Your Essential Guide to Mold Toxicity
When you think of health ailments, mold isn’t usually on the top of anyone’s list. Why is that? Personally, I think it is a lack of awareness of how mold can present in a patient’s body because it is such a fickle beast to deal with. Why is that? Some people seemingly aren’t bothered by mold, and for others, it can ruin their lives. According to the Environment Protection Agency, this is one of the reasons that they haven’t set a threshold for mold toxicity: It ranges so much from person to person that it is difficult to set a standard to abide by (that and how much it would cost landlords, schools, office owners to remediate their buildings, but I digress). Let’s take a little bit of a dive into the world of mold, how it can affect your health, and how to heal from exposure
First Up, What is Mold
Mold is a type of fungus that thrives in damp, warm, and dark places and works behind the scenes to break down organic material. Basically, it’s nature's recycler: It assists in decomposing things like leaves, wood, and other debris. While it plays an essential role in the ecosystem, mold can become a problem indoors when it finds the right conditions, such as a leaky pipe, high humidity, water damage, or poor ventilation. It reproduces by releasing tiny spores into the air, which can settle and grow on surfaces like walls, carpets, air ducts, or even your food. Though not all mold is harmful, certain types can trigger allergies, respiratory issues, or other health problems if left unchecked.
Signs and Symptoms of Mold Exposure/Mold Toxicity
Even though I discussed a few of these during my CBS news segment, it was only the tip of the iceberg. Below are some common symptoms of mold toxicity:
Skin issues such as hives, rashes (often from “unknown” sources)
Burning eyes
Respiratory issues (coughing, swollen sinuses, shortness of breath, drippy nose)
Random/new onset food sensitivities (not to be confused with true food allergies)
Anxiety
Dehydration (increases anxiety)
Panic disorder
Vision Issues
Brain fog
Difficulty concentrating
Fatigue
Bowel issues such as diarrhea, IBS, etc. (when mold is inhaled, it passes through your respiratory system and then settles in your digestive tract)
Headaches and/or migraines
Excessive thirst and excessive urination
Weight gain
Metallic taste in the mouth
Pain in muscles
Exercise Intolerance
Tingling/Numbness in extremities
Light and sound sensitivity
Vertigo
…and (unfortunately) more
As you can see, mold toxicity goes way beyond the itchy eyes and sneezing that we are usually told (and as it’s listed as the only symptom per the Agreement of the Sale of Real Estate, aka the contract you us when putting an offer n on a home, but I digress).
Why Mold Takes Hold (in your body)
Everyone is uniquely different and will respond to mold very differently. Here are some of the factors that can contribute to your personal response to mold:
Lyme Disease/Long Covid/Active Epstein-Barr - I’ll go on record to say that Lyme Disease is severely under-diagnosed. If you look at a map where Lyme Disease is endemic, and it’s high, I would highly recommend getting tested with a proper Lyme Test (like this one). Epstein-Barr is another little sneaky factor that can run down your immune system. If you’ve never heard of Epstein-Barr, it was most commonly associated with mono or the “kissing disease.” You don’t need to have kissed someone to contract this virus, however, once you’ve had EBV, it goes into remission in your body, and waits (sometimes years) to come out and play again. Usually, when you’ve gone through a tough illness, EBV can come out to play post-infection, due to the hit your immune system takes. When you are run down, and in a moldy environment, it allows the mold to take hold.
Genetic Mutations - When you have certain genetic mutations such HLA-DR doesn’t allow the body to properly detox to handle mold. Other mutations that disrupt methylation such as MTHFR can affect how a person handles mold, or even a CBS gene mutation, which won’t allow a patient to supplement with glutathione (the master antioxidant) due to sensitivity to sulfur. A genetic test can help show how well your body detoxes, and breaks down histamine, and other health susceptibilities. I always recommend working with a practitioner to better understand this often confusing area of health and healing. If you want to go at it alone, this company (3x4) provides home testing and does a great job of providing you with a comprehensive and easy-to-understand report.
Pregnancy - Due to a suppressed immune system, mold has a good chance of taking hold in a mother’s body: Especially if she lives in a moldy environment. Some symptoms of mold toxicity can be passed off as pregnancy symptoms (happened to me), so before you plan to expand your family, have your home tested for mold and work with a practitioner to make sure you are maximizing minerals throughout your pregnancy process.
Young Children and Elderly - Due to immature immune systems that aren’t fully developed (in humans, that happens around the age of 7) or an immune system that is aging, these two demographics are susceptible to mold toxicity. Did you know that one of the root causes of ADHD is mold toxicity in children? Another factor is the aging buildings both of these demographics spend a lot of time in. Mold can also grow in newer buildings, especially if they have been LEED-certified. Why? Even though LEED is good for energy, that means that the buildings do not have the proper airflow and ventilation to allow them to, “breathe.” The focus in LEED buildings is sealing them up as much as possible to lessen the loss of energy, however, the flip side is that this creates a terrarium effect, which is a playground for mold to thrive in. Also, building materials in this day and age aren’t nearly as well made as they were in years past, which creates yet another way for mold to grow during construction when cheaper building materials are exposed to the outside elements such as rain, snow, high humidity, etc.
