Category:

Wellness

Are Mold Plates Helpful Testing Tools?

by Catherine 7:21 pm

Using Mold Plates (The Right Way) to Monitor Indoor Fungal Load and Protect Your Health

Every since I started this blog, I have been sharing the many ways I use inexpensive mold plates to test the air and different pieces of furniture and/or belongings in our home for mold. I use these plates to keep a constant eye on mold levels and to make sure our exposure is not increasing unchecked. I also like to use the plates when I am experimenting with different ways of cleaning things to make sure I am bringing spore levels down. I like having some way to measure BEFORE and AFTER and some barometer of what is there at a specific snapshot in time to rule environmental mold out as the cause for any inflammatory symptoms or autoimmune flares (I acquired ulcerative colitis during my battle with mold toxicity) that I sometimes still experience. There is always a strong correlation for me with my health status and the fungal load in our home now that my body has become sensitized to mold. My threshold for all environmental toxins is now much lower and even a little mold exposure can be a LOT for my body these days if you know what I mean.

7:21 pm 16 comments

Personal Stories Products Treatment & Recovery Uncategorized Wellness

Steps I Took to Heal My Body From Mold

by Catherine 2:41 pm

The Good News Is There’s No One “Right” Way. The Bad News Is There’s No One “Right” Way . . .

I am often asked about what supplements I took, treatments I underwent, and about “all the things” that I did to heal my body from mold toxicity. Many folks are looking for a clear, straightforward road map that they can follow and are hoping that I will be able to provide it. My blog is called “Mold Free Living” after all, right?

Every time I am asked for specifics on healing and detox, I first must make sure everyone knows that I AM NOT A DOCTOR OR HEALTHCARE PRACTITIONER. Any response I can offer comes from personal experience and is not medical advice. My take is an “n = 1” point of view, so I am never sure how helpful any answer I give would be for the rest of the “moldy” population. The frequency with which I am asked detox and healing regimen questions makes me acutely aware of how many people are out there still struggling and just trying to get their bodies and their lives back from this whole mold thing, though. It also makes me acutely aware of how blessed I am to be doing so well after having been so sick and desperate. So, to lend whatever help sharing my experience gives to others, today I am going to circle back around to discuss the topic of healing, how long it took me to heal and my regimen, as it were, that helped me to get to today.

2:41 pm 15 comments

Interviews Mold Doctors and Functional Medicine Practitioners Q & A's Treatment & Recovery Wellness

Hope and Support for Mold Canaries

by Catherine 8:29 pm

Dr. Jill Crista’s Online Community Gives Support and REAL Answers for Those Struggling With Mold Illness

Are you a mold canary? You know, someone that is beacon or early warning sign for trouble or danger when it comes to mold and mycotoxins—as in your body knows and feels the presence of mold from miles away? I definitely am. If I enter a moldy space, my whole body indicates the danger—my skin flushes, my heart races, my nose starts to run, and my throat closes. My anxiety also shoots through the roof. I have come to realize that if I don’t leave immediately and start on my mold protocols, I know I can expect a decline in my health for the next few days. If the mold “hit” is significant (for me this means being in the moldy place for an hour or more or if that place happens to contain high levels of mycotoxins), it sometimes takes a pretty concerted effort to get myself back to homeostasis afterwards. While I am thankful for the insight my body provides, sometimes, this “moldy” lifestyle can be the pits; anyone with extra insight or tips on how to navigate it a little easier is a welcome friend.

8:29 pm 0 comment

Cleaning Tips Healthy Home Mold Prevention Mold Remediation Wellness

When Your Home is STILL Making You Sick

by Catherine 10:41 pm

Hidden, Indoor Sources of Mold That Can Keep Mold-Sensitive People Sick

If you are someone who has dealt with mold or environmental illness, you know firsthand how difficult it can be to finally feel safe and secure again in your home, especially if your home is where you became sick in the first place. Even after a major mold remediation, it is easy to sometimes feel like you are just one step away from another mold catastrophe or from finding that one place inside your home that was not fixed and cleaned properly and that still triggers your symptoms. One statistic a heard mentioned during a podcast interview with Dr. Jill Crista, ND, is that one out of every three of her mold patients remain symptomatic due to failed or insufficient mold remediation. They thought they had taken care of the mold problem but remained sick and not improving until additional cleaning work was done, or they found the mold source that had been missed the first go around.

