So, let us talk about this crazy illness! Before I was diagnosed with mold toxicity, I would have thought a small number of people would be affected by it -- and if they were, it was because they had an allergy to mold. Wow -- was I wrong!
Leading up to my diagnosis – talking years before -- I was frequently sick. I had so many bouts of colds, flu, allergy symptoms, losing my voice, feeling down, headaches, temperature regulation issues, etc. I had wondered if my environment was causing all of this -- but I was repeatedly told nothing in my environment would cause these frequent symptoms while no one else was experiencing them.
So, what is mold toxicity?
First, let us be clear -- this is not a mold allergy -- although some people do have a mold allergy along with mold toxicity. Since it is not classified as an allergy – receiving the diagnosis often takes longer because health care professionals often run an allergy test and clear you for mold troubles. The medical community is a little slow on the uptake of this very dangerous illness that is affecting more and more people. It is not uncommon for people to see many different doctors of many different specialties to be then told it is all in their heads. A person must be vigilant, research, and seek the experts themselves to get to the bottom of their illness. It is debilitating and their quality of life is diminished.
According to Dr. Shoemaker -- a renowned mold toxicity expert -- mold toxicity is an inflammation in the body, which is caused by the immune system going haywire. It is a biotoxin illness called Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS).
Definition of CIRS:
“An acute and chronic, systemic inflammatory response syndrome acquired following exposure to the interior environment of a water-damaged building with resident toxigenic organisms, including, but not limited to fungi, bacteria, actinomycetes and mycobacteria as well as inflammagens such as endotoxins, beta glucans, hemolysins, proteinases, mannans and possibly spirocyclic drimanes; as well as volatile organic compounds”
Well, that is a lot to take in….
So -- how does one become ill when it is not classified as an allergy? I will try to simplify this answer as best as I can. Most people have been exposed to a water damaged building and/or toxic chemicals. These buildings harbor fungi and bacteria. About 50% of the buildings in our country could be classified as water damaged. Our food system also harbors mold. Mold can occur before or during harvest. Foods that are commonly affected are cereals, oilseeds, spices, tree nuts, and milk. This issue is a much larger than people would believe.
Mold produces mycotoxins. Mycotoxins are a fungal toxin. They are toxic chemicals made from fungi. It is the mycotoxins that lead to the array of health issues in humans. They are carcinogenic and must be detoxed out of the body. These toxins are produced by indoor molds like penicillium, aspergillus, stachybotrys, and Chaetomium.
Most people can detox them out. Mold/mycotoxins are in our environment and surround us all the time. You cannot escape it. Unfortunately, for about 25% of the population, detoxing these mycotoxins is extremely difficult. It is believed that for this group, there is a genetic predisposition to not detox appropriately. This percentage of people are not able to make the antibodies necessary to remove these toxins out. Therefore, two people can walk into a water damaged building, and one will react to the mold, and one will not.
Here is a list of symptoms one can experience from mold exposure. Remember you can have one or many of these symptoms:
· Coughing
· Wheezing
· Red, itchy, and watery eyes
· Runny nose
· Rash
· Persistent coughing
· Frequent chest cold
· Headaches
· Difficulty breathing
· Sinus inflammation
· Fatigue and lethargy
· Poor memory and confusion
· Sensitivity to light
· Tingling and numbness in your hands and feet
· Appetite swings and weight gain
· Increased thirst
· Hair loss
· Metallic taste in your mouth
· Abdominal pain, bloating, and diarrhea
· Muscle cramps
· Joint pain
· Anxiety, irritability, anger, depression
· Lightheadedness
· Difficulty concentrating, memory loss, confusion.
· Fungal Infections
· Gluten sensitivity and/or other food sensitivities
Mold and other fungi can mutate rapidly, affecting your immune system. This can ultimately cause long-lasting health issues with serious complications.
