You're Having Anxiety, Nervousness, OCD, Racing Thoughts and even
Severe Panic Attacks
IT COULD BE TOXIC MOLD EXPOSURE
Your breath becomes shallow, your heart starts beating extremely fast and hard, you start getting dizzy, your throat starts closing in on you, you are constantly nervous, you are extremely bothered by everything not being in order or perfectly lined up or the way it should be, your thoughts are running so fast you can't even stop your own brain from thinking.
This was my "FIRST SYMPTOM" of mold exposure back in 2011. I was having a particularly stressed month with my marketing business, and one of the events I had worked on for a Vegas trade show completely failed because the manager didn't follow through with the marketing strategy I had spent 2 months working on for their company. After the devastating call from another work associate letting me know that the manager had failed to follow through, it was about 2 hours of me devastated sitting at my desk when all of a sudden my head started spinning, I fell out of my office chair and collapsed on the floor with what I thought was the END OF MY LIFE.
How can toxic mold exposure be related to Anxiety and Panic Attacks?
Exposure to toxic molds, particularly molds that produce mycotoxins (e.g., Stachybotrys chartarum, also known as black mold), can have various effects on physical and mental health. While the direct link between mold exposure and anxiety or panic attacks is still an area of research, several mechanisms may contribute to this connection:
1. Neuroinflammation and Neurotoxicity
Mycotoxins produced by toxic molds can cause inflammation in the body and potentially the brain (neuroinflammation). This inflammation may disrupt normal brain function, including areas that regulate mood and anxiety.
Mycotoxins can also interfere with neurotransmitter systems, such as serotonin, dopamine, and GABA, which play crucial roles in mood regulation and anxiety control.
2. Immune System Activation
Mold exposure can activate the immune system, leading to the release of inflammatory cytokines. These cytokines can cross the blood-brain barrier and affect brain function, potentially triggering anxiety-like symptoms.
Chronic immune activation due to ongoing mold exposure can worsen mental health over time.
3. Hypersensitivity Reactions
Some individuals are particularly sensitive to mold and may experience severe allergic or hypersensitivity reactions. The physical symptoms, such as shortness of breath, dizziness, and heart palpitations, can mimic or trigger panic attacks.
Mast Cell Activation
(MCA) refers to the process by which mast cells, a type of immune cell, are triggered to release their contents in response to various stimuli. These cells play a crucial role in the immune system, particularly in allergic reactions, inflammation, and defense against pathogens.
When activated, mast cells release various substances stored in their granules, including:
Histamine: Causes inflammation, itching, and increased blood vessel permeability.
Cytokines: Promote immune signaling and inflammation.
Leukotrienes and Prostaglandins: Contribute to inflammation and allergic responses.
Enzymes and Other Molecules: Help recruit other immune cells and break down pathogens.
MCAS can occur in normal physiological contexts (e.g., to defend against infections) or abnormally in certain conditions.
Triggers of Mast Cell Activation
Mast cells can be activated by a wide range of stimuli, including:
Allergens (e.g., pollen, dust, foods).
Infections (bacterial, viral, parasitic).
Physical triggers (heat, cold, friction).
Stress (emotional or physical).
Chemicals (e.g., certain medications, fragrances).
Toxins, including mycotoxins from mold.
The stress of dealing with these physical symptoms can lead to anxiety over time.
4. Endocrine Disruption
Mycotoxins may disrupt the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which regulates the body's stress response. Dysregulation of the HPA axis can increase susceptibility to anxiety and panic attacks.
5. Psychological Stress
The experience of living in a mold-contaminated environment can create psychological stress. For example, concerns about health, financial strain from remediation efforts, or fear of mold exposure itself can contribute to heightened anxiety.
6. Impact on Respiratory Health
Mold exposure can cause respiratory issues such as asthma, wheezing, and shortness of breath. These symptoms can be alarming and may trigger panic attacks in individuals prone to anxiety or those who misinterpret them as signs of a more severe health problem.
7. Toxic Mold and Oxidative Stress
Mycotoxins can induce oxidative stress in the body, which may affect brain health. Oxidative stress has been linked to various mood disorders, including anxiety.
What to Do if You Suspect Mold-Related Anxiety:
If you suspect that mold exposure is affecting your mental health:
Address mold as the possible source: Remove or remediate mold from your environment. This may require professional help.
Seek Medical Evaluation: A doctor, particularly one specializing in environmental or integrative medicine, can assess whether mold exposure is contributing to your symptoms. I found great relief from my anxiety and panic symptoms through "Homeopathy". Find a good homeopathic practitioner near you.
Support Your Health:
Consider detoxification protocols under professional supervision.
Support your immune system with a healthy diet (www.PhazeMoldDiet.com), hydration, and adequate sleep.
Mental Health Support: Therapy, mindfulness, and stress-management techniques can help manage anxiety and panic attacks during recovery.
Posted by: Jennifer Cannon AT 07:03 pm
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There are several indicators that your indoor humidity levels are causing mold growth. If you experience one or several of these indicators on a constant basis in your home, office or school, it's most likely that you have a moisture issue:
Foggy condensation on the windows. Windows can be fogging for two main reasons, one of those can be that the seal on the window has broken. In this case, you will see fog "INSIDE" the two window panes. However, if the condensation is on the inside of the window, you need to do more discovery inside the home to discover the cause of the moisture intrusion. The 2nd one is more serious because this is the one that will grow hidden mold.
