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#zinc vent hood
made-to-order · 11 months
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Maintaining handmade zinc hoods is a breeze. The zinc and copper materials are resistant to corrosion and easy to clean. A simple wipe-down with a damp cloth is all that's needed to keep it looking as good as new, even after years of use. Investing in a high-quality kitchen hood like this one not only elevates your living space but can also increase the value of your home. Potential buyers and guests alike will be captivated by the luxurious combination of zinc and copper, making your kitchen a standout feature in your home. Additionally, zinc and copper are eco-friendly materials, making this vent hood an environmentally conscious choice. These metals are fully recyclable, ensuring that your kitchen remains both stylish and sustainable. Not only will it enhance your daily cooking experience, but it will also add significant value to your home. With its unique blend of rustic charm and modern elegance, this custom-made vent hood is an investment worth considering for any homeowner who values both style and substance in their kitchen.
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rusticahouse · 11 months
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Beyond its stunning appearance, a zinc range hood with brass accents serves a crucial function in your kitchen. It helps to remove smoke, steam, and odors, creating a cleaner and more enjoyable cooking environment. The high-quality materials used in these hoods ensure they are durable and long-lasting. The choice of a handmade range hood is not just about aesthetics but also about ensuring a healthy and safe kitchen space. The combination of zinc and brass provides both beauty and functionality. A zinc range hood with brass accents is more than just a kitchen appliance; it's a piece of art that can elevate your kitchen to new heights of elegance. With its durability, versatility in design, and easy maintenance, it is a wise investment that not only enhances the aesthetic of your kitchen but also ensures a clean and healthy cooking environment.
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tealin · 4 years
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Scene 4: Int. Cape Evans, Science Corner
If the photos aren't loading for you here, check out the original post at twirlynoodle.com/blog.
Having exited the cosy nook of the executive cabins (which you can just see in the image below, to the left), we are now standing with our back to the rest of the hut, looking at one of the prominent structures built into the interior space: the Darkroom.
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Herbert Ponting was a very serious photographer, and was brought along on the Terra Nova Expedition not just to document the science and geography, but to communicate the endeavour in the press back home. He took hundreds of photos and even shot some film – a most precious reference for someone trying to bring the dead back to life. This darkroom was not only his workspace but also his cabin, with a bed that folded up against the wall when not in use, and also served as a classroom where he taught his art to some promising newbies on the crew.
Ponting was only here for one winter. The second winter, Debenham – formerly his student – had taken over as official photographer, but the space was also used for some physics experiments that had been moved in from the outbuilding which had formerly housed them. The weather was so bad that second winter, and the other location so hard to keep a constant temperature, that in order for them to be tended consistently they needed to be in the main hut.
Because heat rises, the roof of the darkroom was not only used for storage, but by the biologists for incubating bacterial cultures. The biologists’ bench is to the right of the image above, so you can see it was a very convenient location.
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On the front of the darkroom is a small table which seems to have been used as auxiliary space to the main central table, where most people did their work. It’s covered with mechanical and electric bits now, but from the photographic record I know it was also used as a writing desk and taxidermy bench.
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The interior of the darkroom is, well, dark. Very dark. This was the best I could manage with the nighttime setting on my phone – it actually shows up a lot more than I could make out with my naked eye, even with very good night vision.
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Moving to the port side of the hut, now, we get to the laboratory space. This is another of the secret corners which I most wanted to get a sense of. There are more historical photos of this than Wilson and Evans’ bunks, but I didn’t have a proper sense of how it related to the rest of the hut, and especially to Wright and Simpson’s bunks. Well, stand in front of the door of the darkroom, look to your left, and here it is:
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To the right are the bunks in question, which I will get to in short order. Against the far wall is the meteorology lab, dominated by the zinc cylinder of the Dines anemometer, which measured wind gusts and was known in the hut as the Blizzometer. Nearest us is the biology and/or medical bench – it was Atkinson’s domain, anyway, and as such is familiar to me on its own, as this photo has hung above my desk for some time now:
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If anyone knows what that contraption is with the conical hood, bent pipes, and brass cylinder, I (and the Antarctic Heritage Trust) would really like to know! It’s on the right side of the historical photo and is lying down on the bench in my modern one. (Atch’s microscope, by the way, is now in Dundee at Discovery Point.)
Now, the bunks! As you can see, unlike the other bunks they run parallel to the wardroom, rather than end-on. While Scott’s men were here they would have been hidden behind the pianola and whatever was stacked on top of it, an arrangement which would have given Wright and Simpson an almost private cubicle to live in, with a window to boot. The pianola was given to Rennick as a wedding present in 1914, and the compact library cabinet which was next to it is now at SPRI, so this corner is much more airy than it would have been when the bunks were occupied.
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The window was one of my favourite discoveries. I knew there was a window there, because Nelson’s bench covered in well-lit glassware is possibly the most-photographed location in the hut. What I didn’t know, and wasn’t hinted in anything I’d read or seen, was that you could see the meteorological station on top of Wind Vane Hill from the meteorologist’s bunk.
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The official guide says that it’s meteorologist Simpson’s bunk on the bottom, and physicist Wright’s on top. During the second winter Wright discovered that his groggy morning headaches were caused by carbon monoxide from the generator in the lab, whose exhaust vent had got snowed up. I couldn’t see well into the top bunk, but the bottom one has a lovely tableau of personal and meteorological items – those blue arcs are, I think, sunshine recorders.
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To get a broader view of the space in this corner and the situation of the bunks within it, here is the view from right next to the window, looking down the length of the hut from the other side of the bunks.
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Where we are standing now is at Nelson’s biology bench, the aforementioned most photographed. Because of that, I didn’t take any photos of it myself, but we will see the rest of that side of the hut next time, when we wrap up our tour.
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ameryth74 · 5 years
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Louis **** Title Generator Tool
** **** it 
LOL.... go!
Two letter words:
There are 107 acceptable 2-letter words listed in the Official Scrabble Players Dictionary, 6th Edition and the Official Tournament and Club Word List:
AA, AB, AD, AE, AG, AH, AI, AL, AM, AN, AR, AS, AT, AW, AX, AY, BA, BE, BI, BO, BY, DA, DE, DO, ED, EF, EH, EL, EM, EN, ER, ES, ET, EW, EX, FA, FE, GI, GO, HA, HE, HI, HO, ID, IF, IN, IS, IT, JO, JU, JY, JZ, KA, KI, KO, LA, LI, LO, MA, ME, MI, MM, MO, MU, MY, NA, NE, NO, NU, OD, OE, OF, OH, OI, OK, OM, ON, OP, OR, OS, OW, OX, PA, PE, PI, PO, QI, RE, SH, SI, SO, TA, TE, TI, TO, UH, UM, UN, UP, US, UT, WE, WO, XI, XU, YA, YE, YO, ZA
Two letter contractions: I’m, I’d
Four letter verbs:
abet, abut, abye/aby, ache, alit, ally, ante, arch, aver, avow (10).
baby,  bach, back, bade, baff, bail, bait, bake, bald, bale, balk, ball, band, bang, bank, bant, barb, bard, bare, barf, bark, base, bash, bask, bate, bath, bauk, bawl, bead, beam, bean, bear,    beat, beck, bede, beef, been, beep, bell, belt, bend, bent, bere, best, bias, bide(archaic usage), biff, bike, bilk, bill, bind, bird, birl, birr, bite, bitt, blab, blat, blaw, bled, blet, blew, blip, blob, blot, blow, blub, blue, blur, boak, boat, bode, body, boff(vulgar usage), boil, boke, bomb, bond, bone, bong, bonk, boob, book, boom, boot, bore, born, boss, boun, bowl, brad, brag, bray, bred, brew, brim, buck, buff, bulk, bull, bump, bung, bunk, bunt, buoy, burl, burn, burp, burr, bury, bush, busk, buss, bust, busy, butt, buzz (117).
ca-ca, cage, cake, calk, call, calm, came, camp, cane, cant, card, care, carp, cart, case, cash, cast, cave, cede, cere, chap, char, chat, chaw, chid, chin, chip, chop, chow, chug, chum, cite, clad, clam, clap, claw, clay, clew, clip, clog, clop, clot, cloy, club, clue, coal, coat, coax, cock, code, coif, coil, coin, coke, comb, come, comp, cone, conk, conn, cook, cool, coop, cope, copy, cord, core, cork, corn, cosh, cost, coup, cove, cowl, crab, cram, crap, crew, crib, crop, crow, cube, cuff, cull, curb, curd, cure, curl, curr, cuss (90).
dado, daff, damn, damp, dang, dare, dark, darn, dart, dash, date, daub, dawn, daze, deal, deck, deed, deem, defy, deke, dele, demo, dent, deny, dial, dice, died, diet, dike, dine, ding, ding, dint, dirk, disc, dish, disk, diss, dive, dock, doff, dole, dome, done, doom, dope, dose, doss, dote, dove, down, doze, drab, drag, draw, dray, dree, drew, drip, drop, drub, drug, drum, duck, duel, duet, dull, dumb, dump, dung, dunk, dupe, dusk, dust, dyke (75).
earn, ease, echo, eddy, edge, edit, emit, envy, espy, etch, even, exit (12).
face, fade, fail, fake, fall, fame, fard, fare, farm, fart, fash, fast, fate, fawn, faze, fear, feed, feel, fell, felt, fend, fess, fete, feud, file, fill, film, find, fine, fink, fire, firm, fish, fist, fizz, flag, flap, flat, flaw, flay, fled, flee, flew, flex, flip, flit, flog, flop, flow, flub, flux, foal, foam, foil, foin, fold, fond, fool, foot, ford, fork, form, foul, fowl, frag, frap, fray, free, fret, frig, frit, fuel, full, fume, fund, funk, furl, fuse, fuss, futz, fuze, fuzz (82).
gaff, gage, gain, gait, gall, game, gang, gaol, gape, garb, gash, gasp, gast(obsolete), gate, gaum(US), gave, gawk, gawp, gaze, gear, geld, gibe, gift, gild, gill, gimp, gird, girt, give, glad(archaic), glom, glow, glue, glug, glut, gnar, gnaw, go by, go on, goad, golf, gone, gong, goof, gore, gown, grab, gray, grew, grey, grid, grin, grip, grit, grow, grub, gulf, gull, gulp, gush, gust, gybe, gyre, gyve (64).
hack, haft, hail, hale, halo, halt, hand, hang, hare, hark, harm, harp, hash, hasp, hast, hate, hath(archaic), haul, have, hawk, haze, head, heal, heap, hear, heat, heed, heel, heft, held, helm, help, hent(obsolete), herd, hewn, hide, hike, hill, hint, hire, hiss, hive, hoax, hock, hoke(slang), hold, hole, home, hone, honk, hood, hoof, hook, hoop, hoot, hope, horn, hose, host, hove, howl, huff, hulk, hull, hump, hung, hunt, hurl, hurt, hush, husk, hymn, hype, hypo (74).
idle, inch, iris, iron, isle, itch (6).
jack, jade, jail, jape, jazz, jeep, jeer, jell, jerk, jest, jibe, jilt, jink, jinx, jive, join, joke, jolt, josh, juke, jump, junk (22).
kayo, keek(Scots), keel, keen, keep, kept, kern, kick, kill, kiln, kilt, kink, kiss, kite, knap, knew, knit, knot, know (19).
