[Bernadette_Abraham]

@naslam1603 – so different labs use different testing methods, which can affect what shows up.

For example, Great Plains (now Mosaic) is generally more sensitive and picks up a broader range of mycotoxins. Realtime Labs uses ELISA or sometimes LC-MS/MS depending on the toxin, but their panel isn’t as comprehensive as Great Plains/Mosaic. So it’s not unusual to get conflicting results between the two because of the difference in testing methods.

But even with the most accurate test, if your body isn’t actively excreting the toxins at the time, they might not show up in urine at all. That doesn’t mean they’re not affecting you. It can also show different results based on what a person is actively doing to eliminate mycotoxins from their body (i.e. binders, sweating, antifungals, etc). There is also a 1 year+ difference between the tests, and unlike blood tests, mycotox tests aren’t meant to track trends.

I’m assuming from your persistent symptoms that you’re still being exposed to mold, so continuing to test right now isn’t going to be helpful and can honestly just waste your money.

What’s more important is getting out of the exposure first. Once you’re in a clean environment, then it makes sense to retest if needed to see what your body is still holding on to and how to best support detox from there.

Have you made any changes such as remediation and/or finding a new temporary living arrangement? As you’re probably experiencing, it becomes very difficult to heal if you’re still being exposed to mold. Please let us know how the community can support you with this.

[Bernadette_Abraham]

Hi @amira_s – thanks for sharing the report. It’s helpful. A few things were out of range so filtering is definitely needed.

• TDS is very high which will affect the taste of the water
• Hardness is also high which causes build-up and film, and can dry out hair/skin
• Sulphates, chlorides, and sodium are all above the limit value
• The good news is that there’s no E. coli or coliforms

So I would actually use a combination of RO and carbon filters/softeners to make it safe and drinkable.

Since a full-house RO system is quite expensive, you can consider a whole-house sediment filter to removes debris, followed by a carbon block and/or KDF filter to tackle chlorine, chemicals, heavy metals, and bacteria. Then you can add a salt-based water softener to remove the hardness.

For drinking, I’d use a reverse osmosis system right at the source to bring down TDS, sodium, and sulphates. I’d also choose a system that includes the option to remineralize the water after filtration.

If budget doesn’t allow for a whole-house RO and remineralization system, I’d stick with RO for drinking water only, and use softened filtered water for the rest of the house.

Hope this helps.

[Bernadette_Abraham]

Hi @toujan – I would highly recommend you listen to this session we had with the founder of the KBMO food sensitivity test. They are my preferred testing company since they not only look at IgG, but also the complements, which is very well explained. Your friend can create a free account to watch it as well.

You can also find ordering instructions here if interested in pursuing this type of food sensitivity testing. If she’s in the UAE, contact Eman Alattar from Analytikal Labs +971-55-166-2700.

And please keep in mind that there is no perfect food sensitivity test out there. The gold standard test is an elimination challenge followed by a food reintroduction. Although it takes more effort and time, your body provides direct answers that no test can compete with. You can find instructions on how to do that here.

Hope this helps.

[Bernadette_Abraham]

@sheetalramchandani1 that’s more than just a small win! That’s huge! Congratulations!!! I’m sure a lot of time and effort was poured into this business, and I wish you so much success.

I absolutely love the name Nothing Wicked – very memorable and straight to the point. Well done

Please feel free to share links or attach a brochure so we can learn more.

[Bernadette_Abraham]

@LAK a walking boot with crutches is a great compromise. It will help reduce stress on the joint while still giving you some mobility. I don’t think an ankle brace will be enough to support proper healing in this case, especially given the bone involvement.

Please take a look at this protocol for healing broken bones to help support your current supplement regimen, which is a good start. Make sure your vitamin D3 has K2 in it to help get calcium into the bones.

Another option which I think is worth considering is prolotherapy and PRP or stem cell therapy. I had chronic ligament instability in my neck, and prolotherapy was a game changer. It involves injecting a natural irritant (usually dextrose) into ligaments, tendons, or joint spaces to stimulate the body’s natural healing response. This promotes collagen production and tissue repair especially in areas with poor blood supply like the ligaments so it might be helpful.

I highly recommend a consultation with Dr. Suad Trebinjac at HMS Al Garhoud Private Hospital. He works in Al Ain but visits the hospital in Dubai on Sundays. He’ll be able to tell you if prolotherapy is a good option for you, and which type.