Some of the diseases related to long-term mold exposure are:
· Bronchitis
· Balkan nephropathy
· Reye’s syndrome
· Respiratory infections
· Cancer
My search for the answers has been a long one. I knew years ago I was not feeling well. I went from doctor to doctor who eventually classified my issues as generalized anxiety. I wish I knew then what I know now. My story of seeing doctors and being dismissed led me to believe that my issues were all from aging and my anxiety. Until I became extremely ill and could not participate in my daily activities, I went along with all of this. I did my research and knew that my only step to helping myself achieve wellness was to see a naturopathic/functional medicine doctor. I finally was validated when I did my Organic Acid /Mycotoxin Test. This test measures chemical compounds excreted in the urine of mammals that are products of metabolism.
“The Organic Acids Test (OAT) offers a comprehensive metabolic snapshot of a patient’s overall health with 76 markers. It provides an accurate evaluation of intestinal yeast and bacteria. Our Organic Acids Test also includes markers for vitamin and mineral levels, oxidative stress, neurotransmitter levels, and is the only OAT to include markers for oxalates, which are highly correlated with many chronic illnesses.” Great Plains Laboratory
I highly recommend this test. You will need a health care provider to order it for you, but Great Plains Laboratory can assist you in locating a practitioner.
Here are some strategies for detoxing the Mold from your body when you cannot do it on your own:
1. Get out of the mold! You will not get better if you stay in the mold. Any detox program you follow will not be beneficial if you are still being subjected to mold.
2. Test your environment that you are in for mold/mycotoxins. You can buy home tests and test the area yourself. This is a good choice to help indicate if you need further investigation of what is growing in your own home. Many people report using EMRI for a complete evaluation of their living space.
3. Remove foods that are high in mycotoxins.
· Sugars and sugary foods
· Processed and packaged foods
· Mold and yeast containing foods, including:
- Cheese and sour milk products
- Nuts
- Peanuts, beans and peas
- Dried fruits
- Grains
- Packaged and smoked meats
- Mushrooms and truffles
- Alcoholic beverages
- Coffee and chocolate
- Seeds
- Grain fed meats
4. Follow a low mycotoxin diet. (Not an exhaustive list and remember your sensitivities may affect the list):
· Organic Grass-fed beef and meat
· Root vegetables and green vegetables
· Low glycemic fruits
· Coconuts, fats, butter, ghee, eggs
· Olives, olive oil, avocado, and avocado oil
· Wild caught fish and seafood
· Herbs -turmeric, ginger, basil, oregano, thyme
5. Stay hydrated! Aim to drink 8 -10 glasses of purified water a day! I bought a Hydrojug to help me drink my water.
6. Air filtration system in your house. Your goal is to filter out as many mycotoxins in your living space as possible.
7. Support your liver. I am taking glutathione to assist with this. Glutathione is an antioxidant and major detoxifier. I am also taking Integrative Therapeutics Detoxification Factors.
8. My naturopathic doctor has me on GI Detox as my binder, N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC), Liposomal Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and l-glutamine. Binders are important because it will trap the toxins and help move them out, so you do not reabsorb them back into your body. Mold exposure jeopardizes your immune system. By adding in Vitamin C, you will help bolster your immune system and it acts as a natural antihistamine.
9. Sweat, sweat, and sweat some more! When I first started my detox journey, I would take hot baths to get my body sweating. I would add in some Epson salt and use this time to not only detox but to relax. Although this was a good way to work myself into the routine, I realized I needed to sweat some more. I purchased a portable infrared sauna. I was not planning on spending a lot of money on this. It is set up in my family room and has been a topic of much discussion and laughs but my whole family now utilizes it. I think my money has been well spent.
Detoxing the mold is not a quick fix. Some people must leave their homes permanently, while others can have their homes remediated. I had to leave a job and a profession because there was no avoiding mold in my work environment. It can take up to a year or longer to detox the mycotoxins out of your body. It is not an easy task. It is exhausting both physically and emotionally. You are not only fighting within your body to rid yourself of the mold, but fighting externally with friends, family, doctors, and employers to get them to understand what you are going through. There are some great support groups on Facebook that have an abundance of information on the topic, also you will be surrounded by people who understand what you are going through.
More Resources:
Kommentare