lace, lack, laid, lain, lair, lake, lamb, lame, land, lard, lark, lase, lash, last, lath, laud, lave, laze, lazy, lead, leaf, leak, lean, leap, lech, leer, left, lend, lens, lent, levy, lick, lift, like, lilt, limb, lime, limn, limp, line, link, lisp, list, live, load, loaf, loan, lock, loft, loll, long, look, loom, loop, loot, lope, lord, lose, lost, loup(Scots), lour, lout, love, lube, luck, luff, luge, lull, lump, lure, lurk, lust, lute, lyse (74).
mace, made, mail, maim, make, mall, malt, mark, marl, mart, mash, mask, mass, mast, mate, maul, maze, mean, meet, meld, mell, melt, mend, meow, mesh, mess, mete, mewl, miff, milk, mill, mime, mind, mine, mint, mire, miss, mist, moan, moat, mock, moil, mold, molt, moon, moor, moot, mope, moss, move, muck, muff, mull, mump, muse, mush, muss, must, mute (59).
nail, name, near, neck, need, nest, nick, nigh, nill(obsolete), nock, nose, nosh, note, nuke, null, numb (16).
obey, ogle, oink, okay, omen, omit, ooze, open, oust, over (10).
pace, pack, page, pain, pair, pale, pall, palm, pang, pant, pare, park, part, pash(Austral), pass, pave, pawn, peak, peal, peck, peek, peel, peen, peep, peer, pelt, pend, perk, perm, pick, pike, pile, pill, pimp, pine, ping, pink, pipe, piss(vulgar), pith, pity, plan, plat, play, plod, plop, plot, plow, plug, pock, poke, pole, poll, pond, pool, pore, port, pose, post, pour, pout, pray, pree, prep, prey, prim, prod, prog, prop, puff, puke, pule, pull, pulp, pump, punt, purl, purr, push, putt (80).
quad, quip, quit, quiz (4).
race, rack, raft, rage, raid, rail, rain, rake, ramp, rang, rank, rant, rape, rase, rasp, rate, rave, raze, razz, read, ream, reap, rear, reck, redd(dialect), rede(archaic), redo, reed, reef, reek, reel, rein, rely, rend, rent, rest, re-up, rice, rick, ride, riff, rift, rile, rill, rime(archaic)/rhyme, ring, riot, rise, risk, rive, roam, roar, robe, rock, rode, roil, rolf, roll, romp, roof, rook, room, root, rope, rose, rout, rove, ruck, ruff, ruin, rule, rush, rust (73).
sack, said, sail, sale, salt, sand, sass, sate, save, sawn, scab, scam, scan, scar, scat, scud, scum, seal, seam, sear, seat, seed, seek, seel, seem, seen, seep, sell, send, sent, sewn, shag, sham, shed, shim, shin, ship, shit, shoe, shog, shoo, shop, shot, show, shun, shut, sick, side, sift, sigh, sign, silk, silt, sing, sink, sire, site, size, skew, skid, skim, skin, skip, slab, slag, slam, slap, slat, slay, sled, slew, slid, slim, slip, slit, slog, slop, slot, slow, slub, slue, slug, slum, slur, smut, snag, snap, snip, snow, snub, snug, soak, soap, soar, sock, soil, sold, sole, solo, soot, sorb, sort, soup, sour, sown, spae(scottish), spam, span, spar, spat, spay, spec, sped, spew, spin, spit, spot, spud, spur, spurn, stab, stag, star, stay, stem, step, stet, stew, stir, stop, stow, stub, stud, stun, suck, suds, suit, sulk, sung, sunk, surf, swab, swag, swam, swan(brit), swap, swat, sway, swig, swim, swob, swop(brit)/swap, swot, swum, sync (155).
tabu, tack, tail, take, talc, talk, tame, tamp, tang, tank, tape, tare, task, taut, taxi, team, tear, teem, tell, tend, tent, term, test, text, thaw, thin, thud, tick, tide, tidy, tier, tiff, tile, till, tilt, time, tine, ting, tint, tire, toil, toke, told, tole, toll, tomb, tone, tong, took, tool, toot, tope, tore, torn, toss, tote, tour, tout, tram, trap, tree, trek, trim, trip, trod, trot, trow(archaic), true, tube, tuck, tuft, tune, turf, turn, tusk, twig(Brit), twin, twit, type (79).
undo, urge (2).
vade, vail(archaic), vamp, vary, veal, veer, veil, vein, vend, vent, vest, veto, vide, view, vine, visa, vise, void, vote (19).
wade, waft, wage, wail, wait, wake, wale, walk, wall, wane, want, ward, ware(archaic), warm, warn, warp, wash, waul, wave, wawl, wean, wear, weed, ween, weep, weet, weld, well, welt, wend, went, wept, were, wert(archaic), wham, whap, whet, whid(Scottish), whip, whir, whiz, whop, wick, wile, will, wilt, wind, wine, wing, wink, wipe, wire, wise, wish, wisp, wist, wite, wive, woke, wolf, wont, wood, woof, word, wore, work, worm, worn, wove, wrap, writ(archaic) (71).
x-ray (1).
yack, yank, yard, yarn, yaup, yawn, yawp, yean, yell, yelp, yerk, yeuk, yock, yoke, yowl, yo-yo(informal), yuck (17).
zero, zest, zinc, zing, zone, zonk, zoom (7).
IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT
(yes there are 28 ITs)
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drlaurynlax · 5 years
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How to Test for Mold Illness in Your Body 
Do you have mold illness?
Check out my top recommended testing methods to find out, including:
  Mold Toxicity Checklist
Mycotoxin Urine Test
Bloodwork
Gut Testing
Liver Function Testing
DUTCH Cortisol Hormone Test
Visual Contrast Sensitivity Testing
Mold Illness Refresher
Let’s briefly review Mold Illness 101 before diving into my top recommended tests to know what we are looking for in the first place.
  Mold illness or “mycotoxin illness” is a serious condition that is commonly referred to as “CIRS”—Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome.
  Unlike a disease—which is condition typically with a specific known cause and similar symptoms (such as insulin resistance, frequent urination and weight gain in people with diabetes)— a syndrome, like CIRS, is a much broader “collection of signs and symptoms” that may present differently in different people.
  Signs & Symptoms of CIRS
Common signs and symptoms of mold illness or CIRS include
Respiratory difficulties (difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, asthma)
Neurological symptoms
Sinus congestion and stuffy nose
Hair loss
Anxiety
Brain fog, confusion or memory loss
Difficulty concentrating
Morning stiffness, joint pain
Light sensitivity
Skin rashes
Red eyes, blurred vision, sweats, mood swings, sharp pains
Feeling lightheaded or dizzy
Appetite swings
Poor body temperature regulation,
Gastrointestinal problems (cramps, abdominal pain)
Weight loss or weight gain (unintentional)
Unusual skin sensations, tingling and numbness
  You may have several of these symptoms—or just one or two. The amount of symptoms don’t matter as much as the unrelenting poor health experienced because of them.
  Although these symptoms are also synonymous with other conditions often talked about in functional medicine—from “adrenal fatigue”, thyroid disorders to gut dysbiosis—the key distinguisher in mycotoxin illness or CIRS is often times, these are often the patients who do not “get better” once commencing a protocol.
  Buttttt….how do you know if you really have “mold illness” or CIRS—or you’re just feeling out of sorts? What tests can you do to reveal true illness
  There are a handful…
  Mold Toxicity Checklist
Aside from identifying your symptoms, answer “Yes” or “No” for the following questions (adapted from Environmental Health Center).
  Yes or No?
Do musty odors bother you?
Have you worked or lived in a building where the air vents or ceiling tiles were discolored?
Have you noticed water damage or discoloration elsewhere?
Has your home been flooded?
Have you had leaks in the roof?
Do you experience unusual shortness of breath?
Do you experience recurring sinus infections?
Do you experience recurring respiratory infections and coughing?
Do you have frequent flu-like symptoms?
Do your symptoms worsen on rainy days?
Do you have frequent headaches?
Are you fatigued and have a skin rash?
  If you answer “yes” to 4 or more, your CIRS-like symptoms may have some more merit.
  Mycotoxin Urine Test
Mycotoxin urine testing is a relatively newer form of testing that can reveal the release of toxins in the urine. If you really suspect mycotoxin illness from molds to be at play, this test can yield highly insightful information for putting your puzzle together.
  Some key detected mycotoxins include:
Ochratoxins
Aflatoxins
Trichothecenes
Glicotoxins
  Recommendation:
Great Plains Urine Testing (Order Here on behalf of Dr. Lauryn Lax, OTD).
  *Note: Sometimes false “negatives” can occur with urine testing since some patients are unable to detoxify in the first place. In order to get the most accurate results, I recommend using high dose glutathione + NAC for 5 to 7 days prior to conducting your urine test in order to encourage elimination and detoxification.
  My preferred formula is Trizomal Glutathione by Apex Energetics, which includes both NAC and glutathione. Take 1 tsp 3 times per day for 5 to 7 days.  It is tough to find online, but if you call the company directly at 949-251-0152, request a bottle be sent to you on behalf of Dr. Lauryn Lax.
  Bloodwork
Bloodwork doesn’t always tell the whole story of CIRS or mycotoxin illness, but certainly can point to markers of inflammation and immune dysregulation.
  Unfortunately, many patients consult with their conventional medical practitioners and are told, “Your lab tests are normal”, but have not ordered more specialized tests that help look deeper into mycotoxicity and inflammation.  Helpful markers and their normal ranges for assessing mycotoxin illness include:
  Specialty Mycotoxin Blood Tests
Elevations in the following markers point to mold toxicity
VIP (normal range: 23-63, only available by ARUP Labs)
MSH (normal: 35-81)
MMP-9 (normal: 85-332)
C4a (normal: 0-2380)
TGF-beta-1 (normal: <2380)
Leptin (Male: 0.5-13.8; Female: 1.1-27.5)
HLA-DR (the gene that 25% of the population has, making them more susceptible to mycotoxicity; can only be run by LabCorp)
    OTHER LABS
Other labs that may be “off” on general lab work include:
  Complete Blood Count
Red Blood Count low (normal: 4.40–4.90 x 106/µL)
White Blood Count low or high (normal: 5.0–0 x 103/µL)
  Methylation Markers
MMA high (ideal < 300 nmol/L)
Folate low (ideal > 8 μg/L)
  Bloodsugar Markers
Glucose low or high (normal fasting: 75-85, normal 1-2 hours post-meal: 110-140)
HgbA1C high (normal 4.6–5.3%)
  Liver Enzymes
AST high (normal: Male: 0–25 IU/L; Female: 0–23 IU/L)
ALT high (normal: Male: 0–26 IU/L; Female: 0–20 IU/L)
  Nutrient Markers*
Zinc (often low)* (normal: 81–157 µg/dL)
Copper* often high (excess copper can lead to low zinc) (normal: 81–157 µg/dL)
Iron high or low (ideal: 40–135 µg/dL)
Ferritin high (Male: 30–200 ng/mL; Female: 30–100 ng/mL)
Vitamin D low (normal: 35–60 ng/mL)
  *Urine testing via NutraEval (Order Here and search for “NutraEval FMV by Genova)
  Inflammatory Markers
Total Cholesterol high (normal: 150–220 mg/dL for males; 150–230 mg/dL for females)
LDL Cholesterol high (normal: 0–140 mg/dL)
C Reactive Protein (CRP) high (normal: 0–1 mg/L)
BUN high or low (normal: 13–18 mg/dL)
Creatine low (normal: Male: 0.85–1.1 mg/dL; Female: 0.7 – 1.0 mg/dL)
  Hormone Markers*
*Hormone markers can be a sign that something more is going on “under the hood.” Inflammation from mold toxicity and CIRS can drive hormone imbalance. Since hormones are the “key messengers” made by our glands to regulate body functions, if our hormones are “off”, they may perpetuate the symptoms of CIRS.
