This post is definitely late for me, but after I read the excellent article published on SinusitisWellness.com as a tribute to Dr. Jack Thrasher and his most recent paper with Dr. Dennis, I just had to go ahead and write this. (The paper is entitled, “Surgical and Medical Management of Sinus Mucosal and Systemic Mycotoxicosis.” The synopsis and explanation is excellent on SinusitisWellness.com, so I won’t go into that here. (Click through with the link to read more.) I want to always provide you guys with the whole story when it comes to mold, so that is where this post comes in. Sadly, Dr. Jack Thrasher passed away at the beginning of the year, so this will have to serve as my small acknowledgement of his work and his insights into the worlds of toxicology, immunotoxicology and teratology (the study of abnormalities of physiological development and what causes those abnormalities). We all benefit from his accomplishments and the safety implications and policies that resulted.
Mold in the News
Hey, Hey!
Today, I have a shorter post for you with a link to a video segment from “The Doctors.”
This segment is about unexpected places in your home where mold can be hiding. The video is not quite 5 minutes in length, but provides a wealth of information. As a quick overview, so that you know what you will be watching, I’ll tell you a little bit about it. The doctors consult a home improvement expert, Eric Stromer, about this “hidden mold in the home” topic. According to Stromer, the top 3 places where mold can grow, but that people do not always know to check are as follows:
This is breaking news, so I wanted to be sure to bring it to your attention.
Today, THIS STORY about resistant strains of an invasive fungal infection is being circulated throughout news media in the U.S. What is interesting to me is that this story is not so new. Since my family and I have accepted that we are vulnerable in the “mold world” now for about 3 years, I have seen and heard hauntingly similar scenarios multiple times.
A patient is sick after moving into a new home. Their immune system becomes totally shot from trying to fend off the mold onslaught, and they all of a sudden become sick with every aliment under the sun. They have Candida patches growing on their skin and severe respiratory problems. Because they were in good health prior to moving into the home, it then takes time to finally figure out that they have mold. They are then given the choice to either get out or remediate the home, and then seek proper medical treatment from a doctor or doctors skilled in treating mold-exposure patients. Only then, are they able to regain health and vitality over time. Some people, like myself, take years to recover and must employ more than one detox method to cleanse their bodies of not only the fungus, but the toxins left behind by the fungus. It is a scary and serious issue that, for some reason, is controversial to speak of, because traditional medicine still has doubts about the seriousness or existence of “toxic mold.”
I hinted that this was coming in a previous post, so today, here it is: Dr. Donald Dennis talking about his experience with and treatment of mold- and fungal-related sickness on the Know the Cause television show with Doug Kaufmann. So that I am not boring you with repetitive details, should you want to know more about any background info not included in this post, HERE IS THE LINK to my previous post, where I tell you all about Know the Cause and Doug Kaufmann’s work to bring awareness to the masses about the root cause of many diseases and systemic illnesses. Kaufmann is a pioneer and a truly great person, so I highly recommend that you check out his site, his podcast, and his television program. He is also the author of many fantastic books, one of which, Eating Your Way to Good Health, changed the way I look at food, eat and cook for my family. It’s a game changer, in terms of eating to combat fungus. Hopefully, I can write about it in another post. But, I digress…
Mold and Oncology: An Article Explores the Claim that Mold Mycotoxins Can Trigger Cancer
Today, more than writing anything new to impart, I want to share a very compelling article in ONCOLOGY NEWS Nov 2014. The article is entitled “Fungi and Their Mycotoxins: An Underappreciated Role in Cancers.” It is an older article, but was recently brought to my attention by a doctor who helped me and my family through our mold ordeal. While the article is a bit dense, with lots of biomedical and scientific terminology, it is still an interesting and worthwhile read, even for some of us that are not experts. Asked why a mold cleaning blog is posting an article like this, I am also focused on the long term health of me and my family. Cancer is a terrible disease and articles like this one help me to recognize the importance of taking good care of my body and the environment I live in. Articles like this one also re-energize my passion for writing and sharing this blog with others, which is important to keeping what I write pertinent to you.