Mildew-like smell, especially on fabrics. Not ALL molds smell. In fact, some of the most dangerous molds have "no smell" whatsoever. But if you do smell a musty type of odor, be sure that you definitely have a humidity issue fueling mold growth that is releasing mycotoxin and VOC's that you are smelling.
Spots of mold growing on the walls. You'd think this would be the most obvious to people, however with the hundreds of clients I see every year you'd be surprised that people literally aren't alarmed by small mold growth or even large mold colonies more than a 5 ft. radius. It's pretty astonishing how little people know about the dangers of mold.
Materials like wood or stucco easily crumble. The common myth about crumbling wood or stucco is that it's just blown off as "wood rot" or "stucco rot". It's not taken as serious as it should be. If that particular spot was sampled and evaluated in an accredited lab, people would find more toxicity exists than they thought.
Floorboard Signs. Wood and even MDF floorboards are particularly reactive to changing humidity levels. If your home is dry and the humidity is controlled, the floorboards for the most part, will stay flat and flush against the wall and be nice and smooth. If floorboards are swollen, separated, cracked, stained, or coming loose, this could be potentially an age issue -- or it could possibly be a signal that you need to do more inspection for a moisture issue.
Paint chips off of the wall easily. When you see buckling in the paint, it's a clue that moisture is penetrating the drywall "behind" the paint itself.
Intense allergies. Mold "allergic reactions" can include: burning eyes, sneezing, itching face or skin, runny nose/itchy nose/stuffy nose, draining sinuses, dizziness, off balance, ear infections, gook in your eyes, sore throat, lingering cough, skin rashes and more......
Excessive moisture bugs. Some bugs are dependent on moisture for survival. Some of these bugs can live in the house if they find sufficient humidity and food. Silverfish, Termites, Earwigs, Mosquitos, Springtails, Spiders, Drain flies, Cockroaches, Ants, Dust Mites, Book Lice, Fungus Gnats, Mold Mites, Pill Bugs, Centipedes, Millipedes, Crickets, Scorpians, Pseudoscorpians, Bed Bugs, Stink Bugs, Slugs and Flees.
Difficulty sleeping. Waking up frequently, agitation during sleep, heart palpitations, sleep apnea, difficulty falling asleep, difficulty waking up in the mornings or you feel like you've never slept.
Food left out goes bad quickly. Fruits, Vegetables or Breads seem to show signs of going bad or visible mold on them quickly within days.
Your liver is your most important "soldier" in the fight against mold exposure.
Liver toxicity is an injury to the liver or impairment of the liver function caused by exposure to xenobiotics such as drugs, food additives, alcohol, chlorinated solvents in drinking water, peroxidized fatty acids, fungal toxins, radioactive isotopes, environmental toxicants, and even some medicinal plants
Here are my top 15 practical ways to support your liver and keep your liver detoxified to more easily handle getting rid of mold toxins.
Intermittent fasting - from 6pm to 10am and only drink water or herbal teas during the hours of 6pm-10am. Break your fast in at 10am with a protein-rich and good fat breakfast. Good meal times are: 10am, 2pm and 5:30-6pm.
Avoid inflammatory foods such as gluten, dairy, sugar, processed seed oils and any foods that your body has a reaction to.
Raw Juicing: The liver needs living enzymes, vitamin C, natural antibiotic substances, anti-parasitic, anti-fungal and anti-cancer phyto-nutrients. Raw juicing is another way to gain the benefits from these foods. PhazeMoldDiet.com has great juicing recipes that are safe for a mold diet.
Consume more Vitamin K– green leafy vegetables and alfalfa sprouts.
Consume more Arginine– this helps the liver to detoxify excessive ammonia. Arginine is found in walnuts and seeds.
Manganese - this helps the liver to detoxify excessive ammonia from the liver. these would be approved foods on the PhazeMoldDiet like: blackberries, Blueberries, Clove Spice, Pecans, Spinach,
Antioxidants– found in fresh raw juices such as carrot, celery, dandelion, (green) apple and green drinks from chorella and spirulina, and fresh citrus juice from lemons and limes. Try this Mold Detox Juicing Recipe
Selenium – sources of the antioxidant selenium are kelp, garlic and onions.
Methionine– is essential for detoxification. Is found in eggs, fish, garlic, onions, seeds and red meat.
Essential fatty acids– Seafood, cod liver oil, and fish oil. Seafood needs to always be fresh such as sardines, salmon, mackerel, tuna, trout, mullet, calamari, herring, blue eye cod. Fresh avocado, fresh organic raw nuts like almonds, walnuts and pecans and seeds, green vegetables such as spinach, green beans, eggplant, cold pressed fresh vegetable and seed oils, freshly ground seeds, especially flax seeds (linseed), evening primrose oil, black-currant seed oil, star flower oil. Essential fatty acids are required for healthy membranes in every cell of the body and plentiful amounts are required for healthy liver function. This is why strict low-fat diets are not beneficial for general health, weight control or liver detoxing function.
Natural sulphur compounds – Found in eggs (pastured eggs only), garlic, onions, leeks, shallots and cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and Brussels sprouts.
Get your bowel movements moving at least one a day if not twice (constipation causes mold toxins to recycle which is huge stress on the liver)
Eat good fats and proteins early in the evening (dinner at 5-6pm) and avoid eating or snacking after 6pm.
Remove non-life sustaining pharmaceutical drugs, smoking, sugar, alcohol, and caffeine (except for green tea) www.PhazeMoldDiet.com
Eat 30 grams of fiber per day that is approved on the www.PhazeMoldDiet.com - my favorite are 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed per day (this helps dump the estrogen created by exposure to mold) Mangos, Green Apples, Chia Seeds, Pumpkin Seeds, Almonds, Walnuts, Pecans (small amounts of nuts are approved). And LOTS of vegetables!