  PTH elevation (normal: 10-35 pg/mL
T3 (Thyroid Hormone) deficiency (normal: 2.5–4.0 pg/mL)
Testosterone deficiency
Progesterone deficiency
Estrogen dominance or deficiency
  Bloodwork out of the norm in several of these areas may indicate imbalance.
    Gut Testing
A bi-directional relationship exists between mycotoxins and gut microbiome—mycotoxicity can impact and worsen our gut health, just like poor gut health can make one more susceptible to mycotoxicosis (1)—creating the “perfect” storm.
  On this note, it’s critical to realize, “mold illness” does not just happen from mold alone. Other pathogens that cause the same symptoms as mold illness include:
  Bacteria & bacterial infections (like Babesia and Borrelia)
Fungi
Mycobacteria
Mold
Mold spores
Endotoxins (aka lipopolysaccharides, or LPS; cell wall components of gram-negative bacteria)
Inflammagens (irritants that cause inflammation and edema)
Beta-glucans (sugars that are found in the cell walls of bacteria, fungi, yeasts, algae, lichens, and plants)
Hemolysins (toxins produced by bacteria that can destroy cells)
Volatile organic compounds
  The key theme behind all of these? They affect your gut!
  Your gut microbiome is home to 100 trillion microorganisms (gut bacteria). The healthier your gut bacteria, the healthier you are! The sicker or more pathogenic your gut bacteria, the sicker you are!
  It’s no wonder that candida (fungal overgrowth) and sinus congestion (from fungi and mold growth in the nose—part of the nasal microbiome) are common in those with suspected mold toxicity or CIRS (2).
Given that approximately 80% of your immune system is produced and housed in your gut, a “strong” gut filled with diverse, healthy gut bacteria helps boost your immune fighting defenses to weather the storm of mold and mycotoxin exposure. However, if your gut is infiltrated by pathogens—and not enough “man power” to weather the storm, eventually your gut microbiome profile can shift, resulting in an unhealthier gut…and an unhealthier you.
  Recommendation:
Comprehensive Stool Analysis + Parasitology x 3 (Doctor’s Data) (Order Here)
  Liver Testing & Symptom Checklist
In addition to your gut, your liver—your body’s “chemical processing factory” and recycling system—also plays an important role in guarding against mycotoxin and mold illness. Consider your liver your “defense” for mycotoxin and mold exposure. A sluggish or overworked liver can equally wreak havoc on your health and make you susceptible to mycotoxin illness
  Liver Checklist
The best way to assess for liver dysfunction is a combination of blood markers and symptoms. Common liver malfunction indicators include:
  Nausea
Sensitive to chemicals (perfuma, cleaning agents, etc.)
Bitter/metallic taste in mouth
Headache over the eyes
Easily motion sick
Itchy skin
Jaundice colored skin/eyes
Swelling (abdomen, legs, ankles)
Light or clay colored stools
Greasy or shiny stools
Constipation
Easily intoxicated
Hormone imbalances (PMS, PMDD, irregular menses)
Glucose/blood sugar imbalances (hypoglycemia in particular)
Brain fog
Nutrasweet/artificial sweetener consumption
History of antibiotics, birth control or long term medications
  Liver Function Blood Markers
ALT: High
AST: High
GGT: High
LDH: High
Alkaline Phosphatase: High
    Cortisol Hormone Testing
Your CNS (central nervous system) is your “stress response system.” When functioning properly, your body is able to overcome stress. If malfunctioning, chronic illness and uncontrolled inflammation happens. Swelling of the brain and “stress response” system can lead to changes in nerve endings and interfere with the electrical signaling to all functions of the body. Enter: The unrelenting CIRS symptoms that persist for those who suffer from mycotoxin illness.
  Cortisol hormone testing can give you a clearer picture of where your “stress hormones” are at, along with neurotransmitter function that play a role in controlling inflammation and stress in the body as well—such as dopamine and serotonin.
  Note: NOT all hormone testing is created equal. While bloodwork is great for assessing sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone), it is not great at cortisol testing.
  Cortisol is a constantly changing hormone throughout the day. Therefore you need to collect multiple samples in a given day via urine and saliva in order to see an accurate pattern for your body. In addition, not all urine and saliva tests are created equal! Most tests measure either one or the other—leaving you with only partial results. Most tests also only measure “free cortisol”—NOT metabolized cortisol. However, free cortisol only makes up less than 3% of all cortisol in your body.
  For these reasons, to date, the gold standard for cortisol hormone testing is the DUTCH test—which uses both urine and saliva testing, and measures both free and metabolized cortisol.
  Recommendation:
DUTCH Cortisol Hormone Testing (Order Here)
  Visual Contrast Sensitivity Test
  Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker, creator of SurvivingMold.com and a “father” of mold toxicity recovery invented the “Visual Contrast Sensitivity” test  to measure of one of the neurologic functions of vision called contrast.
  In his years of work with patients recovering from mycotoxin illness, Dr. Shoemaker realized a key theme his patients shared was poor “contrast sensitivity” in their vision.
  His online test can help individuals further identify potential exposure to neurotoxins, biotoxins, and nutritional deficiencies in the body. These compounds have been implicated in diseases such as ADHD, CFIDS, fibromyalgia, mold illness, and Lyme disease.
  It’s not the “end all, be all”, but can be part of a comprehensive work up.
    Beyond Testing
While testing can be a helpful piece of the puzzle to identifying and confirming CIRS and mycotoxin illness, it’s vital to remember, testing is not the “end all, be all.”
  As a functional medicine practitioner, I treat and empower individuals based on the person, not the numbers, and if empirical findings—such as your symptoms or lack of health improvement despite “doing all the things” (i.e. eating clean, working out, sleeping) are still present, then it is safe to assume that something is not right “under the hood.”
  Check out the next post on my top ways to “treat” for mold and get rid of it! (So you can get on with your full, amazing life).
    References
Winnie Pui Pui, Liew & Sabran, Mohd Redzwan. (2018). Mycotoxin: Its Impact on Gut Health and Microbiota. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology. 8. 10.3389/fcimb.2018.00060.
Brewer JH, Thrasher JD, Hooper D. Chronic illness associated with mold and mycotoxins: is naso-sinus fungal biofilm the culprit? Toxins (Basel). 2013 Dec 24;6(1):66-80. doi: 10.3390/toxins6010066. PubMed PMID: 24368325; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3920250.
  The post How to Test for Mold Illness in Your Body  appeared first on Meet Dr. Lauryn.
Source/Repost=> https://drlauryn.com/wellness-knowledge/how-to-test-for-mold-illness/ ** Dr. Lauryn Lax __Nutrition. Therapy. Functional Medicine ** https://drlauryn.com/
5 notes · View notes
melissa-diaz · 4 years
Text
Trying something newish
I’ve decided to actually update this blog, as a way to get into the swing of writing again, and as a place to vent about things. Nothing crazy, just some thoughts, some stories, anything that seems interesting. This journal format seems a lot more comfortable to me than the quick flash and oblivion of a tweet or an insta. It’s like seeing schools of fish flashing by on their way to swimming in circles over some coral. Journaling feels more like a big blue whale: slow and sleepy, just like me.
So, I was in our bedroom, waiting for the electric kettle to bring some water to a boil or something like that, it was so mundane I forgot what I was even doing. Maybe I was just standing there, drooling and picking my nose, daydreaming about apple pie, when I heard something slam into one of the windows with a hard thunk.
For a second I thought it might be a neighbor that Gene had gotten into a wild Russian argument with the night before, over a car that had been blocking the driveway. Maybe he’d thrown something at the window, trying to lure Gene out again, this time with some Russian friends, who knows. I peek out to see, and there’s this sparrow on it’s little back, beak hanging open, twitching, wings splayed out at weird angles. After it had smacked into the window it had fallen right on the little yellow zinc awning over the front door to the house. I felt my heart go down to my rib cage when I realized it survived. I let Gene know and he went and scooped it up off the awning and cradling it in the palms of his hands brought it into the house.
He examined the bird under the floor lamp of his worktable while I taped up an old beat up white shoebox with duct tape and and plugged holes in with a pocketknife. I padded the inside with an old white hooded sweater that had that weird fuzz on it that makes it look like it’s covered in cottage cheese and we put the little bird inside. He was still alive beak was crooked and some blood was coming out of its mouth, and he was still barely conscious, but that sort of helped us get him in the box safely.
We left the box on the work table while I looked up a nearby animal wildlife rescue that took birds to take it to. I found one near Prospect Part, that was still going to be open for another hour.
Me and Gene got in the car, I held the shoe box on my lap while we listened to the radio and talked. It was warm today, but drizzling and grey. The bird started to come back to its senses and was intermittently bouncing around in the box and then sitting quietly whenever our conversation got too loud. I think feeling that bird fluttering around in my lap, while I wonder if it’s pooping or doing something weird in there, is the closest I’ll get to knowing what pregnancy feels like. Plus it was after 5pm so we had to sit through some traffic and got there in 40 minutes in what should’ve been a 20 minute ride. People forget how to move through space when it rains. It’s like water makes people freak out and act like lurching zombies behind the wheel. Rain makes people drive like they’re trying to find a cliff to fly off of.
We got to the animal rescue place, it had a pet supply store and adoption center sort of bleeding into each other. There was one of those adoption trucks outside where there’s a side of the truck where you can see some dogs and cats laying down in a cubicle through some plexiglas. They bus them around the city I guess every day like they’re a touring rock band. There was some lady standing like a lumberjack in front of the truck who didn’t return my polite hello as we walked by.
We walked into the pet supply store side. I handed the box over to some jaded looking guy with sandy hair and inspected all the cats they had in cages along one wall by the register while Gene filled out a form like some animal police report. Dogs were baying and carrying on on the other side where the animal rescue was. There were some Guinea pigs in the back, and a huge white dove eyeballing me skittishly, which makes sense to be nervous when all of your neighbors are really spry and muscular furry serial killers.
Gene passed the clipboard back to the guy, and that was it. Time to go. Seemed like a lot to go through with a bird to just leave it like that though. I asked if there was any way to get an update on how the bird was doing. The guy looked a little friendlier at the question, but was sorry to say they was not. They would take the bird to their vet, then move it to a wildlife rescue sanctuary or something. So we drove back and put on some socks and worked through some really rudimentary machine learning programs for a few hours. There was more I wanted to write about but I don’t want to overdo it on my first post and scare you away. So I’ll save it for next time.
Bye
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realityislife-blog · 7 years
Text
Rustic Kitchen Decorating Ideas
Bold Tile
Utilize eye-catching patterned tiles for contrast in a little, darkened kitchen for added personality, a perfect job if you're thinking about a summer renovation.
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LOS ANGELES CONTEMPORARY
In her midcentury Los Angeles house, fashion designer Rozae Nichols carefully preserves a California cool aesthetic with its laid back vibe and rustic elegance. Her kitchen sink fittings by Vola, and includes a backsplash of penny tiles, custom redwood cabinetry by Mission Tiles, a toaster and dishwasher by Miele.
