A Mold Recovery Blog Tuesday, September 01 2015
The world of Fungi is like a school playground. (Your body is the park and your organs are the different toys on the playground. The teachers are the doctors and allergenists and the Principle is the "Cure")
![]() On every playground there are two kinds of fungi: Allergenic and Toxigenic
Allergenics like to play on the equipment, some like to mind their own business and most of the time they just have a lot of fun causing the rides to spin really fast. They don't fight with other fungi on the playground they are more concerned with having a good time. But when recess is over they go back to the classroom and take their nap. There are many more Allergenics in the world than there are bullying toxigenics. These guys have common names like Suzie and Johnny or Papulospora, Pithomyces and Wallemia.
Toxigenics have only ONE mission on the playground and that is to dominate!! They'll do anything they can to be "King of the Hill" Instead of putting more wear and tear on the playground equipment they are more focused on bullying the Allergenics. They want everyone in that playground to know "THEY ARE THE BOSS". So these guys don't just threaten...they are bullies. They knock down other Allergenics and send a message to the whole world of fungi that they are in charge here. They don't play on the equipment they destroy it. They don't want Allergenics to have any fun on the playground because their only mission is to dominate the playground.
Their parents always give them a unique name at birth like Butch or Snoozer, Stachybotrys, Aspergillus, Penicillium, Chaetomium. Most of the time these fungi have no other friends. They don't play nice with anyone other than themselves.
When a new "Toxigenic" with a "NEW NAME" enters the playground you better believe there is going to be a school-wide fight on the playground. Now all the other Allergenics are scared and cheering and the teachers are called in. The two toxigenics by (different names) are fighting for dominance over the playground and they won't stop until they ruin the playground and kill each other. The only way for them to do this is to become BIGGER and BADDER than they were before so they call in for backup. They call in other toxigenics who originally were not their friends but have the same name (Stachybotrys etc.) and they rally for more and more Stachy soldiers to fight off the Aspergillus bullies so they can be the ONLY bully left on the playground.
The teachers are called in and have NO IDEA WHAT TO DO to stop the fighting so they do their best and try to "inject" Allergenics (allergy shots, antigenic therapies) into the crowd...maybe that will quiet down the bunch...but no, all it does is aggravate the Toxigenics even more.
![]() Teachers that were supposed to protect the playground are still letting in more Toxigenic bullies into the playground like Penicillium and now Chaetomium and the fight gets so out of control that the playground is nearly destroyed.
So what can the teachers (or doctors) do? They come up with another idea...maybe if they create a distraction like (say it's all in your head, give you supplements, tell you to just avoid the bullies (mold) maybe this will work. But to no avail. Nothing is working.
It's not until someone goes for help who KNOWS how to break up a real fight between the playground and a Toxigenic bully do things heal, disperse and begin to have balance again. The principle shows up with the right amount of authority to lead the teachers and explain to them just how to control the toxigenic bullies. The Toxigenics see the principle and now get scared. They stop fighting, are sent back to the principles office and are put in their place. The principle sets them straight and they get counseling and eventually end up adapting back into the real world and stop trying to go to playgrounds and wreak more havoc.
![]() The playground (or your body) is now at peace. Yes, there will always be alllergenics...the world is filled with lots of molds and fungi and our bodies (if taken care of) will keep the peace but we should always prevent bullies from coming into the playground. They are never welcome.
Thursday, July 30 2015
Some people have asked me what I use or used during detox in place of milk. Now some may not drink milk but for those who always "like me" believed the fluff about milk being good for me :) I used milk all the time for cereal, baking, frostings, scrambled eggs, creamer etc. Before mold I used to be a sucker for a bag of oreos and a tall glass of milk or my famous homemade chocolate chip cookies and that same milk. Those days have passed, "thank goodness" but some people still struggle with how to replace bad habits of using milk for everything. I was on a mold diet for over 9 months so in those 9 months I didn't have much milk or dairy. Now that I'm way past the mold detox diet phase of being strict on glucose consumption I am on a more steady Whole foods diet and basically now eat what is healthy for my body. I wanted to recommend what I used to replace my "Milk habit" with. I tried all of the milk sub's out there that everyone normally recommends like "Almond Milk", "Rice Milk" but I was never satisfied with the taste or some of the ingredients they used. It wasn't until about January of this year that I recently saw a new type in my local health food store and decided to try it. It was "Hemp Milk": by Pacific They have 3 flavors.
