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Category: Mold Information

mold, moldy house

What to do if you are Stuck in a Moldy House

krystle Leave a comment

The world is fast changing as we deal with things we have never had to experience in our lifetime. It can seem overwhelming to process and change our lives so quickly, but is important to not let stress overtake us and paralyze. Rather, let us focus on the things we CAN do to make this transition easier and more productive.

Many of us are confined to our homes for an indefinite amount of time. This can be a positive thing as we get to spend more time together as a family and do projects that maybe we never had time to do before because life kept us too busy and consumed. However, if we happen to be restricted to a house that contains toxic mold, this can have a very negative impact on our health and well being. Until things return to “normal” and we are able to get professional help with a mold infestation, it is crucial to do what we can to create the healthiest space to spend this time.

Open the Windows

Thankfully, it is springtime and warming up in many places affected by the novel coronavirus. This allows many of us to begin opening our windows and allowing the fresh air to penetrate our homes. This fresh air can help dilute the airborne mold spores and create a healthier environment. In a time when respiratory health is so crucial, it is important to note that “fresh air helps the airways of your lungs to dilate more fully and improves the cleansing action of your lungs.” 1 It is wonderful that something so simple as opening our windows can improve our lung function and cleanse the indoor air!

Turn on the Air Filter

Not everyone can open their windows, or keep them open for long, due to heating costs, noise pollution, etc. However, many people can use a HEPA air filter to improve the indoor air quality, especially when we are all spending so much time in our homes. Air filters can help clean the air we breath each day, and lessen the mold we are inhaling into our lungs.

Boost the Immune System

So, while it is important to reduce the mold you are breathing in your home, it is also a good idea to avoid moldy foods, and focus on eating foods that actually help the body deal with mold. Thankfully, we have lists of foods to eat, as well as ones to avoid that you can check out. It is probably a good idea to practice healthy eating habits as much as possible during this time, which also translates into the body being able to better manage any toxins that we may be exposed to in our homes.

Balance Your Humidity

You may want to investigate if your mold issue is coming from high humidity levels in the home. High humidity levels can often be a contributing factor or cause of mold growth. 2 The EPA suggests reducing humidity levels to 30-60% indoors (ideally 30-50%) to decrease and prevent mold. A simple dehumidifier can help reduce the humidity in your home to be less inviting to mold growth. If you think your humidity is too high, and can’t get out of your homes right now due to the quarantine, you can hop on over to Amazon and check out the selection there. Just be sure to get the correct size for your space.

Fix Your Leaks

If your mold issue is not from high humidity, it is likely due to a leak. Is your roof leaking? Do you have some plumbing that is allowing water to escape to where it shouldn’t be? Now is a good time to do a little detective work and find the source that is feeding your mold. If you are able to fix the issue during quarantine, or at least temporarily fix it until a plumbing or roof repair can be made, that might be a good project to do while we wait to be released into the public again.

Whenever you are dealing with a repair due to mold, it is important to note that the EPA recommends that any mold problem larger than 10 square feet be examined by an expert. So keep that in mind, especially if you heave health issues or respiratory problems. In the mean time, doing our best to stay positive and keep healthy homes during this situation is crucial.

mold diet

3 Potent Anti-fungal Foods for Mold

krystle 4 Comments

Exposure to toxic mold can wreak havoc on the human body. Sometimes, when a person is continuously in an environment with high levels of harmful mold it can cause symptoms and health issues that can be difficult to reverse, even after removing the mold from the surroundings.

Mold Symptoms

Mold symptoms can come and go. Often, the symptoms worsen or return when you are in a moldy home or building. Some of the common mold symptoms can include the following:

  • headache
  • a tightening in the chest
  • burning sensations in airways
  • cough
  • difficulty breathing
  • fever
  • fits of sneezing
  • nose bleeds
  • skin irritation
  • stuffy nose
  • watery or itchy eyes
  • wheezing

Sometimes the exposure can cause more serious and chronic conditions, such as the following:

  • asthma
  • autoimmune disease
  • cold and flu symptoms
  • emphysema-like disease
  • fatigue
  • memory loss
  • migraine-like headaches
  • muscle aches
  • nosebleeds
  • pulmonary hemorrhage
  • rashes and dermatitis
  • sore throat
  • vomiting and diarrhea (especially in infants)

If you experience any of these symptoms, it is important to contact your health-care practitioner. However, it can be difficult to diagnose a mold-related illness. Make sure to check your home or work place for any signs of mold and relate any connection to mold and your symptoms to your doctor.

There are many wonderful anti-fungal foods that can help boost the body as it recovers from mold exposure. There are also some foods that are often contaminated with mold or potentially encourage mold growth, that should be avoided while trying to recover from mold or fungal issues. We will be examining three foods that can be helpful in dealing with fungal or mold concerns.

