Essential Oils Extracts And Tinctures
So many herbs have antifungal properties. The active compounds are extracted from herbs, and the essential oils deliver concentrated amounts of beneficial compounds that will kill spores inside the body.
Oils are most commonly preserved as tinctures and taking 10 30 drops, 3 x a day for three months will guarantee results. If taking a powder form usually ½ to 1 teaspoon, mixed in a little warm water, can be considered daily, also for about 3 months.
Yes, you can also take the natural fresh herbs instead of the more potent oils, especially if you want to prevent rather than cure.
What Happens If You Eat Food With Mold
The thought of eating something moldy likely makes you want to gag. Most of the time, this is the only symptom youd get after eating moldy food. If somethings not right with your immune system and you eat something moldy, you might experience symptoms like:
- If you are allergic to mold, those allergy symptoms may be triggered also
If you notice mold on your food that you dont want to throw away, consult the USDAs guide on handling moldy food.
Consider Mold Toxicity As A Mast Cell Trigger If You Have Even Just 1 Of These:
Chronic, Stubborn SIBO
How can Mold Toxins be involved in SIBO?
Well, there is a huge amount of the immune system in the gut. And it keeps bacteria levels in check so nothing gets out of balance.
This keeps any bacteria from overgrowing.
But Mold Toxins mess up this immune balance in the gut. And then bacteria start to overgrow.
Mold Toxins also can take a toll on gut motility. This means the bowel movements can get sluggish. Which also increases bacterial growth.
Mold Toxins affect the gut so much, many people with Mold Toxicity end up with SIBO.
Even with repeated protocols, many people have struggled with SIBO coming back again and again.
When this is the case, there is a good chance that Mold Toxins are keeping the gut from fully recovering.
In these chronic, stubborn SIBO cases, consider checking your body for Mold Toxins. Ill tell you at the end of the article how you can learn more about this.
Chronic, Persistent Lyme or EBV
Youre probably wondering how Lyme and mold could be related.
Have you ever wondered why some people get bitten by a tick carrying Lyme and get very sick? But many other people get bitten by Lyme ticks and never develop symptoms?
Mold Toxins keep your immune system from being able to effectively fight off bacteria and viruses.
They also increase inflammation that can worsen Lyme and EBV symptoms.
Mold Toxins can make people very sensitive. That can also make it hard to handle harsh Lyme treatments.
Ear ringing is also called tinnitus.
Fatigue
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Is There A Way To Test For Mold In Your Body
Skin prick test. This test uses diluted amounts of common or suspected allergens, such as molds found in the local area. During the test, these substances are applied to the skin of your arm or back with tiny punctures. If youre allergic, you develop a raised bump at the test location on your skin.
Do I Need To Get Medical Treatment
In many cases, exposure to mold doesnt require medical treatment. If you experience cold-like symptoms after exposure to mold, talk with your doctor. They can help determine whether mold allergy could be contributing to your symptoms.
Mold should be removed from indoor spaces whenever possible. But symptoms of mold allergy may persist even after removal, because mold is commonly found in the outdoor environment.
Generally speaking, your overall risk of long-term health effects related to mold exposure is fairly low. That said, experts still have more to learn about the possible health effects of mold exposure.
For this reason, its best to avoid long-term exposure to indoor mold. Whenever possible, you should remove mold from spaces you spend time in, and address sources of moisture that could contribute to indoor mold.
Reaching out to a healthcare professional may be a good option if you:
- have a compromised immune system due to another health condition
- have significant trouble breathing
- live with cystic fibrosis
- have allergic symptoms which could be triggered by mold
As for a mold detox? Contrary to some beliefs, theres typically no need to go on a cleanse or detox in order to heal your body after exposure to mold.
Heres why: When functioning optimally, your body constantly detoxes itself and its very efficient at this task.
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Signs Of A Mold Illness
Coughing And Shortness Of Breath
The irritation and inflammation caused by mold often lead to frequent coughing that is otherwise unexplained.
The throat and lungs are irritated continuously when repeatedly exposed to mycotoxins. If the issue isnt addressed, this coughing can develop into more severe conditions such as pneumonia and bronchitis.
The same inflammation that causes irritated, constricted airways that lead to wheezing and coughing can eventually lead to shortness of breath.
This gives a feeling of tightness in the chest. It may feel like you are unable to take in a full breath.
Mold is known to colonize the lungs learn more on How Mold Grows In the Lungs.