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COUNTRYSIDE MINIMALISM
Inside of the comfy Long Island abode, the zinc-topped kitchen dining table is from ABC Carpet & Home, the stools are by Arthur Umanoff, the stove hood is by Thermador, and the walls are painted in Benjamin Moore's Just White.
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Vintage Sink
This couple adopted the background of their 18th-century farmhouse by filling it with antiques, and in the kitchen, that translates to a classic porcelain dual farm sink plus a screen of gorgeous antique dishes. Little touches, such as the faded checkered storage and carpet baskets beneath the sink, add to the style.
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Country Details
From the oversized farmhouse sink and dusty blue closets to the exposed ceiling beams and animal wall artwork, this kitchen's rustic vibe is complemented by an earthy palette of reds and browns.
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Salvaged Materials
This Georgia cabin makes extensive use of salvaged materials, and it attracts an acquired-over-time texture to this kitchen's features. Having heart pine floors salvaged from beams at a South Carolina mill, teak countertops, and a soapstone sink, this farmhouse kitchen has character and age.
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Exposed Shelving
Engineered timber appears even more lovely against crisp white walls and dishes. This northern California home's owner used Douglas fir for the shelving and redwood for the farm table. Exposed hanging and shelving pots are features of a country kitchen.
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White Shiplap
The all-white kitchen in this rustic Tennessee home remains comfy with shiplap paneling which "keeps items from atmosphere sterile," the owner says. Wooden accents such as the barstools and cutting boards add some heat.
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Barn Wood-Covered Kitchen Hood
Let your stove hood create a statement on your farmhouse-style kitchen, such as this eye-catching barnwood-covered bit that conceals a basic vent.
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Reclaimed Wood
The timber pillar and stove hood made from salvaged pine balance out the exquisite white features of this Georgia kitchen, which adds extra country charm with antique porch posts supporting the island, a chalkboard, and farm-fresh flowers in a pitcher.
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Text
Universal Cooker Hood Carbon Grease Filter Kit for Kitchen Extractor Fan Vent - 3 Pack from Zinc Products
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With so many on offer right now, it is good to have a brand you can trust. The Universal Cooker Hood Carbon Grease Filter Kit for Kitchen Extractor Fan Vent - 3 Pack is certainly that and will be a perfect acquisition.
For this great price, the Universal Cooker Hood Carbon Grease Filter Kit for Kitchen Extractor Fan Vent - 3 Pack is widely respected and is always a popular choice for many people. Zinc Products have included some excellent touches and this equals good value.
The article was originally published here!
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made-to-order · 1 year
Link
One of the main benefits of using a hand-hammered zinc hood in your kitchen is that it can effectively remove smoke, steam, and other pollutants from your cooking area. Zinc is a highly durable material that is resistant to corrosion and is also easy to maintain. This makes it an ideal choice for those who are looking for a long-lasting and easy-to-clean option for their kitchen. Another benefit of using a custom-made metal vent hood is the unique look that it can provide to your kitchen. Zinc is a versatile material that can be crafted into many different shapes and designs. This makes it a great choice for those who are looking to add a touch of uniqueness to their kitchen. From modern to traditional, there are many different styles and designs available to choose from. When choosing a custom-made range hood for your kitchen, it's important to consider the size and layout of your space. You want to choose a hood that is the right size for your kitchen and that can effectively remove smoke and steam from your cooking area.
Another factor to consider when choosing a decorative zinc extractor is the design and style. There are many different designs and styles available, from sleek and modern to ornate and traditional. Choose a style that fits your personal preferences and complements the overall aesthetic of your kitchen. Overall, using a custom-made zinc hood is a great way to add a unique touch to your kitchen. Not only is it functional and easy to maintain, but it can also be crafted into many different shapes and designs. From zinc range hoods to handmade zinc hoods, there are many different options available to fit your specific needs and preferences. If you're looking for a unique and durable option for your kitchen, consider using a Mexican range hood. With so many different styles and designs available, it's easy to find a zinc hood that fits your personal preferences and complements the overall aesthetic of your kitchen. So why wait? Start browsing our selection of zinc extractors today and take the first step towards upgrading your kitchen.
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rusticahouse · 2 months
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Last but not least you might take under consideration using vent hoods with the purpose of making a bold statement in an overall layout of the kitchen. If you want the first option, you should buy a handcrafted metal range hood that stands out from the rest of the decoration. Most of our hoods that are handcrafted in zinc, iron and tin, will not get unnoticed by anyone. Metals can be finished in a variety of ways and there are no common methods for all of them. Discount range hoods handcrafted from copper are produced in rustic fired, dark, honey and antique. Iron looks pretty much as it does in its natural appearance but can be treated with acid to make it rusted. Zinc range hoods are for the most part sold with unaltered color or darkened with sulfate ion. There are many parts of the customization to consider and we will work with you to produce a work of art for the ventilation in your kitchen. Delivery takes about a month including shipping from our Mexico based facility to any US mainland residential and commercial address.
0 notes
elizabethbgrimes · 5 years
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How to Test for Mold Illness in Your Body 
Do you have mold illness?
Check out my top recommended testing methods to find out, including:
 Mold Toxicity Checklist
Mycotoxin Urine Test
Bloodwork
Gut Testing
Liver Function Testing
DUTCH Cortisol Hormone Test
Visual Contrast Sensitivity Testing
Mold Illness Refresher
Let’s briefly review Mold Illness 101 before diving into my top recommended tests to know what we are looking for in the first place.
 Mold illness or “mycotoxin illness” is a serious condition that is commonly referred to as “CIRS”—Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome.
 Unlike a disease—which is condition typically with a specific known cause and similar symptoms (such as insulin resistance, frequent urination and weight gain in people with diabetes)— a syndrome, like CIRS, is a much broader “collection of signs and symptoms” that may present differently in different people.
 Signs & Symptoms of CIRS
Common signs and symptoms of mold illness or CIRS include
Respiratory difficulties (difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, asthma)
Neurological symptoms
Sinus congestion and stuffy nose
Hair loss
Anxiety
Brain fog, confusion or memory loss
Difficulty concentrating
Morning stiffness, joint pain
Light sensitivity
Skin rashes
Red eyes, blurred vision, sweats, mood swings, sharp pains
Feeling lightheaded or dizzy
Appetite swings
Poor body temperature regulation,
Gastrointestinal problems (cramps, abdominal pain)
Weight loss or weight gain (unintentional)
Unusual skin sensations, tingling and numbness
 You may have several of these symptoms—or just one or two. The amount of symptoms don’t matter as much as the unrelenting poor health experienced because of them.
 Although these symptoms are also synonymous with other conditions often talked about in functional medicine—from “adrenal fatigue”, thyroid disorders to gut dysbiosis—the key distinguisher in mycotoxin illness or CIRS is often times, these are often the patients who do not “get better” once commencing a protocol.
 Buttttt….how do you know if you really have “mold illness” or CIRS—or you’re just feeling out of sorts? What tests can you do to reveal true illness
 There are a handful…
 Mold Toxicity Checklist
Aside from identifying your symptoms, answer “Yes” or “No” for the following questions (adapted from Environmental Health Center).
 Yes or No?
Do musty odors bother you?
Have you worked or lived in a building where the air vents or ceiling tiles were discolored?
Have you noticed water damage or discoloration elsewhere?
Has your home been flooded?
Have you had leaks in the roof?
Do you experience unusual shortness of breath?
Do you experience recurring sinus infections?
Do you experience recurring respiratory infections and coughing?
Do you have frequent flu-like symptoms?
Do your symptoms worsen on rainy days?
Do you have frequent headaches?
Are you fatigued and have a skin rash?
 If you answer “yes” to 4 or more, your CIRS-like symptoms may have some more merit.
 Mycotoxin Urine Test
Mycotoxin urine testing is a relatively newer form of testing that can reveal the release of toxins in the urine. If you really suspect mycotoxin illness from molds to be at play, this test can yield highly insightful information for putting your puzzle together.
 Some key detected mycotoxins include:
Ochratoxins
Aflatoxins
Trichothecenes
Glicotoxins
 Recommendation:
Great Plains Urine Testing (Order Here on behalf of Dr. Lauryn Lax, OTD).
 *Note: Sometimes false “negatives” can occur with urine testing since some patients are unable to detoxify in the first place. In order to get the most accurate results, I recommend using high dose glutathione + NAC for 5 to 7 days prior to conducting your urine test in order to encourage elimination and detoxification.
 My preferred formula is Trizomal Glutathione by Apex Energetics, which includes both NAC and glutathione. Take 1 tsp 3 times per day for 5 to 7 days.  It is tough to find online, but if you call the company directly at 949-251-0152, request a bottle be sent to you on behalf of Dr. Lauryn Lax.
 Bloodwork
Bloodwork doesn’t always tell the whole story of CIRS or mycotoxin illness, but certainly can point to markers of inflammation and immune dysregulation.
 Unfortunately, many patients consult with their conventional medical practitioners and are told, “Your lab tests are normal”, but have not ordered more specialized tests that help look deeper into mycotoxicity and inflammation.  Helpful markers and their normal ranges for assessing mycotoxin illness include:
 Specialty Mycotoxin Blood Tests
Elevations in the following markers point to mold toxicity
VIP (normal range: 23-63, only available by ARUP Labs)
MSH (normal: 35-81)
MMP-9 (normal: 85-332)
C4a (normal: 0-2380)
TGF-beta-1 (normal: <2380)
Leptin (Male: 0.5-13.8; Female: 1.1-27.5)
HLA-DR (the gene that 25% of the population has, making them more susceptible to mycotoxicity; can only be run by LabCorp)
  OTHER LABS
Other labs that may be “off” on general lab work include:
 Complete Blood Count
Red Blood Count low (normal: 4.40–4.90 x 106/µL)
White Blood Count low or high (normal: 5.0–0 x 103/µL)
 Methylation Markers
MMA high (ideal < 300 nmol/L)
Folate low (ideal > 8 μg/L)
 Bloodsugar Markers
Glucose low or high (normal fasting: 75-85, normal 1-2 hours post-meal: 110-140)
HgbA1C high (normal 4.6–5.3%)
 Liver Enzymes
AST high (normal: Male: 0–25 IU/L; Female: 0–23 IU/L)
ALT high (normal: Male: 0–26 IU/L; Female: 0–20 IU/L)
 Nutrient Markers*
Zinc (often low)* (normal: 81–157 µg/dL)
Copper* often high (excess copper can lead to low zinc) (normal: 81–157 µg/dL)
Iron high or low (ideal: 40–135 µg/dL)
Ferritin high (Male: 30–200 ng/mL; Female: 30–100 ng/mL)
Vitamin D low (normal: 35–60 ng/mL)
 *Urine testing via NutraEval (Order Here and search for “NutraEval FMV by Genova)
 Inflammatory Markers
Total Cholesterol high (normal: 150–220 mg/dL for males; 150–230 mg/dL for females)
LDL Cholesterol high (normal: 0–140 mg/dL)
C Reactive Protein (CRP) high (normal: 0–1 mg/L)
BUN high or low (normal: 13–18 mg/dL)
Creatine low (normal: Male: 0.85–1.1 mg/dL; Female: 0.7 – 1.0 mg/dL)
 Hormone Markers*
*Hormone markers can be a sign that something more is going on “under the hood.” Inflammation from mold toxicity and CIRS can drive hormone imbalance. Since hormones are the “key messengers” made by our glands to regulate body functions, if our hormones are “off”, they may perpetuate the symptoms of CIRS.