Antifungal Foods

Garlic

Garlic is one of the most well-known medicinal foods, with a host of benefits and uses. One of those medicinal qualities is a compound called allicin, which is recognized to have potent anti-fungal properties.

A great way to add some more garlic to your diet is by adding it raw (allicin is damaged by heat) to a host of different dishes, or as a topping. To gain the most allicin benefits, be sure to chop or crush the garlic about 5 to 10 minutes before consuming. This enzyme needs a little time and exposure to the air to reach its peak medicinal levels.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is highly impressive in it’s anti-fungal qualities. Studies show that this oil is known for being effective in against one of the most common fungal infections, Candida albicans. This study shows a huge reduction of colonization of C. albicans in mice with the use of coconut oil. There are more studies that show it’s possibilities with other fungal infections as well.

Coconut oil contains Lauric acid and Caprylic acid, and these fatty acids act by poking holes in the cell walls of Candida albicans, destroying the fungus and stopping the overgrowth.

Try to use coconut oil in place of other oils in cooking and baking. It can also be used as a butter replacement on toast, with a little sea salt!

Ginger

Ginger is famous traditionally for treating many different ailments. It is often a go-to treatment for nausea, stomach upset, increasing circulation, and anti-infammatory relief. Ginger is also known to contain the anti-fugal compounds gingerol and shagelol, which helps it inhibit the growth of C. albicans and supports a healthy balance of bacteria to prevent overgrowth.

A great way to include more ginger in your diet is to make a fresh ginger tea.

Always consult your health care provider before changing your diet, or if you have any symptoms of fungal or mold infections.

Sources

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4016684/ Inhibitory effect of allicin and garlic extracts on growth of cultured hyphae

https://msphere.asm.org/content/1/1/e00020-15 Manipulation of Host Diet To Reduce Gastrointestinal Colonization by the Opportunistic Pathogen Candida albicans

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17651080 In vitro antimicrobial properties of coconut oil on Candida species in Ibadan, Nigeria.

mold in body

How to Remove Mold from Your Body with Exercise

thewife 1 Comment

We live in the pampered era of couch potatoes and desk jockeys. From 2-hour long commutes, to 8-hour Netflix binges, we are successfully neglecting our need for daily exercise. In the United States alone, less than 23% of the population commits to even the most pitiful of exercise standards. Picture in your mind’s eye that unwilling 77%. It’s possible that 40–60% of them are plagued with mold or biotoxin illness, which would explain their unwillingness to engage in adequate physical activity. If only they knew what you’re about to discover—how to remove mold from your body with exercise. Then, perhaps they’d feel encouraged to push through that foggy, mold malaise and commit to detoxifying their bodies by moving their bodies.

Keep on reading!

mold in crawl space basement

How to Get Rid of Mold in Crawl Spaces

krystle 6 Comments

Dealing with a mold problem in your home can be a daunting and scary experience. It is hard to know what to do first in situations that seem overwhelming. However, it is important to tackle a mold issue right away, so that it does not become worse and even more daunting of a problem. So what do you do if you have mold in your crawl space? This article will aim to help you break down the process and guide you in making decisions about your home and mold issues in your crawl space.

Keep on reading!

black mold natural remedy

Natural Remedies for Black Mold

krystle 2 Comments

Black mold is a common and toxic mold type often found in homes with some kind of water damage. Natural disasters, such as hurricanes and flooding, are frequently followed by black mold, and can bring unwanted damage to homes and human health.

However, just like there is hope for your home to be properly remediated from mold damage, there is hope in getting rid of black mold symptoms! First, lets take a quick look at what black mold is, the symptoms of black mold exposure, and then learn about some natural remedies for black mold.

Keep on reading!

snow mold

Snow Mold in Your Lawn?

krystle 1 Comment

As winter melts away into spring, things may start to reappear in your yard that was previously hidden by winter’s thick blanket of snow. You may rediscover that tool that was not put away before the first significant flurries, or just the welcome signs of spring as your perennial bulbs begin to push through the surface. An unwelcome sight, however, may be the appearance of a fungal lawn disease called snow mold.
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black mold information

Black Mold 101

jlowy 1 Comment

If there was one organism that was in dire need of a PR overhaul, it would probably be black mold. Yup, when it comes to mold, you don’t get much worse than this. Yet how much of it is over-sensationalized, and how much should we really take to heart? MoldBlogger investigates!
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mold mental health

Mold and Mental Health

jlowy 2 Comments

It’s an increasingly common understanding that a link exists between mold and mental health, but does the presence of mold create psychological issues or merely mimic them? In an age where more than half of US homes face significant mold problems and one in four people suffer from a mental health disorder – the same proportion of those at risk of toxic-based mold illness (coincidence?) – MoldBlogger investigates!