Not only did it taste good enough to drink right out of the bottle (which normally I NEVER do because things don't taste that great) but I was shocked to look at the nutritional information for Hemp Milk. Here was what I found:
WHERE TO BUY IT After recommending to a few friends I found out that it was not that readily available in most stores so I found an easy way to show others where to get it by buying it online. What I found was that most of the sellers were offering FREE SHIPPING so it made it worth it to get it delivered to your home. You can buy it HERE...make sure you bookmark this link so you can go back to it month after month and re-order like I now do. :) Another alternative is a "SAFE" coconut milk option You can make your own coconut milk by blending unsweetened organic coconut flakes with filtered water and strain it but when you are feeling sick most of the time it's just not an option. This "ONE" coconut milk product is my coconut milk choice. It's a safely canned BPA free option that does not contain any other harmful inredients that almost all of the other coconut milks have. The brand is from Natural Grocers. This producct is only coconut and water. This means there are no thickeners or emulsifiers like guar gum, carrageenan, or gellan gum, which can cause digestive problems, alter healthy levels of intestinal bacteria, cause diarrhea, cause inflammation and bloating, lower immune function, and cause glucose intolerance/insulin sensitivity - just to name a few. These are the last things you want to add to your detox and mold diet because your gut needs to heal. These thickeners/emulsifiers are in many products, including "natural" or "healthy" ones. Some of the most common ones are plant-based milks, ice cream, yogurt, and baby formulas...but they can also be found in all kinds of foods, cosmetics, body care products, toothpaste, and medications. Including the topic of coconut milk in my blog post is simply bringing awareness to an ingredient I feel can really mess up your mold detox efforts and is most often in many of the things you consume daily, and if you have been exposed to toxic mold most likely you are going to be dealing with other symptoms of mold exposure like IBS, inflammatory bowel disorders, digestive issues, or unexplained food sensitivities, so this is definitely something you want to start looking at and eliminating. If someone hasn't been exposed to mold, small doses probably won't hurt them...but since these things are in many products you're likely consuming - a "small dose" may not actually exist for many people. If you have small children or babies that have been exposed to mold and they consume plant-based milks regularly these harmful ingredients can be really harmful to their guts. Taking the time to read food labels and learn what common ingredients are is really an important skill set to learn - especially if you have been exposed to mold or have any kind of chronic illness. Taking a little extra time to prepare your own food is beneficial for your health both physically and financially but when exposed to mold it can make someone so extremely weak and sick that they cannot physically prepare these foods. However in saying that, you can buy a pound of organic coconut flakes for about $4 and easily make 10x (or more) the amount of coconut milk found in one can for the same price.
Saturday, December 27 2014
In a previous post I had made a few months back, " I talked about the connection between a mycotoxin called patulin and the symptoms of low potassium. If you are not sure what potassium is or does in the body, potassium is an essential nutrient used to maintain fluid and electrolyte balance in the body. When you have a deficiency in potassium it causes:
Unless you are on dialysis, or have a special condition involving potassium, overdose of potassium from natural sources is nearly impossible; however, it is possible to consume too much potassium via potassium salts which can lead to nausea, vomiting, and even cardiac arrest. Potassium from natural food sources is the best possible way to deliver potassium to the body. Being exposed to mold and mycotoxins can interupt the body's natural mineral absorption. Many people exposed to mold are NOT aware of this. This is why it essential to supplement vitamins and minerals while detoxing from mold exposure.
Diet: Another problem with detoxing from mold is that most of the foods that are higher in potassium content are not supposed to be consumed while on a mold detox diet. This means foods like beans, potatoes and bananas are off your list for a while until you can get rid of the mold problem in your body. This can be a huge problem if you are not prepared ahead of time for the symptoms. This is also VERY DANGEROUS if you do not do it correctly. Remember, a potassium deficiency is a "Life-Threatening" thing. If you suspect a potassium deficiency please see your local ER or get a doctors appt the next morning to have your doctor check your potassium levels. They can give you a "Temporary" potassium chloride injection or pill that can get you out of "trouble" temporarily until you can increase your potassium in your diet.