This particular article addresses the links between cancer and fungal infections that are caused by mold mycotoxins (the toxic chemical by-products produced by some molds). In other words, the article conjectures that the way in which cancer cells and fungal infections alter healthy cells in the body, have similarities that should not be overlooked. The article also points to the many likely, but not yet proven links in humans between cancers and the mycotoxins produced by some types of mold.
Healing my body and mind post mold exposure has been a journey of epic of proportions for both me and my family. It seems that each month of exposure equates to a year of health struggles and recovery. As I write this, I am overwhelmed with gratitude to be on the other side, and having many more unimpaired and flourishing days, than down, sick days.
As integral to my recovery as Dr. Dennis and his mold protocols (HERE is a link to my post about Dr. Dennis and his unique approach to mold treatment) are holistic medicine and naturopathic medical doctors. My healing would not have occurred without the opening of my mind to a “different” way –consulting with professionals outside of the mainstream medical community. (Fortunately for me, Dr. Dennis is a medical doctor, who also employs holistic medicine and supplementation to heal his patients from mold. He never just treated my symptoms, but treated the source of my sickness.) Now, the more I learn about my body and rely on products, like the homeopathic products and supplements from MicroBalance to maintain my health, the more I desire to disseminate that info to other people who are also struggling with biotoxin illness or other chemically-related illnesses. Many times, the introduction of a supplement that the body is lacking or deficient in, or eliminating a food additive, or detoxing an unforeseen compound, like heavy metals, can be just what the body needs to make that jump from recovering to healthy. Simple adjustments can sometimes promote BIG solutions in our health. That is precisely why I am introducing you to my “guest” in this post today.
Hi there!
I have sort of a confession to make: I am a total nerd when it comes to science.
I can’t get enough of scientific journals, reading about long-term study results, and researching the science behind anything health, diet or exercise related. So, I guess it should come as no surprise that sometimes, in my quest to learn all I can about mold and mycotoxins, I delve into scientific journals and published studies to help me understand some of the things that prolonged mold subjection (like the exposure my family and I endured) does to the body. What astounds me time and time again are the many (and still growing as studies on mold become more focused and common), scientifically proven connections between mold in indoor environments and health problems—both physical and mental. Also, since I am markedly better from a health standpoint than I was 2 years ago, I like to have references to direct people to, when they don’t believe that I could have ever been that sick from something like mold. Many people just look at mold in their homes as a nuisance or inconvenience, and don’t see the importance of being hyper vigilant about it, or being that concerned. I’ve even heard the statement, “All homes have mold. What’s the big deal?” Pointing people to these studies as a reference helps me to “show” people why mold is a big deal and why living in an indoor environment with mold or bad air quality should be a major health concern.
I struggled with whether or not to post this. I have strong feelings about this topic, so I decided to go ahead and do it, in case some of you struggle with it too.
Today, I’m addressing a topic that affects my life and my world as “mold blogger” everyday. That topic is whether or not mold, and more specifically, mold in your living environment, is really dangerous to your health. Namely, I want to address the opinions offered by this article from The Daily Beast. In it, the author, a physician still in training as an endocrinology fellow, suggests underlying systemic illness is to blame for health symptoms associated with mold exposure. She cites one patient with advanced alcoholic liver disease as representative of all patients using mold as an excuse for their illness. She also suggests that mold sickness is a product of internet lore.
Today, I am sharing a wonderful interview from the Misdiagnosed Life Podcast, part of the America Out Loud Network. For those who have never heard of America Out Loud, it is a network that leverages content from proven experts, covering everything from hard news and politics, to society and personal, talker-type stories that “embrace the human spirit.” Here is a link to their website and network.
Today, I am linking to an article on TheGuardian.com that was recently published talking about the link between toxic particles in the brain and Alzheimer’s.
From my recent foray into the “mold world,” I have met and know many folks who have experienced, or who know folks who have experienced the brain fog, forgetfulness, confusion, and other negative neurological effects of mold exposure. Thus, it is not too out there to assume that mold exposure could have some long-term degenerative effect on the brain, when the exposure has been prolonged, or the type of mold was toxic and emitting mycotoxins. I have always, always been concerned with inhaling the molds and mycotoxins, and this article really made me think long and hard about that, because of its conclusions.