a guide to mold
Dealing with mold exposure can be an overwhelming prospect, worsened by the fact that getting a diagnosis and finding information can be very difficult. For those with mold illness, the burden of healing oneself while addressing the toxic environment that caused the illness can be daunting. I have put together some information to help with the process.
WHERE MOLD COMES FROM: Mold forms easily in dark, damp areas with over 50% humidity. Any type of water damage, such as flood or storm damage, leaky faucets, or water condensation can lead to mold formation. It is easy to see why an estimated 70% of homes have mold. Most people do not realize that mold releases mycotoxins into the air.
EFFECTS OF MOLD ON HEALTH:
Mycotoxins can:
Inhibit synthesis of RNA/DNA
Cause oxidative stress
Form adducts that attach to human tissue and trigger autoimmunity
Dysregulate mitochondria
What physical symptoms may be manifested by mycotoxin exposure?
Fatigue
Brain fog
Depression/anxiety
Headaches
Changes in visual activity
Numbness
Disequilibrium
Lightheadedness and feeling “spaced out”
Muscular weakness
Tinnitus
Sinus congestion
Asthma
GI symptoms
Itchy skin
Mycotoxins have been associated with MS, autism and Alzheimer’s
TESTING: Getting definitive answers via testing can be expensive and confusing. My number one piece of advice for anyone experiencing mold symptoms is to get a professional inspection on your home (or the place you suspect you are being exposed). Mold inspectors know exactly where to look and how to test, and will give you the most accurate results and follow-up information. IF YOUR ENVIRONMENT STILL HAS MOLD, YOU WILL NOT GET BETTER. ELIMINATING EXPOSURE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP. This is worth spending money on.
Other options for environmental testing:
EC3 Mold Screening Test Kit (Micro Balance Health Products $36): These are test plates that can be used for air and surfaces.
Environmental Mold and Mycotoxin Assessment (EMMA) (Micro Balance Health Products $399): This is a more elaborate test that takes a swab of dust and tests it for 12 different types of mold.
ERMI (EnviroBiomics, Inc. $240-435): This tests for multiple types of molds, also using a sample of dust.
Mold Armor DIY Test Kit (Home Depot $9.87): This uses a petri dish to identify if dust samples contain mold.
Here is an article comparing testing options: https://immunolytics.com/mold-testing-methods/:
Health testing options:
IgG and IgE testing is recognized as the most effective to determine exposure. Urine testing may come back positive due to mycotoxins in foods, which have little effect on health. These tests indicate whether you are exposed now, as antibodies to mycotoxins do not last in the body long-term. Options include the Alletess Basic Mold Immunoreactivity Panel ($200) which measures IgA, IgG and IgE responses to seven types of mold; the Biotek 15 Mold Panel IgE ($189); or the Mosaic Diagnostics Mold IgE Allergy Test ($165).
Other options:
Mycotox Profile (formerly known as Great Plains)($260): This uses a urine specimen to check for 40 different types of mold.
Total Mycotoxin Profile (Real Time Laboratories)($299): This is a urine test for 16 types of mycotoxins.
All of these tests are available online at Rupa Health. (I can order them for you.)
RECOVERY: My mold inspector said mold leaves the body in about two weeks. I noticed an improvement in my own symptoms at about that time, but every case differs.
What can you do to help expedite your body’s healing?
Supplements to detoxify:
Glutathione (the body produces its own glutathione, which is the most potent antioxidant. Supplemental glutathione helps to boost it.)
N-Acetyl Cysteine (promotes the production of glutathione)
Vitamin C
Chlorophyll
Green tea
Turmeric
Milk thistle
Foods to detoxify:
Blueberries
Cruciferous vegetables
Leafy greens
Garlic
Once you have “bagged up the trash,” it is time to remove it. Regular bowel movements are imperative when you are detoxifying. It is also important to sweat. (Exercise or infrared saunas can help with sweating.) Massage can help loosen and move waste in the body. Intermittent fasting can also be helpful, as it is known for giving the body an opportunity to “clean house” when it is not focused on digestion.