Incorporate the bitter foods into your Phaze Mold Diet - such as arugula, parsley, radishes, dandelion leaf; loose leaf herbal teas made from dandelion root, burdock root, turmeric, fennel, and ginger. Or simply buy and add in digestive bitter tinctures into your smoothies, teas, soups or water. You can find digestive bitters here.
Add NAC, the precursor for glutathione (the master detoxifier) - 900mg/day
Add in liver detoxifying herbs like milk thistle, andrographis, gentian root
One of the best herbs you can get for detoxing that liver and opening up those pathways from the liver is to take "Milk Thistle". As I have mentioned before I prefer the NOW brands in my recovery so I use the Silymarin which is actually 2 times the Milk Thistle and has added artichoke and dandelion root which are also great liver detoxifiers. You can buy it HERE
(CAUTION for Pyrrolurics and the use of Milk Thistle): Most often Milk Thistle is a good herb for detoxing the liver, however if you are positive for pyroluria more than likely you are also copper toxic. Milk Thistle has high concentrations of copper which can make Pyroluria symptoms worse. So if you are pyroluric DO NOT use Milk Thistle to cleanse the liver."
Start your day off with a hot mug of filtered water and a squeeze of organic lemon juice from a lemon. This detoxifies the liver firs thing in the morning.
Calcium D Glucarate - Is an excellent assistant in the detoxification pathways for the liver. I take about 1000mg-1500mg per day to detox dirty estrogens caused by environmental toxins and mold. You can search online for the best brand that is right for you.
Get a water filter that filters out the majority of contaminants in your water that cause liver toxicity. Not all water pitchers or water filters filter out everything. Good water filters include: Berkey Systems,Auquasana, Aquatru
Grow your own Broccoli Sprouts - Broccoli Sprouts have been shown in studies to clean and detoxify the liver. If you have access to a whole foods or other natural food store that sells fresh broccoli sprouts, these are a great addition to your diet to help facilitate the cleansing of the liver. If you want to save money, they are also very easy to grow. I grow my own broccoli sprouts from home every week. You can purchase broccoli sprouting kits on Amazon and there are plenty of "how to videos" on YouTube instructing you on how to grow your own broccoli sprouts. I grow my own every 5 days from home!!
Do your liver a favor and give it a "Coffee Enema" -If you want to get rid of mold toxins, have better digestion, get back your energy and a healthier liver, this is the best procedure you can invest your time in. This is by far a superior process for cleaning up the filtering processes of the body.
Benefits of a coffee enema:
Enhances the liver enzyme,glutathione, which removes many toxins, including toxic mold from the blood
Dilutes and increases bile flow (Which is needed to transport mold toxins from the body)
Coffee enemas also help eliminate bacteria’s and candida in the colon.
Reduces inflammation of the gut caused by Candida, poor diet and mold exposure
Coffee enemas are used as part of the Gerson Therapy cancer cure protocols. (which in an of itself is amazing to know).
Warnings: You should always seek the advice of your physician before taking coffee enemas. Coffee enemas are not for everyone, but many people have had good results. If you have issues with low potassium, or electrolytes please contact your doctor before doing them
To find out who can and who cannot use coffee enemas. Make sure you have plenty of electrolytes and nutrition right before you do an enema. (coconut water, fresh juicing, himalayan salt in fresh filtered water, proteins, leafy greens also). Another contraindication reported is for people with heart or kidney ailments, as enemas can cause an electrolytic imbalance. BUY THE GERSON THERAPY BOOK HERE
HERE's what you'll need Non-Toxic Stainless Steel Enema Kit
Why stainless and not rubber? First off, many of the rubber or plastic enema kits are completely toxic in and of themselves. If you have been exposed to mold, most-likely you will have developed MCS or (Multiple Chemical Sensitivities). The rubber or plastic ones have such an awful odor that it could put you in a tail spin with MCS. Check online for good quality kits that are safe.
Organic Enema Coffee(Do not use standard drinking coffee) Specially formulated enema coffee is high in cafestol and palmitic acid which is needed to open the liver bile ducts. It is a very “clean” organic air roasted coffee and is not the same quality as store purchased coffees.
Most enema coffees are tested for mold or fungus They look to buy and sell specialty grade coffee. Mold or fungus damage on green coffee beans is considered a category 1 defect that would prevent it from being considered specialty grade in use for enemas. Currently there has been a widespread growth of fungus found on lesser grade coffee beans. You can buy specially formulated organic enema coffees HERE Good brands are (Cafe Mam [the only coffee recommended in Gerson therapy book], PureLife, Core-Vital, Aussie Health, Premium Enema)
I hope you find this article easy to follow and I encourage you to detox your liver better as you move through this mold journey in your life.
Posted by: Jennifer Cannon AT 01:01 pm
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Before you start popping a bunch of supplements, antifungals, biofilm busters or antimicrobials you absolutely MUST OPEN UP YOUR DETOX PATHWAYS
Opening up the Detox Pathways is your "very first step" to begin your detox process. Opening up these detoxification pathways in the body is REQUIRED in order to let the junk and Mycotoxins out of your body. Detox pathways are like doorways that lead "out" and "away" from your body. Our bodies were designed to have many "doorways that lead out". After going through this the hard way myself, I found that it's best to "OPEN PATHWAYS" for your first entire month out of mold. If you try to put things in your body to bind toxins or kill pathogens you are going to be "ONE SORRY HUMAN BEING". The die-off without opening pathways is so severe it can put you in the hospital and make you feel like you are on the brink of death. Taking the extra first month to open up these detoxification pathways will not only make you feel better but it will speed up your recovery from a mold exposure.
