What Types Of Mold Cause Problems
Youve likely heard of black mold or Stachybotrys chartarum, which sometimes makes news headlines. It is greenish-black in color and well-known to contribute to mold-induced toxicity.
But black mold is far from the only mold that can harm your health. And Stachybotrys chartarum is not the only mold that can appear black.
Examples of other types of mold often found in toxic indoor environments include:
- Aspergillus
- Sleep: Insomnia, frequent waking during sleep, night sweats
- Urinary system: Increased urination, urgency, incontinence
- Weight: Appetite swings, weight gain or weight-loss resistance
Many of these symptoms could also be due to reasons other than mold toxicity and CIRS. Thats why mold illness is often overlooked or misdiagnosed. The specific effects depend on your bodys unique vulnerabilities.
Support Your Energy Oxygen And Thyroid
Mycotoxins can wreak havoc with your mitochondria. Dysfunctional mitochondria result in less cellular energy. And that decreases your ability to fight mold illness. Support your mitochondria to restore mitochondrial function.
Mold can also squelch your oxygen levels. Your mitochondria need oxygen to generate energy efficiently, so supporting your mitochondria will help.
Additionally, mold exposure can hamper thyroid gland function. Supporting it may also be helpful.
What Health Effects Can Be Caused By Exposure To Mold
Some people are more sensitive to molds than others. These include
- infants and children
- elderly persons
- immune compromised persons
- individuals with existing respiratory conditions, such as asthma and allergies
The same amount of mold may cause health effects in one person, but not in another. Exposure to molds can cause allergic symptoms such as watery eyes, a runny nose, sneezing, nasal congestion, itching, coughing, wheezing, difficulty breathing, and headaches.
When airborne mold spores are present in large numbers, they can cause skin irritation, allergic reactions, asthma episodes, infections and other respiratory problems for people. Exposure to high spore levels can cause the development of an allergy to the mold. See the Illinois Department of Public Healths fact sheet, Mold and Your Health, for more information about health effects.
Read Also: Mold On Leather
To Prevent Mold Growth In Your Home
- Keep humidity levels in your home as low as you canno higher than 50%all day long. An air conditioner or dehumidifier will help you keep the level low. You can buy a meter to check your homes humidity at a home improvement store. Humidity levels change over the course of a day so you will need to check the humidity levels more than once a day.
- Be sure the air in your home flows freely. Use exhaust fans that vent outside your home in the kitchen and bathroom. Make sure your clothes dryer vents outside your home.
- Fix any leaks in your homes roof, walls, or plumbing so mold does not have moisture to grow.
- Clean up and dry out your home fully and quickly after a flood.
- Add mold inhibitors to paints before painting. You can buy mold inhibitors at paint and home improvement stores.
- Clean bathrooms with mold-killing products.
- Remove or replace carpets and upholstery that have been soaked and cannot be dried right away. Think about not using carpet in places like bathrooms or basements that may have a lot of moisture.
- To learn more about preventing mold in your home, see the Environmental Protection Agencys book A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home at .
Molds Effects On Human Health & Treatments
Mold toxicity is an important topic to address since I have seen a significant rise in mold-related symptoms here in New York City. Symptoms can vary depending on the individual and their lifestyle, and mold is often a great pretender and instigator of dormant viruses or bacteria. Unfortunately, the signs of mold toxicity are often unrecognized or misdiagnosed by traditional doctors.
Traditional doctors examine you, but without proper context, they often fail to see what is causing your health problems. Mold illness goes predominately undiagnosed due to the inordinate lack of knowledge on environmental and toxicological diseases in the US. Unfortunately, this leaves a large number of people to advocate for themselves, turning to the internet and Facebook groups to heal. Yes those are helpful but they often misdirect people into ill-timed and improper treatment paths. When you work with a functional doctor, we go over your habits and environment to paint a complete picture of your lifestyle, make sure to run the correct labs throughout treatment and get to the root cause and downstream effects of the mold toxicity in your body.
In this article, well go over the most common health effects toxic mold patients face, common mold hiding places, diseases that go hand in hand with mold poisoning, as well as my methods of diagnosis and treatments.
You May Like: Clean Moldy Leather
How Does Black Mold Get Inside A House
Mold spores can find their way inside by hitchhiking on clothes, pet fur, and air currents straight into your home. But spores can not usually survive without plenty of water. This is why you will often find black mold around water-damaged areas. For example floods or leaky pipes.
Materials like drywall, carpet, or gypsum board can soak up water, creating a perfect home for a black mold colony. And you really want to prevent this if you can. If you find water damage at home, its key to remove all the affected materials to prevent mold from growing.
Signs Mold May Be In Your Home
If you notice several symptoms of mold poisoning, start by checking for a mold source in your home. Start with common mold hideouts including the bathtub or shower caulking, wood window sills, under the bathroom or kitchen sink or in toilet tanks. Even if these areas are clean, mold can often grow behind walls so its sometimes impossible to see. In this case, the only way to be sure whether or not youre exposed to mold is to conduct a mold test.