 PTH elevation (normal: 10-35 pg/mL
T3 (Thyroid Hormone) deficiency (normal: 2.5–4.0 pg/mL)
Testosterone deficiency
Progesterone deficiency
Estrogen dominance or deficiency
 Bloodwork out of the norm in several of these areas may indicate imbalance.
  Gut Testing
A bi-directional relationship exists between mycotoxins and gut microbiome—mycotoxicity can impact and worsen our gut health, just like poor gut health can make one more susceptible to mycotoxicosis (1)—creating the “perfect” storm.
 On this note, it’s critical to realize, “mold illness” does not just happen from mold alone. Other pathogens that cause the same symptoms as mold illness include:
 Bacteria & bacterial infections (like Babesia and Borrelia)
Fungi
Mycobacteria
Mold
Mold spores
Endotoxins (aka lipopolysaccharides, or LPS; cell wall components of gram-negative bacteria)
Inflammagens (irritants that cause inflammation and edema)
Beta-glucans (sugars that are found in the cell walls of bacteria, fungi, yeasts, algae, lichens, and plants)
Hemolysins (toxins produced by bacteria that can destroy cells)
Volatile organic compounds
 The key theme behind all of these? They affect your gut!
 Your gut microbiome is home to 100 trillion microorganisms (gut bacteria). The healthier your gut bacteria, the healthier you are! The sicker or more pathogenic your gut bacteria, the sicker you are!
 It’s no wonder that candida (fungal overgrowth) and sinus congestion (from fungi and mold growth in the nose—part of the nasal microbiome) are common in those with suspected mold toxicity or CIRS (2).
Given that approximately 80% of your immune system is produced and housed in your gut, a “strong” gut filled with diverse, healthy gut bacteria helps boost your immune fighting defenses to weather the storm of mold and mycotoxin exposure. However, if your gut is infiltrated by pathogens—and not enough “man power” to weather the storm, eventually your gut microbiome profile can shift, resulting in an unhealthier gut…and an unhealthier you.
 Recommendation:
Comprehensive Stool Analysis + Parasitology x 3 (Doctor’s Data) (Order Here)
 Liver Testing & Symptom Checklist
In addition to your gut, your liver—your body’s “chemical processing factory” and recycling system—also plays an important role in guarding against mycotoxin and mold illness. Consider your liver your “defense” for mycotoxin and mold exposure. A sluggish or overworked liver can equally wreak havoc on your health and make you susceptible to mycotoxin illness
 Liver Checklist
The best way to assess for liver dysfunction is a combination of blood markers and symptoms. Common liver malfunction indicators include:
 Nausea
Sensitive to chemicals (perfuma, cleaning agents, etc.)
Bitter/metallic taste in mouth
Headache over the eyes
Easily motion sick
Itchy skin
Jaundice colored skin/eyes
Swelling (abdomen, legs, ankles)
Light or clay colored stools
Greasy or shiny stools
Constipation
Easily intoxicated
Hormone imbalances (PMS, PMDD, irregular menses)
Glucose/blood sugar imbalances (hypoglycemia in particular)
Brain fog
Nutrasweet/artificial sweetener consumption
History of antibiotics, birth control or long term medications
 Liver Function Blood Markers
ALT: High
AST: High
GGT: High
LDH: High
Alkaline Phosphatase: High
  Cortisol Hormone Testing
Your CNS (central nervous system) is your “stress response system.” When functioning properly, your body is able to overcome stress. If malfunctioning, chronic illness and uncontrolled inflammation happens. Swelling of the brain and “stress response” system can lead to changes in nerve endings and interfere with the electrical signaling to all functions of the body. Enter: The unrelenting CIRS symptoms that persist for those who suffer from mycotoxin illness.
 Cortisol hormone testing can give you a clearer picture of where your “stress hormones” are at, along with neurotransmitter function that play a role in controlling inflammation and stress in the body as well—such as dopamine and serotonin.
 Note: NOT all hormone testing is created equal. While bloodwork is great for assessing sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone), it is not great at cortisol testing.
 Cortisol is a constantly changing hormone throughout the day. Therefore you need to collect multiple samples in a given day via urine and saliva in order to see an accurate pattern for your body. In addition, not all urine and saliva tests are created equal! Most tests measure either one or the other—leaving you with only partial results. Most tests also only measure “free cortisol”—NOT metabolized cortisol. However, free cortisol only makes up less than 3% of all cortisol in your body.
 For these reasons, to date, the gold standard for cortisol hormone testing is the DUTCH test—which uses both urine and saliva testing, and measures both free and metabolized cortisol.
 Recommendation:
DUTCH Cortisol Hormone Testing (Order Here)
 Visual Contrast Sensitivity Test
 Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker, creator of SurvivingMold.com and a “father” of mold toxicity recovery invented the “Visual Contrast Sensitivity” test  to measure of one of the neurologic functions of vision called contrast.
 In his years of work with patients recovering from mycotoxin illness, Dr. Shoemaker realized a key theme his patients shared was poor “contrast sensitivity” in their vision.
 His online test can help individuals further identify potential exposure to neurotoxins, biotoxins, and nutritional deficiencies in the body. These compounds have been implicated in diseases such as ADHD, CFIDS, fibromyalgia, mold illness, and Lyme disease.
 It’s not the “end all, be all”, but can be part of a comprehensive work up.
  Beyond Testing
While testing can be a helpful piece of the puzzle to identifying and confirming CIRS and mycotoxin illness, it’s vital to remember, testing is not the “end all, be all.”
 As a functional medicine practitioner, I treat and empower individuals based on the person, not the numbers, and if empirical findings—such as your symptoms or lack of health improvement despite “doing all the things” (i.e. eating clean, working out, sleeping) are still present, then it is safe to assume that something is not right “under the hood.”
 Check out the next post on my top ways to “treat” for mold and get rid of it! (So you can get on with your full, amazing life).
  References
Winnie Pui Pui, Liew & Sabran, Mohd Redzwan. (2018). Mycotoxin: Its Impact on Gut Health and Microbiota. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology. 8. 10.3389/fcimb.2018.00060.
Brewer JH, Thrasher JD, Hooper D. Chronic illness associated with mold and mycotoxins: is naso-sinus fungal biofilm the culprit? Toxins (Basel). 2013 Dec 24;6(1):66-80. doi: 10.3390/toxins6010066. PubMed PMID: 24368325; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3920250.
 The post How to Test for Mold Illness in Your Body  appeared first on Meet Dr. Lauryn.
Source/Repost=> https://drlauryn.com/wellness-knowledge/how-to-test-for-mold-illness/ ** Dr. Lauryn Lax __Nutrition. Therapy. Functional Medicine ** https://drlauryn.com/ How to Test for Mold Illness in Your Body  via https://drlaurynlax.blogspot.com/
0 notes
brian-cdates · 5 years
Text
How to Test for Mold Illness in Your Body 
Do you have mold illness?
Check out my top recommended testing methods to find out, including:
Mold Toxicity Checklist
Mycotoxin Urine Test
Bloodwork
Gut Testing
Liver Function Testing
DUTCH Cortisol Hormone Test
Visual Contrast Sensitivity Testing
Mold Illness Refresher
Let’s briefly review Mold Illness 101 before diving into my top recommended tests to know what we are looking for in the first place.
Mold illness or “mycotoxin illness” is a serious condition that is commonly referred to as “CIRS”—Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome.
Unlike a disease—which is condition typically with a specific known cause and similar symptoms (such as insulin resistance, frequent urination and weight gain in people with diabetes)— a syndrome, like CIRS, is a much broader “collection of signs and symptoms” that may present differently in different people.
Signs & Symptoms of CIRS
Common signs and symptoms of mold illness or CIRS include
Respiratory difficulties (difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, asthma)
Neurological symptoms
Sinus congestion and stuffy nose
Hair loss
Anxiety
Brain fog, confusion or memory loss
Difficulty concentrating
Morning stiffness, joint pain
Light sensitivity
Skin rashes
Red eyes, blurred vision, sweats, mood swings, sharp pains
Feeling lightheaded or dizzy
Appetite swings
Poor body temperature regulation,
Gastrointestinal problems (cramps, abdominal pain)
Weight loss or weight gain (unintentional)
Unusual skin sensations, tingling and numbness
You may have several of these symptoms—or just one or two. The amount of symptoms don’t matter as much as the unrelenting poor health experienced because of them.
Although these symptoms are also synonymous with other conditions often talked about in functional medicine—from “adrenal fatigue”, thyroid disorders to gut dysbiosis—the key distinguisher in mycotoxin illness or CIRS is often times, these are often the patients who do not “get better” once commencing a protocol.
Buttttt….how do you know if you really have “mold illness” or CIRS—or you’re just feeling out of sorts? What tests can you do to reveal true illness
There are a handful…
Mold Toxicity Checklist
Aside from identifying your symptoms, answer “Yes” or “No” for the following questions (adapted from Environmental Health Center).
Yes or No?
Do musty odors bother you?
Have you worked or lived in a building where the air vents or ceiling tiles were discolored?
Have you noticed water damage or discoloration elsewhere?
Has your home been flooded?
Have you had leaks in the roof?
Do you experience unusual shortness of breath?
Do you experience recurring sinus infections?
Do you experience recurring respiratory infections and coughing?
Do you have frequent flu-like symptoms?
Do your symptoms worsen on rainy days?
Do you have frequent headaches?
Are you fatigued and have a skin rash?
If you answer “yes” to 4 or more, your CIRS-like symptoms may have some more merit.
Mycotoxin Urine Test
Mycotoxin urine testing is a relatively newer form of testing that can reveal the release of toxins in the urine. If you really suspect mycotoxin illness from molds to be at play, this test can yield highly insightful information for putting your puzzle together.
Some key detected mycotoxins include:
Ochratoxins
Aflatoxins
Trichothecenes
Glicotoxins
Recommendation:
Great Plains Urine Testing (Order Here on behalf of Dr. Lauryn Lax, OTD).
*Note: Sometimes false “negatives” can occur with urine testing since some patients are unable to detoxify in the first place. In order to get the most accurate results, I recommend using high dose glutathione + NAC for 5 to 7 days prior to conducting your urine test in order to encourage elimination and detoxification.
My preferred formula is Trizomal Glutathione by Apex Energetics, which includes both NAC and glutathione. Take 1 tsp 3 times per day for 5 to 7 days.  It is tough to find online, but if you call the company directly at 949-251-0152, request a bottle be sent to you on behalf of Dr. Lauryn Lax.
Bloodwork
Bloodwork doesn’t always tell the whole story of CIRS or mycotoxin illness, but certainly can point to markers of inflammation and immune dysregulation.
