Innerlux Health
Mold & Mycotoxins
aka
Biotoxin Illness or CIRS (Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome)
Biotoxin Illness: Biotoxin illness is an umbrella term that refers to illness caused when a person is exposed to neurotoxins from biological organisms in their environment. It is an environmentally acquired illness most commonly caused by mold growth in water damaged buildings.
CIRS (Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome): a progressive, multi-system, multi-symptom illness characterized by exposure to biotoxins. The ongoing inflammation can affect virtually any organ system of the body and if left untreated becomes debilitating.
Mycotoxins: Naturally occurring toxins produced by fungi that are capable of causing disease and death in both humans and animals.
How to Heal from Mold
01.
Test Your Body
02.
Test Your Environment
03.
Remediate Your Environment
04.
Start Treatment
05.
Begin Healing
01.
Test Your Body
There are multiple ways to test your body for Mold & Mycotoxins, and there are other tests that are useful to determine how well your body can detoxify Mold and Mycotoxins.
Mycotoxin Urine Test
Mycotoxins are released by mold spores and are the toxic component of mold illness in humans. A mycotoxin test uses urine analysis to detect mycotoxins excreted from your body through the urine. This test gives clues to the burden of mold toxicity inside the body. Sometimes a glutathione challenge test will be administered prior to urine collection to provide a more accurate assessment of the total body burden of mycotoxins.
BSI Testing
Bio-Systems Integration is a technique performed by a licensed and certified physician that uses the electromagnetic signature of specific fungi to determine the presence of a fungal infection that is creating dysfunction in the body.
Genetic Testing
The HLA-DR gene variants have been found in the vast majority of people who experience CIRS or Biotoxin Illness. It is believed that having a variant in the HLA-DR gene predisposes you to a reduced ability to detoxify and clear mycotoxins from the body. Approximately 25% of people have this gene and helps to explain why some people in the same environment will suffer from mold related illness and others will not. Other genes such as GSS, GST, MTHFR, etc. can also impact your ability to detoxify mold and heal from CIRS.
Symptom Survey
You need to have 8 or more symptoms, exposure to water damaged buildings or other toxins, genetic predisposition, and 4 of the blood markers seen in CIRS out-of-range to be diagnosed with CIRS. Some of the symptoms of Mycotoxin or Biotoxin Illness/CIRS include:
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Fatigue, especially chronic fatigue
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Brain fog
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Digestive Problems, Painful bloating
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Hormonal imbalances
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Sleep troubles, insomnia
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Food intolerances, Chemical intolerances
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Dizziness
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Weakness, aching,
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Headache, light sensitivity
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Skin rashes
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Depression, Anxiety, Panic attacks
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Exercise intolerance
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Memory, word finding difficulties
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Concentration difficulty
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Joint pain, AM stiffness, muscle cramps
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Unusual skin sensations, tingling/numbness in hands or feet
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Shortness of breath, air-hunger, sinus congestion
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Cough, thirst, confusion
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Appetite swings, body temperature regulation problems (hot or cold)
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Frequent Urination
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Red eyes, blurred vision, sweats, mood swings, ice pick pain
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Abdominal pain, diarrhea, numbness
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Tearing, disorientation, metallic taste in mouth
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Static shocks, vertigo
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MCAS (Mast Cell Activation Syndrome)
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Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
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Unexplained weight gain or weight loss
02.
Test Your Environment
There are multiple ways to test your environment for mold and mycotoxins. Listed here are a few methods of testing, some more affordable, some more effective than others.
Testing your environment is an important step in healing from mold/CIRS. Knowing where you're being exposed, and knowing where its safe to heal can be monumental in your healing.
ERMI Testing
The ERMI test was developed by the EPA to analyze settled dust to estimate the level of mold contamination in a home. ERMI stands for Environmental Relative Moldiness Index
Air Sampling
Air samples can be taken a variety of ways. Some companies offer air collection cannisters that are sent to laboratories to determine the mold spore count and species of mold. Other more affordable air sampling methods include petri-dishes where a petri-dish is exposed to the air for a certain time and then left to incubate to determine the severity of mold contamination in a given area.
Swab Testing
Swab testing is done for a specific region of suspected mold contamination and can be sent to a laboratory for confirmation of species and severity of mold.
Ineffective Testing
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03. Remediate Your Environment
This is the most important thing you can do. You will not heal if you’re being re-exposed even if you’re treating CIRS. Even with treatment, exposure will cause symptoms. Everywhere you live or work needs to be remediated from mold if there is mold. That’s your house, school, and work. If you’re experiencing symptoms (or your child is), everyone who lives in the house needs to test where they spend time as well, as toxins can be brought home from infected buildings through clothing and articles.
Identifying Areas of Mold Growth
Mold can hide in many places, some of these include:
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Basements
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Attics and Crawlspaces
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Sinks (underneath and in the sink)
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Washing machines (particularly front loading – wipe these with vinegar each time they’re used and dry thoroughly – replace the rubber ring if it’s moldy ASAP)
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Shower grout (bathtubs are safer)
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Anywhere with any water damage (bubbling or cracking paint)
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Anywhere showing rust
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Around windows
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Around doors
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HVACs particularly in high humidity areas (especially the AC Coil and duct work near areas of temperature differences >40 degrees between the duct work and air around the duct work.
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Behind drywall
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Chimneys
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Behind appliances
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Dishwasher
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Sump Pump
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Under carpeting
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Bathroom vents
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Roof leaks
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Within closets
Chemical Sprays and Fogging Machines
The only effective way to remediate mold from a building is to remove the materials that have mold growth. Chemical sprays and fogging machines can help, but they will not eliminate the problem on their own.
DO NOT USE BLEACH! The EPA recommends against the use of bleach to clean mold as it has been found to be ineffective. The majority of bleach is water, and water aids mold growth.
Vinegar and Hydrogen Peroxide are some of the most effective ways to clean areas of mold contamination, but should only be used on non-porous materials.
Air Purification/Filtration
Air purifiers and filters are a great addition to your environment during and after remediation. The air filtration device you use should have a HEPA filter with a rating of at least H13 or H14.
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Air Purifiers vs Air Filters
Filters: Air filters sieve out pollutants like dust, mold, bacteria, and allergens. They serve the same purpose as an air purifier but work in a different way altogether. The work by air passing through a medium that is used to capture contaminates.
Examples: Activated Carbon, Fiberglass, HEPA, Washable Filters.
Purifiers: Much like an air filter, an air purifier is a device that removes pollutants from the atmosphere, improving the quality of the air you breathe.
Examples: Ionic/Ozone generator, UV Light
04.
Start Treatment
Treatment needs to be tailored to the individual. Some products work better than others for different people. Some practitioners/physicians will take different approaches than each other. Its important to find a mold literate doctor to aid you in the process of healing from mold/CIRS.
Some of the methods we provide our clients with are listed here.
Supplements/Herbs
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Binders
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Diet
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Sauna (Infrared)
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Red Light Therapy
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05.
Begin Healing
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