What if the symptoms you’ve been struggling with for years aren’t random—and the problem is hiding somewhere inside your home?

In the first episode of War with the Spore, hosts Dave and Amy Hansen share the deeply personal story that ultimately led them into the world of mold exposure, mold testing, mold inspection, mycotoxins, and mold sickness.

Amy Hansen is a respiratory therapist, mother of four, and owner of Mold Detection Pros of Utah County. For more than 11 years, she struggled with a growing list of unexplained health issues. What began with persistent eczema eventually expanded into other symptoms and health concerns, including anxiety and panic attacks, menstrual changes, and autoimmune-like issues.

She visited doctors and specialists, underwent testing, tried treatments, and repeatedly encountered the same frustrating question:

Why was this happening?

Eventually, a functional medicine physician suggested looking deeper. Testing indicated elevated mycotoxins, leading Amy and Dave to consider something they had never seriously suspected: chronic mold exposure.

There was just one problem.

Their home didn't look moldy.

That discovery launched an investigation involving professional mold testing, air sampling, a detailed mold inspection, and even a specially trained mold-detection dog. The search eventually uncovered hidden mold in places they never would have expected—including their master bathroom, behind their shower, and even behind a large wall-mounted mirror. Mold was also discovered in their relatively new fifth-wheel RV.

In this episode, Amy and Dave discuss the lessons they learned while trying to identify the sources of the problem, remediate their home, and reduce Amy's ongoing exposure. They also share some of the mistakes they made along the way—including disturbing hidden mold without adequate protection—and why professional testing and careful remediation can matter.

Most importantly, Amy talks about what has happened since the mold was removed. Her recovery hasn't been instantaneous, but she describes meaningful improvements and a growing realization that her environment may have been an important piece of a health puzzle she had been trying to solve for more than a decade.

• Amy's 11+ year search for answers to unexplained health problems
• How mold sickness can be difficult to connect to an indoor environment
• Why visible mold isn't the only reason to consider a professional mold inspection
• How mold testing helped narrow down potential problem areas
• Amy's experience with testing for mycotoxins
• Hidden mold discovered behind a bathroom mirror and shower
• Mold discovered inside a relatively new fifth-wheel RV
• Why moisture and poor bathroom ventilation can create conditions for mold growth
• The importance of testing before and after mold remediation
• Why disturbing hidden mold during demolition can dramatically increase exposure
• Amy's experience after reducing ongoing mold exposure
• Why unexplained symptoms may warrant a broader conversation with qualified medical and environmental professionals

This first episode also explains the mission behind War with the Spore.

Throughout the season, Dave and Amy will sit down with mold inspectors, remediation professionals, indoor environmental experts, functional medicine providers, and people who have experienced mold-related problems firsthand. The goal is to help homeowners better understand the relationship between moisture, indoor environments, mold exposure, mold testing, mycotoxins, and the symptoms people sometimes associate with mold sickness.

If you've ever wondered whether hidden mold could be affecting your home—or you've been dealing with unexplained symptoms and don't know where to begin—Amy's story is a powerful place to start.

You don't have to see mold for there to be a reason to investigate your environment.

War with the Spore provides educational information and personal experiences and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Health concerns should be discussed with a qualified healthcare professional.