Episodes
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I'll let the engineers and the environmentalists argue the fine points of how we are supposed to eliminate fossil fuels and go electric, yet not rely on those same fossil fuels to create that electricity. Solar, wind and hydroelectric power have its place and is increasing in output, but it could be decades before we figure this all out. In the meantime, the health issues related to the EMF fields caused by electricity will never go away, no matter the source of the power. Couple that with the radiation from cell and wi-fi and its becoming increasingly clear that more research needs to be done quickly before its too late.
I know enough to be dangerous when it comes to these important issues. I can help folks who are building from scratch to minimize exposure, but I am NOT who you bring in to hunt out the problems in your existing home. For that, I bring in my friend Mieke Jacobs. Mieke is a building biologist in the Chicago area that has taken a keen interest in EMF mitigation and made it the focus of her career. We had a great conversation about this and Im sure you will feel energized...in a good way...to make some changes in your home.
https://miekejacobs.com
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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 [email protected]
Website: www.RAvelar.com -
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I’m well aware of my skepticism; it’s one of my many flaws. One does not enter into their profession already skeptical. It’s something that builds over time as sort of a defense mechanism. In my particular case, my immediate jump to calling out BS is due to years of protecting my clients from the sea of so-called green and eco friendly building materials that only caused them more personal harm. So when I hear about a hospital-grade disinfectant made from the same herb I use in my kitchen, I was quick to state my belief. I was wrong. On today’s show, I’ll talk with Kelly Macmillan, National Sales Director for Benefect and she really takes me to school about their amazing invention. Timing is perfect because right now, millions of folks living in South East US are dealing with their own nightmares because of the hurricanes. Water damage cleanup and mold remediation are front and center here.
More about Benefect here
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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.
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Just imagine, you and your family are trying to buy or build a new home and someone in your family has CIRS or MCAS or something related. The home building process is stressful enough for anyone, but the added worry about how the new materials may adversely affect your family is sometimes overwhelming. Most of my client interactions deal with building materials and systems, but inevitably, the discussion takes off about how stressful the situation is.
To be clear, there is no such thing as the perfect healthy home. We need to recognize this and to set proper expectations about what can be achieved within our budget and timeframe. But while I almost feel like a therapist of sorts, I also know where my knowledge expertise is limited. So, I decided to call in the experts.
Renee Belz & Lauren Sambataro are sisters that grew up in a family that really prioritized health and wellness. Among their many achievements in life (you can read more about it here) Renee is a Certified Nutritional Consultant and Holistic Lifestyle Coach and Lauren is a Corrective Exercise specialist and Functional Health Coach. Together, they are known as the Biohacker Babes and have a wonderful podcast and social following. In this episode, Im going let them do most of the talking because they have so much important information to share about stress relief and sleep management that will ultimately improve how you and your family can power through your projects and live your healthiest life.
https://thebiohackerbabes.com
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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.
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Meet Andra McHugh, the matcha-sipping, veggie-loving mom who turned her family's eczema nightmare into a mission for healthier, happier childhoods. Host of a popular podcast and mom to four vibrant kids, Andra knows the agony of sleepless nights spent soothing itchy, bleeding skin. Frustrated by conventional medicine and overwhelmed by conflicting dietary advice, she took matters into her own hands.
I was very fortunate to be on Andra's podcast a while back and it was a complete eye-opening experience for me. Ive been helping folks with allergies, asthma, chemical and mold sensitivities for decades, but this was a topic Ive never really dug into. Andra helped me see how our most vulnerable tiny humans are truly the canaries in the mineshaft, telling us all that our food, clothing and our living environments are a cause of deep concern for us all.
To learn more about eczema and how Andra can help, please visit https://eczemakids.com/
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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
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Starting on April 22, I will be speaking at a wonderful online summit called My Healthy Home. Hosted by Caroline Blazovsky, there will be over 40 experts in the multi-faceted "healthy home" space, to discuss all aspects of this incredibly important topic. Caroline is my guest on this episode of NTE live to tell us more about the summit and to discuss why this is so important to her and should be to all of us.
Caroline Blazovsky has over 20 years experience with specialized training in residential homes. She has CMR certification (Certified Microbial Remediatior) and CIE (Certified Indoor Environmentalist) training through the American Council for Accredited Certification (ACAC). Ms. Blazovsky has completed a Sustainable Design education from Boston Architectural College. Ms. Blazovsky's work has been featured by Martha Stewart, Jenny McCarthy, Ronald Hoffman M.D., SiriusXM, Shape and Reader's Digest, as well as hundreds of podcasts, radio, and print interviews. She is also certified as a Healthy Home Specialist through the National Environmental Health Association. In her spare time, Caroline studies public health at the University of Southern California.My Healthy Home Summit
Sign up here for FREE
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As the President and CEO of the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), Rachel is leading a movement to advance human health through healthier buildings, more vibrant communities and stronger, more equitable organizations. Her motto is “Always be winning for good,” and she’s put that to work at IWBI, developing research-backed tools to help organizations create places where people can thrive. Today, these people-first places extend across 5 billion square feet of space in 130 countries and growing.
