Mold, Toxins, and Chronic Symptoms
Insights from Allyssa LaScala (@biohackingbombshell)
Most people chasing answers for fatigue, hormone imbalance, gut issues, or brain fog are looking in the wrong place.
They’re told it’s stress.
Or aging.
Or anxiety.
Or that their labs are “normal.”
In this episode of the 1st Optimal Podcast, integrative health practitioner Allyssa LaScala, known online as @biohackingbombshell, breaks down why those explanations fall apart when environmental toxins, mold exposure, and immune dysregulation are ignored.
What follows is a grounded, clinical explanation of why so many chronic symptoms persist, and what actually needs to be addressed first.
Allyssa LaScala’s Health Journey: Why Lived Experience Matters
Allyssa didn’t arrive at integrative health through a weekend certification.
Her journey started early.
- Childhood gut issues
- Hormone imbalances in adolescence
- Chronic fatigue and brain fog in college
- A Lyme disease diagnosis
- Later discovery of mold exposure and toxic burden as root drivers
Like many practitioners working at a high level, she became her own case study. Years of unresolved symptoms forced her to understand how terrain, not just pathogens, determines health outcomes.
That lived experience shapes how she works with clients today: methodical, skeptical of shortcuts, and focused on root causes instead of symptom suppression.
Why Chronic Symptoms Persist Even After “Treatment”
One of the most common patterns Allyssa sees is this:
- A diagnosis is made (Lyme, candida, H. pylori, SIBO)
- Treatment temporarily helps
- Symptoms return, sometimes worse
This happens because the environment inside the body never changed.
Infections are opportunistic.
They thrive when the terrain allows it.
If you remove the pathogen but leave behind:
- Mold exposure
- Toxic overload
- Poor detox capacity
- Nervous system dysregulation
Then the body stays vulnerable.
Lyme Disease Is Rarely the Whole Story
Lyme disease is often treated as a standalone problem. That’s a mistake.
According to Allyssa, Lyme becomes chronic when:
- Mold suppresses immune response
- Parasites act as reservoirs for bacteria
- Detox pathways are impaired
- The nervous system stays locked in fight-or-flight
Many people test positive, receive antibiotics, and are told the problem is resolved. But symptoms linger because the conditions that allowed Lyme to take hold were never addressed.
This is why some people with similar test results feel fine, while others are completely debilitated.
Mold Exposure: The Missing Link in Chronic Illness
Mold is one of the most under-recognized drivers of chronic symptoms.
It doesn’t need to be visible.
It doesn’t need to smell.
It doesn’t require a “flooded basement” story.
Common symptoms linked to mold exposure include:
- Brain fog and poor word recall
- Chronic fatigue and low motivation
- Hormone imbalance, especially estrogen dominance
- Gut dysfunction and food sensitivities
- Recurring infections
- Mood shifts and anxiety
More than 50% of buildings in the United States have some degree of water damage. New builds are not exempt.
Mold exposure suppresses key immune pathways and creates the perfect environment for infections to persist.
How Mold Disrupts Hormones, Gut Health, and Detox
Mold impacts the body on multiple levels.
1. Immune Suppression
Certain mycotoxins suppress both TH1 and TH2 immune responses. This makes it harder for the body to clear infections of any kind.
2. Estrogen Disruption
Some molds are estrogen-mimicking. They bind to estrogen receptors, contributing to:
- PMS and PMDD
- Heavy or irregular cycles
- Endometriosis
- Fertility issues
- Hormone-related weight gain
3. Gut Colonization
Mold can colonize the gut, worsening:
- Leaky gut
- Food sensitivities
- Candida overgrowth
- H. pylori persistence
4. Liver and Bile Stagnation
Mold slows bile flow and detoxification. When bile is sluggish, estrogen clearance, toxin removal, and digestion all suffer.
Drainage Comes Before Detox
One of the most important principles Allyssa emphasizes is drainage first.
You cannot detox effectively if elimination pathways are blocked.
The priority order looks like this:
- Bowels
- Liver and gallbladder
- Kidneys
- Lymphatic system
- Mitochondrial energy systems
If someone is not having one to two complete bowel movements daily, aggressive detox will backfire.
Detox symptoms aren’t proof something is working. Often, they’re proof it’s happening too soon.
Why Mold Recovery Takes Time
Mold illness is not a quick fix.
Recovery timelines depend on:
- Length of exposure
- Ability to leave or remediate the environment
- Detox capacity
- Nervous system regulation
Some people improve rapidly once exposure is removed. Others remain reactive because their nervous system has learned to perceive mold as an ongoing threat.
This is why nervous system support is not optional. Prayer, breathwork, somatic therapy, and structured regulation programs all play a role.
Air and Water Quality Are Non-Negotiable
Two of the biggest controllable toxin inputs are:
- Air
- Water
Air
Portable HEPA air purifiers that filter down to extremely small particles are often more effective than whole-house systems. Not all “HEPA” labels are created equal.
Water
For drinking and cooking:
- Reverse osmosis or distilled water is preferred
- Remineralization can be added after purification
Filtered pitchers are not sufficient for removing pesticides, PFAS, or radioactive elements.
If nothing else changes, improving air and water quality alone can dramatically reduce toxic burden.
Parasites Are More Common Than People Think
Another uncomfortable truth discussed in the episode:
Parasites are not rare.
They are not limited to travel.
They often act as reservoirs for bacteria and toxins.
Other cultures routinely address parasites. In the U.S., we ignore them until symptoms escalate.
Addressing parasites strategically can improve immune balance and detox capacity, especially in chronically ill individuals.
Screening, Testing, and Medical Blind Spots
Allyssa also challenges common assumptions around screening, particularly in women’s health.
One example discussed in the episode is breast imaging.
Mammograms are often treated as the gold standard, but they have limitations:
- Reduced accuracy in dense breast tissue
- Higher false positives
- Radiation exposure
Alternatives such as breast ultrasound and thermographic approaches may provide additional insight when used appropriately.
The takeaway is not avoidance of screening, but informed screening.
The Big Picture: Terrain Over Targets
The core message of this episode is simple:
You cannot heal by chasing diagnoses.
Health improves when you:
- Reduce toxic load
- Improve drainage
- Regulate the nervous system
- Address environment first
- Support the body’s capacity to heal
This approach explains why some people stay stuck for years while others finally turn a corner.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve been told:
- Your labs are fine
- You’re just stressed
- This is part of aging
- You’ve tried “everything”
It may not be because nothing works.
It may be because the wrong things were prioritized.
🎙 Enjoyed this conversation with Allyssa LaScala?
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Educational only. Not medical advice.
