Mold Toxicity & Biotoxins
Mold, Environmental Chemicals, Tick-Borne Disease, Heavy Metals, Electromagnetics, Radiation
Toxins within the human body impact EVERYTHING
Toxins have been linked to almost all chronic diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancers, and neurological diseases.
Toxins come in many forms – biotoxins from living organisms (such as molds, ticks, algae, bacteria, and viruses), chemical toxins that occur naturally (like lead or mercury), and synthetic toxins manufactured as a byproduct of industry or through laboratory processes (like pesticides, organophosphates, and herbicides). Currently, there are over 100,000 chemicals that did not exist in the early 1900s. Radiation and Electromagnetics also contribute to our toxic exposure.
We are constantly bombarded by toxins.
BIOTOXINS
Biotoxins (bio-life and toxin–poison) sources include mold, viruses, bacteria, and tick-borne disease. Biotoxin evaluation and treatment are in their infancy, and unfortunately, often not embraced by conventional medicine.
We know that Biotoxin entry into the human body is possible through inhalation, ingestion, contact or puncture of our skin. For example, biotoxins may enter through inhalation of dust (as in toxins from mold, chemicals, and viruses), ingestion (as in foods contaminated with chemicals, mold or bacteria), skin exposures (such as red tide) or insect bite (as in tick-borne disease, or flies).
Research demonstrates a causal relationship between biotoxins and the human immune system. When biotoxins impact the immune system, this may be diagnosed as Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS). CIRS is a progressive, multi-system, multi-symptom illness that causes ongoing inflammation, and can affect virtually any organ system of the body, and if left untreated, becomes debilitating
Common Presentations include:
- Chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia
- Specific symptoms such as
- Brain fog
- Headaches or Dizziness
- Numbness tingling in hands or feet
- Urinary frequency
- Gastrointestinal issues like IBS, diarrhea, nausea, cramping
- Asthma, shortness of breath
- Rashes and hives
- Muscle and joint aches or pain
- Fluid retention
- Sinus issues
Some Common Misconceptions
Mildew or a musty odor is not a mold problem.
Fact: Mildew and musty odors are MOLD. Furthermore, they cannot be eradicated with just bleach.
Mold is everywhere, so it cannot possibly harm us.
Fact: Mold inside a building (termed Sick Building Syndrome) can impact human health in numerous ways. Mold can also grow in your car, boat, trailer, or hunting camp.
Being exposed to small amounts of chemicals is not harmful.
Fact: Thousands of chemicals are currently present in our environment, and the risk is not only associated with a single chemical but also with the constant barrage of exposures. Think of pesticides in the garden, chemicals in our food systems, heavy metals, bacteria in drinking water, and chemicals in personal care products. The problem is in the cumulative effect!
Biotoxins are not difficult to remove:
Fact: Genetic predisposition can make removal difficult, and many patients are susceptible to complications associated with removal. Trying to remove toxins without optimizing the way the human body processes them can be disastrous to the patient
Biotoxins do not impact childbearing.
Fact: Toxins have been shown to cross the placenta to infants through cord blood and breastfeeding.
We naturally can rid ourselves of toxins.
Fact: Toxic exposures today are cumulative throughout our lifetime and often exceed the capacity of our human body to remove. Most chemicals did not exist in our grandparents’ youth.
Functional Medicine and toxins
Functional medicine practitioners with training in biotoxin illness can provide a targeted approach to identification and removal. They understand the complexities and stacking of biotoxins. At Innovative Health, our knowledgeable plans include:
- Assessing your current risks of toxic exposures using Functional Environmental questionnaires and follow-up guidance to implement a strategy to protect you and your family.
- A thorough review of your personal health history, including past potential chemical, heavy metal, and biotoxin exposures, using an environmental questionnaire to spur your memory.
- Expert recommendations for functional testing focused broadly or specifically according to the results of the history and assessment
- Testing may include genetics, biotoxin serum markers, and/or imaging, as well as specific testing for mold/mycotoxins, environmental chemicals, tick-borne diseases, heavy metals, and other substances.
- A provider with understanding and training in toxins and a step-wise plan for their removal.
- Optimization of detoxification pathways before the removal of the toxins. Attempting to remove toxins without optimizing the body's ability to process them can be disastrous for the patient. Optimizing our detoxification organs, such as the liver, kidneys, and gut, becomes imperative.
A Deeper Dive
MOLD
Mold and Mycotoxin toxicity are influenced by genetics and can produce systemic inflammation. The severity and duration of exposure affect the presentation. Not all Molds are toxic, but many are. Stachybotrys, commonly known as Black Mold, is the most widely recognized poisonous mold; other toxic molds include Aspergillus, Penicillium, Chaetomium, and Fusarium, among others. Interestingly, some molds are white in color, not black.
It is not the mold itself that is toxic; rather, it is the mycotoxins it produces naturally to deter other mold species. A water-damaged home or building provides an ideal environment for mold growth and the associated mycotoxins. It is estimated that 70% of water-damaged homes are undetected by the homeowner.
Over 10 million Americans are estimated to have some degree of mold exposure or sensitivity. Functionally, there is a hierarchy to successful treatment, and failure to acknowledge this hierarchy is often why a patient fails to respond to treatment or becomes very ill from treatment.
Some clues to a root cause of mold toxicity might include chemical sensitivity, severe food allergies, sensitivity to electromagnetic fields, and an onset of neurological symptoms like anxiety, OCD, and electric shocks. Mold and mycotoxins can trigger autoimmunity of every kind.
Chemical Toxins
We live in a toxic soup.
We are exposed to hundreds of thousands of chemicals. This includes environmental chemicals, such as heavy metals like mercury, lead, or arsenic, among others. Women put an average of 150 chemicals on their faces every day.
Even small exposures to the chemical known as BPA double the risk of diabetes. Conventional foods are often sprayed with pesticides and fungicides, are sometimes genetically modified, and frequently contain artificial colors, additives, and sweeteners. Our personal care products (shampoo, makeup, soaps, lotions) contain many chemicals, including those in the phthalate group.
An array of chemicals is found in cleaning products, building materials, and furniture. Our drinking water is not screened for many chemicals, pharmaceutical drugs, and heavy metals. PFAS (perfluorinated alkylated substances) are chemicals that are used in pans (think about a pizza box, furniture, ski clothing… to waterproof or grease-proof clothing, foods.
Industrial and agricultural chemicals penetrate our air and water supply. Our homes are filled with toxins in furniture, cleaning supplies, paint, etc.
Radiation is another potential human toxin, as both an immediate toxin and a gradual toxic effect of long-term exposures or low doses. The harmful effects of radiation include damage to our DNA, the release of reactive oxygen species, which damage tissue, and the destruction of cells in high doses. Long-term low-dose radiation has been linked to increased cancer, fertility issues, cardiovascular disease, and cataracts. Radiation exposures may include CT imaging, X-rays, and other medical testing devices.
Many people are unaware of the toxic effects of electromagnetic radiation from computers, wireless technology, and cellphones.
Heavy Metals are stored in the body; for instance, lead exposures during a lifetime are stored in our bones. When our bones start to deteriorate (osteoporosis), then the lead is released. Rapid fat loss, as seen in the new weight loss medications, can release large amounts of toxins, as many toxins are stored in fatty tissue.
Exposures to lead exist in old lead-based paint, lead pipes, and gasoline fumes. Arsenic is often found in the ground and is thus present in grains grown in these areas (such as rice, which can be high in arsenic). Heavy metals can leach into our water supply. Also, mercury comprises about half of an amalgam (silver fillings).