Prior to joining IWBI, Rachel spent nearly a decade at the intersection of sustainability and human health, helping the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) make LEED the world’s most widely used green building rating system. At USGBC, she founded the Center for Green Schools, which mobilized $275B+ investments in LEED-certified educational facilities and deployed over 750,000 volunteers to transform schools on every continent.
Rachel serves on numerous boards and advisories for organizations including Second Nature and the Real Estate Pride Council. A graduate of Tufts University, she is a sought-after media voice, inspirational speaker and frequent guest lecturer and instructor at the Harvard School of Public Health’s Center for Health and the Global Environment, Harvard University Kennedy School of Government, the University of Connecticut School of Business and Tufts. Works With WELL Standard https://healthybuilding.net -
Kendra Seymour is a Co-Founder and Executive Director of Change the Air Foundation and a passionate advocate for improving health by improving indoor air quality. She oversees foundation initiatives, with a special focus on raising awareness, outreach, and fundraising. As a mother of two, Kendra discovered hidden mold and water damage in her home were harming her family’s health. After years of research into mold and indoor toxins, and a lot of hard lessons-learned, she became dedicated to helping others by building awareness in online communities and collaborating with fellow advocates to educate the public around the importance of indoor air quality. Donate to CTA Change The Air Foundation, Watch Aria's story
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I am confident in saying that most of us have been exposed to cork flooring and wall coverings many times throughout our lives. Cork board panels used behind a desk for notes and photos have been a fixture of corporate America for decades. Flooring materials that sort of look like wood but softer with exotic patterns have been used in our libraries, schools, churches and homes since the 1900’s. So why do I think this is the future of flooring when it's clear it's already well established?
The recent release of Amorim's Wood Bionatural XL is 100% natural and fossil plastic free. The core is made from cork, sugar cane waste and other natural materials, and is completely recyclable. The wood and stone surface treatments are actually made from a cutting-edge digital printing and 3D embossing technology, which is again, plastic free. This is an INDUSTRY DISRUPTING technology.
Kelly Downes, the US General Manager for Amorim is joining us to discuss this and other exciting developments in the world of cork. With a foundation in Interior Design, Kelly transitioned into the flooring industry as a sales representative for a sustainable commercial flooring manufacturer out of LA. Switching to the retail side, as the Vice President of a locally owned Baltimore, MD flooring company, she stood up a Kitchen and Bath Division while running six showrooms. Three years ago, Kelly returned to manufacturing and now run the US division of Amorim Cork Flooring. Amorim is the largest manufacturer of cork in the world and is committed to not only preservation, but sustainability in all divisions of the company.WiseWood Cork flooring
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Healthy flooring has become one of the most asked about topics with my clients. Corinne, founder of My Chemical Free House, has written several articles on this subject and will share her findings with us and educate us on how she does her own personal research.
Corinne Segura is a Building Biologist Practitioner and founder of My Chemical-Free House where she tests and writes about green building materials. She is also a guest contributor at Green Building Advisor and course creator for the Building Biology Institute. She has 8 years of experience as a Green Materials Specifier, for new builds and renovations, often working with highly chemically sensitive clients. -
R Blank is an entrepreneur, technologist & author. He is the CEO of Shield Your Body, where it is our mission to make technology safer for you to use and enjoy. R also hosts "The Healthier Tech Podcast" covering issues to help people have a healthier, more balanced relationship with technology, and, along with his father, Dr. Martin Blank, he co-authored "Overpowered" (from Seven Stories Press) about the health effects of EMF radiation.
This follows a 20-year career in software development for bluechip firms including Apple, NBC, Disney, Microsoft, the NFL, IKEA and Mattel. R also co-founded Wildform where he co-created the first video encoder for Flash (sold to Google).
He has served on the affiliate faculty at the University of California, Santa Cruz in the Digital Arts and New Media (DANM) program, and previously on the faculty of the University of Southern California Viterbi School of Engineering.
Additionally, R has authored numerous articles, videos, courses and books in technology and software development. R has an MBA in Entrepreneurship from UCLA Anderson School of Management and an undergraduate degree from Columbia University.SYB Website: https://www.shieldyourbody.com
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Have you ever dreamed of living in community that focuses on OUR health and well being above all else? Serenbe is an award winning biophilic community that connects people to nature and each other. Each of Serenbe’s hamlets have complementary commercial centers focused on the elements of a well-lived life: arts for inspiration, agriculture for nourishment, health for wellbeing, play for a joy-filled life, and education for awareness.
Fresh food is another of Serenbe’s natural assets, with a 25-acre organic farm, seasonal Saturday Farmer’s Market, thriving CSA program and edible landscaping, including blueberry bushes along paths and sidewalks.
Year-round cultural events include outdoor performances from Terminus Modern Ballet, regional theatre, film series, culinary workshops and festivals, music events, and lectures, boutique shopping, art galleries, wellness services and trail riding, plus visiting artists in residence with classes, dinners and talks.