Here are some "Mold Diet Approved" food sources for keeping your levels of potassium at a healthy level:
Wednesday, November 12 2014
Eggs are loaded with high-quality proteins, vitamins, minerals, good fats and various trace nutrients. A large egg contains:
It is a wise choice to include eggs in your mold detox diet, however
Chickens, if left on their own naturally feed primarily on insects. Science has proven through "laboratory dissection and testing" that half or more of their diet are insects and other invertebrates (especially termites.) The other half or less is made up of various plant matter like fruits, berries, bamboo seeds, nuts, and young leaves. So what is this telling us? Basically it's telling us that if chickens are eating corn, wheat and soy their diets are being manipulated by man. Why would we manipulate the diets of chickens? It's pretty simple. A chicken that is naturally healthy and left to feed on it's own will weigh a lot less than a chicken that is fed fatty, carbohydrate corn, wheat or soy. Farmers, meat and egg producers know this so in order for them to make as much money as possible (because chicken meat is sold by the pound), they want their chickens fattened up for maximum profits. DID YOU HEAR THAT? This is all about making money.....NOT raising healthy chickens...and NOT looking out for the health of humans who will be eating it. Store bought eggs contain grains and grains have carbohydrates and mycotoxins T To do this we MUST recognize and be aware of where the hidden sugars, grains and carbohydrates are so that we can speed up the "Mold dying" process within our bodies. Ok so I hear this all time. "I eat healthy eggs". Or do you? Most people, (I'd say 95%) do not understand what the heck it is they are eating when they eat their eggs. I've put together this little blog post to explain the truth and pitfalls about what is in your eggs
All I can say here is stay as far away from these as you possibly can. What kind of eggs should I buy that DON'T have grains or mycotoxins in them? You should ONLY eat pastured eggs on the mold detox diet. They are 3 times as nutritious and WILL NOT contain sugary grains that contain mold and mycotoxins like eggs from factory-raised chickens. Pastured hens' diets are naturally fed with bugs, earthworms, and other bugs that give their eggs it's pureness and nutritional value. Pastured hens are much healthier and happier than their space-restricted and antibiotic-pumped counterparts. Pasturing is the traditional method of raising egg-laying hens and other poultry. It is ecologically sustainable, humane, and produces the tastiest, most nutritious eggs. Pastured eggs also have 10 percent less fat, 40 percent more vitamin A, and 34 percent less cholesterol than eggs obtained from factory farms. Most importantly for those exposed to mold and mycotoxins, pastured eggs contain NO traces of grains or beans which naturally feed mold, yeast and other fungi in the body. This makes it a PERFECT CHOICE for the mold detox diet. Dave Asprey explains why you should be eating "Pastured" eggs
Our favorite site to locate pastured eggs is http://www.EatWild.com they have a directory for US and Canada of all suppliers providing pastured meat and eggs. ![]() SOURCE: http://www.takepart.com/article/2014/04/03/understanding-egg-labels (CLICK THE LINK ABOVE to enlarge) ![]() Links to Studies on the presence of mycotoxin in eggs fed a conventional diet of grains and other fillers.
Monday, October 27 2014
It wasn't until someone brought to my attention that "speaking clean" is actually a method of healing and can literally change the chemistry in your body to prepare itself to heal and the immune system can kick into overdrive. WOW! I had no idea these two were related. Negative thoughts and talking produce dangerous levels of "Cortisol" in the body Positive thoughts and talking produce high levels of "Oxytocin" in the body After realizing that negative actions were a part of my illness I then decided to research what happens to the body when I say positive things, believe positive things and speak "clean" around me. Thinking positively, speaking positively and speaking to ones self positively produce high levels of Oxytocin in the body. If you are not sure what Oxytocin is, it is hormone that is naturally produced by the body. Normal levels of Cortisol are supposed to convert proteins into energy, releasing glycogen and counteract inflammation. On the other end of the spectrum having continuous high cortisol levels in the body destroy healthy muscle and bone, slow down healing and normal cell regeneration, biochemicals needed to make other vital hormones, impair digestion, metabolism and mental function, interfere with healthy endocrine function; and weaken your immune system. (Wow sounds like I am adding more fuel to my "toxic mold" fire? you think?). After realizing that negative actions were a part of my illness I decided to research what happens to the body when I say positive things, believe positive things and speak "clean" around me.
Speak healing and positive words to others about your illness and to yourself even when the symptoms seem unbearable.
Jennifer is the founder of Surviving Toxic Mold and was exposed to toxic mold from 2010-2012 in a rental home. You can read her story HERE Sources: The Destructive Effects of High Cortisol Levels, by Marcelle Pick, OB-GYN NP, This Bliss Hormone Can Heal Your Body: The Many Benefits of Oxytocin. , What is Oxytocin? Tuesday, September 02 2014
Today's post is sponsored by Fix.com Ever wondered how to grow a successful garden muchless grow one indoors? Check out this awesome infographic from Fix.com They've taken the guesswork out of how to make it successful by creating this awesome chart you can print out and put in your garage or garden shed. Happy Gardening!!