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mold allergy homeopathy

Mold Allergies and Homeopathy

jlowy Leave a comment

It stands to reason that when the toxicity of mold wreaks havoc with your system, your body will crave the most natural forms of treatment to eliminate it. Of course, a visit to your GP will result in certain medications to treat your mold allergy, but with clinical studies proving that nutritional levels improve along natural therapies, homeopathy certainly has a part to play in banishing allergies. So, what remedies are available? MoldBlogger investigates!
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mold in dorms

Mold In Dorms

jlowy 1 Comment

You’ve waited 18 years to become a college student; the parties, the people, the diminishing parental control. What you most certainly did not bank on was sharing a dorm with mold.

Yet this is an ever-growing problem for the students of America. In recent years, Maryland’s College of St. Mary and the University of Louisville had to relocate hundreds of students after mold was found whilst some students at the University of South Carolina developed respiratory problems, and the University of Delaware had to close its fitness center and one residence hall because of black mold. More serious stories around mold-related deaths at university have since been reported on, too, making the issue as important as ever.
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mold in car

Under The Hood: Investigating Car Mold

jlowy 1 Comment

Cars. You gotta love ‘em, right? Yet along with all their magnificence comes the potential for problems – enough, quite frankly, to Exhaust you (and your bank account).

If you’re wondering what on earth a blog dedicated to mold is doing talking about cars, then you’re in luck, as it means you’ve never experienced the godforsaken relationship between the two. For everyone else, however, you know what’s coming and it’s enough to drive you round the Benz.

Yup, that’s right. Car mold. The unsightly, smelly, unhealthy fungus encroaching on your beloved, dependable, otherwise obedient vehicle that should really, when you think about it, be mutually exclusive. Seats, carpets, steering wheel – nothing is safe – especially when you consider the perfect breeding ground that a car can become when locked up for an extended period during wet weather. It’s just not something you can afFord – especially if you’re hoping to use your car as a Pickup. “WHAT SHALL WE DO? you cry.” Pipe down, dear readers, we have – as ever – got tips by the Truckload in what we will this week call our Mold Manual.
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mold on wall

Mold: Driving you up the wall?

jlowy 2 Comments

As any seasoned reader of MoldBlogger will by now know, mold is most commonly caused by moisture, humidity and lack of ventilation. It stands to reason, therefore – what with the likes of plumbing leaks and badly insulated pipes – that walls commonly fall prey to this fungal fiend. Not only can this cause health problems but also structural ones, so definitely not something to ignore!

What else do you need to know?
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moldy lunchboxes

Mold and Lunchboxes: Everything you Need to Know

jlowy Leave a comment

Moldy Lunchboxes

A spattering of particularly concerning news reports has hit good old Google recently, concerning the discovery of mold in children’s lunchboxes. There is so much wrong about this we don’t know where to start, but start we must, so here goes.

A 2016 study conducted by e-cloth found that 73% of fabric lunch boxes contain shocking amounts of bacteria, with the researchers warning that, if left uncleaned, could cause mold-associated health problems that we have come to know and, er, hate – namely things like respiratory issues, migraines and itchy eyes. Equally alarming, however, was the presence of Staphylococci and Enterococci – particularly dangerous bacteria, usually found on toilet flushes, that the NHS warns could lead to serious cases of food poisoning.
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mold in appliances

Mold and Appliances

jlowy 2 Comments

Do you ever wonder how people coped before household appliances? It boggles the mind – especially as domestic chores can be hard enough even with the help of our electrical peers.

Yet there’s nothing more cringe-inducing than the thought of these much-loved appliances – designed purely to clean – being infected with its own antithesis: Mold. Of the 100,000+ types of mold, over 1,000 are found in US homes. Eeek. We would say it doesn’t bear thinking about, if the removal of this fiendish fungi wasn’t so important. And seeing as so many appliances work with water (think washing machine, dishwasher and freezer), it’s a problem that arises time and time again, due to “poor venting and high level of moisture in the appliance, high level of humidity in the kitchen, darkness and supply of food”, according to professional cleaning technician at Fantastic Services, Dean Davies.

Fear not, good reader. MoldBlogger is, as ever, awash with the tips you – and your appliances – need to survive.
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mold sickness biotoxin

Tell Me Everything I Need to Know About: Biotoxin Illness

jlowy 2 Comments

We keep our blog going for the benefit of our amazing readers and – often – we’ll get comments on a particular subject – sometimes even questions. We’d be doing a disservice if we failed to respond in full and so, this week’s blog is dedicated to one such reader who asked about the best plant-based and holistic sprays to eliminate mold spores to help her daughter who has been diagnosed with biotoxin illness. Being the thorough mold-warriors that we are, here we delve into biotoxin illness in its entirety – warts and all.
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moldy cheese

Say Cheese!

jlowy Leave a comment

Cheese has comprised some diets around the world for a long time. It’s invention has allowed milk to be preserved longer and has found it’s way into numerous modern kitchens. But what is it exactly that causes the milk to turn into cheese? Well, it is mold, along with bacteria and other microorganisms that create this dairy product…
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