How Moving States Transformed my Health
I was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri. In the heart of the true mid-west, surrounded by farms, crops, grassy plains and tall oak trees. Hot, humid summers and freezing cold winters. I always knew I would eventually move but wasn’t ever sure when or where until 2024, when my health had reached its lowest point, and it was clear that something had to change.
Starting in 2018, I lived in multiple apartments, homes, and rented commercial spaces that had water leaks, and therefore, mold. It was like I just couldn’t catch a break. Unfortunately, about 70% of homes currently have mold, so it’s not as uncommon as you would think. For some, they may never develop symptoms or react to the mold – for others, it can be detrimental.
In the humid Missouri summers, my symptoms would flare: extreme fatigue, gut problems, skin problems, and anxiety. In the cold winters (especially the dry ones), I would start to feel better. My gut would behave better, my breakouts were fewer, and I had the energy to exercise. Like a clock, every year would repeat this pattern.
It also didn’t help that Missouri is in the top 10 states for glyphosate exposure, among other harmful pesticides. There’s a reason cancer is more prevalent* in the Midwest, and one could easily argue that pesticides play a huge role in the statistics.
Mold and pesticides are a scary combination because both are known to weaken the integrity of the intestinal lining (leading to “Leaky Gut”). They both also contribute to slowed bile production and movement, eventually leading to a buildup of toxic bile in the liver & gallbladder. Without adequate bile flow, conditions like SIBO arise, along with malabsorption and nutrient deficiencies. The domino effect initiated by these environmental toxin exposures is not something to be taken lightly. Mold eventually colonizes in different areas of the body, stealing nutrients, promoting inflammation and reducing cellular & mitochondrial function.
I would later learn about how oxalates also played an integral role in my gut & overall health – more on that here.
When I lived in Missouri, I dealt with all the issues above, in addition to mast cell activation/histamine intolerance and copper toxicity. Mental & emotional stress also played a big role in my health problems.
After years of education and research, once I understood how all these things were connected, I finally listened to my intuition that had been telling me that I had to change my environment in order to feel better. The universe supported us, because my husband and I found a perfect house in Arizona right away. We were so grateful and blessed to be able to bring our work with us and move into a slower era of healing.
It would be naive to think that simply changing locations would fix all my problems. I knew that once I got here, I would have some deep, introspective work to do on my mental, emotional & spiritual health, but I truly believe that moving is what freed up the capacity necessary for that work to take place. It took months of unraveling unconscious patterns, recovering from years of a nutrient-depleted diet, and intentional supplementation & detoxification to get to a stable place. It also took shifting my perspective - I think we all like to have this idea of what it would be like if we were truly 'healed.' But truthfully, the work never stops. Wellness is a perpetual, life-long dance of learning, making minor adjustments, and deepening the connection with your body.
If you’re struggling with persistent gut problems, fatigue, skin issues, or any symptom that just doesn’t seem to budge, no matter what you do, I always recommend that my clients test their homes for mold - first and foremost.
If you want to work with me to detox & recover from mold exposure + set yourself up for wellness success, schedule a session here.
Sources:
https://www.asbestos.com/cancer/state-cancer-rates/