Unfortunately, many patients consult with their conventional medical practitioners and are told, “Your lab tests are normal”, but have not ordered more specialized tests that help look deeper into mycotoxicity and inflammation.  Helpful markers and their normal ranges for assessing mycotoxin illness include:
Specialty Mycotoxin Blood Tests
Elevations in the following markers point to mold toxicity
VIP (normal range: 23-63, only available by ARUP Labs)
MSH (normal: 35-81)
MMP-9 (normal: 85-332)
C4a (normal: 0-2380)
TGF-beta-1 (normal: <2380)
Leptin (Male: 0.5-13.8; Female: 1.1-27.5)
HLA-DR (the gene that 25% of the population has, making them more susceptible to mycotoxicity; can only be run by LabCorp)
  OTHER LABS
Other labs that may be “off” on general lab work include:
Complete Blood Count
Red Blood Count low (normal: 4.40–4.90 x 106/µL)
White Blood Count low or high (normal: 5.0–0 x 103/µL)
Methylation Markers
MMA high (ideal < 300 nmol/L)
Folate low (ideal > 8 μg/L)
  Bloodsugar Markers
Glucose low or high (normal fasting: 75-85, normal 1-2 hours post-meal: 110-140)
HgbA1C high (normal 4.6–5.3%)
Liver Enzymes
AST high (normal: Male: 0–25 IU/L; Female: 0–23 IU/L)
ALT high (normal: Male: 0–26 IU/L; Female: 0–20 IU/L)
  Nutrient Markers*
Zinc (often low)* (normal: 81–157 µg/dL)
Copper* often high (excess copper can lead to low zinc) (normal: 81–157 µg/dL)
Iron high or low (ideal: 40–135 µg/dL)
Ferritin high (Male: 30–200 ng/mL; Female: 30–100 ng/mL)
Vitamin D low (normal: 35–60 ng/mL)
*Urine testing via NutraEval (Order Here and search for “NutraEval FMV by Genova)
  Inflammatory Markers
Total Cholesterol high (normal: 150–220 mg/dL for males; 150–230 mg/dL for females)
LDL Cholesterol high (normal: 0–140 mg/dL)
C Reactive Protein (CRP) high (normal: 0–1 mg/L)
BUN high or low (normal: 13–18 mg/dL)
Creatine low (normal: Male: 0.85–1.1 mg/dL; Female: 0.7 – 1.0 mg/dL)
Hormone Markers*
*Hormone markers can be a sign that something more is going on “under the hood.” Inflammation from mold toxicity and CIRS can drive hormone imbalance. Since hormones are the “key messengers” made by our glands to regulate body functions, if our hormones are “off”, they may perpetuate the symptoms of CIRS.
PTH elevation (normal: 10-35 pg/mL
T3 (Thyroid Hormone) deficiency (normal: 2.5–4.0 pg/mL)
Testosterone deficiency
Progesterone deficiency
Estrogen dominance or deficiency
  Bloodwork out of the norm in several of these areas may indicate imbalance.
Gut Testing
A bi-directional relationship exists between mycotoxins and gut microbiome—mycotoxicity can impact and worsen our gut health, just like poor gut health can make one more susceptible to mycotoxicosis (1)—creating the “perfect” storm.
On this note, it’s critical to realize, “mold illness” does not just happen from mold alone. Other pathogens that cause the same symptoms as mold illness include:
Bacteria & bacterial infections (like Babesia and Borrelia)
Fungi
Mycobacteria
Mold
Mold spores
Endotoxins (aka lipopolysaccharides, or LPS; cell wall components of gram-negative bacteria)
Inflammagens (irritants that cause inflammation and edema)
Beta-glucans (sugars that are found in the cell walls of bacteria, fungi, yeasts, algae, lichens, and plants)
Hemolysins (toxins produced by bacteria that can destroy cells)
Volatile organic compounds
  The key theme behind all of these? They affect your gut!
Your gut microbiome is home to 100 trillion microorganisms (gut bacteria). The healthier your gut bacteria, the healthier you are! The sicker or more pathogenic your gut bacteria, the sicker you are!
It’s no wonder that candida (fungal overgrowth) and sinus congestion (from fungi and mold growth in the nose—part of the nasal microbiome) are common in those with suspected mold toxicity or CIRS (2).
Given that approximately 80% of your immune system is produced and housed in your gut, a “strong” gut filled with diverse, healthy gut bacteria helps boost your immune fighting defenses to weather the storm of mold and mycotoxin exposure. However, if your gut is infiltrated by pathogens—and not enough “man power” to weather the storm, eventually your gut microbiome profile can shift, resulting in an unhealthier gut…and an unhealthier you.
Recommendation:
Comprehensive Stool Analysis + Parasitology x 3 (Doctor’s Data) (Order Here)
Liver Testing & Symptom Checklist
In addition to your gut, your liver—your body’s “chemical processing factory” and recycling system—also plays an important role in guarding against mycotoxin and mold illness. Consider your liver your “defense” for mycotoxin and mold exposure. A sluggish or overworked liver can equally wreak havoc on your health and make you susceptible to mycotoxin illness
Liver Checklist
The best way to assess for liver dysfunction is a combination of blood markers and symptoms. Common liver malfunction indicators include:
Nausea
Sensitive to chemicals (perfuma, cleaning agents, etc.)
Bitter/metallic taste in mouth
Headache over the eyes
Easily motion sick
Itchy skin
Jaundice colored skin/eyes
Swelling (abdomen, legs, ankles)
Light or clay colored stools
Greasy or shiny stools
Constipation
Easily intoxicated
Hormone imbalances (PMS, PMDD, irregular menses)
Glucose/blood sugar imbalances (hypoglycemia in particular)
Brain fog
Nutrasweet/artificial sweetener consumption
History of antibiotics, birth control or long term medications
  Liver Function Blood Markers
ALT: High
AST: High
GGT: High
LDH: High
Alkaline Phosphatase: High
Cortisol Hormone Testing
Your CNS (central nervous system) is your “stress response system.” When functioning properly, your body is able to overcome stress. If malfunctioning, chronic illness and uncontrolled inflammation happens. Swelling of the brain and “stress response” system can lead to changes in nerve endings and interfere with the electrical signaling to all functions of the body. Enter: The unrelenting CIRS symptoms that persist for those who suffer from mycotoxin illness.
Cortisol hormone testing can give you a clearer picture of where your “stress hormones” are at, along with neurotransmitter function that play a role in controlling inflammation and stress in the body as well—such as dopamine and serotonin.
Note: NOT all hormone testing is created equal. While bloodwork is great for assessing sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone), it is not great at cortisol testing.
Cortisol is a constantly changing hormone throughout the day. Therefore you need to collect multiple samples in a given day via urine and saliva in order to see an accurate pattern for your body. In addition, not all urine and saliva tests are created equal! Most tests measure either one or the other—leaving you with only partial results. Most tests also only measure “free cortisol”—NOT metabolized cortisol. However, free cortisol only makes up less than 3% of all cortisol in your body.
For these reasons, to date, the gold standard for cortisol hormone testing is the DUTCH test—which uses both urine and saliva testing, and measures both free and metabolized cortisol.
Recommendation:
DUTCH Cortisol Hormone Testing (Order Here)
  Visual Contrast Sensitivity Test
Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker, creator of SurvivingMold.com and a “father” of mold toxicity recovery invented the “Visual Contrast Sensitivity” test  to measure of one of the neurologic functions of vision called contrast.
In his years of work with patients recovering from mycotoxin illness, Dr. Shoemaker realized a key theme his patients shared was poor “contrast sensitivity” in their vision.
His online test can help individuals further identify potential exposure to neurotoxins, biotoxins, and nutritional deficiencies in the body. These compounds have been implicated in diseases such as ADHD, CFIDS, fibromyalgia, mold illness, and Lyme disease.
It’s not the “end all, be all”, but can be part of a comprehensive work up.
  Beyond Testing
While testing can be a helpful piece of the puzzle to identifying and confirming CIRS and mycotoxin illness, it’s vital to remember, testing is not the “end all, be all.”
As a functional medicine practitioner, I treat and empower individuals based on the person, not the numbers, and if empirical findings—such as your symptoms or lack of health improvement despite “doing all the things” (i.e. eating clean, working out, sleeping) are still present, then it is safe to assume that something is not right “under the hood.”
Check out the next post on my top ways to “treat” for mold and get rid of it! (So you can get on with your full, amazing life).
  References
Winnie Pui Pui, Liew & Sabran, Mohd Redzwan. (2018). Mycotoxin: Its Impact on Gut Health and Microbiota. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology. 8. 10.3389/fcimb.2018.00060.
Brewer JH, Thrasher JD, Hooper D. Chronic illness associated with mold and mycotoxins: is naso-sinus fungal biofilm the culprit? Toxins (Basel). 2013 Dec 24;6(1):66-80. doi: 10.3390/toxins6010066. PubMed PMID: 24368325; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3920250.
The post How to Test for Mold Illness in Your Body  appeared first on Meet Dr. Lauryn.
Source/Repost=> https://drlauryn.com/wellness-knowledge/how-to-test-for-mold-illness/ ** Dr. Lauryn Lax __Nutrition. Therapy. Functional Medicine ** https://drlauryn.com/ How to Test for Mold Illness in Your Body  via http://drlaurynlax.tumblr.com/
0 notes
clarencebfaber · 5 years
Text
How to Test for Mold Illness in Your Body
Do you have mold illness?
Check out my top recommended testing methods to find out, including:
 Mold Toxicity Checklist
Mycotoxin Urine Test
Bloodwork
Gut Testing
Liver Function Testing
DUTCH Cortisol Hormone Test
Visual Contrast Sensitivity Testing
Mold Illness Refresher
Let’s briefly review Mold Illness 101 before diving into my top recommended tests to know what we are looking for in the first place.
 Mold illness or “mycotoxin illness” is a serious condition that is commonly referred to as “CIRS”—Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome.
 Unlike a disease—which is condition typically with a specific known cause and similar symptoms (such as insulin resistance, frequent urination and weight gain in people with diabetes)— a syndrome, like CIRS, is a much broader “collection of signs and symptoms” that may present differently in different people.
 Signs & Symptoms of CIRS
Common signs and symptoms of mold illness or CIRS include
Respiratory difficulties (difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, asthma)
Neurological symptoms
Sinus congestion and stuffy nose
Hair loss
Anxiety
Brain fog, confusion or memory loss
Difficulty concentrating
Morning stiffness, joint pain
Light sensitivity
Skin rashes
Red eyes, blurred vision, sweats, mood swings, sharp pains
Feeling lightheaded or dizzy
Appetite swings
Poor body temperature regulation,
Gastrointestinal problems (cramps, abdominal pain)
Weight loss or weight gain (unintentional)
Unusual skin sensations, tingling and numbness
 You may have several of these symptoms—or just one or two. The amount of symptoms don’t matter as much as the unrelenting poor health experienced because of them.
 Although these symptoms are also synonymous with other conditions often talked about in functional medicine—from “adrenal fatigue”, thyroid disorders to gut dysbiosis—the key distinguisher in mycotoxin illness or CIRS is often times, these are often the patients who do not “get better” once commencing a protocol.
 Buttttt….how do you know if you really have “mold illness” or CIRS—or you’re just feeling out of sorts? What tests can you do to reveal true illness
 There are a handful…
 Mold Toxicity Checklist
Aside from identifying your symptoms, answer “Yes” or “No” for the following questions (adapted from Environmental Health Center).
 Yes or No?
Do musty odors bother you?
Have you worked or lived in a building where the air vents or ceiling tiles were discolored?
Have you noticed water damage or discoloration elsewhere?
Has your home been flooded?
Have you had leaks in the roof?
Do you experience unusual shortness of breath?
Do you experience recurring sinus infections?
Do you experience recurring respiratory infections and coughing?
Do you have frequent flu-like symptoms?
Do your symptoms worsen on rainy days?
Do you have frequent headaches?
Are you fatigued and have a skin rash?
 If you answer “yes” to 4 or more, your CIRS-like symptoms may have some more merit.
