Most molds are microscopic fungi that grow on a host surface, like a loaf of bread or commonly in bathrooms. The green mold you see on an old loaf of bread is not one type of mold, but is actually clusters of hundreds of connected networks of mold.
Mold spores join together using tiny, tubular arms to create a singular organism, commonly referred to as a cluster. This is the type of mold that is visible. There are surprisingly high amounts of “un-clustered” microscopic individual mold spores moving through our airspace. And according to the EPA, the levels of indoor air pollutants are often 2 to 5 times higher than outdoor levels. Many similar studies have shown that the average human being breathes in an incredibly high amount of toxins from environmental air. In fact, with each breathe, we take in more toxic substances and less of the vital oxygen that we need, than ever before. It’s vitally important to reduce the amount of mold and mildew in the air you are breathing. If you smell a musty odor in your home or workplace, there is a good chance that it is probably mold or mildew. Of course, if you actually see mold in your home or office, then you know you have a concern. The bad news is, most of the toxic mold floating around in our air is actually invisible to the naked eye, but still may be seriously affecting your health. This is why having an indoor HEPA filter and a good cleaning routine is so helpful. Fresh air is one of the most important components of not only physical, but also mental health. Simply put, without clean air, the body cannot function properly. When the body is not functioning properly, the mind cannot function with ease and clarity.
It’s well known that exposure to household mold, especially strains of mold like Stachybotrys chartarum, also referred to as black mold because of its slimy black appearance, can cause health problems. Toxic mold symptoms may include respiratory infections like pneumonia and bronchitis, chronic sinusitis, coughing, sneezing, wheezing, a runny nose, headaches or migraines, chronic sore throats, itchy or irritated eyes, shortness of breath, rashes or hives, digestive problems and fatigue. Exposure to mold may also make you depressed. These black molds produce mycotoxins that are toxic to central parts of the body, including the brain. They are particularly dangerous and create a toxic breathing environment for you, your children and your pets. Studies have shown that breathing in larger amounts of these mycotoxins can impair the entire human body, and can even lead to death.
Eye Opening Statistics About Mold:
- A groundbreaking report from 2007 stated that scientists found a direct correlation between a high presence of mold in households and depression.
- Even more shockingly, studies have shown that the air inside our homes can be worse than the air outside. The average American spends around 90 percent of our time in enclosed buildings, and over 60% of our time in our houses.
- Scientists have identified over 1,000 types of mold and mildew inside houses in the United States.
- “Stachybotrys” is a highly-toxic type of mold that has been related to human death.
Exposure to indoor toxic mold is far more common than you might think and has a significant impact on your health. Research indicates that a shocking 45 percent of U.S. homes are affected by persistent dampness and mold. (1) The vast number of workplaces, schools, and other public buildings that are water-damaged and moldy remains unknown, but is likely significant.
Mold in Foods:
Research indicates that the gut microbiome is severely disrupted by mold and mycotoxins. These substances upset the balance of good and bad bacteria in the gut, knocking down beneficial bacteria and promoting the growth of opportunistic and pathogenic microbes. (10) Fortunately, nutrition can also help here by replenishing your gut with helpful probiotic bacteria and providing the substrate—prebiotics—that these good guys need to grow!
Foods to Avoid if You Have Mold Illness
If you are working to recover from mold illness, the first thing you should do with your diet is eliminate processed, refined foods. Pre-clinical research has found that a processed diet worsens the neuro-inflammatory effects of mold. Along those lines, I recommend avoiding four categories of inflammatory foods:
- Gluten
- Acellular carbohydrates and refined sugar
- Dairy
- Industrial seed oils
Gluten
In individuals with a genetic susceptibility to celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, gluten consumption triggers a chronic inflammatory response. (18) Since eating gluten only adds to the inflammatory burden caused by mold, I recommend that people with mold illness eliminate gluten from their diets. (19) However, don’t switch out all your baked goods and cereal with gluten-free alternatives. Gluten-free bread, bagels, cereal, etc. are often made with refined rice and corn flours, which may be contaminated with mycotoxins and promote the growth of inflammatory gut bacteria.
