7 Steps To Address Mold Toxins In Your Body

Thank you for the overwhelmingly positive response for my post on toxic burden!

I also got the message loud and clear that most of you are extremely interested in learning more about what you can do to lessen the assault on your body from environmental and manmade toxins. Today’s post is going to address a small subset of that topic: mold.

Of course, right?

Most often on this blog, I address the physical mold in your environment, so what I am going to do here is to address mold toxins in the body. Before I begin, though, it is important that you understand that until you remove the inflammagen (aka mold), and any mycotoxins from your environment, either by successful remediation or by physically leaving the environment permanently, you will not get well. You could literally do every single thing on this list and STILL be sick. That is not to say that some of these things won’t help you by aiding your immune system and fighting the fungus, just that none will be able to heal you, if you are continuing to return to the scene of the crime, or the mold.  You will continue inhaling new mold spores into your sinuses that will continue making you sick. I hope that makes sense.

Since I am not a doctor or licensed medical practitioner of any kind, none of this information is to serve as medical advice. It is just detailed information about the body protocol for mold that worked for me. Before you embark upon any new treatment or supplements, consult your trusted professionals, medical, naturopathic or holistic, who advise you on health-related matters.

My doctor throughout my treatment was and still is Dr. Don Dennis, a world-renowned ENT surgeon. Thus, all of my advice and the products discussed here are mostly based on his body protocol designed to help people who suffer from mold- and fungal-related illness. The protocol uses only natural and homeopathic supplements and methods to heal the body post mold exposure and to ramp-up the immune system for greater fungal resistance.

The coolest thing about some of these supplements is the fact that Dr. Dennis actually created them himself to address the areas in mold illness treatment where he couldn’t find existing products that would get to the root cause of the problem, mold/fungus. Also, when mold is your “toxic tipping point,” you need to support your body’s detox pathways and clear the way for the toxins to exit the body without making you sicker. This list includes digestive, thyroid, liver, kidney and hormonal support to do just that. I also like that none of these products will harm or further break down your body, even when you suffer from chronic sinusitis, fungal allergies, or other mold sickness symptoms, like low energy, Candidiasis, brain fog, and trouble focusing, just to name a few.

Ready to learn more?

Here are 7 Steps you can take to tackle mold in your body:

(Note: It is important to implement any new supplements or treatments in a step-by-step progression. This way, if you react to anything, you know exactly which product is causing the negative reaction and can stop using it immediately. If all products are immediately used, it becomes a significant trial and error challenge to figure out which product is affecting you.  Conversely, you don’t want to stop using the products that are providing relief. Remember, healing is a process and will take time and an investment in yourself. Please don’t become overwhelmed by all that you feel that you SHOULD do. Do what you can and move forward taking one day at a time.)

1. Use a saline wash and/or a targeted product to clean your nose.

Mold spores enter the body through the nasal passages. Once it inside your body, mold can move onto other systems, causing illness and inflammation. When you rinse your nose regularly, and add an additional antifungal, you eliminate the cause of your problem before it can make you sick. You also remove mucous and other debris that can be impacting you.

Clean your nose for mold every morning and evening using a trusted saline irrigation system, like Nasopure. This is the single most impactful thing you can do to feel better.  You can also add 2-3 drops of the antifungal and antimicrobial CitriDrops Dietary Supplement to the wash. The CitriDrops Nasal Spray is another alternative or can be used in addition to the saline wash. The spray actually has preventative properties, because it will stay inside your nose longer to prevent mold spores from entering. The spray is also a great on-the-go option for travel and work.

2. Take high-quality vitamin/mineral supplements to boost your immunity and fill nutritional holes.

In all of my experience with, interviews and research on mold illness, I have found that nutrition and vitamin/mineral deficiencies have to be addressed first before any treatment for mold can occur in the body and be successful. Also, MOST if not ALL mold patients are mineral deficient and suffer from dehydration, even when consuming lots of water. Without restoring optimum mineral levels, the body cannot guard against toxins. This is another reason why mold patients often become chemically sensitive or have secondary infections or viruses that become larger issues after an exposure. The mold is the tipping point, but the other “stuff” is the fallout that alerts the patient to something being VERY wrong. My body was at an extreme nutritional deficit after the mold exposure. I wasn’t absorbing much of what I was eating—leaky gut and digestive issues. I could not have gotten well without using vitamin and mineral supplements to help stabilize all of the systems in my body.

The vitamin supplements that I like (you only need one) are Quicksilver Scientific Ultra-Vitamin, Logos Nutritionals Complete Thymic Formula, and IntraMAX.  These supplements will help support your body and boost your immunity to other antigens, so that your systems can start to heal.  The Quicksilver Scientific Ultra-Vitamin is a liquid sublingual multi-vitamin. It provides faster absorption and greater bioavailability than just about any nutraceutical on the market. It includes the basic B-complex, A, C, E, and D3, PLUS the more exotic forms of traditional vitamins, such as the carotenoids lutein, zeaxanthin, and lycopene, and the advanced vitamin E form, tocotrienol, and the natural companion to D3, K2 as MenaQ7. Logos Nutritionals Complete Thymic Formula contains herbs, essential vitamins, minerals, thymic and glandular extracts, antioxidants, digestive enzymes and whole food extracts. The IntraMAX is a liquid, so it is easily absorbed. It contains vitamins, trace and macro minerals, probiotics, antioxidants, digestive enzymes, fruits, vegetables, essential fatty acids, bioflavonoids, amino acids and more. The ingredients also support the body’s ability to eliminate harmful substances. I rotate my multivitamins. I just find that this works well for me and prevents any plateaus in my recovery.

