If Fungi Can Harm Us, How Do They Gain Access To Us?

Many people find us here at Know the Cause because they have had a difficult time finding relief from symptoms via more conventional channels, such as going to a doctor. Many people simply must strike out on their, do their own research and work towards fixing their own health problems. For many people, especially those experiencing symptoms of unknown etiology (or origin), we feel that it is important to consider that fungi (including, molds, yeasts, mildews and other types of fungi) or their poisonous byproducts may be playing a role in your ill health.

There is plenty of evidence published in the scientific literature to support this idea. (For more information on specific ways fungi can affect people, visit our bookstore.) But many ask, if fungi can harm me, how am I actually exposed to it? There are a variety of ways by which fungi can gain access to people.

The Foods We Eat

Fungi are known contaminants of certain agricultural products, including grains, corn, sugar, peanuts and other products. Once these foods are infested with certain types of fungi, those fungi can produce poisons, known as mycotoxins. Mycotoxins can wreak havoc on human health. Subsequently, these mycotoxins can wind up in the food those crops go on to make, meaning that if you are eating certain foods, the likelihood that you are regularly exposed to these mycotoxins is high. Unfortunately, they are foods that Americans consume in large amounts on a regular basis: breads, pastas, and anything made with wheat, corn, sugar or peanuts.

The Air We Breathe

Fungi can colonize, even in the most clean-appearing spaces. Once they have colonized, fungal spores and mycotoxins can contaminate indoor air, which inhabitants then go on to breath. It is important to check the air quality in your home, particularly if you are suffering health problems of unknown etiology. Especially if your home or place of work has suffered a leak or water damage, you could be at risk of living in a moldy home. If discovered, indoor mold usually requires some level of remediation.

What We Drink

If you drink alcohol regularly, you are regularly consuming a mycotoxin. Alcohol is the byproduct of yeast fermentation; it is a mycotoxin, itself, and perhaps one of the clearest examples of how people consume mycotoxins. If you look at the fungus link to disease theory, it is unsurprising that alcohol is linked to such a long list of diseases.

The Medicines We Take

Antibiotics were one of the greatest discoveries of the last millennia, but their darker side, in many ways, remains to be seen. The more we learn about antibiotics, the more we learn about the collateral damage they can cause. Antibiotics are mycotoxins, or mold derived poisons. While this poison is excellent at killing bacteria, one wonders at the effect many rounds of antibiotics have on bigger organisms, like people. While they are sometimes necessary, they should be taken with caution and always followed with a

probiotic with your doctor’s permission.

Direct Contact

This can be direct contact with contaminated places in the outside world, or between people. In fact, there is emerging evidence that says intimacy is a away for fungi to be transferred between humans. This includes yeast and dermatophytes, or fungi that live on the skin.