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What Can Mold Do To Your Body? Mold in your home or business can take a huge risk to your body. Mold Remediation Pros of Baltimore has seen instances where our clients health has been affected. The CDS( Center for Disease Control and Prevention) https://www.cdc.gov has published a article on how mold can affect your body. You know it is serious when a national info site gets involved. Here is the article and source: https://www.cdc.gov/mold/dampness_facts.htm
Exposure to damp and moldy environments may cause a variety of health effects, or none at all. Some people are sensitive to molds. For these people, molds can cause nasal stuffiness, throat irritation, coughing or wheezing, eye irritation, or, in some cases, skin irritation. People with mold allergies may have more severe reactions. Immune-compromised people and people with chronic lung illnesses, such as obstructive lung disease, may get serious infections in their lungs when they are exposed to mold. These people should stay away from areas that are likely to have mold, such as compost piles, cut grass, and wooded areas.
In 2004 the Institute of Medicine (IOM) found there was sufficient evidence to link indoor exposure to mold with upper respiratory tract symptoms, cough, and wheeze in otherwise healthy people; with asthma symptoms in people with asthma; and with hypersensitivity pneumonitis in individuals susceptible to that immune-mediated condition. The IOM also found limited or suggestive evidence linking indoor mold exposure and respiratory illness in otherwise healthy children.
In addition, in 2004 the IOM found sufficient evidence to link exposure to damp indoor environments in general to upper respiratory tract symptoms, cough, and wheeze in otherwise healthy people and with asthma symptoms in people with asthma. The IOM also found limited or suggestive evidence linking exposure to damp indoor environments in general to shortness of breath, to respiratory illness in otherwise healthy children and to potential development of asthma in susceptible individuals. In 2009, the World Health Organization issued additional guidance, the WHO Guidelines for Indoor Air Quality: Dampness and Mould[PDF – 2.52 MB]. Other recent studies have suggested a potential link of early mold exposure to development of asthma in some children, particularly among children who may be genetically susceptible to asthma development, and that selected interventions that improve housing conditions can reduce morbidity from asthma and respiratory allergies, but more research is needed in this regard.
A link between other adverse health effects, such as acute idiopathic pulmonary hemorrhage among infants, memory loss, or lethargy, and molds, including the mold Stachybotrys chartarum (Stachybotrys atra), has not been proven. Further studies are needed to find out what causes acute idiopathic hemorrhage and other adverse health effects.
Mold is found both indoors and outdoors. Mold can enter your home through open doorways, windows, vents, and heating and air conditioning systems. Mold in the air outside can also attach itself to clothing, shoes, bags, and pets can and be carried indoors.
Mold will grow in places with a lot of moisture, such as around leaks in roofs, windows, or pipes, or where there has been flooding. Mold grows well on paper products, cardboard, ceiling tiles, and wood products. Mold can also grow in dust, paints, wallpaper, insulation, drywall, carpet, fabric, and upholstery.
Inside your home you can control mold growth by:
If mold is growing in your home, you need to clean up the mold and fix the moisture problem. Mold growth can be removed from hard surfaces with commercial products, soap and water, or a bleach solution of no more than 1 cup of household laundry bleach in 1 gallon of water.
Mold growth, which often looks like spots, can be many different colors, and can smell musty. If you can see or smell mold, a health risk may be present. You do not need to know the type of mold growing in your home, and CDC does not recommend or perform routine sampling for molds. No matter what type of mold is present, you should remove it. Since the effect of mold on people can vary greatly, either because of the amount or type of mold, you can not rely on sampling and culturing to know your health risk. Also, good sampling for mold can be expensive, and standards for judging what is and what is not an acceptable quantity of mold have not been set. The best practice is to remove the mold and work to prevent future growth.
If you choose to use bleach to clean up mold:
So do not hesitate to contact us if you suspect mold in your home or business. Call Today 443-961-2725
The post https://www.cdc.gov What Can Mold Do To Your Body? appeared first on mold.
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Those suffering from toxic mold exposure or fungal hypersensitivities (mold allergy) are advised to adhere to a fungal-elimination diet . Moldy and yeasty foods of any kind should be avoided.
