Your Home Might Be Making You Sick... EMFs, Mold & What No One Tells You

In this insightful episode, Ryan Blaser returns to deepen the conversation around environmental health in the home, exploring how unseen factors such as EMFs, mold, chemicals, and other toxins impact physical and mental well-being. The discussion broadens to include mental health layers, therapeutic breakthroughs, and practical steps listeners can take to create a healthier living environment.

Ketamine Therapy and Emotional Healing

Ryan begins by sharing a profound personal journey involving ketamine therapy. Through this therapy, he accessed repressed childhood trauma concerning the accidental death of his pet cat, an event he had no conscious memory of until unlocked in deep subconscious exploration. This emotional breakthrough revealed the long-standing shame and guilt influencing behavior and mental health. Forgiving his younger self brought a significant emotional release, underscoring how early life wounds can manifest as lifelong psychological burdens, often masked by various coping mechanisms like substance use or environmental control. Ryan emphasizes the importance of such inner work alongside physical health practices.

The Interconnection of Body, Mind, and Home Environment

Ryan expands the definition of environment beyond just the physical home to include the body and mind, highlighting their interactive influence. A cluttered mind and stressed body often reflect in the home's condition and vice versa. His specialty lies in optimizing the home environment as an essential factor for human health, bringing into balance air, water, lighting, microbiology, chemical exposure, and electromagnetic fields (EMFs). This holistic view acknowledges that improving one area while neglecting others limits overall well-being.

Environmental Testing and Mold Issues

Focusing on his core expertise, Ryan describes the comprehensive process of testing homes for hidden environmental risks. Air and dust sampling, as well as visual inspections, identify mold growth, chemical off-gassing, and microbial contaminants. Mold thrives in moist environments — behind showers, under sinks, crawlspaces, and attics — and is one of the leading but often overlooked causes of chronic illness, irritability, and cognitive issues he terms "moldy brain." Clearing mold not only improves physical health but also resets neurological function and emotional balance for occupants. The bathroom and basement areas often harbor mold problems due to constant water presence.

Chemicals in the Home

Ryan cautions against common chemical exposures including toxic paints, cleaning products, scented candles, and personal care items like hairspray and nail polish. These substances off-gas volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and endocrine-disrupting chemicals that interfere with hormone balance and immune function. He advocates for natural alternatives such as vinegar-based cleaners, organic textiles, and non-toxic candles made from beeswax or coconut wax combined with essential oils. Reducing these chemical burdens in the home environment can significantly improve long-term health outcomes.

Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs) and Technology Use

The episode tackles EMF exposure from common household electronics, especially cell phones near sleeping areas. Ryan explains that while some studies on EMF safety remain inconclusive, precaution is wise, particularly for children with thinner skulls and more vulnerable developing brains. Simple mitigation strategies like using airplane mode during family time or sleep, keeping devices away from the bed, and choosing wired headphones over wireless ones, help lower cumulative EMF exposure. He also shares a compelling case study where relocating a child's bed away from a refrigerator motor eliminated neurological symptoms, illustrating the very real, often overlooked impact of electromagnetic stressors on health.

Behavioral and Energy Dynamics in the Home

Beyond the physical environment, Ryan draws attention to the mental and energetic atmosphere shaped by interpersonal dynamics. Tension between household members, such as affairs or unresolved conflicts, creates a toxic energetic environment that can exacerbate physical symptoms. Thus, emotional health, gratitude, forgiveness, and clearing negative energy are integral to creating a truly healing space. Ryan identifies toxicity in relationships as another "environmental" factor often neglected in discussions about home wellness.

Practical Steps for Healthier Homes

To help listeners begin improving their homes, Ryan emphasizes three core pillars: increasing fresh air circulation, eliminating chemical exposures, and reducing EMF levels. Introducing ventilation through window opening and quality air filtration systems like Jasper can dramatically improve indoor air quality. Removing shoes indoors prevents tracking in outdoor pollutants and biological contaminants that accumulate on soles. He addresses common concerns such as guests' shoes, recommending polite communication or providing house slippers to prevent contamination. Cleaning ducts regularly and incorporating UV light sterilization within HVAC systems are also recommended to inhibit mold and bacteria growth.

Sensitive Responses and Hormetic Stress

Ryan explains why individuals who clean up their environment often become more sensitive to odors and pollutants. This heightened awareness signals improved health and contrast against previous toxic exposures. He also discusses the concept of hormetic stress — controlled exposure to small stressors that encourage adaptation and resilience — emphasizing the importance of returning to an optimal home environment as a sanctuary for recovery amid these challenges.

Textiles and Fabrics

The conversation includes detailed advice about bedding and clothing materials. Ryan advocates for natural fibers such as organic cotton, wool, linen, silk, and bamboo due to their breathability and absence of harmful synthetic chemicals often found in polyester or stain-resistant fabrics. Since skin readily absorbs chemicals, choosing organic, non-toxic textiles significantly reduces this exposure, especially in contact-intensive items like blankets and leggings.

The Role of Lighting

Artificial lighting is explored as an often overlooked disruptor of circadian rhythms and neurological health. Ryan highlights the issues caused by flickering LED and fluorescent lights and excessive blue light exposure from screens, which differ significantly from the natural light spectrum humans evolved with. He recommends using non-flickering bulbs with natural spectra and adopting amber or red lighting in the evening to support melatonin production and promote restful sleep.

Travel, Hotels, and Public Spaces

Ryan shares strategies for maintaining health while traveling, such as inspecting hotel rooms for mold indicators, chemical usage, and minimizing contact with synthetic fragrances or air fresheners. He warns of mold growth even in commonly used wellness spaces like saunas, suggesting caution and regular sterilization with agents like chlorine dioxide gas as corrective steps.

Housing Layout and Electrical Placement

The layout of a home significantly influences exposure to electromagnetic fields. Ryan advises prospective homebuyers or renters to evaluate how sleeping areas are positioned relative to electrical appliances and wiring. Minimizing proximity to high-EMF sources like refrigerators or power lines helps reduce neurological stress and associated health symptoms.

Detoxification from Mold and Toxins

In cases where mold exposure has affected health, Ryan encourages combining environmental remediation with personal detoxification protocols. These include supplements, dietary adjustments, sweating through exercise or sauna, and lymphatic support to clear biotoxins and heavy metals accumulated in the body.

Managing Technology and Addiction

Recognizing the common addiction to smartphones and devices, Ryan stresses the importance of intentional tech use to reduce EMF exposure and mental distraction. Turning off devices during family meals, using airplane mode, and charging phones outside the bedroom support both physical health and emotional presence.

Frequently Found Dangers in Homes

Ryan points out that new homes often carry heightened chemical burdens from fresh paints, flooring, cabinetry, and synthetic materials that off-gas VOCs for years. Older homes tend to accumulate mold and dust-related microbiological hazards. Both need tailored approaches for maintaining healthy indoor air quality.

Final Act: Mindful Living and Gratitude

Throughout the conversation, Ryan underscores the need to incorporate gratefulness, forgiveness, and emotional detox into one's lifestyle. He reiterates that the healthiest homes are those that nourish not just the body but also the mind and spirit, creating a sanctuary from the external chaos and chronic toxic exposures so common today.