HOW?: Rotate a different pathway each day.
Here is an example:
Monday - Armpit mask
Tuesday - 20 min Epsom foot soak
Wednesday - Dry Brush before showering
Thursday - 2-3 minutes in Sauna (work your way up)
Friday - 20 min Epsom Salt bath
Saturday - Bentonite Clay body mask
Sunday - Epsom Salt bath
Here are the doorways that your body has:
Skin/Pores
Ways to open up skin/pore pathways
Eliminate "Anti-Perspirant" deodorant use: Check your deodorant for the words "anti-perspirant". If these words appear anywhere on the packaging that means they use Aluminum in the ingredients. Aluminum is toxic to the brain and clogs up your armpit pathways. The armpits are one of the biggest places that your body gets rid of toxins and biotoxins. If you have them blocked...you will remain toxic.
Epsom Salt baths. 1 cup of Epsom Salts for a full bath. Soak for 20 minutes per day. 6 months. You can also add 5-10 drops of essential oils to these epsom salt baths.
Epsom Salt Foot Soaks - Soak feet in Epsom Salts for up to 20 minutes per day. You will feel a detox feeling after. The bottom of the feet is a place where toxins can be excreted.
Armpit Binder Masks - Make a paste using any binder by mixing it with water. My favorite is Bentonite Clay or Charcoal. Place the paste under your armpit and let it dry. Let it absorb toxins through your armpits for up to 30 minutes then get in the shower and rinse.
Saunas - Invest in a home sauna that you can use daily and weekly. It can be quite expensive trying to book appointments to go to a place that has sauna packages. Also another reason to buy your own is that you will realize that you will want to keep up sauna treatments the rest of your life because it will help you avoid "ever becoming toxic again". It is a wise choice to purchase one of your own so that you can take control of your future health.
Dry Sauna - *not as effective as infrared
Infrared Sauna - *more effective than dry sauna
Infrared saunas are an effective tool for natural healing and detoxification. Infrared light safely penetrates human tissue which pulls out mold toxins, chemical toxins and biotoxins. Below are my "picks" for home saunas on "any" budget. From smaller more portable options that are cheaper to more permanent options that can last you a lifetime.
Ultra low EMF
Far Infrared
$1800 - $2000
LOW EMF
FAR Infrared
2 person
$1300 - $1500
Lowest EMF
for a portable Sauna
Infrared
One Person
$550
Liver The liver second to the skin is the most important part of detoxing pathways when you have been exposed to mold and mycotoxins. Here are many ways to support and keep those detox pathways open on a daily basis.
Keep the Liver "door" open with Coffee Enemas: If you want to get rid of mold toxins, have better digestion, get back your energy and a healthier gallbladder and liver, this is the best procedure you can invest your time in. This is by far a superior process for cleaning up the filtering processes of the body. The biggest benefits of a coffee enema are:
Enhances the liver enzyme,glutathione, which removes many toxins, including toxic mold from the blood
Dilutes and increases bile flow
Coffee enemas also help eliminate bacteria’s and candida in the colon.
Reduces inflammation of the gut caused by Candida, poor diet and mold exposure
Coffee enemas are used as part of the Gerson Therapy cancer cure protocols. (which in an of itself is amazing to know).
Warnings: You should always seek the advice of your physician before taking coffee enemas. Coffee enemas are not for everyone, but many people have had good results.
To find out who can and who cannot use coffee enemas. Make sure you have plenty of electrolytes and nutrition right before you do an enema. (coconut water, fresh juicing, himalayan salt in fresh filtered water, proteins, leafy greens also). Another contraindication reported is for people with heart or kidney ailments, as enemas can cause an electrolytic imbalance. BUY THE GERSON THERAPY BOOK HERE
HERE's what you'll need 1. Non-Toxic Stainless Steel Enema Kit
Why stainless and not rubber? First off, many of the rubber or plastic enema kits are completely toxic in and of themselves. If you have been exposed to mold, most-likely you will have developed MCS or (Multiple Chemical Sensitivities). The rubber or plastic ones have such an awful odor that it could put you in a tail spin with MCS.
2. Organic Enema Coffee(Do not use standard drinking coffee) Specially formulated enema coffee is high in cafestol and palmitic acid which is needed to open the liver bile ducts. It is a very “clean” organic air roasted coffee and is not the same quality as store purchased coffees.
Most enema coffees are tested for mold or fungus They look to buy and sell specialty grade coffee. Mold or fungus damage on green coffee beans is considered a category 1 defect that would prevent it from being considered specialty grade in use for enemas. Currently there has been a widespread growth of fungus found on lesser grade coffee beans. You can buy specially formulated organic enema coffees HERE Good brands are (Cafe Mam [the only coffee recommended in Gerson therapy book], PureLife, Core-Vital, Aussie Health, Premium Enema)
Start www.PhazeMoldDiet.com to clean up your liver and colon with a mold diet for 12 months
Here are also some very important vitamins and nutrients that specifically help the liver detox biotoxins: (These are all approved for the mold detox diet above.
