Do you have any chronic illness that is not resolved with conventional medicine? You may be overlooking mold and candida. On this new episode of Know the Cause, I am so grateful to be interviewed by Doug Kaufmann so I can share my story. Many of you know it already, but I was unknowingly hit with toxic mold as a teenager when I started working in Manhattan. I spent decades trying to get well until I unraveled my “cause.”
Mold and candida (yeast and fungus) are linked to so many common diseases such as sinusitis, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, psoriasis, and even cancer. What can cause this overgrowth leading to illness? The Standard American diet, too many courses of antibiotics, alcohol, and mold in many of our staple foods such as corn, wheat, peanuts and beer.
Come learn with us today and see if maybe your “cause” was missed or misdiagnosed on this episode of Know the Cause.
Have you ever wondered why Lyme disease and mold (as well as other chronic illnesses) often tend to occur simultaneously?
In my two most recent television interviews below, Doug Kaufmann and I talk about why co-infections occur and how to try to resolve them. I will also include links to important information, such as what tests I have learned to ask for and how to recover from mold exposure.
Below in my television interview on Know The Cause – we discuss Lyme disease, co-infections, and how expensive living with chronic illness can be.
On this episode of Know The Cause: We discuss my 25 year sinus infection, acid reflux, mold exposure, God’s plan, and much more
Should I Treat The Mold Or Lyme Disease First?
Understanding the role of mold and candida is crucial in regards to co-infections. I have heard doctors say (including my own doctor) to treat the mold and candida then tackle lyme disease. According to Dr. Raj Patel, if you have been treating your Lyme disease unsuccessfully there is a chance toxic mold is a contributing factor. Some people can handle treating both lyme disease and mold simultaneously, while others have too much of a toxic burden to treat everything at once. Infections such as Epstein Barr are examples of infections that can pop up when our immune system is beaten down by Lyme disease and mold. Most of the population has had Epstein Barr, but most do not get reinfected or experience complications from the virus.
Don’t skip my article below on how to recover from mold illness. This is a huge step in overcoming the complications of Lyme disease.
You may be thinking there is no way mold or candida can be contributing to my “fill in the blank” illness. “I don’t have any leaks in my home or office.” But, if you have ever taken your fair share of antibiotics or birth control pills you may have health issues relating to fungal overgrowth in the gut. This is often the case for people who drink a lot of alcohol and eat poorly.
Lyme Disease Symptoms In Early Stages
Fever
Muscle and or joint pain
Headache
Migraines
fatigue
Lyme Disease Symptoms in Later Stages
Severe headaches
Stiff neck
Heart arrhythmias
Inflammation of the brain
Nerve, joint, and muscle pain
fatigue
These are only general symptoms and those of us that have had Lyme disease or mold toxicity know that there are many more lyme disease symptoms we experience. This article by the NCBI goes into much more detail about lyme disease about treatment. I will however share with you the more natural ways I am treating my own lyme in an upcoming post. This is all new to me as I was just recently diagnosed so I am still experimenting with what is working.
Symptoms of Mold Sickness
Chronic Sinus Infections
Heart arrhythmias
Extreme Fatigue
Nerve, muscle, joint pain
Asthma
Neurological problems
Decline in cognitive function
Gut and skin problems
Dizziness
Co-infections such as Epstein Barr Virus and Lyme Disease
Fungi can invade and effect every organ and tissue in our bodies which can result in a wide range of mold sickness symptoms. If you are sick with bizarre symptoms and conventional medicine has not helped you, think fungus! Even the CDC says so.
If you think you may be having trouble problems treating your Lyme disease due to mold illness, I have written an article for Sinusitis Wellness suggesting what testing to ask your doctor for to help diagnose mold exposure.
You rarely just get a recipe over here on Eat Pray Get Well. Although you will love this strawberry oatmeal bar recipe, my goal is to hopefully teach you something while I share real food recipes. Last month I was asked by Sinusitis Wellness to write about my decades long fight with a serious sinus infections. There was a time I thought it was a fight that seemed impossible to win. After all, I brought every weapon I had to the fight! I had sinus surgeries (4 of them), hundreds of courses of antibiotics (the strongest available, the “big guns” of antibiotics)! I tried steroids, allergy shots, daily sinus irrigation, allergy medications, acupuncture, supplements, a change in diet, what else was there? Oh yes, these were exhausting times thinking back. Not to say that some of those things didn’t contribute to a healthier body (especially the diet change and supplements) because I did recover from other diseases/ailments, but why wasn’t I infection free?
Other Contributing Factors of Sinus Infections
It turns out there is so much more beneath the surface that none of these things I mentioned above address. Many of us suffering from long term sinus infections are missing an important bacterial strain(s) in our gut and sinuses that may need to be replaced. The gut may need healing if you have been on many courses of antibiotics, or consume mostly the standard American diet. There could be (most likely) a mold or a fungal component to your infection, and you may have to address biofilms as well, which are a protective barrier around infection that antibiotics can’t penetrate. I explain all of this in detail in an article I wrote recently for Sinusitis Wellness. Full article.
Could Marcons be Contributing to Your Sinus Infection?
What I should also mention is that if you have been found to have MARCONS (Multiple Antibiotic Resistant Coagulase Negative Staphylococci) through a sinus culture which is actually causing symptoms of a sinus infection, there is a compound nasal spray called BEG that was very successful in treating my marcons infection as well as many others I have heard from. Some doctors do not believe this type of staph needs to be treated, if you have an infection you are finding difficult to eradicate and your culture came back positive for Coagulase negative staph, speaking to an Ear Nose and Throat doctor that is familiar with toxic mold exposure may be helpful. 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.