For complete mineral supplementation, I like IntraMIN. It contains 71 trace minerals, 65 electrolytes and naturally-sourced fulvic acid. It helps to nutritionally support all of the body’s processes, including the endocrine, brain and nervous system functions. The intraMIN formula is easily assimilated and is gentle enough for those who are sensitive to harmful chemicals.

QuintEssential™ 0.9 is another, seawater and plankton-derived mineral supplement that has 0.9% bioavailable minerals and necessary trace elements of the Periodic Table. It supports homeostasis and natural rehydration. Quinton Isotonic also contributes to normal digestion and production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach. This will help if your digestion has been compromised by the mold.

I also supplement additionally with magnesium, calcium and zinc. Since robust levels of these minerals in the body actually bind to toxins, render them inert and help us to eliminate them, keeping my intake regular drives down my overall toxic load. Supplementing with additional magnesium will also help your sleep patterns return to normal. (My insomnia and broken sleep contributed to my low immunity during my ordeal.) The products I use for this are Natural Calm both the drink and the bath salts, alternated with a multi Calcium, Magnesium and Zinc combo supplement called Mary Ruth’s Liquid Nighttime Multimineral. I like taking both magnesium citrate and magnesium oxide alternately. For magnesium oxide, I take NOW Magnesium Oxide powder. Too much magnesium citrate can lead to loose stools, so be careful.

3. Start on an anti-fungal diet.

If you have bloating, fatigue and acid reflux, you may have Candidiasis or yeast overgrowth—this type of fungal infection is common in mold patients. Dr. Dennis suggests getting an ALCAT Test for food sensitivities and beginning a Candida-specific diet. Dr. HERE is a detailed description of what the diet looks like. (You may recognize Dr. Eric Wood as part of the team collaboration for the site.) For the most part, you want to avoid sugar, processed food and carbohydrates. You want to fill your body with leafy greens, non-starchy vegetables, organic eggs, and organic meats and wild-caught fish. Non-inflammatory fats, like avocados, coconut oil, olive oil, and ghee are also permitted. The diet is less limiting than it is liberating, because you soon see and feel your body operating more efficiently. It also helps to starve any yeast in the gut, so that the “good” bacteria can resume residence to aid digestion and immunity.

4. Take probiotics designed to restore your gut flora and aid in digestion.

 

 

About 70% of your body’s immunity starts in the gut. Maintaining and feeding the healthy bacteria in your gut will help your body fight illness and disease. Both VSL-3 and Visbiome are probiotics that have been very effective for me. Probiotics are also a supplement that you should periodically rotate. It is my understanding that it is equally important to have a wide variety of bacterial strains as it is to have a high number of strains in the probiotic. Rotating will ensure that you are getting both variety and varying levels. You want to prevent adaption.

5. Take a natural antifungal to combat other microbes and digestive issues caused by fungus.

When your immune system is compromised, you will be susceptible to foodborne illness, disease and infections. Taking CitriDrops Dietary Supplement and/or the Candida Rid supplement will help fight and prevent this. Both supplements aid the body in destroying mold toxins and yeast in the gut.

6. Use specially-designed, homeopathic products for environmental illness and mold.

I use Dr. Dennis’s Sinus Defense sublingual spray, per bottle directions, 2-3 times per day, or more often if I am already sick, getting sick, or have had a mold exposure. The Sinus Defense helps your immune system to fight off the inflammation and sickness caused by the mold. It is formulated with a similar philosophy to a vaccine in that continued use over time will make your T-cells more adept at identifying, marking and destroying toxins, like mold. It also contains ingredients that increase your body’s defenses to some of the other viruses and co-infections ignited by mold exposure, like herpes or Lyme. Using the spray regularly will improve your body’s response to mold and fungal allergens, so you are not as severely affected by exposure to mold. The idea is that stronger your immunity to mold, the healthier you can become overall.

7. Use products and supplements to enhance pituitary and cognitive function.

Mold can be extremely hormonally disruptive to the body, causing hormone imbalances, weight gain or loss, adrenal fatigue, sleep issues, low energy, and low muscle tone. It also crosses the blood/brain barrier as it enters the body causing many neurological symptoms of fungal infections, like brain fog, and lack of focus. Dr. Dennis’s CellTropin used sublingually multiple times per day boosts pituitary function to offset this. It is designed to increase cell turnover and to augment the mitochondrial damage that mold can do to your cells. Your body will respond with increased vitality and energy.

If you finished reading through this list and have any questions or are feeling overwhelmed, please feel free to comment here on the blog or to reach out to me via Facebook or my email catherine@moldfreeliving.com. Also, if there are products on the list that you would like to see me highlight in a product post, let me know. Finally, which area of the “toxic burden” topic would you like to see me cover next?