In 2004, Steve & Marie Nygren’s began the development of Serenbe, interlacing agriculture with a range of housing choices mixed with shops, galleries, restaurants and a full-service Inn. The result is reminiscent of century-old communities where many of your needs are within a walkable distance and neighbors know each other. Today, Steve serves as the CEO of Serenbe and lives in the community full-time. https://www.serenbe.com -
Today's episode is all about moisture mitigation in our homes. We all know that excess moisture can lead to mold, but its also responsible for increased chemical offgassing. This show for everyone, even if you think you live in a dry climate and dont have anything to worry about.
Nikki Krueger is the Director of Marketing & Business Development Manager for Santa Fe freestanding and whole house ventilating dehumidifiers. She has been involved in the indoor air quality industry for over 20 years. She is a RESNET certified home energy rater, a member of the ACCA Manual Low Load Homes (LLH) Advisory Committee, sits on the building envelope committee for the Spray Polyurethane Foam Association, has completed the ACCA Residential Design for Quality Installation Certification, and is serving on the 2024 National Green Building Standard update committee.
She educates homeowner, builders, HVAC contractors, architects, engineers, crawl space contractors, and other professionals in the industry on the building science of ventilation and moisture control in buildings.
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Dr. Gautam Gulati (commonly referred to as Dr.G) is a health artist, physician entrepreneur,
award-winning producer, and world-renowned keynote speaker who uses unconventional and
contrarian methods to drive innovation in health.
He’s currently on a mission to make chronic disease optional by applying the science of healthy
design to our homes.
By being a "sponge to the world", Dr.G has an uncanny ability to identify problems, spot trends,
ical leaders looking to transform organizations into innovative powerhouses call on Dr. G to help think
differently, escape the trap of mediocrity, and unleash creativity.
Currently, Dr. G is the Founder of The Well Home, where he designs luxury interiors focused on health, longevity, and well-being; and also the founder of Well Played, a storytelling studio prescribing stories as a form of medicine.
He has over 20 years of hands-on experience as an award-winning innovation executive for a number of globally recognized brands and products. He’s a serial entrepreneur, advises numerous companies, and teaches the art of innovation at Johns Hopkins, Duke, and Singularity Universities. He has been invited to deliver hundreds of keynotes to help change the way leaders think at Marriott, SxSW, American Express, Roche, Merck, LG, TEDx and many more globally recognized brands.
Dr.G received his MD and MPH from The George Washington University, an MBA from Johns Hopkins University, and is a certified Interior Designer from the New York Institute of Art and Design.
To learn more about his new venture called The Well Home, visit: https://www.thewellho.me
and uncover patterns that most others often miss. As a sought-after expert, rad
To learn more about Dr.G's work or to book him as a motivational speaker, visit:
www.iamdrg.com.
To listen to his award-winning storytelling audio docuseries on human resiliency, visit:
www.superhumans.health
Connect with Dr.G on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/gautamgulati, and follow him on X
@drgautamgulati
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Jeff and I have a similar history. Besides the fact that we've personally known each other for probably 30 years, we both grew up in businesses that were involved in the contruction industry. That always gave us a lot to talk about when we saw each other at family functions. When I started healthy home consulting several years ago, he and I began talking about the possibility of working together on some projects. Jeff is a custom home builder and finish carpenter, so his attention to detail is superb. He's also very confident in the materials and systems he normally uses, so when the opportunity came recently to collaborate on a healthy home build, we both were excited to see the end results.
On today's show, of course we'll talk a little bit about that project and how it has already positively impacted how Jeff is building all of his homes. But what we really get into detail on is the general process for planning, designing and constructing a custom home. Whether you need to go deep into material selection and IAQ details because of health concerns, or you just want to do the best you can, this discussion will be extremely informative.
Please visit Jeff's website: https://jfkdesignbuild.com/about/
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Jenny Johnson joins today to discuss chemical and mold sensitivities, therapies and treatments, and her extensive work within the CIRS community.
CIRS - Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome. CIRS is a multi-symptom, multi-system illness resulting from a faulty immune response to environmental toxins and inflammagens (most commonly, those in water-damaged buildings). It occurs primarily in genetically-susceptible individuals, which includes roughly 24% of the population.
Please follow this link to join her group:
https://simplifiedwellnessdesigns.com/cirs-healing-collective
The CIRS Healing Collective is an encouraging and educational community for people navigating Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS) who are looking to share their journey to whole-person wellness in solidarity and hope, with others who understand.
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Imagine painting the exterior of your home and not having to think about it for at least the next 20 years. No fading, no peeling. Maybe think about painting the inside of your new home with no worries of trapped moisture or the smells of unhealthy latex paints. This is what mineral paints can do for you. What is a mineral paint? Why do we want to use them? How do we make the switch from latex to mineral? All these issues will be discussed in this episode with Roy Suttles, the manging director of Keim USA. Keim is the world's leading manufacturer of mineral paints and I think you're going to love what you hear about them.
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