#moldexposure #mycotoxinillness #spores #mycotoxins #mold #SIBO #candida #bloating #gas #digestiveissues #sinusissues #toxinexposure #hormoneimbalance #histamine #MCAS #highcortisol
You may have heard me rant about that damn mold, but I realize that I’m always mentioning it here and there but I’ve never even dedicated a blog post to this topic….
So we had mold in our bedroom already 1 year ago (or that’s when we found out), but I’m still battling with the consequences SIGH.
The truth is, it can make you really sick. And as often, women are much more affected by mycotoxins than men, I also see this with clients, the husband or partner is often not as much affected than the woman.
And now you may think what if I have a little bit of mold in my bathroom or on the window frames? Is that a problem?
Well, yes it can definitely be the reason why you’re sick. Let’s be clear though, not all types of mold do produce those mycotoxins that make you sick, however most clients that I’m seeing with phantom symptoms and by that I mean symptoms that can’t seem to be explained and they’ve been to all the doctors have run so many tests and yet they feel horrible and nobody understands why, we often discover a mold problem. Most often, it's actually not even visible but hidden somewhere under sinks, behind closets.... No, I’m not saying that if you’re feeling unwell that mold is the issue but I’m starting to understand how common this actually is at least in Belgium and also in the UK. That’s one of the reasons why I thought it’s time to share a bit more information on this topic!
But let’s go back to understanding why mold can actually make you sick: it is actually just a type of fungi that develops in humid and warm climates. Humidity is the key here and often there’s either water leakage somewhere, an insulation problem that’s creating too high humidity and or a lack of ventilation in a house.
So these fungi develop and they are producing spores to reproduce. And of course that’s nothing that’s visible to your eye but these spores are flying everywhere and settling on wood, paper, fabric, ventilation ducts etc.
Mold comes in many different types, but not all of them make you sick. The most harmful kinds are the ones that produce something called mycotoxins, which are toxic chemicals that can mess with your health. Some common molds that can cause trouble are Stachybotrys (often called black mold), Aspergillus, and Penicillium. Black mold is the one most people hear about because it’s linked to serious issues like cancer. Other types, like Aspergillus, are more likely to trigger allergies or asthma-like symptoms. Each type of mold thrives in damp, humid places and releases tiny spores that you can breathe in without even knowing it.
What are typical symptoms of mold toxicity?
Most people have sinus issues, allergies or respiratory distress, but some people don’t, snoring, sleep apnoea
Itchy and flaky skin eczema
Eye infections
Sleep disturbance
Hormone imbalance: mold actually creates a histamine response which often leads to estrogen dominance (tender and painful breasts, headaches, increased PMS)
Exhaustion
Acid reflux
Metallic taste in the mouth
Bloating gas food reactions, constipation
SIBO
...
Not sure if mold could be an issue for you? Take the questionnaire to find out.
Well, the problem actually is that as long as you don’t get rid of the mold in your house, you will continue to be exposed and there’s no sense in trying to heal. And this often is a real challenge for most people as you can’t always move out of the house and you do need to renovate. In our case, we were just really lucky that it was only in the bedroom and the repair was not such a big deal. Of course, what comes after is also making sure that you clean everything: I boroxed our whole bedroom: all the surfaces, curtains, mattress, suitcases on top of the closets and finally had a reason to go up and deep clean those closet tops as well. I also wiped the walls.
And despite the severe symptoms I had in the beginning: eczema, eye infections, migraines, digestive problems and cycle irregularities with symptoms like tender and painful breasts (I even went to do a mammogram because I was freaking out about my lumpy breasts), I didn’t actually feel as bad until I coincidentally took a biofilm disruptor and digestive hell broke loose. This was basically six months after the exposure and I thought I had done my healing:
I had taken a food sensitivity test again to help with my eczema
I supported my gut lining with nourishing supplements
I had supported my immune system with a blend of herbs that reinstall microbial balance and boost immune function
I used DIM to lower my estrogen
So I thought I may have gotten lucky that I had avoided the yeast overgrowth in my intestines that ALWAYS comes up with mold exposure, but I had not: it just hadn’t come up on the test that I had done at the time because I had taken it too early. And then as I said, I actually only started having digestive issues again once I took that biofilm disruptor.
Let me explain: A biofilm is like a group of tiny, sticky bacteria that live together on surfaces, kind of like a neighborhood of bacteria. They stick to things, like teeth (that’s what plaque is), or the bottom of a pond, or even inside your body. These bacteria make a slimy coating to protect themselves, so it’s harder to get rid of them. It's like a protective shield they build so they can live and grow together. A biofilm disruptor is an enzyme blend that will help split off or destroy those biofilms.
So what happened in my case is that I did have those pathogens in my gut but they had been hiding in biofilms and then when I started taking that enzyme blend it cut loose those candida bacteria which caused my digestive symptoms. It took me a while to actually understand what was going on: In the beginning I started taking probiotics to help with my bloating but they actually made things even worse and it seemed no matter what I tried didn’t help. It was only until I took an organic acids test that revealed all kinds of yeast overgrowth, that I understood. I didn’t only have candida, but these buggers also had migrated to my small intestines (SIBO) where they are causing havoc. I remembered from the last time I had all these issues (not as bad) that I also had this pathogen in my lung, so I went to the doctor to test again for Chlamydia pneumoniae and it indeed came back positive again. After doing some research, I found out that it is actually common for people with mold exposure to not only have the mycotoxins settle in the intestines but also in the lungs. These things are very hard to get rid of and you also need to adjust the pace to what your body can tolerate. I’ve had to pause the eradication (killing off the yeast) several times due to passages of extreme fatigue and body/muscle pains/aches, but am now on a more aggressive approach that finally seems to have put me over a hump.
What did I (or am still doing) do exactly?
Testing:
I had taken a food sensitivity test again to help get rid of my eczema (leaky gut)
I took an Organic Acids test that revealed candida & neurotransmitter imbalances (=> can’t relax nor sleep well)
Detailed blood panel to recheck other coinfections and monitor immune system
Healing:
I supported my gut lining with nourishing supplements (still am) (leaky gut)
I have supported my immune system with a blend of herbs that reinstall microbial balance and boost immune function
I used DIM Detox to lower my estrogen
Using herbal tinctures and other supplements to eradicate the different fungi in my lungs and intestines
Daily detox rituals to deal with severe muscle pain and aches
Daily nasal showers with specific blend to break up biofilms and clean out sinuses from fungi
Keeping an anti-inflammatory and anti-candida diet
Why am I telling you all this? I actually wanted to share with you how long a recovery after mold can be and how hard it is to keep going and not give up. I certainly had points where I couldn’t bear it anymore. I felt exhausted, depleted and it seemed despite all the efforts I wasn’t getting better. Every time I went on a holiday or away from home where I couldn’t stick to my strict detox regimen (daily sauna, enema or castor oil packs), it took me about 2 weeks to recover from the holiday. I felt so frustrated! And maybe some of you know this feeling and can relate? Well that’s why I’m sharing it - to give you hope and to cheer you on to keep going!
If you want help with detoxing from mold or other harmful toxins, I'd love to help you do this in a manageable and safe way - please book a free discovery call so that we can discuss more in detail!
Comments