A Commonly Over Looked Link

When people learn that their symptoms or ill health may be due to fungi or mycotoxins, it can be quite the revelation.

After all, who would have thought that something as unsuspecting as mold could be so toxic and so ubiquitous? Furthermore, why is it not common knowledge these organisms are so toxic to humans? We talk about fungus quite a bit here at KTC, only because we think that it may play a bigger role in ill health than is assumed by conventional thought.

We talk quite a bit about diet here, as well. The dietary component of Doug’s program is one of the most critical, and it is often the first step that he recommends in the quest towards regaining your health. The fact remains that fungi and their mycotoxins commonly contaminate some of the larger sources of our food supply. Those same fungi are often pathogenic and parasitic; they can infect human tissue and cause miserable symptoms. The most effective way to protect yourself and to heal yourself should you have the unfortunate luck to have a fungal problem is to change your diet; a diet that limits starchy carbs, grains and sugar– often the same foods that are contaminated with and could potentially feed parasitic fungi – and focuses on grass-fed and wild caught meats, vegetables, nuts, and limited fruits is one of the most effective methods of protecting yourself from fungi and mycotoxins.

If nothing else, it is a great start.

There is another way you can be exposed to fungi and mycotoxins. It certainly hasn’t been overlooked, but we often don’t mention it as much on the site as we do the dietary components. Toxic building syndrome is a condition in which a building can become extremely contaminated with chemicals that are toxic to the people inhabiting that building. Fungus is a huge culprit in toxic building syndrome. Even homes and buildings kept extremely clean can be subject to becoming “sick” buildings. Any sort of damp and dark area is at risk for growing mold; small leaks in piping or roofing can provide a consistent source of moisture to dark areas in attics or behind walls, and fungi can colonize largely unnoticed. Those fungi produce two things that can cause problems if inhaled – spores and mycotoxins. Both of these can possibly become airborne, especially if they are located in or around a vent.

Perhaps you have changed your diet to the Kaufmann 1 diet, but you are still experiencing symptoms. The air in your home could be a source of exposure to mycotoxins that you had been overlooking.

There are things you can do to test to see if your home is contaminated, and if so, remediate the problem:

1. First, have the air tested. Many hardware stores sell mold test kits. Follow the instructions, and see if your petri dish cultures some sort of mold species. It is important to identify the species; remember, fungus is more or less ubiquitous – it is nature’s disposal, of sorts. Without it, the world would be littered with dead organic matter. So, there is a good chance your petri dish will culture something. But if your petri dish cultures something like aspergillus or fusarium, you may have pinpointed your fungus link, and we recommend eliminating the fungus.

2. If you do culture pathogenic mold, there are many companies that offer mold remediation. For more serious contamination, this is a good way to go.

3. Cleaning any contaminated areas you find with bleach is a good idea. Orange TKO is another excellent option, and it is a safe alternative to the noxious industrial cleaners. But remember – this is not something you want to mess around with. While we always strive to give you more natural and less toxic options here, bleach is a powerful tool in this instance.

4. Air purifiers, especially photocatalytic purifiers, will help cleanse your indoor air. Sometimes leaving all the windows open isn’t an option. Photocatalytic air purifiers can help pull mycotoxins out of the air, making it safer to breathe.