10:41 pm 8 comments

Cleaning Tips Healthy Home Mold Prevention Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Products Wellness

Is Your Home a Safe Space?

by Catherine 11:02 pm

Improving Air Quality and Home Health When You’re Stuck Indoors

The concept of “sheltering in place” is probably not new to some of you. Those with severe multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) or chronic illness know all too well the difficulties of operating with a sensitized immune system in this overly toxic world. Isolation and the need to control what materials, scents, people, foods, and chemicals enter your home are not new to me either. I had years, even after fixing my home and my body from the mold, that I could not tolerate perfumes, certain smells, cleaning products, make-up, and even putting gas in my car because of the fumes. Creating a safe home environment where I could breathe clean air made me feel safe and secure. My mold-safe home became my only true sanctuary from the scents and physical exposures that could set my immune system reeling and overreacting.

11:02 pm 4 comments

Cleaning Tips Healthy Home Wellness

My New “Normal” During COVID-19

by Catherine 12:15 am

Hunkering Down, Social Distancing, and Making Sense of the Coronavirus Pandemic

Are you doing okay? I am sorry I have not posted in a while. It has been, well, very crazy. I am sure you know what I mean and are feeling it deeply too. No matter where you are in the world, the Coronavirus pandemic has altered work, family, and life altogether significantly. It seems that no one is escaping it, and that we all need to hunker down to concentrate on staying safe and well by “flattening the curve” with social distancing. It still seems as if the best defense is avoidance of exposure.

Until today, I have resisted writing about COVID-19, because I feel that the last thing anyone needs right now is more unsolicited advice or harrowing statistics. It is such a loaded topic. I’ve witnessed relationships degrade over social media based on conspiracy theories or comments that downplay the seriousness of the virus. It makes me so sad. But, I have also fielded many emails and messages from folks checking in with me. Many people seem to be wondering what I am doing to weather this storm and to stay well. Thus, I felt compelled to finally put this post out there.

12:15 am 0 comment

Cleaning Tips Healthy Home Mold Prevention Travel Tips Treatment & Recovery Wellness

Holiday Hacks for Moldies

by Catherine 9:59 pm

Have a Mold-Free Holiday by Managing Stress and Environmental Triggers

During this season of food, festivities, decorations, family time, and gift-giving, it is important for those navigating mold and environmental illness to find practical ways to steer away from symptom triggers, added stress, and anxiety while not feeling isolated and left out of the holiday cheer. Easier said than done, I know. There are expectations, things you want to do, people you want to see, but giving yourself permission to safeguard your health is vital to your recovery. If you read no further in this post, please read this: It takes a lot of effort to regain and maintain your health after mold—ongoing mold avoidance and mold hygiene just scratch the surface. Tossing all of your hard work by the wayside during the holidays doesn’t bring freedom, unfortunately. In fact, it can create additional stress on both your mind and body. This does not mean that you can’t enjoy the holidays, though! You CAN enjoy the holidays like you used to—before the mold—I promise. You just have to identify your holiday symptom triggers, open your mind, and embark upon some mold-specific preparation.

Before I break things down and give you what I am calling my “Holiday Hacks for Moldies,” I want you to know that I totally understand and can relate to wherever you are in your healing process and journey with mold. When you have been debilitated and hit hard by mold, NOTHING and I mean NOTHING seems straightforward or easy anymore. Further, NOWHERE, and I mean NOWHERE feels safe anymore either. Just going to a holiday party, or having relatives and friends come to visit are not the routine, seasonal occurrences that they used to be. Those events become quite loaded and stressful, because you don’t know what you are walking into, or what people are bringing in with them on their clothing and things. Sometimes, the littlest things can send your body reeling from a “mold hit”. These uncertainties can make the holidays feel twice as hard in terms of maintaining your health. Then, there is the added pressure during the holidays to be as “normal” as possible, so as not to let anyone down. Parents especially want to “do all of the holiday things”, so that their children don’t feel weird or left out. Whatever your case or situation, you don’t have to get sick again every holiday season and experience setbacks in your mental fortitude about ever being “normal” again. The madness can stop, and I want to help.