Below is a list of the top 10 moldiest foods (in no particular order):
1. Alcohol: It may come as a surprise, but alcohol is a mycotoxin (fungal-derived toxin) produced by the Saccharomyces yeast (brewer’s yeast). To make matters worse, other mycotoxins are present in alcohol as well, due to the mold-contaminated fruits and grains. An unfortunate truth is that brewers choose the fruits and grains that are already contaminated with fungi/mycotoxins because it is more affordable than the fruits and grains that are sold as table food.[1]
2. Aged/Hard Cheese: All types of cheese should be avoided on an anti-fungal diet, but aside from the blatantly obvious blue-cheese, the aged or hard cheeses are the moldiest. They are, after all, developed on fungi cultures. Their sugar and dairy content contribute to attract and proliferate further mold growth, as well.
3. Dried Fruits: Like aged cheeses, dried fruits (apricots, for example) have high sugar content and the more time spent aging, the more likely they are to develop mold.
4. Condiments: Soy sauce being the worst with ketchup a close second, condiments are at great risk for developing mold, even if the packaging is unopened. This, too, is due to the high sugar content and the possible inclusion of grains. Also, any product resulting from aspergillus fermentation (soy sauce) is guaranteed to have mold.
5. Peanuts: Even when peanuts are sterilized, fungi (sometimes 20+ different types) are capable of colonizing unharmed within.[2]
6. Sugar Cane: As delicious as it and all its products are, sugar cane is a tasty meal for mold, too. Sugar cane is often contaminated with mold and mycotoxins. It is then processed and used in vast numbers of food products all over the globe.
7. Cottonseed: This is an extremely moldy food. Human consumption of cottonseed may seem limited to cottonseed oil—something most would shrug off as easy to avoid. The trouble is that cottonseed is often used in animal feed, which contaminates the animals, which are then slaughtered and sold as table food to the same people shrugging.
8. Wheat: Another incredibly moldy food. No matter how processed the original wheat grain becomes, the fungi merely lies dormant until conditions improve. That is why mold and mycotoxins are frequently found in cereals, breads, and pastas. Some mycotoxins are water-soluble, which is why some wheat pastas are considered safe. Other, more detrimental mycotoxins, known as aflatoxins, are the most persistent. Because wheat is harvested and stored in damp, hot silos for months at a time, the development of mold and mycotoxins is nearly impossible to avoid. This goes for all grains, including barley, sorghum, corn, even rice—not just wheat—which is why grains are off-limits on the anti-fungal diet. (For more information on moldy grains, click here.)
9. Corn: Corn and wheat seem to be competing for mycotoxin champion. Both develop in damp, hot silos. Both maintain their mycotoxicity, despite processing. Both, unfortunately, are among the most-purchased items from grocery stores by mold-ignorant consumers. Both are fed to animals, as well, contaminating the very meats so craved at the dinner table.
10. Hamburger: Hamburger is used from what is called “aged meat.” This has the same mold-related repercussions as aged cheese and dried fruit.
Mushrooms
Rye
Over-Ripe Fruits and Vegetables
Tomato Products (all tomato sauces and condiments are made from moldy tomatoes)
Wine Vinegar
Multi-B Vitamins (the rice hulls are moldy)
Products of Aspergillus Fermentation
Foods to Avoid When You Have Mold or Yeast in Your Body
Foods to Eat When You Have Mold or Yeast in Your Body
How to Cure a Yeast Infection
Anti-Fungal Diet to Help Cure a Yeast Infection
[1] “Mycotoxins: Economic and Health Risks.” Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (November 1989). Force Report Number 116. CAST. Ames, IA.
[2] Constantini, A. “Etiology and Prevention of Atherosclerosis.” Fungalbionics (1998/99).
About the Author: TheWife is the mother and personal chef of two boys, the domestic technician of a three-bedroom desert home, and occasionally, a freelance writer and editor. Feel free to follow her on Twitter @TheWifesLife
Excellent hygiene practices are an individual’s—and community’s—first defense against disease and illness. If ill health is already a factor, continual hygiene supports and enables the body to battle pathogens and heal itself. Without it, new and frequent microorganisms, including mold and yeast, would make contact and infiltrate the body on a daily basis, creating health concerns or compounding those that already exist.