Acellular Carbohydrates and Refined Sugar
The standard American diet is heavy in acellular carbohydrates, carbohydrate-containing foods that lack intact cells. Acellular carbohydrate foods have a high carbohydrate density, promoting the growth of inflammatory gut bacteria and fueling yeast overgrowth. Acellular carbs are, therefore, less than ideal for people with mold illness who already have perturbed gut bacteria.
I recommend that my clients affected by mold avoid acellular carbs and refined sugars to keep inflammation at bay and support their gut health, with one exception: raw honey. In animal research, substituting refined sugars with honey has been found to improve the health of the gut microbiota and inhibit the harmful effects of mycotoxins.
Dairy
Mold exposure triggers the release of histamine from mast cells; histamine mediates the vasodilation and inflammation, and resultant swelling and redness, associated with allergic reactions. In my nutrition practice, I’ve found that dairy consumption tends to trigger a histamine response and inflammation in individuals exposed to mold. Grain-fed dairy can become contaminated with mycotoxins because mycotoxins present in moldy cattle feed pass into cows’ milk upon consumption. (24)
If you’re struggling with mold illness, I recommend doing a trial elimination of all dairy for three weeks; you may notice that you feel better without it. However, if dairy sits well with you, I think full-fat, fermented, grass-fed dairy products can be perfectly healthy additions to your diet.
Industrial Seed Oils
Chris has spoken at length about the inflammatory, unhealthy effects of eating industrial seed oils such as:
- Canola oil
- Corn oil
- Soybean oil
These oils increase the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids in the body, triggering inflammation. Consuming these oils may exacerbate mold-induced inflammation, so I recommend keeping them out of your diet.
Moldy Foods You Should Avoid
Once you’ve removed inflammatory foods from your diet, it’s time to focus on another aspect of mold exposure—mold and mycotoxins in foods. Unfortunately, mold doesn’t just grow in water-damaged buildings; it also grows on specific crops, contaminating our food supply. I recommend avoiding the most heavily mold-contaminated foods, including:
- Grains
- Meat and milk from grain-fed animals
- Dried fruits
- Conventional coffee
- Wine and beer
Furthermore, there are “gray-area” foods that may be contaminated with mold and mycotoxins, but that you can also find healthy, mold-free versions of:
- Nuts and seeds
- Chocolate
- Spices
- Tea
Grains
Mold and mycotoxins are common contaminants in whole grains such as: (26)
- Wheat
- Barley
- Oats
- Rye
- Corn
- Rice
- Sorghum
- Triticale
Closer to home, researchers at the Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis found that people with environmental allergies, including allergies to mold, reported an increase in depressive symptoms like feelings of sadness and fatigue when their allergies flared up. Researchers say that this doesn’t necessarily mean that mold or other allergens cause those symptoms but that they can make them worse in people that already suffer from depressive disorders or other psychological problems.
Of course, mold is not the only thing that can cause depressive disorders. It’s believed that people can become depressed as a result of a variety of biochemical issues occurring in the brain and that they can also become depressed as a result of life circumstances. Drug and alcohol use or abuse can also contribute to the development of depressive disorders and other mental health problems. However, understanding that exposure to mold may be a factor can aid in the development of an appropriate and effective treatment plan as well as in the prevention of depressive disorders.
Initially, patients notice insomnia, and then they develop anxiety as well as insomnia. As the brain accumulates higher levels of the mold toxins, glutamate, and PEA, two powerful, electrifying brain chemicals, become elevated, producing excessive electrical activity in the brain, worst-case scenarios develop bipolar symptoms. People self-medicate their brain’s upregulated “electrical voltage” with calming drugs like alcohol, Oxycontin like medication, and benzodiazepines such as Xanax and Klonopin. many mold toxic patients whose glutamate levels were so high that they exhibited bipolar symptoms and were sadly diagnosed bipolar by unknowing psychiatrists before coming to Dr. Sponaugle’s clinic. The University of South Florida psychiatrists misdiagnosed two young male patients as schizophrenic, the university psychiatrists were, of course, naive regarding mold toxicity.
If you think your symptoms might be related to mold exposure, then of course you should take steps to remove all mold from your home. You should do that if you have any mold-related health problems, or even if you aren’t experiencing any mold-related symptoms, for that matter. Since exposure to mold can potentially cause serious health problems, any household mold should be removed as soon as possible for your protection and for the protection of all members of your household.