Realfoodology Podcast Summary

Episode: Is Fish Oil Bad for You? Supplements, Mold & Cellular Health Explained
Host: Courtney Swan
Guest: Dr. John Kim (Kim Wellness)
Release Date: October 13, 2025

Overview of Episode

Courtney Swan sits down with her personal doctor, Dr. John Kim, a pharmacist and functional medicine specialist. Part one of their conversation digs into Dr. Kim's life-changing heart attack at age 33, and how functional medicine principles—focusing on root cause and cellular health—reshaped both his recovery and clinical approach. The episode unpacks widespread misconceptions about heart health, cholesterol, the nuanced debate over fish oil, and overlooked problems like mold toxicity and chronic environmental exposures. Dr. Kim offers practical insights on healing at the cellular level and building real-world resiliency in a toxic modern environment.

Key Discussion Points

Dr. John Kim’s Health Journey and Heart Attack

• Missed Labs and Overlooked Inflammation

  • Despite “normal” annual blood work, Dr. Kim had elevated C-reactive protein, homocysteine, IL-6, and TNF-alpha—markers of systemic inflammation that his doctors failed to address.
  • He also suffered from persistent gut issues, food sensitivities, cystic acne, insomnia, and anxiety, which he ignored or minimized.
  • Quote: “We’re so good at helping people, but not able to look, reflect and figuring out what the bigger issue in ourselves... that’s the part that really changed the trajectory of what I’m doing.” (08:00​, Dr. Kim)

• What Led to His Heart Attack?

  • At just 33, Dr. Kim had an 85% LAD blockage, “the widowmaker.” He received a stent and was offered statins, but wanted deeper answers into root causes.
  • He discovered he had underlying Lyme coinfections (e.g., Bartonella), mold exposure, Epstein-Barr, parasites, and heavy metals. Childhood trauma, moldy environments, and immune dysregulation were all factors.
  • Quote: “[There is] a lot of interplay in terms of biotoxin issues… I actually went through heavy amounts of childhood trauma that caused neuroinflammation.” (10:20, Dr. Kim)

Rethinking Cholesterol and Heart Disease

• Is Cholesterol to Blame?

  • Cholesterol is not the main villain—underlying inflammation, metabolic dysfunction, epigenetic factors (e.g., seed oil use, blue light disruption), and modern lifestyles play a larger role.
  • Long-term statin use depletes CoQ10, Vitamin K2, impacts mitochondrial function, and can increase risk for cognitive decline and metabolic problems.
  • Quote: “There are studies showing again, statins do not prevent secondary heart attacks... statins are not going to fix the heart disease issue.” (14:57, Dr. Kim)

• Medical System Shortcomings

  • Medical & pharmacy training focus on medication management, rarely addressing lifestyle, nutrition, or root causes.
  • Dr. Kim became disillusioned seeing patients given more drugs—the original lifestyle guidelines in hypertension treatment were routinely ignored.
  • Quote: “Nothing in terms of, related to nutrition or lifestyle... it is mind boggling into how medicine is being practiced.” (21:00, Dr. Kim)

The Controversy Around Fish Oil & Supplement Sourcing

• Is Fish Oil Good or Bad?

  • Social media polarizes the topic—some call fish oil toxic/rancid, others say it's anti-inflammatory.
  • Most commercial fish oil (even “pharmaceutical grade”) is rancid or oxidized due to poor processing and solvents, causing more harm than good.
  • Dr. Kim recommends only SPM (special pro-resolving mediator) or phospholipid-rich forms (e.g., caviar, BodyBio SPM), and stresses the need for third-party testing and responsible manufacturing.
  • Quote: “A lot of times [fish oil] is rancid… it actually degrades the integrity of the fish oil... can cause higher issue of damaging the cell membrane structure.” (24:47, Dr. Kim)

• Supplements: Buyer Beware

  • Private-labeling is rampant; quality is inconsistent.
  • Only partner with companies open to third-party testing and plant visits (e.g., BodyBio).
  • Influencers' brands are not always high quality; diligence is needed.
  • Quote: “Anybody could private label a supplement. Doesn’t mean that any good quality either.” (26:43, Dr. Kim)

Mold Toxicity: The Hidden Epidemic

• Why Mold is Overlooked

  • Few physicians are “mold literate” or understand lab nuances.
  • Conventional approaches lack focus on resolving cellular damage from mold.
  • Mold and Lyme are dismissed by mainstream medicine largely out of ignorance; sufferers are often told it’s “in their head.”
  • Quote: “It's not always the root cause, but it is one of the things that are often missed… There’s not many mold literate physicians out there.” (31:09, Dr. Kim)

• Symptoms & Impact

  • Common exposures: childhood flooding, visible mold, food contamination—but much is hidden (behind walls, no odors).
  • Health effects: fatigue, brain fog, hormonal imbalances, gut dysfunction, suppressed immunity, mast cell activation, even developmental issues in children.
  • Quote: “Mold toxins... not only causing mitochondrial damage and oxidative stress, but also shown causing histology changes in intestinal lining.” (38:15, Dr. Kim)

Moldy Foods and Resilience

• High-Risk Foods

  • Coffee (ochratoxin, especially in conventional brands)
  • Peanuts/peanut butter (aflatoxins—prevalent regardless of organic status)
  • Grains (rice, corn, lentils, beans), cheeses (blue cheese), moldy cheese.
  • Moldy foods now riskier due to diminished immune resilience from modern exposures.