Milk Thistle: One of the best herbs you can get for detoxing that liver and opening up those pathways from the liver is to take "Milk Thistle". As I have mentioned before I prefer the NOW brands in my recovery so I use the Silymarin which is actually 2 times the Milk Thistle and has added artichoke and dandelion root which are also great liver detoxifiers. You can buy it HERE
(CAUTION for Pyrrolurics and the use of Milk Thistle): Most often Milk Thistle is a good herb for detoxing the liver, however if you are positive for pyroluria more than likely you are also copper toxic. Milk Thistle has high concentrations of copper which can make Pyroluria symptoms worse. So if you are pyroluric DO NOT use Milk Thistle to cleanse the liver."
Broccoli Sprouts - Broccoli Sprouts have been shown in studies to clean and detoxify the liver. If you have access to a whole foods or other natural food store that sells fresh broccoli sprouts, these are a great addition to your diet to help facilitate the cleansing of the liver. If you want to save money, they are also very easy to grow. I grow my own broccoli sprouts from home every week. You can purchase broccolit sprouting kits on Amazon and there are plenty of "how to videos" on YouTube instructing you on how to grow your own broccoli sprouts.
Dandelions - Using all of the dandelion to make teas, leaves for salads or you can supplement with dandelion root or drink lots of dandelion tea HERE
Calcium D Glucarate - Is an excellent assistant in the detoxification pathways for the liver.
Raw Juicing: The liver needs living enzymes, vitamin C, natural antibiotic substances, anti-parasitic, anti-fungal and anti-cancer phyto-nutrients. Raw juicing is another way to gain the benefits from these foods. PhazeMoldDiet.com has great juicing recipes that are safe for a mold diet.
Vitamin K– green leafy vegetables and alfalfa sprouts.
Arginine – this helps the liver to detoxify excessive ammonia. Arginine is found in walnuts and seeds.
Manganese - this helps the liver to detoxify excessive ammonia from the liver.
Antioxidants– found in fresh raw juices such as carrot, celery, dandelion, (green) apple and green drinks from chorella and spirulina, and fresh citrus juice from lemons and limes. Try this Mold Detox Juicing Recipe
Selenium – sources of the antioxidant selenium are kelp, garlic and onions.
Methionine– is essential for detoxification. Is found in eggs, fish, garlic, onions, seeds and meat.
Essential fatty acids– Seafood, cod liver oil, and fish oil. Seafood needs to always be fresh such as sardines, salmon, mackerel, tuna, trout, mullet, calamari, herring, blue eye cod. Fresh avocado, fresh organic raw nuts like almonds, walnuts and pecans and seeds, green vegetables such as spinach, green beans, eggplant, cold pressed fresh vegetable and seed oils, freshly ground seeds, especially flax seeds (linseed), evening primrose oil, black-currant seed oil, star flower oil. Essential fatty acids are required for healthy membranes in every cell of the body and plentiful amounts are required for healthy liver function. This is why strict low-fat diets are not beneficial for general health, weight control or liver detoxing function.
Natural sulphur compounds – Found in eggs (pastured eggs only), garlic, onions, leeks, shallots and cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and Brussels sprouts.
After a month of "opening detox pathways" you might be able to start a good liver cleanse. Just advise your doctor first before you begin any kind of a cleansing kit. Have your doc check liver enzymes and liver function before beginning anything like this http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/liver-cleanse-kit.html
Kidneys
Drink Stinging nettle TEA (Urtica dioica) Stinging nettle is a perennial plant that has long been used in traditional herbal medicine. Stinging nettle leaf contain compounds that can help to reduce inflammation. It’s also high in antioxidants, which help to protect the body and organs from oxidative stress from mycotoxin exposure.
Drink Hydrangea TEA (Hydrangea paniculate)
Hydrangea is a gorgeous flowering shrub, well-known for its lavender, pink, blue, and white flowers. A recent animal study found that extracts of Hydrangea paniculate given for three days offered a protective effect against kidney damage. This is likely due to the antioxidant capabilities of the plant.
Half your body weight per day in filtered or kangen water: If you weight 200lbs then drink 100oz.
Warm Water in the morning with fresh squeezed Organic Lemon juice
Dandelion tea
Marshmallow root
Nettle tea
Parsley
Red clover
Ginger
Turmeric
Watermelon
Pumpkin seeds
Spirulina
Blueberries
Asparagus
Baking soda - 1/2 teaspoon in 4 oz of water in the evenings helps clean out kidneys.
Lymphatic System/Lymphnodes
Daily rebounding - This is the rebounding trampoline that I bought and still use every single day. You can buy it HERE and have it delivered to your house. Also here is a great video on YouTube on the subject of rebounding as it applies to opening up the lymphatic system and helps you detox better. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khCtpHj5hjw
Dry Brushing - This is the dry brush that I purchased and use every single day "Before" I take a shower. You can buy it HERE and have it delivered to your house like I did. If you are not sure how to dry brush here is an excellent video on how to dry brush your lymphatic system each day before you shower: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QpQZyze3Yk
Spleen Traditional Chinese medicine pays extra special attention to the Spleen and rightly so. The spleen is actually part of the lymphatic system and it's key function is to renew our cells and eliminating toxins from the body. In a normally healthy body the spleen will actually repair itself, however, when toxic molds enter the body and put off dangerous mycotoxin the spleen can become "enlarged" and toxins will be trapped. This is quite dangerous because our spleens clean out blood, and make red blood cells. Cleansing out your spleen is an excellent way to support spleen health and functioning and bring your body back to homeostasis (the way it was before a toxic mold exposure) Here are some great ways to open up the detox pathways of the spleen:
Eat the "PhazeMoldDiet" - (Become a member of the diet plan HERE) This is most effective way to keep the spleens detox pathways open. The Spleen responds well to "warm" foods like: Warm detox soups, carrots, sweet potato, warm teas and approved mold detox fruits. Cranberry (not store bought cranberry but juiced cranberries are extremely detoxing to the spleen) Lakewood cranberry juice is the closest version to fresh pressed cranberry there is on the market.