[Bernadette_Abraham]

@healthyliving99 uva ursi isn’t safe during pregnancy or breastfeeding. It can also affect the liver and kidneys, and may trigger contractions, so it’s best to avoid it. It’s also not meant for long-term use – only short bursts (like 5–7 days max).

D-mannose however is generally safe and is a great option for UTIs, even during pregnancy and breastfeeding. If pregnant or nursing, I’d stick with just D-mannose and maybe add in cranberry or probiotics high in lactobacillus which creates an acidic environment that doesn’t allow yeast/bacteria to overgrow.

[Bernadette_Abraham]

@naslam1603 I did hear about the data breach that compromised customer data back in 2023 but wasn’t aware of the lawsuit. I did a bit of research and yes, it does seem legitimate.

23andme even issued a legal statement on their website (found in the footer links under “Legal”), which you can find here.

You can verify the info and file a claim here before July 14 2025 if you:

1. Experienced harm (financial or otherwise) due to the 2023 data breach

2. Believe 23andMe owes you money for other reasons (e.g., services not delivered)

[Bernadette_Abraham]

Hi @DXB – thank you for sharing all of the details and his lab results. I was able to make out the markers even though they weren’t in English. I’m glad that he’s open to getting a second opinion.

The good news like you mentioned is that his CRP levels have come down significantly, which shows that the antibiotics and IV fluids helped reduce the infection/inflammation.

However, the doctors are right to want to investigate further because there are a few red flags that shouldn’t be ignored. His white blood cell count is still quite high, which means that his immune system is still likely fighting off an ongoing infection or inflammation. His hemoglobin has dropped even more, so the anemia is getting worse, and his albumin levels are low. Both of these suggest poor nutritional status that could slow down healing. His sodium is also low, which could be affecting his energy and mood.

And as you pointed out, his CA 19-9 marker is slightly elevated, which can sometimes indicate issues in the pancreas or bile ducts. This doesn’t necessarily mean cancer, but it does justify further screening, just to be sure. And operating while he’s still in a compromised state could lead to complications.

Now from a functional perspective, there were a few other markers of note:

-His fasting glucose and HbA1C are suboptimal. An HbA1C between 5.7% and 5.9% often indicates pre-diabetes. Ideally, it should be <5.3% so blood sugar regulation is definitely something to take seriously. This can impact liver/gallbladder health so from a root cause perspective, addressing blood sugar should be a key priority.

How is his diet? Does she consume a lot of sweets and flour based products (i.e. croissant, bread, pasta, crackers, muffins, etc)? How is his stress level normally?

-His T3 marker is also clinically low. This means he’s having trouble converting T4 to T3, which is nutrient dependent (iron, vitamin A, zinc, selenium) but also hormone dependent. Any kind of infection/inflammation and poor liver health will affect it as well.

If you take a look at our “Gallstones” handout in our Symptom Dictionary, you’ll see that insulin resistance and hypothyroid function are two primary drivers for the development of gallstones, which can explain his predicament.

And while CA 19-9 is usually used as a tumor marker to monitor certain types of cancer, particularly pancreatic cancer, there are however also other benign conditions that can elevate this marker and are worth investigating:

• Liver Dysfunction: Hepatitis, cirrhosis, or other liver disorders (MRI can rule this out)

• Gallbladder Issues: Cholecystitis or gallstones (Ultra sound and MRI can rule these out)

• Pancreatitis: Inflammation of the pancreas, which can occur due to various reasons, including infections, trauma, or genetic conditions. (MRI can rule this out)

• Cystic Fibrosis: A genetic disorder that affects the exocrine glands, including the pancreas. If he has respiratory or gastrointestinal symptoms, screening for cystic fibrosis might be warranted.

• Biliary Obstruction: Any blockage in the bile ducts (ultrasound/MRI can rule this out)

• Inflammatory Bowel Disease: If he has gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, or weight loss, evaluating for Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis could be beneficial (does he have any digestive complaints?)

• General Infections or Inflammation: since his CRP has come down, he might want to remeasure with the more sensitive inflammation marker (hs-CRP). Ideally we want it to be <1. Given the high WBC and high neutrophils, it’s likely that he’s still fighting an infection/inflammation, and this alone can be driving up the CA 19-9 marker.

But given the insulin resistance and suboptimal GGT (liver function), taking a closer look at his liver and pancreas would be warranted. A simple MRI/ultrasound can rule this out. It would help rule out a lot that isn’t cancer related – so you can reassure him.

