There was a period in my recovery where I thought I had figured out the gut piece.
I had found H. pylori on my testing. Bacterial dysbiosis. Giardia and Cryptosporidium parasites. Elevated calprotectin. Low elastase. I ran the right protocols - antimicrobials, antiparasitics, probiotics, binders, liver support, adrenals, mucosal repair. And I felt better.
Mostly.
The bloating dropped. The gut pain eased up. My brain fog cleared. Energy started coming back but not all the way. I kept waiting for the remaining 20% to resolve. Months went by. I was stuck at “better but not right.”
Then I checked my mold load.
My MycoTOX came back with ochratoxin A and trichothecenes - two of the most common mycotoxins found in water-damaged buildings. And everything that hadn’t fully responded suddenly made sense. The crazy part is that my levels were higher than almost any client I had ever tested. No wonder I was so dizzy for two years and literally couldn’t drive… It was scary but I’m so thankful to have gotten through that.
Mold exposure doesn’t just cause brain fog or respiratory issues. The mycotoxins that mold produces can directly damage the intestinal lining and blood-brain barrier. They disrupt the tight-junction proteins that keep your gut wall sealed. They suppress the mucosal immune function that keeps pathogens from gaining a foothold. They alter the microbial environment in ways that make dysbiosis nearly unavoidable downstream.
I wasn’t failing to repair my gut. My gut and brain were literally being actively damaged while I was trying to repair it.
No protocol fixes that if you’re in a sick environment and not until you deal with what’s upstream.
Once I understood this, the questions I was asking completely changed. Instead of “what should I add to the protocol?” I started asking:
Am I still being exposed to mold?
What does my urine mycotoxin panel actually show?
Is my gut lining being broken down from the outside in?
Is sIgA staying low because of what’s upstream?
Is the building I sleep in part of the problem?
These were the questions that eventually moved the needle.
Two things matter here: the right test and addressing the right source.
The test is the mycotoxin profile - there are a few good labs that run this urine panel that identifies specific mycotoxins and their load. If you’ve done gut work that only partially worked, this is what I want to see alongside a GI-MAP. Not one or the other - both. The GI-MAP shows the damage. The mycotoxin profile shows what’s causing it.
Once mycotoxins are confirmed, a binder is non-negotiable. Detox Pro (bentonite, zeolite, activated charcoal, fulvic minerals) is what I use. Two hours away from food and supplements. Don’t skip this step. I ran binders for years during my own recovery from mold toxicity, Lyme, Bartonella, and Babesia. The clearance has to happen before the gut can fully repair.
Now one good thing is that on the Organic Acids Test, I can often confirm mold or fungal colonization that will lead me to use binders anyways. Meaning, if you can’t budget for the Mycotoxin screening, it’s fine, we’ll pursue it regardless.
I’m going deep on the clinical mechanism this week - the exact mycotoxins involved, which binder works best for each mold, what the research shows about how they damage the gut, and how to sequence the protocol correctly when both a mold load and gut infections are present.
That full breakdown is coming in a few days.
For now: book a free 15-minute intro call at evanbrand.com/free if you want to look at your specific situation. The Better Belly Program at evanbrand.com/belly-premium is built around this exact sequence - testing first, then addressing in the right order.
The protocol didn’t fail. It just started in the wrong place.
Be well,
Evan Brand, BCHN, FNTP
This post is for educational purposes only. Nothing here constitutes medical advice, clinical diagnosis, or a substitute for the care of a licensed physician. Evan Brand is a Board Certified Holistic Nutritionist (BCHN) and Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (FNTP) — not an MD. Do not stop or change any prescribed medication without consulting your prescribing physician. Lab testing referenced in this post is conducted within a clinical consultation context — a flagged marker is not a standalone diagnosis. Aura Roots supplements are sourced from professional-grade, GMP-compliant manufacturers. As required by U.S. law: these statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, and these products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Individual results vary. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911.