Case Study: reacting to “everything.”
Marisa was dealing with a baby struggling with so many symptoms and it seemed like the reactions were to lots of foods.
Often I see this with any number of symptoms - behavior issues, OCD, sleep issues, immune dysfunction, rashes, GI issues - that's the tip of the iceberg.
This is what she had emailed me when we started working together:
“I hope this all makes sense. Writing it all out, I feel like a mad woman that just made a mess of everything and has made my situation impossible to navigate. I stare at my food diary for hours every day just analyzing trying to figure out what causes certain symptoms. It’s exhausting because I feel like I can’t see it. I don’t know if I am just not looking at the right areas in my food diary when he has a reaction, or if food can cause reactions sometimes and be fine other times hence I struggle finding things that cause symptoms consistently, or if I just haven’t found the right combination of triggers to cut that gets rid of his triggers (thought the top 12 and latex free would have done that). I am terrified that I am taking too long to find his triggers and get them cut from our diet to help his gut and therefore worried and stressed that I am messing him up long term. Susanna, this is so hard. I know you understand though.”
If you’re here, chances are you’ve been in Marisa’s shoes. Your child has gotten a diagnosis or is dealing with symptoms. You’ve tried elimination diets, supplements, specialists and spent countless hours trying to figure out what’s going on.
When I reviewed Marisa and her toddler’s intake forms and HTMA lab results, there were clear signs that something deeper might be going on. Based on their story and symptoms, I suspected mold could be a contributing factor.
But—before jumping into any kind of mold detox, we had to address the significant mineral depletion and heavy metals showing up. The body needs a stronger foundation before it can safely handle detoxing anything as intense as mold (aside from addressing current exposure, of course).
I guided them through simple, affordable steps to check for mold (I actually dedicate a full week to this inside my program) and shared how to find a thorough, reputable inspector—since that part can be tricky.
They began by focusing on mineral support and the other steps I outlined. Within jus ta few months, the food sensitivities went away! Then, in June, they finally moved forward with a mold inspection based on my original recommendation.
A few days ago, as an update, Marisa emailed me: not only did mold show up—but there were also very high levels of bacteria found throughout their living space.
One of their mold tests also came back as a level 4 out of levels 1-4 for high relative moldiness!
Here’s my key takeaway—and why I’m sharing this with you:
1. The mineral depletion we saw on the HTMA labs was just one piece of the puzzle. It raised an important question for me: Why were these minerals so low? Based on their intake forms and symptoms, I had a strong suspicion of mold exposure. (Of course, it’s not always mold—sometimes other red flags point us in a different direction.)
2. Mold significantly depletes minerals. And when mineral levels are imbalanced or depleted, the body becomes more susceptible to heavy metal accumulation.
3. Let me scream this from the roof tops - the food elimination, the probiotics, the medicines, don't solve the root cause issues here!! She was agonizing about what combo of foods to eliminate, worried about his gut, and meanwhile deeper problems were going on.
Take a look below at Marisa’s little one’s HTMA sample from March 2025—you can actually see the heavy metals starting to be released through his hair.
Once we started addressing his current toxin exposures and supporting his mineral levels, we saw real progress—his food sensitivities began to improve.
But the deeper root cause was still present: the bacteria and mold in the home.
Minerals can be a powerful support in the short term—they help stabilize the body and prevent things from spiraling further. But this is exactly why I don’t stop at mineral and heavy metal testing alone.
The Fed Well Foundations program goes far beyond labs. Because symptoms like food reactions, mineral imbalances, and heavy metal accumulation don’t just appear out of nowhere.
There’s always a why behind them.
Mineral tests are just the beginning—a screening tool to point us in the right direction, and then we fix the mineral imbalances and figure out other lifestyle and supports that are needed as well.
What I do is dig deeper to uncover what’s really driving the issue at its core.
And when I say deep, I mean really deep.
Even if, like Marisa, you can’t tackle everything at once—like hiring a mold inspector—my role is to help you identify what’s likely playing the biggest role and create a clear, realistic action plan that works for your pace.
Having outside insight and lab data can also be incredibly helpful for getting everyone on the same page—especially partners who like to see clear evidence. I’ve supported so many families where that extra clarity helped turn gut feelings into confident next steps.
You don’t have to do it all at once—we take steady, manageable steps and uncover more answers as we go.
Click below to learn more about the the Fed Well Foundations program! (“Early Bird” Black Friday applications are now open!)
Spots are limited because I offer individualized support to every family inside the program.
🗓️ Enrollment closes Wednesday, November 26th at 8pm CST for the early bird discount!
Let me help you make sense of what’s really going on.
I’ve seen so many cases like this, and my goal is to give you the clearest path forward—so you know exactly where to focus your time, energy, and resources, just like I did with Marisa.