The world around us is full of bacteria, viruses, and mold. We often think about illness, or even the good and bad bacteria in our gut. But the often overlooked, yet most complicated micro-organism, is mold. Let’s explore the historical challenges of mold and the toxic effects it has on us.
My passion for whole body health has driven my study in the fields of environmental toxicology as well as genetics, functional, energy and biological medicines. Applying this education and experience in a clinical setting has given me countless examples of the havoc it can wreak when we encounter the challenges of mold and its toxic effects on the body.
The History of Mold and its Different Uses
Mold has been around for thousands of years. Writings have been discovered from various cultures across the world, dating as far back as the 14th century BC. The Bible, itself, contains direction for ridding “afflictions of skin.” I encourage you to read Chapters 13 and 14 of Leviticus. This shows a biblical way to deal with the defilement of tsara’ath.
Tsara’ath is a Hebrew term meaning defilement of skin and clothes. Although originally interpreted as “leprosy,” many Hebrew and Greek language scholars would disagree. Instead, they interpret it as “mold.”
Despite the destructive power of mold, it has many positive applications and, in some respects, saves lives. In 1928, mold made a huge leap in the world of health care. Alexander Fleming accidentally discovered that Penicillin mold could be an effective antibiotic.
Today mold researchers, and pharmaceutical companies, use Aspergillus terreus for lowering cholesterol. Pharmaceutical companies also manufacture anti-cancer, psychotropic, and immunosuppressant drugs from certain cultured molds.
The Darker Side of Mold
Our government and chemical producers have made nefarious strides with mold. They’ve produced and purified mold toxins as biological irritants to be used as biological weapons.
The practice of biological warfare is quite old. As early as the 6th century BC, ancient Assyrians used Ergot fungus, found on grains, for this poisoning purpose.
Additional use of the very same mold toxin occurred during the Vietnam War. T2 toxin, from black mold, rained down on Vietnamese villages and farms in Laos and Cambodia. This T2 toxin, known as “Yellow Rain,” has maimed, if not killed, countless individuals in that region.
It is important to remember that mold, and its toxins, are as old as man, and man has used them for good and bad.
Biological Medicine’s Philosophy on Mold Illness
Biological Medicine’s approach to mold illness is consistent with our entire philosophy. We don’t treat isolated diseases or conditions. Instead we consider the body as a whole, in all of its complexity and interconnectedness. The body heals by changing the internal environment. We aid the detox systems, and work to remove the chronic insult.
Mold can be a cause of the illness you are experiencing. It affects the body in a three-part process.
1. The Body’s Physiological State
- Change in heart rate
- Change in blood pressure
- Liver and gall bladder congestion
- Spleen and stomach pain
- Bladder and kidney problems
- Hormone dysregulation
- Brain fog
- Fatigue
- Sensory loss
- Psychiatric concerns
- Neurotransmitter balance
2. The Body’s Immunological State
- Increased allergies
- Chronic parasitic and bacterial infections
- Heavy metal exposures
- Hyper-inflammatory response
- Chronic illness
- Multiple chemical sensitivities
3. The Brain’s Limbic System State
- Increased negative stress response to stimuli
- Dominant neural tone is flight, fight or freeze
- Process new information through a negative filter
- Downward spiral from limbic activation
Mold Illness Awareness: A Medical Necessity
I’ve had many patients with mold-related illnesses come in with various ailments. They arrive with headaches, migraines, odd sensations, respiratory weakness, skin irritation and cognitive dysfunction to name a few. Yet they’ve been to many specialists, only to hear that their labs look fine and there is nothing wrong.
Labs often appear normal for those suffering with chronic illness. Mold illness is no exception. There are specific labs available for patients that would like to see the extent of immunological damage. Unfortunately, most physicians don’t order these types of labs, or even realize they exist.
We have found that with better questions and a proper health history, we can learn if a patient has had potential mold exposure, often even without the need for specific labs. Utilizing a proper history and longer doctor-patient appointments enables us to narrow down the cause of symptoms.
Challenges of Mold and its Toxic Effects
Mold is diverse in its presentation and can be very insidious to our body’s ability to heal. Many who suffer with mold illness don’t realize they are living in environments contaminated by mold. This in turn continues to perpetuate health problems.
Our patients come to us experiencing a broad array of signs and symptoms. Often there is an underlying exposure to mold. For those suffering with the ill effects of mold, it can be daunting to figure out what to do. Some of these symptoms can be quite unique. Dozens of symptoms can point to a mold illness.
SYMPTOMS OF MOLD ILLNESS
- Brain fog
- Headaches
- Coughing/Wheezing
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
- Body aches
- Heart palpitations
- Low body temp
- Personality changes
- OCD tendencies
- Sinus issues
- Allergic reactions
- Skin irritation
- Liver Pain
- Dysautonomia
- POTS
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Fibromyalgia
Challenges of Medical Treatment of Mold
Many people suffering from mold illnesses are not able to take the medications that are commonly prescribed to address mold illness. Their body’s detoxification pathways are not working well enough to handle the prescription’s toxic effects. When taking Cholestyramine, BEG Spray or Amphotericin B, they often feel much worse. Some may even have issues with antifungals or hormonal concerns that could worsen their illness.
Due to our philosophy and our BioRestorativeTM method, we have had to search far and wide to dig deeper than most doctors. We create methods to super charge the body’s ability to fight. Our goal is to bring relief for those suffering. Our goal remains the same, whether it is with chronic illness or the challenges of mold and its toxic effects.
A New Approach for Those Suffering from Mold Illness
The Institute for Restorative Health has been a light for many suffering with chronic conditions such as Lyme disease, autoimmune conditions and mold illness. Our entire team is equipped to help those suffering with chronic dis-ease. If you find yourself lost in a sea of physicians, not knowing where to turn, or find yourself dealing with the challenges of mold and its toxics effects, contact hello@irestorehealth.com to see if we are the right fit for you.
