Molds and Your Health

Molds can be a big problem in any home and can cause many health issues. Recognizing mold issues, proper cleaning routines, and identifying individual sensitivities is crucial.  The most common symptoms are coughing, shortness of breath, nasal congestion, sneezing, frequent sinus infections, rashes, burning sensations and persistent skin irritation.   

Other symptoms of mold toxicity in your body

Mold exposure can also cause a variety of neurological symptoms such as headaches and migraines, fatigue, dizziness, cognitive decline, confusion, impaired motor skills, depression, brain fog, poor concentration and other behavioral changes.. Other symptoms are joint pain, diarrhea, and anxiety.

Where are molds found?

Mold is found in any damp dark place, as in bathrooms or basements.  Check for mold growth around windows, moldings, sinks and walls.   Low levels are also found in many foods. A simple urine test will detect molds in your body. MYCOTOX PROFILE

Following is a list of common molds and where they are found:

• Alternaria – Generally considered an outdoor mold, but can be found in house dust, air conditioner and refrigerator drip pans, and window condensation. One of the most common molds affecting children. Can be a cause of Asthma.
• Aspergillus – found in soil, decaying vegetables, flours, wet surfaces, and drip pans of appliances.  This is an opportunistic pathogen, and one of the most prevalent airborne pathogens.
• Mucor racemosus – Normal soil inhabitant.  Found around barns and barnyards where it grows on animal waste.
• Phoma herbarum – Grows on paper products, such as books and magazines, certain paints and green plants.
• Fomes rimosus – Found on rotting wood.
• Rhodotorula glutinis – A form of yeast found in soil, water and air.  Also found on shower tiles, curtains and even on toothbrushes.
• Pullularia pullulans (Aureabasidium)  – It is normally found in soil, but also on decaying vegetation, plants and caulking compound.
• Cryptococus laurentii – Isolated from various sources in nature, and is noted for its association with bird droppings.
• Stemphylium Mix – It grows readily on damp paper, canvas, and cotton as well as decaying plant material.  Grows on leaves and stems of vegetables.  It can grow in any damp place such as bathrooms and basements.
• Fusarium Mix – It grows as a parasite on green plants as peas, beans, cotton, tomato, corn, sweet potato, rice and also decaying plants.
• Cladisporiumherb – very common mold found in soil and wherever organic material is present.  Causes eye, nail, and skin infections.
• Trichophyton,rubrium,  Geotrichum, candidum, Epidermophyton, or T.O.E. floccosum- Found worldwide; Incites diseases of skin, hair and nails.  Major cause of skin and nail fungal infections and athlete’s foot.
• Rhizopus – Grows on a variety of plants, breads, cured meats and root vegetables indoors.  Has a propensity to damage blood vessels.
• Candida albicans – Found normally in the Gastrointestinal and oral flora of man and is the number one cause of opportunistic fungal disease.

Cleaning moldy areas in the home

Mold can be controlled or even eliminated with a diligent cleaning program.  When cleaning mold in the home, it is important to keep in mind that the environment that allowed mold to grow in the first place must be altered. Even after adequately cleaning a moldy area in your home, there is a great chance the mold growth will return if the original conditions – darkness and dampness persist.   Using Zephiran Chloride to clean areas is the safest.  Take a 17% solution which is the concentrate and dilute one ounce with one gallon of water.  This can be used to clean bathrooms, and floors.  Dryness, ventilation and light are the key elements always in mold remediation.  Do not use formaldehyde or strong chemicals inside your home and do not do the cleaning yourself if you are the mold sensitive individual.  Clorox bleach can be used for people not as sensitive. Take one cup of bleach to one gallon of water and do not rinse the washed area. 

Best way to clean foods from molds and toxins

The best way to wash fruits and vegetables to eliminate molds and toxins is to fill the sink or a large stainless steel bowl with water.  Add 2 teaspoons chlorine bleach such as Clorox.  Add assorted produce.  Soak 20 minutes.  Drain.  Refill sink with clear water.  Soak vegetables again 20 minutes.

Best way to test for mycotoxins

Individual sensitivity to molds can be determined with a bio-resonance test such as the INTOLERANCE TEST.

In order to test for presence of the mold itself in the body, a urine test is available that can be done at home. It’s a great way to test whether the harmful antigens in the mold are negatively impacting your health. This test may help you decide how to treat your mold exposure and allergies.  MYCOTOX PROFILE

Home test plates are available at local hardware and building supply stores that can identify molds in your home.

Cleansing your Body from Mold Toxicity

Activated charcoal can be taken as a supplement for mold cleansing.  Most people don’t think about mold living in their bodies, but it can. Activated charcoal is a potent natural treatment. It binds to toxins in the body, allowing them to be flushed out so the body doesn’t reabsorb them.

Teas that might be beneficial for supporting the body in dealing with mold exposure include those with antifungal and detoxifying properties, such as green tea, ginger tea, and dandelion tea or Pau D’Arco tea.

Building your Body’s Immune System

Glutathione is a major detoxifier in the body.  Some of the richest dietary sources of glutathione are spinach, avocados, asparagus, and okra. In addition to glutathione, quercetin and N-acetylcysteine support mold detoxification.  If you’re recovering from mold exposure, you may benefit from a concentrated dose of glutathione supplements.

Reactions may occur during Detox

Reactions may occur when fungal organisms are eliminated from the body. Die-off reactions can lead to flu-like symptoms, fatigue, and a temporary worsening of symptoms. While uncomfortable, these reactions often indicate that the treatment is effectively addressing the root cause.

In conclusion please remember that long-term mold exposure can cause severe issues that can last for a long period of time and may cause irreversible damage to the human body. So it is important to never ignore that bit of mold growing. A simple urine test will reveal mold in your body.