The prevailing reason to engage in consistent hygiene practices is to prevent disease. When hygiene is performed correctly, the body and all its processes are able to function at their best. Inadequate—or altogether lacking—hygiene permits an overabundance of harmful bacteria, viruses, and fungi to accumulate throughout the body. The “bad” microbes then proliferate at such a pace that the “good” microbes quickly become outnumbered and unable to ward off the offending colonies. Once its defenses are breached, the body responds with typical symptoms of compromised well-being.
Good health, according to the Center for Nutrition Studies (CNS)[1], revolves around hygiene. The Merriam-Webster dictionary specifically refers to hygiene as “a science of the establishment and maintenance of health.”[2] The Oxford Living Dictionary describes this health science as the “conditions or practices conducive to maintaining health and preventing disease,” adding that it is “especially through cleanliness” that good hygiene is achieved.[3]
Too often, however, the pendulum of public opinion regarding cleanliness swings from one extreme to the other. While cleanliness could entail a degree of asepsis—the complete absence of bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms—personal and communal hygiene should never be embarked upon in a manner of immaculate sterility. Filth and carelessness is not advised. However, balance is key. The goal is to implement a mindful practice of hygiene that not only keeps an individual or community clean, but does so in a manner that eschews inhibiting the body from functioning optimally.
If one is to practice good hygiene, the concept of “First do no harm” should be at the forefront of their mind. Many top brand names in the body and household cleaning industries push for a level of sterility that is actually detrimental to the customer’s health. There is no argument against the necessity to disinfect environments wherein bodily fluids are present and disease can be spread, such as hospitals and bathrooms. Nevertheless, when it comes to regular, everyday cleaning situations, such an extreme measure of cleanliness will only cause harm. This is because the human body—although a seemingly self-supporting agent—is aided and protected by living microorganisms that are sensitive to the soaps and cleansers most use every day. Fever, diarrhea, inflammation, dry skin, and even acne are just a few signs that a host’s health has been aggravated by microbial imbalances caused by harsher standards of hygiene.
The human body is host to a variety of beneficial microorganisms. Advantageous viruses, bacteria, and even yeast share a commensal purpose within and without the body. To better understand this symbiotic relationship between a host and its friendly microbe, one needs only to look to the delicate ecological balance between any given kingdom within biology. One example: the flower feeds the bee; the bee pollinates the flowering plant. Another: the oxpecker eats insects from off the bison; the bison is relieved of unwelcome parasites. Without these and countless other mutually-beneficial exchanges, many species would succumb to illness, weakness, and even death. It is when there is an imbalance in any given eco-system that animals, insects, and plants become endangered or extinct and harmful predators, viruses, and bacteria run rampant.
The same scenarios play out in the human body. The stomach, intestines, sinuses, skin, and even the hair and eyelashes all harbor beneficial microbiomes. These microscopic entities protect their host from pathogens and facilitate the immune system in its maintenance of the intricate balance between effective defense and damaging inflammation.
It is estimated that for every cell of the human body—and there are approximately 32.7 trillion of them—there are at least 10 hosted microorganisms.
The skin, for example, with its abundance of varying habitats, such as invaginations, appendages, and an assortment of glands and follicles, is littered with microbial communities that are among the most diverse in all the world. This is due, in part, to its endless contact with the external environment.
The hair, while it relies heavily on gut bacteria, is cleaned and protected by “eyelash mites.” These microscopic creatures cause an allergic reaction in a small percentage of people but, for the most part, they are beneficial in keeping the base of eyelashes and other hairs clear of dead skin cells and excess sebum.
A healthy gastrointestinal tract harbors about 100 trillion advantageous bacteria—that’s about three pounds! This impressive variety—300 to sometimes 1000 different types—aggressively defends the gut against pathogenic invasion. In fact, the gut alone is responsible for 2/3 of the function of the immune system.
The slightest imbalance within these microbial communities will permit pathogenic microorganisms to gain a foothold, develop a colony, and wreak havoc on one’s microscopic allies, which, in turn, disables the body’s greater defense system. As a result, fungal infestation, whether mold or yeast, will have the advantage in what would normally be an extremely anti-fungal environment.
The issue with anti-microbial/bacterial soaps is that they do not target only harmful microbes. Instead, both the “good” and the “bad” are at the mercy of chemically-corrosive properties.