I completely understand why he’s hesitant, but without a proper scan to rule out anything more serious, it could actually put him at more risk during or after surgery.

Maybe you could gently explain it to him like this: The scan isn’t to look for bad news, it’s to make sure nothing is missed and to make the surgery safer. If it’s really just the gallbladder, this will confirm it and give everyone peace of mind to proceed with the surgery.

But hopefully he’ll still be willing to work on blood sugar/thyroid and liver health, because even if the gallbladder is removed, it doesn’t fix the reason why it became diseased in the first place.

I hope this is helpful, and gives you more to share with him.

[Bernadette_Abraham]

@amira_s Liquid of Life is my go-to company and they are actually working on a RO + remineralization solution which should hopefully be ready in a month. They’re running tests at the moment. They’ll let me know once it’s ready.

[Bernadette_Abraham]

Hi @Tatjana – thank you for sharing those articles. That was very interesting to read how they’re using glutamine in cancer treatment. The reason why there’s a question mark on glutamine however is because while it can help healthy cells recover and support the immune system, some cancers rely on it to grow. So in certain cases, it might actually fuel tumor growth and progression.

But if the question you’re asking is “does glutamine cause cancer?”, then no, it doesn’t cause cancer. It’s a natural amino acid your body needs for healing, immunity, and gut health. But in people who already have cancer, some aggressive tumors can use glutamine as fuel to grow. That’s why they reference using treatments to try and block glutamine from feeding cancer. At the same time, they also recognize how glutamine can help with chemo side effects. So with cancer, it really needs to be carefully considered depending on the type of cancer and treatment plan.

Unless there’s liver or kidney disease or MSG/glutamate sensitivity, there’s usually no issues using glutamine in a healthy individual. I do also caution those with anxiety or neurological symptoms because the excess glutamate once it’s converted may be stimulatory as it can cross the blood brain barrier and worsen symptoms.

[Bernadette_Abraham]

@LAK swimming is actually a way to help keep strength and mobility without impact, so unless otherwise stated by your doctor, this would actually be a beneficial activity.

As for bone meal powder, this product can be an option.

Love the addition of red light. Sounds like you’re really on top of it. As for NMES – I’m assuming this stands for Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation? If so, then yes this can also be a helpful therapy as well. And since you’re going to see Dr. Trebinjac, I would also get his opinion on everything you’re doing since this is his specialty as a sports injury doctor.

[Bernadette_Abraham]

Both types can be taken together if a person doesn’t have a sensitivity to yeast.

[Bernadette_Abraham]

@yasminatassi I do the same when offered antibiotics – I resort to natural solutions first and only take them if/when there’s a severe infection.

Often times, vaginal issues can be resolved by taking probiotics that are rich in lactobacillus. This creates an acidic environment that isn’t favorable for microbial overgrowths. The first 2 options you shared are 1) soil based and 2) prebiotics. The Women’s Care probiotic however, does have lactobacillus strains which is what you want.

You can see another example of such a probiotic in the protocol for bacterial vaginosis. And here’s another option for yeast infection relief.

Also, supporting overall immunity by optimizing vitamin D, vitamin A and zinc will be helpful in countering any future infections. Test your levels if you plan on getting additional tests. It’s always best to test RBC zinc instead of the more commonly run serum zinc. ‘RBC’ tells us what’s actually in the cell versus what’s in the blood which is highly influenced by what a person consumes the day/night before.

[Bernadette_Abraham]

@DXB yes, an MRI is the best way to go if you can convince him. And again, explain to him that it’s not necessarily to find out bad news, but to confirm if it’s in fact safe to proceed for surgery.

We’re here when you need us. I know how difficult it can be to deal with a family member who refuses care. Best of luck with your uncle’s next steps…

[Bernadette_Abraham]

Hi @Hasnaa yes, that’s correct. Omega-3 is helpful as well. It reduces testosterone and insulin resistance if any, and improves menstrual regularity with PCOS. The typical dose is 1.5 to 3g of omega-3 (high EPA) in divided doses per day. Ground flax seeds are another food-based option (high in O-3 and lignans).

In terms of brands that I like, I’ve linked them below:

-Protocol for Life Balance Myo-Inositol (clean & no additional ingredients)

-Gaia Herbs Vitex

-Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega

Hope this helps!