Toxic Mold Exposure
What is mold? Mold is a type of fungus that grows in filaments and reproduces by forming mold spores that cannot be seen by the naked human eye. It can grow and thrive in any season, indoors or outdoors, in damp, warm and humid environments, and it spreads like wild fire. Mold itself flourishes in warm, moist environments, but mold spores can actually survive in harsh, dry environments.
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The spores float around in indoor and outdoor air. When the spores land on a moist surface, the mold can then start to grow. Black mold is most likely to rear its ugly head in areas of the home that are warm, humid and damp. In addition to showers, basements and crawlspaces that may have leaks, or some other sources of moisture, are commonly susceptible to the growth of toxic black mold.
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SYMPTOMS ASSOCIATED WITH MOLD-ASSOCIATED ILLNESS:
CHECKLIST THAT MIGHT INDICATE MOLD EXPOSURE OR MOLD SENSITIVITY
MOLD AND YOUR HOME
Mold is found both indoors and outdoors. It 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 and 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.
MOLD PREVENTION TIPS
- Fatigue and weakness
- Headache, light sensitivity
- Poor memory, difficult word finding
- Difficulty concentration
- Morning stiffness, joint pain
- Unusual skin sensations, tingling and numbness
- Shortness of breath, sinus congestion or chronic cough
- Appetite swings, body temperature regulation,
- Increased urinary frequency or increased thirst
- Red eyes, blurred vision, sweats, mood swings, sharp pains
- Abdominal pain, diarrhoea, bloating
- Tearing, disorientation, metallic taste in mouth
- Static shocks
- Vertigo, feeling lightheaded
CHECKLIST THAT MIGHT INDICATE MOLD EXPOSURE OR MOLD SENSITIVITY
- Do musty odours bother you?
- Have you worked or lived in a building where the air vents or ceiling tiles were discoloured?
- Have you noticed water damage or discolouration elsewhere?
- Has your home been flooded?
- Have you had leaks in the roof?
- Do you experience unusual shortness of breath?
- Do you experience recurring sinus infections?
- Do you experience recurring respiratory infections and coughing?
- Do you have frequent flu-like symptoms?
- Do your symptoms worsen on rainy days?
- Do you have frequent headaches?
- Are you fatigued and have a skin rash?
MOLD AND YOUR HOME
Mold is found both indoors and outdoors. It 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 and 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.
MOLD PREVENTION TIPS
- Keep humidity levels as low as you can—no higher than 50%–all day long. An air conditioner or dehumidifier will help you keep the level low. Bear in mind that humidity levels change over the course of a day with changes in the moisture in the air and the air temperature, so you will need to check the humidity levels more than once a day.
- Be sure your home has enough ventilation. Use exhaust fans which vent outside your home in the kitchen and bathroom. Make sure your clothes dryer vents outside your home.
- Fix any leaks in your home’s roof, walls, or plumbing so mold does not have moisture to grow.
- Clean up and dry out your home thoroughly and quickly (within 24–48 hours) after flooding.
- Add mold inhibitors to paints before painting.
- Clean bathrooms with mold-killing products.
- Remove or replace carpets and upholstery that have been soaked and cannot be dried promptly. Consider not using carpet in rooms or areas like bathrooms or basements that may have a lot of moisture.
IMPORTANT NOTE
If you suspect mold issues at your Home - hire a good mold inspector, run the tests, and If needed hire a remediation company - there are specific protocols they need to follow to clean the house as not to contaminate the other Areas . If you suspect that you got sick Because of exposure to mold - first of all remove yourself From the exposure ; then run the blood work tests for mycotoxins present in your body (as mycotoxins are neurotoxins). If the results are positive - work with your Doctor on options for removing the toxins From your body. Cholestyramine is used to do So , borox, activated charcoal.... never perform the treatment on your own . Always work in tandem with your Doctor , as many complications can occur ....
MORE TO COME...
If you suspect mold issues at your Home - hire a good mold inspector, run the tests, and If needed hire a remediation company - there are specific protocols they need to follow to clean the house as not to contaminate the other Areas . If you suspect that you got sick Because of exposure to mold - first of all remove yourself From the exposure ; then run the blood work tests for mycotoxins present in your body (as mycotoxins are neurotoxins). If the results are positive - work with your Doctor on options for removing the toxins From your body. Cholestyramine is used to do So , borox, activated charcoal.... never perform the treatment on your own . Always work in tandem with your Doctor , as many complications can occur ....
MORE TO COME...