type of infection I had. By doing so I needlessly took antibiotics that I shouldn’t have, which only makes the bacteria more resilient, while making my body’s defenses weaker.  Not to mention the fact that antibiotics not only cause, but fuel fungal infections which are inevitable when your only course of treatment are antibiotics.  In 1999 the Mayo Clinic released a study that indicated nearly ALL sinus infections are fungal in nature.  With that being said, talk to your doctor and ask if anti-fungals would be helpful.  See my recipe section for anti-fungal recipes.  Some wonderful supplements to to heal your gut, which  can also be beneficial to your sinuses include colostrum (sovereign laboratories is the brand I use), bone broth, and natural anti-fungals such as oil of oregano, caprylic acid, garlic etc.

What about Marcons?

If you have MARCONS (Multiple Antibiotic Resistant Coagulase Negative Staphylococci) there is a compound nasal spray called BEG nasal spray.  BEG spray was very successful in treating my marcons infection as well as many others I have heard from.  If you have a Coagulase negative staph, speak to an Ear Nose and Throat doctor.  Choosing one who is familiar with toxic mold exposure is important.  What is in BEG spray?  BEG nasal spray is a combination of two antibiotics (Bactroban, Gentamicin) and the calcium chelator EDTA. The EDTA dissolves the biofilm coating, clearing the way for a direct attack by the topical antibiotics.

Update – the second edition of my book Eat Pray Get Well – A Journey from Chronic Illness & Brokenness to Wholeness & Healing has been released June of this year 2021. A story of overcoming decades of chronic illness (including decades of sinus infections), a difficult childhood, food addiction… combined with 60 recipes  free of gluten, wheat, yeast, peanuts, refined sugar ~ Forward written by Doug Kaufmann – TV Host of Know the Cause, can now be purchased here on my blog here and on Amazon.com >  As seen on ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS American Health Journal, Christian Television Network, Know the Cause, and more.

Is Your Sinus Infection Related To Mold?

I would suggest going to this site and evaluating your mold risk.   They have a free evaluation you can take. Also see my article titled how to recover from mold exposure.

See links below to learn more about baby shampoo and biofilms.  This article was written with the help of NCBI and ATS journals research below.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18284857

http://www.atsjournals.org/doi/full/10.1513/pats.201003-028RN#.VfmPEaOFOM8

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Medical Disclaimer – I AM NOT A DOCTOR.  My blog does not provide official medical advice. I can not recommend any supplement or treatment plan. Information provided on this site is for educational purposes only, and does not substitute for professional medical advice.

Check with your doctor before starting any new diet or supplement. There are affiliate links in which I get a percentage on sales.  Opinions are all my own.  I do not recommend any supplement or brand I didn’t personally love and benefit from.  Consult a medical professional or healthcare provider if you are seeking medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment.  If a reader uses any of the information on this blog, or any other, they are doing so at their own risk.