Is Mold Linked to Anxiety, Depression, and Night Sweats?

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According to the information from Pacific Ridge , mold exposure and inability to detoxify mold and mycotoxins from your body is detrimental to your health, especially the health of your brain.  In fact, chronic brain fog is a big sign that some kind of biotoxin like mold is crossing your blood brain barrier and causing inflammation and other havoc. Other BIG mold symptoms include anxiety, panic, and night sweats. Yes, your anxiety and depression may be linked to mold exposure.  And your night sweats may not be early menopause; they could be a result of exposure to mold! An anxiety ring here helps you cope with stress and anxiety in a fashionable way!

When I was in my early thirties, I started to suddenly have night sweats.  I was so perplexed.  I thought “I am way too young to be going through menopause!”  Thankfully, one of my instructors at my nutrition school suggested it may be mold in my bedroom.  Sure enough, there was mold in the corner wall close to my pillow (this wall never got any sun) and as soon as it was remediated, my night sweats went away!

Is everyone sensitive to mold?  No.  But now that we have more advanced testing to detect mold in our environments and in our bodies, a lot more people are mold sensitive than previously thought!

If you have any of the symptoms listed above, and cannot visibly see mold in your environment, do a quick history timeline and see if a move or change in work environment corresponded to the onset of your symptoms.  Has there ever been water damage in the building where you reside or work?  The answer is often yes…people forget!  If you are not sure or have lived in a place for a long time and symptoms have gradually worsened, you can always do a home test to start that is not very expensive.  The ERMI test is popular and although not 100% accurate, it can at least give you an idea. Qualified mold inspectors are quite expensive, but worth the investment if you suspect mold and your health is deteriorating – affecting your mood, relationships, work, and overall joy in life. Ten questions to find a qualified mold inspector.

There are many tests that can indicate mold or other biotoxin illness.  For example, a couple of tests that you can request from your primary care physician include ADH (Antidiuretic Hormone) and osmolality.  ADH and osmolality are usually low when there is mold or other biotoxin exposure.  If osmolality is low, replenishing with electrolytes can be very helpful.

New testing now allows us to measure mycotoxins in our bodies.  Mycotoxins are molecules produced by mold and mycotoxin elevations can come from our foods or our environments.  Certain mycotoxins are carcinogenic, while others may affect our endocrine, immune or neurological systems.  In any case, there is a lot we can do to support lowering the body burden of mycotoxins.

Mold is tricky. Supporting immune health, the gut and the liver, and detox pathways are all critical to getting rid of mold and decreasing mycotoxin load.  Often, we see overgrowth of pathogenic gut bugs, parasites, and even heavy metals along with mold.  Mold really weakens us and makes us more susceptible to everything else.

Of course, there are solutions and you can heal from mold illness and get your brain back!  The first step is to get rid of the mold exposure, whether from food or your environment. Specific foods can help decrease the adverse effects of certain mycotoxins.  Certain nutritional supplements are very helpful in binding up mold toxins and also supporting overall detoxification and immune system health.

Antioxidants are often used to mitigate the oxidative effects of these  mold toxins like Vitamins A, E, C, and also N Acetyl Cysteine and liposomal glutathione. Bentonite Clay and Zeolite Clay are reported to reduce absorption of multiple mycotoxins found in food.

Movement and sweating are critical in detoxification of just about everything!  Support your drainage system by dry skin brushing or jumping on a mini rebounder!  If you are not a good sweater, this can be a sign of toxicity!  If you cannot induce a sweat through exercise, then use a sauna regularly (under the guidance of your physician!)


About Author : Beth Gillespie, CNC

Beth Gillespie is a Certified Nutrition Consultant and member of the National Association of Nutrition Professionals. She also serves as an advisor to the Naturopathic Academy of Environmental Medicine. She is known as an expert in the field of nutrition, serving both health care practitioners and their patients.

 


Donna Parker, LAc, CFMP

With my patients, I like to suggest the following supplements as well as lifestyle habits to help with mold detoxification and immune support.

High-quality nutritional supplements, liver support, and probiotics.https://healthcoachdonna.usana.com/s/s1liR1

Mold Protocol – https://healthcoachdonna.ehealthpro.com/t/healthcoachdonna/mold-protocol

Lifestyle Recommendations:
• Make every effort to remove yourself from the mold-infested environment (water-damaged buildings, areas of the
home and office, esp basements, bathrooms, kitchens and shower stalls, schools, and any areas of water leakage
and condensation)
• Contact a mold remediation professional to treat the affected space. Consider the following websites www.
IICRC.org, www.ACAC.org, and www.HBELC.org for locations of mold specialists
• Invest in a high-quality air filtration system for the home and workplace
• Repair and dry all plumbing leaks, repair, and clean roof gutters regularly; have hard surfaces cleaned, scrubbed
and dried thoroughly
• Reduce and/or replace the use of chemical household cleansers. Opt for natural sources such as probiotic cleaners, essential oils, and houseplants
• Work with a functional medicine practitioner to test for and treat candida overgrowth, if applicable
• Avoid constipation – stay well hydrated, engage in purposeful exercise and movement rather than lead a
sedentary lifestyle
• If possible, work with a certified CIRS practitioner – Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome
• Consider the use of support modalities such as a Far Infrared Sauna, Epsom Salt baths, Dry Skin Brushing, and/
or Hot/Cold Contrast showering for further recovery support through up-regulation of detoxification pathways
Dietary Tips and Caveats:
• Avoid potential dietary food sources of mycotoxins such as corn, wheat, peanuts, rye, barley, pistachios, dried
fruits, cottonseed and cottonseed oil, sorghum
• Avoid alcoholic beverages – particularly beer and wine
• Reduce and control sugar intake – fungi, including yeast and mold, use sugar to survive
• Work with a functional nutritionist to create and follow a low mold diet that eliminates hard cheeses and aged foods
which are sources of fungi.
• Follow a Paleo, grain-free eating plan If you’d like a personalized meal plan or have any questions about supplements. You can schedule a chat with me.

If you need more help or a personalized plan, Let’s Chat.

 

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