As fall sets in to many parts of the country lets
take
a look at how molds could be affecting your health.
Environmental medicine is fast becoming an important
branch of
health care.
What is going on in our world that
causes us to be so sensitive? What can we do to
protect ourselves from the assault of environmental
factors?
People are often surprised to learn that the trees
around their homes, feathers on their bed, the plants
in their bedrooms, or the pets that they love may be
contributing to health problems. The environment,
particularly the sleeping or work area, requires a
closer look.
Your aim is to create a safe place.
Take a look
at
the places where you spend the most amount of your
time. Use your intuition to discern any environmental
factors that could be disturbing your well-being.
Often people with sinus congestion, respiratory
problems, asthma, puffiness and bags under the
eyes, and skin problems can be affected by
exposures to feathers, dust, molds, chemicals, and
pets.
Do your best to create a safe home
environment, particularly in the bedroom, a place
where you spend the most time, so there is little or
no contact with these elements. The bedroom should
be like a healing chamber where you feel supported
and protected.
Here in the Pacific Northwest as well as many other
parts of the country, we are dealing with a
special environmental issue - mold.
There are many well-known effects from exposures
to molds including breathing problems; puffy eyes
and facial tissue; runny nose; postnasal drip;
headaches; anxiety; and depression to name a few.
People who live in moldy climates and who are
frequently exposed to molds due to rainy weather or
dampness are especially affected. During certain
times of the year, when the weather is drier and the
air less foggy, their symptoms often improve.
Molds can also accumulate in feather pillows and
damp bedding. Molds are found in the soil of
house plants as well. For people with breathing
problems, it is wise to remove the plants from the
bedroom. When these plants are watered, the molds
can rise into the air and contaminate the space
where the person is sleeping. Be careful of moldy,
damp crawl spaces or basements in which childrens
playrooms, computer rooms, sewing rooms and
laundry rooms are created.
Believe it or not, a
persons personality can change and they can
become violent, anxious, or very sad, just because of
exposures to molds. If you are depressed, check out
exposures to mold before you research anti-
depressants.
Investigate the possibilities of molds in your home.
Clean up and dry out your basement. If your
basement is slightly moldy, purchase a dehumidifier,
which will help to remove the moisture in the air.
Never work or allow a child to sleep in
such a place. Go into these places with the nose of a
bloodhound and use your instincts to correct
problems.
If you suspect that your home is
moldy
and you have a child or family member who suffers
from anxiety or depression, there may be a
connection.
Ideally, if you are purchasing a home or an
apartment, look for a dwelling that is built well above
the ground, has good air circulation around it and
comes with a dry basement or crawl space.
Not only is mold a factor on the outside, lets
investigate your exposures to mold on the inside of
your body.
If you currently live in a moldy climate, limit your
intake of mold through your food. Avoid eating
mushrooms, vinegar, pickles, soy sauce, aged
cheeses, wine and beer - which are all fermented
items - until your mold sensitivities subside.
After you
have avoided these items for approximately thirty
days, reintroduce these items and watch for
symptoms. Is your nose runny? Do you feel the onset
of a mild headache?
During this process you are
developing your intuition, use your
own body as a laboratory to see the effects of the
environment on your system.
As well, Candida albicans yeast is a mold, a spore,
which lives in the body. In an overgrowth state in
the digestive tract, it thrives on starches and
sugars. It also thrives on fermented foods such as
beer, wine, mushrooms, pickles, aged cheeses and
fermented condiments.
Candida albicans yeast lives on all the mucous
membranes of the human body namely the lungs,
where dark, moist passages offer it a welcome home.
Many people are battling mold on the inside as well
as on the outside.
A Candida albicans yeast eradication program
available through your alternative health care
practitioner or your health food store, as well as a
major reduction in sugars, starches and ferments
should bring relief.
The key to dealing with mold as well as any other
environmental factor is to:
do your best to
remove
the cause:
build up your immune system with
supplementation, proper diet and a positive attitude.
Find a good local practitioner to support you on your
healing journey and seek out sunshine where ever
you can!
To help eradicate mold in your home or
business check out mold prevention and eradication
services in your telephone directory.
Here is a list of environmental molds and where they
are found.
Molds
Molds are a natural part of the life
cycle of all
decaying plant and food materials. They thrive in
dark and damp areas. Mildew is sometimes incorrectly
called mold. Mold spores are prevalent in the air in
damp climates. Most common foods, fresh and
prepared, contain a variety of molds.
Acremonium: soil, damp paper, fabric dust,
wood by-
products.
Alternaria, Epicoccum, Sporobolomyces:
decomposing
plants, moldy vegetables and fruits
Aspergillus: a soil fungus found in composts,
hay and
damp vegetation; damp fabric,
leather, grains, fruits, soy sauce, cheeses,
corn, peanuts.
Pullularia: decaying plants and soil.
Botrytis: moldy fruits, grapes, some
flowers.
Cryptococcus: pigeons, pigeon feces, dust
in outside
air, indoor and outdoor plants.
Fusarium: mold found on vegetables, beans,
cabbage, corn, peas, sweet potatoes,
squashes, tomatoes, whole grains and flours,
decaying plants and houseplants.
Hormodendrum: mold found on leaves,
rotting plants,
decaying trees, rotting wood,
leftover foods, appears as black specks on
windows, damp walls and corners,
damp, stored clothing.
Mucor: mold found in farming areas, animal
waste,
soil.
Penicillium: on fruits, breads, cheese, the
surface of
jams and condiments, damp shoes
and clothing. Common bread mold is used in
the production of penicillin.
Phoma: a mold found in paper, damp books
and
magazines.
Rhodotorula: a common mold existing in the
air and
soil.
Streptomyces: basements, potatoes, plants,
plant
undergrowth.
Trichoderma: damp basements, damp
fabrics, forest
growth mold.
Stachy Botrys: Dark, black mold
that in
addition to being an allergen, may also contain
mycotoxins. This mold
thrives on damp, high cellulose, low-nitrogen
containing
material such as: wall
board, paper, fabrics and carpet backing, resulting
from
water damage.