My master bath over the years developed mold. Since my hot showers and lack of ventilation built up, I had to scrape my ceiling and use the mold removal protocol below to help prevent future mold as well. Unfortunately, I learned the hard way that I breathed in some of the mold and through this process I learned the natural solution of how to detox your body from mold.
Don’t Miss: How To Clean Bathroom Mold On Ceiling
Mold Illness Misunderstanding And Misdiagnosis
You might be wondering if youre experiencing toxic mold exposure symptoms. If you lived or worked in a water damaged building and tried to learn the truth about the risks to your health, you probably came across some conflicting information.
Maybe you were told by a practitioner that your symptoms couldnt be mold related or that your fatigue, weakness, brain fog, memory issues, headaches, nausea, shortness of breath, and other debilitating symptoms were all in your head. Perhaps you were even referred to a mental health specialist. If so, youre not alone.
Theres a lot of misunderstanding about toxic mold exposure and the resulting impact on human health. Thankfully, awareness is growing. What was once speculation is now defined, diagnosed, and treated by integrative and functional medicine practitioners with the Shoemaker Protocol and other natural therapies. And research continues to be funded and published by large institutions such as the World Health Organization and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Yet, there is still much to be done to inform the larger medical community and the general public. Lack of awareness about mold not only lead to misdiagnosis but also fear, shame, and confusion. Many sufferers are left feeling hopeless, believing there is no solution. Ive written this article to correct faulty assumptions about toxic mold exposure from a medical perspective.
When To See A Doctor For Mold Exposure
In the last few years, education and awareness on the impact of toxic mold on human health have increased. Mold spores tend to build up in an environment long before any visible signs of an infestation are clear, leading to long-term exposure to this harmful toxin. Mold exposure can be hard to diagnose since toxicity symptoms mimic several other health conditions. However, in severe situations, exposure to mold warrants a visit to a medical professional. This guide can help you narrow down your exposure, possible signs of illness, and how a doctor can help.
Read Also: Rash From Mold
Coffee Mold & Mycotoxins
Coffee is especially vulnerable to mold and mycotoxins. One study9 that examined the quality of several raw coffee samples uncovered residue from 117 different kinds of pesticides, as well as 30 mycotoxins. Raw coffee isnt the only kind of coffee that is at high-risk for contamination. Research found that Arabica and Robusta coffee can easily become contaminated by the mycotoxin OTA10 post-harvest and that green coffee beans often contain mycotoxins.
Due to its prevalence, pay a lot of attention to choosing coffee with low OTA. Eliminating the OTA stops jitters, headaches, stomach aches, and the crash that moldy coffee can cause. Consider a keto coffeemethod to also slow the absorption of caffeine into your system.
Can My Home Be Tested For Mold
If you can see or smell mold, testing is usually not necessary. It is likely that you have a moisture problem that needs to be fixed.
Testing for mold is very difficult and expensive. Homeowners must hire a contractor to test their homes. Testing cannot determine whether health effects will occur. Mold is normally found outdoors and levels fluctuate from day to day depending on the season. Due to these uncertainties, IDPH does not recommend testing in most cases.
Recommended Reading: How To Fix Mold On Ceiling
How Do You Get Mold Spores Out Of Your Lungs
What is the treatment? Its almost impossible to avoid all contact with fungal spores, so treatment for mold in your lungs often consists of taking medications. Corticosteroids often help open your airways to make coughing easier. You may need to take them when daily or only when your symptoms flare.
Can You Eat Bread With A Little Mold On It
For food safety experts, the answer is clear: Moldy bread is bad news. Some molds, like those used for Gorgonzola cheese, are safe to eat. But the mold dotting bread isnt a benign source of extra fiber. Gravely says people who eat moldy food may suffer allergic reactions and respiratory problems.
You May Like: Black Mold Vents
How Long Does It Take To Get Sick From Black Mold Exposure
It will depend on each person and the time frame for irritation and allergies caused by molds but I would assume that if you are in a poorly ventilated house or room and have a history of allergies that it probably just takes inhalation/digestion/contact with a few spores.
The real thing to do is to treat the mold, and then treat the cause of the mold- moisture. Make sure the house is dry, clean, and you have fans in all bathrooms and good ventilation throughout.
How long will my recovery from mold exposure take? Recovery time is will depend on several different factors, so there is no simple answer to this question. Listen to your body watch you allergies.
If in any doubt please consult your medical professional for specific advice to you as everyone is different. This information is for informational purposes only and nothing more,.and
Symptoms Of Mold Exposure
Common symptoms of exposure include brain fog, depression, skin irritations/rashes, fatigue, joint pain, and inflammation to name a few.
If you have been suffering from a seemingly random array of symptoms that have no known cause, mold could be the answer. Because mold has the ability to affect the whole body with a broad range of symptoms, many individuals suffer for much longer than they should before receiving a diagnosis.
- Thyroid issues
Don’t Miss: How Do You Remove Mold From Leather
Removing Mold From Household Appliances
Appliances like washers, refrigerators, and coffee makers that combine moisture, heat, or food to feed mold need frequent cleaning.
