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I wanted to put this topic up here for consideration and gather any thoughts on what impact mold in the home environment may have on our health as IC patients especially those of us who have yeast issues. When I was first getting treated for systemic yeast syndrome like 4 years ago the naturapath that was working with me felt that unhealthy houses- that were infested with mold were a serious problem and also one hindrance to getting well. I had never considered that might be making me sick. It turns out that my apartment was very unhealthy and possibly a big factor in my health decline.
At the time I was living in a small pretty touristy mountain town that had tons of little bungalows/buildings built about 100 years ago many of them without central heat and air. The environment up there was cool damp and very condusive to encouraging mold growth. My friends and I were all broke and struggling in this town which was beautiful, expensive and historic. We lived in places that were lovely but in desperate need of renovation but we all were kind of proud of our crumbly rental houses.
My own apartment at the time was actually almost a slum- but it had charm an ideal location and dirt I mean cheap! rent. About 75 hundred years ago the climate was cooler and people didn't have or need air conditioning. Global warming? the owners of the property barely upgraded/renovated the structure-( hapharzarldy repairing roof leaks!) and we tolerated it because we needed the low rent. We had ceiling fans and just opened the windows when it got warm t in the summer. Without the benefit of a de-humidifier or central heat and air system to keep things cool and dry I discovered that my apartment had a disturbing amount of mold growing behind the plaster! No wonder my allergies moods and bladder were in trouble. I was submerged in a fungal wonderland! I ozonated the house just to keep from going crazy while my husband and I searched for a new place to live. since we could not afford the rents we were finding we decided to move further south where it was bit drier and we would have the opportunity for a better more affordable living situation. Mold growth seems to be a common problem in the south east with all the humidity but its really a problem in a region that is considered almost a rain forest!
Looking back at all my living situations I noticed that my health definately took a decline when I was living in a particualr college dorm in that region. It was old and in poor condition but I didn't know to look for these things. My friend has terrible allergies and nasal problems as a result of living in this dorm. I am totally attracted to big beautiful haunted crumbling victorian houses and lived in buildings like this throughout my twenties. I can't help but think that these most definatley moldy places contributed to my poor health. When my husband and I finally moved to SC and found a good healthy house with no mold growth central heat and air then I feel like I could finally have a space in which to heal and get better.
My naturapath has an almost fantatical perspective on mold and how detrimental it can be to health and progress in candida treatment. He even said that to open your windows to your house is like creatin condensation on the inside of a jar-? I wonder if anyone has thoughts on this from their experience and Matia do have any comments or thoughts on this matter? My syntonms had gotten so severe that my throat itched my nose ran like a tap and I was hormonally insane with mood swings and crying jags! It was terrible and really scary! I would encourage anyone to get their house checked out especially if you have ever had any roof leaks or water damage or live in any areas that are mega humid. I don't want to add to the list of "oh now great another toxic problem to worry about list but its something to possibly consider.
Thanks for reading.
Mary
Mold
Mold is a serious issue!! I don't think that one lady is too fanatical. Even in the Bible instructions are given for dealing with mold, it was treated as something very serious. I have a friend who has a bathroom ceiling covered with black mold -- you can even see it growing behind the wallpaper on the walls in there. She suffers with migraines, mood swings, and poor health, as does her daughter. She lives in a community of homes that were built upon old coal mine shafts. A lot of homes there have a black mold problem. She needs to move but I don't know who would buy a house loaded with that mold.I live in the upstairs of a house built in 1905. I am wondering -- how do you know if you've got mold? I know many of my health problems got worse in college--partly from poor diet and stress, and could have been partly due to living in old dorm and apt buildings. One of my dorm room closets had condensation on the back wall and ruined some of my clothes. A large amount of mold began growing there after I moved out but could have been there while I was living there as well. Just makes me wonder. Thankfully I just moved out of an old trailer that had windows that didn't shut, so black mold grew there. Also the bathroom was carpeted with old carpet--they say that carpeting in the bathroom is the worst--all kinds of funguses and bacteria can grow there--I know I used to feel awful when I would vacuum that place. Thanks for sharing, Does someone have to come into your home to search for mold?
mold
According to my naturapath - he said that mold can be visible or invisible to the eye. I knew my house was infested because I could see it! Sometimes you can smell it or feel it! dizziness and allergies and general ickiness in the body can be increased when near and inhaling mold. I react instantly!the next house I lived was a rental house that was 100 years old! I was instructed to bring air samples to my treatment- which consisted of putting sterile mason jar under the house for three days in the crawl space then capping it and labeling it as the area of the house it was in. I did this for my bedroom andfor the living room too. It was very old but it had been renovated- so old soesn't automatically mean sick and new doesn't mean it's healthy either-at some point and they owners had put central heat and air in and just took good care of the property. It was built in a area that got alot of direct sunlight so that seemed to help too? not all shady and dank like my other place. the house did not give me allergies andI defintaly felt better living there. He tested me holding the samples for mold in my hand using kinesthology muscle testing just to be sure I wasn't sensitive to what those jars collected and it turned out that my house was fine and had no major mold issues. I thought as much. My husband and I just moved to a house we bought and it is newer- buuilt in the 1960's with central heat and air and in terrific shape! It had slight water damage underneathe in one place at one time - just a little bit and was completely repaired. we had someone check for mold and it turned out to be just fine. We have hardwood floors and no wall to wall carpet. I will do alittle research on some ways to test and get back to you! Thanks Maryps: If you do have mold than you can get an ozonator and a dehumidifier and those help alot. maybe look into getting an air filter?
Mold
There are companies you can call that specialize in mold testing and treating. They take air samples and sometimes scrapings from the area that is suspected to be moldy. You should call around and talk to them on the phone and maybe talk to others who have used them. I have found these compnaies to vary greatly like others. But, it can be a great help in detecting any problems of this sort. I have had patients that have gotten sick bc of mold in their homes when it has been really bad.