 Mycotoxin Urine Test
Mycotoxin urine testing is a relatively newer form of testing that can reveal the release of toxins in the urine. If you really suspect mycotoxin illness from molds to be at play, this test can yield highly insightful information for putting your puzzle together.
 Some key detected mycotoxins include:
Ochratoxins
Aflatoxins
Trichothecenes
Glicotoxins
 Recommendation:
Great Plains Urine Testing (Order Here on behalf of Dr. Lauryn Lax, OTD).
 *Note: Sometimes false “negatives” can occur with urine testing since some patients are unable to detoxify in the first place. In order to get the most accurate results, I recommend using high dose glutathione + NAC for 5 to 7 days prior to conducting your urine test in order to encourage elimination and detoxification.
 My preferred formula is Trizomal Glutathione by Apex Energetics, which includes both NAC and glutathione. Take 1 tsp 3 times per day for 5 to 7 days.  It is tough to find online, but if you call the company directly at 949-251-0152, request a bottle be sent to you on behalf of Dr. Lauryn Lax.
 Bloodwork
Bloodwork doesn’t always tell the whole story of CIRS or mycotoxin illness, but certainly can point to markers of inflammation and immune dysregulation.
 Unfortunately, many patients consult with their conventional medical practitioners and are told, “Your lab tests are normal”, but have not ordered more specialized tests that help look deeper into mycotoxicity and inflammation.  Helpful markers and their normal ranges for assessing mycotoxin illness include:
 Specialty Mycotoxin Blood Tests
Elevations in the following markers point to mold toxicity
VIP (normal range: 23-63, only available by ARUP Labs)
MSH (normal: 35-81)
MMP-9 (normal: 85-332)
C4a (normal: 0-2380)
TGF-beta-1 (normal: <2380)
Leptin (Male: 0.5-13.8; Female: 1.1-27.5)
HLA-DR (the gene that 25% of the population has, making them more susceptible to mycotoxicity; can only be run by LabCorp)
  OTHER LABS
Other labs that may be “off” on general lab work include:
 Complete Blood Count
Red Blood Count low (normal: 4.40–4.90 x 106/µL)
White Blood Count low or high (normal: 5.0–0 x 103/µL)
 Methylation Markers
MMA high (ideal < 300 nmol/L)
Folate low (ideal > 8 μg/L)
 Bloodsugar Markers
Glucose low or high (normal fasting: 75-85, normal 1-2 hours post-meal: 110-140)
HgbA1C high (normal 4.6–5.3%)
 Liver Enzymes
AST high (normal: Male: 0–25 IU/L; Female: 0–23 IU/L)
ALT high (normal: Male: 0–26 IU/L; Female: 0–20 IU/L)
 Nutrient Markers*
Zinc (often low)* (normal: 81–157 µg/dL)
Copper* often high (excess copper can lead to low zinc) (normal: 81–157 µg/dL)
Iron high or low (ideal: 40–135 µg/dL)
Ferritin high (Male: 30–200 ng/mL; Female: 30–100 ng/mL)
Vitamin D low (normal: 35–60 ng/mL)
 *Urine testing via NutraEval (Order Here and search for “NutraEval FMV by Genova)
 Inflammatory Markers
Total Cholesterol high (normal: 150–220 mg/dL for males; 150–230 mg/dL for females)
LDL Cholesterol high (normal: 0–140 mg/dL)
C Reactive Protein (CRP) high (normal: 0–1 mg/L)
BUN high or low (normal: 13–18 mg/dL)
Creatine low (normal: Male: 0.85–1.1 mg/dL; Female: 0.7 – 1.0 mg/dL)
 Hormone Markers*
*Hormone markers can be a sign that something more is going on “under the hood.” Inflammation from mold toxicity and CIRS can drive hormone imbalance. Since hormones are the “key messengers” made by our glands to regulate body functions, if our hormones are “off”, they may perpetuate the symptoms of CIRS.
 PTH elevation (normal: 10-35 pg/mL
T3 (Thyroid Hormone) deficiency (normal: 2.5–4.0 pg/mL)
Testosterone deficiency
Progesterone deficiency
Estrogen dominance or deficiency
 Bloodwork out of the norm in several of these areas may indicate imbalance.
  Gut Testing
A bi-directional relationship exists between mycotoxins and gut microbiome—mycotoxicity can impact and worsen our gut health, just like poor gut health can make one more susceptible to mycotoxicosis (1)—creating the “perfect” storm.
 On this note, it’s critical to realize, “mold illness” does not just happen from mold alone. Other pathogens that cause the same symptoms as mold illness include:
 Bacteria & bacterial infections (like Babesia and Borrelia)
Fungi
Mycobacteria
Mold
Mold spores
Endotoxins (aka lipopolysaccharides, or LPS; cell wall components of gram-negative bacteria)
Inflammagens (irritants that cause inflammation and edema)
Beta-glucans (sugars that are found in the cell walls of bacteria, fungi, yeasts, algae, lichens, and plants)
Hemolysins (toxins produced by bacteria that can destroy cells)
Volatile organic compounds
 The key theme behind all of these? They affect your gut!
 Your gut microbiome is home to 100 trillion microorganisms (gut bacteria). The healthier your gut bacteria, the healthier you are! The sicker or more pathogenic your gut bacteria, the sicker you are!
 It’s no wonder that candida (fungal overgrowth) and sinus congestion (from fungi and mold growth in the nose—part of the nasal microbiome) are common in those with suspected mold toxicity or CIRS (2).
Given that approximately 80% of your immune system is produced and housed in your gut, a “strong” gut filled with diverse, healthy gut bacteria helps boost your immune fighting defenses to weather the storm of mold and mycotoxin exposure. However, if your gut is infiltrated by pathogens—and not enough “man power” to weather the storm, eventually your gut microbiome profile can shift, resulting in an unhealthier gut…and an unhealthier you.
 Recommendation:
Comprehensive Stool Analysis + Parasitology x 3 (Doctor’s Data) (Order Here)
 Liver Testing & Symptom Checklist
In addition to your gut, your liver—your body’s “chemical processing factory” and recycling system—also plays an important role in guarding against mycotoxin and mold illness. Consider your liver your “defense” for mycotoxin and mold exposure. A sluggish or overworked liver can equally wreak havoc on your health and make you susceptible to mycotoxin illness
 Liver Checklist
The best way to assess for liver dysfunction is a combination of blood markers and symptoms. Common liver malfunction indicators include:
 Nausea
Sensitive to chemicals (perfuma, cleaning agents, etc.)
Bitter/metallic taste in mouth
Headache over the eyes
Easily motion sick
Itchy skin
Jaundice colored skin/eyes
Swelling (abdomen, legs, ankles)
Light or clay colored stools
Greasy or shiny stools
Constipation
Easily intoxicated
Hormone imbalances (PMS, PMDD, irregular menses)
Glucose/blood sugar imbalances (hypoglycemia in particular)
Brain fog
Nutrasweet/artificial sweetener consumption
History of antibiotics, birth control or long term medications
 Liver Function Blood Markers
ALT: High
AST: High
GGT: High
LDH: High
Alkaline Phosphatase: High
  Cortisol Hormone Testing
Your CNS (central nervous system) is your “stress response system.” When functioning properly, your body is able to overcome stress. If malfunctioning, chronic illness and uncontrolled inflammation happens. Swelling of the brain and “stress response” system can lead to changes in nerve endings and interfere with the electrical signaling to all functions of the body. Enter: The unrelenting CIRS symptoms that persist for those who suffer from mycotoxin illness.
 Cortisol hormone testing can give you a clearer picture of where your “stress hormones” are at, along with neurotransmitter function that play a role in controlling inflammation and stress in the body as well—such as dopamine and serotonin.
 Note: NOT all hormone testing is created equal. While bloodwork is great for assessing sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone), it is not great at cortisol testing.
 Cortisol is a constantly changing hormone throughout the day. Therefore you need to collect multiple samples in a given day via urine and saliva in order to see an accurate pattern for your body. In addition, not all urine and saliva tests are created equal! Most tests measure either one or the other—leaving you with only partial results. Most tests also only measure “free cortisol”—NOT metabolized cortisol. However, free cortisol only makes up less than 3% of all cortisol in your body.
 For these reasons, to date, the gold standard for cortisol hormone testing is the DUTCH test—which uses both urine and saliva testing, and measures both free and metabolized cortisol.
 Recommendation:
DUTCH Cortisol Hormone Testing (Order Here)
 Visual Contrast Sensitivity Test
 Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker, creator of SurvivingMold.com and a “father” of mold toxicity recovery invented the “Visual Contrast Sensitivity” test  to measure of one of the neurologic functions of vision called contrast.
 In his years of work with patients recovering from mycotoxin illness, Dr. Shoemaker realized a key theme his patients shared was poor “contrast sensitivity” in their vision.
 His online test can help individuals further identify potential exposure to neurotoxins, biotoxins, and nutritional deficiencies in the body. These compounds have been implicated in diseases such as ADHD, CFIDS, fibromyalgia, mold illness, and Lyme disease.
 It’s not the “end all, be all”, but can be part of a comprehensive work up.
  Beyond Testing
While testing can be a helpful piece of the puzzle to identifying and confirming CIRS and mycotoxin illness, it’s vital to remember, testing is not the “end all, be all.”
 As a functional medicine practitioner, I treat and empower individuals based on the person, not the numbers, and if empirical findings—such as your symptoms or lack of health improvement despite “doing all the things” (i.e. eating clean, working out, sleeping) are still present, then it is safe to assume that something is not right “under the hood.”
 Check out the next post on my top ways to “treat” for mold and get rid of it! (So you can get on with your full, amazing life).
  References
Winnie Pui Pui, Liew & Sabran, Mohd Redzwan. (2018). Mycotoxin: Its Impact on Gut Health and Microbiota. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology. 8. 10.3389/fcimb.2018.00060.
Brewer JH, Thrasher JD, Hooper D. Chronic illness associated with mold and mycotoxins: is naso-sinus fungal biofilm the culprit? Toxins (Basel). 2013 Dec 24;6(1):66-80. doi: 10.3390/toxins6010066. PubMed PMID: 24368325; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3920250.
 The post How to Test for Mold Illness in Your Body  appeared first on Meet Dr. Lauryn.
Source/Repost=> https://drlauryn.com/wellness-knowledge/how-to-test-for-mold-illness/ ** Dr. Lauryn Lax __Nutrition. Therapy. Functional Medicine ** https://drlauryn.com/
How to Test for Mold Illness in Your Body via https://drlaurynlax.weebly.com/
0 notes
Text
Universal Cooker Hood Carbon Grease Filter Kit for Kitchen Extractor Fan Vent - 3 Pack from Zinc Products
With so many on offer right now, it is good to have a brand you can trust. The Universal Cooker Hood Carbon Grease Filter Kit for Kitchen Extractor Fan Vent - 3 Pack is certainly that and will be a perfect acquisition.
For this great price, the Universal Cooker Hood Carbon Grease Filter Kit for Kitchen Extractor Fan Vent - 3 Pack is widely respected and is always a popular choice for many people. Zinc Products have included some excellent touches and this equals good value.