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So Is Mold Toxicity A Real Thing
Mold toxicitythe idea that mold can produce harmful substances called mycotoxins that can contribute to autoimmune conditions and other chronic diseaseis a bit controversial. Thats because there isnt any kind of test for it or scientific evidence that any kind of disease exists solely because of mold exposure. Keep in mind that theres a lot of misinformation out there, both about the toxicity of mold and the treatment options.
Theres clear, validated proof that breathing in enough mold in your home over a period of time can cause or exacerbate both allergies and asthma, Dr. Parikh says. It can even cause an invasive respiratory infection, she adds, but any chronic health condition resulting from mold hasnt yet been proven to exist.
How Do You Test For Toxic Mold Exposure
All in all, there is no simple way to diagnose mycotoxin illness, says McElroy. But testing is typically the first step. She prefers to start patients with at-home tests and also recommends a home inspection by a certified mold inspector. should only be ordered, in my opinion, once the environment is evaluated for the source of mold, explains McElroy. The most direct way to test for mold toxicity is a urine test that measures for metabolites of mold and mycotoxins as well as glutathione levels . That said, as McElroy explains, I never place the entire diagnosis of mycotoxin illness on tests alone. Why? Because mold tests have some major drawbacks, including:
- False negatives and false positives are common
- They are not covered by insurance
- You cant test all toxins there are hundreds
- The levels found on tests dont necessarily correlate with the severity of symptoms
These tests clearly arent perfect. In fact, McElroy says she has seen patients who were really sick have almost nothing show up on the test while the healthy spouses of those same patients register values off the charts, so having a clinician thats willing and able to do some extra investigation into symptoms of mold and toxic mold exposure is key.
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Remedies To Get Rid Of Mold From Your Home
When using natural methods you might have to repeat the process, but it is well worth it. Chemicals give off harsh fumes that can aggravate allergies. Heres how to Get Rid of Black Mold from your home the Easy and Cheap Way. It will also help prevent it coming back and is an important step in how to detox your body also from black mold.
- Find the source of the moisture.
- Create a dry environment by fixing leaks and ventilating rooms.
- Throw out moldy rugs and other items.
- Lower humidity levels natural, eco-friendly dehumidifiers are available on Amazon
- Clean visible mold or treat areas that have been moldy or damp with a trigger spray bottle and some natural ingredients, listed below.
Getting A Diagnosis For Mold Sickness
While symptoms to mold exposure are not uncommon , many health care professionals struggle to pinpoint the cause behind these symptoms.
Often only a few people or one person and not everyone, in a home or workplace experience symptoms. This is frustrating and confusing for the sick person. When their doctors cant find any reason for the illness, they can start to feel like the sickness is all in their mind.
People suffering from mold exposure can often be misdiagnosed with disorders such as:
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About Mold And Mycotoxin Testing
Mold and mycotoxin lab tests can help define a mold illness problem but need to be used carefully. As you choose how to move forward with your case, be aware of the following:
- Mold and mycotoxin testing is a new technology without much data. This doesnt mean testing cant be useful, but it needs to be interpreted by knowledgeable practitioners who know what theyre doing.
- Mold can be a red herring. Just because mold or mycotoxins show up on a test result doesnt mean they are the cause of your symptoms. If not interpreted correctly, this can distract you from your true root causes.
- Mold illness is complex. Testing may not provide you with clear answers or a road map to ideal treatment.
With that said, lets discuss the mold testing options.
How To Cure And Detox Your Body From Mold Poison Naturally Symptoms Testing And Treatment
Now more than ever indoor mold, even Toxic Mold exposure is easier to treat.
You can do mold remediation on your home and remove environmental toxins.
You can but do not need to call in a mold inspector as there are many online kits you can test for in your mold detox protocol
From my research It has been estimated that up to 25 percent of people have a genetic and immune system predisposition to mold mycotoxins says Dr. Jim Ken Ph.D.
What is also concerning is according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health , maybe as high a 50% of dwellings, commercial building, and offices in America have a history of water damage and could easily contain mold toxins
Black mold is a common occurrence in homes, growing and flourishing in damp, humid conditions. This would not be such a problem but for the fact that black mold can cause a host of symptoms and if left untreated can lead to toxic conditions within your body.
TL DR
- Follow a Detox protocol
- Follow a Mold detox Diet
We will cover in this article How to Prevent Exposure to Mold, Symptoms of Mold Exposure and provide an in-depth look at mold poisoning, toxicity, detection, prevention, and how to detox your body from the mold
So what is black mold? Where does it appear? What are the health risks or black mold poisoning and how do you get rid of the symptoms and the causes?