The trouble goes beyond one’s microbial allies, however. Many cleansers cause direct damage or injury to the skin, lungs, kidneys, glands, and liver. Accruing damage to the latter three will especially cause an incremental impedance to the function and health of the rest of the body.
The majority of soaps on the common market contain injurious ingredients that not only leave the body susceptible to pathogens, but are also documented as being neurotoxic, disruptive to glandular processes (hormones), and carcinogenic (cancer-causing).
Triclosan is an irritant to the skin, eyes, and lungs. It accumulates in the body’s fat cells, often leading to endocrine disruption and organ system toxicity.
Despite the claims made by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)[4] , various studies support a link between triclosan and muscle function weakness[5] (both cardiac and skeletal), as well as a link to hormone disruption.[6][7] Furthermore, researchers insist that there appears to be no observable efficacy in triclosan-involved antibacterial soaps and that, considering the perceived risks, consumers are better off using a routine of regular soap and water until there is “further evaluation by governmental regulators regarding antibacterial product claims and advertising.”[8]
Dial® Liquid handsoap and bodywash
Tea Tree Therapy™ Liquid Soap
Clearasil® Daily Face Wash
Dermalogica® Skin Purifying Wipes
DermaKleen™ Antibacterial Lotion Soap
CVS Antibacterial Soap
Ajax Antibacterial Dishsoap
Kimcare Antibacterial Clear Soap
Bath and Body Works Antibacterial Hand Soaps
Gels and Foaming Sanitizers
And any more…
For more triclosan products, click here.
Often a companion ingredient to triclosan, triclocarban is responsible for similar negative effects. Recent studies conclude that it “enhances testosterone action”[9] (endocrine disruptor) and activates ER? (estrogen receptor alpha—could lead to proliferation of breast cancer cells).[10] By activating the xenobiotic receptors (CAR and ER?, specifically), triclocarban has the potential to “alter normal physiological homeostasis.”[11] In other words, “[t]hese studies demonstrate that acute exposure to TCC [triclocarban] results in the activation of important regulatory pathways dictated by CAR and ER? that can potentially impact the steady-state levels of hormones, as well as altering routes of drug metabolism.” Additionally, “[triclocarban] significantly affects intact male reproductive organs and potentiates androgen effects in prostate cancer cells.”[12] (Androgen stimulates prostate cancer cells to grow.)
Safeguard Antibacterial Deodorant Soap (Beige)
Avon Black Suede Talc Powder
Dial Antibacterial Deodorant Bar Soap: “Mountain Fresh”
Dial White Antibacterial Deodorant Bar Soap (White)
Dial for Men Glycerin Bar Soap, Power Scrub, Deep Down Cleansing
Zest Deodorant Bar Soap: “Whitewater Fresh”
Safeguard Antibacterial Deodorant Bar Soap
Irish Spring Deodorant Bath Bar: “Sport”
Safeguard Antibacterial Bar Soap (Beige)
Dial Antibacterial Deodorant Bar Soap (Gold)
Dial Antibacterial Deodorant Bar Soap: “Spring Water”
Dial Antibacterial Deodorant Bar Soap: “Tropical Escape”
Dial Antibacterial Deodorant Bar Soap: “Lavender” and “Twilight Jasmine”
And many more…
For more triclocarban products, click here.
Also known as p-chloro-xylenol (PCMX), chloroxylenol is used as a preservative in cosmetics and an active agent in anti-microbial cleansers. It is a known skin and eye irritant, causing burning, itching, rash, redness, and/or swelling.[13]
Like triclosan and triclocarban, chloroxylenol is known for its persistent bioaccumulation, which means that it enters the body much faster and in greater quantity than the body can dispose of it via catabolism or excretion. This leads to organ system toxicity (non-reproductive) and possible allergy development. Furthermore, when the body does excrete it (urine, saliva, showering), it manages to maintain its toxicity as it enters rivers and lakes, and has a tendency to poison fish and other wildlife. (See EWG.org.)