0 notes
triadautosolutions · 6 years
Quote
Used BLACK 2004 Lexus RX330 with City 20/hwy 26 (3.3L engine/5-speed auto trans),Auto on/off headlamps,Integrated front fog lamps,Zinc-plated steel rust protection-inc: hood- doors- front fenders,Daytime running lights,Anti-chipping paint-inc: rocker panels- wheel housing arch sections- hood,Integrated black rear spoiler,Intermittent rear wiper,Water-repellent front door glass,Variable-intermittent windshield wipers,Electrochromic heated pwr mirrors,Rear bumper protector,Black privacy glass,UV reducing glass-inc: windshield & side doors,In-glass & short pole antenna w/FM diversity system,HomeLink universal transceiver,Rear center armrest w/(2) cup holders & storage box,Pwr windows-inc: one-touch auto up/down- pinch protection,Remote-entry system-inc: lock- 2-stage unlock- trunk open- panic feature- adjustable volume confirmation- rolling-code technology- remote window down- illuminated entry,Rear window defogger w/auto-off timer,Vehicle theft-deterrent & immobilizer system,Front seatback pockets,Tire pressure monitoring system,Retained accessory pwr,Rear cargo area-inc: auto-retracting tonneau cover- (3) pop-up opening storage compartments under cargo area floor- auxiliary pwr outlet,Sun visors w/illuminated vanity mirrors- slide extensions,Electroluminescent instrument cluster-inc: 7 LCD display for ventilation /outside temp/trip computer,10-way driver/4-way passenger pwr front bucket seats-inc: seat-mounted armrests- driver pwr lumbar- adjustable headrests,Pull-out front door storage pockets,Lighting-inc: ignition ring- front map- glove box- door courtesy- cargo area,Chrome scuff plates,Scheduled maintenance indicator light,Carpeted floor mats,Pop-out cup holder (left of steering wheel),Coat hooks,Sliding center console-inc: auxiliary pwr outlet- (2) cup holders- illuminated storage bin,Genuine wood trim-inc: all doors- center console- shifter island,Cut pile carpeting,Overhead console w/sunglasses holder,Leather-trimmed shift knob,Pwr fuel door release,3-spoke leather-trimmed tilt steering wheel w/audio controls,Dual-zone automatic climate control-inc: rear vents- air filter,Reclining/sliding rear 40/20/40 split fold-down seat-inc: adjustable headrests,Premium 132-watt sound system-inc: AM/FM stereo- cassette- in-dash 6-disc CD changer- (8) speakers- radio data system (RDS),Electrochromic rearview mirror w/compass,Metallic accents around center of instrument panel & switch plates,Pwr door locks w/anti-lockout,(2) front/(2) rear assist grips,Pwr rack & pinion steering,Vehicle stability control (VSC),17 x 6.5 5-spoke aluminum alloy wheels,Traction control (TRAC),Tool kit,Brake assist (BA),Front McPherson/rear dual-link strut suspension w/coil springs,Front wheel drive,Full-size spare tire/alloy wheel,2-stage acoustic control induction system (ACIS),Anti-lock brake system (ABS),Electronic brake force distribution (EBD),3.3L DOHC MPI 24-valve V6 engine-inc: continuously variable valve timing w/intelligence (VVT-i),19.2 gallon fuel tank w/tethered cap,Front ventilated/rear solid disc brakes,5-speed automatic electronically controlled transmission w/intelligence (ECT-i)-inc: OD & snow mode,P225/65SR17 mud & snow tires,Front/rear stabilizer bars,Drivers knee airbag,Front/rear side-curtain shield airbags,Front seat-mounted side-impact airbags,Traction control (TRAC),Collapsible steering column,Emergency locking retractor (ELR) for all seating positions,Collision fuel cut-off,Top tether anchors (3) & ISO-FIX bars- rear seat,3-point rear seat belts,First aid kit,Vehicle stability control (VSC),Side-impact door beams,3-point front seat belts-inc: pretensioners- force limiters- height-adjustable front shoulder belt anchors,Driver & front passenger airbags (SRS),Automatic locking retractor (ALR) for front & rear passenger seats,Daytime running lights,Front/rear crumple zones,Anti-lock brake system (ABS)
http://www.buyacarnc.com/2004-Lexus-RX330/Used-SUV/Greensboro-NC/11010852/Details.aspx
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itsworn · 7 years
Text
What if the 1957 Q-Corvette had become the C2 Sting Ray?
Chevrolet has been frustrating Corvette fans for decades because when new generation Corvettes come out, they tend to be “evolutionary” and not “revolutionary.” The most revolutionary new generation Corvette was the C5 with its all-new body, interior, all-aluminum LS1 engine, transaxle, svelte suspension and hydroformed frame. Next on the list of revolutionary Corvettes is the 1963-’67 Sting Ray, with its out-of-this-world new body, new perimeter frame, four-wheel independent suspension, and later disc brakes. But the second-generation Sting Ray could have been so much more.
Ed Cole was a true automotive visionary with a passion for over-the-horizon technology. While general manager of Chevrolet in the mid-1950s, Cole was hot on the idea of combining the transmission and rear axle of all Chevrolet cars into a “transaxle.” This would eliminate the large transmission hump that was common in cars of the day. Also, moving the transmission to the rear of the car would improve traction and thus, be a safer car. Cole called his grand vision the “Q-Chevrolet” line, and he wanted it by 1960. This plan included the Corvette and would have been the most radical Corvette this side of the upcoming mid-engine C8 Corvette.
Typically, new car designs start out as wild-looking art renderings. But the Q-Corvette was different because it wasn’t just a new suit of clothes for an existing structure. Zora Arkus-Duntov worked out the entire basic layout first. Then a full-size wooden and fiberglass buck was created that closely approximated where the engine, drivetrain, suspension, and interior would be located. Everything was there except for the body.
First, let’s look at Duntov’s vision for the project that could have been the second-generation Corvette. It was just a “wish list” but it shows how advanced Duntov’s thinking was in 1957. Initially, Duntov proposed the use of a steel platform, similar to the design used on Porsches. The front suspension was to be independent and the rear suspension system based on the new transaxle with a modified swing-axle design, using universal joint halfshafts as stress members. The transaxle was to be available as a manual or automatic. The clutch or torque converter would be mounted behind the engine, working off a small-diameter flywheel. The clutch system was to be a double-disc clutch design. Finned drum brakes would be used on all four wheels with the rear drums inboard mounted to reduce unsprung weight.
The new small-block Chevy engine was just two years old, but Duntov wanted an all-aluminum version with the new Rochester fuel-injection system. The proposed aluminum heads would have no steel valveguides or pressed-in valve seats. By the early 1960s, this all proved to not be possible using existing block and head casting molds. To keep the engine mounted as low as possible, a racing-style dry-sump oil system was proposed. Later, Duntov expressed that the dry-sump system wasn’t necessary and that the transaxle wouldn’t do that much for weight distribution.
Here’s a shocker for you! Duntov determined that a steel body could be made using inexpensive Kirksite dies made of zinc and six-percent aluminum—excellent for low-volume production. The steel body would have added overall stiffness to the completed car. Duntov also noted that poor customer satisfaction with the Corvette’s fiberglass body had more to do with the finish of the body and not with the material. A steel body would have had a better and more consistent finish.
All configurations were considered during the design phase of the Q-Corvette: coupe, convertible and Targa top. One design element for the coupe version that made it into all future Corvettes was the built-in rollbar as part of the structure. As practical as that was, one design aspect that looked great on paper but didn’t stand a snowball’s chance was the total absence of an A-pillar. And lastly, since everything was being explored, designers worked out several ways of making the doors open out and then up, sort of in a prehistoric “Lambo doors” kind of way.
As the Q-Corvette made its way through the design process, Duntov’s feelings on the structure changed. Early on he proposed a steel platform but later felt that a separate steel frame, instead of a unit-body design, would better allow future body changes. This is exactly what happened when it was decided in 1965 that the Mako Shark-II design would be the next Corvette. C3 Corvettes all ride on the same basic frame and suspension as the 1963 Sting Ray.
The Corvette was born a beauty queen, so looks were important. Bill Mitchell was just about to take over Harley Earl’s position as VP of Design and had definite ideas of his own. Mitchell sketched out on the back of an envelope what he wanted and then handed his sketch off to engineer/designer Bob McLean to manage the Q-Corvette’s styling. To understand the roots of Mitchell’s concept, look up the Abarth-Fiat 750 and Abarth-Alfa 1000—that’s where the Corvette’s fender humps came from. While neither car looks like a Sting Ray, you can clearly see the influence.
Mitchell had one other design theme he wanted that eventually defined “the Corvette look.” Mitchell invited his designer/stylist team to his house to show them a stuffed and mounted Mako Shark fish that he had recently caught while deep-sea fishing off the coast of Florida. Mitchell instructed his designers, “That’s the feeling I want! The powerful, yet graceful feeling of a shark, in an automobile.”
McLean put Robert Veryzer in charge of stylists Peter Brock, Chuck Pohlmann and Norm Neumann. The stylists’ drawing boards were placed around the fullsize, engineering space buck and Veryzer instructed the stylists, “Be Brave!” Brock later commented that it was one of the rare projects which saw the first lines fall into place as the most logical and appealing. Many sketches were created with Brock’s winning out as the design to use for the first quarter-scale clay model. As the design process moved along, headlight placement was a serious challenge with designers moving in the direction of flip-up headlights and driving lights mounted low and outboard of the grille opening. The hood featured a vent slot close to the front of the hood to vent hot air from the radiator. After more grooming, a full-size clay model was built.
By October 1957, the fullsize clay Q-Corvette was shown to management and compared to a 1958 Corvette. The Q-Corvette looked like the 21st century. The theory was that by making the car more compact, the exterior could be small, yet the interior larger. Here’s how the fullsize clay Q-Corvette measured compared to a 1958 Corvette; Wheelbase: 94 inches (8 inches shorter), Track: 53 inches (4 inches narrower in the front and 5.8 inches in the back), Height: 46 inches (6 inches lower), and Projected Weight: 2,225 pounds (711 pounds less). Duntov’s position was that the next Corvette, based on the Q-Corvette, would offer improved interior space, plus the improved suspension and weight distribution would provide a better ride, handling and overall improved performance.
So, what happened? Often, proposed new Corvettes have bad timing. As the 1950s were drawing to a close, the boom times and glow of the decade was fading and a recession was ahead. Creating an entire line of Q-Chevrolet cars could not be supported in a contracting economy. The only way the Q-Corvette program could work was if the entire line of Chevrolet cars were onboard with similar components that could be amortized. As Duntov liked to say, “The program came to a screeching halt!” He then proposed using the transaxle and suspension parts for a mid-engine Corvette, which was what he really wanted to do.
In retrospect, the projected goals for an all-new 1960 Corvette based on the Q-Corvette was wildly optimistic. But, there was the bottom line. An all-new Q-Corvette-based car without amortization would be extremely expensive. But all was not lost. The basic body shape, with modifications, became Bill Mitchell’s 1959 Stingray Racer, which with modifications and fastback roof became the 1963 Sting Ray; a car that many consider an instant American classic. The larger design parameters of the Q-Corvette would not make it into production until the arrival of the C5 in 1997 and the dry-sump oil system didn’t arrive until 2006 with the C6 Z06. If the economy hadn’t tanked in 1958 and the Q-Chevrolet line of cars made it into production, the C2 Sting Ray might have arrived in 1960 and would have laid claim as The Revolutionary Corvette.
K. Scott Teeters has been a contributing artist and writer with Vette magazine since 1976 when the magazine was titled Vette Quarterly. Scott’s Corvette art can be seen at www.illustratedcorvetteseries.com. His muscle car and nostalgia drag racing art can be found at www.precision-illustration.com.
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