Doug Kaufmann and I talk about the sinuses (as well as other health issues) in this episode of “Know the Cause” below.
Strawberry Oatmeal Bars Recipe: note – if you have a serious gluten allergy one would have to make sure it’s made in a facility that doesn’t process wheat and barley.
UPDATE – My bookEat Pray Get Well ~ A story of overcoming decades of chronic illness, a difficult childhood, and food addiction… 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
If you are running from doctor to doctor in search of answers but keep coming up empty, this book is an eye opener! Even if you are healthy but feel stuck due to old wounds Eat Pray Get Well is healing to the soul as well as the body.
Strawberry Oatmeal Bars (Kaufmann Diet Friendly)
Erin Porter
Try these delicious and healthy Strawberry Oatmeal Bars!
1cupGluten free oats(If you have a serious gluten allergy one would have to make sure it's made in a facility that doesn't process wheat and barley.)
1cupStrawberries
6tbspAlmond flour
6tbspTapioca flour
3tbspXylitol
2tbspOrganic maple syrup
1tspChia seeds
1/4tspSalt
6tbspButter
Arrowroot or tapioca flour(just a sprinkle for the top of berries)
Squeeze of lemon
1/2tspVanilla extract
Instructions
Cut strawberries in small pieces, add about 1/4 tsp of arrowroot or tapioca powder to the strawberries and squeeze a dash of lemon and stir.
Set strawberries aside.
Mix all ingredients (except strawberries) in one bowl. Set aside 1/4 cup of the oatmeal mixture for the top.
Line square pan with parchment paper and spray with non stick spray.
Place oatmeal mixture in pan and press down.
Top with strawberries.
Sprinkle a small amount of xylitol on top berries.
Crumble the remaining oatmeal mixture that you had set aside on top.
Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. Let completely cool before cutting.
Notes
Kaufmann 2 Diet (Kaufmann phase II)
Discourse, I am not a physician and cannot help anyone with their medical or diet plan. This is my personal story explaining what worked for me and what hasn’t. Discuss your sinus infection with your doctor.
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.
I was honored to be back on ABC’s morning blend (this time without the ridiculous bandage on my nose from Mohs surgery) and I wanted to share with you the recipes we made. Both are perfect comfort foods for the cold weather, lentil & chorizo soup and an apple bacon winter salad with maple vinaigrette I hope you enjoy them as much as we do. See you all next week as we get ready to dive in even deeper, lets make this year the start of our healthiest years to come!
So happy my parents were in town and got to come watch the interview….
Do you have acid reflux, or heart arrhythmias, maybe chronic infections or chronic anything? Watch my interview on televisions “Know The Cause” it will be an eye opener! And a delicious Chocolate Muffin recipe for you!
Part 2 of interview below starts at the 16:26 mark
And now some sugar free grain free chocolate chip muffins….
Chocolate Muffins
Erin Porter
Try these tasty sugar free grain free chocolate chip muffins!
I had a blast making this amazing chocolate Mug Cake (Kaufmann Diet Friendly) on On CBS Morning News. It’s gluten and sugar free and also free of grains. If you are craving some chocolate on the Doug Kaufmann diet, this will satisfy your craving! For more information on Doug Kaufmann from Know the Cause and his diet, visit Know The Cause.
3 tbsp sugar free chocolate chips (I used Lily’s MILK CHOCOLATE chips (not dark) they are sweetened with stevia
2 tbsp grass fed butter
3 tbsp coconut milk
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 egg white
1/2 tsp chia seeds
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
dash of salt
Making A Healthy 90 Second Chocolate Mug Cake On CBS Great Day Live
Instructions
Melt butter and set aside.
Mix all dry ingredients in your mug and stir well.
Add remaining ingredients and stir well.
Microwave for 90 seconds and enjoy!
Note – this tastes even better topped with almond milk whipped cream and strawberries.
This chocolate mug cake recipe would be considered Kaufmann 1 diet friendly AKA Kaufmann phase 1. Visit my recipe section for many more Kaufmann diet dessert recipes.
Update: The 2nd edition of my Eat Pray Get Well book has hit the shelves. Foreword written by Doug Kaufmann – Television Host of Know The Cause. Eat Pray Get Well – A Journey from Chronic Illness & Brokenness to Wholeness & Healing. 2nd edition includes exclusive interviews with renowned Cardiologist Dr. Stephen Sinatra, Supermodel Carol Alt, Doug Kaufmann, and many more. Plus my story of decades of chronic health issues and 55 recipes free of gluten, wheat, yeast, and processed sugar.
Chocolate Mug Cake (Kaufmann Diet Friendly)
Erin Porter
This recipe is so easy and is ready in 90 seconds.
3tbspChocolate chips(I used Lily's MILK CHOCOLATE - not dark chips sweetened with stevia to keep it sugar free)
2tbspGrass fed butter
3tbspCoconut milk
2tbspUnsweetened cocoa powder
1Egg white
1/2tspChia seeds
1/4tspBaking powder
1/2tspVanilla extract
Dash of salt
Instructions
Melt butter and set aside.
Mix all dry ingredients in your mug and stir well.
Add remaining ingredients and stir well.
Microwave for 90 seconds and enjoy!
Notes
Note - this tastes even better topped with almond milk whipped cream and strawberries.
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