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Removal From Exposure Is The First Step In Successful Treatment
Dr. Shoemaker has developed a multistep protocol for treating CIRS .
The first step in the protocol is removing the patient from exposure to biotoxins. This involves testing all environments that the patient spends significant amounts of time in throughout the course of their daily life. If mold or other biotoxins are identified, those environments must be successfully remediated , or the patient must relocate to another home or workplace.
As both a clinician and someone dealing with CIRS myself, I have found step one to be by far the most difficult step in the protocol. Heres why.
Many mold inspectors do not use comprehensive, accurate testing methods. If you call a local mold inspector and ask them to come assess your property, chances are they will do a visual inspection and take some air samples. Both of these methods can yield useful information, but on their own, they are not enough.
Air sampling does not allow identification of particular species of Penicillium, Aspergillus, Wallemia, etc., which is important because different species have different health effects. In addition, air sampling devices collect only a small sample of air from directly around the device. This matters because mold spores have different molecular weights, and some do not remain airborne for long.
The lab that I recommend for ERMI testing is Mycometrics. It follows the procedures established in the EPA patent by the letter, and it has excellent quality-control procedures in place.
How Can You Detox From Mold
In addition to removing yourself from the environment where the mold is or having the mold removed, you can help your body detox the spores that have been inhaled and trapped inside. You can take supplements to build up your immune system, reestablish your gut health, and reduce inflammation:
Rather than trying to handle mold exposure on your own, you should consider seeing a physician. The situation may be more serious than you think.
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Top Signs You Have Mold Toxicity What To Know For People With Mast Cell Activation Syndrome And Histamine Intolerance
For decades, I struggled with numerous, terrible symptoms. But my bloodwork was always completely normal.
All of these issues started when my family moved into an old farmhouse in the country. I was 7 years old. That farmhouse was full of toxic mold.
At that time, we didnt know how toxic mold could beor how being exposed to it could affect you even years later.
When you live in the country, you usually have a big garden. We picked a lot of green beans for canning back then.
But anytime I had to pick green beans something about them would drive my Mast Cells crazy. And, I would end up covered head to toe with hives.
I remember the first time it happened.
My mom had asked me to pick a ½ bushel .
Halfway through, I started itching and itching.
And by the time I got inside, I had hives covering my entire body. The itchiness was so intense. I scratched my skin so hard and so much, my skin was bleeding.
I ended up having to get a Benadryl injection. And I missed getting to go to the big slumber party that night Id been excited about.
This was one of the first histamine reactions I can remember having. Although, at the time, I didnt know anything about Histamine Intolerance or Mast Cell Activation Syndrome. No one did, really.
I also didnt know Mold Toxicity was keeping my body from healing from these things that were going wrong.
I had numerous diagnoses:
The list went on and on. But nothing got to the bottom of it.
How Is Mold Allergy Treated
One of the most important ways to manage a mold allergy is to avoid mold. Reduce your exposure to mold as much as possible by avoiding damp places and things like piles of wet leaves. Make sure your bathroom has an exhaust fan or window you can open to limit dampness and beware of leaks in your roof, walls or pipes in your home.
Your provider might suggest immunotherapy to reduce your sensitivity to mold, commonly known as allergy shots.
Medications, like antihistamines or nasal steroids can give you relief from symptoms. If you have asthma, your provider may suggest a different medication, like inhaled steroids or mast cell stabilizers.
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Is Mycotoxin Testing Worth It
Mycotoxin testing can be helpful in some cases, but there are a number of points to consider before jumping in.
- Mycotoxicity is not well defined. Research on mycotoxin testing is still in its infancy. This means that even those who study mycotoxins or mold for a living dont know exactly how to interpret mycotoxin test results. This doesnt necessarily mean that test results cant be useful they should always be taken with a grain of salt.
- Choosing the best test is challenging. There are many different kinds of mycotoxin and mold tests available, using not only different methods but different reference ranges, and even looking at different kinds of mold species and mycotoxins. This makes an area that is already lacking in research even more confusing.
- Mold can be a red herring. Mold or mycotoxins may show up in small quantities on tests, even if the levels are likely not problematic. This can be a distraction from true underlying health issues that need to be addressed.
- Mold-related illnesses are complex. Even as we begin to untangle the nuances in testing, there is a lack of consensus when it comes to the treatment of mold-related illnesses and mycotoxicity. In other words, mycotoxin testing might provide clues to treatments, but it does not provide a road map.