Caricia Care Antiseptic and Germicide
Most anti-infectives for pre- or post-surgery
Gordochom: topical antifungal
Metrex VioNexus Antimicrobial Foaming Soap, Professional Use
Dettol Antisepic Liquid (Canada)
Oil Eater Hand Cleaner with Pumice
Gold Label Antiseptic Hand Cleaner
Absorbine Hooflex Therapeutic Conditioner, Original Liquid
Absorbine Hooflex Therapeutic Conditioner, Original Ointment
GoJo Antimicrobial Lotion Soap with Chloroxylenol
And many more…
For more chloroxylenol products, click here.
Researchers agree that the risks of these three anti-microbial ingredients far outweigh the benefits. In many research conclusions, consumers are advised to use only regular soap—to not only avoid toxicity but to preserve the delicate balance of the skin and gut flora. Until further investigations can be made, only natural anti-microbial agents should be employed.
Tea Tree Essential Oil
Peppermint Essential Oil
Lemon Essential Oil
Vinegar (White or Apple Cider)
[1] Goldhamer, Alan. “How Your Body Heals Itself.” Center for Nutrition Studies. Accessed February 20, 2017. http://nutritionstudies.org/body-heals/.
[2] “Hygiene.” Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Springfield, Massachusetts: Encyclopædia Britannica, 2017. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hygiene. Web. February 20, 2017.
[3] “Hygiene.” Oxford Living Dictionary. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press, 2017. https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/hygiene. Web. February 20, 2017.
[4] U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). “5 Things to Know About Triclosan.” Last modified September 2, 2016. Accessed May 22, 2017. https://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm205999.htm.
[5] Stromberg, Joseph. “Triclosan, A Chemical Used in Antibacterial Soaps, is Found to Impair Muscle Function.” Smithsonian.com. Published August 13, 2012. Accessed May 22, 2017. http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/triclosan-a-chemical-used-in-antibacterial-soaps-is-found-to-impair-muscle-function-22127536/.
[6] Stoker, Tammy E., Gibson, Emily K., and Zorrilla, Leah M. “Triclosan Modulates Estrogen-Dependent Responses in the Female Wistar Rat.” Toxicological Sciences 117 (2010): 43–53. Accessed May 22, 2017. doi:10.1093/toxsci/kfq180.
[7]Veldhoen, Nik et al. “The Bactericidal Agent Triclosan Modulates Thyroid Hormone-Associated Gene Expression and Disrupts Postembryonic Anuran Development.” Aquatic Toxicology 80 (December 1, 2006): 217–227. Accessed May 22, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquatox.2006.08.010″.
[8] Aiello, Allison E., Larson, Elaine L., and Levy, Stuart B. “Consumer Antibacterial Soaps: Effective or Just Risky?” Clinical Infectious Diseases 45 (2007): S137–S147. Accessed May 22, 2017. doi:10.1086/519255.
[9] Chen, Jiangang, et al. “Triclocarban Enhances Testosterone Action: A New Type of Endocrine Disruptor?” Endocrinology 149 (2008): 1173–1179. Accessed June 21, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1210/en.2007-1057.
[10] Yueh, Mei-Fei, et al. “Triclocarban Mediates Induction of Xenobiotic Metabolism Through Activation of the Constitutive Androstane Receptor and the Estrogen Receptor Alpha.” PLOS One (2012). Accessed June 21, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0037705.
[11] Ibid.
[12] Duleba, Antoni J., Ahmed, Mohamed I., and Sun, Meng. “Effects of Triclocarban on Intact Immature Male Rat: Augmentation of Androgen Action.” Sage Journals (2010). Accessed June 21, 2017. http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1933719110382581.
[13] Berthelot, Cindy and Zirwas, Matthew J. “Allergic Contact Dermatitis to Chloroxylenol.” Dermatitis 17 (September 2006): 156–159. Accessed June 21, 2017. doi:10.2310/6620.2006.05057. (See also: Hui-zhen, Chen and Zi-hong, Zhang. “Study on Biological Effect of Compound Disinfectant of P-Chloro-Xylenol.” Chinese Journal of Disinfection (2005). Accessed June 21, 2017. http://en.cnki.com.cn/Article_en/CJFDTOTAL-ZGXD200502027.htm.)
About the Author: TheWife is the mother and personal chef of two boys, the domestic technician of a three-bedroom desert home, and occasionally, a freelance writer and editor. Feel free to follow her on Twitter @TheWifesLife