Prior Trauma to the Brain - This seems like an unlikely co-factor when discussing mold toxicity, but hear me out. Your brain is the gateway to your Autonomic Nervous System: The control center, if you will, for every function in your body. When you take a hit to your head through a concussion, stroke or any other trauma, it can cause damage to the pathways in your brain that control essential bodily functions like breathing control or immune function. If there has been a disruption to the brain, if can increase your likelihood of responding to moldy environments.
How to Heal
Healing from mold toxicity usually takes a multi-prong approach. You have to address your mental “environment” as much as your physical and emotional one. A calm and neutral body will heal much faster than an anxious one. As a note, it is completely unrealistic to believe that your home will always be and remain 100% mold-free. The goal is to get your body into a healthier place where it can handle the mold levels (both mentally and physically), as you remain mindful of keeping your home clean. Please note that sometimes, you can’t see or smell toxic levels of mold in your home.
Get A Hold of the Mold - Your miraculous vehicle, known as your body will naturally start to detox once the mold is significantly reduced where you spend the majority of your time: Your home. Testing your home to see if mold is a problem is your first step. You can use simple testing kits from this company to get started, or find a qualified technician in your area to come out and test. Once you’ve identified the problem areas of mold, getting it remediated by a qualified contractor will significantly help. Be aware that places such as crawl spaces and basements are mold factories, due to the fact that they take on water either due to improper draining around the home, holes in the roof or flashing, etc.
Get Your (Air) Ducts in a Row - The nose is the front door to your brain due to cranial nerve I. Whatever you breathe in bypasses the blood-brain barrier because your olfactory neurons extend into the nasal cavity. Whether that’s mold or other environmental toxins, it’s something to be aware of (also why specific essential oils that are terpenes and terpenoids are very effective in healing). This is a huge missing piece of the puzzle for many of us who are sick with mold toxicity (even bigger if you’ve had any form of trauma to the brain or face, including nose jobs and corrective surgeries). Even homeowners, landlords, or anyone who owns a building should have their ducts cleaned by professionals who are also proficient in treating mold. In addition to cleaning your air ducts, make sure you are using a MERV (Minimum Effective Reporting Value) filter of at least 9 or above in your HVAC system. Lastly, consider using a high-quality air filter such as this one to help keep your home safe and clean.
Lymphatic Movement - Lymph should be seen as the garbage disposal waste management system of your body. Keeping your lymphatic fluid moving is key when dealing with mold toxicity. Some ways that you can do this is by going to a practitioner who specializes in lymphatic therapies (such as Lymphatic Enhancement Therapy) to help get it flowing in your body. You can also go for a simple walk, jump on a trampoline ( known as rebounding), use a lymphatic brush (as long as you aren’t experiencing MCAS symptoms such as burning skin), and even cold therapies if your body can handle it (eg you aren’t in adrenal fatigue or have high cortisol levels because cold plunges can make you feel worse). Some herbs known to help lymphatic fluid are red root, poke root, and galium. Essential oils that help move lymph are Laurel Leaf (Bay), Cedarwood (Atlas), Geranium, Grapefruit, Angelica Root, Rhododendron, Mountain Savory, and Orange essential oil.
Support Your Detox Pathways - We already mentioned above the importance of supporting your drainage pathways in the body (your lymphatic system), and now let’s look at supporting other key players that help your body detox. Some of the ways that you can help move mold out of your body are infra-red saunas, red light therapy, foot baths, Epsom salt/magnesium flake baths, castor oil packs (with cold pressed organic castor oil), and taking baking soda to help keep your body’s ph in the neutral zone (Note: Alka Seltzer Gold was an amazing product to help bring your body into balance quickly. Bayer has since taken it off the market due to a “managerial decision,” however, if it ever becomes available again, grab it!).
Replace Lost Vitamins and Minerals - Mold is notorious for stealing the minerals right out of your body, leading to a whole host of issues. Did you know that dehydration from mold exposure can be one of the causes for your anxiety (yes, it happened to me). When you start to replenish the minerals in your body, which naturally boost your electrolytes, it can have a profound effect on your mental health (and no just drinking plain old water will not hydrate you when you are chronically dehydrated). Working with a practitioner who is proficient in mineral supplementation and testing is key. Some quick electrolyte replenishers in the interim are this one (quinton), this one (LMNT) or this homemade electrolyte drink found here.
Mind Your Mind - When someone goes through being sick from mold, your mental and emotional well-being take just as big of a hit as your body does. As you heal your physical body, you should also address your mental and emotional wellness as well. For example, according to the book Metaphysical Anatomy, one of the emotional root causes of mold/fungus in the body is trauma that you cannot let go of. By getting to the root cause of why you got sick will help to alleviate your body of burdens you were completely unaware of that were affecting your health and well-being. Also, and probably the biggest key in healing, is getting your mind and body into a state of neutrality. It is a hard thing to do in this day and age, but when we speak of the body’s ability to heal, this is the goal. A stressed body due to whatever factor you would like to choose, simply can’t heal.
If there is anything you take away from this blog post is that you can absolutely heal from mold. By addressing mold in your physical environment, in your physical body, your mindset and also your deeper-rooted emotions, you can break the hold on mold.