The Role of Binders: I have done a lot of research on mold, and binders are one area where expert opinions vary. Some believe that binders like activated charcoal can help collect toxins in the body and remove them; others think they are useless. (I did use them in my own mold detox process.) If you decide to use them, they must be taken 1-2 hours away from taking other supplements since they are known for absorption.
The Herxheimer (Herx) Reaction: Detoxification can lead to a massive release of toxins at once, too much for your body to handle. This may lead to flu-like symptoms, fatigue, itchiness and GI upset. (I had just about all of these symptoms with my mold detox, for about two weeks.) This is why I like a slow and gentle detox, allowing time for plenty of rest.
Timeline: Do not put too much pressure on yourself to feel better immediately. Recovery time varies for so many reasons, including severity/length of exposure; your overall health; and type of symptoms you are experiencing. Allow yourself as much time as possible to rest and recover, and try to be patient… you will get there eventually!
Follow Up Care: It is very important to avoid future mold exposure of any type in the future. Your body will recognize the threat and your immune system response will kick in, likely causing symptoms similar to the ones you experienced with mold illness. Mold exposure can lead to long-term immune system issues, such as Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS) or the Cell Danger Response. You may also need to rebuild your gut if it has been affected by the mold.
Other supplements that help rebuild:
Phosphatidylcholine
B vitamins
Magnesium
Vitamin D
EPA+DHA (fish oil)
Probiotics
*(Supplements should be added one at a time, in increments of 2-4 days. See disclaimer below.)
Odds and Ends:
Here are some pearls of wisdom from my own experiences with mold:
Nearly everything should be thrown away. If spores are still around, they can multiply in the right environment (dark and damp). Some things can be wiped down with mold-specific cleaners and others can be thrown in the washing machine. But most items made with fabric, paper or wood had to be discarded. (We were given the option for the remediation company to de-mold items…for the cost it was cheaper to just get something new, i.e. they wanted several hundred dollars to clean the basement couch.) If you are putting considerable money into remediation, you don’t want to keep moldy items around and risk another problem in the future.
If a person is sick, he/she should not be anywhere near the cleanup.
On that note, mold illness affects 25% of the population, or one in four people. A genetic component means there is a correlation between family members. It is hard for people to understand why everyone in the environment is not sick if there is a mold issue…it is because they are not genetically predisposed.
Mold can hide in a lot of places. The basement is obvious, but also under cabinets, in bathrooms, in attics and in ceilings. Our inspector even suggested that I avoid cleaning the litterbox, as the moisture is a conducive environment for mold growth.
Mold is not always black. We had aspergillus all over the basement, which presented as white dust. My daughter had green powder in her furniture. Just because it does not look like your idea of mold does not mean you are free and clear.
Humidity in the basement should be kept at under 50%. We run a dehumidifier constantly, as well as fans in the summer. The dryer the air, the better.
Our inspector suggested an air scrubber to help pull mold out of the house. They can be rented, but I bought one at the time of remediation and use it occasionally to clean the air. I also use air purifiers in several locations in the house. You will want to look for ones with HEPA filters.
When cleaning mold, always use a mask. Cleaning stirs up the spores. N-95 masks are the minimum protection you should wear. If I’m ever around mold, I use a product called CitriDrops afterward to help counter the effect.
Mold in your home can affect your health, but your work environment also matters. You are at work most of the day, so what you breathe in absolutely affects your health. It is very common for teachers in old school buildings to suffer from mold symptoms.
For mold information online, my favorite sources include Surviving Mold; Dr. Jill Carnahan; Dr. Jill Crista and Dr. Andrew Campbell.
*All information in this article is meant for educational purposes only and is not meant for diagnosis and treatment.
**When using supplements, it is always advised that you consider interactions with medications and seek medical advice before taking them.