Clean washers by running a hot water cycle with chlorine bleach at least monthly. Inspect every nook and cranny of front-load washer door seals to be sure no mold is growing that can leave clothes smelling moldy.
Distilled white vinegar helps inhibit mold growth and does a great job cleaning refrigerators and coffee makers.
Can White Mold Kill You
All types of mold, including white mold, can cause health problems. You should remove it as soon as possible to avoid health risks and structural damage. The symptoms induced by white mold include allergic reactions, respiratory infections, eye irritations, dizziness, nausea, headaches, and even depression.
You May Like: How To Remove Mold From Ceiling In Bathroom
Subsequently How Do You Disinfect Hepatitis A
Disinfect area and objects in the affected area using 1 and 2/3 cups bleach in 1 gallon of water, and allow to air dry. If used on a food contact surface, make sure to rinse with water afterwards. Take off gloves, gown, and mask in that order and place in a plastic bag before leaving affected area.
Strategies On How To Detox From Mold
Getting rid of mycotoxins from your body, after you have eliminated them from your environment is specific to the individual and you should consider the following
- optimizing your organs
- lungs.
- Air Filters will help with your mold removal protocol
Depending on the level of mycotoxins present plus your own body and its ability to tolerate treatment the best way is to use a combination of binders like clay, charcoal and other actions like a liver detox support like milk thistle and vitamin C.
Don’t Miss: Mold In Bathroom Ceiling
Top Tips For Removing Mold From Your Car
Weve all been there. Your toddler throws a cup full of juice or milk in the floorboard, and it spills without you even knowing it. Or maybe you left the window down, it rained over the weekend, and you didnt get back until Monday morning. In either of these situations, you see it: The mold. If you need help dealing with this type of mess, then check out these three top tips for removing mold from your car.
Who Is At Risk Of Mold
According to the WHO, 15 percent of houses in cold climates show signs of dampness, and about 5 percent have signs of mold problems. In warm climates, however, it is estimated that 20 percent of houses have dampness, and 25 percent have mold. Dampness is most likely to occur in overcrowded houses or those that lack appropriate ventilation, heating and insulation. Because symptoms of mold infection are similar to other respiratory ailments, they are often misdiagnosed.
Also Check: How To Remove Mold On Bathroom Ceiling
How To Detox Your Body From Mold
Even if youre not especially sensitive to mold, your body still needs help safely clearing out mycotoxins. When these arent removed properly and completely, they can cycle back around, and cause ongoing damage and symptoms.
The best way to clear out these toxins is with proven toxin-binders. Its important to make sure youre working with safe, gentle detoxing agents so they dont overtax your bodys clearance system . At the same time, you must use proven binders that dont allow toxins to be reabsorbed in the intestines rather than excreted from the body.
One prescription cholesterol-lowering medication called Cholestyramine binds strongly to some mycotoxins especially ochratoxin and keeps them getting reabsorbed.
On the natural front, modified citrus pectin has been extensively researched as an effective detoxifying agent. Because MCP works so gently, its safe for long-term use, which is often necessary for completely removing mycotoxins from your system. MCP works especially well when paired with another natural detoxifier: seaweed-derived alginates, natural gel-like substances that bind tightly to toxins.
The combination of MCP and alginate prevents toxins including mycotoxins and heavy metals from being reabsorbed in the intestines. And although they make a strong detoxifying team, MCP and alginate are easily tolerated and their gentle action wont strip essential minerals from your body.
Other mycotoxin detoxifiers include:
- Glutathione
- Chlorella
A Single Exposure To Mold Only Causes A Single Reaction
The reality isfor genetically-susceptible people, a single exposure can cause a life-long problem. If you have the wrong HLA gene type, your body simply cannot target and remove biotoxins. A single exposure could cause an indefinite recirculation of these toxins, provoking chronic inflammation from a continuously triggered immune system.
If this is you, even after avoiding exposure for days, weeks, months, years, or even decades, you could suffer from CIRS. Thankfully, recovery is not only possible, its probable. Dr. Shoemaker had developed and applied a systematic protocol, The Shoemaker Protocol, to remove biotoxins from the body and re-regulate the immune response to stop inflammation and reverse chronic symptoms.
It begins with removal from exposure. Exposure must be carefully monitored throughout the entire protocol. If there is a new biotoxin exposure from a water damaged building or other source, you must begin the entire protocol from the start. In many cases, re-exposure causes CIRS patients to get sick more quickly. The sicker quicker phenomenon is backed by evidence showing an increase in certain biomarkers in as little as four hours after re-exposure.
Many CIRS patients are highly sensitive to mold and other biotoxins. The smallest exposure can trigger inflammation and feelings of anxiety, agitation, and danger. Its best to trust your bodys reaction and leave a potentially contaminated building immediately.
Don’t Miss: Removing Mold From Leather
How Can I Check For Mold
Its best to hire a professional to help you identify and remove mold, especially if youre allergic or vulnerable to it.
You should also consider hiring help if the mold covers more than 10 square feet or if its hidden behind wallpaper, ceiling tiles, or other areas.
Here are some steps for identifying and removing mold.