Herbs for the Spleen
Echinacea In Traditional Chinese medicine connects echinacea to the spleen.
You can drink Echinacea Tea Which Can be purchased HERE
*always remember to avoid "tea bags" as they contain added toxins that your body will need to detoxify from. You can read about toxins in tea bags here in my article.
Or you can buy Echinacea in a capsule form which is moreconvenient which can be
purcased HERE
Astragalus has also been used in Chinese Medicine to support the spleen.
or you can take astragalus in a tincture form HERE
You can either make a tea out of the raw chopped rganic Astragalus by purchasing it HERE
Wild indigo root is another herb that encourages lymphatic flow and cleanses the lymph of damaging microbes, which will ultimately aids the spleen. These herbs often come in pill form or, if purchased raw, can be made into teas and tinctures. As with any medicine, take care to always follow the recommended dosages—even herbal remedies can be dangerous if taken in excess.
Gallbladder The gallbladder is especially on the "attack" with mold and mycotoxins...just ask me :( I've had gallstones now and many attacks even on a low fat diet. It's the mycotoxins unfortunately wreaking havoc on your system.
One good way to keep the gallbladder detoxed is to drink a flush of fresh organic juice every other day with:
Beets
Carrots
One apple
Lemon/Lime
Herbs that aid digestion and stimulate bile flow are:
Milk Thistle (aka St Mary's thistle) BUY HERE Dandelion, Globe artichoke, Celandine and Turmeric.
*See also coffee enemas above
Posted by: Jennifer Cannon AT 11:58 am
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In those first few weeks after escaping our moldy home I began to feel feelings of anger, bitterness, resentment and even hatred. Don't get me wrong, being human we all have these feelings creep in ever so often. But this was completely different.
The weeks following us abandoning everything, all the pictures, all the mold tests and all the attempts to reach out to the landlord to "fix this" seemed to be purposely ignored. At this point I didn't know how mold could affect my reaction to being purposely hurt and abandoned by others.
Throughout the years I realized that the mold industry was ugly and in fact, extremely demonic in many ways. From what feels like calculated assaults of financial destruction, landlords, insurance companies, remediators, colleagues in the mold industry and even friends and family, I couldn't escape these feelings that somehow I was justified in my abuse and hurt.
Today, as I sit here preparing food in my kitchen, I had these thoughts come flooding back through my head due to several people in the past few months that have purposely and also not purposely tried to hurt me or hurt our family in some of the ways I have mentioned above. As I began slicing and dicing and food prepping, my breathing became shallow, I felt sick all over and just stood there asking myself "Why do I feel like this?".
It wasn't but 15 minutes later that another Christian had reached out to me to ask me some questions about someone that had actually hurt me in the past. It was as if God knew exactly how to answer my questions about why I was feeling so bad and why I am struggling with these feelings of bitterness over and over since our mold tragedy in 2010.
See, God uses others to bring us back to Him. Halfway through my conversation with this friend I realized this wasn't about "that person that hurt me", it wasn't even about "this Christian friend who felt the reason to reach out to me today", but it was in fact God. He just works this way. Immediately there was a lightbulb in my head shining brighter than ever saying: "Jennifer, put away all bitterness and wrath and anger". And that was it....yes..that was IT! Got knew I'd do the rest and go back to my Bible and find the rest of what I needed to search out to know what my reaction NEEDS TO BE MOVING FORWARD to people who maliciously say terrible things about me, my family, my business, my decisions or physically harm me financially, legally or otherwise.
Ephesians 4:31 -
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
First, I realized that Bitterness brings a curse to our bodies. When we don't properly respond to others who hurt us we don't hurt THEM, we hurt OURSELVES. It's like a mental or emotional state of mind that eats away at our bodies. It literally acts like a poison to our bones.
I also realized that bitterness isn't a natural long term process...it's literally a WILLFUL ACTION done by ourselves to hold on to angry feelings, always being ready to take offense to everything or making ourselves vulnerable to the lack of respect of others. If we don't let go of the WILLFUL ACTION part, we become a person easily able to break out in anger, malice, judgement or worse: do something in revenge.
I really felt God speaking to me through this fellow Christian who told me in response to me asking how I should handle a certain hurtful situation. His reponse was the inspiration for this post today. He said:
"I would simply make basic generalizations that don't point fingers at any one person but lend education on how to ......{do things differently}"
not the exact last words but they were omitted for subject privacy.
This really convicted me to be better, to do better and to act better in the future when people are pointing right at me. How have you been wronged during this process and what positive measures have you put in place to react better and do better? leave your comments below
How can Functional Lab testing help with mold diagnosis and treatment?
What is Functional Medicine?
According to the Institute of Functional Medicine, FunctionalMedicineis a systems biology-based approach that focuses on identifying and addressing the root cause of disease. Each symptom or differential diagnosis may be one of many contributing to an individual's illness. Diagnosis can be the result of more than one cause.
What function does Funtional Medicine play for a person who is exposed to toxic mold?
It means that Functional Medicine is going to offer you a more detailed look at confirming or denying that fungus may or may not be an issue...but it more importantly will bring out the possible downstream effects that mold or other pathogens are having on the body as a result of a mold exposure OR infection or exposure to something else.