Monday, August 18 2014
Although I had two teenagers that helped me tremendously I still felt that trying to get in a car and go to a store more than once a week became almost impossible. As you know, running out of products or supplements don't always time perfectly and it seems that you need to leave your home on multiple occasions throughout the week. Being very ill with mold, epstein-barr virus and Lyme Disease did not allow me to leave the home but once....to get my meat and vegetables for my MOLD DETOX DIET. Because this put such a phycial strain on me I researched ways I could possibly get items to my house without me having to leave home. The only problem I saw was I ended up spending SO MUCH money on shipping costs..........until I found "Amazon Prime".
Here are the main features of the Amazon Prime program: You pay ONLY $99.00 for a One Year Prime membership
Monday, July 28 2014
I have struggled and am struggling more than ever with inflammation. This can be inflammation of the brain, your gut and even your skin or muscles. Since I started having issues with this I've been doing some research that can help me. Obviously one of the biggest problems is with what we are putting into our bodies: Foods, drinks and even our environment. First off, make sure you are eating a MOLD DETOX DIET in order to keep inflammatory foods away from your body. I am by no means an expert when it comes to healing my gut or keeping inflammation under control, but I do a lot of research so that I can better help myself and others at the same time.
Awesome Anti-Inflammatory plant: Aloe Vera
Friday, June 06 2014
Are Carrots friend or foe for a person exposed to Mold? When I first found out my symptoms were related to being exposed to Toxic Mold I knew that diet was going to be at the forefront of my recovery. I was given diets and protocols by many mold sufferers as well as even mold doctors. One of the things that seemed to be a common debate was that of the "Carrot". I was told by 50% of the sources that carrot was NOT something I should consume because it was considered a root vegetable. After all root vegetables have a bad rap for harboring mold & fungus under the ground correct? Then the other 50% were telling me that no it was actually quite the opposite...that carrots had a natural anti-fungal property that prevents mold from getting into the carrot. So I decided to do my own research and here is what I found: Doug Kaufmann of "Know the Cause" has an ever-popular book called "The Fungus Link". Since then he's written a few other extensions of the book. He has been a pioneer in the field of relating molds and fungus to almost every known disease humans are currently facing. One of the conditions he focuses on quite a bit is that of "Candida". In his books he even talks about the benefits of Carrots as anti-fungal. I began to research the subject more in depth by applying it straight to mold exposure and to my surprise I found a book by Kurt & LeAnn Billings called "MOLD: The War Within". In the book they referenced that they had used carrots in their juicing protocol to fight Candida. My next step was to find the real scientific data to back it up. Being skeptical by nature I needed more proof as I didn't want to put something into my body that was going to keep me sick, Lord knows I had suffered enough already. I ran across a surprisingly "AWESOME" research and laboratory test that gave me all the confidence I needed to move forward. Aren't Carrots High in Sugar? This might shock you and be something hard to wrap your head around, but carrots are NOT HIGH IN SUGAR. What?? "But I've been told this my whole life!!" Well, guess what...you've been told wrong. One carrot only contains 2.9 grams of sugar. This is slightly a tick above your average lemon. Remember, lemons and limes are the lowest sugar content of any fruit. One lemon contains approximately 1.5 grams of sugar.
Aren't carrots considered moldy because they grow underground? No. Carrots have their own built-in antifungal protective chemical compounds. Purified ethanolic extracts of peeled and shredded carrots have an antimicrobial effect against a range of food-borne micro-organisms as well as Candida.
Along with our Mold Detox Diet this Juicing this recipe twice a day can eradicate a toxic mold infection after 3-6 months For more holistic ways to fight Candida see our page on ANTI-FUNGALS Thursday, May 29 2014
1. Sugar feeds Fungus: http://www.survivingtoxicmold.com/sugar_feeds_fungus You have to come to terms with the fact that you will NEVER recover from mold illness unless you go through a period of at least 90 days with absolutely NO sugar (at a minimum). Most often it takes about 12 months to make a full recovery. Sugar, grains and yeast are relentless. Tried it my way....failed Tried to eat only a little sugar.....failed Tried to deny sugar was an issue....FAILED (PLEASE COMMENT BELOW ABOUT THIS TOPIC: questions, comments, statements etc. This is how we break through and learn). 2. Ok so what kind of foods am I supposed to be eating? https://www.survivingtoxicmold.com/mold_detox_diet1 (PLEASE COMMENT BELOW ABOUT THIS TOPIC: questions, comments, statements etc. This is how we break through and learn). 3. Sample Shopping List: Here are my top shopping list essentials:
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