9:59 pm 4 comments

Personal Stories Treatment & Recovery Wellness

The Elephant in the Room

by Catherine 4:12 am

Acknowledging Mold PTSD and How It Can Stand in the Way of Your Recovery

Mold PTSD is rearing its ugly head again. I am writing this post feeling very raw and very scared. I am sitting at my kitchen table with what feels like the weight of the world on my shoulders. You see, this morning my husband was outside skimming leaves from the pool when he noticed a significant amount of water coming from the condensate line that flows from the HVAC system and dehumidifiers in the attic to the outside. He alerted me, and I ran upstairs to see what was going on. Sure enough, the dehumidifier’s pan was full of water, wasn’t draining properly, and was overflowing onto the attic floor and into the attic insulation beneath it. Water marks were even beginning to spread on the ceiling of the guest room located under the dehumidifier.

Springing into action, I quickly unplugged the dehumidifier and grabbed towels and our wet/dry shop vac to suck the water from the pan to stop the overflow and damage. We then cut a hole in the guest room ceiling to remove all of the wet drywall and insulation and to direct fans into the ceiling cavity to dry out the wood framing and beams. We have done all of the right things to contain and to mitigate the damage and moisture intrusion. But, now comes the hard part: Now we have to play the waiting game of whether or not we have done enough to prevent mold growth. It is this waiting game and the unknown ahead that messes with my mind, and, in turn, messes with my body. I can feel the anxiety building inside of me. I even think I can feel some mold symptoms coming back. Is it from the drywall dust? Was the leak going on long enough to already produce mold growth? Am I getting sick again?

4:12 am 2 comments

Interviews Mold Doctors and Functional Medicine Practitioners Products Treatment & Recovery Wellness

The Immune-Boosting Benefits of Alkaline Structured Silver

by Catherine 7:37 pm

Dr. Gordon Pedersen on Medicinal Silver As a Tool for Treating Mold Illness, Candida, and Yeast

Most of us who suffer from mold- or environmentally-triggered illness are familiar with the uses of medicinal silver and silver solutions as natural treatment options for bacteria and yeast. Silver has long-been considered a holistic intervention for infections to be used instead of antibiotics. It has also been touted in the mold illness community for its usefulness against biofilms in nasal washes for the treatment of MARCoNs and fungal sinus infections. But, even though its health benefits have been studied and known for centuries, for some reason, silver seems to still be underappreciated and often pushed aside in favor of the latest buzzed-about supplement or treatment modality. I’ll admit, I had actually sort of forgotten about silver and its benefits myself. I always keep a bottle of Silver Sol on-hand, but hadn’t really needed it or considered using it lately. But, when some familiar Candida symptoms (post-meal discomfort, bloating, indigestion, and brain fog) started to crop up again for me recently, I soon rediscovered silver in a very new light.

7:37 pm 8 comments

Products Treatment & Recovery Wellness

MARCoNs: Is a Ubiquitous Sinus Infection Worth Treating?

by Catherine 8:28 pm

MARCoNS Treatment for Mold Illness Recovery:

Explaining the Infection and Looking at Its Connection to Environmental Mold

I am often asked if I tested positive for Multiple Antibiotic Resistant Coagulase Negative Staphylococci, or MARCoNs, when I had mold toxicity. (Note: MARCoNs is a staph infection that resides deep in the noses of 80% of people suffering from mold illness and other chronic inflammatory illnesses that is resistant to multiple antibiotics and is protected by biofilm.) People also are curious about my knowledge of effective MARCoNs treatment. Those especially interested are mold sufferers who no longer believe they are being exposed to mold and for whom serious inflammation is continuing, despite multiple and often elaborate interventions. Once diagnosed, MARCoNs can be such a difficult condition to effectively treat, that sufferers are desperate for tips and solutions. Many have even been told that it is what is preventing their full recovery.

The truth is, I was never specifically tested or medically treated for MARCoNs as part of my mold toxicity protocol. As I have shared before, chronic sinus symptoms were definitely a problem for me—facial pain and swelling, headaches, tooth pain, swollen nasal passages, sinus pressure, sinus drainage, etc., but, once we connected the mold in our home to ALL of our health symptoms, the focus of my treatment was on avoiding the antigen (mold) and stopping the cycle of inflammation in my body that the mold had ignited. And, even though MARCoNs doesn’t always present as sinus symptoms, in fact, most patients with MARCoNs report debilitating fatigue, sleep problems, and cognitive issues as their top complaints, I was lucky enough to have my neurological symptoms subside as my body cleared the mold with detox and other treatments. My protocol included many steps and a whole-body approach to healing. Once I set my body up to heal by tackling my environment and the mold mycotoxins inside of me, I never had to literally “dig deeper” or explore MARCoNs. It wasn’t necessary to do so for me to heal.

8:28 pm 6 comments