Functional Medicine is "NOT" mold specific: This means that in Functional Medicine there is not a specific lab that can 100% identify or diagnose toxic mold exposure...however, you have to keep in mind that (where we are in history right now - 2021), we still do not have a reliable lab testing process that could offer a "black or white" answer to "Have I been exposed to toxic mold, and is it causing all of my symptoms". I know how vague this sounds, however...hiring a knowledgeable team of professionals CAN help them gather all of the baseline data they need to make a proper diagnosis such as:
Conventional Medical Labs
Functional Medicine Labs
Patient history of possible environmental exposures
Patient history of health issues
Past labs
Environmental lab tests
Keep in mind that only by collecting ALL of the data above can a professional make an informed diagnosis. Also, don't be surprised that you may have several diagnosis based on the findings above. When you combine traditional and conventional methods you will reveal the most data possible to help your overall health and possibility of healing.
What are some of the most common Functional Lab Tests that can be beneficial for those who are exposed to mold and why?
Gi Map - One of the first Functional Tests I ever ran was a Gi-map test. In Functional Medicine most of the findings revolve around the condition of the gut.
When you are exposed to toxic mold, one of the first processes in the body to become affected is the gut. Mold spores are inhaled through the mouth and nose and mycotoxin enters the digestive system via the mouth and esophagus. Once these dangerous spores and toxins enter the biome, other pathogens begin to "retreat" OR "fight back and overgrow". When the Gi-map test is done it can reveal some of this imbalance which can be called "Dysbiosis".
What is the Gi-map test?
Gastrointestinal Microbial Assay Plus (GI-MAP) is an innovative clinical tool that measures gastrointestinal microbiota DNA from a single stool sample with state of the art, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) technology to detect parasites, bacteria, fungi and more!
You'll need a qualified Functional MD, Chiropractor or Naturopath Physician to order a Gi-Map test. You can also work with Health Coaches and FDN practitioners who are contracted with qualified doctors that CAN run the test for them. Just make sure that whoever is running the tests can ALSO INTERPRET & TREAT! (This is so important). Wasting throusands of dollars on Functional Testing is useless unless you have someone that can interpret or treat it.
If you are a "health geek" yourself, like me...you can try to find other practitioners who are offering opportunities to learn how to interpret the tests yourself. Just make sure that you ask someone more knowledegable than yourself first before you try to treat.
What can cause a UTI? (Urinary Tract Infection/Bladder Infection)
A urinary tract infection is usually caused by the presence of E. coli (approximately 80% of all of these infections) The other 20% of bacteria can be from klebsiella, enterobacter, staphylococcus, and other bacteria. These bacteria have protective properties that allow the bacterium to /stick/adhere to the lining of the bladder and the mucosal wall of the entire urinary tract. Their presence causes inflammation, cloudy urine with an unpleasant odor, and bladder and pelvic pain.
Without going into extreme detail, there are several factors that can increase the likelihood of developing a UTI in people who are exposed to toxic mold.
Being female - Women are more prone to UTI’s than men because of the close proximity of the urethra’s to the anus. The bacteria have a shorter distance to travel in order to colonize in the lining of the urethra and the bladder. Estrogen and progesterone shifts during menopause alter the pH of the urine and cause changes in tissue structure. Women over 65 have the highest rates of UTI’s.
Using too many anti-bacterial chemicals in your environment like: anti-bacterial body washes, hand soaps, kitchen dish soaps and toxic anti-bacterial cleaners. This can kill off beneficial bacteria from your hands-to-mouth or on your skin that directly affect your gut health and urinary tract health. I highly recommend ditching the "anti-bacterial" labeled products from your home and using "Purebiotics" which you can find on my website.
Being exposed to toxic mold and mycotoxin in your environment directly affects the balance of good and bad bacteria in the gut, kidneys and urinary tracts. Toxic mold directly affects the endocrine system of the body and changes the production of stress hormones in the body. These stress hormones change the tone of the kidneys and cause the kidneys to empty slower which in-turn keep bad bacteria in the kidneys longer usual. Being exposed to mold directly cause estrogen dominance and progesterone deficiency in both men and women which will alter the pH of the urine and cause "ideal bacterial-growth conditions" inside the bladder. It's important NOT to simply treat UTI's with temporary band aids but to address the "causes" of UTI from an exposure perspective. Visit my "step-by-step guide" on the website to help you navigate HOW to remove yourself from toxic mold exposures first...then go after the UTI infections. (but don't wait!!)
EDTA [27] – EDTA likely exerts antimicrobial activity by chelating magnesium and calcium – minerals necessary for growth and membrane stability and may also display anti-biofilm activity by reducing biofilm material (EPS) production and/or enhancing the detachment of bacterial cells from the biofilm. Magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, and manganese appear to stabilize the biofilm matrix of a variety of organisms by enhancing structural integrity through electrostatic interactions that serve to cross-link the matrix [4].
Goldenseal is one of the 5 best-selling herbal products in the United States. Goldenseal is a potent natural antibiotic, which like Cranberries contains the active ingredient (berberine) that prevents bacteria from adhering to your cell walls.
ASTRINGENT LIST
Uva Ursi Leaf - (tea or tincture)
Uva Ursi contains several chemicals. The main chemicals are hydroquinone and hydroquinones that make it useful for urinary problems. Uva Ursi is used to treat infections such as cystitis, urethritis and nephritis as well. The hydroquinone derivative, arbutin, is the chief active compound in uva ursi. This compound is absorbed in the stomach and then is converted into a substance that contains antimicrobial, astringent, and disinfectant properties. During the urination process, as it leaves the body it works on the mucus membranes of the urinary tract and soothes irritation, reduces inflammation, and fights infection. Reasearch has found that arbutin taken alone is not as effective as the whole Uva Ursi plant in controlling urinary tract infections. The reason for this is because intestinal bacteria breaks down arbutin, but they are not always able to do so in the presence of other Uva Ursi compounds.
