According to Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker, mold expert and author of the book Surviving Mold, mold toxins are even more toxic than pesticides and heavy metals. Meaning, they can cause quite the damage on your body!
Common Mold Toxicity Symptoms
Common symptoms of toxicity include:
- Headaches & migraines
- Insomnia
- Coughing and phlegm build-up
- Depression
- Skin irritations or rashes
- Infertility
- Brain issues
In addition to this, biotoxins from mold also affect leptins receptors, which regulate hunger and can cause weight gain and hormonal imbalances.
Symptoms of mold toxicity may mimic Fibromyalgia, CFS, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Attention Deficit Disorder, Multiple Sclerosis and other autoimmune disorders. This makes them difficult for doctors to determine what is causing them.
Mold toxicity can also affect the brain. We think that it is “normal” to be forgetful as we get older, but the truth is that any brain issue—regardless of your age—should be further investigated.
Who Is Susceptible to Mold Toxcity?
When it comes to mold, some might be more affected than others. You can be subject to the same amount of mold, for the same amount of time and experience different symptoms.
According to Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker, up to 24% of people are considered “genetic canaries in the coal mine” and have a genetic susceptibility to chronic mold illness based on their immune response genes (HLA–DR).
HLA stands for Human Leukocyte Antigens, they are found on the surface of nearly every cell in the human body. They help the immune system tell the difference between body tissue and foreign substances.
What Causes Mold Toxicity?
Mycotoxins have not always been a problem. In fact, they’ve been used for years in the fermentation and preservation of food. What’s changed? The introduction of herbicides like Round-up™ have had a serious implication on the quality of our soil.
Round-up™ contains glyphosate which acts as a chelator, binding essential nutrients in the soil and plants. This disturbs the natural balance of the soil, destroying nutrients and affecting the nutrient density of plants. In addition it increases the toxicity level of mycotoxins, contributing to harmful effects on the body.
Ironically, the widespread use of a fungicide on crops and in our paints (to stop the growth of mold in our buildings and homes) has contributed to the growth of highly toxic and dangerous molds similar to superbugs. Due to an overuse of antibiotics, mold has become resistant to many of the products used to fight it.
It’s scary to think, but mold has invaded a large number of the buildings we spend time in. If your home or place of work has had water damage, it is likely hiding toxic mold. Even if the mold has been removed, it can remain embedded in your carpets, furniture, bed, clothing, and other belongings causing unwanted health problems.
And let’s not forget about food. Not all food turns green when going bad. Peanuts, coffee, certain cheeses, corn, wheat, alcohol, melons – often contain molds invisible to the human eye. And if you are part of the “canary in the coal mine” population, you may be reacting to these foods without even realizing it.
If sensitive, mold-ridden foods can cause headaches, coughs, phlegm, and a host of other symptoms that mimic typical allergy symptoms.
How To Reduce Mold Toxicity Symptoms
1) Test Your Home. If you suspect that your home or workplace contains mold, have it inspected by a specialist who will take air and carpet samples. If deemed toxic, hire a professional mold remediator or mold removal service to remove the problem. Most importantly, if you start feeling ill when you walk into a building, get out of that building and stay out: your health is not worth it!
2) Test Yourself! There are different ways to test for mold toxicity. The Visual Contrast Sensitivity (VCS) test is considered a good screening tool. You can find the tool online at www.survivingmold.com or find a qualified health professionals who has a hand held VSC test in office. Dr. Shoemaker suggests a list of tests that can help diagnose mold illnesses: VIP – Vasoactive Intestinal Polypeptide, MSH – Melanocyte Stimulating Hormone, TGF Beta-1 – Transforming Growth Factor Beta-1, C4a, HLA DR – Your Genes, AGA IgA/IgG, ACTH/Cortisol, VEGF, ACLA IgA/IgG/IgM, ADH/Osmolality, MMP-9 and Leptin.
3) Avoid foods that are known to grow mold. This includes coffee (yes, you might be drinking moldy coffee!), tap water, peanuts, wheat, corn, dairy, wine, beer, etc. Eat fruit while it is still fresh; melons, in particular, have a tendency to grow mold quickly.
4) Drink Safe Water. Use a good quality water filter to ensure that your tap water is clean and toxin-free.
5) Boost Your Immune System. Take vitamin C and glutathione, and follow an anti-inflammatory food plan to help reduce the inflammation in your body caused by mold toxicity.
6) Finally, consider doing the True Cellular Detox™ Program to help rid your body of mold toxins if you know that you have been exposed to molds. Find out more about True Cellular Detox by clicking here.
Your health is dependent on the air that you breathe, the water that you drink, and the food that you eat. So make sure that your air, water and food are as healthy, pure and clean as can be.