Dr. Nicole Bijlsma explains why the built environment matters for health, from mould and air quality to electromagnetic fields and chemical exposures. She shares practical, high-impact changes for bedrooms, water, skincare, cleaning, and home setup that can reduce everyday exposure and support better sleep, immunity, and wellbeing. We discuss why old homes and new homes each have different risks, how Wi-Fi and electrical wiring can affect sleep, and why water filtration is a non-negotiable if you want to reduce chlorine, PFAS, and fluoride exposure. Nicole also covers the biggest chemical exposures on skin, the most useful cleaning swaps, and why over-sanitising may be backfiring on allergy risk.

Key topics

• Nicole shares how personal health issues led her into building biology and why she started training people to assess homes for environmental hazards.
• The difference between old homes and new homes, including condensation, mould, poor maintenance, tight building envelopes, and off-gassing from imported furnishings.
• Why carpets can act like a reservoir for dust, pest debris, asbestos, lead paint, and chemicals, especially for infants crawling on the floor.
• The three EMF categories Nicole prioritises - radio frequencies, AC magnetic fields, and dirty electricity.
• Why a Wi-Fi router in the bedroom is a major issue, and why hardwiring or powering routers down at the wall is the best fix.
• Why the bedroom is the top health priority, and how to set it up for better sleep by removing Wi-Fi devices, phones, extenders, and boosters.
• Why inverter and solar battery placement matters, and why distance is the main defense against magnetic fields.
• Why reverse osmosis is the best option for drinking water when fluoride is a concern, while whole-house filtration helps with chlorine, sediment, PFAS, and many other contaminants.
• Nicole shares why alkaline water is not her recommendation, and why stomach acid matters for digestion, protein breakdown, and nutrient absorption.
• The biggest chemical exposures on the body, especially perfumes, aftershaves, artificial fragrances, and air fresheners.
• Why jojoba oil, rose hip oil, wool, hemp, cotton, and fragrance-free basics are the safer everyday choices for skin and home use.

Timestamps
00:32 - The personal health story that led to building biology
01:54 - Discovering environmental triggers in the home
03:21 - Training clinicians to look at air quality and built-environment hazards
04:07 - Old homes versus new homes: where the risks differ
05:54 - Maintenance, roof leaks, drainage, and rising damp in older houses
06:50 - Why carpets collect dust, toxins, and biological debris
07:28 - Why infants are the highest-risk group on carpeted floors
08:25 - Tight new homes, hidden condensation, and off-gassing from furnishings
10:59 - Natural materials and Australian-made products for lower exposure
11:35 - The EMF problem in the bedroom
12:44 - Why a router in the room can be a major radio-frequency exposure
14:30 - Sleep, melatonin, and why hardwiring beats Wi-Fi
15:32 - How to measure Wi-Fi properly with the right meter
16:24 - Inverters, batteries, and magnetic fields from solar systems
17:45 - Dirty electricity and why some people become electrically sensitive
20:30 - Bedroom setup: no Wi-Fi devices, no extenders, no boosters
21:20 - Building a master switch system to shut down bedroom fields
22:47 - Why phones in the bedroom are a bad idea
23:29 - The bedroom first rule: sleep before everything else
24:55 - Timer switches and reducing router exposure
26:00 - Electricity coming into the house and the importance of distance
27:09 - The inverse square law and why bed position matters
28:19 - Why shielding does not solve magnetic field exposure
29:04 - Water as a major chemical exposure
30:27 - PFAS and fluoride in water supplies
32:48 - Why chlorine is a problem for the gut microbiome
33:18 - What a basic but effective water filter should remove
34:10 - Reverse osmosis, remineralisation, and why alkaline water is controversial
36:40 - Skin exposure: why chlorine affects eczema and skin irritation
37:32 - Whole-house filtration versus point-of-use RO
40:26 - Skincare, moisturizers, deodorants, and sunscreen
41:22 - Why jojoba and rose hip oil are better skin options
42:19 - Parabens, detergents, and reducing cosmetic load
43:18 - Sunscreen controversy and why covering up often works better
46:29 - Perfume, phthalates, and why fragrance is a major exposure
48:43 - Cleaning the home with detergent, microfiber, and HEPA filtration
50:11 - Why white vinegar works well in the dishwasher rinse-aid compartment
51:35 - Detoxification: sweat, sauna, and exercise
52:50 - Why some chemicals need plasma donation or binders
54:44 - The need for supervision when using binders
55:41 - Why mould deserves its own conversation
56:06 - Allergies, pet dander, and the role of dust mites
58:17 - Birth, breastfeeding, microbes, and why farm exposure lowers allergy risk
59:29 - Why over-cleaning and sanitizers can raise allergy risk
61:00 - Where to find Dr. Nicole B and her training
61:42 - Healthy Home, Healthy Family and the upcoming updated edition

Action items

• Remove Wi-Fi enabled devices, extenders, boosters, and phones from the bedroom.
• Put the router on a timer or power it down at the wall overnight.
• Move the bed away from the wall closest to the meter panel or incoming electrical supply.
• Prioritise whole-house water filtration, and add reverse osmosis at the kitchen sink if fluoride is a concern.
• Switch to fragrance-free personal care and cleaning products.
• Use microfiber cloths, detergent, and a sealed HEPA vacuum for routine cleaning.
• Favor natural materials like wool, hemp, cotton, and jojoba-based skin care where possible.
• Reduce over-sanitising at home and let kids get normal outdoor dirt exposure.

Resources

Website: https://www.buildingbiology.com.au/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/homehealthdoc/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/nicolebijlsma1/?fref=ts

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