Uva Ursi contains diuretic chemicals, including ursolic acid, powerful astringents, and a chemical that helps promote the growth of healthy new cells called allatoin. In addition to its antiseptic and *astringent actions, uva ursi may also help to flush out bacteria by promoting urination. (*An astringent shrinks and tightens the top layers of mucous membranes, thereby reducing secretions, relieving irritation, and improving tissue firmness.) Uva Ursi is also used to reduce the accumulation of uric acid and relieve pain of bladder stones. The diuretic action may relieve the bloating feeling associated with menstruation as well.
Uva Ursi has been approved for treating inflammation of the lower urinary tract by Commission E of the German Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices, which is the German governmental agency that evaluates the safety and effectiveness of herbal products
Uva Ursi References: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/uva-ursi
If there's one thing I learned, it's that biofilms have a huge part to play in the role of eradicating "ANY" pathogen. With that being said, I didn't learn this concept until years after my initial mold exposure. Unfortunately it was a hard lesson learned because I spent many years suffering from fungal infections, viral infections and bacterial infections.
BREAK UP THE BIOFILMS!!!
After you have faithfully opened up detox pathways every day for a month your body should be ready to go after the biofilms created by fungi, bacteria and parasites.
WHAT ARE BIOFILMS?
A biofilm is produced by certain microorganisms. They are extracellular polymers that act like a glue and create a physical barrier around colonizing bacteria, fungi and parasites. Biofilm-producing microorganisms are involved in 80% of all GI infections in humans.
Once a pathogen (Bacteria/Mold/Parasite) colonizes and begins to form biofilm, it becomes harder to detect and remove; especially the longer it is present. Biofilms shield the pathogens from your immune system, and they accelerate the growth and dispersion of the pathogen throughout the GI tract while providing an environment for new pathogens to attach and grow.
You can see now why it is VERY VERY important to attack these Biofilms, daily "RIGHT BEFORE" (I take my biofilm busters 30 minutes before either my "antifungal, antibacterial, antiparasitic, antiviral", whichever pathogen I am targeting), you take an anti-microbial to go after Fungi/Mycotoxin, Bacteria or Parasites. If these barriers are still there and still protecting these pathogens ALL of your efforts to kill, neutralize and disable them will be useless. I'd like to say that I can save you and thousands of others the hardship I went through of years and years of taking "this antifungal / that microbial/ this parasite cleanse" only to find out that I NEVER addressed the biofilms that were protecting these pathogens and helping them thrive.
So now that you know you need to "BUST THE BIOFILMS" first, you want to know "How to do it right"...good news!! After more learning and research, I finally found tons of ways to do it. My best recommendations based on scientific data for BIOFILM DESTROYERS are below:
EDTA [27] – EDTA likely exerts antimicrobial activity by chelating magnesium and calcium – minerals necessary for growth and membrane stability and may also display anti-biofilm activity by reducing biofilm material (EPS) production and/or enhancing the detachment of bacterial cells from the biofilm. Magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, and manganese appear to stabilize the biofilm matrix of a variety of organisms by enhancing structural integrity through electrostatic interactions that serve to cross-link the matrix [4].
In Chemistry, Quaternary ammonium compounds are cationic detergents and antiseptics (viral/bacterial) added to various solutions. Ammonia itself is a gas and is the active chemical gas that denatures mycotoxin (Which is found in both the quat and hydroxide forms of ammonium)
What is Household Ammonia?
When ammonia is mixed with H20 or water it is called Ammonium Hydroxide (household liquid ammonia).
When Quats (detergents) are added to Ammonium Hydroxide you get Quaternary Ammonium. Quats "by themselves" do not denature mycotoxin. Their purpose are to “lift” organic matter from surfaces or are added as bacterial or virus killers. An example would be how dish soap contains quat. Without the quat in the dishsoap it would not lift the food (organic substance) from the food and you’d have to use the power of water alone to wash your dishes. (which doesn’t work too well).
Quaternary ammonium has a different (pH) than Ammonium Hydroxide which means it is “NOT” as strong as Ammonium Hydroxide (common household ammonia). Ammonium Hydroxide is stronger than Quaternary Ammonium as it applies to “mycotoxin degradation” only.
Both Quaternary Ammonium & Ammonium Hydroxide (common household liquid ammonia) kill mold spores AND denature mycotoxin only because they contain “Ammonia”. But Quaternary is weaker because it is an additional added ingredient which lessens the overall total amount of the ammonia in Ammonium Hydroxide. Less ammonia = weaker ability to neutralize.
Quaternary Ammonium is most often used in situations where floods and cleanups require a detergent to lift dirt, scum and/or indoor water damage bacteria or viruses are more dominant than an overall mold issue because ammonia by itself is a weak antibacterial. But for toxic mold situations it is not required to have an antibacterial only something to kill mold and neutralize and break up the molecular structure of mycotoxin.
Ammonium Hydroxide (Household Ammonia of 3% concentrations or less) is much safer and does not cause long term health effects but Quaternary Ammonium causes more severe lung damage and also attacks the reproductive system and endocrine systems. (NOT GOOD). Ammonia Gas is natural…whereas Quats are synthetic man made and dangerous for use
Posted by: Jennifer Cannon AT 06:33 pm
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