• Building Resilience Without “Living in a Bubble”

  • Focus on real food, clean sourcing (local > organic label), minimize plastic, daily small improvements (don’t obsess).

  • Need for balance—don’t become a prisoner to health trends or supplement routines.

  • Enhance resilience through cellular health: sunlight (proper circadian rhythm), filtered water/air, regular sauna and binders when needed.

  • Memorable Exchange:

    • Courtney: “If you were just to watch a couple of my videos... you’d probably think that I live in a bubble... but I just have these little things in place and then trust that my body is going to do the rest.” (47:47)
    • Dr. Kim: “[Supplements/binders] are needed for a short period of time, but the most impactful part is your environment, nervous system, and your cellular health.” (66:20)

Practical Detox Strategies (Mold and Beyond)

• Where Most Go Wrong

  • Sole reliance on binders ignores cellular-level repairs.
  • Chronic stress, unsafe home/poor environment undermines detox.

• Dr. Kim’s Multistep Method (“Encore Method” 65:56)

  1. Environment: Clean air (high-quality filters like Jaspr, indoor plants like English ivy), address home mold.
  2. Nervous System: Regulation through breathwork, heart coherence, EMDR, healing trauma.
  3. Cellular Health:
     • Rebuild membranes with phospholipids (BodyBio PC, balanced oil).
     • SPM-based fish oils, sodium butyrate for DNA protection and renewal.
     • Address lipid peroxidation, protein misfolding (linked to autoimmune, PTSD).
  4. Optimize Detox Pathways:
     • Support bile production, balance hormones, provide bioflavonoids/minerals.
     • Rebalance gut microbiome; nasal irrigation if mold spores suspected.
  5. Rebalancing Microbiome: Tailor based on real-time mycotoxin testing.
  6. Enhancing Resilience: Use biohacking only after fundamentals are in place.
  • Quote: “Your environment is one of the things we have to always talk about... if you don’t feel safe in the house, most likely your mold detox not gonna work very well.” (57:00, Dr. Kim)

• Body and Circadian Synchrony

  • Sunlight first thing in the morning supports methylation, lowers cortisol, creates “fourth phase” water, enhances detox.
  • Reduce EMF/blue light exposure (turn off phones, use Faraday bags, block blue light at night).
  • Quote: “What time you wake up... you have to specifically wake up when the sun is coming up. That... not only... renews the sleep cycle, but also lowers your cortisol stress response.” (49:26, Dr. Kim)

Supporting Regenerative/Agricultural Change

• Why Local and Seasonal Eat Matters

  • Nutrient density is lost in supply chain; crops like tomatoes are picked unripe, ripened en route.
  • Buying from local ranchers/farmers supports healthier, fresher food and food security in the face of industrial consolidation.
  • Local foods strengthen cellular imprints for health—seasonal eating benefits mitochondrial function.
  • Quote: “Food is not just about nutrients. It also helps to send different cellular messages within the food itself, so it gets imprinted locally.” (55:35, Dr. Kim)

• Resources (mentioned by Courtney):

  • FromtheFarm.org: Find local regenerative farmers/ranchers
  • Kiss The Ground documentary (for context on regenerative ag movement)

Memorable Quotes & Notable Moments

• Understanding Complex Illness:

  • “It’s not just about the labs, or how the person’s dealing with [illness], but also questioning... why that person is in that state.” (05:27, Dr. Kim)

• On Supplement Quality:

  • "Just because you have an influencer... doesn’t mean it’s any good quality either." (26:43, Dr. Kim)

• Rethinking Scare Tactics:

  • “There’s a good side of information on social media... but you still have to live.” (44:20, Dr. Kim)

• Paradigm Shift Needed:

  • “Functional medicine is becoming the next phase of allopathic medicine...” (50:58, Dr. Kim)

• The Encore Method Roadmap (65:56–66:35)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Dr. Kim’s Heart Attack & Missed Labs: 05:34–09:10
• Mold as Root Cause & Trauma: 09:05–12:16
• Cholesterol and Statin Debunking: 12:16–21:00
• Why Medicine Ignores Lifestyle Factors: 21:00–24:02
• Fish Oil Controversy: 24:02–27:50
• Supplement Quality Dilemmas: 26:43–27:50
• Is Mold the Hidden Epidemic?: 31:09–39:29
• Moldy Foods List: 39:29–42:02
• Building Resilience in a Toxic World: 43:52–47:47
• Reducing Modern Exposures (Air, Water, Light): 47:47–52:22
• Regenerative Agriculture & Food Security: 52:22–55:35
• Proper Mold Detox (Encore Method): 56:38–66:35

Summary Tone

The conversation balances a blend of scientific, personal, and practical insight—direct, but empowering. The speakers remain conversational, weaving in personal anecdotes, clinical observations, and calls for both nuance and self-compassion in charting a healthy path.

Bottom Line

Dr. Kim’s story exposes the gaps in mainstream medicine’s symptom-focused approach and the necessity of identifying deeper root causes—from inflammation and trauma, to environmental exposures and cellular resilience. Listeners are encouraged to become savvy consumers, question health dogma (including both pharmaceutical and supplement hype), and take actionable steps toward real food, local sourcing, and supportive daily routines—all grounded in treating the body as an interconnected system. Mold and its effects are more widespread than acknowledged, but with the right tools and mindset, healing and resilience are possible.

For more information:
Visit realfoodology.com, follow @realfoodology, or see referenced resources like BodyBio and fromthefarm.org.